A practical way to help in the AIDS crisis

Alicia, from the A. Larry Ross group made a comment on my post about the World AIDS Day 2007 about a project called the National Day of Care. So I checked out the website, and through a bit of detective work, discovered that she is a graduate of Baylor. Good for her, and for their new football coach.

The purpose of the National Day of Care is to is to mobilize a response to global humanitarian crises. The initial focus is to provide assistance to the over 15 million orphans and victims of AIDS in Africa. The National Day of Care is also involved in assisting orphans, vulnerable children, and victims of AIDS in the United States and around the world, as well as disaster relief.

The National Day of Care is observed one day in February each year across the United States, and this coming year it is February 10, 2008. They have on their website a whole campaign to help churches respond to the AIDS crisis.

Why don’t you check it out and consider encouraging your church to get involved.

World AIDS Day 2007

Tomorrow, Dec. 1, is World AIDS Day. World AIDS Day is observed every year on December 1st. The World Health Organization established World AIDS Day in 1988. World AIDS Day provides governments, national AIDS programs, faith organizations, community organizations, and individuals with an opportunity to raise awareness and focus attention on the global AIDS epidemic.

Here are some facts about AIDS internationally:

People living with HIV:

• 33.2 million people living with HIV worldwide
• 30.8 million adults
• 15.4 million women
• 2.5 million children under 15

New HIV cases in 2007:

• 2.5 million total new cases
• 2.1 million adults
• 420,000 children under 15

HIV-related deaths in 2007:

• 2.1 million total deaths
• 1.7 million adult deaths
• 330,000 deaths among children under 15

All figures from UNAIDS AIDS Epidemic Update 2007.

World Vision has a site devoted to the AIDS Experience in Africa. This is a fascinating journey.

World Vision is doing some tremendous work with AIDS. World Vision has been combating global AIDSfor nearly two decades. The organization started its first AIDS programs among orphaned children in Uganda, HIV-infected children in Romania and young women caught in the sex trade in Thailand.

Today, World Vision has AIDS programs in more than 60 nations. World Vision is working to reduce the impact of HIV and AIDS through innovative and compassionate care, prevention efforts and effective advocacy so that gains in agricultural development, education, health care and other areas are not lost by the ravages of AIDS.

Set aside some time to spend praying for this horrific disease that has impacted over 25 million people worldwide in the past 25 years.

Friday Foto November 30, 2007

This is a photo of a colorful step leading up to the second floor outside a building containing a TCBY yogurt store.  It was taken on Main St. in Newark Delaware.

For more of my photos, go to my photoblog.

The Big Idea: The Genius of the And

Over the past few weeks we are spending some time working through The Big Idea: focus the message, multiply the impact. The book is part of the Leadership Network Innovation Series. It is written by Dave Ferguson, Jon Ferguson, and Eric Bramlett, who are staff leaders at Community Christian Church in suburban Chicago. Today will look at Chapter 4 entitled, “The Genius of the And”.

The church needs to learn how to live in paradox. It is a characteristic of great organizations according to Jim Collins. But it is also in the Bible:

1. The first will be last, and the last will be first.
2. The greatest will be the least, and the least will be the greatest.
3. The rich will become poor, and the poor will become rich.
4. To save your life you must loose your life.
5. What once was gain is now counted as loss.

Christ followers should be comfortable in the land of the paradox, and I don’t mean two surgeons. [rim shot please...]

Read more

Year End Review

Over at Bob Robert’s blog, one of their staff members links to the year end process of Northwood Church in Keller, TX.  I thought it was good stuff, so I thought I’d link it here.

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