UNICEF: Combating cholera in Somalia (video)

Please spare 3 minutes of your time to watch the following video.

Thoughts and prayers: Somalia case

WORLD

Somalis Waste Away as Insurgents Block Escape From Famine

By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN

Published: August 1, 2011

The Shabab Islamist insurgent group is imprisoning displaced and starving Somalis who were trying to escape Shabab territory.

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This article is linked directly from the New York Times website. PLEASE, PLEASE spare some time and give the article a brief read to inform you (if you haven't already been so) of what is currently ongoing in our world today. No, we cannot go there and physically be present to witness this horrific phenomenon due to the extreme danger, to which we could all be vulnerable. I know there's nothing we can do at this point, as aid is pretty much impeded, thus rendered ineffective, but we could always remember to bring this issue and the people into our thoughts and prayers. Some of us may not bother and are too hard-pressed living their frantic lives, which is completely reasonable. But if I could ask each and every one of my blog reader to just burden yourself with this kind of deliberation in your everyday life, perhaps it would make a substantial bit of difference.

We, as Christians, believe in the power of prayer. Nothing is impossible with God. Nothing is impossible for those who believe. Right now I'm asking all of us to gather ourselves, join together in unity, and act upon our belief by praying for these people and their nation. In Matthew 18:19-20, Jesus says, “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” I think this is fairly straightforward of what is clearly laid out in the bible. Should we refer to the notion of practicality: is this feasible? Yes. Simple enough? Very. Everything seems impossible, but we must remember that GOD MAKES THE IMPLAUSIBLE POSSIBLE. This is not about your erudition in sociopolitical affairs, nor is it a case of how much comprehension you have of global matters. It is plainly a question of whether or not you CARE. And I'm making a modest request to my blog readers to participate in this consideration.

REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN, please make some contribution by keeping them in your thoughts, raising awareness, and/or being knowledgeable – anything counts! This is the LEAST we could do to make a difference. When you pray, please do not forget to include Somalia and the people who are inflicted by this gruesome calamity.

Thank you for taking your time. It is greatly appreciated.

Love always,

Hazel

"Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does." – William James

RQ: Random Quote #16 + reflection

"Don't stand idly by; don't be silent. The price of standing for our freedom is standing up for the freedom of others."

- Barack Obama, UN assembly speech, September 23, 2010

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What does it mean to stand up for our freedom by standing up for the freedom of others?

Charity: Water campaign

32 DAYS LEFT!!!!!!!! If for whatever reason you are unable to donate, please simply help by raising awareness to those around you and keep this matter in your heart and prayers.

http://mycharitywater.org/p/campaign?campaign_id=10453

or

http://mycharitywater.org/hazeltheresia

I sincerely thank every one of you who has generously contributed to this campaign. Rest assured that the less fortunate people we've helped will be incredibly grateful to finally be granted free access to a bountiful supply of clean water for the next 20 years of their lives.

People may not recall the good deeds you have done, but God certainly never fails to remember, and He never forgets to reward those who have pleased His heart.

"Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me." (KJV)

~ Matthew 19:21

mycharity: water

I took this right off my Water Campaign page.

"More than a billion people don't have access to safe drinking water. I don't mean that their pipes don't work; I mean that they have to walk hours each day to collect dirty water from stagnant ponds and muddy rivers. And the crazy thing is that for so many people, like for us here, clean water runs in lakes under their homes and village. But they don't have the drilling equipment or the money to reach it."

In my own words, why do I want to donate?
Let's keep this brief and concise. I probably have the same reason as everyone else who is doing this campaign: to provide fresh, healthy water to those in developing nations.

I first discovered Charity: Water not too long ago, as I was looking at non-profit organization profiles on Twitter. I looked into their vision and mission, and felt compelled to be a part of their campaign to build wells and make clean water easily accessible to people in countries that lack water sanitation.
As a result of this lack, many of these people are suffering from diseases, illnesses caused by bacteria; it can even hinder children from going to school because they have to get sooty water located hours from where they live.

Why should you care? Well, my answer is, why not? If there's something you can do about it, why not do it? Why wait for another time? Why stall? Death steals the lives of innocent children every ticking second. It takes away beloved ones from their families and friends as we speak. Death doesn't wait, so why should we wait to prevent it when we have a choice to NOT do so?

Just $5,000 builds a well to serve a community of 250 people. My goal is to raise $5,000 towards a well in the next three months. You can donate as little as $1 and as big as $1000. $20 can provide one person with clean water for the 20 years.

Starting small >> big progression >> transformative change.

Stop relying on other people to change the world. If you want to see change, BE the change.

Love is action. Don't just say, sing, or write about it. DO it.

Save a life today. Save one at a time. Start now.

To learn more about it yourself, go here: http://www.charitywater.org/whywater/

Visit my Water page: http://mycharitywater.org/hazeltheresia