I have spent most of this past week watching baseball games. I thought I’d direct you to the sites of two friends who are spending their time actually making a difference in this world.

1) One of the most uplifting stories I have read in a while comes from the site of my friend Indian Lake Papa, http://choicesrmine.blogspot.com/. The post is called “What’s my name?” It’s about his grandson Blake, who was born to a fifteen year old girl in Siberia and who began life in a world with little or no hope.

It is sad to think about all the children starting out in life with two strikes against them.  My spirits are lifted again when I read about families like Papa’s who do so much to share their love with the world.

 

2) I also found a new friend this week, Alece, “Grit and Glory”, http://gritandglory.com/ .  She has spent the last ten years doing missionary work helping the Basotho people of South Africa, http://www.thriveafrica.org/ .

 

I recommend you read her “Why Grit and Glory” post of Feb. 27, 2008.

“Amid the glory of this beautiful land, death is an ever-present reality. It’s the constant lump in everyone’s throat; it’s the hole in our pants pockets, making it impossible to hold onto anything, or anyone. Africa is dying inside. AIDS is the silent killer ravaging the nation of South Africa, the country I now call home. While most of the world turns a blind eye, we’ve decided to dive headfirst into tackling this seemingly-insurmountable challenge.”

People like Papa and Alece are the true heros of the world.  These are the people we need to hear more about.  These are the people who should be getting the headlines, not those silly stories about gossip and scandal.

I remain an optimist about the human race because of people like Papa and Alece.