The mastermind behind the 40 Day Fast, Kat, has another brilliant idea to wrap up the 40 Days: Get a Goat.
The idea is that everyone donate 5 minutes and 1 dollar and we come together to purchase a goat through World Vision to help a family in need. A goat can help to provide cheese, yogurt, milk, and a source of income for a family, and it only costs $75. Learn more from her post.
The response has been so great that she's already been able to purchase one, and she's over halfway to a second one. She's taking donations until 11:59 tonight.
I hope you have enjoyed the 40 Day Fast as much as I have. And not only enjoyed it, but have been heartbroken as well. And hopefully you've discovered some incredible blogs and writers out there as well. I know it has been something I feel honored to be a part of. It's exciting to see this new age of connectivity being used to make a difference.
I never really got that phrase. Partly because I like rain so much. So if its pouring, all the better, I say!
All that arbitrary introduction to tell you that since I posted about TOMS on Sunday, I've been seeing the company pop up everywhere, including on the good ol' blogosphere.
Seth Godin, the marketing guru, has a post about it here. Which raises some interesting conversation, I think.
I personally don't think Blake has set up his business model this way to be able to create a market buzz. I believe he genuinely cares about the cause, partly because I have a friend in NYC that knows him personally.
But I do think it's interesting how attractive it does look to the world when Kingdom ideals are put on display. It's so revolutionary it's something that people WANT to talk about. And THAT makes great marketing, even if it wasn't completely on purpose.
I wonder at the potential of the kind of buzz that would result in this world if we all put Kindom ideals on display.
Just a thought.
Some GOOOOOOD posts have been put up in the last few days from the 40 Day Fast. See the links on the sidebar to the right!
First of all, it would be a bit presumptuous of me to assume that most readers of this post today have visited this blog before. In that case, I must begin with proper etiquette: Greetings, and welcome to my small corner of the internet. It is a modest corner, I am aware, but I like it, and I hope you enjoy your stay as well.
Today is my turn in the 40 Day Fast. For those that know me, I am sure they are expecting some post about Invisible Children and the ways to get involved. And while I do love the spirit of that organization and must admit they are up to some pretty neat stuff lately, I decided to spread my wings a wee bit and learn about something else, something that I think fewer people know about but that more people should.
But to get there, I will start with a friend I have who works at Invisible Children. He was staying at my house in Franklin, TN, one day because he was in town doing some promoting for one of their events, the Global Night Commute, in 2006. When he came downstairs for breakfast, I was a little taken back by the words that were written across the shirt he was wearing:
"Africa is the new pink."
It really made me stop and think. Poverty and suffering are not new phenomena. They have been around for thousands of years. One only needs elementary sunday school and a few Old Testament stories to know this. I saw this poverty and suffering first hand when I visited Kosovo a few years ago and saw the devastation left behind from the Balkan genocidal conflict in 1999. I worked with Invisible Children and understood the barbarity of children much younger than I was (at the time 17) being forced into the violence of terrorist rebel groups. And perhaps what had the most profound and sobering effect on me was a course at Belmont I took in the fall called "Confronting Genocide." What an introduction to the real world. Despite my previous experiences with the issue of genocide and suffering, I think I am still just recovering from the shattering effect that had on my perspective of the world.
But if poverty and suffering are so ancient themes, then why is it now, just now, that they are getting so much attention? Why has the picture of Africa become so... so trendy lately?
As I sat at that kitchen table, I had to quickly examine my heart. Why was I focusing my energy on this activist cause in Africa? Was it because I genuinely cared? Was it because I wanted to take care of the least of these? Or was it because an Irish rock star told me to and I wanted to look cool, hip, and "trendy"?
There are a lot of debates right now about this whole topic, but my opinion is, even if the Africa and poverty are the cool wave right now, let's ride that wave and get as much as we can out of it while we can. If "Africa is the new pink," let's take advantage of it! We can argue that the RED campaign is misguided because it is using consumerism to fight the nasty effects of... consumerism, but the fact is that in its very first year, it contributed five times more money to the Global Fund as the private sector had in the previous four years. And that will make a difference to poverty. And perhaps, after some initial "trendy" exposure, the whole Africa theme might just transform hearts as well, as I believe it did for me.
As a business student in college, that gives me hope. I believe it is the redemption of capitalism. I can be a business owner and make a difference in the world in which I live. That is why the organization I wish to highlight today is TOMS Shoes. It's a business founded by Blake Mycoskie with a simple, yet revolutionary idea. For every pair of shoes purchased, Blake will personally donate a pair to a child in need. It's that simple. Buy one pair, another gets donated. The shoes are stylish, the website is glossy, and the cause is legit. For only $40, you can be incredibly cool AND provide a kid in need with a new pair of shoes (not to mention you are already cool for helping out a kid in need). I bought the olive pair, why don't you consider buying your own? If you don't feel like you need another pair of shoes, if nothing else, they are a great conversation starter and a way to spread the word to others about this great company.
Here's a clip that showcases what they call "Shoe Drop '06." It is definitely worth a watch:
Click on the banner below to bring up the designer's/Chief Shoe Giver's blog. It's got a lot more info on TOMS Shoes that I left out, as well as some of his really interesting thoughts.
I pray today for those in need, yet I also pray for those who are able to empower. I pray that we will be courageous enough to make a difference, even when it may seem foolish, and have the perseverance to keep with it. I thank God for people like Blake, who creatively find a way to bring the Kingdom to earth in the context of the world they find themselves in. I pray that we all may find a way to do this with our lives.
I survived my first camp counselor experience, and I actually loved it! Such an incredible time of fellowship with other leaders and a chance to pour myself out into some younger guys. I had no idea what was about to hit me..
But now, I got some catchin up to do.
The 40 Day Fast still wages on, and here is what I've missed:
June 29 -- Stephen writes about Blood:Water Mission June 30 -- Jeanine writes about The International Justice Mission, War Child, and Christian Children's Fund July 1 -- Truevyne writes about Compassion International July 2 -- Ryan writes about Living Water International July 3 -- Jeremy writes about the local church July 4 -- Steven writes about inner city ministries
And today it's Susanne's turn. There's been some incredible posts. I encourage all of you to read em!
My time in the mountains and Maryville (pronounced Murvul :o) ) was fantastic, and I'm sad to leave those people behind. These last three days of work have been tiring, and here I am typing this post at 2 in the morning when I have to be ready to greet hundreds of kids anxious for camp at 6:30 in the morning tomorrow. It's gonna be another long day tomorrow, but worth it. For the next 5 days, I will be a camp counselor, and thus, there will be no life on this blog. Feel free to leave your gamut of comments for me to sort through when I return, as I've left enough posts tonight for you to have some options :o). I will be back in full swing by the 4th of July, and I can't wait to see all that happens until then.
As for the 40 Day fast, Stephanie has today's post. I'll be sure to link to all the posts that I will miss by being at camp when I return.
Be good without me, blogosphere. Don't do anything I wouldn't do.
My travels have prohibited me from keeping up to date with the 40 Day Fast. Sorry all, but I promise to back track and link to them anyway. Shaun Groves posted about his cause on Monday, and as always, his thought-provoking words pushed to status quo. He is never one to just do something like everyone else does, is he? Tuesday's post by Kristin continued the Compassion International streak to five days in a row. What an incredible testament to how the organization is actually saving lives. Today's participant is The Chaotic Hammer, so make sure you give him some lovin.
Soon enough, my friends, I will get around to posting pictures and stories and such from this weekend. Soon enough.
Day 3 of the 40 Day Fast is today, and Sam has the goods. Fortunately, I find myself typing this message from a town called Maryville, TN, 30 minutes outside of Knoxville. A wonderful time with some friends from Belmont, but not the best condition for blogging. Therefore, today's message will be short, and more will come tomorrow. Make sure you read the post today!
The wall is very, very thin. The wall divides a bloody temple from Mother Teresa's home for the sick and dying, and it's a very thin wall. For the children I've met in central America, Africa, Asia -- the wall between hope and hopelessness, between smiling young engineer and disfigured beggar, is a very thin wall.
And, borrowing from Solzhenitsyn, that wall runs through me, and my checkbook, separating life and death, mercy and darkness.
Isaiah 58:6-7 6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
A few days ago, I read about an incredible idea. It was thought of and implemented by Kat. And I get to be a part of it.
It's the 40 Day Fast:
Who: 40 bloggers who will each fast for 1 day.
What: They will blog about the experience as well as an area of need in the world (either a cause or a country) and an organization that strives to meet that need.
They will also link to the blogger who is fasting on each day of the fast and encourage their readers to join the fast on the 40th day.
Why: The purpose behind it is to give people an opportunity to: 1. Experience a bit of need 2. Learn about the need in the world 3. Do something about it
When: The fast starts on June 22, 2007 and ends on July 31, 2007
Where: The blogosphere.
So, as you can tell, it starts today. For the next 40 days, I will be linking to the blogger that is fasting so you can read up on their organization or cause and their experience. What a tremendous thing this will be!
