Blog Action Day: Vocabulary, Rice and Hope

“I have lived a long life and had many troubles, most of which never happened.” – Mark Twain

For all of us reading this blog, despite recent hysterical headlines to the contrary, this quote by Mark Twain rings true. While our world economy is admittedly shaky, if you are reading this, you almost certainly have a job or else have the education and skills to obtain work that sustains you. Our worries do not include deep, entrenching poverty, from which there is little hope of relief.

Today is October 15, 2008, and over 9000 bloggers, with an estimated 10,000,000+ collective readers, have committed to writing about poverty – within the subject of our individual blogs. By all posting on the same day we aim to change the conversation for one day, to raise awareness, start a global discussion and add momentum to an important cause.

As business writers, what can we do about poverty?

A very easy action is to donate rice and build our vocabularies and practice grammar at the same time on Freerice.com. This site donates 20 grains of rice to the World Food Bank for every correct answer you submit correctly. 114,283,760 grains of rice were donated yesterday. Over 46 billion grains have been donated to date.

Here is how it works. When you test your vocabulary or grammar, sponsor banners appear on the bottom of your screen. The money generated by these banners is then used to buy the rice. So by playing, you generate the money that pays for the rice donated to hungry people. FreeRice has generated enough rice to feed more than two million people since it started in October 2007.

To build your vocabulary, and help provide rice to those in deep poverty: visit this link.

To review your grammar, and help provide rice to those in deep poverty: visit this link.

As business writers, we are deeply fortunate to have the education and skills that allow us to find work that provides a comfortable and well-fed life, advance our careers, foster economic growth and communicate with meaning. Let’s join with each other to donate rice, while we hone our own writing skills on FreeRice.com.

I was so touched to read blogs today where Islamics, Hindus, Jews, Shintus, Bhuddists and Secularists offered their thoughts and prayers about poverty, all within the topic of their individual blogs. In this spirit, I offer my prayers from my Christian faith:

Litany on the Millennium Development Goals (Episcopal Office of Government Relations, United States):

Let us pray for the poor, hungry, and neglected all over the world, that their cries for daily bread may inspire works of compassion and mercy among those to whom much has been given.

Let us pray for schools and centers of learning throughout the world, for those who lack access to basic education, and for the light of knowledge to blossom and shine in the lives of all people.

Let us pray for the health of women, children, and families around the world, that in building healthy families, all people may be empowered to strengthen their communities and repair the breaches which divide nations and peoples.

Let us pray for an end to the waste and desecration of creation, for access to the fruits of creation to be shared equally among all people, and for communities and nations to find sustenance in the fruits of the earth and the water God has given us.

Let us pray for all nations and people who already enjoy the abundance of creation and the blessings of prosperity, that their hearts may be lifted up to the needs of the poor and afflicted, and partnerships between rich and poor for the reconciliation of the world may flourish and grow.

Hear our prayer.

Mashable.com’s post today provides an excellent resource list on poverty issues and organizations.

To put a face to this problem, please visit the Digital Photography School’s blog.