What is this mysterious spectre? No, its not a Titanic-exhibit-gone-creepy.  Rather, it’s the new Ghost Ship at Morey’s Piers. Nope, no rotating midway Viking ship here, but rather an interactive haunted house. For your next volunteer amusement park “thank you” or wish granting trip for teens, there is finally something more at the park for those not of the faint of heart, but the too faint of stomach or faint neck for roller coasters.

Bilaal has put a YouTube video out to reach other young people, but I think it can also make a huge impact on adults.   Many people feel that they can’t make a difference because they are broke, don’t have certain talents or are two busy.  A young child has even fewer resources, so I hope that his message and works reinvigorate you to know that no matter what age and station in life, there is something you can do.

In the words of Margaret Mead, which he cites:

A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.

If you are interested in purchasing Bilaal’s book, Making Change: Tips from an Underage Overacheiver, or to support his causes, visit http://www.bilaalrajan.com/donations.html

Another project is underway that operates on a similar principle.  However, what is very different is that each individual victim is given a unique voice.  Teddy Tours is raising awareness for childhood sexual assault victims.   If you or a loved one has experienced this, you can download and send in a Teddy Tag.   Each Teddy Bear tells the story of an individual in a confidential way.   The Teddy or doll is posted to their blog, and culminates in an event during Reclaim the Night, which takes place October 31st in North Cairns, Australia.

On the world wide web, the Teddies are travelling around the internet, as the site is found through various links and searches. This is a true virtual volunteer effort as well as a hands on effort. I was surprised that looking at a bunch of stuffed bears could be so moving, and thought that my readers would be interested in the project.

Don’t hesitate to visit Teddy Tours today.  They always accept donations of new Teddies, or donations of $5.00 or more for patterns/supplies for survivors to make their own Teddies.

Imagine living in a world where your hands might be cut off for possessing a book. This is not an imagination exercise. We are not going “back in time” to the second century A.D. This is also not a seventh grade English Lit class discussing Fahrenheit 451. It is right here, right now. Maybe not “right here,” but “right THERE.”

This blog was originally intended to show how one can volunteer from home for a variety of causes, but of course my passion, animal rescue, completely dominates. I would like to take a moment to talk about another cause.

I had the privilege several weeks ago to learn more about Open Doors. I have heard of it before, and could intellectually grasp the meaning, but meeting people and hearing stories really imprinted upon my heart just how much we take for granted and how important it is.

Open Doors was started by an extremely brave person who goes by the handle “Brother Andrew,” whose name wasn’t Andrew, nor was he a monk. He is known throughout the world also as “Brother Smuggler” or “Bible Smuggler.” In the late 1960s, he modified a Volkswagen with secret compartments in the attempt to smuggle Bibles into people behind the Iron Curtain who so much desired to own one and read one. As you know, people were not only not allowed to “assemble,” which was seen as dangerous by a communist government, but they were also not allowed to possess a Bible or other spiritual literature. Knowing that their lives were at risk, people on the inside read them and helped him.

(pictured: In the bottom right is “The Bible Smuggler” in Russian, the story of Brother Smuggler, and it sits just to the right of a Russian Bible. In the center is The Bible translated into Chinese. Also on the table are children’s Bible stories in the Kazakh language. An Arabic Bible is just out of the frame at the far left in yellow.)

Now, Brother Andrew is in his 80s, but most people half his age cannot keep up with him. There are many more volunteers now who carry on his mission. Right now, if you are living in North Korea, parts of China, and parts of the Middle East, and in a list of other places you may not have thought of, a Bible is not only forbidden but you could be tortured or killed for possessing one or reading from it, and even sometimes talking about it. Despite this, the mission just keeps on growing. No matter how many people are persecuted, the demand for them grows. Open Doors has risen to the occasion by translated not only the Bible but other related materials into over 100 language.

Despite the fact that people are routinely kidnapped, beaten, disfigured, or killed for simply having a Bible in their hand or professing their faith, the demand for them grows and grows by leaps and bounds every year.

Why do people risk their lives, and why do governments not want their people to have these books? The same reason they didn’t hundreds of years ago. The poor, the women, the weak, the old, the very young, and the widowed who are generally easy to keep one’s foot on top of feel empowered by the Word and friendship of Jesus Christ. It is said by just giving a person one Bible, at least 10 other people read it too.

I salute the brave men and women who have lost their luggage, had their passports seized, or lost their lives through their efforts.

The largest funder for Open Doors is the Christian Motorcyclists Association. Once a year, they have a Run for The Sun ride that raises funds for Open Doors and two other projects. If you are a biker interested in joining on your local ride, or you are interested in pledging a motorcyclist in their efforts, leave me a comment and I can get you the information you need.

I’ll be riding too.

Tammy Grimes, Founder of Dogs Deserve Better, faces her court trial on Friday. For those of you unfamiliar with the case, Tammy is being charged with property theft. You see, she came to the aid of a dog that was almost dead because his owners saw fit to keep him chained in the yard permanently with no water and no food. Tammy kept an eye on him while she and others contacted authorities. As time went on and nobody acted, she took matters into her own hands and did the only compassionate thing:

In her own words:

The dog at the center of all this, a dog we would eventually name Doogie, had been lying in the mud and rain for three days, chained to the dog house he had been attached to for years. He was unable to stand and was pawing the air in desperation. His owners chose to go four-wheeling all weekend and to work on Monday instead of getting him the vet help he needed and deserved, but most importantly was entitled to by law. A distraught neighbor had called animal control repeatedly over the course of the three days. But as so often happens, no “humane” officer called back. No one ever showed up. (Surprised? Trust me, it happens all the time, and not just in my town.) The frantic neighbor eventually reached out to me and to Dogs Deserve Better.

What I did next set in motion a chain of events that would eventually garner national attention, the wrath of some, the support of others, and an agonizing trial during which I had to listen to lies and mischaracterizations for three days: I removed that dog’s chain and I took him to the veterinarian. It was all very clear to me as I lifted the emaciated, wet dog into my van. I had been in animal rescue long enough to know that I would probably be labeled the villain while the dog’s caretakers wouldn’t even be questioned for leaving a suffering dog on the ground for three days, not to mention all the years they tied him to a shabby box in the yard; letting his toenails to grow so long they were curling back toward his pads, denying him vet care when he most needed it.

But I also knew that what I was doing was morally correct. It was the compassionate thing to do. It was the only thing I could do. Time was of the essence. A dog was suffering. I felt he was dying.

Read Tammy’s Full Letter HERE

 

NOTE from HoundsGood.com: It is a shame that while both cases have garnered national attention, this important case has not received much attention compared to the Vick case. But some of the issues are similar. People supported Vick in that “it was the culture” and he didn’t “know better” which goes beyond dog fighting and addresses the issue of freedom to kill and torture a pet just because its personal property. The right for Doogie’s owners to treat their personal property the way they saw fit overrode any protection he had according to anti-cruelty law. Please support any and all legislation in your local area that forbids chaining and tethering dogs like this.

If Tammy Grimes loses the case, this could send a message to others that the right to ownership overrides the humane.

Animal abuse is often also a missed warning sign for child and spouse abuse to come.

 

What You Can DO:

(Photo at left: the late Doogie thankful to walk again, thankful someone cared)

For those of us folks at home, contact Governor Rendell and urge him to pardon Tammy. Be level headed when you call. Take a deep breath if you have to, in order to let him and his staff see that we are not “crazy animal people” but a compassionate, rational, bunch who will not let this slide.

Governor Edward G. Rendell
225 Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120
ph: 717-787-2500
Web email:http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/Governor/govmail.html

***Educate yourself on local anti-tethering laws in your town or county. Support those working hard to educate the public. Anti-tethering laws do not prevent someone from tying their dog to their lawn chair while they are sitting at the beach, just to put minds at rest who think this is radical. It protects dogs like Doogie. If you look you will find every town has too many Doogies to count.

For our friends in Pennsylvania:

Show up (peacefully) at the Blair County Courthouse in support of Tammy. The address is 423 Allegheny St., Hollidaysburg, PA 16648. Her court time is 11:00 am, but get there early as you never know when a schedule may change.

UPDATE 2/22:
Read the Update HERE