Category Archives: Current Events

3 Million Haitians In Need – Here’s How You Can Help

“The international Red Cross said a third of Haiti’s 9 million people may need emergency aid and that it would take a day or two for a clear picture of the damage to emerge” (read the full story here).

I just got off the phone with David Heath and Ben Adkins. They’re organizing relief efforts to Haiti through the White’s Ferry Road Church of Christ in West Monroe, LA.

David and Ben are leaving Friday for Haiti to do an initial assessment and are planning to immediately begin purchasing gas and food (needed right away) to distribute among the people.

The number of those hurting in Haiti right now is staggering – the need is extremely great, and huge amounts of resources will have to be moved to meet that need.

David and Ben tell me the main thing they could use from people right now is funding. The White’s Ferry Road Church has a history of organizing great relief work when disasters such as this one occur, and they have ins with those providing the resources they need to purchase. The simplest way you can help right now is to send a donation their way. Rest assured it will help a lot of people in Haiti.

There are three ways you can contribute:

1) Online through PayPal

If you have a PayPal account go to http://www.wfrchurch.org/relief/Contributions/contributions.htm and click the “Donate” button next to Haiti.

If you don’t already have a PayPal account but would prefer to donate online, opening one is simple. Go here to start the process.

2) Wire money directly

Some of you may be more comfortable wiring money directly – especially if you are contributing a large amount. If you prefer this option, call the White’s Ferry Road church office at 318-396-6000 and ask for Sandra.

3) Mail a check

Mail a check for Haiti Relief to:

WFR Disaster Relief
3201 North 7th St.
West Monroe, LA 71291

Please, send a contribution yourself, and if you’re a part of a church or ministry encourage them to take up a special collection for this. Some are estimating as many as 500,000 may already be dead in Haiti, and hundreds of thousands more are suffering. You can help, and I encourage you to.

To read more about this disaster:

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John Piper on Jesus & Truth + Priest Encouraging Impoverished to Steal

Couple of items I’d like to share with you today.

First, I ran across a good article from John Piper on Christianity.com today. In it, John points out four aspects of Jesus’ “bearing witness to the truth:” 1) Speaking the Truth, 2) Being the Truth, 3) Dying to Establish the Truth, and 4) Sending Us to Witness to the Truth. It’s short and worth the read – check it out.

Second, this story made me chuckle today. A priest in England encouraged poor congregants to steal over the holidays. Here’s an excerpt:

Father Jones told the congregation: ‘My advice, as a Christian priest, is to shoplift.  I do not offer such advice because I think that stealing is a good thing, or  because I think it is harmless, for it is neither.

‘I would ask that they do not steal from small family businesses, but from large national businesses, knowing that the costs are ultimately passed on to the rest of us in the form of higher prices.

‘I would ask them not to take any more than they need, for any longer than they need.

‘I offer the advice with a heavy heart and wish society would recognise that bureaucratic ineptitude and systematic delay has created an invitation and incentive to crime for people struggling to cope.’

He added that he felt society had failed the needy, and said it was far better they shoplift than turn to more degrading or violent options such as prostitution, mugging or burglary.

He continued: ‘My advice does not contradict the Bible’s eighth commandment because God’s love for the poor and despised outweighs the property rights of the rich.’

The local police disagreed:

‘First and foremost, shoplifting is a criminal offence and to justify this course of action under any circumstances is highly irresponsible.

‘Turning or returning to crime will only make matters worse, that is a guarantee.’

I see the priest’s point and understand where he’s coming from, but believe this is bad advice.

… but wait a minute – if they end up in jail, they’ll get three squares a day, right?

Hey, maybe this priest is on to something!

Read the full story here.

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