Oi Government! A roof over my head Please!

If New Zealand governments invest up to $1 billion annually for the next 10 years to build and provide mortgages for affordable houses, it would have a significant and far-reaching positive impact on the social, health and income support structure of this country, according to a Salvation Army report

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The New housing report from the Salvation Army 'Rebuilding the kiwi Dream' is out now. Its a topical issue for NZ at the mo, and deeply affects the future for many, check it out Here

Getting to the heart of the issues

I read this and was absolutly stoked... enjoy:)I also could have put a pic that would have broken your heart... but i just couldnt... but if we look into this photo, there are bony, paralysed children, despiration, no clean water, or band aids for war wounds... its bad.

UK primeminister, Gordon Brown Speaking at the United Nations headquarters in New York, the PM said that "today is an important decision day for Darfur - and for change". (31 july 2007)

At the heart of his speech was global poverty and the challenge of meeting the Millennium Development Goals. In the text of his speech, Brown said that after seven years "it is already clear that our pace is too slow; our direction too uncertain; our vision at risk. ... We cannot allow our promises that became pledges to descend into just aspirations, and then wishful thinking, and then only words that symbolize broken promises."

To find that common purpose, he said:

Our objectives cannot be achieved by governments alone, however well-intentioned; or private sector alone, however generous; or NGOs or faith groups alone, however well-meaning or determined—it can only be achieved in a genuine partnership together.

After addressing governments and businesses, the prime minister went on:

Let me say to faith groups and NGOs—your moral outrage at avoidable poverty has led you to work for the greatest of causes, the highest of ideals, and become the leaders of the campaign to make poverty history. Imagine what more you can accomplish if the energy to oppose and expose harnessed to the energy to propose and inspire is given more support by the rest of us—businesses, citizens, and governments.

(taken from blog.beliefnet.com and number-10.gov.uk)

Soap Powder

I was doing a late night shop last night, mainly for one item that went under the radar when making our flat shopping list- Soap Powder (for the washing machine).

I strolled down the isles, and found what i was looking for. I m a massive save the environment supporter (apart from the fact that i use an extraordinary amount of gas in my car each week, besides the point), so i saw the environmentally friendly stuff and immediately began to examine prices and read the 'we are environmentally friendly' blurb. So i chose the 'next generation' stuff cause it was cheapest out the lot (defiantly not the coolest packaging) and made my way to the counter. As i passed the 'specials' and the top of the isle, i noticed something that made me stop and stare... Surf soap powder was $1.89 a box!

Now I also love a bargain, and i was blown away. I actually stopped and stared. Then i looked at the hippy stuff i was holding, looked back at the gleaming surf boxes, then looked back at the one i was holding. I was at a real decision point.. all i knew, my western consumerism wanted to grab four boxes of surf for $1.89 and ditch the $5.49 stuff. But i was challenged, there is a cost, to doing the right thing, to do my part. That cost was significant, I could have brought 4 weeks worth of soap powder for the price of one. But Its that stuff that brings us to those points (the real forks in the road) is where the rubber hits the road in our beliefs, convictions and our faith. The old saying 'practice what you preach' is harder than it seems but is what we are called to do when we know what the right thing is.

I did end up paying the $5.49. And when i do my washing, i will feel better that i brought that one over the other. Life lessons in Soap Powder aye!?