neideep title 09
Bringing Awareness of Extreme Poverty & the United Nation's Millennium Development Goals (MDG) to New Englanders








Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting
Bonnie N. Davis
NEIDEEP Organizer
WRITER/ACTIVIST
WEARS WHITE
WRISTBAND DAILY


Fight World Hunger


But What Can I Do?
*Join the Millennium Campaign & the ONE Campaign (links below)

*Learn about the Millennium Development Goals (MDG)
(See them Scrolling on bottom).

*Spread awareness by using your voice to speak to friends, co-workers, family, faith communities, students & teachers

*Wear Your White Wristband!

*Get Your News from BBC or NPR

*Call members of your
US & State Senators & Congress - tell them you expect them to support the initiatives of the MDG.

Why me?
We are the generation
that can end extreme poverty.
We have everything -
the resources, the technology -
but do we have the will?

Be Active & Do The Following:
Join the Millennium Campaign

Join the ONE Campaign

Subscribe to Sojourners Online newsletter about faith, politics and culture

Sign the Micah Call and join other Christians in the fight against poverty

Check out Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation & Subscribe to Their Free on-line Newsletter


Check Out These Sites
Amnesty International - Save Darfur. Check out Instant Karma"

The UN Millennium Development Goals

Heifer International - Teaching the World to "Fish"

BeadForLife - Ugandan Women Making a Difference

Oxfam - Teaching Agriculture & Fair Trade

Look at the "Eight Ways to Change The World" photo exhibition

Thich Nhat Hanh's practice of mindfulness reaches across religious, spiritual, & political backgrounds by helping us resist & transform the speed & violence of our modern society.

Think You Have it Bad? See How Rich You Are on the Global Rich List

Charity Navigator - Your Guide to Intelligent Giving. This is America's independent charity evaluator - many charities use zero to 10% of your donation for administrative purposes.

Charities that Rock
& Heal the World
Along With Heifer, Bead & Oxfam, Donations to these Charities go Where Needed & Don't get eaten up in Administrative Costs


United Methodist Committee on Relief sends 100% of your Donation to Provide Assistance Around the World. They had the 1st Helicopters in New Orleans to rescue & drop supplies after Katrina.

Episcopal Relief & Development Responds to Human Suffering Around the World, Provides Disaster Assistance, Helps People Climb Out of Poverty and are Committed to the MDG!

Salvation Army International - Working Globally to Transform the World in over a 100 countries.

The Salvation Army Stands by it's Promise of Doing the Most good with your Contributions - Working Locally & Nationally to Help Others

American Jewish World Service is an International Development Organization Helping Hundreds of Thousands of People in Africa, Asia & the Americas Move Beyond Poverty, Illiteracy, Disaster, & War.

MAZON allocates donations from the Jewish Community to Prevent & Alleviate Hunger among People of all Faiths & Backgrounds in the USA & Around the Globe

Lutheran World Relief Works with Partners in 35 Countries to Combat the Causes of Poverty and the Dignity it Robs from People’s Lives, Advocating Fair Trade that Helps Farming Families Earn a Better Income.

The Sudan
Sudan Reeves - Research, Analysis & Advocacy

Save Darfur

Darfur: Genocide We Can Stop


Interesting Organizations
& Programs

Bono implemeted DATA
(Debt, AIDS, Trade in Africa


Engineering Ministries International

The M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence

The Seacoast NAACP is the Dynamic Chapter that has Been Fighting Injustice Since 1909 - They Know that Injustice & Poverty are linked

The National Catholic Rural Life Conference is an organization grounded in a spiritual tradition bringing together the Church with care of community and creation.

The Presbyterian Hunger Program (PHP) Provides Grants to Programs Addressing Hunger


Must Read
The End of Poverty by Jeffrey Sachs

What Can One Person Do: faith to heal a broken world -- Sabina Alkire & Edmund Newell


...these, too...
Lallie Llyod's "Eradicating Global Poverty-A Christian Study Guide on the Millennium Development Goals" can be purchased here!

Beth Maynard's excellent U2 sermons blog

Global Voices Online



Sunglasses on an Icon?

"Christ's example is being demeaned by the church if they ignore the new leprosy, which is AIDS. The church is the sleeping giant here. If it wakes up to what's really going on in the rest of the world, it has a real role to play. If it doesn't, it will be irrelevant."
- Bono


Cool Stuff
Bono Quotes


Check Out the Archives
March 2006
April 2006
May 2006
June 2006
July 2006
September 2006
October 2006
November 2006
February 2007
March 2007
April 2007
June 2007
September 2007
October 2007
November 2007
December 2007
January 2008
February 2008
March 2008
June 2008
July 2008
September 2008
October 2008
January 2009
June 2009
July 2009
September 2009
October 2009
February 2010
May 2011




Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Two things inspire me to awe -- the starry heavens above and the moral universe within. Albert Einstein

Stand Up and Take Action: Free Poverty Event at Colby College and Skowhegan Farmer's Market.
Things are coming together for this awesome day, recognising the the International Day of Eradicating Poverty! So many people are coming together to donate their time and talents to share their knowledge.
Creating active sustanable communities is an important step to relieve the crisises and fear in the world. I remember growing up in a rural area on a farm. Community was the key - bartering was the norm. Now, with farming corporations and growing developments scarfing up farmland, we seem to have lost so many of our communities. Indeed, the impoverished villages in the developing nations seem to value communities.
Join us on October 18 and see how the strengthening of community addresses many of the issues we face today.
The day begins at Skowhegan Farmer’s Market, where Jan Schrock - the senior advisor to Heifer International and daughter of the founder, Dan West - will talk with the community at 11am. This market is phenominal and works on educating the community about healthy foods and knowing your food source. Jan will discuss importance of community in working on issues of local and global poverty. Heifer works all over the world on strengthening communities.
At 1:30pm, the conference begins at the Diamond Building on the Colby College campus in Waterville, Maine - Active Communities: Weaving a Sustainable Future.
Although there is no charge, attendees may bring a non-perishable food item for a food pantry, pet food for the Human Society or make a donation to the organizations of their choice.
Conference sponsors to date include Heifer International, the Colby Chapter of Amnesty International, Skowhegan Farmer’s Market, Somerset County Coffee & Tea Co., Maine Council of Churches, NEIDEEP, The Town Line, MOFGA, North End Boys & Girls Club, The Morning Sentinel, the New England Conference of the United Methodist Church, and the UN Millennium Campaign.
The event includes 4 afternoon discussion panels (Local Poverty, Farming Communities, Faith in Action – featuring Nothing But Nets, and Justice for Women & Children), movies and a chance to be included in the Guinness Book of World Records for Stand Up.
Participants are invited to a free dinner based the “Stone Soup” principle and asked to bring a potluck dish. Jan Schrock will give the keynote speech at 7pm.
For reservations and information, contact me at neideep@roadrunner.com
Peace -
Bonnie
|
NEIDEEP at 3:12 PM

Friday, September 26, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008

"It's extraordinary to me that the United States can find $700 billion to save Wall Street and the entire G8 can't find $25 billion dollars to saved 25,000 children who die every day from preventable diseases." Bono

Leave it to Bono to make a statement that gets to the heart of the matter. While the US faces so many crisises right now including the price of gasoline at the tanks, the cost of heating fuel, the rise in food costs at the grocery store, and the fear of terrorist attacks, we still have few people dying of starvation in America.

I have so many questions about why the G8 refuses to make good on the promises made at their 2005 summit. Indeed, the global situation seems far worse just three years later. With all the efforts of so many individuals, corporations, faith based groups and even some polititians, one would think we were closer to eradicating extreme poverty by 2015.

Between October 17 and October 19, the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty unfolds across the world. The UN Millennium Campaign started Stand Up in October 2006. As you can see on the righthand column, that year, 23 million people around the globe took part and were included in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest number of people to unite to fight poverty. Last October, 43 million people decided that this was important and broke the previous record.

Out of that 43 million, only 100,000 Americans took part. This year, we hope the event will not only inspire more people to Stand Up, but Take Action as well. Extreme poverty - those living on less that $1/per day – is prevalent in the developing nations. Poverty, including the lack of nutritious food, also affects people in our region, state and nation.

In conjunction with the Amnesty International chapter at Colby College, Heifer International, and other organizations, there will be a conference at Colby College, in Waterville, Maine, on Saturday, October 18, which begins with a Meet & Greet at 1:30pm. The conference is free, although participants may make donations to various charities or bring a non-perishable food item for a local food pantry or pet food for the Humane Society.


There are four afternoon workshops - or discussion panels: Women & Children in Developing Countries, Faith in Action, Farming and Community, and Local Poverty.

Jan Schrock, senior advisor of Heifer International and daughter of it's founder - Dan West, will be part of the farming workshop and is will give the keynote speech at 7pm.


Jan will start out the day at the Skowhegan Farmer’s Market. about 11am and give a presentation on the importance of community, food and agriculture and building a sustainable food supply. Jan lives in Westbrook, Maine and works to promote regaining our sense of community.

We will have a free dinner for conference attendees. Traditionally, these meals are simple and vegetarian. Soup and bread are the main menu items, as well as any potluck provided by participants and church groups. Leftovers will be donated to the Sacred Heart soup kitchen in Waterville.


We are asking the local farmers and farmer’s markets to donate breads and produce. Volunteers will prepare the food. Skowhegan Farmer's Market is one of the conference's sponsors and we hope other markets will join the list.

Working together is essential eradicating extreme poverty in the developing world as well as in our region and country. Visit http://www.standagainstpoverty.org/ for more information on global poverty and Stand Up.

This year, we must band together to take action and fill the void that the G8 has left. We can show our neighbors - both locally and globally - that by standing by each other and strengthening our communities, we will survive the current food crisis and oill crisis. We can eradicate extreme poverty if we work together.

Peace -

Bonnie
|
NEIDEEP at 9:04 AM

STAND UP Against Poverty

173,045,325
People Stood Up & Took Action
Against Poverty Worldwide
between Oct. 16 - 18, 2009!
They gathered at
over 3,000 events in
more than 120 countries.


116,993,629
People Stood Up & Took Action
Against Poverty Worldwide
between Oct. 17 - 19, 2008!
That is almost 2% of the
total world population!

43,716,440
People Stood Up
Against Poverty
Worldwide
between Oct. 16 & 17, 2007!
Were You One of Them?

23,542,614
People Stood Up
Against Poverty
Worldwide
on Oct. 15, 2006!
Bless Them All!

"Be the Change You Want to See In the World."
Gandhi


Upcoming Events
Send Me Your Events!!!

October 17, 2009
NEIDEEP Interfaith Service & Conference
at Fairfield United Methodist Church, 10am to 2pm, including potluck lunch

Join people of all faiths
Discover the role of women in
ending local & global poverty
Location - FUMC, 33 Rt. 201, Fairfield, Maine
Just off I-95, Exit 133 This event is in conjunction with
Stand Up & is Free

E-mail me for more information


Post Your MDG, Peace, Justice or Poverty
Event Here


Have a U2charist at your Church
& Spread Awareness of the MDG
Through a Service that Rocks!
Contact the Rev. Paige Blair
to Set it Up!


*

Got Questions About Extreme Poverty?
Want to Get Involved?
Post an Event?
Be on the Mailing List?

E-mail Me
and we'll talk.

*

About NEIDEEP


The Rev. Dr. Paige Blair
Episcopal Priest
&
Bonnie N. Davis
Buddhist

First NEIDEEP Conference

Our First Meeting took place in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA on 2/21/06.

The day began with an Interfaith Service.

Sister True Virtue, who at the time was the Abbess of the Green Mountain Dharma Center, teaching in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh's Order of Interbeing, led a meditation, centering & grounding the more than 80 participants for the rest of the day.

Local Christians including The Rev. Dr. Paige of St. George's Episcopal Chuch (York Harbor), Pastor Sharon Miesel of York-Ogunquit United Methodist Church (UMC) & Pastor Sue Kingman of Sanford Unitarian Universalist Church (UUC) also took part in the Interfaith Service.

Iman Ibrahim Sayer, Boston Dialogue Foundation, did a transforming reading from the Koran in Arabic.

Rabbi David Mark, Temple Israel in Portsmouth, blew the Shofar, made from Ram's Horn, reminding us that it is made from the same material as our fingernails & that the work before us must be done with our hands.

The Rt. Rev. Peter Weaver, presiding bishop of the New England Conference of the United Methodist Church (NEUMC)was also serving the Worldwide head the United Methodist's at the time of the conference. He spoke about trips to Africa, meeting with religious leaders to speak with President Bush, & attending the Transatlantic Forum on Global Poverty in London prior to the 2005 G8 Summit.

Jan Schrock, Senior Advisor of Heifer International at the time, is the daughter of Dan West, Heifer's founder, spoke about Heifer's interaction with communities, helping them plan their futures.

Lallie Lloyd, Episcopalian's for Global Reconciliation (E4GR), spoke about her book - "Eradicating Global Poverty - A Christian Study Guide on the MDG." Margaret Udahogora, of Rwanda, spoke about educating orphans from her country, also reminding us of Africa's beauty. Suzanne Bowman, talked about BeadforLife - Ugandan women (many HIV/AIDS positive) making beads and jewelry for two years and now supporting 170 families.

NAACP, Salvation Army and United Way attended as guests with clergy and other participants. Program stressed MDG, trade issues, & activisim.
Millennium Campaign Pledge & ONE Declaration were signed - "No Excuses" White Wristbands were handed out with resource guides. By setting the example of working together across potitical, cultural, spiritual & religious boundaries, we can make an amazing difference.
Interfaith Communities
Can Heal the World!

A second round of NEIDEEP is planned for October 2008. Activating New England will make a difference in ending extreme poverty. After all, we hosted a memorable tea party that changed the course of history.


One of My Favorite Books

Contemporary religious literature & an excellent introduction to the writings of Thich Nhat Hanh & engaging Buddhism.

by Thich Nhat Hanh





Prayer for the Millennium Goals


In a world where so many go hungry,
Let us make the fruits of creation available for all.
In a world where one billion of our brothers and sisters do not have safe drinking water,
Let us help the waters run clear.
In a world where so many die so young,
And so many mothers die in childbirth,
And so many families are ravaged by disease,
Let us bring health and healing.

In a world where women carry such heavy burdens,
Let us recognize and restore the rights of all.
Let us join together, with a new sense of global community,
A new awareness of our need for one another,
And for this fragile planet,
To meet the clear challenge of the Millennium Goals,
To bring hope as substantial as bread,
To make human dignity as visible as wheat in the fields.




Special thanks to
The Rev. Mike Kinman
for his assistance on how to set up a cool blog!

Check Out His Page
Rev. Mike


Designed by Anja Stern (Brazil) at Blogskins
Powered by Blogger Weblog Commenting and Trackback by HaloScan.com