Help Spanda Inc. raise money for the Kipkaren, Kenya health care clinic by attending our garage sale on May 1st from 8 AM-3PM at 1925 Parkland Drive in Ely. Be prepared to find almost anything at this "cadillac" of garage sales: children's clothes/toys; holiday decorations; tools; fresh baked cinnamon rolls; and much, much more. You are sure to find a perfect "May Basket" gift.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
"Life is not a dress rehearsal"~Rose Termain
For the people living in the village of Kipkaren, Kenya, what a true statement. Each day they go about the business of surviving. When the Spanda team visited and worked at the clinic and in the village this past October, it was a common sight to see the villagers carrying water on their heads, bundled tree limbs on their bikes (if they had a bike) so they could boil the dirty water they had retrieved from a ditch or the river, all in the effort to survive. Amazingly, they did so with smiles on their faces and praises of thanksgiving for another day.
Julie McGowan who founded the Living Room, a nonprofit dedicated to providing hospice care for the villagers of Kipkaren who are facing life-ending illnesses, recently provided some sobering statistics on the stark and harsh realities of poverty. Did you know?
For the people living in the village of Kipkaren, Kenya, what a true statement. Each day they go about the business of surviving. When the Spanda team visited and worked at the clinic and in the village this past October, it was a common sight to see the villagers carrying water on their heads, bundled tree limbs on their bikes (if they had a bike) so they could boil the dirty water they had retrieved from a ditch or the river, all in the effort to survive. Amazingly, they did so with smiles on their faces and praises of thanksgiving for another day.
Julie McGowan who founded the Living Room, a nonprofit dedicated to providing hospice care for the villagers of Kipkaren who are facing life-ending illnesses, recently provided some sobering statistics on the stark and harsh realities of poverty. Did you know?
- According to UNICEF, 24,000 children die each day due to poverty. And they"die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and the conscience of the world. Being meek and weak in life makes these dying multitudes even more invisible in death."
- Water problems affect one half of all humanity.
- Almost 2 in 3 people lacking access to clean water survive on less than $2 a day, with 1 in 3 surviving on less than $1 per day.
- Millions of women each day spend several hours a day collecting water. (UN Human Development Report, 2006).
You bet life is no dress rehearsal.
What does that mean for you and for me? I believe it is telling us that if life were truly a dress rehearsal, we could have many do-overs, several takes, before we got things absolutely right. But we don't. We have this one chance. And with this one chance, we should seize the opportunity to put our hearts, our knowledge, and our passion to work together for the advancement and betterment of all.
If you would like to learn more how to support this village and be a part of the Spanda team, please visit our website at http://www.spandainc.com/. There are many opportunties for all of us to work together to be a part of one of life's greatest acts. You will receive much more than you give!
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