6 Degrees of Separation (or less)
This morning I was reminded of 6 Degrees of Separation. Do you remember that series of credit card commercials with Kevin Bacon? Or that great movie starring Will Smith, Donald Sutherland and Stockard Channing? For those of you who may not, six degrees of separation is the theory that anyone on the planet can be connected to any other person on the planet through a chain of acquaintances that has no more than five intermediaries.
The memory came to me while I was praying for Grace Bay House and asking God why more people haven't come forward to help yet. Before I go on, let me first say thank you to everyone who has contributed so far, in any way. No contribution is too small and I am so grateful for each and every one of them. That said, the truth is that there is so much more that could be done.
I know that we are kind and generous people, the outpouring of support after 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina prove that. So I know that simple apathy is not the issue. Perhaps it's easy to recognize the utter "randomness" in huge catastrophic events and make the "there but by the grace of God go I" connection. So I started thinking that may the reason people aren't feeling an urgency to support Grace Bay House is because they don't believe that rape affects them so this project doesn't even hit their radar screens.
So here's where the 6 degree theory comes in... Think of 6 women you know and love... your mother, your sister, your daughter, your co-worker, your best friend. The sad truth is that 1 in 6 American women have been victims of sexual violence and another women is raped every 2.5 minutes in America alone! If you are not one of the six, thank God. But if it's not you, whether you are aware of it or not, the chances are extremely high that someone you know has been the victim of sexual assault, or will be.
If you knew which woman it was, would you think about her more compassionately? Would you be more empathetic of her pain? If there was even a small way that you could help her begin to feel healthy and whole again would you try? There is a way you can help.
How much money have you spent this year alone on yarn, on manicures or pedicures, on gourmet coffee, on movie rentals? Isn't there one indulgence that you could give up for one month to help make a difference in someone else's life?
I challenge every person that reads this post to please prayerfully consider making your best donation, TODAY. No matter how much or how little you give, the fact that YOU GAVE will make a difference! Thank you in advance for your support and I ask for your continued prayers for this project.
The memory came to me while I was praying for Grace Bay House and asking God why more people haven't come forward to help yet. Before I go on, let me first say thank you to everyone who has contributed so far, in any way. No contribution is too small and I am so grateful for each and every one of them. That said, the truth is that there is so much more that could be done.
I know that we are kind and generous people, the outpouring of support after 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina prove that. So I know that simple apathy is not the issue. Perhaps it's easy to recognize the utter "randomness" in huge catastrophic events and make the "there but by the grace of God go I" connection. So I started thinking that may the reason people aren't feeling an urgency to support Grace Bay House is because they don't believe that rape affects them so this project doesn't even hit their radar screens.
So here's where the 6 degree theory comes in... Think of 6 women you know and love... your mother, your sister, your daughter, your co-worker, your best friend. The sad truth is that 1 in 6 American women have been victims of sexual violence and another women is raped every 2.5 minutes in America alone! If you are not one of the six, thank God. But if it's not you, whether you are aware of it or not, the chances are extremely high that someone you know has been the victim of sexual assault, or will be.
If you knew which woman it was, would you think about her more compassionately? Would you be more empathetic of her pain? If there was even a small way that you could help her begin to feel healthy and whole again would you try? There is a way you can help.
How much money have you spent this year alone on yarn, on manicures or pedicures, on gourmet coffee, on movie rentals? Isn't there one indulgence that you could give up for one month to help make a difference in someone else's life?
I challenge every person that reads this post to please prayerfully consider making your best donation, TODAY. No matter how much or how little you give, the fact that YOU GAVE will make a difference! Thank you in advance for your support and I ask for your continued prayers for this project.
posted by Syd at
7:20 AM
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