The 24/7 Project

Last week I had the distinct honor of posting over at the Friendly Atheist site. I meant everything I wrote there.

And the very next day, Hemant posted something that just tried my patience big time.

I decided that I could sit here and complain, or I could follow my own advice and do something. I hate being a hypocrite, so it's time to do.

One of my very favorite organizations in the whole world is Nuru International. They go into a community that is dealing with extreme poverty and they work with that community to help them learn better agricultural techniques and better hygiene techniques, which allows them to earn more money, help their children become better educated and end the cycle of extreme poverty. Their methods are working. They are seeing huge improvements from farmers who participate (averaging a 300% increase in production) and these farmers are repaying the initial loans at 98%. 

Honestly, I can't say enough good things about this organization. They are making a difference. 

Take a look at the following video. This is why I care so much about this organization.

Philip's Question from Nuru International on Vimeo.

So here's the deal. Six other bloggers are joining with me and in the next 24 days, we want to try to raise $7000 for Nuru. (24/7, right?)

I get it. $7000 is a whole lot. Likely more than we can raise in 24 days. I admit, there was a minute when I really wanted to just cop out and try for a way smaller number. But I don't need faith for a small thing. Seven large takes a lot more faith to put out there.

But in a week where I've written about keeping my title consistent with my content and about taking risks, I want to stretch my faith. So I'm asking you (and me) to dig deep and see what we can do. To see what God can do through us.

Here are some ways you can help:

• Donate. Head over to the Nuru Donation Page and give something. Give anything. If you've got an extra $12.47, they can use it. The amount doesn't matter (well, it has to be at least $5, so it matters a little bit). When you make a donation, please include "24/7 Project" in the comment box so the good folks at Nuru can keep us updated on our progress toward the goal.
• Spread the word. Do you have a Facebook page? Then share this post. Share the posts of the other bloggers who are participating (check the bottom of this post to get to their sites). If you're on Twitter, follow the hashtag #247Project and retweet stuff you see coming in under that title. Write your own blog post about Nuru and as your readers to donate (and shoot me a link so I can promote it as well!). Send an email to your friends (though feel free to exclude the obligatory "if you really love Jesus, you'll donate" line). You can follow Nuru's Facebook page and Twitter feed so you can see what they're doing.
• Pray. While I don't want us to be people who JUST pray, I don't discount the power of praying. The other bloggers have agreed to pray for Nuru for the next 24 days and if you pray, I would love it if you'd join with us in that.
• Donate. Seriously, please make a donation. These folks are doing amazing work and the way they can continue to do it is with money. (Even if you're not a person of faith, I would encourage you to check out and donate to Nuru. Even though it is founded by people of faith and as a response to their faith, they are not a religious organization, so the help they offer is not dependent on folks listening to a sermon or attending a Bible study. Again - the "do instead of just pray" thing is a big part of why I love this organization.)

Here are the other bloggers who are joining in with me. I am ridiculously grateful to them for their support and for their heart for Nuru. If you don't already read these folks, here's a great opportunity to start. Add them to your RSS feed because they're fantastic writers and you don't want to miss what they've got to say.

• Seeking Pastor (Matt Cannon)
• Randomly Chad (Chad Jones)
• From Tolstoy to Tinkerbell (Sarah Bost Askins)
• Off the Cuff (K.C. Proctor)
• Shawn Smucker (Shawn Smucker)
• Jennifer Luitwieler (Jen Luitwieler)

All of us have an opportunity in these next few weeks before Easter to be a part of something big. Ending extreme poverty seems like an insurmountable goal, but Nuru is making it happen and we can join with them.

Be hope. Be light. Be Nuru.