2010 April »

Homeless Hero Bleeds To Death

Apr 292010

A homeless man named Hugo Alfredo Tale-Yax interfered with an attempted robbery by defending a woman on the street. The would-be robber stabbed Tale-Yax and ran. A bleeding Tale-Yax stumbled and fell onto the sidewalk. The New York Post got the tape from a nearby surveillance camera; its time-lapse video is beyond disheartening. Over the course of more than an hour, almost 25 people walked right past Tale-Yax on the sidewalk without doing anything to make sure he was alright. When firefighters arrived an hour and 20 minutes after the stabbing, Tale-Yax, just 31-years-old, was dead. (by JosieRaymond) READ MORE

Below are a few thoughts, please share yours:

Thank you so much Josie for sharing this story of "the absent Samaritan"… it is horrible, it cuts deep… I'm thinking back on times I choose not to get involved… even times I read stories like this and did not even do the minimum – write back in response…

After reading this Heri came to mind almost immediately, he is one of my hero's from the Rwandan genocide who said "…it was harder to leave than to stay and help.". Something I will never forget. He had been the night watchman at a small orphanage with 30 kids age 5 and under who lived 3 house down from us in Kigali. The couple in charge of the orphanage fled with the other foreigners when the genocide exploded but Heri stepped up, took the reins, and with incredible courage and diplomacy along with 2 or 3 other ladies masterfully cared for those 30 little ones during the 88 days of slaughter.

But one day after who knows how many sleepless nights, after being robbed over and over (the killers stole the kids food and even clothing) and after having his and the kids lives threatened constantly, Heri started to walk away…. who could blame him?

Thats when he said, “With every step I took away from the orphanage I began to realize that it was harder to leave than to stay and help. I turned around and went back”

So I think if Heri were writing in response to this tragedy, he might say something like, “Hey, it's harder to walk by than to help, turn around go back.”

We have cell phones that make it so easy, we have Good Samaritan laws that encourage doing the right thing, do we have the heart?

Thank you Hugo Alfredo Tale-Yax….oh…… Thank you for your courage, for risking and then losing your life for a stranger… maybe you thought of her as a sister… maybe it was just your 'way of life'. She woke up this morning because of you, and we step out today, strengthened because of you. To family and friends of Hugo, we're sorry we weren't there… we're so sorry that those of us who were there turned away… please forgive us…

Thank you Josie for what you are doing. Carl and Teresa

Planet Home- April 22

Uncategorized No Responses »

Apr 292010

Valuing People and Earth

We took off last September with this crazy idea to pedal the USA speaking with school and faith groups along the way. We can end the genocide in Darfur, we've got to challenge the "us and them" thinking plaguing our minds and our communities, that's our message!

So far we have pedaled the west coast, and our country is amazing, our people amazing, and we have a new sense of pride and understanding of our home! We're also now hooked on recumbent bikes. I can't describe the bonding with our land that this pedaling over 1600 miles (not bragging, it was spread over 7 months) did for us.

Starting in the wheat fields of eastern Washington, cruising over the Cascade Mountains, gliding through the redwood lined "Avenue of the Giants", we eventually rolled out onto the beaches of California where incredibly, dolphins were showing off in the sunset. Yes there were dolphins in the sunset!

Not sure if you caught my point, but having enjoyed only 14 nights in our own bed during the last 200 +/- days we feel like we really can claim this planet as our home! Then there is the generosity and hospitality that families have lavished on us while staying in their homes. We've been wowed, humbled and deeply moved and we have turned into serious experts in finding the silverware drawer first pull in a strange kitchen.

Many of our conversations on this journey are about courageous Rwandans who under the threat of machete and club stood up 16 years ago for others. These are people who refused to accept the "us and them" lies that so many others were buying into in that tiny country in central Africa! Our stories we're hoping are inspiring and equipping people to give it a try, living like we believe that we are 'our brother's keeper'.

Yet this pedaling, this mixing of human rights and bonding with our land, reminds us with each gorgeous passing mile we sail through that we're not only 'our sisters keeper', but we're the keeper of each other's home, our fabulous planet earth.

Both in human rights and environmental rights, and I'm a real beginner in both, but over and over both bring us face to face with the invitation to consider 'the other' before ourselves. "Come on" they challenge, "sacrifice in some way for the benefit of 'the other'". And funny enough, in sacrificing it happens, we find ourselves gaining in such unexpected ways, that which money can't buy. Ask either one of us and we'll tell you, "2 panniers and a backpack on the back of our bike is more than enough! Less is definitely more!" And with less clutter in our lives it's much easier to try on the shoes of 'the other', AND sometimes it's a flat out necessity!

So hey, what about celebrating this Earth Day by thinking of 2 or 3 ways you could test out the principal that 'less is more' and perhaps a little sacrifice for 'the other'? Might ride the old bike to work once a week, or finally start recycling, or unplug and free-cycle.org that extra fridge in the garage this Sunday. Some are no doubt far ahead of this, but the point is - start simple - start now!

Been saved from myself again and again by 2 simple principals that speak volumes to these and other movements:

1. Count and give thanks for what I have, and don't

squander myself on what I don't have.

2. Whatever I want, want it more for the other.

Then there was that day in March when 25 miles north of Santa Barbara a family of 5 comes down the road towards us. That's 5 on ONE BIKE , Dad, 5 year old daughter, 3 year old daughter, mom, and lastly 7 year old daughter with a trailer in tow – all pedaling except the 3 year old… The Pedouins, 7,000 miles, you'll want to check them out.

Anything is possible, we just have to decide and make our move!

Don't forget, start small, start now…

How about clicking on the'The Story of Stuff ' next? Guaranteed you'll want to send it to a bunch of friends, and if you've seen it, they have a couple more great film clips there as well. Don't forget to grab a reusable water bottle and shopping bag on the way out.