Comfort

"Congress' approval ratings lower than president's"

"Al-Qaida shows it's definitely up to speed"

"10-year-old car thief receives probation"

"U.S. troops kill six Iraqi police after capturing policeman linked to militias"

"Police investigate robbery at bank"



The above headlines are just a few taken from the local paper over the course of this past week. At the risk of sounding similar to your grandparents, "the news is so negative these days." We've all heard similar phrases describing the general opinion of the media echoed time and time again, and these days are no different. It seems a daunting task to maintain a jovial attitude by the time the last words of the daily paper have been read, or the evening newscast has concluded. Our country is in the midst of difficult times on nearly every imaginable front, and an attempt at comprehending it all is enough to leave my head spinning.

I did, however, find a couple of stories over the last few days which provided some much-needed medication for my soul. The first one actually made the front page of the paper, which is even better. The headline read, "That's no paltry poultry donation." Okay, so, the wording is a touch on the cheesy side, but the content of the article is nothing short of inspiring. MBA Poultry in Tecumseh, NE., has decided to begin donating 2000 pounds of chicken to the People's City Mission, on a weekly basis! I am thrilled to see such a handsome and generous donation, and the best part about the arrangement is that it will continue indefinitely. What a leap forward for Lincoln's hungry, and what a leading example for other businesses to follow. What's more, the day before MBA notified the Mission of their intentions, the Mission received a donation of two large deep freezes. Pastor Tom Barber, executive director of the Mission, said, "The freezers were delivered...just one day before MBA Poultry approached me about the chicken. Tell me that's not divine intervention."

The second article I enjoyed was about the Global Service Learning group at Nebraska Wesleyan University. Many of you are aware of my involvement in the group during my days at NWU, so to see the group making headlines is special to me. This one read, "Opening eyes; making a difference," and discussed the group's travels to Swaziland, Africa, for it's annual trip abroad. (You can read the NWU press release here.) The trip was supposed to last the usual two weeks, but most of the students stayed longer because of the impact the experience was making. Nearly six weeks later, and one student is still there. This is exactly the kind of emotion I remember being embraced with during my trips with Global Service Learning. Submersed in another culture, surrounded by folks who desperately needed what we could offer, and the cold hard realization that there are millions of people who have no idea what the next hour, day, or week could hold in terms of shelter, food, and family. It was all very eye-opening, and I am thrilled the program still continues and is still making impacts on both the students and faculty, and those who benefit from their giving.

Thank God for good folks who make reading the paper and listening to the media a bit easier, and more importantly, are working hard to make a positive difference for those who desperately need it!