Breaking News; Massive All Ireland Rally for Life to take place on 6 July 2013 at Parnell Square in the heart of Dublin

Breaking News;
It's the main discussion on the streets of Ireland, in homes and at workplaces; the people of Ireland do not want the passing of proposed abortion legislation.
Day by day more and more people are joining the swelling ranks of people taking to the streets and to picket lines to show their increasingly stronger protest against the proposed legislation.

A massive All Ireland Rally for Life is to take place at 2pm on 6 July 2013 at Parnell Square in the heart of Dublin,  as concerned people from all walks of life are determinedly voicing their protest against abortion legislation in Ireland.
Why not join your voice in protection of the unborn and be there?

Every day more and more citizens of Ireland are asking what they can do to stop the legislation being passed.
Why not get Rally promotional leaflets out and help to spread the word?
Send tweets out re same to your family, friends and colleagues?
Write on your blogs about this important issue?
Post info on your Facebook page about it?
Join those spreading the word?

Life is precious.
You can make a difference

See
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5gWTbS4HaA&feature=youtu.be

Rally for Life
http://www.rallyforlife.net/

Lumiere remembers animals in puppy mills

The mother had her puppies taken away from her again.
She scratched at the door crying for her pup.
Then she put her head down on the floor in utter despair.
The puppy's siblings had been crying, trying to get through the door to bring their brother back.
Then I saw the one puppy rest his forehead on his mother's head to comfort her as she grieved.

For hours after that the mother scratched on the floor of the kennel.
I think she was trying to escape through the floor from the cycle of pregnancy and losing her pups repeatedly.
I also think she wanted to save her other pups from being taken away.
If anyone wants to tell me that animals don't have feelings, I beg to differ.
The utter agony and defeat I saw in that animal mother's face was beyond bearing ...
I sometimes still awake at night, thinking I hear that agonised scratching sound on the wood of the kennel floor again.

A candle has been lit in remembrance of  fellow creatures on this earth, and for all who help them.
Much suffering is experienced by animals in puppy mills.
In the spirit of Lumiere is there anything you can do to help?

In the book of Genesis humanity was given the ultimate privilege of stewardship over all creatures.
The stewardship of God is one of affection, kindness and mercy.
The stewardship of humanity in its noblest form reflects these values.
Are you called to be a voice for the vulnerable animal?
Let us protect those weaker than ourselves.

What can be done to help the innocent animals of our world?
Why not consider becoming a veterinarian?
Possibly you might feel the call to rescue and assist animals being subjected to cruelty.
Why not adopt a dog from your local Rescue Society?
Another option is to volunteer time at your local animal shelter.
If there is no local animal shelter in an underprivileged area of great need, why not consider starting one?

Why not donate to a group helping the unfortunate animals?
http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/puppy_mills/
In this site is the pledge to stop puppy mills. Why not sign?

Another site which assists animals;
http://www.donatetodogs.org/

Site about Puppy Mills;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWVkV6mZ3rw

You can make a difference.

Are you called to be a Voice for the Refugee? World Refugee Day

The refugee who had tried to escape to a new life had his wrists cut off.
He was trying to eat grapes with the stumps which had been bandaged.
His crime? He had tried to leave a strife-torn zone to search for work so that he could support his ailing mother and his brothers.
His peaceful father had died during atrocity.
He was all of nineteen years old.
The Charity worker who told me this story years ago while we were on field trip together was overcome by grief.
It broke my heart.

Many many years later I still remember the quiet agony of that brave young man.
Let us urgently link hands together as global community to stop war; stop hatred; stop mutilition; stop atrocity; stop strife; stop killing; heal the effects left on the bodies and souls of so many of our global brothers and sisters.

Tomorrow is World Refugee Day.
In the spirit of Lumiere, is there anything you can do to help a refugee?
Donate to a reputable cause, if you have a coffee money to spare?
Knit a blanket for a refugee camp?
Donate time as a doctor, nurse, health professional to a refugee camp?
Fly needed supplies, food and medical equipment to a refugee area?
Help protect people being mutilated and murdered as peacekeeper?
If you are bedbound and have limited funds, pray for refugees and for those working to help them, that Providence may bless our efforts and keep us safe?
If you are a priest/minister/pastor assist in spiritual ministry to refugees?
If you are a translator, assist refugees with documents?
If you are a teacher, give classes to refugees for free?
If you are a psychologist/psychiatrist/counsellor, give service free of charge to refugees?

UNHCR is helping people forced to flee.
They provide emergency kits.
They offer facilities to donate, or create your own fundraising page to help those so desperately in need.

Stop and look at your life.
You are a powerful human being.
As a Power of One, you can make a difference.
When I started out with Lumiere, I had been recently learning to walk, write and speak properly again after a car accident and illness which had affected my movement and limbs.
I had been almost bedbound for three months.
During those three months when I lay most of the time in agony, and moving at times with difficulty, I had a long time to think and ponder on life.
And I made the pledge that if I was granted the gift to walk again, I would begin a Charity as I had felt inspired for years to do.

In the beginning things moved slowly. Today 93 countries follow our Lumiere Charity blogs, children rescued from the streets are post graduate and living full and happy lives.
Libraries have been established, orphanages started.
Our first student has just graduated from Lumiere English Academy.
Professors, teachers, people from all walks of life have donated their expertise, intellectual property and gifts and time to help uncountable people in their difficulties.
This has shown me that nothing is impossible.

Voices are urgently needed to be the voice of the poor and the refugee.
Are you called to be one of them?

http://unhcr.org/1family/

Lumiere Charity remembers Kampung Datuk in Sarawak

Lumiere Charity remembers those who have suffered in the recent fire in Kampung Datuk, Sarawak.

Our thoughts and prayers are with them all.

A candle has been lit as remembrance for those left homeless and traumatised.

Lumiere Charity was apprised by Malaysian Daily News on Twitter of 600 people left homeless after a fire in one of Sarawak's oldest Malay villages. The people have been left destitute with only the clothing on their backs after a fire razed more than 100 houses in Kampung Datuk.

In the spirit of Lumiere, is there anything you can do?

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2013/6/19/nation/20130619231948&sec=nation

Shelter for Children in Difficult Circumstances

Vulnerability of the small child
In my years in Charity work, I have seen how vulnerable the small child in difficult circumstances is.
Many sad stories abound of the vulnerability of children.
A paralysed child's legs being gnawed by rats where he was abandoned to die.
A little boy and his toddler sister living barefoot, hungry and alone in the bushes - both parents having died.
Parents having died tragically from Aids, leaving little bewildered orphans wandering in the streets.
A baby found left in a hole in a mud track.
Infants being rescued from dirtbins and trash heaps, rescued from hungry dogs.
Infants rescued from anthills or fields, rescued from ant bites.
A young girl murdered after assault, her hands cut off, her body burned.
Infants, toddlers, small children decapitated.
Children forced into service as child soldiers.
Young girl child soldiers bearing babies without maternity services.
Children with limbs blown off by bombs.
Children who witnessed their parents being assaulted, killed in front of them.
Children wandering roads after bombings, shootings, ransackings of towns. No-one left for them.
Children with cholera; children dying.
Children with eyes of no hope.
Children with no future.

What can we do?
Perhaps Divine Providence has led you to read these words; there is surely something we can do.
If each one of us takes on the cause of at least one child in difficult circumstances, and assists that child to receive shelter, care, medication, medical attention, counselling, education - then together we of the global village can help many.
One person alone cannot heal all the ills and difficulties of the world; together, holding hands, we can certainly make a difference.

Caring readers
Since beginning this blog, Lumiere has heard of many readers who have started libraries in slums and squatter camps, assisted with the rescue and education of children.
Readers have given provisions and medical supplies to groups assisting those in need.
Food and clothing have been given to those in need.
People have assisted others with support, understanding, kind words.
Bricks have been donated. Houses for the disadvantaged have been built, and orphanages established.
Water wells have been sunk.
Agricultural projects have been begun.
Disadvantaged adults have had their education sponsored.
Medical assistance has been made available.
Teachers have taught disadvantaged students with no charge.
There are many more stories; and may blessings be yours for your kind heartedness.

Tips on how to start a Project to help Children in Difficult Circumstances
Sometimes it is difficult to visualise what to do for children in difficult circumstances.
When planning a Project Outline for the Charity, I find the following points helpful:

1. Name the Project
2. Define the Project;
e.g. Project for Girls in Difficult Circumstances or
Project for Boys in Difficult Circumstances or
Projects for Ophans
Project for Aids Orphans or
Project for Infants dying from Aids or
Project for rescue of Child Soldiers or
Project for Girls' Shelter or
Project for Girls/Women needing support during and after pregnancy or
Project for Domestic Violence; Women's and Children's Shelter or
Project for Children needing cleft palate surgery or
Project for Children needing orthopaedic surgery or
Project for Children needing education
3. Geographical Location of the Project;
(Address where the Project is located)
4. Define the categories of children you wish to help;
e.g. There are children of different categories from
- Stations
- Streets
- Runaways
- Pavements
- Slums
- War areas
In other words, define the need of the disadvantaged children you wish to help
4. Define the age group;
which the Project is being planned to assist
5. Give a profile of the children your project wishes to assist;
e.g. The children come from different backgrounds and realities, and their circumstances are disadvantaged.
Special facilities will need to be in place in order to give competent assistance to the children.
6. Define what your Project is being planned to do;
e.g. The Aim of the Project is to provide the children with the basic necessities of life;
- Good Nourishment
- Education
- Clothing
- Shelter
- Recreation
- Health Care
- Safety
- Counselling
- Search for family members and reuniting of families if indicated
- Assistance of disadvantaged families if indicated
7. Delineate the educational resources available for the Project;
e.g. The children will be able to attend the local school.
They will be encouraged and assisted with their studies, homework, and communication and language skills.
Children will be assisted to learn arts, crafts and sports if they show aptitude and interest for same.
Development in the following is envisaged;
- Recreation
- Life Coping Skills
- Updating and preparation of the children for the future.
It is extremely important to note that after a child has been assisted through a Project and has received e.g. an education, that post graduation assistance be given to the child to help him or her get a job, decent housing in safe circumstances.
Sometimes the post graduation child, now a young adult, gets married.
At these time, perhaps those of us who have helped the child through the Project years are the only family the child may have known.
Assistance with negotiating through concrete cultural needs such as a dowry, advice in setting up a new home for the married couple,  how to get a birth certificate, how to plan a wedding and so on may be required by the young adult.
8. Define your outreach to possible Benefactors/ Supporters for your Project;
e.g. We would be glad if you could support us in this our endeavour to help these children receive the care they so desperately need, and in order for the children to become independent, happy, and integrated into society.
9. Plan your Constitution for the Project;
What will the guiding plan for your Project be.
10. Plan your finances:
How will you finance your venture?
Check with your local Revenue regarding rules re same.
Check with your local Lawyer regarding rules guiding your Project.
Check you have Garda/ Police clearance to work with a Project for Children.
Keep records of any finances regarding the Project in accordance with your Revenue requirements
11. Who will your volunteers be?
If you have volunteers for the Project, check they have Garda/ Police clearance to work with a Project for Children.
Note there are rules a charitable venture has to follow when volunteers give their time to assist those in need.
Apprise yourself of the same.

The above are some guidelines I find helpful in drawing up Projects.
They are not meant to be a full list to guide a new charitable venture.
However, they may prove helpful to browse if you feel in your heart you wish to help children in disadvantaged circumstances.

Let us light up our world
Our one little candle of our personal life cannot light up the world.
However, if we pass the flame of our devotion and assistance on to others' candles, maybe we can light up our world with care, respect for children and others, and a better future for all.

Blessings be yours.

Lumiere English Academy; How to use Verbs and their Tenses Correctly (8) - The Perfect Continuous Tense

Lumiere English academy

A Basic Grammar

PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE

I have been loving

You use this when you indicate that the situation is still continuing.

An example of this is: "I have been saving for years but I still can't afford to go on a trip overseas."

Using the perfect: "have been" in conjunction with the present participle "loving" gives you the present continuous tense.

1. I (struggle) ................... to pay off my accounts for the past two years

(have been struggling)

2. We (pray) .............. for your recovery ever since we heard of your illness 

(have been praying)

3. Ever since her wedding her husband's brother (annoy) ................. her 

(has been annoying)

4. From the first day he started school that boy (do) ................ his level best

(has been doing)

5. They (struggle) ................ to survive because of the husband's retrenchment

(have been struggling)

6. They (work) .......... hard on their radical change of management style

(have been working)

7. Whereas the older son (work) ............. for years, the younger is very lazy

(has been working)

8. Because she (run) ................. several shops,she has been making money

(has been running)

9. Jack (date) ............ Penny for years, yet he does not want to marry her

(has been dating)

10. Though Jane (spend) ................. a fortune on clothes, she still looks untidy 

(has been spending)

11. Mary (save) ................ for a car for two years now (has been saving)

12. I (try) ......................... to reach you on the phone all afternoon (have been trying)

13. Joe and Pete (battle) ..................... all day to get the car started (have been battling)

14. The indigent woman (wait) ........................ for a pension (has been waiting)

15. For the past three months she (bake) ....................... biscuits to raise school funds

(has been baking)

16. Isaac (fish) ................ for hours but has caught nothing (has been fishing)

17. The students know their teacher (plan) ...................... a surprise for them all

(has been planning)

18. Ever since he wrote maths, he (await) ..................... his results (has been awaiting)

19. You (irritate) ............................ the life out of me with your constant demands

(have been irritating)

20. Now the news is out, Jake (competing) .................. for the award 

(has been competing)

21. She (sing) .................... professionally ever since completing her training 

(has been singing)

22. The car she (drive) ....................... for fifteen years is now failing (has been driving)

23. Anne (strive) ...................... to come first in class to please her parents 

(has been striving)

24. Bella (hope) ................... to speak to explain her mistake

(has been hoping)

Dr Luky Whittle

Lumiere English Academy; How to use Verbs and their Tenses Correctly (7) - The Future Perfect Tense

Lumiere English academy

A Basic Grammar

THE FUTURE PERFECT TENSE

I shall have loved

You're not going to use that in normal speech very often, unless you say: "Next month I shall have been at university for three years."

And, of course, the week before your silver wedding anniversary you'll be able to say to your spouse: "I shall have served you faithfully as your spouse for twenty-five years next week."

Combining the future "shall/will" with the present of "have" and the past participle of love gives you the future perfect tense.
We use;
I shall
We shall
The word we use with you singular and plural is will
They will
He, she and it will
It is also permitted to use 'will' with I and we

EXERCISE

1. By this time next year I (pay) .................. off my car (shall have paid off)

2. When Mother comes home from town, Dad (to have/cook) ............ the meal 
(will have cooked)

3. By the time you read this, I (leave) .............. for Cape Town (shall have left)

4. In two hours from now, the bank (close) .................. (will have closed)

5. They (forget)  ....................... all about us after so many years (will have forgotten)

6. Unless the doctor comes soon, the patient (worsen) ....... by the time he does arrive 
(will have worsened)

7. You (finish) ................ reading the book by Monday (will have finished)

8. In an hour from now the church service (start)  ................. (will have started)

9. ..... she (begin) ..................... reading that book yet, do you think? 

(Will she have begun)

10.The nurse (take)  ...................... his temperature by now, surely? (will have taken)

11. At our silver wedding our children (grow) ..................... up (will have grown)

12. If I come back tomorrow, (finish) .......... you .............. mending my shoes? 

(will you have finished)

13. (receive) .................... he ............... my letter by now? (Will he have received)

14. If he releases the pigeons in Virginia they (return) .......... to Kroonstad half an hour before he does

 (will have returned)

15. Do you think the potatoes I left in the garage (rot) .............. by now (will have rotted)

16. By now they (forgot) ........ long .................. about their silly quarrel

(will have long forgotten)

17. By next Tuesday, all the potatoes (eat) ................... (will have been eaten)

18. In a year's time from now they (forget) ............. they ever met us (will have forgotten)

19. In another five years time, half the new paint (blister) .............. off

(will have blistered off)

20. Tomorrow this time the newlyweds (arrive) .................. at their destination

(will have arrived)

21. Eric (pass) ................... Bloemfontein on his way to Port Elizabeth by now

(will have passed)

22. By the end of the year his work (complete)..................... (will have been completed)

23. In another five years' time I hope I (finish) ................. my tertiary studies 

(shalll have finished)

Dr Luky Whittle

Lumiere English Academy; How to use Verbs and their Tenses Correctly (6) - The Past Perfect Tense

Lumiere English academy

A Basic Grammar

THE PAST PERFECT TENSE

I had loved

The past tense of both the auxiliary (help) verb and the verb describing the action is given when someone is speaking, thinking or writing in the past tense and is describing a situation that happened even earlier. 

Examples are: He said that he had bought the souvenirs while on holiday, she said that she had paid off her account. 

NB: If you say or write: He said that he has (instead of had) bought the souvenirs, you immediately betray the fact that English is not your mother tongue.
When the auxiliary verb is 'to have', and the main verb is also 'to have', you can use one 'had' as in number 12.
But if you use 'have' in 'have to' (used in the sense of meaning 'must'), then you will use 'had had to'.
Example of this is; She said that she had had to put in petrol.

EXERCISE

1          Mother remembered that she (leave) …… the iron on at home (had left)

2          Father was pleased to discover that he (win) …......  a lotto prize (had won)

3         The babysitter told the parents that the infant (sleep) ……… all evening (had slept)

4          When Joe failed, he regretted the fact that he (be) …… so lazy (had been)

5          The bridegroom gave the bride a ring he (buy) ………… her (had bought)

6          Flushed with anger, the man held the thief who (rob) ………him (had robbed)

7          Smiling cheerfully, Joan gave me the book she (buy) ………me (had bought)

8          The passenger first ate food four days after the ship (leave) ……Port (had left)

9          There was a mess in the room she (tidy)…… already…… (had already tidied)

10      The doctor was thanked by the patient he (treat) …… for bronchitis (had treated)

11      The people were insulted by those they (help)…… in great need (had helped)

12      The war killed many soldiers who still (have) ……… youth on their side (had)

13      Not enough that she (buy)…… them a house, she cleaned it too (had bought)

14      She never slept because the baby (be)  ………… crying all night (had been)

15      She took his part because she knew what he (be) ……… through (had been)

16      They cheered at their victory because they (lose) ……… many games (had lost)

17      He complained that he (fill) …………… in the forms incorrectly (had filled)

18      The traffic officer found that the driver (be) …… drinking heavily (had been)

19      Jealousy was rife when they found out that he (inherit) ……… the money (had inherited)

20      Jack said that Jill (fall)……… down and (break) ………… her crown (had fallen down and broken her crown)

21      Jill said that Jack (have/push) ………… her (had pushed)

22      Peter said that he (make) ……… up his quarrel with Mary (had made)

23      Sean told us that previously he (make) …… very little money (had made)

Dr Luky Whittle

Blog post created by Tuhin Bagi

Breaking News; We stand for Life

Protesters against abortion being introduced into Ireland thronged the streets of Dublin today

Pledges continue to be signed at Rally today

Choose Life

Breaking News; Protesters at Vigil for Life in Dublin

Protesters thronged the streets and choked traffic.

People came from every corner of Ireland in support of the right to life of the unborn child.

Breaking News; Dynamic Vigil for Life - Vox Populi speaks on behalf of the Unborn Child

Protestors - Women and Babies deserve better

Massive protest in the heart of Dublin
Today in Dublin Ireland, Protesters at a massive Rally for Life stretched as far as the eye could see in Merrion Square as the people of Ireland came together in support of the Unborn Child. 
The message was clear; Abortion is not wanted in Ireland.

The front of the crowd seen from the podium

Speakers greeted with deafening cheers
Speakers against abortion being introduced into Ireland were greeted with deafening cheers, a roar of strength on behalf of the unborn child.
Protesters chanted, 'Kill the bill, not the child.'
The heat of the Dublin summer shimmered, and personnel in tents dispensed water to children and adults as the protesters braved the threat of dehydration in order to make their protest known.
Crowds turned out in numbers on buses, transport and by foot to add their voice in support for the unborn child's right to life in Ireland.

Greeted with deafening cheers

Overcome by horror
Yvonne Hartnett stood bearing a poster of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mother of the Preborn.
Information pamphlets were given to protesters and interested passersby, apprising 100,000 Pro-Life Pledges have been gathered. 
Within the crowd many people who had travelled at personal cost and time from all corners of Ireland listened to the speakers.
Some sobbed as they were overcome by their horror of the thought that abortion - the killing of defenceless children within the womb - was even being considered in Ireland.

Our Lady of Guadalupe - Mother of the Preborn

Yvonne Hartnett and Our Lady of Guadalupe poster

Almost fainting
Some who had travelled long distances and braved the heat were almost fainting in the raised temperature.
Some sat, needing assistance and water. But once they felt a little better, they continued their protest.
Today was a powerful and moving testimony to the strength of the Irish spirit, and the deep reverence for life of the unborn child.

Braving the heat, voting Pro-Life

Protest continues to gain momentum
The numbers today were breathtaking. The protest, which Lumiere began to follow in Belfast, which moved to Castlebar and then to Dublin, continues to gain momentum and in numbers.
A massive All-Ireland Rally for Life will be the next protest on Saturday July 6th 2013 at Parnell Square, Dublin 1.
Traffic was affected and streets were blocked off in Dublin today due to the protest.
This is one issue that is just not going away, but gathering momentum.
People continue to picket outside TD offices, phone in to TD's, write letters, sign petitions in increasing numbers and with increasing determination.

Vox Populi

Message is clear
The message is clear;
The life of the unborn child in Ireland is held sacred.

Small portion of massive crowd