[meteorite-list] Re: New Orleans

Mon Sep 5 05:01:15 EDT 2005

Hello Michael,

Great to know that even with the delete key, you  stuck that foot in the 
mouth.  Actually, your reply was perfectly  understandable so I am sure you are 
the only one worried by now.  The  American Red Cross does have the specific 
agenda to help in crises for the  purpose of helping.  When a group of people get 
together like the meteorite  list it is a fairly good generic choice unless 
one of the main benefactors has a  big preference - in which case they should 
have some liberties!  e.g.,  Perhaps someone could afford to add to the raffle 
something substantial and  request that 10% of the take go to the Samaritans.

A little internet  surfing seems to show the Evangelical Christian 
organization you propose  indeed is quite efficient.  Furthermore, spiritual need may 
not be  addressed by the Red Cross (the cross is not a religious symbol). In the 
Deep  South bible belt hit area, the organization you propose can probably 
help a lot,  as could any donation to a trustworthy church group for the p
articular faith  demographics of that region.  So I think you are right that 
especially for  folks wishing to augment  the relief effort with Jesus and $15  
Bibles will have an efficient way to do this.  It is a perfect  suggestion for 
individual contributions for those wishing for a healthy mixture  of physical and 
religious healing, much of which will go through local churches,  which are 
mostly volunteer (hence, able to beat the Am. Red Cross on overhead,  BTW, the 
Red Cross has collected over $310 million for Katrina, so if they waste  waste 
$5 million, that still leaves over 98.4%).  I hope listmembers  individually 
do boldly use the faith included option if they can help a  little more to 
raise the spirits amid the devastation in the land of Jazz and  Gospel songs.  I 
would venture that the Red Cross is a great choice if the  major contributors 
have no second thoughts.  I don't think Michael was  suggesting a change in the 
Meteorite Community Collective effort earmarking of  funds, I could be 
mistaken, at this point the joint work of the organizers and  participants in this 
project are superbly on track in my opinion, and there  won't ever be enough.

Here are the quotes I lifted from the website you  provided:

Samaritan's Purse is a Christian organization committed to  spreading the 
Good News of Jesus Christ through emergency relief and evangelism.  All employees 
must adhere to our Statement of Faith. 

Samaritan's Purse  is working in partnership with local churches to ensure 
that spiritual needs are  met, too. Our teams share the love of Jesus Christ, 
pray with residents, and  present them with a Bible when the work is completed.

Here are some ways  your gift can help victims of Hurricane Katrina:

$9 can provide a case of  drinking water
$15 can purchase a Bible for a hurting family 
$25 can  furnish a sheet of roofing plywood
$90 can provide enough heavy-duty plastic  to weatherproof a roof

Saludos, Doug

==================================
Michael B. wrote:
I hope Geoff,  Paul & Jim all accept my sincere  apology.
I made the previous post  prior to reading they had
proposed very generous acts of charity via  the Red Cross.
These are 3 of the finest people I know and I would  have
worded my post differently had I been aware of their acts
of  kindness. 
I most certainly did  not mean to dampen any enthusiasm
or in any way diminish the meaningfulness  of their actions.
Now that I have  crammed my foot down my mouth and
it is up to the knee, I humbly do suggest a  different method
of help that will result in getting "more bang for the buck"  to
the people who most need it..... but I am sorry for the lack of
tact  due to my ignorance of previous actions  taken.
When I get back from being  away from my computer,
I tend to respond to posts in the order they came in -  not
always the best, as this case so  aptly  demonstrates.
Sorry,  guys.
Michael

on 9/5/05 12:16 AM, moni waiblinger-seabridge at  moni2555 at hotmail.com wrote:

> Hello Michael and list,
> 
>  I have had several people tell me the same thing about American Red  Cross.
> Some person told me about Am. Red Cross selling doughnuts when  they were
> helping people in Florida after the last hurricane  there.
> Maybe we should send the next check to the Samaritans  Purse.
> What about it, Geoff?
> 
> Have a nice 'relaxing'  Labor Day!
> 
> Sternengruss, Moni
> 
> 
>>  From: Michael L Blood <mlblood at cox.net>
>> To: Meteorite List  <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
>> Subject: Re:  [meteorite-list] New Orleans
>> Date: Sun, 04 Sep 2005 23:58:44  -0700
>> 
>> Hi  all,
>>         Right before I  left for a training in LA Friday, many list
>> members were talking  about ways to donate to the people
>> in New  Orleans.
>>         Having  worked for the American Red Cross at one time, I am
>> convinced they  waste money worse than any other organization
>> to which I have been  exposed.
>>         I am also  aware many organizations use a huge percentage of
>> the money they  collect for advertising and administration - some
>> up to over  90%!
>>         So, I was  delighted to discover an organization that uses 4 % for
>> advertising,  6% for administration and 90% for the specific cause
>> selected by the  donor, NOT a general fund which goes to
>> a different cause than what  people intended their
>> dollar to go towards, as is common with many  charities.
>> 
>> This is an international organization  called
>> Samaritans Purse.
>> 
>> Samaritans Purse  has been mobilized with teams
>> on the ground in Hurricane Katrina  ravaged area
>> since Tuesday, the day after the Hurricane  hit
>> providing food, water, clothing, medicine, shelter,
>>  spiritual support and more.
>> 
>> There are 10’s of thousands  of people who have nothing
>> right now, who have lost loved ones and  have no promise
>> of a future.  Some are still hanging on,  surviving for
>> their lives.  Anything you do will help.   90% of
>> all funds raised by Samaritans Purse for  Hurricane
>> Katrina victims go towards Katrina Hurricane  victims.
>> 
>> Here is the contact information for  Samaritans
>> Purse.  You can donate or ask questions by  phone
>> or right on their website by clicking on the blue
>>  "donate" button for Hurricane Katrina at:
>> 
>>  http://www.samaritanspurse.org/
>> 
>> 1(800)  567-8183
>> 
>>     Best wishes,  Michael
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> --
>> Beware  the fury of a patient man.
>> John Dryden
>> --
>>  http://costofwar.com/index-world-hunger.html
>> 
> 