Thursday, May 8, 2008

Faceless

http://www.facelessinternational.com/site/

What initially drew me to the site and made me want to find out more about it is that there are some rock bands that are partnering with this organization and actually "giving back" in so many ways. Groups like Anberlin, The Classic Crime, Showbread and Hundred Year Storm. I've not heard of the last two, but I saw pictures and read commentary from the trip anberlin took to India, and it is moving. Wouldn't it be incredible if other bands (maybe those with more MTV sponsorship) would do this kind of stuff, and set an example for the rest of us? I'm not talking about donating money (although in this world there always seems to be a place for that), but about serving. What if Nickelback or Fall Out Boy or The All American Rejects or Slipknot (haha) would give of their time and energy and heart to go help those in need?

Some sad news

I don't like the news, especially the local news. I don't like it that every headline on the websites, or that every talking point on the "next on the news" thing during commerical breaks is about how many people were shot in Jacksonville, or who burned up when a building caught on fire, or who killed his neighbor. I like good news, although there's not much of that to be seen on the television. As such, I hesitate to put this on my blog because it's about someone dying. Here it is copied from the Foxnews website (not sure how to give credit, but it's from the Associated Press)

Hero DadCHICAGO — Chicago police say a man died as he tried to shield his four-year-old daughter from an auto allegedly driven by a man under the influence of a controlled substance.

Joseph Richardson was walking his daughter Kaniyah to a McDonald's for burgers late Monday when a car jumped the curb. Police say the 39-year-old Richardson grabbed his daughter just before the car slammed the two into a fence.
Richardson was pronounced dead at the scene. Kaniyah was taken to Comer Children's Hospital in serious condition.
Police say the driver of the car, 32-year-old Angelo Thomas of Chicago, was charged with two felony counts of aggravated DUI. Witnesses say the man was driving erratically before the accident. Richardson, a church musician, was the father of three, two girls and a boy, all under the age of 10.



So there it is. So this guy sacrifices his own life to save his daughter, as any father should. He is a hero, and hopefully he is in heaven now. Pray that the little girl will survive. And pray for his family. But can we do more than that? Who is going to take care of the other girl and boy and Mrs. Richardson? That's where the church comes in. If they have a church family, hopefully they will step up and help the mother raise the children and provide for her needs as well. What about the rest of us as Americans and human beings? Have we any concern? I wish there were some way that I could help them, even though I am of "little means." I could certainly afford to send the family $20 to help them out. "What's $20 gonna do?" If you're asking that question, you're missing the point. If 10,000 of us sent them $20, it could certainly help out. Total of $200,000 (tax free, by the way). It would pay off their home, most likely, provide for funeral bills for the dad and hospital bills for the little girl, and the mom could put some money aside for the kids' college funds.

What can we do? What can we do? I've got $20. Where do I send it? And who will join me?