Edward Powell, President of USO, reminds us that the holidays are an especially hard time for servicemen posted to Iraq and Afghanistan. Some are injured, many just want to know that they are remembered. It is a bonus for them to find out how grateful we are for their service to the cause of freedom.
I found some room in my checkbook for USO, and if you can do so, here is the address: USO, P.O. Box 96860, Washington, D.C. 20077-7677.
I also want to help persecuted Christians in the Middle East and elsewhere this year. It is shameful that Americans are kept unaware of how serious life is for the Christian minority in such places as the Palestine Authority, China and even and in countries with supposedly friendly governments, like Iraq or Egypt. If you'd like to help this Christmas season, consider a check to:
Barnabas Fund, 6729 Curran Street, McLean, VA 22101 (Tel., 703 288-1681)
http://www.barnabasfund.org/ Say to hello to our former Discovery colleague, Marshall Sana, when you call or write the Barnabas Fund!
The sectarian violence in Iraq is finally beginning to abate, thank God, but the ancient Christian communities are nowhere close to recovering. Perversely, they get little political attention or development help from the United States government because they don't cause trouble! Yet they certainly have been made subjects of attacks and persecution, especially by Al Qaeda. Would you like to help Iraqi Christians in need? Consider:
Iraqi Christians In Need
http://www.icin.org.uk/