December 30, 2004
Friends of Soulforce,
This is a personal and urgent message from Gary and me to the people of Soulforce. This message was to send you our best wishes for a Happy New Year and our sincere thanks for your support of Soulforce in 2004.
However, on December 26 we knew the content of this message had to change.
We cannot continue the struggle for the liberation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender people without pausing long enough to respond in practical, prayerful ways to the victims of this tragic Sumatran earthquake and the tsunamis that brought death and destruction across the Bay of Bengal.
Today, Gary and I are withdrawing $5,000 from our limited retirement savings to support Doctors without Borders, the first medical team into Banda Aceh at the epicenter of the quake. (http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/).
Will you join us in assisting our Asian, Indian, and African neighbors who have suffered such loss with your own sacrificial gift? You can use the link below to find a wide assortment of charitable institutions that are providing relief to the victims of the quake and tsunamis.
We cannot do business as usual (even the business of committed activism) when more than 100,000 people have died and millions have lost everything in this terrible tragedy. We must put our own dreams on hold at least long enough to help those whose dreams have been swept away. This is our time to help others whose needs are so very great at this time.
Together we will continue to work to see justice done in 2005 but first, we must do mercy as well.
Love to you and peace in the New Year and always,
Mel White and Gary Nixon
Co-Founders, Soulforce, Inc.
Click here to go to a list of charitable organizations we support.