As I watched The Blindside, I was really struck and captivated by the story. The fact that it is based on a true story is even more amazing. I can’t speak for the real Leigh Anne Tuohy, but Sandra Bullock’s character was portrayed as a white, rich, conservative Christian from Memphis. Right in the bible belt of America. Sound familiar? Similar to some of the religious attitudes in Northern Ireland. I don’t want to give too much of the film away, but essentially she takes in a homeless kid, who she knows nothing about, from the ‘other side’ of town. She raises him along with her biological family and and totally changes the course of his life. 

Why did she do this? It seems strange that she would take this guy in. Her peers, other rich, white, conservatives mock her and are patronising towards her. ‘Another one of your litte projects’ is how they described her act of kindness. 

As I watched the movie it struck me that this is the kind of love that Christ showed, and that we are to show to others. Christians in NI, and I include myself in this, are so quick to judge others, ‘They are homeless for a reason’, ‘if they wanted to get our of poverty they could do it themselves, meanwhile we sit in our nice homes, watching our TVs, playing our xboxs. While there are people who we could be helping. 

One of the ways you could help is by sponsoring a child. I have been sponsoring, Emorutu Ronald, who lives in Uganda, for a few years now, through Compassion International. It’s great to write to him and get letters back, hear how Compassion are making a difference in his life. Compassion work with children all over the world, some who are in need of help. It isn’t a big deal for us here to sponsor a child, even in this economic climate, most of us are doing ok, but there are kids who have nothing. 

Check out Compassion UK or Compassion International, for more information on what they do, and how you can sponsor a child. 

I hadn’t planned to blog this month, because I am really busy, but I definitely wanted to post this.

You all know about the earthquake that hit Haiti on Tueday. I’m sure you have seen some of the horrific images on your TV Screens and across the internet, and the huge international relief effort that is now under way. We in the UK are among the richest people in the UK, so we should give what we can to help in the recovery. Even small amounts will help.

There are so many places to donate money, the DEC, Red Cross, Oxfam, Christian Aid. Whereever you donate to, be careful, as belive it or not there are some scammers seeking to cash in on the disaster, read more about that on the CNN website.

I want to suggest that if you want to donate some money, you could donate to Compassion International. Compassion already have staff and workers in Haiti. Compassion doesn’t receive and funding from government, so it relies on support from its sponsors and donors.

How your money could be used.

All funds raised in response to the Haiti earthquake will be used immediately to provide for Compassion-assisted children and families affected by this crisis. Any funds raised in excess will be stewarded by Compassion for additional and future disaster relief efforts.
You can provide immediate relief today.
• $35 helps provide a relief pack filled with enough food and water to sustain a family for one week.
• $70 gift helps care for their needs for two weeks.
• $105 helps provide relief packs filled with enough food and water to sustain two families for two weeks.
• $210 gift helps care for two families’ needs.
• $525 helps provide relief packs filled with enough food and water to sustain 10 families for two weeks.
• $1,050 gift helps care for 10 families’ needs.
• $1,500 helps rebuild a home.
• $2,100 helps supply 20 families with the basics for three weeks.

If you want to donate to help in the recovery please use the Haiti Earthquake page on the Compassion website.

https://www.compassion.com/contribution/giving/haitiearthquake.htm?referer=105120SocialSponsorshipBlitz