"My God calls to me in the morning dew, the song of the universe knows my name.... I raise my voice for justice.... I believe" - Sweet Honey in the Rock
Friends,
The last few days have been so deeply inspiring to our team at Possible Dreams International. The response to our new organisation has been overwhelmingly positive. Thank you all so very much for your generous offers of support for the people of Swaziland and the developing world.
Check out the blog page at our website http://www.possibledreamsinternational.org/, stay tuned as our whole team start blogging... I find it so exciting because each of them have such incredible stories to share with you... ;) You can also find badges for your website on our 'connect' page.
I wanted to talk to you today about social justice (is there anything else i talk about lol).
My sister showed me a couple of youtube videos this morning which moved me to tears.
They are from a social experiment called "What would you do?", which investigates bystander responses to obvious prejudice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3jZjm8xMwg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpLIg-kjmyY
What moved me so deeply were not so much the people who were indifferent, or even agreed with the perpetrator of prejudice in these videos. It was the ordinary people who stood up for the one was being mistreated. The ones who were stirred to act to defend the rights of their fellow human being in pain.
I began to think about the work we do with people in Africa. And it made me think of another little video... which i've shown here before from the documentary... the orphans of Nkandla...(a town a stones throw away from Swaziland)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ctFb1rNifk
I know many people who would watch a video like that, simply wring their hands in indifference. Saying "Its not my problem, Theres nothing I can do."
My friends Matt and Misty Lindsey talked eloquently about this issue on their blog... http://mmlindsey.wordpress.com/2009/07/23/everything-happens/
They describe an encounter with a well intentioned person who said that while they feel sorry for people in impoverished parts of the world, they do nothing because "thats their lot in life... And everything happens for a reason."
And yet what if the reason that extreme poverty exists at all is simply because the global community continues to refuse to stand up and say 'Enough!'.
What if as Matt and Misty suggest ” Everything does happen for a reason, and that reason is us."
I am filled with deep humility and joy as we stand at this new and exciting threshold. And it is with that same sense of humility that I invite you to join us. To become an ambassador of the possible, doing whatever it is you can do, to bring a ray of light to those in despair.
Every whisper of hope matters,
Together we will make a change,
My love to you,
Maithri
My love to you,
Maithri
15 Whispers of Hope:
off to get my badge, once i can see thru the tears again. damn i wish my arms were long enough to reach out and around the world to all of the kids who need to be hugged, and i wish that my voice was able to whisper to each of them that everything will be alright, and i wish that i could fill the plates of everyone who is hungry and the cups of all who are thirsty and fill the hearts of all who need love. some tell me i cant heal or save everyone in this world, but i tell you what maithri until my dying day I will refuse to believe that, i believe anything is possible. i believe.
i love you
xxyour sister
EXACTLY Maithri!We are all responsable!We are here to rectify the balance,if we want to change things,first we need to change the mentalities.
So many hypocrites,I can't believe some didn't stood up!
And they have the drugs,why don't they give it away for free?For Godsakes,just give away the drugs!It's all part of a process and the media helps!Yes I'm moved too!
Oh Maithri,
This is to raw for me. I sat just 3 days ago with a 12 year old girl who made "phone sex" calls.
Oh,
How do I find the words? So broken.. She told me she has to eat? doesn't she? It's not like she's doing it for real.
Crap, I can't tell you, I am still so angry and hurt. The guard who called me a bitch, and this child..
oh,
maithri the world is so out of balance. it pierces me thru and I am never shed of it.
Just back from my holidays in Spain and being inspired by your blog as usual. The quality of your writing goes from strength to strength and it's comforting to return to familiar territory. I hope your organisation reaps the results it justly deserves.
Greetings from London.
I'm off to get my badge like the others. You do so much to inspire the rest of us, to remind us again and again of the pain and suffering in the world and that we can make a difference.
Thank you, my dearest friend, as always, for your words, you inspiration, the wonderful work that you do.
Much love to you always,
Sylvia
I've had my run-ins with racism (I'm Mexican), and it leaves a well of humiliation searing into you for weeks... I'm inspired by those who stood up for what was right, and for those who didn't I feel bad. Some of them had a look that said they knew it was wrong, but for whatever reasons could not take the next step... perhaps someday they will.
:-)
love to you,
(((hugs))),
me
What happens to one of us happens to all of us. People forget this simple truth. I do my best where I am to speak truth and stand up. Think if everyone did this where they were. How much better our world would be.
**weeps** How can one be so ignorant to say "that is their lot". It made me think of this little story: An Angel offers to show a human both Heaven and Hell. First they travel to Hell where there is much wailing and grieving. There are bowls full of food on the tables, yet the people cry in hunger, for in place of hands are long wooden spoons, much to long to reach theirs mouths. They have food and yet they starve. Then the Angel takes him to Heaven where the situation is exactly the same; the same bowls of food on the tables and the same long wooden spoons instead of hands, yet every one is happy and full, and content. The human asks the Angel, how can this be? Why are they not hungry and wailing?
The Angel answers, “Here they feed each other”.
Is that not WHY we are here?
Oh my goodness! I am simply stunned to see Matt and Misty quoted here, Maithri. What a convergence of stellar people. This is a miracle, of sorts, that we can find one another--even meet--and support and enrich one another by what we share. I just have to stop and catch my breath. I am stunned. So much is happening. And it is wonderful!
Your badge and link have been put on my blog and I'm thrilled to have it there.
The idea that we are all connected as brothers and sisters is one that I feel so strongly about and one which I feel so much sadness about as well. Why don't more people understand that only by reaching out to our fellow man, can we be lifted up? I often times despair greatly over those who are suffering, but then I read or hear or get to know people like you and my heart lightens a bit. You and your team and many others like you are the lights in the world who will brighten the lives of those suffering and serve as a beacon to show others the way that they too can help.
Thank you, dear Maithri. With all of my heart, thank you.
Thank you so much for posting these videos,every human being that GOD created has the right to live with dignity and no one in this world has the right to mistreat people. Its a shame how for selfish gains or just because of certain prejudice we humans can snatch away anothers right to live.
Rcently I got to kw about the 100 most rare tribes in the world and how by outside inteference they are depleting in number, would soon write a post about them and would inform u, its another part of humanity thats still trying to discover the true meaning of being human, since who hurt them, night look just like them, but are indeed indifferent to their pain.
Thank you Sir, whenever I visit you blog I find myself all the more enlightened.
Hi Maithri ,Please go thru the link, given below, thanks :)
http://aspaceofonesown.blogspot.com/
these videos are really huge reminders that there is so much to do to make things right. The third video got me teary-eyed. I wonder how the kids are now. I really hope they're doing okay.
Oh, wow, Maithri, those two children crying. That is truly painful to watch as a mother. I can't watch any child cry in suffering, mine or anyone else's. The need to respond is instinctual. Even when I logically know that my kids aren't around and I hear a child cry, I still look up and check anyway.
I think we all have that instinct and ignoring it is learned.
The "What Would You Do" video is intriguing, I must say. I honestly thought people's instincts would kick in faster and more intensely. It's sad that the majority who spoke up for the woman/actress were black. Why did so many just look away, as if the way one stranger is treated has nothing to do with the way they are/will be/want to be treated?
So sad. I was relieved when the white woman customer said she would walk out with her. Finally, I almost lost hope.
So much to learn here. Every single religion has a version of "Love thy neighbor as you do yourself," yet so seldom is it realized.
Thank you for educating us, Maithri.
Much Love,
R-A
Dearest Friend,
I don't know what is making me cry more, the videos or the comments of others sharing their own pain-filled experiences.
We MUST be the change, it is now or never, folks.
Thank you, Maithri for your Love and Light. "I once was blind, but now I see..."
Much Love and Light, Linda
Post a Comment