Hope for Humanity
Sermon | September 25, 2022 | Lisa Jebsen
Do you doomscroll? That’s where you spend a lot of screen time reading about negative news. It’s pretty easy to do, especially on social media. Especially in the middle of an election cycle. Plus if you’re like me, it’s all too easy for the doomscroll to suck you into a doom spiral. Even if you manage to stay away from social media – it’s all too easy to be bombarded with headlines and news flashes – almost all of which are catastrophic. The doom spiral, the bombarding, is real and it is powerful.
If you are prone to doomscrolling, may I suggest balancing it with a healthy dose of hopescrolling? If you do, you’ll find stories like the ones I’m about to share…
Quick note, like a good scroller, we aren’t going to linger long on any of this news – if you want to learn more or go any deeper with any of these items, links will be included with the text of this sermon when it’s posted on uumidland.org.
You may remember that last month we started off in Germany to learn about a scientific breakthrough offering hope for diagnosing dementia. As luck would have it, we are heading there again to kick things off because a regional rail service there has switched to 100% hydrogen power – a first for green train transport. (Try saying that 3 times fast!) 14 trains like this one will be used along 100km of track in the Hamburg area. This switch to a “zero emission” option prevents the release of over 4400 tons of CO2 each year. In Germany alone, up to 3000 trains could ultimately be replaced. Other long term benefits include the reduction of human exposure to diesel exhaust, as well as the creation of jobs. Rail companies in other parts of Europe and the US are looking to convert to this type of train as well. Choo choo!
Some wonderful medical news arrives with a major discovery that could lead to treatments for the most aggressive forms of skin cancer. Scientists at Stanford have found a way to inhibit a key growth enzyme in melanoma. Alright bear with my pronunciations here… Glutaryl-CoA Dehydrogenase, (GCDH for short) is the enzyme and when it was inhibited during this study, tumors couldn’t survive long term. In essence, the scientists think they can starve melanoma cells.
One of those scientists, Dr. Sachin Verma said, “GCDH deprivation is now being theorized as a potential treatment, both through targeting pharmaceuticals in the case of a GCDH-inhibitor, or as a dietary intervention.” Here’s hoping that they are right and melanoma patients can take advantage of such treatments soon.
A recent flight from Dallas to Phoenix had an all black female crew to honor the 100th anniversary of Bessie Coleman earning her pilot’s license. For those of you who are not aware of who that is (even if you are) here’s a quick summary from the National Women’s History Museum:
Bessie Coleman soared across the sky as the first African American, and the first Native American, woman pilot. Known for performing flying tricks, Coleman’s nicknames were “Brave Bessie” and “Queen Bess”. Her goal was to encourage women and African Americans to reach their dreams. Unfortunately, her career ended with a tragic plane crash, but her life continues to inspire people around the world.
It’s important to also note that in order to pursue her dreams, Bessie Coleman had to learn French and travel to Paris to earn her pilot’s license because of racist, sexist practices in the US.
American Airlines worked with the Coleman family to make this flight happen. The significance of the Dallas departure is the proximity to Coleman’s hometown while the Phoenix destination was a tribute to the fact that she flew in an airshow there.
Despite Bessie Coleman’s many achievements, black women still represent less than 1 percent of pilots in the aviation industry. Captain Beth Powell said she was “beyond thrilled to be part of the crew where we are inspiring young girls, young girls of color, to see the various roles that these women play in every aspect to make this flight possible.” Coleman’s great-niece, Gigi Coleman, was a passenger on the flight, and said she was “grateful” to have the opportunity to “highlight my great-aunt’s accomplishments in the field of aviation.”
Meanwhile back on the ground in New York, Uber driver Fritz Sam pulled over while driving a passenger to LaGuardia so he could run into a burning building and rescue two people! Shortly after this huge act of heroism, firefighters arrived and Fritz resumed the ride and still managed to get his passenger to the airport in time to catch their flight! I really hope that the CEO of Uber gave Fritz a giant bonus and that his passenger gave him a 5 star rating! All I know is that if I need a ride in NYC, I’m requesting Fritz!
Food Forward is a nonprofit based in LA that has saved over 250 million pounds of produce from landfills since 2009. Thanks to their efforts, over a billion servings of fresh fruits and veggies have been delivered to food insecure communities in California, plus 6 other states and two tribal nations!
According to an article on Good News Network, “Their operation is so tight that every $1 donated allows them to redirect 10 pounds of produce … to communities that rarely get to buy a bright red tomato or a crisp head of romaine.”
It should also be noted that their efforts have a positive environmental impact: by keeping produce waste out of landfills, there is a reduction of methane gas emissions from their decomposition.
East of LA, the kids in Whiteriver, AZ in the Fort Apache Indian Reservation have benefited from the tireless fundraising work of the newest member of their community: Douglas Miles, Jr. He’s a fellow skater who realized that they were making do with the foundations of an abandoned project for a skatepark.
Using experience from getting a park built in his former community, Miles Jr. set up a GoFundMe to raise $3,000. That goal was met. By more than $50,000! This helped get the attention of the Skatepark Project, a non-profit founded by world famous skater Tony Hawk that helps builds skateparks. Their Executive Director, Benjamin Bashein said, “The community is really behind this Whiteriver project, and there’s just so much enthusiasm from local leaders, and we’re excited to make this happen with them as soon as possible. We hope they will be scaling it by this time next year.”
In the meantime, Douglas Miles Jr. is helping with the plans for that large, professional park, organizing skating workshops, and using the $53,000 to improve the existing DIY park and even add a few more around the community.
Another individual making a difference is James Humphries at the 2Life senior community in Brighton, Massachusetts. As he got to know the residents in his role of front desk ambassador, he noticed that many of them had old, ill fitting shoes which posed a real trip and fall hazard. This was especially the case with a vision impaired resident there. James found out his size and brought him a pair of new tennis shoes that fit properly. When a colleague heard about this, she got James in contact with people at New Balance that led to the donation of 20 pairs of new shoes for residents who needed them most. In a quote from that online article James was happy to have made a difference, saying, “We have all been in a place where we need someone to reach their hand out and say, ‘I got you.’ I want to be that person for others whenever possible.”
In Norristown, PA, Jacob McFarland is a young man with autism who always took pride in making his dad’s morning cup of coffee. His reputation for making the perfect cup earned him the nickname, Barista Jake. For people like Jake, who thrive on routine, the cancellation of classes during the spring of 2020 was a big challenge. His parents helped him create a new routine by setting up a coffee cart outside their record store with curbside service. Jake thrived and so did this small business – it was such a hit that the family turned it into a cafe inside the store called The Coffee Closet. Since 2020, it’s raised $27,000 for local charities and employs several other young people with disabilities, providing a safe place for these folks to have a sense of purpose while learning vocational skills.
In some happy environmental news, here are 7 images of greening projects from urban areas around the UK…. Like Crofton Park railway garden that is “a green pocket in the middle of the asphalt jungle” of southeast London… And a mini roundabout that was once just sprayed with weedkiller is now filled with “low-growing, insect-friendly flowers, to ensure visibility for drivers … providing “the only food small blue butterfly caterpillars eat”… Then there are community gardens in Oxford and Yorkshire. Volunteers in Oxford converted two unused tennis courts into a “garden that is now full of fruit, herbs and vegetables, including rare, ancient apple varieties” plus an on site cafe sells produce to raise funds for a local food bank. The community gardens in Yorkshire, provide figs, tomatoes (tomahtoes?), apricots, rhubarb, edible flowers among other fresh items for locals…. In Northumberland, the Hexham Space 4 Nature has made the town more wildlife friendly by planting pollinator-friendly seeds in areas, converting strips of land into wildflower areas that attract redwing birds, installing swift bird nesting boxes and encouraging locals to clear weeds by hand instead of using toxic weed killers. Community gardens in Scotland to help everyone have access to healthy food and a wildflower alley in Belfast has beautified a neighborhood once divided into Catholic and Protestant sides.. Here’s an area of the community that was full of vandalism and fly-tipping (trash dumping) that neighbors have converted to a colorful oasis full of plants to help unite a community From the article on positive news.com website… “The council wasn’t much help, mind. “Ask for forgiveness rather than permission,” advises project co-founder Bríd Ruddy.
This section is titled “Kids These Days” – it’s especially for anyone who tends to disparage youth…
This is 4-year-old Monty in Tasmania who was presented with a certificate in honor of his bravery when he saved his mom’s life after she had a seizure. In case of emergency, she had taught him how to unlock her phone and call 000 (remember that instead of 911 if you’re traveling there). While on this call, he also thought to tell them that their family dog might bark but is friendly..
Back in the US an Indiana football team worked together to repair a bridge that was damaged during flooding there. A freshman on the team asked for help because this was the bridge that connected his grandparents’ drive to the road. Coach Ryan Jessop organized the team and in about 3 hours the repairs were complete.
Coach Jessop took pride in the team while making sure to acknowledge other volunteer efforts around the town that had been so affected by flooding and adding, “The amount of time and energy we put in today is nothing compared to the first responders and fire department.”
The last of our hoepscrolling today is the best because of cute animals.
This is the Mac Tabby Cat Café in Charlotte, North Carolina and it opened at the end of 2017. It’s a coffee shop and feline foster home where customers can spend up to an hour playing with and petting the cats. This has helped connect many of the stray cats with forever homes. In fact, the cafe recently celebrated its 1,000th adoption, with Leo Wyatt, a 5-month-old black and white kitten. Owner Lori Konawalik told the Charlotte Observer. “We are a small part of the greater good and are thankful to be able to spread goodness into the world in the very best way, one cat a time. One thousand … and counting.”
And finally… Puffins!
50 years of conservation efforts for the puffin population in Maine has created a stable colony of thousands of breeding birds thanks to efforts of Audubon Society groups like Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge.
Hunting of these birds had decimated the population. In 1902 there were only 2 birds left. Despite that, according to their report, the birds have been brought back from the brink and there now are large numbers of breeding pairs and fledgling chicks in the group of small islands off the Maine coast.
Thank you for listening to these stories. They are out there and I will bring you more in the weeks and months ahead. In the meantime friends, in a world full of doomscrollers, be the one who dares to hopescroll.
RESOURCES
- World’s First 100% Hydrogen-Powered Trains Now Running Regional Service in Germany to Replace Diesel
- Scientists Discover How to Starve Melanoma of its Key Growth Enzyme in New Breakthrough
- This Group Has Rerouted 250 Million Pounds of Food From Landfills to Feed People in Need
- How Tony Hawk Joined an Apache Pro Skater to Bring New Skate Park to Reservation
- Bessie Coleman Celebration, New Shoes, Cat Cafe & a Heroic Uber Driver: The week’s good news: August 25, 2022
- Four-Year-Old’s Ambulance Call Saves Mom’s Life
- Youth Football Team Rebuilds Broken Bridge After Flooding
- Seven greening projects in unlikely urban spaces – Positive News
- Audubon Society Enjoys Huge “Tern-Around” in the Puffin and Tern Populations of Maine