Friday, November 27, 2009

Fly Away, Flu!

I may not be blogging for a couple of days. The flu, or what seems to be the flu, has moved in with us and has taken over my agenda -- well, almost. I am working from home. Let's see, that would really be: dozing, doing, dozing, doing...zzz... I did manage to drag myself to the mission kitchen yesterday to clean the pots and pans from the town's Thanksgiving dinner. Donnie and I ate in a corner to avoid coming into contact with anyone else although he was not then ill, and no one but I wanted to scrub the pots and pans, so I was pretty much alone. (Fortunately, I was not feeling quite as bad yesterday as I am today.) So, I have decided to take a long sleep break until the flu flies away! See you post-hibernation!

Friday, November 20, 2009

Why This Blog?

This blog is an outgrowth of my posts on almsgiving and, beyond that, personalized help to the poor (often, in my case, using God's credit card) and is meant as a vehicle to share the results of all those who are willing to take up the challenge to go beyond throwing money at the hungry and homeless. Let's get to know them, to give them dignity, and to provide them with respect. The challenge is the one that St. Francis threw down and took up: to eat together with the outcasts of society (in his case, mostly lepers) and through getting to know them in this manner, treating them as the same children of God that we all are, no less worthy of love and kindness than ourselves.
The challenge: Invite someone who is homeless and hungry to dinner once a month. (More often, if you can afford it, is, of course, wonderfully fine!) Get to know that person one-on-one.

And then, if you are so inclined, report here about the person you got to know and how that person has brought some meaning into your life and contributed to the world in spite of being hungry and homeless. There are two ways of doing that. Send me a post by email (elizabeth.mahlou@gmail.com), and I will add a graphic (or use yours) and post it, linking it to whatever site you wish. Or, simply leave a comment.

All comments are welcomed. There is no moderation enabled. I will keep this blog open to comments in this manner unless I encounter spammers.

So, forward march! Go out and feed a hungry person (emphasis on the word, person), and let's chat about what happens when God leads us to those who may have nothing today but will some day inherit the earth!