We all need to try to help someone in need...

As I continue to research the most effective and reputable charities doing humanitarian work in Cambodia, I've been asked why I'm choosing to focus my philanthropic attention on the problems of a foreign county. Isn't there still a great need in New Orleans and other places in my own country? Legitimate questions. My first answer is that even the poorest of Americans have shoes or could quickly get a pair through the many social programs, shelters, and religious organizations run by public or private sources. I'm not trying to minimize anyone's suffering, I just know that we as a country are very fortunate to have many programs and organizations that can offer some form of basic help. Other countries are so poor (and/or corrupt) and overwhelmed by the massive numbers of people that need help, that there aren't many places to turn to for assistance.

The broader more reflective answer is simply one of exposure - I have never been personally exposed to the level of poverty that I witnessed in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Yes, I've seen lots of homeless people, I've seen lots of beggers of all kinds, I've seen movies, documentaries, and commercials pleading for help for destitute people around the world. But there is a vast difference between seeing human misery from the comfort of your living room and witnessing it with your own senses. There is a huge difference between passively watching from a distance and experiencing sad, desperate children pleading with you personally for help. Very probably if I went to the most poverty-stricken areas of American (i.e., New Orleans, Appalachia, the border towns of Texas, etc.) I might feel just as moved to help them as well.

It is heart wrenching to think that so many people in the world don't have access to something as basic as clean drinking water. And today, its not just a few people, a few communities - its over ONE BILLION people that lack access to safe drinking water! Can you even image what it would be like not to be able to have a glass of water when you wanted it or to know that if you do drink any water close by that you'll probably be ill (again). This also means no clean water for hand washing, cooking, bathing, washing clothes, or washing dishes. Just think about how much we all depend on clean water everyday and how hard it'll be if we didn't have any. Yes, we'd get by for a little while - we could go to a friend or relative, we could take a shower at the gym or the local YWCA, we could get a drink at a water fountain in a train or bus station, we could use the restroom in a fast food place, and of course if we had too we'd go to a shelter. But just imagine if none of these options existed for you and the problem wasn't temporary. Imagine if everyone in your family, everyone you knew, everyone you saw had the same problems you did so no one could help.

I'm not trying to be Mother Teresa, Angelina Jolie, or anyone else. I'm just trying to help in any little way I can. If someone is inspired to help also, that would be fantastic, if not, that's fine too. Its not about me and my goals or about trying to feel superior or making any one feel bad about themselves; I just feel motivated to try to help and hopefully will motivate others to help as well. Ultimately, its not important which country or which cause as long as we all attempt to make a positive impact of some kind on this world and for our fellow humans.