Donation Opportunity!!!

Ok people, its time for me to post on an opportunity for the few people that read the blog to take an active part in a Christian community outside of the US. I laugh many times that I talk to people on this subject, I say, "I have an opportunity for you" and not "I have an opportunity to ask something of you." On joining Peace Corps, I thought that I would be going to an underdeveloped country to bring knowledge and "experience" of better systems and techniques to people. The first few weeks here, however, I realized that it wasn't going to be me giving these people an opportunity to learn new things most of the time, but them giving me the opportunity to learn about how most of the world lives, what it means to be "happy", and how to make the most out of a little.

So, when I portray the person in need as the person giving the resources, sometimes I hit blank stares, or pauses on the phone, haha. But it really is true. We sometimes receive more in the process of giving what we have to those without, than those poor people do in receiving. I feel like sometimes people lose that aspect of giving alms. As a prosperous nation, with more disposable income than we will ever realize, see the commandment to provide for the poor as giving because we need to better the lives of those who don't have much. Clearly, that is one aspect, but at the same time, if not more important is the lesson we (those who give in a material way) learn in the process. Detaching ourselves from that (disposable income) which these people in many other countries are blessed not to have to deal with to a great extent. So, at the end of the day, we are gaining more by this process than those who are receiving the materials.

ANYWAYS, here is me getting off my soapbox for the day. Now, I am going to offer YOU the "opportunity" to detach yourselves from the world in a way that also helps others :)

On the right side of the blog, you will now notice two Sign-Up sheets from June until December of this year. The first sign up sheet is for a person or family to chose a month to support the medical dispensary that we have here in my town/village. For those of you that I haven't explained this to, 2 years ago an non-profit came to my town and trained two ladies of our town as nurses to visit all the houses of the community giving free medical consults as well as to man a medical dispensary in the evenings with very reduced cost medicines. They pulled out this March and now we are spending the money we make to buy the medicines we sell. This doesn't leave much room to pay these poor ladies something. So what I am asking is for a family or person to sign up each month to support them with $30. In addition, a family in Arizona has agreed to match every month that we donate with another $30. How awesome is that!!! There are two ways to donate.... first, through a non-profit that will make it tax-deductible, and second, straight with me (which is faster). Either way, I will provide updates on when the money was spent, and what it was spent on. This is a GREAT OPPORTUNITY to support those in need and who are providing crucial medical services here, don't lose out! Email me for more info and with which month you would like.

Our Medical Dispensary

Our nurse conducting a meeting of COSALCO (Health Committee)

The second project that we have the sign-up sheet for is for the church reconstruction that is going on here. In 2001, there were two high magnitude earthquakes that went off within a month of each other, and pretty much destroyed everything. The parish church is the last big project to be rebuilt, but the parish has just now started reconstruction after years of studies, etc etc. The total for the project is way beyond their reach at the moment, because the parish runs schools, medical clinics, elderly homes, etc here as well, but they are rebuilding piece by piece the parish church. Right now they are working on the front side, and later the walls on the inside that are only held up by X braces that criss cross all over the inside. Anyways, the need right now are the bags of cement that are rising in price. So this sign up sheet is for a family or person to sign up for 5 bags of cement a month ($35). The church serves a parish of 11,000 people, so the need is profound, haha. (of course not all come every Sunday, go figure).

Mass

Random time during the day.

I am going to keep the blog updated on the right side with the names of the families that have which months, so that people can see which months are left (taking for granted the people offer to sign up!).

Those who have interest in a month, please contact me at rhettbwilliams@yahoo.com for all the info that you'll need. Also, if you have any friends or family that would also be interested in the opportunity to give, please relay the message.

I leave you with a quote from Friar Tuck from the movie Robin Hood.

"This is grain, which any fool can eat, but for which the Lord intended a more divine means of consumption. Let us give praise to our maker and glory to his bounty by learning about... BEER."

haha, that guy cracks me up.