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| It’s
the first months of the new ALOVE year and
we dive straight in the deep end taking a
look at suffering: personally, locally and
nationally, in all its guises. World suffering
is so massive a topic, one hardly knows where
to begin. Here are ten practical tips that
can help you – yes YOU! – do your
part in ending suffering around the world
and in your own back yard. |
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1|
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Find
out what social justice projects your
church is already engaged in, and
get involved personally. You may be
surprised at the effort your denomination
is putting in to end suffering on
local, national, and international
levels.
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| 2| |
Surf the
net to get informed about world issues.
Here are some helpful links to start
your surfing: www.christianity.com
| www.tonycampolo.com
| www.wvi.org
| www.interserve.org
| www.compassion.com
| www.samaritan.org
| www.barnabusfund.org |
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| 3| |
Fast from
lunches everyday for one week. Use the
money you save to donate to a worthwhile
charity (read Isaiah 58:6-7). |
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| 4| |
Have a buy-nothing
day, or even a buy-nothing week. Instead
of spending money on yourself, choose
to spend it on others. As an aid to
this, you may want to mute all the commercials
on your television for a while. |
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| 5| |
Organise
a free clothes day at your church or
school. Encourage everyone to go through
their closets and pick out stuff they
no longer wear. Bring it all to one
place, advertise in the community, and
let anyone come and take it if they
need it. You can do this with more than
clothes as well, and you can arrange
to run the free clothes shop once a
month if you’re committed. Or,
any leftover clothes can be donated
to a charity shop. |
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| 6| |
Make sure
that you are sponsoring a child. There
really is no reason why you shouldn’t
be, at least in your cell group. In
fact, try to convince some school or
work friends to go in with you and sponsor
another child as well. |
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| 7| |
Get a group
together to make some sandwiches and
give them out on the streets to anyone
who is hungry. No ulterior motive here.
Just feed the hungry. |
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| 8| |
Volunteer
at a local centre for at-risk children
or youth. This may be a teen drop in
centre, a day care, an after school
programme, whatever. Children are the
world’s most vulnerable group,
and you actually can make a difference
in a child’s life. |
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| 9| |
Throw a
justice party and invite all your friends
It’s like a regular party, except
the theme is justice. Choose the music
appropriately (for example: Sunday Bloody
Sunday – Good. The Macarena –
Bad). Rent a justice movie to watch,
like Hotel Rwanda, or The Power of One.
Maybe even do fundraise for HopeHIV
(www.hopehiv.org), so it can go towards
fighting AIDS in Africa. |
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| 10| |
Take the
fast-food challenge. Every time you
feel the irresistible urge to go and
fill your gut with fast food, make sure
you find at least one hungry person
to buy food for as well. Come on, a
Big Mac is only a few pounds. Buy one
for yourself, and then buy another for
someone who can’t afford one.
Little acts of mercy can make a huge
difference for someone who is suffering. |
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Youthwork -
The Partnership ...
ALOVE,
Youthwork Magazine, Youth For Christ, Spring Harvest and
Oasis are working together to equip and resource the Church
for effective youth work and ministry. |
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