HourChallenge

It’s difficult to see poverty in white, suburban America. I am so sheltered from it. I don’t personally know a single soul who is suffering from the dehumanizing poverty that takes lives. This is one thing that needs to change if I am going to keep my hour-a-day commitment. I’m gonna to have to find ways to connect myself with those in great need if I am to know how to serve and pray for them.

What I’ve found, though, is that this isn’t an easy task to check off the to-do list. Of all the things I’m working on (education, advocacy, meetings with church leaders…) this is proving to be the most difficult. I can’t just walk outside my door and find people suffering from extreme poverty. I can’t expect to hear about these issues on television (we don’t have cable), in a sermon this Sunday, or as a lead story on my favorite internet news portal. Nope, I’m going to have to go this one alone.

I’ve kept an eye out for opportunities and a few have come. I plan to blog about some of them in coming posts. I also plan to blog about movies, documentaries, podcasts and whatever else I’ve heard or seen over the last few months that gets me thinking outside of my cozy little suburbian box. Which FINALLY brings me to the point of this article. I watched a wonderful movie the other night that I highly recommend. Yesterday (the title of this movie) powerfully illustrates the devastating impact of AIDS on one South African family. It’s a depressing story that hasn’t been easy to forget. But it was also inspiring, informative, and inspirational. Trust me on this one and put it in the netflix queue, you won’t be disappointed.