The Feeding of the 12 Million
Perhaps you have heard of the famine in the Western regions of Africa.
There has been some press, not a lot, as we here in the United States grapple with our own issues, particularly our involvement in Iraq.But a famine does exist, affecting several countries, including Niger, a place the United Nations has called the second poorest country in the world.
On its website, Concern, an Irish-based relief organization initiated to assist with the Biafran famine in 1968, offered poignant information regarding the plight of the Niger nation.
In a country of 12 million people, 6 million are affected directly by the lack of food, 3.6 million are at risk, and of that 3.6 million, 800,000 are children.
What drought, locust infestation and lack of enough seeds to plant new crops translates into is people barely surviving on eating a bowl of thin millet soup every other day.
Most of us living in the United States have no way, intellectual or experiential, to even begin to hold on to this information long enough to grasp it, or understand it.Organized relief efforts are underway, including by Concern, and have been all summer.
Beyond worldwide awareness, the main issue has been creation of a distribution process once the food arrives.
How do you feed 800,000-3.6 million people who need nourishment now in an equitable fashion ?Although not dealing with famine conditions, the disciples ran up against food distribution issues in remote Bethsaida after a long day of preaching and teaching with Jesus.
They were all for sending the crowd away to let them fend for themselves in the surrounding villages.
Jesus disagreed.
"But he said to them, 'You give them something to eat.'
They said, 'We have no more than five loaves and two fish-unless we are to go and buy food for all these people,'
for there were about five thousand men.
And he said to his disciples, 'Make them sit down in companies, about fifty each.'
And they did so, and made them all sit down.
And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.
and all ate and were satisfied.
And they took up what was left over, twelve baskets of broken pieces."
Despite their initial reticence and subsequent confusion over Jesus' directions, the disciples figure it out, follow through and get the job done with great success.
The crowd appears to have responded well and were grateful.
It's quite easy to judge the disciples as incompetent, as easy as it is to exonerate ourselves from any direct responsibility to understand or help a country so distant and foreign from our own.
It is easy to smile about the befuddlement of these future leaders, and equally easy to settle our own consciousness with the belief that we have very little to share if we try to spread it out among so many people.
But in our human dilemmas, God's directions, albeit not always printed on the side of a box ready to be read off in order, are usually available if we pay attention. In the Biblical account, Jesus basically told the disciples to divide the people into smaller groups, ask them to sit down and then proceed after asking God's blessing.
The concern contingent has moved forward in
their task in much the same way.
Having a larger crowd to assist, they have begun with 6,000 grateful people, and along with other agencies, will continue to move among the crowds until all are able to eat and be satisfied, no doubt also welcoming God's blessing..
My writing has focused on nonfiction essays, and I have recently submitted a theological memoir for publication.
Creating Women Ministries is an adventure born of a blended love of God and writing, a website dedicated to encouraging theological dialogue, particularly among women, through workshops, journaling and personal spiritual development.
Our site can be found at: www.creatingwomenministries.com.
We can be reached by email at: creatingwomen@irun.com.
Locating Flower Delivery Services in Los Angeles
Just a quick thumbing through the yellow pages or by browsing on Yellow Pages will give you a good idea of the number of florists in an area.
Los Angeles in no exception. It can be time consuming to locate a reputable florist in such a large city. You can always consider the amount of time they have been in business and some florists will even give referrals if you should ask.
One popular florist is Flowers Unique.
This company offers Los Angeles flower delivery and has a host of discounts and specials that can be found by calling or visiting their website. You can get information on their specials and the products they offer. You can also specify the date of delivery and any accessories to be included with the order. Flowers Unique specializes in funeral arrangements and offers imported flowers. You can also order balloons through this company.
The Flower Patch, a local Los Angeles flower delivery business, is also popular. They...
Baskets > Locating Flower Delivery Services in Los Angeles
Greenforgood.com Offers Eco-friendly Gifts for Holiday Shoppers
Edmonds, WA (ContentDesk) November 3, 2005 -- Online holiday shoppers interested in buying green this season are traveling to Greenforgood.com, a start-up company offering a wide selection of organic and environmentally friendly products.Launched in August, the new online retailer is already generating traffic of thousands to its web site, www.greenforgood.com. This promises to be one of the most green holiday seasons ever, said David R. Kaufer, Green for Good chief executive. Consumers are becoming more aware of the wide range of environmentally friendly gift choices available and are choosing to purchase these products Greenforgood.com is the first company to bring a variety of natural, healthy, environmentally friendly and organic products from different companies together on one central web site giving consumers one-stop shopping for green products. The company showcases more than 2,000 products from more than 30 merchants....
Greenforgood.com Offers Eco-friendly Gifts for Holiday Shoppers
Baskets > Greenforgood.com Offers Eco-friendly Gifts for Holiday Shoppers
Wine and Dine Them
For friends that enjoy the finer things in life, a wine gift basket is a tasteful choice that they will be sure to appreciate. There are also gift baskets available with champagne, beer, hard cider, and even specialty soft drinks for those that don't drink wine.Wine gift baskets center around all varieties of wine and champagne. If the recipient has a preference for a certain type of wine, for instance Chablis or Merlot, you can probably find a basket featuring it. If you aren't familiar with wine, most local wine and liquor stores can answer your questions. Some even offer classes on wine appreciation and wine tasting.
If you are shopping online, contact the seller of the wine gift basket you are interested in purchasing. If they are unable to answer your question, they can probably direct you to a good resource that can.Small and local wineries may offer wine gift baskets. If you live near a wine producing area such as California's Napa Valley or New York's Finger Lakes region,...
Wine and Dine Them
Baskets > Wine and Dine Them
Baby gift ideas
A new arrival in the family ushers in immeasurable joy and happiness. It is a special occasion not only for the respective mother and father, but also for the entire family and their friends. Celebrate this joyous occasion with style. Go in for classy yet useful baby gifts for the newborn. A few tips are listed below that my help you choose the ideal baby gifts for some one you love and care about.# Baby beds with a number of tiny pillows in different shapes.
A baby bed is very useful because babies soil the bed frequently and to have a spare one always helps.# Soft toys. Cuddly teddy bears and dolls keep the infant company. They also create a cozy atmosphere, making the baby feel very comfortable. # Baby wraps and blankets. Baby skin is very soft.
Keeping this in mind always buy soft wraparounds for the baby. The wraps should not have any kind of buckles or buttons as this may hurt the baby. # Baby clothes. Again keep in mind the sensitive skin of the newborn. Loose and...
Baby gift ideas
Baskets > Baby gift ideas
The Gifted Ones Introduces Valentine?s Gift Basket Collection
New York, NY (ContentDesk) February 2, 2004 -- The Gifted Ones, a New York City based gourmet gift basket and corporate gift service, has introduced its 2004 Valentine's Day line of gifts and gift baskets, all available on its new website, www.thegiftedones.com. The Valentine collection is true to The Gifted Ones' reputation for personalized service and tasteful, stylish products; they still eschew anything mass-produced and change their inventory to match the season.With an assortment of over twenty different gift selections ranging in price from $20 to $200 and up, their 2004 Valentine catalog is designed to meet the needs of every budget."Our Loving Cups" are wonderful red and pink retro cups with heart-shaped saucers and filled with Saxon's chocolate enrobed sugar cookies, a perfect-pot of coffee, two chocolate spoons and milk chocolate hearts. What better way to "espresso" your feelings!Whether you're sending the "Young...
The Gifted Ones Introduces Valentine?s Gift Basket Collection
Baskets > The Gifted Ones Introduces Valentine?s Gift Basket Collection
Consider It Done - is Open for Business in Orange and L.A. County, California
(ContentDesk) June 9, 2005 -- Everyone in Los Angeles/Orange Counties will be delighted to hear that Consider It Done! Personal/Corporate Errand/Concierge Service is ready to give you the gift of more time to enjoy your own interests, family and friends while we are taking care of all of your errands for you. Sherri Durbin, owner and founder of Consider It Done! is the self-proclaimed Personal Errand Service Extraordinaire of La Habra, CA.Just a few of the wonderful, all encompassing services we offer our valued clients are: - Automobile Renewal/DMV - Mobile notary- House + carpet cleaning/window washing - Jewelry/Shoe Repair Drop off/Pick up - Banking (Deposits, Change, Statements) - Lunch/Dinner Delivery - Bill Paying- Buy/Deliver Flowers- Office/Home Organization - Car Services (car wash, oil change, repairs)- Party/Function Planning - Pay Traffic Citations - Courier/Messenger Services- Pet Sitting/House Sitting/People Sitting - Drop off forgotten homework, lunches, cupcakes, misc....
Consider It Done - is Open for Business in Orange and L.A. County, California
Baskets > Consider It Done - is Open for Business in Orange and L.A. County, California
OnlineXpressions Announces New Products Offered Online
With the baby-boomer generation aging, retro style products have become popular not only with the boomers, but also with younger generations.
OnlineXpressions caters to this demand through sales of the ever popular Lava lamps and wave machines, nostalgic neon clocks and pictures, retro style radios and phones and other products.To compliment these existing retro and novelty style items, OnlineXpressions proudly announces the recent addition of the Astro clock from Momo-Design and retro style lamps and furniture from LumiSource, Inc.
The Astro clock was inspired by one of George Nelson's most famous clock designs of the 1950's.
Nelson was an influential industrial designer in the post World War II period and his designs were highly prized both by artists and architects.
The Astro clock was modeled to look like the molecular structure of an atom and comes in a variety of colors.
The LumiSource offerings include products such as neon wall mirrors,...
OnlineXpressions Announces New Products Offered Online
Baskets > OnlineXpressions Announces New Products Offered Online
Gift Baskets Make a Great Gift
We have all been facing the situation one time or another when we need to get a gift for someone, but just don't know what to get them. Here's an idea for you ? a gift basket! Gift baskets make an excellent gift as each of them contains lots of smaller gifts. They are also great for you as you don't have to waste lots of time wondering around a store searching for that perfect gift.
If you know someone who doesn't feel well and needs a little TLC, a get well gift basket makes a great gift. Get well gift baskets should contain items to help them get over feeling under the weather.
They should contain items that you too would love to have to help you get through getting over an illness or healing after a major surgery such as some nice hot tea to help you relax and perhaps a few candles and something for a nice hot bubble bath. While they are at home getting better, they will be thinking of you as you have helped make them feel a bit better.
Do you...
Baskets > Gift Baskets Make a Great Gift
The Feeding of the 12 Million oil prices Baskets
Online Mortgage
The main advantage of applying for online mortgages is their
convenience. It is relatively easier to apply for an online mortgage than it is
for an offline mortgage. The Internet is a wonderful tool and one which you can
take full advantage of when looking for the best deals in online mortgages.
Many online mortgage lenders offer competitive packages for home buyers and
most of these offer free online mortgage quotes for your perusal. As a perk,
Baskets > Online Mortgage
eCycle, Incorporated To Display At 1st Annual Pennsylvania Renewable Energy And Sustainable Living Festival
Temple, PA (ContentDesk) September 11, 2005 -- eCycle announced today that it will be exhibiting at the 1st annual PA Energy Fest located in Kempton, PA on September 23-24, 2005. The event will focus on renewable energy and sustainable living. Attendees will have a chance to see the new line of eCycle's Auxiliary Power Units (APU) and DC Generators. The APU was designed to answer market demand for lightweight, high efficiency mobile DC power solutions in compliance with anti-idling laws that...
The Feeding of the 12 Million eCycle, Incorporated To Display At 1st Annual Pennsylvania Renewable Energy And Sustainable Living Festival
Baskets > eCycle, Incorporated To Display At 1st Annual Pennsylvania Renewable Energy And Sustainable Living Festival
Viansa Winery To Deliver Cacao Anasa Chocolate Confections To Tuscan Wine Club Members
San Francisco and Sonoma California (ContentDesk via ContentDesk Direct) January 19, 2006 - Cacao Anasa, a leading purveyor of handcrafted artisan chocolate truffles and confections, and Viansa Winery & Italian Marketplace, Americas premier producer of Italian varietal wines announced today a partnership to offer, for the first time, Cacao Anasas Rose Collection Truffles to several thousand of its Tuscan Club Members across the country. Cacao...
The Feeding of the 12 Million fruit
Baskets > Viansa Winery To Deliver Cacao Anasa Chocolate Confections To Tuscan Wine Club Members