Helping people make a place in the world

The idea of walking a marathon is a little nutty, but what do you expect from someone affiliated with a nonprofit named Acorn? I would have run, but I pulled up lame a few weeks ago so had to throttle back. Here's the good news: We raised almost $10,000 for Acorn via a fundraising campaign based on the one-year anniversary of my completion of cancer therapy. That's a huge sum for a small organization like this, which operates on an annual budget of about $12,000.

Knowing that there are dozens of people who support this ministry of outreach to the Hispanic community in Corvallis is heartening. It's hard being an immigrant in a place that's not as hospitable or tolerant as we--those of us in the majority--like to think it is. For example, we know good people who have been picked up for deportation because they're undocumented, despite having lived and worked here peaceably for years. Acorn is needed because we impart skills and knowledge that allow those at the margin of our culture to find a measure of security and competence for themselves and their families. We are, as Christ has commanded us, extending a cup of cold water to those who thirst. Whether the people we help have documents or not doesn't concern us. They're here, they need help, and we can't turn our backs.

(On this topic, we endorse this statement by Bill and Christine Hybels (Willow Creek Church) that was presented recently to the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security and Refugees.)

Raising money for Acorn was made easier by the fact that I won the sympathy vote. Anyone who survives cancer has a golden moment when anything they do or say is taken seriously. It doesn't last long. I had considered raising funds for cancer research, and then realized that if I wanted to assure that donations were used wisely, then Acorn was the place to direct them. For me, raising dough for cancer research is too big a leap of faith. We greatly appreciate those who donated to our campaign. The money is being invested in the lives of ordinary people who, like you and me, are willing to work hard and want only to make for themselves a better place in the world.