Does Our 'Charitable Work' Help Fight Terrorism?

One of the blogs I follow regularly is by Michael Yon. For those that do not know who he is, here is an excerpt from his bio:

Michael Yon is a former Green Beret...who has been reporting from Iraq and Afghanistan since December 2004. No other reporter has spent as much time with combat troops in these two wars. Michael’s dispatches from the frontlines have earned him the reputation as the premier independent combat journalist of his generation. His work has been featured on “Good Morning America,” The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, CNN, ABC, FOX, as well as hundreds of other major media outlets all around the world.

Yesterday Michael posted a dispatch from the Republic of the Philippines. He is there spending time with US Forces that are advising & training Filipino military and national police in their war on Islamic Terrorism. It is a great read (and Micheal Yon Online is a blog I recommend you follow since his dispatches are always great reads).

Many of you know that our church is involved in many different 'humanitarian' projects around the world (we call them Glocal Impact Projects). Although we know these projects are making a difference in the lives of those directly involved, sometimes it is easy to overlook part of the larger picture. I think the last paragraph of his dispatch does a good job of showing how something as 'minor' as collecting & sending textbooks can have an impact. The entire dispatch is worth reading, but I will include that final paragraph here:

There are other actors in this endeavor who also appeared in Iraq and Afghanistan. Private groups in America -- often just a couple of people with a will to make a difference -- are shipping much needed English textbooks, wheelchairs and other aid to war zones. It is difficult to convey just how helpful these tiny points of light were in Iraq and are in Afghanistan. The contributions to success are immeasurable, but they certainly are significant, and this was in fact pointed out to me today when soldiers talked respectfully about “Books for Barrios,” “Knights Bridge International” and others. Whether the donations are textbooks, wheelchairs, or in the form of doctors and nurses donating time and expertise to mend cleft lips and palates, their generous actions go far to improving lives, building international bridges, and, indeed, even fighting terrorism.

Read Michael Yon's Full Dispatch Here