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I do watch this singing competition!

Last night they announced American Idol will be helping the poor in Africa, Louisiana and Mississippi.  Ryan Seacrest and Simon journeyed to Africa to visit the children they will be helping.  The little children were singing Jesus My Lord and had bright smiling faces!!  Simon said the video last night didn't show 1/10th of the dire poverty.  He was amazed at the loving and happy people living in these horrible conditions.  Visiting these people also made a big change in him per Paula Abdul.

Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson visited the areas destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, and video was shown of people still needing help there.

On April 24 and 25, for each vote cast, major corporations will donate money to these poverty stricken areas.  Also, viewers will have an opportunity to donate as well.  I think this is a wonderful thing to do.

Having Jesus in their lives can be an amazing display of happiness and love even in the worst of situations.

There are many people, not just in Africa, that are starving and need help. Living in conditions that many of us could never think possible. Many of us in the U.S. have been very blessed and many people do not see the need, cannot see beyond our own individual lives. It is for this reason that I have such a problem with those that live in really big houses, have many luxury vehicles (SUV's, boats, etc), spend money on elaborate Crystal churches and yet talk of the love of Christ in their lives doing little or nothing to help these needy people.

Pastor, I think even those of us that are not even "lower middle class" are extremely blessed in the USA, compared to the people in the 3rd world countries.  A roof over our heads (not fancy), enough food to eat, clothing (not expensive)....even this is a wonderful blessing from God.

I have seen some photos of small children in Asia who are actually walking around naked.  I think alot of people just don't realize that these conditions exist in the world.  Of course, some do realize, and do nothing to help.  If we do not have much money, we can help with a smaller amount....but let's at least help.

I heard about a Sunday School class (children) that each contributed a small amount and then sent the amount to a charity helping native missionaries, orphans, etc, in a very poor country.

Also, a few months ago an anonymous donor (here in Los Angeles) gave several hundred dollars to a class of young students here.  But they could not keep the money for themselves or their own school, but had to decide upon a charity helping the poor and donate the money to the charity.  The children researched quite a few charities and narrowed their choices down to two charities.

The children decided to help a charity that gives goats to poor families.  The families use the milk to feed their children, and when the goat has an offspring, the family is required to give the offspring goat to another poor family!  The children were very excited about helping the poor, and they said they had never realized there were starving people in the world before.

The charity drive helped not only in Africa and Louisiana, but also all across the USA....including a large food pantry here in Los Angeles.

I was shocked to hear that a child dies every 30 seconds from Aids in Africa!  The video shown (more indepth than the previous time) was truly sad.   A young woman and a baby shown on the video later died from Aids....Simon helped put the young woman into the truck for the ride to a hospital.  He was really astounded to see the scope of the poverty in Africa.  They also visited a boy of 12 who is the "man of the house"....he and his sister live in a small shack...their parents died.

I know some didn't agree with the charities helped by this drive.....but if seeing any of this helps the young people and even the adults to realize the extreme poverty that exists and they do something as a result, then this has accomplished something.

I read one article that has said that a child dies every 3 seconds due to poverty. Even if this is true even these figures do not include those that are killed from abortions. One must be careful when donating money to many of these organizations as many of them now advocate abortions as a means to prevent this poverty and deaths from aids. Much of that money not only goes into programs that advocate abortions but into the actual performance of the abortions.

This is the case with some of the organizations that the American Idol's collections went into.

http://forums.christiansunite.com/index.php?topic=16497.msg201834#msg201834

Well PR, i don't support UNICEF as its part of the UN.  The UN should be shoved off into the atlantic and tell them all to start swimming to whatever communist country that will take a liberal.

Red Cross is no better either.  I worked for charitable orgs and they are the most crooked, places that exist, almost as crooked as Capitol Hill is.
IF you think that your money goes to help these people, think again. it doesn't. 
I worked for American Cancer Society.  Millions upon millions of dollars are given to them every year.  BUT  the most help they will give someonewith cancer is a case of ensure or a wig if they have chemo.  The rest of the money goes to politicians and slush funds they operate in the corporation to throw parties.  THe ACS pays a guy that has no useable skill other than he looks pretty dressed up in a suit n tie, and can hold a coctail glass quite well while socializing with the rich folks. his annual salaryis 180,000 a year.  for what?  Drinking and socializing! 
I knew him from working there and always thought now theres a waste of a good job!

Anyway, the ONLY organization i'll donate anything to is my church. No one else.  sorry but i got took too when Red Cross stole the money donated to go to 9/11 victims, and i said never again.

One thing to remember though in many situations.  There are cooked people in every walk of life and every organization.  even in some of our churches.

I know a couple of folks that do work for the Red Cross and have seen many good things come from the RC.  Now there are crooks in it as well and that is a shame.  But one should look at the organization as well as a whole and not blame the organization because of just a few bad eggs.  This is what much of the world does when considering Christ.  They see the articles about the Jimmy Swaggarts, Catholic Pedophiles, etc and they label all of Christianity in the same boat.  We must not fall into the same rut.

I know that when I donate money I first look for missionaries and things of that nature first through our church.  But there are other groups that are sometimes local and other national or above that I may donate too.  I do try and look at their stance on issues, such as UNICEF and others, and avoid them.  But many are good groups with good leadership and goals and I am willing to support them.  Many of our missionaries are there to strictly spread the word of God.  And that is the greatest gift.  But many of these countries need support in other areas as well, such as gardening, food, medicine, etc.  And many missionaries are not prepared nor in the field for that sort of work.

That's why I like to help through Christian Aid in Virginia (low overhead mission and all money you specify for missions goes to that).

The native missionaries preach the Gospel and establish churches, but they also help the poor with money received from Christian Aid.  Some missionaries have orphanages, give medicine, some help women out of prostitution and train them with a job skill, some give families goats so they can have milk for their families and some to sell for income, some helped tsunami victims, etc.  But they really stress preaching the Gospel of Christ as a part of these other ministries.....and many come to believe due to experiencing the love of Christ firsthand.