Posts tagged ‘Haiti’

January 3rd, 2012

Cycling to Release Children from Poverty

by Rodney Olsen

Please take the time to watch the video above. In it I tell the story of escaping Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, as rioting escalated and smoke from burning barricades filled the air.

Haiti is just one country where Compassion is working. All over the world, often in difficult circumstances, Compassion is working to release children from poverty. They can only do their job if we’re prepared to get involved.

Having seen first hand, both in Haiti and Dominican Republic, how effective Compassion’s work is, I am determined to do more to help. That’s why from the 12th to the 14th of February 2012 I’ll be taking part in the 25000 Spins Great Ocean Road Challenge.

I’ll be riding 290 kilometres in three days and I need your support. By sponsoring my efforts on the challenge you’ll be releasing children from poverty. You’ll be giving children a real chance at life. Please visit my fundraising page and make a contribution. Maybe you can afford to sponsor me for a dollar a kilometre, maybe 50 cents a kilometre, or perhaps you’d just like to donate $10, $20, $50 or any other amount.

The other thing I’d ask you to do is to spread the video as far and as wide as you can so that it make the biggest impact in releasing children from poverty. Please put it on your blog, share it on Facebook, use the sharing buttons below and do whatever else you can do to help raise much needed funding to support the work of Compassion.

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December 16th, 2008

7 Days 7 Dollars

by Rodney Olsen

az.jpgAz needs a haircut … but more on that later.

It’s estimated that over 600 million children are living on less than a dollar a day. That means they have less than one dollar each day to cover everything from food to housing to clothing and all the other things that most of us take for granted. While we’re promising ourselves not to over eat ‘too much’ this Christmas, millions of children around the world have little or nothing to eat.

Az Hamilton is Compassion Australia’s Youth Communications Specialist and he wanted to do something to highlight the need for something to be done about this terrible situation. He recently decided to try to live on a dollar a day for a week.

The story of his 7 Days 7 Dollars initiative is being told through daily videos on his website, 500DREADS.com.

I talked to Az during my morning programme on 98.5 Sonshine FM today.

Az was on the team I was part of which traveled to Haiti and Dominican Republic with Compassion Australia in April this year. I took the photo at the top of this post at a Compassion project in Haiti. The girls were fascinated by his hair. The trip affected Az so deeply that he is now working with Compassion Australia to see as many children as possible rescued out of poverty. Together we saw first hand the life saving work that Compassion carries out across the world.

As for that haircut, Az is promising to cut off all his dreadlocks once 500 children have been sponsored through Compassion via his site 500DREADS.com. If you think he needs a haircut just head to his site and follow the links.

To hear more from Az you can click play on the audio player at the bottom of this post and listen to the chat we had this morning.

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October 28th, 2008

Every 7 Seconds …

by Rodney Olsen

Fast_for_Food.jpg … a child is dying from hunger related causes.

An almost equal tragedy is that we’ve become so desensitised to the suffering of others that we often let statistics like that float past us without a second thought.

Can I beg you not to just click past this post? Please take the time to read it through and let it touch your heart.

I’ve seen the desperation in the eyes of those who can’t afford to feed their families. My visit to Haiti in April this year with Compassion Australia was cut short due to rioting and looting brought about by the global food crisis. People in developing countries do not have enough food and even when food is available the cost is beyond the reach of the majority of the population.

The effects of the global food crisis have been further exacerbated by the global financial crisis.

Throughout November, Compassion staff and supporters are joining together in a practical and focused way to support families who are hungry and in desperate need of food because of the global food crisis. FAST for FOOD will help us focus on the need and provide practical ways to make a difference. Will you join us in making life more livable for those who are desperately in need?

I’ll be highlighting the need and sharing something from the FAST for FOOD Prayer Calendar every day through November. Will you commit to praying each day for those who need your help? The need is urgent.

Around the world, people are feeling the effects of the economic and food crises—none more so than the 300 million children who will go to bed tonight hungry. We know that when the well-off suffer, the poor die. The world needs light now more than ever.

As men and women of a steadfast and generous God, this is our opportunity to demonstrate our unshakeable trust in Him by reaching out and generously assisting those who are in desperate need. Although we are not immune to world events, we can rest assured that God is faithful, loves the poor and continues to call Compassion to challenge, partner and equip the church to release millions more children from poverty in Jesus’ name. In God’s economy there is always more than enough and He is always faithful when we pray, fast, give and share with generous and joyful hearts.

I pray that Christ Jesus and the church will forever bring praise to God. His power at work in us can do far more than we dare ask or imagine. Ephesians 3:20 (CEV)

Are you prepared to commit yourself to the cause for the month of November? If you are please let me know in the comments section of this post. You can also help to spread the message by pointing others towards this post.

Together we can see change happening in our own lives and in the lives of those who are waiting to see God’s love displayed through his people.

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