Wow, where to begin? Let's start with guilt. I love cookies/biscuits - like the ones above. We had some extra cookies laying around when I was decorating a cake, I had extra frosting, and the monster cookies above are the result. My family consumed every last one! Did we feel guilty about that?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/nov/14/orphans-cambodia-aids-holidays-madonna I read this on-line this morning in The Guardian. Those of us who have
so very much compared with so many other people in the world are sometimes eaten up by the guilt about it. Because I am a person of faith, this is sometimes very difficult for me to deal with. My family donates money and goods; we volunteer our time. But there are days, that it is hard to deal with. Why do we have so much and others so little? Why was I born with such opportunity and others were not?
I have seen people of faith who are eaten from the inside out by this. They feel such guilt that they can not enjoy what they have been given. So the question is, how does one get square with it? Do you give away everything and live on the street? Do you live a simple life on the outside but maintain a large bank account just in case? Do you put yourself in harms way to use your gifts/talents to help others? To you give loads of cash to non-profit organizations?
Frankly, I am square with it. Maybe I should feel guilt about that? I volunteer doing a job(s) that no one else was willing to take on. I was honored to be asked to do that job. Does it stress me out? Frequently. Does it give me joy to help? Frequently. But, it's not about me! It's not supposed to be about me! It's supposed to be about helping, using my specific skills. Ok, I'm square with it. But, how do I help someone else become square with it?
And, if you are reading this and you're not 'square with it', I would strongly encourage you to volunteer your time/donate money in your neck of the woods. That way, you are a member of the community helping another member of the community. Just handing out doesn't work most of the time. Yes, immediately after a natural disaster people need food and shelter - in other words hand outs. But helping people is like parenting, you've got to give them space and knowledge to stand on their own two feet.
Want to help? Here are some suggestions. (I don't know everything but I've had some experience dealing with non-profits.)
Red Crescent/Red Cross - in a disaster these folks know what they are doing and they train their volunteers.
Give to your local place of prayer - many times organized religious associations are well equipped to handle serving others; many will frequently take a portion of donations and give that money to other non-profits who know how to handle the money to help others.
Have a skill? Use it! - Does it make sense to go to another country to dig wells when you know nothing about wells? No, of course not. But, if you are a teacher, then maybe you could find a way to volunteer to teach some cool hands on lessons in a school that doesn't have the money for hands on teaching supplies? Are you good at math? Then volunteer to help tutor math for a program that provides basic education to adults that never had the chance to go to school. Whatever you do, be careful to be productive!
Donate specific goods to a specific cause - Many non-profits sometimes need specific items. Contact a non-profit near you (shelters, schools etc...) and tell them you'd like to help. Ask if there are any specific needs they need filled.
Don't let anyone lay on a guilt trip! Simply be productive in your volunteering/giving and share what you've got!
Get square with it! And think about me trying to help others get square with it.
Peace.
Peace.
