Sleeping with bread: World Vision

Painting by Chautauqua County Artist: Nathan Long

Last week I missed my Monday post of Sleeping with bread due to helping out over the weekend with the, World Vision AIDS exhibit. I had the opportunity (as well as hundreds of other volunteers), to help educate our local community on the effects and pandemic of AIDS on the continent of Africa as well as become partners in assisting those people most effected by AIDS and HIV in the world today. I learned that 2/3 of the people in world effected by aids live in a very small geographic area within the continent of Africa. There are many reasons for this, but it was most distressing to learn that if access to clean water, nutrition from food and basic medical care were available, many people would not be so susceptible to AIDS.

The first time I went through the exhibit, I honestly was overwhelmed by the enormous number of people living with AIDS without the benefits we have in this country.

Rarely if ever do I worry if I have access to electricity, water, sewage, medical care and food. I began to realize the luxury I have of walking through a grocery store any day of the week and being able to purchase most of what I'd like to have to eat. Sadly, when I look into my pantry and think, "Man all I have is dry goods - I've got to get groceries.", people living in extreme poverty would take one look at my pantry and think, "There's enough rice here for our whole village!"

I do not want to dismiss the needs of the hungry, homeless and needy in our own country - there are many. But I do not want to turn away from the needs of Africa that I've better become aware of as well. Someone said to me over the weekend,

"God can use missions and the needs of another country to break people to begin to see what is really going on around them. Africa can be the start of opening of our eyes to see the needs in the world around us. Once you're heart is broken for the needy, you begin to see ways to help everywhere - including those who live in your own neighborhood."

This exhibit drew literally thousands of people over 5 days to take a chance to look around their global neighborhood and see if there is some way to help. I'd encourage you to visit World Vision and see if you have any rice you'd be able to share with the global village. Either with your time, abilities or money there are ways all around us to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Sunny and rainy day friends

There are two kinds of friends in the world: Sunny day friends and rainy day friends. This is a statement that my Mom used to remind me of when I was in the midst of drama or conflict with one school friend of another. There are lots of people that we define as friends, but they are really acquaintances. Two men were out hunting in the northern U.S. Suddenly one yelled and the other looked up to see a grizzly charging them. The first started to frantically put on his tennis shoes and his friend anxiously asked, "What are you doing? Don't you know you can't outrun a grizzly bear?" "I don't have to outrun a grizzly. I just have to outrun you!" This story is funny, but it does help define the distinct difference between a rainy day friend and a sunny day friend. The sunny-day-friend is more concerned with watching out for their own health and wellness, than their friends' wellbeing. On the other hand, a rainy day friend is willing to take risks, work fo

FCE - Dog stroke in spine

Kahlúa is our 15 year old dog that we adopted from the Humane Society when she was four. She joined our family and has been with us for eleven years so far. This morning we found her laying on the carpet in the dining room and was unable to get up and go outside. After letting her rest for a few hours, I gave her some bread to eat and she got up. She was wobbly so I scooped her up and took her outside to go to the bathroom. She managed to remain standing for a few minutes, but was back down quickly. Her back legs did not want to support her even though she was trying to walk. By this point, she had begin to cry so I called the vet and they said to bring her in for an evaluation. My kids and I tearfully wrapped her up in a blanket and drove to the vet. It seemed as if we were sitting in the waiting room forever. The vet told me that her heart, eye function, and lungs were great - also taking into consideration her age of 15! The problem seemed to be FCE - firocartilanginous embolism: w

Gifts we have to give

So often people will think of the areas of life that they fall short or what may need some improvement. I think there is some wisdom in knowing where we need some work as humans, but I also feel it is equally important to learn, foster and use the gifts each one of us are instilled with. So here is the challenge or question that I'd like to present: "What gift(s) has God given to you that can be used in the care and ministry of loving others?" How have you seen that gift used in the past? How would you like to use it? If you dream big and I dream big together - how could God work in that big pool of gifts in the lives of others??? Let's share our gifts today and dream of what they can accomplish for God's purpose! 1 Peter 4:8-10 (New International Version) 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others,

Uphill idealist

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