Landmines and courageous girls and women

Perhaps the next step could be the last with two feet...

Twenty gracious ladies of Cambodia competed in Miss Landmine Cambodia; the youngest candidate is still a small girl who has lost her leg but not her vivacious spirit or radiant smile. These courageous girls and women celebrate their inner and outer beauty despite landmine encounter.The beauty pageant highlights the dangers of landmines to all, and to these vulnerable and innocent.
According to Unicef, landmines are killing, injuring and orphaning children.
In many mine-affected countries, children account for every one in five landmine victims.
An estimated 15,000 to 20,000 people are killed or maimed by landmines every year according to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines.

The conflict is over. The landmines remain, a hidden danger to men, women and children in different areas of the world.
The gracious Princess Diana did wonderful work in highlighting the dangers of mines.
Landmine survivors and disabled need assistance, prosthetic limbs and education.
In the spirit of Lumiere, why not hold a coffee morning/ raffle/ collection/ fundraiser in your family/ at work/ in your community/ at your place of worship, and use the proceeds for one of the following;
- fund the clearing of one dangerous landmine or a landmine field
- fund the prosthesis of a child who has outgrown his/her present post-landmine prosthesis and cannot afford a new one
- fund the prosthesis of an adult whose prosthesis has worn out
- fund safety equipment for minefield clearing operatives
- fund the education of a child or adult who has been disabled and needs to be trained for a career
- fund the food and shelter for one month of a family being led by an child who has been orphaned by a landmine
- fund the education of children orphaned by landmines
- fund electronic detectors or equipment for clearing landmines
- fund post trauma counselling to a landmine survivor/ orphan from landmine
-donate to War Child to support their wonderful work with children affected by war. Charles had been orphaned of both parents, then had his leg blown off by a landmine, see http://www.warchild.org.uk/impact/stories/charles

-give a donation to The Halo Trust which does wonderful work in clearing minefields,
giving mine risk education to children and communities, weapons and ammunition disposal, surveys. Donations page is 

http://www.halotrust.org/home/donate.aspx
-write or speak about the dangers of landmines

Each one of us reading this blog cannot fix the whole problem of all the landmines and the suffering in the world. Each one of us can help prevent one disability or fatality by funding the clearing of one mine. Each one of us can help by funding the easing of suffering and the blessing of education to a survivor of the trauma of landmine detonation. Each one of us can help by funding post trauma counselling for a landmine survivor/ orphan from landmine.
Hillary Rodham Clinton has said she believes it takes a village to raise a child; this wonderful proverb is well known in Africa. In our global village and our vibrant Internet community, let us link hands together across the globe and let our village help to raise a child who has been hurt by landmine; and save a child from being hurt by a landmine. Please pass this blog post on by Twitter, Facebook and other media. A candle has been lit in remembrance of all who have suffered as casualties of war.
A second candle has been lit in remembrance of the gracious Princess Diana.

The wonderful prophecy of the great Jewish prophet Isaiah tell us that the Word of the Lord will go our from Jerusalem, and will settle disputes for many peoples. The people will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks (Isaiah Chapter 2, verses 3 and 4). The great prophet Micah repeats this prophecy, and adds that Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. Every man will sit under his own vine, and under his own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid, for the Lord Almighty has spoken (Micah Chapter 4, verses 2 to 4). These are the great prophecies of the end times.

In the spirit of Lumiere, why not let us start to bring about these prophecies of peace now?


*See Miss Landmine Cambodia Beauty Pageant at
http://miss-landmine.org/cambodia/index.php
*Unicef; Children and Landmines: A Deadly Legacy at
http://www.unicef.org/spanish/protection/files/Landmines_Factsheet_04_LTR_HD.pdf
*Landmine removal at
http://www-pub.naz.edu:9000/~skeenan1/landmine_removal.html
*The Halo Trust at
http://www.halotrust.org/