ORLANDO, Fla. – Over 2,000 people gathered at Edgewater High School and Trotters Park to raise awareness of Africa’s longest war and the devastation it has caused for nearly two million of its citizens.
For the past 23 years, a group of rebel fighters, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), led by Joseph Kony, has wreaked havoc in three countries: Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Sudan.
Over 1.7 million in Uganda alone have been forced from their homes into displacement camps, and an estimated 25,000 children have been kidnapped in what many believe to be the least addressed humanitarian disaster in the world today.
Invisible Children is a charity organization dedicated to raising both awareness and money for the crisis, and on April 25, they held an event called “The Rescue”, where they simulated the commute that thousands of people make every day in order to avoid abduction.
Head volunteer of the event, Ben Sasso, expressed the need for more awareness and support of this crisis.
“The situation over there [in Africa] is devastating, and it’s gone under the radar for way too long,” said Sasso. “The worst part of it is that there’s no reason or need for the war, and the children that are being affected the most are helpless.”
The LRA goes from village to village cutting off hands, ears, or lips of supporters of the African government. They rape women and kidnap children as young as eight years old, forcing them to serve as frontline soldiers in their army or, in the case of females, sex slaves.
“The Rescue” was a country-wide event that took place in many different cities. Each city had a meeting place where participants started a two to three mile walk while holding onto one long rope.
Once they arrived at their destination, they camped out together until a political figure or someone prominent in the media came to “rescue” them.
At Orlando’s meeting location, Edgewater High School, 2,400 people, mostly comprised of youth and young adults, gathered with their sleeping bags and overnight gear before making their three-mile trek to Trotters Park.
They arrived at Trotters Park around four in the afternoon and waited until 7:30 that evening when they were rescued by Aaron Gillespie, drummer and lead singer of a Christian metal band named “Underoath”.
“It’s a situation that only spreading the word and being passionate will help. It is a tragedy, a crime on humanity itself, and generally it’s disabling a people group,” said Gillespie. “You and me are their only hope. Our awareness, our spreading the word, our honesty and compassion on these issues is the only thing that will help.”
“The point of this event was to get someone with media influence involved,” said participant Emily Lukas. “We have to get the word out, and this forces the issue to be recognized by someone bigger than you and me.”
While Africa’s problems may seem very far away for many, for at least one participant in “The Rescue”, the tragedy hits closer to home. Alan Mwangi, originally from Kenya, came to America when he was five years old, leaving much of his family behind. He is 17 years old now, and he is dedicated to raising awareness of the fear the people of Africa feel every day.
Mwangi talked about a displacement camp in Kenya that has families from Uganda and Northern Congo, because “Kenya is one of the only safe countries left”.
“Congo is complete anarchy,” said Mwangi. “You can’t just walk the streets there; it’s way too dangerous.”
Invisible Children isn’t the only organization that recognizes the needs of Africa’s citizens. World Vision, a Christian humanitarian organization, is dedicated to helping those suffering all over the world.
President of the organization, Richard Stearns, expressed his desire to help those less fortunate than himself. “We live at a time when the needs of the world have never been more acute,” said Stearns. “Not just AIDS, but poverty, war, famines, natural disasters, and ethnic tensions.”
Although hope may seem far way from many of those suffering in Africa, volunteers of Invisible Children are hopeful that a resolution is within reach.
“I have faith and hope in all that we have done, that change will soon come,” said volunteer Amanda Deardeuff. “We will not rest until these children are rescued.”
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Changing Destiny
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Grace Fellowship Church and the Destiny Foundation gave away 500 bags of groceries to the working poor on Easter, but this grocery giveaway only scratches the surface of the amount of charity work Grace Fellowship has done since opening their doors in 2003.
Pastor of Grace Fellowship, Mike Adkins, spoke to a class of Valencia students on March 19, about the partnerships his church has with the Destiny Foundation and with an Anglican church in Rwanda.
Rev. Adkins quoted the Bible, saying, “We are to serve the poor, take care of the fatherless, and take care of the widow.”
Since day one of opening, Grace Fellowship has been donating half of the money their congregation raises to the poor, with 25% going to the Destiny Foundation and 25% going to the church in Rwanda.
There are about 68,000 homeless people in the Central Florida area and 300,000 to 350,000 people who are considered the working poor. The Destiny Foundation is geared toward helping the working poor, and Grace Fellowship is its largest donor.
The Destiny Foundation was founded in September 2001, by Pastor Scott George, with a new food assistance program aimed at providing the working poor with a way to accept charity and still retain their dignity. They give families a “hand up” instead of a “handout” by providing them access to high quality food at low quality prices.
Their goal is to help people become self-sufficient so that they will no longer need the Destiny Foundation. Single mother of five, Genevieve Sullivan, is very grateful that the foundation can help her and her children in their time of need.
“The [Destiny Foundation] lightens my family’s grocery bill and takes that burden off, which is a big burden,” said Genevieve. “It’s amazing all the resources that are offered under one roof.”
In their efforts to break the cycle of poverty, the foundation also opened the Compassion Outreach Center and the Compassion Children’s Clinic.
The outreach center is a social-service access center that provides families access and assistance with online applications for state assistance programs and employment assistance services.
The children’s clinic is a free children’s medical clinic for uninsured and underinsured children in Central Florida. The clinic is staffed with volunteer doctors and nurses, many of whom are members of Grace Fellowship.
Vanessa George is a single mother of four, including a four-year-old daughter with Down’s Syndrome, and the compassion centers have helped them immensely during their struggles.
“My family and I live at the Salvation Army right now and times are tough but being able to come here and get juice, eggs, milk, bread and anything else I can, makes my family happier,” said Vanessa. “Thankfully, the [Compassion Outreach Center] has given me the opportunity to get my kids Medicaid. I will always do all I can for my kids but having this place makes all the difference.”
Rev. Adkins is on the board of directors at the Destiny Foundation, and many of the church members volunteer at the compassion centers. Aside from their volunteered time, Grace Fellowship has also donated about $450,000 to the foundation.
The charity work of Rev. Adkins and his church’s congregation extends farther than the Orlando area. Grace Fellowship formed a relationship with an Anglican church in Rwanda and is actively involved in helping thousands of people rebuild from genocide by donating money and building wells.
Volunteers from the church go to Rwanda for a couple weeks each year to help build wells in a rural area south of the capital, Kigali. Because access to clean water is such a prevalent problem in Rwanda, many people are sick with Malaria, diarrhea, and other water born illnesses. Since building the wells, there has been a dramatic decrease in water born illnesses in that area.
Grace Fellowship has donated about $450,000 to the church in Rwanda as well, but Rev. Adkins would like to do more work there in the future due to the abject poverty and the spread of the AIDS virus.
“It’s not enough to not just be against the poor”, Rev. Adkins said. “You have to be for them to actually make a difference in the world. We want to meet needs so that hearts can be opened.”
Rev. Adkins has many ideas and plans for future charity projects that include helping battered women, single moms, and homeless children. His belief is that “You can change the world by changing peoples’ hearts and minds.”
For more information about Grace Fellowship Church and the Destiny Foundation, including volunteer opportunities, visit the church’s Web Site at http://gogracefellowship.com/.
Pastor of Grace Fellowship, Mike Adkins, spoke to a class of Valencia students on March 19, about the partnerships his church has with the Destiny Foundation and with an Anglican church in Rwanda.
Rev. Adkins quoted the Bible, saying, “We are to serve the poor, take care of the fatherless, and take care of the widow.”
Since day one of opening, Grace Fellowship has been donating half of the money their congregation raises to the poor, with 25% going to the Destiny Foundation and 25% going to the church in Rwanda.
There are about 68,000 homeless people in the Central Florida area and 300,000 to 350,000 people who are considered the working poor. The Destiny Foundation is geared toward helping the working poor, and Grace Fellowship is its largest donor.
The Destiny Foundation was founded in September 2001, by Pastor Scott George, with a new food assistance program aimed at providing the working poor with a way to accept charity and still retain their dignity. They give families a “hand up” instead of a “handout” by providing them access to high quality food at low quality prices.
Their goal is to help people become self-sufficient so that they will no longer need the Destiny Foundation. Single mother of five, Genevieve Sullivan, is very grateful that the foundation can help her and her children in their time of need.
“The [Destiny Foundation] lightens my family’s grocery bill and takes that burden off, which is a big burden,” said Genevieve. “It’s amazing all the resources that are offered under one roof.”
In their efforts to break the cycle of poverty, the foundation also opened the Compassion Outreach Center and the Compassion Children’s Clinic.
The outreach center is a social-service access center that provides families access and assistance with online applications for state assistance programs and employment assistance services.
The children’s clinic is a free children’s medical clinic for uninsured and underinsured children in Central Florida. The clinic is staffed with volunteer doctors and nurses, many of whom are members of Grace Fellowship.
Vanessa George is a single mother of four, including a four-year-old daughter with Down’s Syndrome, and the compassion centers have helped them immensely during their struggles.
“My family and I live at the Salvation Army right now and times are tough but being able to come here and get juice, eggs, milk, bread and anything else I can, makes my family happier,” said Vanessa. “Thankfully, the [Compassion Outreach Center] has given me the opportunity to get my kids Medicaid. I will always do all I can for my kids but having this place makes all the difference.”
Rev. Adkins is on the board of directors at the Destiny Foundation, and many of the church members volunteer at the compassion centers. Aside from their volunteered time, Grace Fellowship has also donated about $450,000 to the foundation.
The charity work of Rev. Adkins and his church’s congregation extends farther than the Orlando area. Grace Fellowship formed a relationship with an Anglican church in Rwanda and is actively involved in helping thousands of people rebuild from genocide by donating money and building wells.
Volunteers from the church go to Rwanda for a couple weeks each year to help build wells in a rural area south of the capital, Kigali. Because access to clean water is such a prevalent problem in Rwanda, many people are sick with Malaria, diarrhea, and other water born illnesses. Since building the wells, there has been a dramatic decrease in water born illnesses in that area.
Grace Fellowship has donated about $450,000 to the church in Rwanda as well, but Rev. Adkins would like to do more work there in the future due to the abject poverty and the spread of the AIDS virus.
“It’s not enough to not just be against the poor”, Rev. Adkins said. “You have to be for them to actually make a difference in the world. We want to meet needs so that hearts can be opened.”
Rev. Adkins has many ideas and plans for future charity projects that include helping battered women, single moms, and homeless children. His belief is that “You can change the world by changing peoples’ hearts and minds.”
For more information about Grace Fellowship Church and the Destiny Foundation, including volunteer opportunities, visit the church’s Web Site at http://gogracefellowship.com/.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Fun is Good
FORT MYERS, Fla. – Fun is good. For some, that may be a statement simply stating the obvious. For one man, it’s a self-motto and a life lesson.
Mike Veeck is his name, and fun is his game.
Part owner of six baseball teams, advertising professional, and coveted public speaker, Veeck spoke to a crowd of over 200 people on March 28, in the stadium of one of his minor league teams, the Fort Myers Miracle.
Veeck’s business seminar focused on how to inject fun into all aspects of life, whether it be inside or outside of work.
“'Fun is good' isn’t just a concept; it’s an experience, a feeling, a way of life, and an attitude,” Veeck said.
He has used this one philosophy for all of his business ventures, and it has proved to be very successful.
Veeck and minor league baseball’s premiere ownership team, the Goldklang group, have repeatedly set attendance records with innovative yet crazy promotions aimed to entertain fans.
One of his most recent stunts was locking fans out of the stadium in Charleston, S.C., to set an all-time attendance record for fewest people at a game.
“This guy isn’t afraid to push the envelope,” said little-league coach and small business owner, David Morrow. “He knows how to entertain fans, and he knows how to do it at a low cost to those fans.”
Veeck explained that in the economy people are currently facing, fans need to have as much fun as possible when going to the ballpark, not only on the minor league level, but also on the major league level.
“If you’re going to charge the amount of money that you’re charging now for major league baseball tickets, then you have to provide the fans with a little extra,” said Veeck. “Everything you do on the minor league level, you can on the major league level.”
Some of the fun Veeck has delivered to his fans includes hiring a dog and pig to deliver baseballs to the umpire, Roman Catholic nuns to give massages, and mimes to perform instant replays.
“I’ve been going to minor league and major league baseball games my whole life, and there is no other owner I would rather give my money to,” said baseball fan, Shirley Scott. You’re not just paying for a baseball game; you’re paying for a great time with your family.”
Veeck wrapped up his seminar by explaining that if one’s main goal is to make money, they will end up broke; but if one’s main goal is to have fun, they can become rich.
“‘Fun is good’ is an innovative, off-the-beaten-track approach to getting the most out of your work life in and outside of the office,” Veeck said. “The key to any business is to build as much fun into it as you possibly can.”
“Fun isn’t just good, it’s a necessity,” Veeck said, as his baseball-bearing pig led him off of the stage.
Mike Veeck is his name, and fun is his game.
Part owner of six baseball teams, advertising professional, and coveted public speaker, Veeck spoke to a crowd of over 200 people on March 28, in the stadium of one of his minor league teams, the Fort Myers Miracle.
Veeck’s business seminar focused on how to inject fun into all aspects of life, whether it be inside or outside of work.
“'Fun is good' isn’t just a concept; it’s an experience, a feeling, a way of life, and an attitude,” Veeck said.
He has used this one philosophy for all of his business ventures, and it has proved to be very successful.
Veeck and minor league baseball’s premiere ownership team, the Goldklang group, have repeatedly set attendance records with innovative yet crazy promotions aimed to entertain fans.
One of his most recent stunts was locking fans out of the stadium in Charleston, S.C., to set an all-time attendance record for fewest people at a game.
“This guy isn’t afraid to push the envelope,” said little-league coach and small business owner, David Morrow. “He knows how to entertain fans, and he knows how to do it at a low cost to those fans.”
Veeck explained that in the economy people are currently facing, fans need to have as much fun as possible when going to the ballpark, not only on the minor league level, but also on the major league level.
“If you’re going to charge the amount of money that you’re charging now for major league baseball tickets, then you have to provide the fans with a little extra,” said Veeck. “Everything you do on the minor league level, you can on the major league level.”
Some of the fun Veeck has delivered to his fans includes hiring a dog and pig to deliver baseballs to the umpire, Roman Catholic nuns to give massages, and mimes to perform instant replays.
“I’ve been going to minor league and major league baseball games my whole life, and there is no other owner I would rather give my money to,” said baseball fan, Shirley Scott. You’re not just paying for a baseball game; you’re paying for a great time with your family.”
Veeck wrapped up his seminar by explaining that if one’s main goal is to make money, they will end up broke; but if one’s main goal is to have fun, they can become rich.
“‘Fun is good’ is an innovative, off-the-beaten-track approach to getting the most out of your work life in and outside of the office,” Veeck said. “The key to any business is to build as much fun into it as you possibly can.”
“Fun isn’t just good, it’s a necessity,” Veeck said, as his baseball-bearing pig led him off of the stage.
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