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I have spent the last week pondering what my next topic for an article would be. I never try to force it from my brain, it just shows up. We all have been extremely moved by his trip to India this January. How can you not be impressed by his desire to help the sick? It’s not something that most people his age set as a priority. He goes to the extreme this time by flying half way around the earth to acknowledge Rising Star Outreach, a charity he supports.
The whole experience reminded me of the term “ripple effect”. When you drop a stone into a lake you see the water ripple in concentric circles, outward. Like the stone, David has made ripples that expanded. Spreading much more help to those in the leprosy colony than he will ever know.
Drop a Pebble in the Water
Drop a pebble in the water:
just a splash, and it is gone;
But there’s half-a-hundred ripples
Circling on and on and on,
Spreading, spreading from the center,
flowing on out to the sea.
And there is no way of telling
where the end is going to be.Drop a word of cheer and kindness:
just a flash and it is gone;
But there’s half-a-hundred ripples
circling on and on and on,
Bearing hope and joy and comfort
on each splashing, dashing wave
Till you wouldn’t believe the volume
of the one kind word you gave.James W. Foley
This journey began when Dr. Scott McGavin told David about Rising Star Outreach back in fall of 2008. During his solo tour David mentioned RSO in a blog in March 2009. The fans responded overwhelmingly to the cause. Dr. McGavin gave his thanks in June before leaving on a trip to help children with dental needs in India.
As you can hear from the video, they received so much money that they put it to use with more projects. Can you see the ripples? Over the last several months, David gave his time to signing items to auction for the RSO. Some fans formed a group called Hearts and Hands. They created a patchwork quilt and pillow with pictures of David mixed in with some of his quotes.
From Hearts and Hands facebook page
More recently he got the chance to travel to India to perform at a benefit where the children did interpretive dance to Somebody Out There as David sang on stage. David also spent time visiting the leprosy colony with a medical team. He volunteered along side doctors cleaning wounds-a profound and life changing experience. Stacey Tookey, a choreographer along on the trip to India said, “What an amazing experience. Went there to teach the kids and instead they taught me so much.” She may have caught another ripple?
Collage by Djafan
While David was giving his time in India to the sick, back home the fan sites were donating money for bricks for the Pathway of Hope. “The Pathway of Hope winds between two very important buildings on the property of Rising Star Outreach. One ends starts with a plaque that gives thanks to all volunteers, supporters and those who have given in memoriam. The other end has a plaque that reads Pathway of Hope, Lovingly donated by fans of David Archuleta, Angels for a Cause. This plaque gives thanks to all fans of David Archuleta, fans from all over the world who worked for months to bring this project together. What started out as a small brick area, with a lovely bench has turned into a real piece of art!”
The best thing about this ripple effect of charity has been the coming together of people who share his desire to be of service to others. We have read here, on this site, about those who are collecting loose change at work and around the house for Rising Star Outreach. Every time you hold out the RSO jar and ask for change, you increase awareness of leprosy and the devastation is has wrought on these families. Another ripple moves outward, ever expanding the help that is so needed.
We have so much, I am so proud to know that we share so freely.
Update on donations from The Voice group on AFAC since January 28, 2011
Total for bricks $1,000.00 (20 bricks)
Total accrued for bricks that need inscription $165.00 (3.3 bricks)
For child sponsor $360.00 for year
Total dollars $1,525.00
Thank you all so much!
The Voice David Archuleta 