Horn of Africa :: So what can we DO?

Endangered people of Turkana, Kenya. Photo: Marianne Bach http://www.mbachphotography.com/

I so often get stuck in the question of "What now?" If you're at all like me in this, here's some great places to start - Get informed, Stay informed, Do something, & Remain faithful.

1. Pray, it changes things -- Really.  "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." - 2 Chronicles 7:14

2. Learn. Find out what's going on, here's some good resources to learn the history of the crisis & current news.

Blogs:
Stephan Bauman, World Relief's president & CEO: http://stephanbauman.com/
Don Golden, Sr. VP of Church Engagement at World Relief: http://followthebiscuit.com/
World Relief: www.wr.org/blog

IRIN: http://www.irinnews.org/Region.aspx?Region=HOA
CARE Testifies before Congress: http://breadnm.blogspot.com/2011/08/care-testifies-before-congress-about.html
BBC News
Reuters http://blogs.reuters.com/africanews/

So what can you do?

You can give. I work for an amazing organization called World Relief (www.worldrelief.org) that has been on the ground working in Turkana, Kenya since 2004. Recently Sr. VP of Church Engagement at WR, Don Golden, traveled to Turkana. In this short video Don shows who is being effected and how you can help:

http://www.vimeo.com/28211086

You can give money. Although I want to go, I want to change the world, I want to do something unique and world changing and brilliant - I'm learning that supporting people and organizations who are already in place and working, who are experts in their field and have given their lives to this work is actually a wise, useful and impactful way to make a difference.

To support World Relief's work in East Africa visit here:
https://worldrelief.org/SSLPage.aspx?pid=3066

Challenge yourself, what creative ways can you come up with to help? Here's a few ideas to get you going...

1. Donate - Thinking outside the box:

-Skip a meal with your family & donate the money you didn't spend to help communities abroad.
-Have a garage sale
-Walk or bike to work for 1 week & give the money you'd save in fuel
-Have a clothing exchange instead of buying new clothes
-Pick a skill and use it! Sell art, crafts, mow lawns, polish shoes, sew, clean a house, put on a talent show....

2. Start Talking. Let others know what's going on, have a conversation, ask the hard questions, share your thoughts

3. Use Social Media (blogs, Facebook, Twitter etc) to share information & ideas to help - it actually does do a lot!

4. Pray.
-For grace & endurance of the vulnerable people.
-Pray that the love of Christ would be shown through this crisis
-Pray for the churches in these regions & for opportunities to share God's love and freedom.
-Pray for aid workers on the ground.
-Pray that the hearts of people would be softened and moved to do what they can.
-Pray for World Leaders
-Pray for Peace.

May you be blessed, challenged and encouraged.

love mandy