The best thing is that we have been taught that washing our hands well with soap can help to keep us healthy.  We have access to soap and water on a regular basis.  Not everyone is so lucky.  What they don’t know and don’t have access to can harm them or kill them.  Soap and water save lives and there is a Global Soap Project that you may not be aware of to get soap into the hands of people who are in need of it, to stay well.

The Global Soap Project was started by Derreck Kayongo.  His father was a soap maker in Uganda.  When Derreck came to the United States, he was amazed to discover that hotels put fresh bars of soap in the hotel rooms every day; discarding the used soaps.  This began the idea of the Global Soap Project as Derreck knew the importance of having soap to help combat sickness and disease.  Just imagine the difference having plenty of soap and water would make in refugee camps.

It is costly to get soap, in many areas of the world, and poorer nations cannot afford the luxury of throwing away bars of soap that are barely used.  The Bible says to those whom much is given, much is expected in return; we have a responsibility to do what we can to help those that are less well off.   This is such a simple thing to do.

Derreck began to think of how to recycle the soap and distribute it to people in need.  He began to contact hotels about donating soaps to be recycled.  He has a website that encourages people to get involved in the donation, recycling and distribution of soap that has been cleaned, recycled and inspected for impurities.  This has the potential of helping to save and improve lives.

In America, we understand that it is important to use soap and water anytime we are handling food or drinks; or when working with people who are sick, after using the restroom, or changing diapers or bathing young children who have not been trained yet about sanitation.  The Centers for Disease Control has a wonderful article about hand washing and gives the particulars on how to do it properly to prevent the spread of diseases or illnesses. If people around the world could have access to the soap that is thrown away in landfills every year it could help millions of lives that die from contact with diseases and symptoms such as diarrhea.

This time of year families are traveling on vacations and day trips staying at hotels.  Why not spread the word at the hotels, about the Global Soap Project, that you are staying at or saving the soap that your family is given to use throughout your hotel stay.  The project is based in Atlanta, Georgia.  This is a worthwhile way of contributing to a betterment of the world.  If nothing else, think locally.

There are many homeless people that could use individual bars of soap to use.  Why not donate to a homeless shelter in your area?  This is such a great idea to bless others with the things that we take for granted, won’t you do what you can to help others less fortunate.  Won’t you help Derrick and others like him who have a goal to save lives by donating soap, money or your time?  Visit his site and see what you can do to lend some support, won’t you?

You may say, I am only one person…what can i do?  You can support the National Association of Letter Carriers help stamp out hunger by leaving a bag at your mail box, on Saturday May 14, 2011, with non-perishable food items.  That is only 2 days from now.   Make sure that the items you are donating are not out of date or in danger of expiring any time soon.   Don’t have a lot to give; give what you can.  If you are blessed enough to have the means to give…give generously; we all have a responsibility to share our blessings with others.

Support businesses and organizations that sponsor the annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive.  This is an amazing grass roots program that blesses your local food banks.  All the food collected by your local mail carrier stays in your local area.  The people you help may be your own friends, family or neighbors. With the economy being so challenging in recent years more people are affected by not having enough to eat.  The numbers of children in homes without enough food is rising.  The elderly are having a harder time making ends meet.  Young wage earners are finding themselves without steady income to support their families sufficiently.   Natural disasters have hurt many families and those people still need to eat.  Churches can’t do it all…they need our help to provide food for those who are struggling with hunger!  Won’t you help?

Would you like to learn more?  Visit their website here:  Stamp Out Hunger and if you happen to have a Facebook account or a Twitter account…then Like them or Follow them to lend your support.  Spread the work online and off.  Tell others about the food drive…encourage others to donate.

Remember to thank your mail carrier.  They are dedicated to helping people stamp out hunger in your community.   Do you know someone who has had to use food from a food pantry or food bank?  Tell them about my friend Connie who heads up a website that teaches people how to eat healthier with the food that they bring into their homes through SNAP, food pantries, commodities, and farmer’s markets.  She does this in a way to help people stretch their budgets and to encourage the people who visit her website to form a community to share tips and ideas with one another.  Her site isn’t just for food stamp users…but for anyone on a tight budget who wants and needs to eat well.  Food Stamp Cooking Club

The thing is, death is permanent.  Suicide is a false solution to their problem.   Problems, even problems that seem overwhelming and beyond a person’s ability to see past it…problems come and go.  Life is full of them…big, small, and in-between problems.   There is hope…but they may need help in seeing it and believing in getting beyond what is troubling them.   However, if a person’s coping skills are influenced by depression, abuse, post traumatic stress, neglect or drug/alcohol abuse then, they may mistakenly think that suicide is a way out.

There is no way around it…destruction is close at hand when a person is to the point of thinking about suicide IF they do not seek professional help to deal with whatever is driving them to this point.  Sometimes, an individual is beyond seeking help on their own power; and a family member, friend or acquaintance is forced to intervene by contacting either a health care professional, a member of clergy or spiritual adviser, or the police in some cases to force a person to seek help.  This is not easy and the laws regarding forcing someone to seek help are different in each state.

It is a hard decision to even consider stepping in.  Most of us don’t want to be put in the position of interfering in another person’s personal life.   In fact, most people will err on the side of caution and allow desperate situations to go on too long.  Out of respect for that person’s privacy we might tip toe around the subject hoping not to offend.  I say it is better to possibly offend a person than to lose them to suicide; if you are wrong and they are not suicidal, you can always let them know that you cared enough about them to risk their upset, rather than risk losing them to suicide.

Still, I bring all of this up because recently it seems that there have been a rash of suicides.  Some of them made the news, some of them were in local communities and some of them affected people that I know.  It makes me sad because there is always a high cost when a person takes their own life; it isn’t only the person who dies who suffers either.

Suicide can affect anyone.  Shock is the most obvious reaction when someone takes their life.  The people who knew them will often say…I had no idea that they were thinking about it.  Suicide can be in the mind of your parent, child, spouse, clergy/spiritual leader, teacher, friend, an isolated elder, neighbor, a member of our military personnel…or, just about anyone who is living or breathing.  Just so you know, it doesn’t matter how much money they have, where they live or who they know…suicide can be lurking in the mind of a person who is having a difficult time in their life.

You see, friends, acquaintances, and loved ones of people who commit suicide suffer terribly in their grief.  They chase their thoughts round in round about what they missed, how they could have helped, what could have been done differently, why they still live when the person who died is gone.  Some even need counseling to deal with their emotions for a very long time.  Many even get to the point where they, too, struggle with finding joy in life because they feel guilty for having moments of joy, laughter, successes or celebrations.

The person who has died does not know this.  They no longer are capable of seeing how their death affects people who are left behind.   Even people in their community who barely knew them.  You see, we all have an impact in this life whether you realize how many lives you touch or not…every life has value.

People struggle in life…we can help those at risk of suicide by trying to be aware of what they are going through.  Most of us are not qualified to help someone through severe depression or feelings of ending it all by committing suicide…but, we can all be more aware of the signs of when someone is in trouble.  We can urge someone to seek medical/emotional/spiritual professional help.  We can be encouragers, listeners and friends.  Get the phone numbers and addresses of counselors, organizations and mental health care providers in your area.  In an emergency, call 911 if you feel someone is in danger.  You might not only save their life…but you might save an innocent bystander as well.

There was a tragic story yesterday of a woman who was involved in an alleged domestic situation where there was great emotional turmoil.  Her Aunt called the authorities after the woman called a family member and said they would all have to forgive her because she was about to do something crazy.  Her children’s father was allegedly cheating on her.  This distraught New York woman, allegedly put her four children into her vehicle and drove two minutes from her home off of a ramp into some water…killing herself and three of her children.  Her fourth child, a ten year old, managed to roll down a window and by a miracle got out of the vehicle alive.  Her very young children never had a chance.  It sounds like law enforcement was there within 17 minutes…but, it only took her two to drive into the water.   What horrible consequences to a temporary situation.

In her apparent desperation, this was her solution to the problem of a cheating spouse.  It made sense to her at the time.  To those of us outside of her situation; we can see how desperate and out of control she had to be to endanger not only herself, but her children’s life.  Whether he really was cheating or not, it doesn’t matter (well it does…but, that is between him and God); but, her belief that he was cheating triggered her suicidal and homicidal response.  This is a tragedy all the way around.

There are survivors…not only the ten year old child who will struggle to have a normal life since he survived and his siblings did not…but there are other relatives, the spouse, the neighbors, the children’s school mates, church members, community members and so on.  This kind of thing leaves a big scar.

I want to share with you information about awareness and the prevention of suicide by printing a link to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Organization.

We live in a time of great stress.  We have wars going on, natural disasters, man-made disasters, terrorism, accidents, financial losses and domestic violence…you get the idea.  Update:  Last night the news shared even more devastating news about the New York mom who drove into the Hudson River with her children in the car.  It seems that after she drove in she realized what she had done was a mistake.  Her 10 year old child said, She kept saying “I made a mistake, I made a mistake”.  This is so sad…but it does illustrate my earlier point…the person in distress doesn’t really want to die or in this case cause others to die…they just want the pain to end.

I believe that just being aware of the world around you and noticing where the acceptance of God is lacking and doing your best to be of service in some way; of bringing a light or help to those who are in need, is a ministry itself.  Some have a pull on their hearts to teach, preach, do missions work, or evangelize.  There are others who are drawn to a particular effort of outreach which may be to take Bibles into areas of the world which have little or no access to the word.  Then again, there are those with an online ministry to edify or build up disciples such as the Live Sticky movement which encourages people to spend a portion of their online time being dedicated to bringing awareness of God to those that they impact. These are all ministries that are needed.

A ministry might mean that you take meals to someone who is home-bound, lonely or spending time with someone who is depressed.  It might mean providing comfort and help to those in poverty, a hospital/jail setting; or it could be a position of raising funds for someone to go out and do missions work.   Some of those ministries can be dangerous; but still, God puts a calling on those individuals hearts.

Today in the news there is some sadness which highlights that statement.  In recent days, there have been four Americans held hostage, on a yacht, which were hi-jacked by Somali pirates allegedly.  It basically is a form of human trafficking…to hold humans against their will in the hopes of making money off of them.  There was a military warship that was tailing them and as the shots rang out, the Navy warship took action capturing and killing the pirates.

Today, unfortunately the news says that all four American hostages were murdered by the pirates.  The yacht was owned by Jean and Scott Adam and they had two passengers on board, Phyllis Macay and Bob Riggle.  Jean and Scott often traveled distributing Bibles around the world on their yacht.

They knew the risks of traveling this part of the world where pirates have been wreaking havoc on ships traveling through the area.  Still, they were committed to doing what they loved to do and felt called to do.  This required tremendous courage on their part.  They believed in more than just life here on Earth and it is a terrible loss to those who knew them and loved them.  May God comfort their friends and families during this time of grieving. They sacrificed their lives to do what they felt called to do; many people do not understand that kind of commitment.  It is a love that goes beyond the general human attitude of thinking only about oneself.

Did they want to die…no, I am sure they did not set out with the purpose of loosing their lives.  There are many examples of people who have lost their lives for Christ.  I believe that God has welcomed them home.  They faced this danger knowingly…but it is still a tragedy in human terms.  Spiritually, God will deal with those who took their lives.

There are many parts of the world which are hurting and struggling with war, with natural disasters, with political unrest and with spiritual warfare.  Those areas of the world have people in need; just as there are people suffering and hurting in your own local neighborhoods and countries.  Whether you feel the call to do missions work, teach/preach or evangelize in person or online…know that lives are being affected and changed for the good.

This is important work that you do, wherever God places you to do it. It is important to pray for those who set about doing the work of God…no matter where they do it.  There are forces at work intending to persuade Christians to stand back and let the world take care of itself.  That is not what God asks of us; be about the business of God.  Be an encourager, support ministry in any way that you can.  If it is working with children, in administration, or in actively pursuing those who don’t know Jesus…find a way to be in service.

I have friends and family who are doing amazing things because of their love of God.  There is Friends Like Us who work with children with cancer and their families.  They provide chemo bears to the pediatric patients that they work with…as well as providing gifts for the patients siblings.  They talk with and support parents of those patients.  They often send blankets from another organization called Layers of Love and a book on living with cancer from an author that they work with. Please visit them and support the work that they do.  These are all ministries at work, in my humble opinion, because they show love and help people who are hurting and in need of some sort.  This is just a small sample of people in my circle of influence.

My daughter recently went to Haiti and worked in an orphanage where the love of God is at work trying to improve the lives of those they touch.  I intend to do a series of blog posts soon about some of the work being done there.  Here is a link to the Haiti Foundation Against Poverty through which she felt called to work on a recent missions trip. http://haitipoverty.org/Updates.aspx

I just want to recognize those who are about the business of doing the work of the Lord.  Thank you for the sacrifices of your time, your money, and your efforts. Never forget that the time is short and that God is coming soon.  He alone knows the day and the hour…so when you get weary or feel burdened; remember that the life that you connect to God will have the opportunity to go to Heaven rather than the destination of Hell, a place of eternal suffering. This reason alone is why God gave us his word in John 3:16  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life”.

What type of work do you do for the kingdom of God?  What do you feel called to do or share?  Are you actively involved in some kind of outreach ministry? Have you ever felt in danger while doing your ministry work?  Will you tell us about it here? What do you do for the love of God?

The impact of that was the beginning of the fitness niche that you see today.  Exercise was not just a gimmick for Jack, like you see so many businesses pushing today; just to make money.  It wasn’t a fad for him, it was a way of life, each and every day.  Jack LaLanne I remember you and your wife Elaine’s career; and, I remember how you inspired a nation to get fit by setting an example with your words, your actions and your life.

Today, I myself will get up and get moving; I’ll start on my exercise bike.  My son is going to begin an intensive interval training program called Fearless 45 today. I will do my best to encourage him to follow through…not just for a short term goal but to promote life long health and well-being.  That is what Jack tried to teach all who would listen was to make well-being.

I myself have gotten away from living a life of healthy exercise and eating right.  I love that you lived a whole life of fitness from the moment you understood it’s power to enhance you day to day existence.  Your television show was on the air for something like 34 years.  You made guest appearances on other shows, on network news and on videos and the like.  I can still hear the excitement and the dedication in your voice.

How wonderful it would be to have that same joy and commitment.  So, today Jack LaLanne I will dedicate my first day of being recommitted to exercise as a permanent lifestyle change.  Thank you, God bless you and your family.  As a side note: that link to Fearless 45 is an affiliate link and if you were to purchase it…I would be financially compensated. That doesn’t take away from the fact that it is a good program for those who are approved by their doctors to be healthy enough to pursue that level of fitness.

        The solution was the wonderful hospitality house that is connected to Spectrum Hospital downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan called the Renucci Hospitality House.   I can’t tell you what a wonderful service this Renucci House offers.  It was built in 1999 and helps to house family members of the hospital’s patients that are in need of having a place close by to sleep and rest.  It was designed to provide comfort and rest for the weary soul.  There is a small healing garden that is darling.  There is a playroom for young siblings or children of the hospital patient.  The staff is wonderful and caring, from the hosts to the cleaning crew.   There is a computer for the patient’s family members to use, a laundry facility, an exercise room…and quiet rooms for relaxing.  The dinning room is open 24-7 and the kitchen is stocked with non-perishable food items for those moments when food or drink is needed.

        The Renucci House was founded by Peter P. Renucci and his wife Patricia Renucci.  Back in 1968 one of their children was born through a premature situation and had to stay in the hospital’s neonatal unit.  This was the basis of their awareness of the need to be close to your loved one who is in crisis.   They helped to fund the Renucci House with a gift of $1.6 million because they wanted to thank the community for what had been done for their family.  This is a gift that keeps on giving with a pay it forward theme that I love.

       The atmosphere is one of love, support and healing.  You feel very comforted if you find yourself in need of the Renucci House.  It goes beyond the staff or the comfortable rooms.  There is a very wonderful program of volunteerism that happens here.  Organizations, churches, families and individuals are encouraged to give of their time, talents, and blessings.  You can volunteer to donate and prepare meals for the families who are staying there.   This is normally a great expense for families who must stay nearby their family members during a hospital stay; it may be an expense the family cannot afford.   Truly, this is a huge blessing and one that shows an important part of caretaking and nurturing of families in crisis. 

         Our family benefitted from several meals that had been prepared and served by some of these volunteers.  It was a service that was provided with joy by the volunteers; and that was a wonderful blessing.  The meals were wonderful from the main dish to the salads, drinks and desserts.  One evening, a church had their youth providing community service help to serve the families of the Renucci House.  It was a group of fifth graders and their mentors.  These people went out of their way to be of service to those who stayed there that evening.  They mingled and interacted with the families and showed great care.   I think it is great that young people are being taught the importance of giving back to a community through volunteering their time, skills and willingness to be of service.  Kudos to those involved.

         Volunteers are encouraged to come and bake in the kitchen homemade baked goods or some other treat.  Put together snacks or care bags for the families.  This also opens the door to have conversations with family members who may need someone to talk to.  Comfort and peace are evident throughout the Renucci House because of the volunteer programs.

        The Renucci House actually operates quite a bit through their volunteer programs…from donated non-perishable food items which stock the kitchen for family members to use when they need it; to volunteers to help pay for the family members stay who can not afford to pay, to help cover the cost of staying in the Renucci House.   This is a big deal if a hospital stay goes on for very long.  Family members may have a hard time paying for their rooms, or much needed items to be able to stay close to their loved ones.   Some volunteers give gift cards to be used at local stores or restaurants in the area.    Perhaps donating a telephone calling card would benefit families who are staying at the Renucci House but have long distance calls to make.   Talk to the manager of the house to see if current magazines can be donated or perhaps you have a nurturing spirit and have time to greet guests or maybe volunteer to help in the library.  Empty nesters  or retirees who find themselves with time on their hands may wish to do something meaningful with all of their spare time.   The Renucci House volunteers provide breakfast and dinners daily…they need a large number of volunteers who are willing to provide this needed service.

       You know, the Renucci House is near to the Lemmen -Holton Cancer Pavilion, the Devos Children’s Hospital, and the Lena Meijer Heart Center; all of these facilities have patients and families.   There is a huge need to support those patients and their families at a time when they are facing some of the biggest battles of their lives.   Often there are so many emotions to deal with such as fear, anxiety, depression, sadness and hope.  The Renucci House provides the basics to allow people to cope with their emotions.   Please, spread the word, volunteer and give help when and where you can.  Having compassion and opening your hearts to opportunities to help is an important part of life…please get involved.   You never know when you or someone you care about may need some of those same things.

        If someone has time or talent to give or just feels moved to donate monitarily to the Renucci House you can contact their house manager at (616) 391-1790.  

 You can view their website here: http://www.spectrum-health.org/renucci .  My family is going to volunteer soon…we may even take our youth group down and prepare a meal for the family members in the near future.  As a family who has benefitted from a stay at the Renucci House recently, I want to say thank you to all of the volunteers, to the staff of the Renucci House and to the Renucci Family themselves for impacting the Grand Rapids community and it’s surrounding area with love, compassion and support.  You are appreciated greatly!

Bullying is more complicated these days because of the way in which it is done; it is psychological, it is persistent, and it can include threats, violence, or even sexual threats.  Most people over the age of 40 remember the school bully…you know the one.  He/She was the person who everyone feared and gave a wide berth to just because he sought out and picked on those he/she knew for a fact that they could take on and win.  We all have had some relationship to that kind of person.   However, now it seems that there is a group mentality when bullying or persistent harassment starts up.

  Back when i was growing up you had one of two options…ignore that person and stay far away from them or “stand up to them” and work up your courage to go toe to toe.  Remember the childhood phrase that we were all taught…sticks and stones will break your bones but words will never hurt you?  That couldn’t be farther from the truth; we all know that words have the power to destroy a person’s self-worth and the value of that person in the eyes of others.

Everyday it seems that we hear about another child/teen/college student that has been bullied or cyber stalked and trash talked about.  Many of those cases either end in a suicide or a violent attack or even in some cases of extreme bullying…a retribution plan of attack on a school with a violent outburst.  Lives are ruined, hearts and minds are damaged; many individuals end up in prison because of bullying.

 A real danger is people who think that bullying is a normal part of growing up…it isn’t and it should not ever be allowed.  Making excuses and telling a victim of such behavior to just ignore it is equal to nullifying their experience with bullying…which in effect tells them that they are powerless to change their circumstance in a positive way.

There is a hopelessness about our young people.   Many of them, in a desperate need to feel something, are self mutilating, becoming promiscuous,  developing eating disorders, or diving into the world of drug/alcohol addictions in reaction to their feelings about themselves and their lack of proper treatment by others.   They have been conditioned to think that nothing is going to change for the better; so they feel angry, bitter, broken and depressed.

 Don’t fool yourself into thinking that it doesn’t affect you, your children, your grandchildren, or the children in your church or neighborhood.  It does; and things are getting desperate.  Kids feel threatened, they feel demeaned and they feel powerless…so, many of them will arm themselves and things escalate quickly.   This is good for no one.

Respect for themselves as well as others is important to fight bullying.  Finding mentors for our young people is helpful…getting involved in sports or extra curricular activities that give them an appropriate sense of pride in themselves and their involvement.  Community service that gives them a sense of personal value and connects them to others who recognize their strengths and talents.  Inspiring hope and promise for a future is what kids need.  Instead, we often find that our young people aren’t getting those important messages about themselves.

With all of the new technology, kids are able to be “connected” 24 hours a day to not only their friends; but also, to people who wish them harm.  This connection includes cell phones, cell phone pictures, texts, email, chat lines, websites and forums.   Kids live in the midst of a multi-media blitz in their lives in school and at home.  Pay attention to them closely; watch for any changes in behavior, attitude, relationships and moods.  It could be life and death-for them and anyone who is in their lives, personally and socially.

Don’t think, not my child, not my child’s friend or the kids in my youth group.  I’ve worked with kids most of my adult life; for well over 30 years and things have broken down.  Kids, even good ones have low self esteem, they are depressed, frightened and angry.   Many of them don’t feel loved (even when they are), they don’t feel valued, appreciated or listened to.  They feel trapped and alone or isolated…even when they are surrounded by friends and activities.  It is a recipe for disaster not to recognize the patterns or seeds of destruction.

In truth, it makes you want to build a fortress around them to protect them against those who seek them out to do them harm.  So what can a parent, an educator, a spiritual leader, a friend, or a sibling do to help those caught in the web of persistent bullying/stalking?

First of all, pay attention.  Listen closely, monitor things…set limits of exposure online.  Talk to them and their friends about situations of bullying in their school or social networks.  Document any kind of negative interaction…write it down, talk to the school administration, file a report, alert teachers, bus drivers, neighborhood watches to any kind of bullying or violent situations that may come up.  Create a network of awareness and prevention where you can.  Ask your school to bring in safety experts and relationship experts who are trained in these areas of concern. 

Expect there to be resistence from the powers that be.  Many of them will give lip service to the no tolerance rule of bullying…but never, EVER, let them talk you out of filing official reports or grievances.   Often a school will just expell a student for a short time as a discipline…never following up with corrective action such as counseling or conflict resolution.   Leadership must establish methods of dealing with this type of behavior in a constructive way. 

For the victims of bullying or school violence… it may be helpful to have some self-defense training, some skilled training about paying attention to their surroundings and who is in their direct physical environment; making judgement calls about making decisions about where to go and with whom.   Get restraining orders or personal orders of protection if you feel it is something necessary to the physical and emotional well-being of the victim.     In some cases, change schools or even in extreme cases…it is best to even move or send them to live with a relative temporarily-especially if there is gang involvement.   This is no small thing to overcome and you do not want a victim of bullying/violence to become a prisoner to fear in their everyday life.

Does that sound like an over-reaction?  I can assure you that it is not; don’t believe me?  Watch the news, listen to a mother or a father that has lost a child to school violence or bullying; they would do anything if they could go back and do something different.   Or maybe listen to the child who in reaction to the bullying, who took matters into his/her own hands and tried to retaliate only to end up in prison for years or for life.  That ought to convince you that taking drastic measures to protect your child or your family is a good thing.  You see, persistent bullying often spreads and becomes a contagious thing…affecting other family members or sometimes even others in the neighborhood.   It is serious, but things can be done to improve the situation; get good advice from law enforcement or safety experts on the matter.

Ok, remember that I mentioned that some of you wouldn’t make it this far because you think it doesn’t affect you.  These young people who are traumatized, or trained to protect themselves emotionally by closing off normal pathways of emotion, are going to grow up.  They are going to become doctors, lawyers, nurses, teachers and nursing home supervisors, counselors and so on.

If their standards of what is acceptable, in relation to inappropriate levels of behavior have been damaged, are you going to want them caring for your grandchildren in day care, or taking care of one of your loved ones in a hospital or nursing home setting?  If they have learned to accept that kind of treatment in their own life, they surely won’t recognize it as inappropriate behavior in relation to others like yourself.  

Please, love on the youth today build them up and help them to be strong individuals in a healthy way; care for them, listen to them, protect them through legal channels and through school policies.  You won’t regret being proactive in the name of what is right!

        There is extreme hunger, thirst, a desperate need for shelter and personal safety…and again, a huge concern for predators intent on inflicting the horror of human trafficking/modern day slavery on the men,women and children caught in the natural disaster that is the earthquake that Haiti has suffered.  Good things are happening too, but we don’t hear as much about that…but, we need to so that those helping to make a difference see that goodness can come out of tragedy.

         But there are at least two positives that I want to point out, one is a miracle of another survivor who was found 15 days after the earthquake; a 17 year old girl, now that is a miracle!  The other positive is a pat on the back for those that I saw on a news report who have had next to nothing to eat & drink; and yet, some of those same people have been sharing with their neighbors the last of their valuable items of food and drink.  It reminded me of the old story, Stone Soup…Haiti is creating stone soup.

     For those of you who don’t remember the story of  Stone Soup; it is a story of a travelor who wanders into a village and teaches a lesson about working together and having compassion.  The travelor is hungry and has nothing to eat so he asks a woman for some food.  She denies him because she says she has nothing to give him.  The travelor has a large pot but nothing to put into it.  However, he asks the woman if he can use her fire for cooking and he goes to the well to get water for the pot he carries on his shoulder. 

        Curious, the woman asks him what he is going to cook.  He tells her stone soup.  He looks around the yard and finds a nice smooth rock.  He cleans it off and drops it into the pot of water that is heating up on the fire.  After some time, he tastes it and the woman asks him, how does it taste.  He says well, it is not done yet.  Then he mentions that normally he would add some carrots but, he doesn’t have any.  The woman’s young son says that they have a few carrots in the side garden.  The mother gives her ok to go get them and add them to the pot if he will share with her family some of his stone soup; he agrees and the child gathers the carrots to add to the pot.

       It cooks for a while, and he tastes the soup…mentions that it needs some herbs.  Of course by this time, the children are playing off to the side of the fire; and, one of the boys friends says that his mother has some wild onions growing by her picket fence and runs off to get them.  When he comes back he brings his sister who has two potatoes that she dug up just that afternoon; and his mother follows with a handful of peas that she was cleaning for supper.  Together they throw the wild onions and the chopped up potatoes into the pot as well as the peas that the woman had.  The soup is starting to smell good.  No one had ever heard of stone soup before and it wasn’t long before people were talking about it and coming to watch in case they may learn to make it for themselves.

        The first village woman had gone to her friends house to tell of the stranger and his stone soup.  Her friend says she must see this to learn how to make it as times are hard.  She tells her friend that all she has to feed her family is one dead chicken that she was plucking when her friend came to tell her of the soup.  She takes the chicken with her as she doesn’t want to lay it down on the dirty outdoor table. 

        When the women arrive the soup is sending up a lovely smell and people are starting to gather around the pot.  There were young and old alike giving their advice on what to add and how it would taste.  The pot was very large and so the woman with the chicken asks if she adds the chicken to the pot whether she could bring her family over to share the soup.  Of course says the travelor…the chicken would be a wonderful addition to the soup.  Excitement began to touch those around the fire…they started to think about what they had that could be added, for a small sample of the stone soup.

        A husband and wife happened along in their wagon coming home from the mill.  They had sacks of grain, and inside one of those sacks was some barley they were willing to share with the travelor and his pot for a portion for themselves.  Into the pot went a couple of cups of barley.   The crowd began to murmur amongst themselves about how good the stone soup would taste when it was done.

       Another added some corn, a grandmother had some rice she was willing to share, and a teenager had some beans that he had been shelling for his mother…these they added to the pot.  The travelor said it was nearly done…did anyone else have anything to share…and out of nowhere a rutabaga appeared, along with a few sticks of celery, some lentils, and a head of garlic, some green beans and a fat sausage or two.

       It wasn’t long before the stranger said it was nearly done and did anyone have some bowls to serve it with; the people began to scurry home and came back with not only bowls and spoons but hungry family members who were thankful to have a meal;  when earlier, they had no idea how they were going to find something to eat when alas, they only had an item or two to prepare.  They were all grateful that the travelor had taught them how to make Stone Soup by sharing their blessings with one another.

        This is the story of Haiti…i read a news item this week of neighbors who were sharing the last little bits they had with one another.  One woman said, today I have this to share with my neighbors and friends…tomorrow they will share with me what they have.  In this way we all shall have something to eat and drink.

        In a time when most would understand that desperation has the tendency to bring out the worst in people (and for some it does); I want to celebrate those who in their desperation are finding ways to help one another.  Whether they are sharing their food or water, trying to protect the people from human trafficking, looking for survivors, helping those grieving…or tending to the sick and dying in make shift hospitals…i want to say thank you for finding human compassion inside of yourselves and using it to help a nation trying to survive.  God bless!

         It got me to wondering what it is about heros that attracts us to them; what are they made of.   Why do heros do the things that they do?  Most of the time heros are fighting for justice, in other words fighting against the bad guys/gals, trying to protect other everyday non-heros from harm.  I think as we grow up, our understanding of what a hero is changes a bit.  I think we are attracted to the goodness in a hero or their ability to protect and to serve.  It is admirable and desirable to be capable of doing the right thing, for the right reason.

          In my mind, a hero is someone who does something unexpected in a challenging way that helps/protects/inspires/encourages another person who is not in a position to do it for themselves at the time.   A hero is someone who makes a split second decision to reach out and make a difference even if the cost is high-such as a stranger who rushes to protect another person from a crime, a threat, a bad decision, or a moment of danger.

           Sometimes a hero is a person who is “just doing their job” in their own words; but to another ordinary person their commitment to the deed is extra-ordinary because of the level of commitment to performing the deed comes with high risk or a high cost to the person choosing to take action.  A police officer, a fireman/woman, a postal worker, a teacher, a store clerk, military men and women…the list goes on and on; these people are heros in my book. 

           What about the volunteer or caregiver who takes extra measure to seek a solution to another person in need?  Are they a hero?   What about people who put themselves out on the front line to fight for what they believe in even when it is not popular; are they heros?  I believe that they are.

            I think about those people who fight for the poor, aged, disabled, ill, those who wage a war against cancer, domestic violence, drug & alcohol addictions, human trafficking, homelessness, abortion, abuse/neglect, children without families or without basic needs being met.  The people who champion for an awareness or for changes to existing circumstances just because it is the right thing to do…I believe these people are heros.  They are an inspiration!

           Miep Gies died yesterday at age 100.  She was a hero but she didn’t like to think of herself that way.  She was an office worker in the employ of Anne Frank’s father Otto Frank; she hid Anne Frank and her family and friends in a secret room in a warehouse during the years that Hitler was rounding up Jews to kill them, during the Holocaust.  She is the woman who bicycled around the city finding food to feed them, and who eventually found the pages of Anne Frank’s diary when they were arrested.  She risked her own life to do what was the right thing to do to protect other human beings in extra-ordinary difficult circumstances.

             There are so many different kinds of heros in our every day lives if only we stop to think about it.  I think the act of a hero is a call from God to step outside of ourselves to be the hands and feet of Jesus…to be the best person that we can be.

           Do you know someone like this?  Write me a comment and give them a little plug.  Most heros are unsung heros because they don’t believe that they deserve attention for doing what they consider the right thing to do.  And, maybe in one sense they don’t…because we should all be doing these things…but the truth of the matter is, that without examples how will others learn to be heros in their own right?  We must hold up examples of special people who do acts of heroism…because in doing that we are encouraging more of that kind of behavior. 

So is there a hero that you know of doing something wonderful?   What is your hero made of…tell us all about them.  Please comment here and let us know about this person and what they are doing to make the world a better place!  Thanks for being a light!