Gawd helps those...
In the past couple of days the local news has made quite a bit out of charity.
But while thi:s
strikes me as a genuine message, the fact that they are planning to wait nearly a year to distribute the shoes they collect makes me think that it is more about getting attention than anything else.This year, the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King's assassination falls on the same day as Easter. And to commemorate it, the King family is partnering with a non-profit called Samaritan's Feet to deliver an Easter message unlike any before - on Barefoot Sunday.
"Every time I came around to this period of time, I miss him," said Dr. King's daughter, Bernice King.
A mere child when her father was killed, Bernice King has come to understand his eloquent message of love for humanity. So it wasn't a stretch when she heard the idea of pastors preaching in their bare feet.
"After we were introduced to the project, I had already scheduled to go through my closet," she said.
Now, nearly 5,000 pastors will be preaching their Easter sermons with no shoes -- drawing attention to the estimated 300 million children around the world who don't have shoes.
"We take these things for granted," she said.
Why not just ask people to donate shoes or money?
"It's the identification," Bernice said. "It's helping those without know there are those who identify with them."
Dr. King talked about rising above our individual concerns - and Bernice says she believes this is a perfect fit with her father's message.
"Our father was really focused on the issue of poverty," she said. "Right before he was assassinated he was preparing for the Poor People's Campaign to bring attention to the plight of the poor."
Impacting the impoverished in a meaningful way, people in the pews will be asked to make a $10 donation that'll go towards buying, sorting and shipping shoes.
"The goal is to raise at least a million pair," she said.
But that is just part one of a two-part plan. The shoes collected will be distributed in the week leading up to the King Holiday next January.
"When the children come to those different church grounds their feet will be washed," Bernice said. "It's an act of humility and service."
Humility and service, from start to finish.
Bernice King says her father was about more than marches and rallies. She said he wanted people to serve and love each other. That will be lived out on Barefoot Sunday -- on the rare occasion when the anniversary of Dr. King's death and the resurrection celebration of Easter just happen to fall on the same day.
Then there is this
Once again, I believe the sentiment is genuine, but the fact that they released a book makes me think they are looking for fame. It's not like they downgraded themselves to a particularly uncomfortable way of living, but they still get lots of attention for it. There is really something to be said for donating your time and/or money without looking for any recognition at all for it. It also strikes me as funny that the daughter was upset by seeing the homeless in her own area, so they choose to help the starving in Africa. Yes, it's a real problem, and the money is surely needed, but it really does seem like a case of choosing the cause that will get them the most attention.Kevin Salwen and his daughter Hannah were stopped at a traffic light on the Buford Highway Connector in Atlanta in 2006 when something Hannah saw changed the direction of their lives.
"There was a man off to the side with a sign, something you see all the time. It said Hungry, Homeless please help," Kevin Salwen said. "Hannah looked to the other side and saw a man driving a beautiful Mercedes coupe. She said 'Dad, if that man were not driving such a nice car, that other man could have a meal,'" Salwen recounted.
The Salwens were already involved in many charitable causes in Atlanta, but after several family conferences they made the decision to downsize so they could help others even more.
The family of four sold their 6500 square foot house in Ansley Park and moved to a nearby one half the size. They put half of the money left over toward helping the hungry. "We decided in our case we wanted to help in Africa, and we contribute to an organization called the Hunger Project. We help between 30 and 40 villages, said Salwen.
The family also volunteers in Atlanta for Habitat for Humanity, an area homeless shelter and other causes. They say their smaller lifestyle has resulted in a big payoff. "We got out in the world to do a little bit of good and it did amazing things for our family relationships," said Salwen. He said the family has become closer, spends more time together and communicates more since they downsized.
Hannah and her Dad have written a book about their journey titled The Power of Half. They have some advice for those who are caught up in spending, acquiring and buying. "Sometimes you need to just step back and say 'I have too much.' It's about stopping the momentum," said Hannah, 17.
"The average family spends over 50 thousand dollars a year just on spending. From a spending perspective we could all just spend less and make our communities stronger," said Kevin Salwen.
Charitable giving may be the furthest thing from the minds of families who are struggling or unemployed. Salwen suggests those who are having trouble making ends meet try to cut spending in smaller categories by half: take half the vacation time as last year, drink half the coffee they would normally drink or eat frozen pizza instead of take out.
The Salwens' book, The Power of Half is available in area bookstores or on Amazon.
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Originally Posted by GGT
Kittycat!
