White Band Day-Make Poverty History

Dec.10th - White Band Day, the day to show your support for ONE, the Campaign to Make Poverty History.

At a youth conference called BigStuf this past June. Tim and I along with other “youth staff” chaperoned about 100 kids to this amazing youth conference in Panama City, FL. One of the main speakers was a man by the name of Louie Giglio. He spoke of the overwhelming needs that are around the world. It didn’t come as a shock, I’ve known for quite some time there are people around this vast globe that need food, healing, and Jesus ( if I was talking I probably wouldn’t be able to pass up the opportunity to inflect my voice and sound like a southern Baptist preacher when saying Jesus, just for comic relief ,of course). But that’s just it, it’s a vast globe and what was I suppose to do. Louie went on and after all the facts (which I can’t remember) he said “ you can’t sit there and do nothing”, that I will never forget. It meant something to me. Because until then I thought I could sit there and do nothing. I mean, if anyone had a good excuse it was me. I have two precious kids depending on me. I’m committed to their growth, their nurturing, their daily routine…..“you can’t sit there and do nothing”, those words haunted me. From the moment they left his mouth until the day I decided I might be able to do a little. A little isn’t nothing, right?

Louis Giglio spoke of an organization that is making great strides in bringing attention to world hunger and the global AIDS epidemic. The ONE Campaign. I was interested but that was about it at the time. Then in mid July I was asked to consider going to Africa, my initial response was “there’s no way…but Tim said very bravely “I think there’s a way”. So with Louie’s words still haunting me I said “maybe”. Well, we all know that evolved into a “yes”.

Coming back from Africa (while still my body screaming at me for taking such a trip but being motivated to do a little more) with those words still lingering, I contacted The ONE Campaign. Quickly, I was given the task of trying to get our city to become a “City of One”. This meant getting the Mayor to write a proclamation stating the city supports the work of The One Campaign. The proclamation at best is symbolic, but joined with other cities, gives the notion that there are people throughout this country that want our government to do more for world relief. It was a time crunch, but yesterday I went to City Hall to pick up the proclamation and today our city is part of a national press release. How cool! Check it out, we're on a list (much smaller than I would have hoped) that counts for something. Tim was a big help in this by the way. Of course, he has some connections somewhere….and, well, he came through for me.

It’s not over - they still need help and need more volunteers - so if you’re willing and you want to do something, let me know.

Oh yeah…we have some white bands if anyone wants one.