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A chill wind blows through the old cemetery, rattling the dry, brittle leaves on the ancient oak tree. A storm's coming. You hear a noise like a dog digging up a bone, only you don't see any dogs. Suddenly, a hand protrudes from the earth, and then another, and another. The sleeping dead have wakened.

Okay, so maybe the chances of a zombie attack are pretty slim, but if you prepare to survive an invasion of brain-eaters, you'll be ready to handle many other types of emergencies as well. (Think blizzards, hurricanes, or extended losses of power or water.) So let's get started!

• Decide where to go in an emergency. If you have a place in your home you plan to take shelter in while zombies beat on your door, make sure you keep your emergency supplies in that location. It won't do you any good if you're cut off from it. A sudden zombie invasion could also separate family members from one another, especially if the intruders have taken over your home. Select a secondary place everyone knows to meet at, such as a business. Also, have each person keep a list of phone numbers of friends and relatives they can contact. Since phone service could be disrupted, it's a good idea to select a couple of websites for everyone to check in on as well.

• Build your emergency preparedness kit. Keep enough supplies to last for at least 72 hours. Click here for a list of things to include. Consider purchasing a few heavy-duty cans of food, since they can also double as a head-bashing weapon if the zombies get too close. You can also buy Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) that pack a full meal in a small pouch and have a long shelf-life. Be sure to check expiration dates and rotate supplies on a regular basis. Want some different options for water besides storing jugs of it? You can purchase water-purifying tablets or a personal water filter.

• Invest in a quality first-aid kit. Click here for one that includes a rescue blanket, tooth preserving kit, and several other great items you'll hopefully never need. Ideally keep one in your car and at home, since you never know where the zombies will strike next. When selecting a first-aid kit, check out the supply list before you purchase it. Many will boast lots of pieces but consist mostly of band-aids.

• Don't forget your pets! If the zombies camp on your lawn for days, you'll need to make sure you have enough supplies to keep your furry, feathered, or scaled companions well fed and watered. If you must evacuate, plan to take your pets with you. It could be days (or weeks) before you can return, and by then it might be too late. The Red Cross has put some information together on creating an emergency plan for pets, and it includes a recommended emergency-supply list. Click here to check it out.

Keep in mind, this isn't an all-inclusive list, but I hope it will serve as a good starting point. Be sure to follow all instructions on any products you purchase. In the event you do see a zombie, get as far away from it as possible and call your local zombie exterminator.

© Copyright 2015 E. J. Willis

Every day, millions of people across the globe experience starvation. I'm not talking about the little empty feeling we get if a meal is delayed but the excruciating lack of food that goes on for days and eats away at muscles until every bone on the person's body appears prominent. For many, relief will not come soon enough, and the person (most often a child) experiences a slow, agonizing death. Yet how many of us have food to spare and throw away extra every day? I know I do.

So you ask, what difference can I make? I can't send all of my leftovers overseas, and no place wants my perishables that are about to go bad (or already have). The good news is, we have options on how to get involved!

Samaritan's Purse is one organization with lots of ministries, but they have options to donate money towards animals for people that can supply not only a source of food but income as well, such as chickens, sheep, and other livestock. They even have, for a very small donation, the option to feed a baby for a week. Check out their gift catalog at http://www.samaritanspurse.org/our-ministry/gift-catalog/

With other organizations, you can choose to sponsor an individual child. Here are some to choose from, but please do your research to see which one will work best for you. Remember, there's lots of other great organizations out there too.

Compassion International: http://www.compassion.com/
World Vision: http://www.worldvision.org/
Nazarene Compassionate Ministries: http://cs.ncm.org/

With all of the huge issues our world faces, it's easy to get discouraged and think that nothing will ever change, but you CAN make a difference. If you can't donate money, donate time by volunteering at a local homeless shelter or food pantry. No one individual can save everyone. However, when we each do our own little part, it will change the life of someone. Isn't this what matters?

© Copyright 2014 E. J. Willis

Why do humans believe they can force their beliefs onto others? Isn't it about time we learn to accept that people will hold ideas that differ from our own? Throughout history and into the present, people have tried to use violence and threats of violence to coerce others into their own ideas on religion. WE MUST END IT.

Most who will read this post live in countries where the government values religious freedom. In some areas of the world Christians, Muslims, Jews, Atheists, and people of various other beliefs attend school together, play together, and shop together. But even those countries are not immune to religious persecution. People continue to lash out violently against others just because they have a different religion than their own.

Use of threats and violence is NEVER the answer. No matter what religion, acts that harm will only drive people away and make the group of believers look bad to those on the outside. We must take a stand against such tactics. They don't work. Change has to come from the heart.

People can force others to wear certain clothes or say specific prayers in order to avoid punishment, but it won't make the victim a true believer if their heart isn't in the right place. Also, torture often backfires. When people suffer extreme cruelty rather than repent of their religion, it sends a powerful message that the victim's beliefs have a solid foundation. Why else would they be willing to die for them? In effect, the perpetrators of violence help to spread the ideologies of their victims instead of their own.

To inspire true change, we must use actions of love, compassion, and kindness that draw people in instead of pushing them away. Christ is a good example. He said His followers should be like salt and light. Salt adds flavor and makes people desire more of something. Light doesn't cause harm but shines the way for the lost. Too often people who claim to be Christians have also forgotten what this means, as they too cast debilitating judgments on others or resort to violence in an attempt to make their point. 

Can't we all learn to be the salt and light of our religions and let go of violence?

How do we make a difference?

• We can pray for those who persecute others and seek out organizations that support the victims.
• We can take a stand whenever we witness an injustice done in the name of religion. 
• You can also evaluate yourself. Maybe you would never physically hurt someone, but we must also learn not to pass judgment on those who believe differently. Our responsibility is to show love and leave the rest to God, for only He can judge the heart. (If you're reading this and don't believe in God, you can still assess your attitude towards believers. Does it reflect the person you want to be?)

© Copyright 2014 E. J. Willis

My heart breaks as I read about the Nigerian girls who were kidnapped last month. I cannot imagine the anguish the parents suffer while they worry about their precious children, not to mention the terror and atrocities the children face. They are just children who should be playing, laughing, and enjoying life. Instead they await an unknown fate as their kidnapper threatens to sell them off. 

The sad thing is, this happens to children on a daily basis all around the world. An individual may offer a girl or boy the promise of a better life without ever intending to fulfill it. Once the person has the child away from family, he/she increases the fees to make it impossible for them to ever pay them what they owe. The child is forced into prostitution to pay the debt that will never be settled. Violence, threats, drugs, and isolation are often used to keep the victims compliant. Many will die of diseases they contract, and only a few ever break free  to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives.

Other scenarios also take place, but slavery STILL EXISTS. It happens all over the world, including right here in the United States. Don't believe me? Check out this website.

• FBI.gov

So now that you know slavery and sex trafficking is real, what can be done about it? Look for local organizations that help victims rebuild their lives. There are many of them out there that need volunteers or financial assistance. You can also find national organizations to support as well as international ones, just be sure to do your research to make sure they are legitimate. Write to your legislatures and ask for tougher penalties for traffickers and stricter laws concerning the industry. And PRAY! For some, that is all we can do. God is mighty and hears our prayers, even when we don't see the answers.

Here are more organizations worth checking out:

• Shared Hope
  
• http://www.ijm.org/
• http://www.thea21campaign.org/
  

© Copyright 2014 E. J. Willis