I've come to learn over the past few years that our greatest opportunities arise from crisis. Over the years I've perfected the fine art of engineering opportunities, that is to say, I've created many crises for myself. As I've looked past some recently engineered opportunities; beit places I wanted to go, jobs I wanted to work, people I wanted to get closer to, etc., I've found I don't often get what I ask for, and it's been for the best.
The ice storms that have sacked us the past few winters have caused numerous crises in my area, however, I've found them to be opportunities to shoot some of the most beautiful pictures I've taken.
When the group home I had been teaching at for three academic years closed due to the professional incompetence and unethical behavior, an opportunity arose for me to take on a much larger job where I would be working with more youth who are also in need, and were just like my former students.
While I certainly don't believe I'm in state of crisis at this moment, opportunities have opened up to me that would not have had my original "Plan A" gone through. I get an opportunity to continue doing more good for my clients and students. One of my guys is expecting to be a dad later this year. I told him he has a great opportunity to really leave a legacy for his family if he plans things out and works hard. I'll be there to help him.
Just recently I had the opportunity to attend a meeting with the One Campaign. This was the most excited I've been for anything since Urbana.
One is a campaign and advocacy organization supported by more than 2 million people committed to the fight against extreme poverty and preventable disease.Thanks in part to the efforts of One as well as effective leadership, smart use of power, and aid, deaths from malaria have been cut in half. From 2002 to 2007, the number of people receiving life saving AIDS treatment has grown from 50,000 to 3 million.
Still, there's work to be done.
According to ONE 50,000 people, that's one every three seconds, die due to preventable diseases and extreme poverty.
1.5 billion live on less than $1.25 a day.Nearly 11,500 people die every day from HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Nearly two-thirds of these people are living in sub-Saharan Africa.72 million children are out of school around the world, a figure equivalent to the entire primary school-aged population in Europe and North America8.8 Million children under the age of five die each year from preventable diseases and treatable causes.550,000 mothers die in childbirth each year. 80% of these deaths can be prevented if women had access to basic maternal and health services.2.5 Billion people around the world do not have access to adequate sanitation.27 Million are enslaved this includes child soldiers, forced prostitutes, and other victims of human trafficking.
I could go on, but the point is this: The crises are there and they can be taken care of. The opportunities are there.
How does this affect us? Senator Bond talked about the use of Smart Power when he met with the One chapter at Webster University.
According to Senator Bond, the more sandals there are on the ground now, the less boots will be on the ground in the future. Nations don't go to war with other nations that have fed their children, built their communities, provided care.
As I said in my last entry; AIDS, slavery, hunger, poverty, injustice, etc. are not right or left issues, they are human issues. We all suffer for it. Imagine the amount of human potential we are wasting. The next great novelist, the ones who will answer what do to about the environment, the next great inventor, are out there. When help others we also help ourselves.
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Dr. Bryan Chapell said on a Living Christ 360 podcast "the Grace of God will be our dying breath and we will fight for it but we will fight with deeds of love and mercy"
