A "Sobering" idea for New Years: to benefit Asian Tsunami Victims/Survivors

by Fleur 19 Replies latest jw friends

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  eyeslice

  Hi Fleur,

  I agree with some of the posts here that the New Year celebration might not be the occassion that people want to give up.

  How about a variation on the basic idea. People returning to work in the new year will have over indulged over the Xmas and New Year break. Why not organise a lunchtime 'fast' a over the first couple of weeks?

  I don't mean every day but perhaps one day a week. People could do without lunch, they could lose a little weight, they get to feel in just a small way what it is like to feel hungry and contribute their lunch money to the Red Cross or similar aid agency.

  Eyeslice
• 

  Sunnygal41

  Fleur, I think your idea is wonderful, and quite unique. I am truly amazed that so many people out "here" in the "world" are as moved to give as they are. I'm amazed, because for so many years (25) I was told and convinced by the WTS that everyone in the world was selfish and evil. There are way more "good Samaritans" than I ever expected. I know that many communities have already mobilized relief efforts, besides what GW Bush has begrudgingly pledged to send. I'm sure that this will NOT be the end of the giving, either. I remember when 9/11 happened and how the firemen stood in the road and collected money from passing motorists into a boot.........no one gave begrudgingly, IMO. I have total faith that this country (USA) and all those around the world will give, both individually and as a nation. I read on the 'net that cargo planes full of relief supplies had already arrived.

  Terri
• 

  Simon

  I think that is a good idea.

  Its hard to sit back and watch the horror happening in Asia and not be able to do much about it but I think realistically all we can do is let our countries send our money and supplies and aid workers to help those poor people. I wish there was more that we could do.

  Frankly, I think we would be much more successful if we put out a public appeal to the 269 billionaires living in America (not to mention the other hundred and something living around the world) to donate just a million dollars of their fortune to help those people. With the stroke of a pen half a billion dollars could be on its way. I really dont understand the rich at all.

  Who the * do you think you are?

  You are sat with internet access and electricity at least. You **are** one of the richest 1% of people on the planet and **can** help.

  Sitting back and saying that it should be something that someone else does is shameful.
• 

  Fleur

  i'm happy to say that the idea is catching on through friends of friends...and i hope that regardless of the decision people make as to whether or not they still want to toast the new year with champagne that they realize they can give something, even just a dollar, to the relief efforts. Simon, in response to your comment, you are right that we are among the luckiest people in the world. my husband read the other day that if you have these few things; a) a roof over your head, b) clothes on your back, c)food to eat and d) ANY amount of money left over, no matter how little, that you are in the top 8% income bracket on the planet. i think people lose sight of that sometimes in our culture of mass-consumption and materialism in the western world.

  thanks to everyone who has considered this simple idea that could provide funds that would accomplish a lot.

  essie
• 

  BlackSwan of Memphis

  Good idea. You figure a decent bottle of champagne costs quite a bit and all the snacks if you got 3 different groups of people to do that or even 2, think about how many people that would affect.
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  Fleur

  i just read on the cnn crawl that a lot of Asian nations are cancelling their new years celebrations in wake of the tragedy. they are holding memorials or prayer services in the place of fireworks, and government sponsored parties.

  i just keep thinking that this is 'removed' from a lot of people's minds because it's happening so far away geographically: and the numbers are so huge it's surreal.

  i think of how somber the US was after 9/11; if there had been parties planned for the following weekend i can't imagine they would have gone forward...and the death toll at 116,000 now is equivelent to almost 38 times the amount who died on 9/11. again, i am not minimizing what happened that day, just trying to give some sort of context to the need that there will be to help the people who are left behind.

  ~essie
• 

  flower

  The idea that what you send doesn't help just isn't right, though!

  You know you are right. Its the wrong attitude to have..It just seems soo unbelievable the amount of damage and loss of life that its hard to imagine my measly hundred dollars making any difference. But you are right and your idea I hope will spread like wildfire through the internet so that people will give or match their partying money. Its just so shocking and so sad that it makes me feel helpless because I cant do more. Simon, that is why I mentioned the rich. I was just thinking to myself just before I wrote it 'man if I won this weekends lottery I could match my entire countries donation and still not have to worry about money again'. I just dont know why anyone who could afford it wouldnt give that much but maybe they do and we just dont know about it.
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  Stefanie

  Thats a great idea Fleur.

  I dont feel like celebrating anything now. I saw a graphic pic of the disaster today on another site, and I felt like crying and throwing up at the same time.

  I will be holding my babies tighly in New Years and will reflect on all the lost lives.
• 

  Fleur

  ..It just seems soo unbelievable the amount of damage and loss of life that its hard to imagine my measly hundred dollars making any difference.

  ((((((flower)))))) a hug for you.

  I know, especially as the toll keeps rising it seems more and more insurmountable. But all that money added together...can still save lives. Especially babies, who are still at such risk from illness.

  Just do you what you can, whatever that is, even fifty cents will help, people. If 100 people put in 50 cents at a bar, that is 50.00; which could in turn buy 1400.00 worth of medical supplies through Americares.

  Thanks Stefanie, I saw that picture too and it is just unbelievably brutal :( as a parent, i just can't fathom it...

  ...bttp hoping that others will consider too.

  hugs

  essie
• 

  Country_Woman

  that would be a great idea, but I don't think a lot of people will join.

  At the moment, it is a quarter to 1 on 01-01-2005 - and I have NEVER before seen such an amount of fireworks before in my whole life.

  I THOUGHT that people probably would buy less and donate some money. According to the records, there have been a lot of donations, but the amount of money spent on fireworks must have been a 100 times that amount.

  Going outside is very unhealthy at the moment: not enough oxygen in the air at the moment - my 3 dogs are all around my feet and unwilling to go outside - even in the backyard.

  For what it is worth: I hope that SOME people did join you.

  (I never have champagne cos I don;t like it.)