What is your cause?

[hoss2576]

It has been both hilarious and amazing to watch the phenomenon of the ice bucket challenge that has swept the United States over the past few weeks. It has raised millions of dollars for research, and people are enjoying themselves in the process in an effort to promote a positive difference. Then I began to think that there are probably a lot of people out there that this challenge doesn't resonate with. I am not saying this is a bad thing, because we would be overwhelmed and unable to function if we felt the weight of every disease or tragedy that befell the world.

Most of us though do have a passion about something - a cause. It isn't enough for us to sit on the sidelines and cheer, we get in the game and get involved. It gives me comfort in a way to support a cause, not just for the cause itself, but it allows me to take action where in some places I can't.

My cause is preventing and treating cancer. My mom barely beat breast cancer just after I graduated high school, and I lost both my grandfather and great grandfather to cancer. I volunteer with Susan G. Komen for the Cure and work with the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. I help with promoting support and education groups for those with cancer, and I speak in schools to kids about the cancer dangers associated with smoking.

So what is your cause and why? How did you get involved?

 

[Lynx]

For some reason I'm reminded of David in the Bible... "Is there not a cause?"

My only real cause is getting people to wake up and realize how much happier and more peaceful God's way is. As for what I did to get involved... well, I'm a pentecostal minister.

 

[hoss2576]

Amazing. I didn't even make it one reply without a Jesus juke. It usually takes a good 5 replies before we get there. Given the nature of the site, I think it goes without saying we all have a great cause in our lives, but really do we have to do this to every thread?

 

[Lynx]

Sorry, I really tried to think of a cause, but I'm not personally into one. My aunt Diane is activities director at a nursing home though, and she's into a lot of anti-Alzheimer's causes.

 

[Pipp]

My heart is very close to the mentally and physically disabled. ..All my life I've been surrounded by them and some reason they all seem to feel they can talk to me and love me... I'm very thankful for this too. Also the American Red Cross is near and dear to my heart... just everything about it from putting people in hotels and giving them food and clothing when their home has been destroyed by fires and floods , to opening shelters and running blood drives... I just want to be a part of it.

 

[seoulsearch]

Hi Hoss,

Great thread .

My cause would most definitely be adoption, and in particular, interracial/intercountry adoption for obvious reasons, seeing as I am part of both.

As most people here know, I was found in a cardboard box in front of a theater when I was a few days old and adopted at 6 months of age. The social worker told my mom that because someone had taken the time to actually place me into a container and put me in a public area, someone was also very likely standing by to make sure I was found (similar to Moses and Miriam. I always say, "God really doesn't change!! Moses was found in a basket, and I was found in a box.") I have always chosen to feel very loved by this, both by God... and at least by someone in my original, but unknown, past.

Many people are against adopting, including in my country of origin because of their belief in roots and bloodlines (adoption brings "bad blood" into the family, according to some.) I also read the story of a little girl who was adopted like myself and told by a stranger (here in the USA), "Your Mom is a real angel for taking you in and saving your life. I could NEVER love a child I didn't give birth too." GROAN!!!!!

I wonder if these people realize that if they are a Christian, THEY too are adopted. God calls EVERY one one of us His "adopted children", as none of us except Adam and Jesus were ever without Original Sin at some point.

Adoption isn't for everyone, of course, but I feel so blessed that I've had the experience of having a group of people I look nothing like choose to become my unconditional family. It's a love many don't understand, but I could not love my parents any more than if they were my own DNA. In fact, I always said that if my biological parents ever came looking for me, I would call them "Mother" and "Father" in their own language, but not "Mom" or "Dad", because those terms of endearment are reserved for the people who raised me and have stood with me through every test and trial (some of which I caused myself!!) I often used to tell them, "If you would have known what you were in for, you probably never would have gone through with it," and my Mom said, "Honey, that thought never even occurred to us. You're our child. Whatever it takes to keep you healthy and with us for as long as God wills, that's what a parent does for their child."

One of my greatest blessings as an adult adoptee was to be part of a team that helped raise funds for friends of mine to adopt a child through the same agency (and from the same country) as my own adoption. I remember meeting this little boy for the first time, and he held out his hand to me, as if he knew we had a special connection. I felt as if a major circle in my life had been completed.

I have also written about this before, but another great joy in my life has been to sponsor other children through my adoption agency as well. I've been a part of this program for several years, and have often received notices (two in the last year) that the child(ren) I sponsored has now been adopted, which makes me feel unspeakably happy.

Praise be to God that His work will continue!!!

 

[Grace-Like-Rain]

The closest thing I have to a pet cause would be pro-life encouragement. We have a pregnancy center here that our church is very involved in, and that I've helped with in a limited way. I'd like to be more involved than I am though.

 

[cinder]

Well I've devoted 2 years of my life to Bible translation related activities (and it will probably be a 3rd before the project I'm working on is completed) and I do resonate with the idea that everyone deserves to have God's word in their own language. Other than that, does spending effort trying to make stupid people less stupid count?

 

[arwen-undomiel]

Hmm maybe homeless animals. I donate to a no-kill shelter on a monthly basis. Tugs at my heartstrings bad

 

[Fenner]

I don't have a cause per say, but I do teach Sunday school. I've been involved with that for a while now. Children's ministries are important to me. I want the kids to have a fun safe place to go to talk about God and feel like they can be themselves.

 

[arwen-undomiel]

More about this cause stuff. I don't know fully what it is but there are small things. Like being intentional when speaking to my my 5 year old niece about what is new and what she feels and thinks about things and using her imagination. I foster an environment where she can tell me stories. There is a lot of disfunction and her mother is mentally unstable and makes poor choices with her and she already has a pre-teen daughter that's pretty messed up, so were kind of afraid Hailey will follow in their footsteps. Just trying to be a positive female role model.

So I guess my cause is to try to influence or inspire in a positive way. Unfortunately I feel really down if it doesn't happen. Often what is in me does not transfer to others. What I feel inside is not felt by others. That would be success for be if I was an artist, that I could make people feel with what I have drawn/painted/wrote.

Also seeking deeper meaning, context and truth to things. Not taking things at face value. Asking where is God in this?

 

[Lynx]

arwen do you play any instruments? Music can often say what words cannot.

 

[Desdichado]

I've had pet causes before. Now I desire to live responsibly and be a blessing to my family, my friends, my local community, and those seeking to spread the word abroad.

There are few things as beautiful as a life lived in submission to God. After that, the rest follows.

 

[Test_F_i_2_Luv]

I'm an advocate for a number of causes...

Christianity.
Conservatism.
Anti-Abortion/Pro-Life Movement.
Abstinence(the picture is of my finger and abstinence ring)

While I commend support for research and the defeat of all cancers, Komen for the Cure is not an ally to me as a Pro-Life advocate. As long as they choose to associate with Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in the USA, they are at odds with my pro-woman/pro-life position and the unborn.

 

[hoss2576]

I'm an advocate for a number of causes...

While I commend support for research and the defeat of all cancers, Komen for the Cure is not an ally to me as a Pro-Life advocate. As long as they choose to associate with Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in the USA, they are at odds with my pro-woman/pro-life position and the unborn.

While I don't agree with Susan G Komen for the Cure's choices in who they have aligned with, they were the only ones who helped my mom during her cancer. A debt is owed to them. I have come to realize that there is no organization, not even christian ones, that completely align with my values. Does that mean I do not support them - no. We all make choices of who we will and will not support for what we hope is the greater good. Every decision we make has an impact, look at politics; no candidate will perfectly match your values. Do you then not vote? No, because then the candidate with fewer of your values is helped.

Too seldom in life do we get to utilize a completely black and white decision making process. This is one of them.

 

[ChandlerFan]

The closest thing I have to a pet cause would be pro-life encouragement. We have a pregnancy center here that our church is very involved in, and that I've helped with in a limited way. I'd like to be more involved than I am though.

This is what I was going to say as well. I will readily admit that I don't do nearly enough to be active in this area in terms of volunteering, holding signs, etc. but I feel very passionately about this subject. It's actually one of the reasons that I believe that the resulting donations to ALSA from the ice bucket challenge are doing as much harm as they are good--because the ALSA financially supports embryonic stem cell research, which involves purposefully fertilizing an egg and then aborting the child later on for the purpose of medical research.

 

[gypsygirl]

great thread idea. : )

in the past, i've been very active with animal shelters, and those causes, (including eradicating puppy mills and pet store commercialism) will always have a soft place in my heart.

but nowadays, i would say my "cause" is more likely the disenfranchised. those people who seem to fall through the cracks, and, in spite of programs and help, seem to lack any real personal involvement or connection. people who often are no longer seen as individuals, but rather a "group" or faceless need.

people who need someone to become personally involved in their life, in a small or larger way, because they either have no one, or no one else will help.

for example:

as i've shared before, i currently am involved with an "at-risk" jr. high girls group (ages 11-13) that i volunteer with, which originated as a special "in school program" that is sponsored by the girl scouts. we meet at least once a week during the school year, and do some stuff off-site as well. all of these girls have my phone number, and most of them text, talk to, or stay in touch with me on some level during the week, as well. two have come to church with me. we usually have a few sleepovers throughout the year.

the majority are displaced, in some fashion, either living with a relative, or surviving difficult family situations. one is currently in foster care, and two others have been removed/surrendered from their parent(s) and placed with foster or protective care during some point in their childhood. two of the girls have never had any kind of contact with their fathers.

the only criteria for being in this group is nomination from the school counselor that they are struggling to meet their school requirements or need additional mentoring/support, so the fact that they have such family/situational instability and a lack of successful school career seems entirely related. every year the group grows larger in size. four years ago, we started with 7 girls, and this year i have 13.

i have also been involved with homeless ministries as well, and continue to support a couple of ministries that work with them.

 

[seoulsearch]

but nowadays, i would say my "cause" is more likely the disenfranchised.

Gypsy, I used to go to McDonald's regularly for a cheeseburger fix.

But lately, I've been making my "own" out of mushrooms.

Would this qualify me as "disenfranchised"???

If so, I'll be waiting for your call!!!

 

[blueorchidjd]

Special needs and suicide prevention.

 

[Nautilus]

I never got to know my grandmother due to cancer and my mom have faced skin cancer multiple times thank God they have all been benign after testing.