Love with skin on it... what do you do to fulfill the royal law? Volunteerism in action!

[Scuba Pete]

You've probably seen my posts about love being the only thing you need to be a Christian. I actually believe that with all my heart and before we get lost in all the reasons why you might think I'm going to hell because I hold to that position, this ain't about that. Not one whit. Let's all agree that loving your neighbor is at least a part of your religious beliefs. It doesn't have to be a %100 like me to answer this question. It can be %90, %50 or even only %1 or any of the others in between. How do you show it? More precisely, do you volunteer to help others? If so, please take a moment to brag, brag, brag about the people you help out.

Me? I have a number of organizations I love to volunteer for. My number one is www.Diveheart.com We are all about adaptive Scuba. In other words, we take people diving who wouldn't get to otherwise because most people feel they don't belong there. Paraplegics, quadriplegics, amputees, autistic and others can benefit from in water therapy. For the most part I'm their sanity check, their safety diver and enabler. Here's a pic of me and one of my friends in the water;

Yeah, it's hard to really count this as me helping them, when I get so much out of the program. Some people only give till it hurts. I take it a step further and give until it feels good! The Lord loves a cheerful giver!

My second favorite organization is www.CoralRestoration.org. This benefits the entire planet as well as the individuals I teach how to tend a coral nursery and then we transplant 20 corals out on the reef. As you may know, global warming wreaking havoc on the coral ecosystems. You don't need a degree to see the impact man is having on our environment. I'm thinking globally by acting locally. Like Diveheart, it's hard to count this as anything other than me having fun.

Another orginization I help out with is www.SeaSave.org. We've done so much to help end shark finning and bring ocean awareness to third world countries. So much more needs to be done. Here I help with promotions and such. Kind of boring, but the work is important.

I'm also on the National Fishing Committee for the BSA. I get to teach Scouts how to fly fish and grow up to be kind gentlemen.

So what do you do to make this a better place? Extra points for links and pictures!

 

[Katzpur]

Well, over the years, I've acted as a mentor for two refugee families -- one from Azerbaijan and one from Bosnia. I've volunteered teaching English as a second language (to immigrants) and English literacy (to Americans who are unable to read). I've volunteered (and do so every summer) at the Salt Lake Visitors Bureau, helping out-of-state and foreign visitors to Salt Lake City make the most of their time in Salt Lake City. I've volunteered as a docent at a State Park. I volunteered with the Red Cross when victims of Hurricane Katrina were relocated to Salt Lake City. And I've volunteered with Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in southern Utah.

 

[Katzpur]

Another orginization I help out with is www.SeaSave.org. We've done so much to help end shark finning and bring ocean awareness to third world countries. So much more needs to be done. Here I help with promotions and such. Kind of boring, but the work is important.

I had never heard of shark finning until quite recently. What kind of despicable, vile human beings would do such a thing? I was absolutely sickened by what I saw, so boring or not -- thank you from the bottom of my heart.

 

[PeteC-UK]

Hi Folks...

Well I must confess I belong to no organisations or charities, except I give a donation to the local animal shelters.. As to making it a better place - well Iam here...lol... and I am Conscious of my Self and Who I actually am - and I realise fully that I do actually love pretty much everyone - so this is reflected in my personal interactions with them.. I may not set aside a specific time or place to help others, but really any time and place - whenever Iam needed for whatever task Iam required, I pitch in...NOBODY ever gets treated unfairly or disrespected whilst in my Presence - not by me or by anbody near by - I simply abhore injustice and inequality and so I constantly redress that wherever I see it..

You know really - its not so much WHAT you do for people - not so much about time money effort you put in etc etc - but essentially - its about how You TREAT them - honour and respect to the level they are due always...To help someone and receive a thank you is very cool and a noble thing to do always - but it seems at times (for some) they only do that, help a charity or some such because it gives THEM a sense of importance - and in that aspect they cheapen the Self and lessen the love they give... If though you can just wander through life, and set things straight as best you may whenever you find it - then really that is being legitimate to your truth - you DO love them all so HELP them all - quietly , silently unobtrusively - the only reward to seek is truly the smile they will give you - touch them just at the surface and it will make the face smile and we feel good about our Self - but if you can show them, make them realise their own Soul then truly you have achieved something awesome for them...Be true to your Self always then - show them your own Soul and the love that you are - give it freely - allow your Self to become natural once again...

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I do a fair bit of volunteering for FIRST Robotics. I'm on organizing committees for tournaments in different programs within the FIRST family, and I use most of my vacation time to volunteer at events.

This video explains better than I can why I do it:

I'd also say that my lack of faith informs what I do. I'm not expecting any gods to swoop down and fix the world, so if I want the world to get better, it's up to me - along with other like-minded people and anyone we can convince - to make it happen.

 

[rocala]

@Scuba Pete Great charities, well done to you. Thanks for bringing them to our attention, I had not heard of any of them.

 

[ADigitalArtist]

We are in off season right now but I grow vegetables for a food bank, and I donate blood.

 

[Scuba Pete]

@rocala I really hadn't thought of it in that regard... but yes: this is a great format to expose others to your favorite charity. No harm in that!

I started this thread to encourage people to adopt a movement and make it their own. The problem with getting started is that you often don't know who to help out. This might give people some idea where to look and even an idea of who to approach.

 

[rocala]

Hi @Scuba Pete
I loved your post. Due to some parental violence when I was a small child I had a terrible fear of water. I am now in my sixties and still cannot swim. When I saw the picture and read of your work with disabled people it moved me deeply.
Many thanks to you and your team mates