I'm going to the village of Musoma in Tanzania with Tearfund and Go Mad for three months. And I cannot WAIT! Since learning more about it and what I'm going to be doing out there I have become deeply passionate about the helping people out of poverty. I have a house, education, healthcare, love...and some have a mud hut, no education, no food or water and are stuck in a rut of poverty. It's all a matter of where you were born...WHERE IS THE JUSTICE?
As Bono said: God is with the poor and if we are with them then He is with us as well. God was so passionate about social justice! It's littered all over the old and new testament:
Matthew 5:3
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Ezekial 16:49 - 50
"Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. They were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw it."
Isaiah 1: 17
"Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause"
Micah 6:8
"He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"
Proverbs 14:31
"Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him."
1 John 3:17 - 18
"But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth."
All these inspire me so much!! I can't really explain the feeling I get when I read verses like this, all I know is that it makes me angry, hopeful and determined all at once.
The money that I raise will literally change peoples lives. It could mean the difference between life and death. I will be buildling water tanks that will help prevent killers like diahrrhoea and seriously improve peoples standard of living. I will also be building a house, and helping with orphans and schools/sunday school. And importantly teaching about healthcare - which is one of the most practical things to do to improve peoples lives. I will be also helping with a workshop called Rehema's craft, which involves teaching women skills to help them and their children out of poverty. To learn more click here!
But this ALL depends on how much money I raise, the more money the more we can do, it's as simple as that. As you can probably tell I am seriously pumped right now about all this and feel so passionately about it all!
To go on the trip I need to raise £2600 (that covers accommodation, food, insurance etc) on top of that I need to pay for injections, flights, visa, proper clothes, tools, tourist trip etc... So that's roughly another thousand. And all that's fairly crucial, but for the project I want to raise more money so that I can contribute more. It's recommended that we raise at least £300 for the projects, but I want to raise more! I have two jobs to do this but I don't think I'm going to get there... So I'm doing fundraising as well: a sponsored cycle ride, cake and card sales, my church is sponsoring me...anything really!!
And I'm not ashamed of this appeal for help, because it is going towards an incredibly valuable cause. Peoples lives could be dramatically improved, perhaps even saved! If you would like to give money then please do so
My reference number which you will need, is - 3120521 It will then come up with a trip like this 12/13 Winter Go Mad Tanz 3m. The rest is easy. It doesn't have to be much, honestly...like two or three pounds or something, it would be absaloutely WONDERFUL if you could donate!
I also thought it might be interesting for you guys to know why I will suddenly vanish for three months. I will definitely be going, even if I have to get there by sheer will power, I will go!! I am so excited to see what God wants me to do out there, what experiences I will have. Doubtless there will be hundreds (maybe even thousands) of pictures to upload when I get back, so watch out for 'jars of clay' around April sometime and prepared to be blown away!
Thank you for reading this guys, if you can't or just don't want to help out money-wise that's absoloutely no problem. But prayers would always be appreciated! :) Oh and If you do decide to donate then please leave a comment so I know, thank you!!
(It's CHRISTMAS soon! Anyone else excited??)
YES you wonder.
ReplyDelete