Bono Teaches Us True Religion

Here are some powerful quotes from Bono's speech:

"I'm talking about the right to live like a human, the right to live, period. Those are the stakes in Africa right now."

"This is not about charity...It's about justice, justice and equality."

"This is true religion. True religion will not let us fall asleep in the comfort of our freedom. Love thy neighbor is not a piece of advice, it's a command. That means, in the global village, we're going to have to start loving a whole lot more people, that's what that means."

"Because where you live should not decide whether you live, or whether you die. And to those in the church who still sit in judgement on the AIDS emergency, let me climb into the pulpit for just one moment. Because whatever thoughts we have about God, who He is, or even if God exists, most will agree that God has a special place for the poor. The poor are where God lives. God is in the slums, in the cardboard boxes, where the poor play house. God is where opportunity is lost and lives are shattered. God is with the mother who has infected her child with a virus that will take both their lives. God is under the rubble, the cries we hear during wartime. God, my friends, is with the poor, and God is with us if we are with them. This is not a burden, this is an adventure. Don't let anyone tell you it cannot be done. We can be the generation that ends extreme poverty."

Thank you, Bono, for being a prophet to the western world.

Technorati Tags: Bono, Africa, Make poverty history, poverty, HIV, pure religion, social justice

Gypsy Girl Chronicles

Even men admit that Congo, indeed Africa, is being held up on the backs of women. I have been encouraged by more than one thoughtful, intelligent Congolese man, “If you are going to help Congo – please, please help our women.”

My friend Tonya has been travelling through the Democratic Republic of the Congo for the last several weeks. Read her moving stories on her blog, The Gypsy Girl Chronicles.

Upgrading the Church's Soft Skills

Touch by Larry Wilson

"The inclusive, networking skills that are at such a premium in companies like Google are D team skills in the old business world. Known there as “soft skills” (i.e., less effective), these organic, relational ways of working are seen as feminine and therefore, weak, indecisive, people-pleasing, time-consuming, and manipulative. Yes, even as mega-companies like eBay (run by a woman), Starbucks, Apple, and Google have redefined “soft” skills as essential."

Quote by Sally Morgenthaler from Climbing the Corporate Web. The whole article is worth reading!


One reader tied in the author's point to the Church, saying:

"I can't help but think that some of the skills of the "hard-soft" leadership styles you described are precisely what is needed for the organism (and organization) that is the church today..."

Good point!


The author responds:

"Yes, the Google Church. Hard to imagine. But I do think that we are on the verge of a new era in ministry. Either we honor the relational, dare I say - collaborative - nature of the one we worship (Creator, Redeemer, Sanctifier) and use this window of opportunity to release God's work into many hands, OR we fossilize in our command-and-control fixation."

Visiting The Viv

On Sunday I went with some friends to view The Vivian - a shelter for the hardest to house women in Vancouver, run by Triage. It is my company's chosen charity, and is dear to my heart. The Viv was gutted in a fire last May. My company has committed to raising $100,000 in the next 5 months to help rebuild this home of hope. If you're inspired to give to this worthy charity, get in touch!

One by One

This weekend my good friend Ellie hosted a fistula "party". A fistula is condition suffered by women who, because of prolonged and difficult births, develop a permanent leak in their bladders. In the Western world, fistula was eradicated in the mid 1800's. It takes a simple operation to repair the condition. However, in developing countries the problem is rampant, due to a combination of poor nutrition, early motherhood, and lack of basic medical services.

In many developing countries, when a woman develops a fistula, she is often completely rejected by her community because of the odour that accompanies her constant leaking. Sadly, the $300 that a repair operation costs is often beyond the woman's means.

A few years ago in the US, a couple of women learned about this tragic situation and decided to take action. They formed a grassroots organization named One by One and began hosting Giving Circles, groups of 10 women who would give $30 each, in order to pay for these fistula surgeries and free their sisters overseas One by One! So far they have been amazingly successful! Women all over Canada and the US have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars.

At Ellie's place on Saturday, about 15 women attended, and $1280 was raised! That's enough to give four women back their lives! It may be small, but it feels great!!

To find out more, go to http://www.onebyoneproject.net/.