When one witnesses inspiration on a global scale, not just in its reach around our good and great earth, but in its intensity as well, where does one begin?
A couple of representatives of black & light co, candle slaves as we often refer to ourselves, although in this case they may have been candle elves due to the time of year, recently viewed inspiration on that global level. They attended for the second year, Nancy Rivard’s and Airline Ambassadors International Annual Event honoring people of compassion and peace who acted on behalf of others. This year’s event was again in NYC at the UN building.
This year’s recipient of the Global Compassion Award was Jauquin Antuna, Founder of Paz y Cooperacion, which in English means Peace and Cooperation. Jauquin’s site link in English can be found here. Jauquin counts Mother Theresa, with whom he’d conversed at length as one of those who inspired him. Listening to this great man, as he spoke of what each and every one of us can do to foster a better life, as just plain ordinary people, for others was proof our world is capable of doing better, and that despite the drudgery of war, violence of all sorts and the economic environment, the world can be and is a better place. His enthusiasm, great cheer, and absolutely childlike glee infected everyone. As he said (or something to this effect), It is through the wisdom of children that we often see the solution to problems we adults struggle to solve.
The Global Humanitarian Award recipient was The McCord Foundation, Jim and Darlene McCord. The Foundation currently funds activities in three areas: athletics at the University of Iowa; research fellowships in the University of Iowa biosciences department; and independent labs working on researching the Buruli Ulcer. Their site can be found here. The Foundation’s unique Pennies Have Power program utilizes the fundraising skills of children helping children, by empowering grade-schoolers to raise money to help Ghanaian children suffering with the Buruli Ulcer. Buruli Ulcer is a skin destroying disease affecting people in thirty-one countries. Darlene spoke, like everyone seems to at these Airline Ambassador events, that any person, can help other people in greater need, particularly children
black & light co chose to become involved with Airline Ambassadors in August of 2008, at the suggestion of our Director of Sales & Marketing. He agreed to contribute goods and monies for the October Global Compassion event. Holly Eve, an elementary school teacher for twenty-five years before retiring early to found black & light® co, attended last year’s event in person. Holly’s had her life changed by many things over many years. That singular event instantly made her top five and possibly even higher, and Holly has experienced perhaps more than her share of life changing events.
Her candle elves are pleased to report after this year’s event that black & light® co will always support Airline Ambassadors in every way possible. Nancy sold our staff with her amazing effort. She convinced us too of the one thing that best sums up her sixteen year plus effort
Ordinary people can indeed do extraordinary things.
There is no better phrase to communicate what Nancy Rivard and her team of thousands of ordinary volunteers do and dovetails perfectly with Holly’s mission – “We measure our success by how well we support those in greater need.”
At the end of this blog are a few pictures from the paparazzi of one of our candle elves who attended the event on Holly’s behalf. We’d like to close this post with this comment about the people pictured below who help Nancy by emcee-ing her Global presentation events.
They too epitomize what Nancy is about as they delivered their comments with eloquence, compassion, and a deep passion for inspiring others to do what they can as just plain ordinary people, like each and every one of us are regardless of race, creed or station in life, to help our fellow human beings, particularly those most vulnerable, the children of our world, and above all those children who literally have nothing; no clothing, no house, no food, literally. Of their genuineness, there can be no doubt.
Visit Airline Ambassadors at www.airlineamb.org and please think about becoming one. We all need to be ambassadors of peace and goodwill, towards all men and women of the same, and not just at this holy and joyous time of year, but always, and especially to those little ones of us, our children, the future of who we are.
