Avrel Seale, a friend in Austin who writes for the UT alumni magazine, recently submitted an excellent article to the Austin American Statesman, Where is God when disaster strikes?. This makes me think first of the continuing low-level warfare and terrorism occurring in Darfur, as well as the little-noticed famine currently afflicting the people of Malawi. Avrel writes "[t]here is little doubt that, in general, disasters bring out the best in human nature." Thankfully there are ways for Americans to doing something about these two:
- Join the Million Voices for Darfur campaign, which seeks a stronger response on Darfur from the American government;
- Support groups like Doctors Without Borders doing relief work in both countries;
- Donate to groups supplying food aid to the people of Malawi. The United Religions Initiative (URI) is now accepting donations through their website, destined for distribution by local URI chapters inside the country. Another favorite of mine is the UN World Food Program.
Avrel writes, "Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, while writing in the voice of God, said: 'My calamity is my providence, outwardly it is fire and vengeance , but inwardly it is light and mercy.'" Working with organizations such as these is a tremendous means of reflecting that inward light back to the rest of humanity.