It?s the holiday season, a time of great joy, a time for family. Where wishes and dreams fill the heads of children and adults alike and hope takes flight.
While many of us fill our Christmas wish list, maybe we can take a moment to think about the hopes and dreams of others. It has been a year full of reminder?s for some of us that an emergency has hit full tilt in Africa
People, good people every day heroes and yes Bono is one, so is Jeffery Sachs, Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton, the staff at DATA and all the people you don?t see on television or in newspapers and so many countless others who work to combat this problem. Atop my Christmas list is that they see the fruits of their labour, that we will in the coming year make significant progress in this fight.
Bono has been recruiting politicians, church leaders, and activists, to join the fight of Aids in Africa. His efforts and the efforts of DATA have made great achievements with Governments in the U.S, Canada, UK and elsewhere. He goes to bed with World Bank reports, he meets, has dinner, and shakes hands with those, whom before he might have not have on question of character. People who might make him less then cool in his other life as a rock star. Why does he do all of that? Because if that?s what it takes that?s what he will do, this is much more then a pet cause to the man it is obvious. We get a glimpse behind the trademark glasses that shield him, into the heart of the man who wears his heart on his sleeve. Bono keeps his self-confessed ego and emotion in check, never losing sight of what of whom he is representing. His band mates support and respect him, a testament to their friendship and loyalty when this often takes him away from being in U2. He deals with the ups and downs of this campaign, the broken promises and the disappointments of governments not living up to their word. He has disappointments but it seems to fuel him rather then discourage him or slow him down. Bono has that charisma and the passion that in the wrong hands could be a dangerous thing, fortunately this is Bono and the man is genuine and his intentions true.
He does everything he can to make a difference, he uses his celebrity currency wisely to raise awareness and to drum up grass roots movements and gain support from citizens. He knows it shouldn?t have to be a rock star doing this, but as long as there is still the need rest assured he will be doing it. Because this emergency is just that big, he knows it and he is living up to his potential to make a difference.
Now it is up to us, will we hear the message behind songs like American Prayer or will it just be another nice song on the radio to listen to. It?s Christmas time, not matter religious beliefs this time of year has a history of peace, of lying down of weapons and bridging divides. It brings hope to the people who maybe before felt a little left behind, hope that this New Year might be a little bit better. It is the amazing thing about the people that live in Africa; they have not lost spirit, and not lost faith that it will get better, because for them it has to get better. We need to ensure that their children just as ours in America or Canada hold tight to their dreams. So my other wish this holiday season is that dreams never die, that faith overcomes ignorance and that the power of the human spirit prevails.
A mere two weeks away from Christmas and we learn that next year the U.S Administration may back away from AIDS and Anti-Poverty Commitments 2005. That is very disappointing, but something can be done.
As a Christmas gift to those in Africa and all affected by this; if you truly believe that an African life is every bit as valuable as an American or a Canadian or anyone?s. Then e-mail you congress, your president, your prime minister. Let your voice be heard, our playing small on this serves no one. The United States is not the only country that needs to be held accountable on this; every one of us needs to ensure that our politicians and our countries are doing their fair share if we are going to turn the tide. If it is has awakened the sleeping dragon in the church, we must take off our blinders as well as Global Citizens. In Africa 6500 lives are lost daily to HIV/AIDS, if you are the praying type, remember them in your prayers.
Let this be a time of unimaginable caring and compassion for our brothers and sister let the human spirit and justice prevail.
The Very Best of the Holiday Season to all , Godspeed !!
While many of us fill our Christmas wish list, maybe we can take a moment to think about the hopes and dreams of others. It has been a year full of reminder?s for some of us that an emergency has hit full tilt in Africa
People, good people every day heroes and yes Bono is one, so is Jeffery Sachs, Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton, the staff at DATA and all the people you don?t see on television or in newspapers and so many countless others who work to combat this problem. Atop my Christmas list is that they see the fruits of their labour, that we will in the coming year make significant progress in this fight.
Bono has been recruiting politicians, church leaders, and activists, to join the fight of Aids in Africa. His efforts and the efforts of DATA have made great achievements with Governments in the U.S, Canada, UK and elsewhere. He goes to bed with World Bank reports, he meets, has dinner, and shakes hands with those, whom before he might have not have on question of character. People who might make him less then cool in his other life as a rock star. Why does he do all of that? Because if that?s what it takes that?s what he will do, this is much more then a pet cause to the man it is obvious. We get a glimpse behind the trademark glasses that shield him, into the heart of the man who wears his heart on his sleeve. Bono keeps his self-confessed ego and emotion in check, never losing sight of what of whom he is representing. His band mates support and respect him, a testament to their friendship and loyalty when this often takes him away from being in U2. He deals with the ups and downs of this campaign, the broken promises and the disappointments of governments not living up to their word. He has disappointments but it seems to fuel him rather then discourage him or slow him down. Bono has that charisma and the passion that in the wrong hands could be a dangerous thing, fortunately this is Bono and the man is genuine and his intentions true.
He does everything he can to make a difference, he uses his celebrity currency wisely to raise awareness and to drum up grass roots movements and gain support from citizens. He knows it shouldn?t have to be a rock star doing this, but as long as there is still the need rest assured he will be doing it. Because this emergency is just that big, he knows it and he is living up to his potential to make a difference.
Now it is up to us, will we hear the message behind songs like American Prayer or will it just be another nice song on the radio to listen to. It?s Christmas time, not matter religious beliefs this time of year has a history of peace, of lying down of weapons and bridging divides. It brings hope to the people who maybe before felt a little left behind, hope that this New Year might be a little bit better. It is the amazing thing about the people that live in Africa; they have not lost spirit, and not lost faith that it will get better, because for them it has to get better. We need to ensure that their children just as ours in America or Canada hold tight to their dreams. So my other wish this holiday season is that dreams never die, that faith overcomes ignorance and that the power of the human spirit prevails.
A mere two weeks away from Christmas and we learn that next year the U.S Administration may back away from AIDS and Anti-Poverty Commitments 2005. That is very disappointing, but something can be done.
As a Christmas gift to those in Africa and all affected by this; if you truly believe that an African life is every bit as valuable as an American or a Canadian or anyone?s. Then e-mail you congress, your president, your prime minister. Let your voice be heard, our playing small on this serves no one. The United States is not the only country that needs to be held accountable on this; every one of us needs to ensure that our politicians and our countries are doing their fair share if we are going to turn the tide. If it is has awakened the sleeping dragon in the church, we must take off our blinders as well as Global Citizens. In Africa 6500 lives are lost daily to HIV/AIDS, if you are the praying type, remember them in your prayers.
Let this be a time of unimaginable caring and compassion for our brothers and sister let the human spirit and justice prevail.
The Very Best of the Holiday Season to all , Godspeed !!
These were my two favorite parts of this little essay of yours:
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. I feel the same way.
.
We all need every reminder of this emergency that we can get. Please, if you haven't send out your letter to Bush/your rep/you PM/your MP, there's no time like the present. Christmas and New Years are the perfect season for giving, reflecting, keeping resolutions, and making a difference. 
