Most of us, if we are lucky, have our homes, light, family, comfort, a future to anticipate.
Thousands in Pakistan, since the first of August, no longer have any of this. They are fleeing flooded homes for their lives, with only their lives if they are the very luckiest. And help is not coming to them.
Sharing our wealth with those in need, though it is dear to us, gives us practice putting God before material gain. By giving some of our money to the orphan and the wayfarer in kinship, not patronage, we empower ourselves to be masters of our material possessions, not their slaves, while at the same time building brotherhood in society.
Further to this Passage from the Koran:
True piety does not consist in turning your faces towards the east or the west -- but truly pious is he who believes in God, and the Last Day; and the angels, and revelation, and the prophets; and spends his substance -- however much he himself may cherish -- it -- upon his near of kin, and the orphans, and the needy, and the wayfarer, and the beggars, and for the freeing of human beings from bondage; and is constant in prayer, and renders the purifying dues; and [truly pious are] they who keep their promises whenever they promise, and are patient in misfortune and hardship and in time of peril: it is they that have proved themselves true, and it is they, they who are conscious of God. (2:177 [Asad])
A couple suggestions to receive your donations:
The International Red Cross
The Red Crescent Society
Oxfam
Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres
UNICEF
The need is great.
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Yes....
ReplyDeletemust make something happen ...the thought has not turned to action thanks for prompt MP!
I heard the other day that 14 million were homeless and at risk.
we only have 22 million in this country. So its like thinking about 2/3rds of our population suddenly having n.o.t.h.i.n.g.!
I was just thinking about this yesterday afternoon. I'll be putting the Red Cross on my list of things to do!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reminder.
oh yes... the size of the disaster is almost impossible to imagine... and we have so much to be thankful for...
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post. Thank you.
(and thank you for your kind comment on Chile Chipotle!)
Thank you for giving me options of how to help, Paradis. Your generous heart is such an example for me.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post. It is so important to remember that we who are in a position to do something can help those who are devastated. You have expressed it beautifully.
ReplyDelete