Do SoMetHinG

Albert Einststein said, "The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing."

In his 1994 inauguration speech Nelson Mandela said, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

Ghandi said, "The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's problems."

Margaret Mead said, "Never underestimate the ability of a small group of committed individuals to change the world. Indeed, they are the only ones who ever have.”

Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

Jesus said,"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" (Matthew 25)

Learn more about the GuluWalk. Help raise awareness about the children of Uganda that have been abducted into the Lord's Resistance Army to be soldiers and sex slaves. Be a voice crying out for the world to stop this madness. The walk happens this coming Saturday and it's not too late to sign up. Click on the link above for more information.

Adventures in San Francisco

So what did you do this morning before church? I took off in search of 3 printers that were to be given to me FREE if I only came and picked them up. Well, that’s a good deal and seems simple enough. But, when you don’t have a car and you live in a hilly city, that can actually be quite a difficult task. You might wonder what I want with 3 whole printers. Well, I only want one, but the deal was that I had to take all three if I wanted one. So, I caught the train all bundled up with a sweater, coat and scarf and with my carry-on bag to help me transport my precious printers. I get off at the stop that the website 511.org said to get off at, and then I start looking at my map trying to meander my way through the hills of San Fran. So I began my trek up a hill, and then down a hill, and then up and then down. Yes, getting to the top of a hill is not a good feeling, because you know you’re just going to have to climb another one at the bottom. So, I finally arrive at my destination, put one printer in my bag, strap another one on top, using my scarf to secure it, naturally, and then I carry the last one under my free arm. Oh yeah, by this point I have taken off my coat and sweater too and am just wearing my sleeveless shirt. P.S.- I was dressed and ready for church. Big mistake, because I sweated like a hog. Okay, so then I have to go back up and down hills again in order to get back to the train stop, and hiking while trying to tote 3 printers is difficult. Luckily, I don’t mind looking ridiculous, because I definitely did. I did finally make it back to the train stop and get home. My little adventure took me much longer than I had anticipated, so I missed Sunday school, but I did get to worship on time, stinky and all. It’s times like those that make me wonder why I left my perfume back in Georgia with my parents. I could have gotten a taxi at one point, but I wanted my printers to truly be free, and getting a taxi would have made them not free at all. You might be saying right now that the train costs money too, but you see, I have a public transportation pass that’s good for the whole month for unlimited transportation on any of the bus or train lines. So, my printers are free! Hurrah! I just couldn’t bring myself to buy a new printer knowing that I had a perfectly good printer back in GA. I think that’s the most I’ve ever done before church on a Sunday morning.

1.2 Billion! 1.2 Billion!

Click on this article if you want to know the source of what got me riled up tonight. 1.2 billion stinking dollars to be spent on a fence between the U.S. and Mexico, but we’re forgetting that when people are DESPERATE they will do ANYTHING. The people that are crossing the borders are desperate to find work to make money to FEED their families. They do not want to leave their families behind, but they are left with no other option. A wall will not stop them from coming here. Well, I’ll take that back, it will stop some of them from actually getting here, because others will die in the process because they will be forced to sneak into the country through more dangerous routes. This wall is to supposedly keep terrorists out (but we have no documented incidents of terrorists actually using this method), and if this is only to keep terrorists out, then why aren’t we building one between Canada and us too? I’m sorry. I know that governments cannot operate the way Christians are called to operate. I know that it doesn’t work that way. But don’t tell me that this is a Christian government or country. So many Christians in the South think that you’re a freak if you’re a Christian and don’t support Bush. I don’t. Christians are called to help those in need. I know that the government can’t work exactly the way Christians do, but we don’t have to do this either. 1.2 billion dollars. You know, Niger was begging the world for aid a year and a half ago as their citizens starved to death. 1.2 billion dollars. There are over 1 million orphans in South Africa, many of which turn into street children, because there are no resources to take them in. 1.2 billion dollars. And the list goes on and on. 1.2 billion dollars on a fence. Well, at least we’re not biased to certain parts of the world… at least we want every part of the world to hate us.

San Francisco

So, here I am in San Francisco. I feel like I'm in a different country even though they say that CA is a part of the U.S. Most of the signs in my area are written in Chinese, although there are some Korean ones, and one Hispanic market, but the signs do have it written in English below or beside it too. It is just wonderful here, absolutely fabulous! I mean, it's frustrating that there are no Walmarts or Targets here in the city, but at the same time it is refreshing and really nice to have all these neat little stores around, where the workers at your neighborhood grocery know your name and are happy to see you. I'm figuring out the bus system, and I must say it is nice not to have to drive myself places, but it is NOT nice when you take the wrong bus and get off in completely the wrong place and then you have to walk back to where you started b/c the particular route you took does not have just tons of buses passing by at every minute. I'm excited to start work on Monday and meet more people, and I'm excited about getting to explore the city more. There is SO much to do here! I'm excited about what God is going to do in my life and how he can use me in this place.