USCCB Labor Day Statement

In anticipation of Labor Day 2012, the USCCB has released its annual Labor Day Statement.  Click here to read the statement.  Let's remember to pray for the employed, the unemployed and the underemployed during these tough economic times.

A Message from Polaris Project

From Polaris Project:  Tell Congress to Support Anti-Human Trafficking Bills

From the clothes we wear to the food we eat, slavery’s footprint touches many aspects of our lives. A new bill in Congress is looking to change this. The Business Transparency on Trafficking and Slavery Act (H.R. 2759) requires companies with a minimum of $100 million in income to publicize the measures they are taking to combat slavery. On July 19, the Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking (ATEST) hosted two briefings on Capitol Hill to discuss how informed consumers and investors can take steps to help eliminate human trafficking from corporate supply chains.


You can help! Take action here to urge Congress to support H.R. 2759. Also show your support for victims of human trafficking by taking action on three other vital bills: the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, Strengthening the Child Welfare Response to Human Trafficking Act, and End Trafficking in Government Contracting. Tell your elected officials to reduce trafficking by passing these laws.

Running for his life

During the Olympic season, we hear many inspiration stories.  Here's one involving Lopez Lomong, who was the flagbearer for Team USA at the 2008 Opening Ceremony in Beijing.  Lopez Lomong was one of the "Lost Boys" of Sudan, who came to the US at age 16.  In his recently-released book, Running for my Life: One Lost Boy's Journey from the Killing Fields of Sudan to the Olympic Games, he tells the story of "his inspiring ascent from a barefoot lost boy of the Sudanese Civil War to a Nike sponsored athlete on the US Olympic Team" (from the book description).  The opening pages of the book tell the story of his separation from his family at the hands of a truck full of armed soldiers.  Lomong ends his description of this horrific incident in this way:  "I didn't know it at the time, but my childhood had just ended.  I was six years old."  Click here to visit his website where you can learn about him, his book and his foundation, "4 South Sudan," which exists to "bring hope to families who face the realities of poverty and the lingering impact of daily violence."  Additionally, watch the video below (sponsored by Tide) to hear Lopez tell his story (e-mail subscribers, click here if you do not see a video link below).

Health Care: Telling the Stories, Day 5

As we finish these days of paying attention to the relationships of health care as told in the documentary, The Waiting Room, let's look at the film's trailer and a video, "What is the Waiting Room," about the concept behind the film.  As we noted on Monday, we continue to remind ourselves that everyone has a story.  Hopefully, the stories you've heard this week, and the thousands of other stories that we didn't hear, will move us to compassion for the uninsured and underinsured.

Health Care: Telling the Stories, Day 4

In today's story from the Storytelling Project, volunteer Lucy Ogbu tells of her desire to become a doctor so that she can help others. Lucy, a native of Nigeria, shares:  "I believe that medicine is a way for me to impact people's lives. . . . As long as I'm standing, I'm going to fight for the chance. . . . I know how much there's a need for health care in impoverished communities. . . . The cause is bigger than me."  Click here for Lucy's story.

Health Care: Telling the Stories, Day 3

Today's video from the Storytelling Project of The Waiting Room tells the story of William Morgan, a father of three young boys, who waits for his wife to get the insulin she needs.  Click here to view the video.

Health Care: Telling the Stories, Day 2

As our video storytelling continues, we hear the story of a 7-year-old girl, Nia Walker, who is being treated for asthma at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA.  Click here for Nia's story. A statistic from the video:  Did you know that African Americans visit the ER for asthma-related symptoms at a rate nearly five times higher than Caucasians?