The Idea of Doing Good

There's something I have to get off my chest. It's a frustration and a challenge all rolled into one. Are y'all ready?

It seems that on Facebook there is a constant round robin of "Change your profile picture to XYZ if you support ABC" or "if you want to help end LMNOP". The two that leap to mind immediately is breast cancer and child abuse, which deserve to have action happen.  One of my friends reposted a link to a commentary about this practice and it put into words everything I wanted to say. Examining the absolute lack of action associated with changing a profile picture.  What does it accomplish?  I hate to say it, but nothing. There is no one out there donating to a cause for every person who takes the three seconds to change their picture. It supports our own idea that we have "helped" a cause without us having to do any work. 

Work can be a donation directly to a cause, volunteering our time, running a race, fundraising directly through an organization, even spreading the word to other people about what options are out there to help.  Sometimes we cannot give anything except the passing along of an injustice so that others are aware of what's going on. Planting the seed that someone else can foster.  But all too often we are satisfied with that or less when we can do much more.

There is an organization that exists called IJM - International Justice Misson.  You can check them out here at IJM. They have partnered with 121 Community Church in the Run4Justice which will be held next Saturday in Grapevine. The goal is to have 1000 runners/walkers raise $100 each. That equals $100,000 to be donated completely toward eradicating sex and human trafficking in Cambodia.

One hundred thousand dollars to be utilized for lawyers, criminal justice, habilitation, medical follow-up, schooling and restoration of girls, some who are as young as 6 years old.  Six years old in the sex industry. Think about that for a moment.

I've met my first fundraising goal and am shooting for more.  This money doesn't go to 121 Community Church in any part. Not one cent. There is no "overhead" cost that they need to cover. No employee paychecks to cut from it. As of last week we had raised almost $50,000 to do good. To offer little girls and wounded young women a second chance for a life that is not a constant stream of heartache and abuse. Where they have value that is not monetary and related to what a buyer wants from them.

I'm not going to ask you to change your Facebook picture. I challenge you to use the link below and donate.  Donate $1 if that's all you can afford. Donate time the day of the race in manning tables or helping organize the race. Send the link to someone else in your life who may be interested in giving back. Don't do this for me. Do it for the girls who would otherwise be locked into the sex slavery trade.

http://www.active.com/donate/run4justiceGrapevine/antoline2011