"I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man [woman] whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him [her]. Will he [she] gain anything by it? Will it restore him [her] to a control over his [her] own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to swaraj [freedom] for the hungry and spiritually starving millions?
Then you will find your doubts and your self melt away."
- One of the last notes left behind by Gandhi in 1948, expressing his deepest social thought.
Friday, July 30, 2004
Friday, July 23, 2004
Withholding the Cure (AIDS)
This is an interesting article about pharmaceutical companies blocking the distribution of generic AIDS drugs in third world countries because it would effect their profits for research and development even though they make billions in profits each year.
Withholding the Cure (AIDS)
Please advocate for the distribution of generic drugs to third world nations.
Thanks!
"9People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." 1 Timothy 6:9-10
Withholding the Cure (AIDS)
Please advocate for the distribution of generic drugs to third world nations.
Thanks!
"9People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." 1 Timothy 6:9-10
Thursday, July 22, 2004
Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt was booed off the stage of a Las Vegas casino because she promoted the viewing of the movie, "Fahrenheit 911", by Michael Moore and she dedicated the song, "Desperado", to him. Afterwards, she was kicked out of her room and escorted off the premises.
I went to Virgin Megastore and bought Linda Ronstadt's live concert, "Canciones De Mi Padre", on DVD. The floor manager at Virgin said, "Yeah, she needs the publicity." I thought to myself, "No! We need more people like her that are not afraid to make a stand no matter what it cost them. " I wish I would have said it.
By the way, the DVD was awesome. What a beautiful voice!
I went to Virgin Megastore and bought Linda Ronstadt's live concert, "Canciones De Mi Padre", on DVD. The floor manager at Virgin said, "Yeah, she needs the publicity." I thought to myself, "No! We need more people like her that are not afraid to make a stand no matter what it cost them. " I wish I would have said it.
By the way, the DVD was awesome. What a beautiful voice!
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
Was it you?
I'm walking up Polk street on my way to California street, when I overhear a woman and a man waiting to cross the street on Post. We're all standing on the Southwest corner of the intersection and the man looks at the woman and says, "Do you think he's O.K.?", then he looks up Post towards Van Ness Avenue. There's a man lying on the sidewalk dressed in a clean green sweatshirt, jeans and tan construction boot. The other shoe is resting beside him and there is a blue wind breaker spreadout near his body.
I look at the two of them and say, "Do you want me to call 911?" This is the second time in two weeks this has happened to me.
"Yeah, thanks.", the man declares. The woman nods her head. The light changes and they continue along their journey up Polk Street.
I grab my cell phone. SF dispatch...send. "911. Please, state your emergency." I play paramedic and give her an assessment of the patient before she has a chance to start reading from her scripted questions.
"Where's your location?"
"I'm on the southwest corner of Polk and Post Street."
"Are you in front of a store?"
"Yeah, the name of the store is called, 'Signs'."
"Where are you?"
"I'm on the southwest corner of Polk and Post Street."
"Are you in front of a store?"
"Yeah, the name of the store is called, 'Signs'."
Does she think I'm carrying the guy around from one corner to the next? Maybe, she thought we would play a game of around the world or maybe, she wanted to verify the information? Good job. I give her very detailed information about my precise location and she says the paramedics will be there in a couple of minutes.
No sirens. Hmmm. That's strange. I look east across Polk and I can see the paramedics . They can't see me. I haven't moved. I'm still standing on the Southwest corner of Polk and Post Street.
"Hey, over here!" OK. I have there attention and they're on their way. Just then I remember that there's a fire department a half a block from me. The paramedics just walked over from the fire house.
One of the paramedics says it's another heroin overdose. Another guys says, "Didn't we pass this guy?" As they're working on him, I mention to a couple of other paramedics that I had to call on the same thing last week. I was shocked by one of the paramedics sense of humor. The medic looked at me and asked me with a smile on his face, "Was it you?." Maybe, he thought I was with this guy.
Drug addiction and homelessness have grown to tremendous proportions in San Franciso. I'm sure paramedics in the city treat a lot of overdose victims everyday. But, I'm urging you not to let yourself become desensitized to the needs of others because of their sex, race, religion, political views, social status, morals, etc., so spread love.
Jesus knew what His mission was and He fullfilled it. Let's pattern our lives after His.
Luke 4:18-19
I look at the two of them and say, "Do you want me to call 911?" This is the second time in two weeks this has happened to me.
"Yeah, thanks.", the man declares. The woman nods her head. The light changes and they continue along their journey up Polk Street.
I grab my cell phone. SF dispatch...send. "911. Please, state your emergency." I play paramedic and give her an assessment of the patient before she has a chance to start reading from her scripted questions.
"Where's your location?"
"I'm on the southwest corner of Polk and Post Street."
"Are you in front of a store?"
"Yeah, the name of the store is called, 'Signs'."
"Where are you?"
"I'm on the southwest corner of Polk and Post Street."
"Are you in front of a store?"
"Yeah, the name of the store is called, 'Signs'."
Does she think I'm carrying the guy around from one corner to the next? Maybe, she thought we would play a game of around the world or maybe, she wanted to verify the information? Good job. I give her very detailed information about my precise location and she says the paramedics will be there in a couple of minutes.
No sirens. Hmmm. That's strange. I look east across Polk and I can see the paramedics . They can't see me. I haven't moved. I'm still standing on the Southwest corner of Polk and Post Street.
"Hey, over here!" OK. I have there attention and they're on their way. Just then I remember that there's a fire department a half a block from me. The paramedics just walked over from the fire house.
One of the paramedics says it's another heroin overdose. Another guys says, "Didn't we pass this guy?" As they're working on him, I mention to a couple of other paramedics that I had to call on the same thing last week. I was shocked by one of the paramedics sense of humor. The medic looked at me and asked me with a smile on his face, "Was it you?." Maybe, he thought I was with this guy.
Drug addiction and homelessness have grown to tremendous proportions in San Franciso. I'm sure paramedics in the city treat a lot of overdose victims everyday. But, I'm urging you not to let yourself become desensitized to the needs of others because of their sex, race, religion, political views, social status, morals, etc., so spread love.
Jesus knew what His mission was and He fullfilled it. Let's pattern our lives after His.
Luke 4:18-19
Tuesday, July 13, 2004
God's Potential In Us
Last Wednesday, I was on my way home from 24 Hour Fitness. Walking down Market towards Van Ness in front of Safeway, I noticed one of those green French pay toilets up ahead with the door wide open. From a distance, it looked as though a homeless person had placed some belongings on the floor. I could see people looking in and passing by as I approached. The closer and closer I got, the more and more the baggage began taking on the form of a body.
Finally, I arrived at the door and in plain view was an unconscious woman who looked like she had collapsed. There was a crushed Yoplait yogurt on the floor next to her along with a box of candies wrapped in clear plastic. I thought it may be a diabetic coma. I said to myself, she couldn’t be homeless. She had to pay to get in here. But, it didn’t really make a difference if she was homeless or not. I’m obligated by God to help her. I almost walked past, but I knew in my heart that God would not see it any other way. I had to stay with her.
I checked her pulse and breathing and dialed 911. The emergency operator answered and I stated my location. I went through all the standard questions, which took a few minutes, and then I began hearing the sirens in the distance. I told the gentleman on the phone that the paramedics had arrived and hung up. The fire truck turned left off Church up Market. They were going the wrong way! OK. How hard is it to find the green kiosk in front of Safeway on Market? The devil…figures. A woman with some bags of groceries stopped and offered to help me. Meanwhile, the girl is lying motionless, but she is still breathing. I can see her rapid heartbeat pulsing through the vein in her neck.
We repositioned the girl on her back. I had already checked for items in her mouth and I did my best to elevate her neck and clear her airway while on the phone with 911, but now I had to call dispatch a second time so the paramedics could be redirected to my location. Well, the second operator couldn't find any record of my first call and proceeded to take me through all the same questions the first operator asked me. I just got impatient and gave him a quick assessment of the victim and told him to get on the horn and give the paramedics my location again. So, here come the sirens. The woman and I are looking around but we can't see any paramedics anywhere. They end up in the Safeway parking lot and we have to jump up and down from behind these tall bushes in order from them to see us from the street.
Help finally arrives and begins working on the girl. I'm not sure what the problem is yet, but I'm listening intently to the conversation between them. There are around six paramedics, one fire truck and an ambulance. What I thought was a SF police officer ends up being a security guard who's contracting for Safeway. He recognizes the girl and calls her "a regular".
I said, "What?" He says, "Yeah, she's a heroin addict."
I was thinking, so! She's still a person! "After this, she might clean herself up and start helping others with the same problem."
"Yeah. That's true."
Duh?
The girl is still unconscious. They give her a shot, put on an oxygen mask and load her in the ambulance. I continue to walk home, thankful, but in shock.
God never rest. He amazes me. We are the body of Christ. There is always an opportunity to serve Him even in our limited capacity.
If someone looks homeless, the person must be homeless, and if they’re homeless, why help them? Because...we are all loved by God and we all have "God's Potential". Not the potential the way the world sees it, but the potential that God put in us. We need to step out of the safe and comfortable borders we’ve set for ourselves and begin to let God's potential in us affect the world and touch the lives of everyone.
Finally, I arrived at the door and in plain view was an unconscious woman who looked like she had collapsed. There was a crushed Yoplait yogurt on the floor next to her along with a box of candies wrapped in clear plastic. I thought it may be a diabetic coma. I said to myself, she couldn’t be homeless. She had to pay to get in here. But, it didn’t really make a difference if she was homeless or not. I’m obligated by God to help her. I almost walked past, but I knew in my heart that God would not see it any other way. I had to stay with her.
I checked her pulse and breathing and dialed 911. The emergency operator answered and I stated my location. I went through all the standard questions, which took a few minutes, and then I began hearing the sirens in the distance. I told the gentleman on the phone that the paramedics had arrived and hung up. The fire truck turned left off Church up Market. They were going the wrong way! OK. How hard is it to find the green kiosk in front of Safeway on Market? The devil…figures. A woman with some bags of groceries stopped and offered to help me. Meanwhile, the girl is lying motionless, but she is still breathing. I can see her rapid heartbeat pulsing through the vein in her neck.
We repositioned the girl on her back. I had already checked for items in her mouth and I did my best to elevate her neck and clear her airway while on the phone with 911, but now I had to call dispatch a second time so the paramedics could be redirected to my location. Well, the second operator couldn't find any record of my first call and proceeded to take me through all the same questions the first operator asked me. I just got impatient and gave him a quick assessment of the victim and told him to get on the horn and give the paramedics my location again. So, here come the sirens. The woman and I are looking around but we can't see any paramedics anywhere. They end up in the Safeway parking lot and we have to jump up and down from behind these tall bushes in order from them to see us from the street.
Help finally arrives and begins working on the girl. I'm not sure what the problem is yet, but I'm listening intently to the conversation between them. There are around six paramedics, one fire truck and an ambulance. What I thought was a SF police officer ends up being a security guard who's contracting for Safeway. He recognizes the girl and calls her "a regular".
I said, "What?" He says, "Yeah, she's a heroin addict."
I was thinking, so! She's still a person! "After this, she might clean herself up and start helping others with the same problem."
"Yeah. That's true."
Duh?
The girl is still unconscious. They give her a shot, put on an oxygen mask and load her in the ambulance. I continue to walk home, thankful, but in shock.
God never rest. He amazes me. We are the body of Christ. There is always an opportunity to serve Him even in our limited capacity.
If someone looks homeless, the person must be homeless, and if they’re homeless, why help them? Because...we are all loved by God and we all have "God's Potential". Not the potential the way the world sees it, but the potential that God put in us. We need to step out of the safe and comfortable borders we’ve set for ourselves and begin to let God's potential in us affect the world and touch the lives of everyone.
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