make thirst history

We are all familiar with the phrase and campaign, Make Poverty History. This rally cry is beautiful and needs to be echoed throughout the world. However the concept of poverty as a whole can be quite overwhelming, so it is vital to understand what poverty is and what causes it. According to the World Bank, poverty is hunger, the lack of shelter, being sick and not being able to see a doctor, not having access to school and not knowing how to read, powerless, and a lack of representation and freedom. These individuals are not able to support themselves or their families. A more formal definition of poverty is ‘the state or condition of having little or no money, goods, or means of support; condition of being poor; indigence.’ Without the ability to support oneself, people are forced to neglect essential needs that our human body demands. One of these needs that play a significant role in relentlessly holding a person in poverty, and therefore a contributing factor to causing poverty, is the lack of access to safe, clean water. Only 2.5% of the water on planet earth is fresh, and the cost of obtaining drinkable water is rising. This reality has left 1.1 billion people on our planet in dire conditions and concern is increasing because of the implications the lack of water has on the health of individuals, not to mention the impact it has on those people’s ability to work, go to school, and live the fruitful lives they deserve.

There is a distinct difference between simply providing water and providing safe, clean water to those in need. Creating a safe environment for people to retrieve water is incredibly important, considering that in the developing world, women and children are largely responsible for fetching water which often requires more than three hours of walking per day. The traveling required to reach potentially drinkable sources puts women and children in dangerous situations that can lead to sexual harassment and assault, among other things. Also, establishing a clean water supply for these people has obvious benefits, especially in relation to decreasing poor health conditions. Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80% of all sickness and disease, and kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. Of the 42,000 deaths that occur every week from unsafe water and a lack of basic sanitation, 90% are children under 5 years old. Therefore, establishing both safe and clean water supplies to those that lack such a vital resource is crucial in the battle against inadequate water sources.

The current process of obtaining water that 1.1 billion people are forced to resort to requires precious time that takes precedence over other activities such as work, school, and the joy of living life. The lack of safe, clean water for these people presents serious health issues, but it also prohibits individuals from seeking job opportunities and receiving an education. It is absurd that such a basic human need can deter wonderful and talented people from experiencing the life they deserve and achieving the dreams they possess when the solution is quite simple and attainable. One organization that is taking bold and effective steps toward alleviating suffering from the lack of safe, clean water is Charity: Water. What they are doing is working because they partner with other organizations that are located in 11 different countries and that have tremendous amounts of experience in the specific regions and knowledge of how to develop sustainable, long lasting water programs. This often involves the construction of a well, and since August 2006 these wells have provided safe, clean water to 250,000 people.

Poverty can be a complex organism, however by addressing individual issues such as the current water situation, practical and effective steps can be taken to battle the suffering that occurs throughout the world. The sheer number of people who are influenced by the lack of safe, clean water shows the magnitude of this issue. Furthermore, the way that it contributes to poor health conditions and prevents individuals from living abundant, productive lives is evidence of the strangle it has on so many people and communities. But this does not have to be the case. Let’s not be the generation that stood by when people just like us were suffering from perfectly preventable issues. Learn. Proclaim. Act. Join myself and organizations like Charity: Water in working towards providing safe, clean water to all people. Together, we can make thirst history.

source: Charity: Water & the World Bank

pursuing the everlasting

Life is magnificent, wondrous, enchanting, fragile, and short. We have an incredibly small amount of time to love, influence, and change. This realization brings into perspective the value of each breath and waking moment. The decisions we make will be based upon priorities and values that define us. The following are lyrics to a well known song sung by Johnny Cash, entitled Hurt. The lyrics of this song focus on the concept of priorities, and how those priorities impact the future. One phrase is echoed throughout and rings true in my ears; "You could have it all, my empire of dirt." Johnny Cash was successful beyond imagination, yet he refers to it all as an empire of dirt! This has challenged me to consider what I am chasing after and what I desire most in this life. Is it the world and all the stuff it has to offer, or is it the kingdom of God which is everlasting? As you read the lyrics to Hurt, dig deep and attempt to be honest with yourself about what motivates you in this life. I have, and it is incredible to be in a place where I feel at peace with where I am at, where I am going, and what I value most. Life is short..what are you doing today to make it worth while?

Hurt - Johnny Cash
I hurt myself today
to see if I still feel
I focus on the pain
the only thing that's real
the needle tears a hole
the old familiar sting
try to kill it all away
but I remember everything
what have I become?
my sweetest friend
everyone I know
goes away in the end
and you could have it all
my empire of dirt

I will let you down
I will make you hurt

I wear this crown of thorns
upon my liar's chair
full of broken thoughts
I cannot repair
beneath the stains of time
the feelings disappear
you are someone else
I am still right here

what have I become?
my sweetest friend
everyone I know
goes away in the end
and you could have it all
my empire of dirt

I will let you down
I will make you hurt

if I could start again
a million miles away
I would keep myself
I would find a way

weakness

Our world is obsessed with status and achieving high standards of performance, which apparently directly relates to ones success as an individual. As humans, we innately desire to do something meaningful and impactful with our lives. Whether we admit it or not, we realize how short our time on earth is and while we are here we want to leave an impression and achieve greatness. Often times, these desires turn into a lust for power and strength. If becoming successful and great is the ultimate goal of humans then power and strength should be applauded right? For some reason this appears distorted because for many of us, we recognize how futile these efforts are in the grand scheme of life, especially when these ambitions can be taken from us so quickly. Regardless, there always will be a piece of us that strive to be strong and known. If asked whether you would rather be strong or weak, it would obviously be strong. The weak are the people who barely get by, those that are insignificant, and the ones that are shunned by society as a whole, the secular community as well as the church in many instances. Who would want to be weak or even associate themselves with those individuals that are? Well for starters what about Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi, or Jesus? These people saw the value and beauty in being weak according to the world's standards, and even went so far as to constantly surround themselves with the downtrodden. I do not imagine them being incredibly concerned with the next promotion, the status quo, or achieving the greatness and strength that man applauds. Jesus, for example, said "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." He also said, "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God." But what about the strong, the wealthy, and the self righteous? Again and again, Jesus sought out the weakest of the weak, and desired to be around them. This simple illustration points to how precious and valuable the weak are, not according to the world, but according to God. Was not Christ the ultimate example of becoming weak when He so humbly put Himself on the cross? I have been reminded of this truth recently, and it has forced me to examine whether I value strength or weakness. If I am constantly striving to become like Christ and experience personal growth, becoming weak must be at the core of my being. This may sound incredibly foolish, and I hope it does because that means I am getting the point across. Big picture, there is something valuable and everlasting about becoming weak instead of chasing after strength and power, which may only last for a season. As I continue to discover the beauty in aspiring towards weakness, I hope you will join me.

love wins..

This phrase has been popularized by tremendous individuals such as Mother Teresa and Mahatma Gandhi, and has served as a battle cry for decades. The power of the concept, love wins, can be tangibly seen in the lives of those people previously mentioned. Empires can be flipped upside down, prejudices can be eliminated, and the societal norm can be challenged. However, none of these incredible goals and dreams could have been achieved had it not been for some form of action. There is a fine line between believing that love wins, and believing that love wins. This difference is determined by action. Truly believing in the life changing power of love must result in some form of action, or else it simply becomes a foreign idea that seemed worthy at one time in our past. I like to call these distant, and once admirable ideas bumper stickers. Concepts that are portrayed on bumper stickers take little effort to broadcast with very little consequences. Putting a 'Love Wins' bumper sticker on your car is entirely different than believing in what that phrase stands for, and acting on it. Often times I think we put limits on what we are capable of achieving because it may not be comfortable for us. This world needs people who are willing to fight complacency, stand up for what they believe in, and put into action what they preach. Love does win, but only if people like you and me exercise it on a daily basis. There is power in love, yet love requires a decision. Choose love today, and watch the world around you change in ways you could never imagine.

poverty & politics

Poverty is a massive, complex issue. One of the ways that we can combat this is by using the resources and leverage that our nation has been so incredibly blessed with to work towards eradicating this tragedy of the largest proportions. As the US Presidential election nears, take a few moments to educate yourself on what each of the major party candidates are committing to in the fight against poverty if they are elected, by following the link below. These are uncertain and challenging times indeed, and it is important to remember that the people who are hit hardest are the poor.

McCain's and Obama's Public Commitments To Address Global Poverty

free trade or fair trade or both

A popular debate that has been building momentum in the realm of academics and pop stars alike is the discussion of free trade versus fair trade. In general terms, this has been an issue that people most likely know exists but do not know the facts or are not interested. However, in the international realm it impacts entrepreneurs, small business owners, and individuals, especially the poor, in real ways.

In the era of globalization, the world has become a much smaller place than it was 50 years ago. The market place has expanded which has allowed businesses of all shapes and sizes to increase their customer base. This interdependence and the free flow of goods and services across state lines and even borders is referred to as the free market. Free trade is tightly associated with the free market because without the physical act of those goods and services being transferred from the producer to the consumer, the free market cannot exist.

The development of the free market and free trade are good things because they allow consumers to dictate what the prices are and what is produced. If free trade is such a positive thing, then fair trade must therefore be negative right? This is the opinion I have come across in several circles, which is formulated before any knowledge about what fair trade is can be communicated or researched. According to the Fairtrade Foundation, 'fair trade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world.' They go on to say, 'by requiring companies to pay sustainable prices (which must never fall lower than the market price), Fairtrade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers.' Simply put, fair trade seeks to better the lives of the poor and other weak producers by providing them with a market so that those individuals' or businesses' products can be purchased.

To some this may sound like a manipulation of the free market. Before jumping to conclusions though, lets look at why small businesses or individuals that do not produce large quantities need assistance in order to sell their products and therefore earn a profit. In an ideal free market situation, consumers would be able to choose want they want to purchase and producers would constantly be battling each other and the prices within that free market to earn the profit from that consumer. However, government interference can influence the events that take place within the free market that can allow weak producers to have just as much of a chance to earn a profit as strong producers. An example of this interference that impacts the poor are subsidies. A subsidy is a form of financial assistance given to a business or economic sector. Subsidies are used to help a business that may normally fail in a free market environment, or to encourage economic excitement in a sector that may not have seen any. In America, our agriculture industry is heavily subsidized. The principle of subsidies was first developed and put into action during the Great Depression in the 1930s. Their role in sustaining the agriculture industry presently however is minimal. American agriculture subsidies currently cost taxpayers $35 billion annually, while the average American farm household brings in $79,000 annually. It is easy to see how even without subsidies, American farmers would be just fine. Subsidies are not necessary in our day and age, and most importantly these subsidies allow farmers that are receiving them to artificially lower prices below what they would be in a true free market environment which does not give smaller farmers and producers in developing nations an opportunity to compete. Now tell me, which is manipulation?

I am in favor of the free market and free trade because pragmatically, it is efficient. I am also in favor of alleviating poverty by allowing small producers an opportunity to fairly establish a market and earn a profit. If subsidies did not exist, the market could operate how it should which would provide the poor with an avenue to sell their products and ultimately earn a profit. Therefore the debate of free trade versus fair trade is quite unnecessary because what proponents of 'fair trade' want is simply for smaller producers to have just as much opportunity to sell their products as large farmers and corporations do which in fact is free trade. Until the manipulation of the market through subsidies for example is abolished, we as consumers must continue to voice our opinion with our money and purchase fair trade products. Give the poor an opportunity...

Where to buy fair trade certified products

people need people

Two of the most tragic characteristics of this generation are complacency and loneliness. They each have deep roots and impact how our society operates, thinks, and lives. Today I was reminded of the cure for at least one of these characteristics, if not both. People can often be frustrating and difficult to love, however creating and sustaining vibrant relationships with others can be one of the most wonderful aspects of life. Basically, people need people. Humans were made to be relational because we were created by a relational creator. I think many times it is easy to get caught up in the busyness of life and forget why we are here surrounded by other people. With iPods, cell phones, and computers it would be quite an easy task to avoid speaking to another human for an entire day, perhaps even an entire week. This is why loneliness is so prevalent in our society. As we increase our standard of living and continue to innovate new toys, our dependency on others decreases. It becomes harder and harder for us to connect with people because it is easier to simply check out than to engage in a fruitful conversation. In order for we as humans to personally grow and understand our creator better, we must put down the remote control and seek out people that will challenge us in new and exciting ways. We all have had tremoltuous times in our lives and in most cases those situations were easier to deal with when friends and family rallied to support us. We cannot continue on this journey we call life alone so rely on a friend and be a friend..combat loneliness today.