My Mission Chronicles

Check out this website : Charter for Compassion.org

On it you will find a profound statement of what our world could be – should we all make compassion an integral part of our daily lives.

Over 67,000 people have signed the charter. It is written in over 30 languages. And while no armies will be stopped, no dictators will be toppled, no child or adult might be fed when you sign it, I have a firm belief that when a conscious decision is made to follow the Golden Rule and that decision is then shared among many, our thoughts can grow and produce their own light and hope for our world.

Who knows what good things might happen?

My son-in-law Sean, married to our daughter Alixandria, is stationed in Kandahar Afghanistan. It’s a hot, sandy place (as Alix and Sean call it) but it’s also pretty dangerous. He sends us updates once a week via email and although he can’t talk about the dangerous part (he usually keeps us posted on the great guys he is working with from other countries), he has given us some information.

The following two links really told us part of the story:

This first link is a story that was in the NY Times on June 8. It talks specifically about the type of work that Sean does at Beale Air Force Base in California where he is stationed and how that work is vitally important to the job being done in the Middle East. I was very proud of him when I read this and it really helped explain what he does for the Air Force.

NY Times, June 8, 2010

This second link is about The Poo Pond. What’s that? Well, exactely what it sounds like. Apparently at this gigantic military base with over 20,000 service men and women, there are no sewers, hence the Poo Pond. It’s been a stinky situation for Sean since he got there. Now, we are REALLY proud of him!

The Poo Pond

Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE to read. It’s my favorite hobby and the only thing that actually slows me and my mind down. I’ve read thousands of books in my lifetime but one that I read recently really impacted me more than any other that I’ve read.

It’s called Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristoff and Sheryl WuDunn. They are a Pulitzer prize winning husband and wife team that have written a book about opressed and marginalized women across the globe. They have written a book about how some very special women have, despite incredible odds, overcome their oppresive and unfair customs, lives with abusive men/husbands, incredible poverty and lack of opportunity and changed their lives, those of their children and those around them.

They are making a movie of this that will be out in a year or so, but in the meantime, I strongly encourage you to read it. Even if you don’t think of yourself as a Women’s Rights Activist, you don’t have to be. This is about Human Rights for half the population of the planet. It is about empowerment and dignity and determination. It is about the power of women. It is the most inspirational book I have ever read. Read it.

I met a really inspiring person today,  her name is Hema Venkatramanan.  She lives in Princeton, NJ and 3 years ago she started a not-for-profit organization called Friends of the Banyan -USA.  What this organization does is simply raise money and awareness in the US for an organization called The Banyan.  Visit her site to see a very well done video and learn more about what they do.   http://fotb-usa.org/

 The Banyon is also a not-for-profit and is located in India.  Among the other services they provide, they rescue seriously mentally ill women from a life on the streets where they fall victim to abuse, extreme poverty and neglect.  This organization brings the women to their facility, feeds them, provides medical and mental health care and teaches them skills so they can earn a living and become active members of society.  Without their help, these women go unaided, ignored and they often die on the streets, alone.  They lead truly pitiful lives.  Visit  http://www.thebanyan.org/ for more info.

The Banyan was started by 2 college women in 1993.  One day, they saw a mentally deranged woman running down the street, naked. No one was doing anything to help, so these 2 young women did.  Not only did they aid her, but they dropped out of college and started The Banyan to help other women like her.  They have made The Banyan their lifes’ work. 

Here in the US, Hema works to help raise money to help The Banyan continue their excellent and desparately needed work.

It never ceases to amaze me the many angels that are in our world, quietly performing miracles. Whenever someone tells me that they think the work I am doing is wonderful (this makes me blisteringly uncomfortable by the way), I can’t help but think of the countless others who dedicate their entire lives to the service of others. Those are the truly wonderful people.