house of hope

God did it! His people are faithful! We raised $524 for House of Hope Nicaragua between the Sufficient Grounds benefit, the Bethel on-campus cookie sale, and the pool exhibition. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

benefit

"A Stand to Stop"
Friday @ 7:30pm
Sufficient Grounds
1001 W McKinley
Mishawaka, IN

I am going to Nicaragua on February 13-23, 2009. While there, the team will visit House of Hope (www.houseofhopenicaragua.com). Their mission is help women in prostitution by providing them with an alternate means to make a living and establish them in the Lord.

I have been inspired by the Lord to raise $500 for this ministry to purchase chickens, roosters, and materials for their housing. The benefit will provide great entertainment while taking one more step toward the end of human trafficking.

Come. Bring friends. Listen. Give as God directs.




Informational clip...

Lent

40 Days Toward Justice--A Time to Observe Lent

Lent is a 40-day period of spiritual cleansing and preparation that culminates in the celebration of the resurrection of Christ at Easter. Many choose to fast from something to help engage the spiritual cleansing. It is important, however, to remember that Lent is not a time of deprivation but of enhancement. We make room in our lives for a deeper relationship to God.

This Lent season, Acting on AIDS is launching 40 Days Toward Justice. This is a time for you and your fellow Acting on AIDS leaders to focus on the justice of God and the role he invites each of us to play. We invite you to use this resource to enhance your observation of Lent. If you've never before observed Lent, consider doing so this year.

40 Days Toward Justice will include a series of scripture readings and a variety of writings from experts at World Vision, InterVarsity, Sojourners and Saddleback Church. We hope this is a resource that will help you and your Acting on AIDS community to enhance your understanding of God's heart for justice and empower you to respond.

freecycle network

As I was reading Justice in the Burbs by Will & Lisa Swanson, they list resources and organizations near the end of the book. It's a great read by the way. One of the resources listed in the freecycle network. It is a

network made up of 4,233 groups with 4,415,000 members across the globe. It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer (them's good people).

Check it out!

empowerment

I'm Gonna Do It All - Karine Polwart

What ARE you going to do someday? How are you going to change the world??

World AIDS Day

Today is World AIDS Day. For most on my campus, it is just another day. But for those with HIV/AIDS or those who have been orphaned, it's not just another day. They are most likely grateful for another day of living. For those of us who are educated, it is a day of awareness. It is a day for those of us who know and care to defeat the stigmas fear has created. On Thursday, three of us traveled to Notre Dame for their film festival. There was a little boy named Gao Jun (China) who broke my heart. He was not only orphaned because his parents died from AIDS but he also has the disease. His uncles wouldn't take him because of the stigma and not being able to find spouses. So the little boy was given to another family until he became too sick for them to bear to care for him. AND he is one of the lucky ones. Something in my heart wanted to go over to China and vow to care for that little boy and the hundreds, perhaps thousands, like him. My heart goes out to Gao Jun and the millions like him. You are in my thoughts today.

1st Friday

"Our rule is the works of mercy," said Dorothy Day. "It is the way of sacrifice, worship, a sense of reverence."

The Simple Living group decided to attend 1st Friday at the Catholic Worker. It was mass followed by a time of food and fellowship with other young, and old, activists. I was amazed and so motivated to become a part of this movement. For more information, a link is provided: Catholic Worker.

GLBT history month

For more information, log onto http://www.glbthistorymonth.com

the six

Jena Six refers to a group of six African American teenagers who have been arrested and charged with crimes related to their alleged involvement in the assault of a white teenager in Jena, Louisiana, on December 4, 2006. The incident is one of many racially charged events that have occurred in the town since what has been called a prank involving the "white tree" on the Jena High School campus. Critics of the case, including civil rights leaders Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, have claimed that the arrests and subsequent charges were racially motivated.^[1]

For more information, the following link is provided: Jena 6

If you want to become involved, check out the facebook event being held tomorrow.