24 had a special 2 hour event this week.  It reminded me of something that really pisses me off.  Why is it so easy for Hollywood to make movies about the crap that’s going on in this world, but so easy for the entire nation to sit around watch that, and think, “Oh, this is a T.V. show, and none of that stuff really happens….. that I know of.”

I’m not talking about a secret agent torture guy running around saving our butts without us even knowing about it.  I’m not talking about the presidential conspiracies, though I’m sure there are some. What I am talking about is the use of children in the world.  The kidnapping of children to use them as soldiers.  Making them kill, training them to be robots.  That’s real.

Regardless of what you think America’s involvement should be with these tiny countries that have no resources to offer us, something like that should hit a nerve.  These children did not choose where they were born.   Now, he is fighting for someone who, most likely, killed his entire family.  His ‘boss’ is someone who may have raped his mother.  He watched his entire village die.

We get a good two hours out of it on 24, or whatever show happens to be using this child as a character, and then we go about our regular lives.  We rarely think twice about these real children.  I want to change that.  I don’t think we should all go on covert missions to the depths of Africa to save children, but there ARE things we can do.

I’m sure you have heard me talk about Call and Response.  If you didn’t go see it, shame on you.   They talked about child soldiers, and how to help them. Find out how here. Or you can go to Invisible Children or warchild.org and find out how to help. Like I always say, to me, money isn’t the most important part.  It’s the awareness.  It’s spreading the word, doing your part.  Whatever you can do to help.  It’s letting people know what is going on.  If people don’t know, NOTHING can change.  I believe we are called to start change.  Will you start it with me?  Repost this post, or read about it, and write a post of your own.

There is also a song by a man named Emmanuel Jal.  Emmanuel Jal is from Sudan, and was a war child.  His story is amazing.  Check it out here.

Below is a video of “War Child” by Emmanuel Jal.  Amazing true story.  Please watch this.

So. Andrea and I have been getting a lot of E-mails from a lot of different people asking for a lot of different things.  It’s actually pretty neat.  It seems people might trust us enough to spread the word, and have a little compassion for this stuff.

Even at exits on the highway, or outside of wal-mart, I end up giving to that ‘good cause’ or that guy that needs a sandwich.  Say what you will, I have good faith that that 3 dollars might be the 3 dollars he needed to restore his faith in humanity.

So, you guys may or may not have heard of Shaun King. Well, if you do know him, you know he sometimes makes insanely crazy promises.  He’s done it again.  And I support him.  I’ve come to realize where he is coming from, and perhaps he can explain it better than me.  But, there is something to be said about the insane.  Shaun is insane.  And there is something to be said about him.  I’ll let you draw your own conclusions to that. Again, I digress.

http://www.500uniforms.org is his newest promise.  It’s a promise we can all support. ESPECIALLY if you live in or around the Atlanta area.  Over 98% of the students at Bethune Elementary School are below the national poverty level.  These kids are sharp, intelligent kids who want to learn.

And the blessing is that you have an opportunity TODAY to be a bright spot in the lives of these children. This Christmas, we want every single child (about 500 students) in this school to have a NEW SCHOOL UNIFORM and a FUN TOY to call their own. If YOU don’t help, many of these kids simply won’t receive anything at all this Christmas, but we believe that God is going to use you to be a blessing to these beautiful children.

Anything you can give!  Anything.  Even if it is forwarding this Site in E-mail form to 35 people.  Even if it is reposting this Blog on your blog.  Even if it’s 5 bucks.  Every single time helps.  We WILL roll pennies.  If you have a jar of pennies to give.  (Shaun, that’s my promise)

So.. yeah.  I’m begging again, but this time, on behalf of 500 kids who won’t have a Christmas if we don’t do something.  Leave a comment if you want, and you donated.  I may have something special for you…..

WHAT?

Ok.  Probably sounds crazy.  I think so.  I really do.  But, I’ve heard a lot of people say that they like to dream up things sooo big and crazy, that the only way they can happen is if God really is the center of the whole thing..

So, the challenge is simple.  It’s the biggest social network charity challenge ever.  Donate enough money in 50 days, to donate 50,000 pairs of shoes.

Can you help?  Yes.  How you ask?  Well it’s simple.  Go here. Follow the directions, and boom.  You can change a life.  Maybe two.  Seriously.  Leave a comment if you want, and let us know what you’ve donated.

What would you do if you had a group of bloggers that all had the same cause. A group of people who shared a similar vision, but didn’t quite know where to start? I have felt that way for a minute. In my short lived life in the “blogosphere” I have made some pretty close friends.

We all feel that we should be blogging for one soul purpose. So.. we did something. I asked everyone who I felt would like to be involved to be involved. And we decided to re-vamp http://www.caffeinatedfaith.com.

This site is even more awesome now, and currently has 4 or 5 bloggers adding to it. It’s pretty rad and we have even huger ideas coming to it. Andrea and I both write on there.

What we need most is your support. The main thing about that blog is we want it to be user focused. We want everyone to to interact. We want comments, conversation, everything. We think this is an important part of community, and that’s what Caffeinatedfaith.com is, a community. There is a spot for you to submit your story, and once a week we will add a featured story.

So if you love God. Are curious about God. Love Coffee, love community and everything in between. Go check it out. Comments are Mandatory appreciated.

Oh! and if you are really on board and want to give some link love.  Below are three pictures that you can put in your sidebar! Thanks!

Wikipedia says poverty is deprivation of common necessities that determine the quality of life, including food, clothing, shelter and safe drinking water, and may also include the deprivation of opportunities to learn, to obtain better employment to escape poverty, and/or to enjoy the respect of fellow citizens.

Deprivation of common necessities that determine the quality of life.  That’s kind of funny, and open to debate.  Lately I have seen homeless people around here talking on cell phones.  Does that mean they aren’t living in poverty?  I don’t know.  What I do know is the definition of poverty in America is probably a little different than most of the world.

I have been “american poor”.  I never ate dirt.  Being america poor, means bread and rice.  America poor means P.O.S car.  America poor, means hand-me-downs, and salvation army.  I went to Costa Rica.  You can find images of my trip here. From what I understand it gets worse.

What can we do to help?  I have written about it before, but I will write about it again.  Love.  If we all truly love each other, then would there be poverty?  Do I believe that?  Yes.  I believe that if true love were to take over our hearts and control our actions, then wealth would be spread.  If we would all allow the Love of Christ to shine through, there wouldn’t even be a question, the world would change dramatically.

The stock market is down?  So what?  I have food, my neighbors have food, my enemies have food. Gas prices are high?  So what?  My neighbors have a way to get from A to B, my enemies have a way to get from A to B.

You get what I’m saying?  Do something.  You don’t have to feed the world.  You don’t have to change the world.  All you have to do is change your heart.  One person could be affected by you.  One person could finally feel the Love of Christ because of you.  It is kind of our duty to do that…. right?

We are the body of Christ.  We are his hands, feet, eyes, ears, and heart.  Doesn’t always feel like it does it?

If you want to make a change check out Compassion, or check out my page to see what our community has done so far.

If compassion isn’t your bag of tea, then find something else to do.  For a list of things you can do to change the world and sperad the love, check out my Fiance’s site.  She’s got the whole shabang there.