You are right, IOU’s don’t put food on the table or clothing on the children’s backs. That would be like the IRS sending our tax refund in the form of casino chips huh?

I guess I have my post for today

I was thinking the same thing about 2 hours ago…and I pop over here now and this is what you have posted.

I’ve stopped being surprised by such between the two of us.

It is always the thought of the children who will starve, and suffer in unspeakable ways that breaks my heart.

A parent, is a parent, is a parent. It hurts to lose our children. It hurts to see any of them suffer. That 15 year old girl in Egypt and her family, my heart goes out to them tonight.

Again, I admit I have no answers. I just know that what is being done is akin to performing surgery with a chainsaw. It’s damaging — and potentially deadly.

There is so much need in the world and it’s so easy to say “it’s too big — I can’t fix it” so too many do nothing. Ya know, if 6 billion people around the globe donated just a penny [US$] that would be 60 million dollars. If those 6 billion people donated a penny once a month for a year that would be 720 million dollars.

720 million dollars invested in a third world country *would* make a difference.

And just think… it would only take 12 cents a year.

Imagine what a $1 would do.

Studies have shown that eating infected poultry may result in illness, death, and thereby spreading the virus first among those who are encountering it in birds and then on to the rest of us. There is no crime being committed here by those who keep and eat these birds. And those having their birds culled are being compensated financially for their loss. but a loss is not always so easily recovered as to throw money at it. They are still out their food source. And they just can’t go back out and purchase more poultry, nor can they readily learn a new trade. They are the first to suffer in this and certainly won’t be the last. (The very least that I can do is return the favor by sending along some aid….just my humble 2c.)

From some of the reports that I read people are not prepared for what is happening to them and they are panicking.

The only way that people can be prepared is if others have brought information to them. That clearly has not been done enough in areas all over the world.

There are little mouths to feed and little bodies to clothe. Times are hard and there is no one to bail them out. That Salvation Army bell ringer, may his or her kettle overflow this year!

There are a few organizations that I trust. In looking at their websites many are already set up to serve in the affected areas of the world. Many relief organizations need our help now.

My favorite international aid society: The Salvation Army in India
The Salvation Army in Indonesia
This is the Salvation Army International Website: International

Thanks for a stellar post Debi!

Yes, the problems created by the culling programs have become something I am drawn more and more to, my latest post is an example.

I have only begun to seriously consider what it is going to mean to live with endemic H5N1 and my lines of thought are not well developed. I would be very interested on your thoughts on how this can be done safely without the culling of poultry.