my axis has been changed as well

I've been away for a couple of days and have been following the news of the tsumani almost exclusively by print media. 4,500. 7,000. 40,000. 70,000. As of today, the official death toll is approximately 117,000.00. I can't comprehend that number. That is more than one-third the population of my hometown Victoria. And these are tsumani deaths. Disease will increase these numbers dramatically, perhaps doubling them.

I read yesterday that geophysicists reckon that the force of the earthquake changed the axis of the earth approximately 2.5 cm. (sorry, can't find the link). Permanently. The force also accelerated the earth's rotation and the length of our day has been permanently reduced by a tiny fraction of a second.

I am trying to figure out how to let this tragedy into my head and heart. Giving a lump sum of money is the place I will start. Where to go from there? I'd like to be mindful and not eat in restaurants for the month of January. The money I save can go to the Red Cross or Medicin sans Frontiers. But I am worried that I will not be mindful and will slip easily into my consumer ways. How do we in the West understand, let alone enter into such poverty and catastrophic destruction? How can we live in solidarity with our neighbours half a world away?

Perhaps one way to live in daily solidarity is to sponsor a child. Here are a couple of links:

Sponsor a child in Indonesia
Sponsor a child in Thailand
Sponsor a child in India

Here is the link to the World Vision Southeast Asia Relief Effort. It's not particularly that I'm advocating World Vision, so much as I'm trying to figure out a way to engage with this disaster that will help days and months after the initial efforts have been expended.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to my loved ones, far and near. Peace and blessings to all!

Lisa

this year's must have present

As Mike said recently, England is often the source of all things cool.

From the Guardian:

One is small, shiny and plays thousands of your favourite songs when you carry it with you. The other is large, hairy, makes a bleating noise and would butt you if you tried to pick it up.

But iPods and goats are the must-have Christmas gifts this year. And both, it seems, are in short supply.

Oxfam has sold more than 30,000 goat gifts; Cafod - the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development - has sold 13,000 at £25 a goat. The charities are using the gift money to buy the obstreperous beasts for villages stricken by famine.

"It's been incredible," said Debbie Wainwright of Cafod. "We've raised nearly £800,000 from Christmas gifts this year and our top selling gift is the goat. One school raised £5,000 to buy goats."

Devotees of Radiohead, who have made it a Christmas tradition to buy guitarist Ed O'Brien bizarre gifts, have got him dozens of £24 Oxfam goats this Christmas. "I have decided I want to populate the world with my goats," wrote one fan on a Radiohead message board.

Cafod is buying goats for people in Eritrea, Kenya and southern Sudan. Oxfam's goats will go to 70 countries.

As well as producing milk, offspring and manure for crops, goats are notoriously hardy.

Under Oxfam's scheme, the animals are given to village committees, who decide who most needs them.

"It's been a phenomenal success," said Douglas Graham of Oxfam. People like tangibility, but they also understand when they are buying something less tangible. I'd rather have a goat than an iPod."

link

i am a doofus

Here it is, midnight. And I have glue all over my fingers because I was making my god daughter's Christmas gift and got bondo glue all over my hands. Then I can't figure out how to get it off (because of course, I haven't read the package). Turps, no. cream, no. shower, no. scrubbing, no. picking, yes, but very slow. I finally have to phone a friend at 11:30 pm because I have too much glue on my fingers to open my computer and check google. He tells me to read the package. Ah. Nail polish remover. But alas, I'm not girly enough and don't own nail polish remover. 45 minutes of picking later, I at least have a couple of fingers free.

This is my life.

6 goats and a medical clinic

We're up to 6 goats and now a medical clinic. Thanks mom and dad! Hey reg, too bad they're not selling puppies.

Keep 'em coming and let us know when you do. I've added a link on the side bar so that you can let us know you've participated.

goat equivalents

We are now up to five goats/goat equilavents. As you may have already noticed, this whole exercise is less about goats specifically and more about reminding ourselves to use our wealth generously in the lead up to the holiday season.

How many amongst the readers are travellers? [Lisa raises her hand]. One of the major reasons I travel is to give myself a reality check that people live differently than I do. Different customs, different cultures, different ways of expressing love and emotions, different foods, different celebrations. Travelling also reminds me that I have been given many resources to steward and I better damn well take that responsiblity serious.

No, the above isn't a exercise in flagellation. The goat blog is an exercise in gratitude. Whereever you chose to put your resources this holiday and year round, I hope you are able to do so enthusiastically, generously to the point of pinching, and in a way that widens your world and that of those around you. Let's celebrate together and with others the spirit of umbutu that connects us all!

Off to a running start

Four, count 'em 4 goats in two days. Thanks all! that's an awesome start. Feel free to spread the word, if you're so inclined.

Some other options you might not have know about:

piglets are $35 Canadian

chickens are $50 Canadian

And you can also participate in multiplying gifts - those gifts where your money is double, tripled or even 15 times multiplied

I think you might find there is something for everyone.

goat, goat, goat, goat.....CHICKEN!

No, it's not the latest kid's party game. For those who spend in US dollars, the tune goes like this: goat, goat, goat, CHICKEN!.

If you spend your resources in Canadian dollars, the tune goes like this: goat, goat, goat, CHICKEN!. Or perhaps the last word can be COW!, or maybe FISH!, or for those that can reach the high notes, BARN!

However you want to sing the song, sing it loud, sing it long. Please, check out the ways we can make our money count

Happy holidays!

p.s. - if you participate in the goat blog, we'd love it if you would leave us a comment and let us know. We'd like to keep a tally.