Quote of the Day: “Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you help them to become what they are capable of being.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Photo: by Howard Ignatius, CC license via Flickr
With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?
From a close-up toothy croc encounter to bird attacking a ball of fish under the ocean, some of the best underwater pictures in the world have been revealed in this photography competition.
More than 4,000 pictures were entered for the Underwater Photography contest across 17 categories.
“Winning here, or even just being placed, is [our] most coveted accolade because it says you succeeded in the most competitive environment there is, against the top talent of the moment,” said website owner and competition organizer Tal Mor.
“The panel of judges is comprised of industry professionals. They are unpaid, non-affiliated, and, of course, cannot enter themselves.
“Many other internationally acclaimed photographers have launched their photo careers here over the years … and we are so proud to be having a constant flow of new talent coming in. Our goal is – and always has been – to promote young talent and give them a stage to show off their photos and launch a career as underwater photographers.
“One of our medals is the reward for all the hard work they have put in chasing those great shots in far-flung destinations.”
59-year-old Leena Roy scooped a gold medal in the “Wide-Angle Divers” category with her shot of a diver swimming through a cluster of silverfish in the Cayman Islands.
Reprinted from the University of Waterloo
This exciting new radar system can wirelessly monitor the vital signs of patients, eliminating the need to hook them up to any machines.
Housed in a device smaller than a cellphone, the new technology records heart and breathing rates using sensitive radar waves that are analyzed by sophisticated algorithms embedded in an onboard digital signal processing unit.
Researchers from the University of Waterloo developed the system to monitor sleep apnea patients by detecting subtle chest movements instead of connecting them to equipment in labs via numerous cumbersome wires.
“We take the whole complex process and make it completely wireless,” said George Shaker, an engineering professor at Waterloo. “And instead of a clinic, it could be done in the comfort of your own bed and run daily for continuous monitoring.”
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In a study at the Research Institute for Aging, a unique facility affiliated with the university, the radar unit was mounted to the ceiling over the bed of more than 50 volunteers as they slept normally in a model long-term care apartment.
The system, which collects and analyzes data from radar waves that are reflected back to the unit from the bodies of patients, achieved results over 90 per cent as accurate as standard hard-wired equipment.
“This is the first time radar has been used for heart sensing with this degree of accuracy and in such an uncontrolled environment,” said Mostafa Alizadeh, a research associate who led the study. “Our subjects slept unobstructed, in any position, for up to eight hours.”
LOOK: Bedside Bioprinter May Soon Use Burn Patients’ Cells to Print Out New Skin Directly on Wounds
Researchers are also exploring use of the technology to monitor activity levels and falls by residents of long-term care homes, and in hospitals for routine monitoring of heart and breathing rates of all kinds of patients.
Advantages of the system for apnea monitoring include complete privacy since no cameras are used, much improved comfort and potential use in homes rather than special sleep clinics.
“With traditional systems involving wires and appointments booked weeks in advance, you can’t sleep as you normally do in your own bed at home, making the common sleep study an unpleasant experience,” said Shaker, a cross-appointed professor of electrical and computer engineering, and mechanical and mechatronics engineering.
CHECK OUT: Success of Advanced-Stage Parkinson’s Treatment is ‘Beyond Researcher’s Wildest Dreams’
In addition to sleep apnea, which involves breathing that repeatedly stops and starts, the system can monitor conditions such as periodic limb movement disorder, restless leg syndrome and seizures.
A paper on their work, “Remote monitoring of human vital signs using mm-wave FMCW radar,” appears in the journal IEEE Access.
Save Your Friends From Negativity By Sharing The Good News To Social Media – Feature photo by DiverDave, CC
An anonymous act of kindness has sparked a ripple effect of good deeds across Missouri after a woman bought a $17 book from Target last week.
27-year-old Ashley Jost was shopping at the department store in Columbia when she remembered that she had committed to doing a reading challenge with her friends.
The challenge consisted of reading 10 pages of a book every day for 75 days. With this in mind, Jost grabbed a copy of “Girl, Stop Apologizing: A Shame-Free Plan for Embracing and Achieving Your Goals” by Rachel Hollis.
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Upon returning home, Jost sat down on her couch and started reading. Shortly after she sat down, her dog started barking. Jost then threw the book down onto the cushions so she could soothe her pup.
When she returned, she was surprised to find that a $5 bill had appeared on her floor.
Assuming the cash had flown out of the book, Jost began thumbing through the pages in hopes of finding a clue.
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She then found a pink sticky note tucked between the chapters. The note read: “To the person who buys this book: I am having a tough day. I thought maybe I could brighten someone else’s with this little surprise. Go buy a coffee, donut, or a face mask. Practice some self-care today.
“Remember that you are loved. You are amazing. You are strong. Love, Lisa.”
I just finished a chapter of a book I bought at Target in Columbia, Mo., this morning.
— Ashley Jost (@ajost) April 28, 2019
Afterward, I tossed it on the ottoman and $5 fell out onto the floor. Then I found this note. Wow. People are so cool. pic.twitter.com/U5fOCZjNRy
Needless to say, Jost was touched by the note.
“I thought it takes someone really special to divert the energy and attention on a bad day to improving someone else’s,” Jost told BBC. “I know if I was having tough day I’d just want to sit in my pajamas eating ice cream!”
Jost wanted to share the sweet gesture with her friends on social media, so she posted a photo of the note and cash to Twitter. The photo garnered thousands of retweets and likes until it was eventually publicized by various news outlets.
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Jost now says she is being flooded with responses from people who have been inspired to do their own random act of kindness for a stranger. Even her father told her that he was motivated to pay for the groceries of the person standing behind him at the store.
Jost herself committed to paying the good deed forward by spending $5 on good deeds every day for a week. She has since left her own note and gift card inside of a library book; she gave a gift card to her friend going through a hard time; and she paid for the coffee of the person behind her at the Starbuck’s drive-thru.
Jost says that she hopes the news stories and media attention will eventually reach Lisa, the author of the pink note, so that she knows the full impact of her simple act of kindness.
(WATCH the news coverage below) – Photos by Ashley Jost
Pay The Kindness Forward By Sharing This Sweet Story With Your Friends…
In a stunning success story of government efficiency, over one million people were evacuated to safety in anticipation of the brutal summer cyclone that hit the coast of one of India’s poorest states earlier this week.
Cyclone Fani hit the eastern state of Odisha on Friday with winds roaring at over 120 miles per hour. Though tropical storms are generally associated with devastating death tolls, the state’s emergency responders are being praised for the unprecedented speed of their response.
In a matter of days, government officials, volunteers, emergency workers, and media teams were able to evacuate 1.1 million low-income citizens from about 15,000 villages to shelter before the storm. Not only that, the shelters were stocked with food, water, supplies, and resources.
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Despite Odisha being a coastal home to some of the country’s poorest families and citizens, the state’s quick response to the cyclone has reportedly resulted in only three reported casualties thus far.
“Few would have expected this kind of organizational efficiency,” Abhijit Singh, a former naval officer and head of the Maritime Policy Initiative at the Observer Research Foundation, told The New York Times. “It is a major success.”
“The government is usually dysfunctional in cases like this but the whole mobilization was quite impressive,” he added. “Evacuating a million people in three or four days and providing them with not just shelter but also food is a big achievement in such a short time.”
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The Times goes on to say that state authorities have improved their emergency response plans as a result of having suffered far more devastating consequences from shoddy evacuation preparedness in the past; back in 1999, a supercyclone resulted in over 10,000 casualties across India.
Cyclone Fani is one of only three cyclones to have hit Odisha. Though the region must now recover from the damage caused by the storm, their loss of life is being hailed as a noteworthy cause for celebration.
(WATCH the news coverage below)
Save Your Friends From Negativity By Sharing The Good News To Social Media…
In a video that is now going viral, a dedicated mother was surprised with her college degree during a commencement ceremony that was not her own.
Sharonda Wilson was set to graduate from Ferris State University with her degree earlier this week. Unfortunately, her commencement fell on the same day that her son Stephan was graduating from Central Michigan University.
Rather than attend her own ceremony, Sharonda opted to see her son walk across the stage instead.
When CMU president Dr. Robert Davies heard about Sharonda’s act of devotion, however, he contacted her university and asked to confer her degree on behalf of FSU.
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CMU’s social media accounts later posted a video of the moment that Sharonda and Stephan got to share their graduation – and their reactions were priceless.
Stephan, who graduated from his 5-year academic career with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts and theater, told the Detroit Free Press: “Dr. Davies really shocked me.
“When I heard (she) was getting her degree with me I was speechless,” he added. “My mother is truly the strongest and most compassionate woman I know. That moment tops (any) other moment I have ever shared with my mother.”
(WATCH the video below) – Photo by Central Michigan University
To attend her son Stephan’s commencement ceremony, Sharonda Wilson was unable to attend her own from Ferris State University. Learning this, @cmichprez contacted FSU President Eisler and was able to confer her degree on behalf of FSU's president and trustees. #cmichgraduation pic.twitter.com/anCSTHDCdC
— Central Michigan U. (@CMUniversity) May 4, 2019
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Quote of the Day: “Everything comes to us that belongs to us if we create the capacity to receive it.” – Rabindranath Tagore (born 158 years ago today)
Photo: Copyright 2019, GWC
With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?
Despite a tiny high school budget, students did such a realistic job bringing the film ALIEN to life that Hollywood showed up to see it, and Ridley Scott sent money. Hear our Good News Guru tell the fun story on the radio in Los Angeles—during the May 3, 2019 Ellen K. Morning Show on KOST-103.5.
SEE video and the full story on GNN…
Subscribe to our Good News podcast on iTunes, or for Android devices on Podbean.
Also, Check Out Our Little Paperback Book of Good News—Buy on Amazon or White Cloud Press!
Today is MOTH Monday on Good News Network: In partnership with The Moth, a nonprofit dedicated to the art of storytelling, we bring you the most uplifting speakers from live stages across the world.
Whenever Ashok Ramasubamanian is walking down the street, he is always quick to share his money and food with strangers in need – but he was not always so giving.
In fact, Ashok was forced to learn the importance of the Golden Rule after he had two different experiences with a Kit-Kat bar in college.
Listen to his hilarious story below…
The Moth gives people an opportunity to tell a true story in front of a live audience, and sometimes their stories are chosen to air on the radio show, now celebrating its tenth year, and broadcasting on 485+ public radio stations—and on The Moth podcast, which is downloaded over 52 million times a year.
The Moth’s third book, Occasional Magic: True Stories About Defying the Impossible is now available for purchase through your favorite booksellers.
Be Sure And Share This Powerful Story With Your Friends On Social Media…
History buffs and book enthusiasts now have a chance to read 100 ultra-rare children’s books that are over a century old.
The collection of British and American titles, which is now available for free thanks to the Library of Congress, was digitized as a means of celebrating the 100th anniversary of Children’s Book Week.
Back when the first Children’s Book Week was launched in 1919, there were very few American children’s books being released on an annual basis because the printing costs of colored illustrations were more expensive than printing in black and white.
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Thanks to the dedicated efforts of several literary advocates, however, Children’s Book Week has now become an annual celebration of educational literature for youngsters around the world.
That being said, the Library of Congress says that the newly-digitized books are reflective of how literary diversity and modern ideas have evolved over the course of the last century.
Some of the content and characters may be construed as offensive by the readers, but Lee Ann Potter, the director of the learning and innovation office at the Library of Congress, told The New York Times that the library is “celebrating the fact that these books provide us with the opportunity to have conversations about what is appropriate or inappropriate, that they help us understand a different time.”
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The library website goes on to describe the collection by saying: “The books in this collection were published in the United States and England before 1924, are no longer under copyright, and free to read, share, and reuse however you’d like.”
“These selections and related materials are presented as part of the record of the past. They are historical documents which reflect the attitudes, perspectives and beliefs of different times.”
“Highlights of the collection include examples of the work of American illustrators such as W.W. Denslow, Peter Newell, and Howard Pyle, as well as works by renowned English illustrators Randolph Caldecott, Walter Crane, and Kate Greenaway.”
Help Your Friends Read The Good News By Sharing It To Social Media – Photos by the Library of Congress
One man’s compulsion to clean out his closet has resulted in a heartwarming story of patriotic kindness between two strangers.
Upon assessing his necktie collection, retired CIA agent Marc Johnson decided to sell an old red, white, and blue-colored necktie that he had kept specifically for 4th of July celebrations.
The 49-year-old from Ashburn, Virginia put the patriotic necktie up for auction on eBay for just $6.99.
After the auction ended, there was only one person who had bid on the tie: a 41-year-old dad from Ohio named Jacques Campher.
LOOK: Viral Photo Shows Two Kids Stopped in the Road to Pay Respects to Fire Department Flag Being Raised
“So he pays me and I go to ship it and discover a couple of spots on it I didn’t notice before!” Johnson recalled on Twitter. “So I ‘fess up to the winning bidder and tell him I’ll give him a discount if he still wants the tie.
Campher immediately writes back and asks Johnson if it seems the spots might come out with some dry-cleaning. He then goes on to explain that he is eager to get the tie because he plans on wearing it during his swearing-in ceremony as an American citizen.
“I thought about it for a second and just decided to send him the tie gratis and cancel the auction,” writes Johnson. “I sent him a note telling him not to be alarmed that I canceled the auction; I wanted him to have the tie with my congratulations on becoming a citizen.”
WATCH: When a WWII Veteran Couldn’t Walk to His Wife’s Grave, Two Men Carried Him There
Upon reading the message of kindness from states away, Campher became teary-eyed with gratitude.
“I cannot explain how I feel about [it],” he told The Washington Post. “It is a warm feeling.”
Campher, who was raised by his grandparents in South Africa, says that he was finally granted American citizenship five years after marrying his wife in his home country. Though she was able to acquire South African citizenship following their marriage, the couple ended up living in a variety of countries as they waited for Campher to be granted legal status in the US.
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As a means of showing his gratitude for Johnson’s present, Campher sent a picture of himself wearing the American-made necktie at his swearing-in ceremony – and Johnson was equally as touched.
He posted the photo of Campher to Twitter along with the story of its significance. It has since been shared by thousands of people, all of whom are equally as touched by the exchange – and Johnson feels that it is testament to the compassionate attitudes of Americans.
“It’s a thing that reminds us people can be kind to each other, and this is who we are,” Johnson told The Post. “With very few exceptions, everybody in this country is an immigrant in one way or another by ancestry if nothing else.”
UPDATE: I told him he was Twitter famous, and he gave me permission to post this picture of him with his family after the ceremony! ❤️🇺🇸 /FIN/ pic.twitter.com/xY6oMj7Sss
— 🌷🐶 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰 𝗖. 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗻 مارک (@BlogGuero) May 1, 2019
Be Sure And Share This Sweet Story Of Kindness With Your Friends On Social Media…
This exciting new study shows that we may finally have the treatment to stop the HIV/AIDS epidemic for good.
The 8-year study monitored the health and activity of almost 1,000 gay couples across Europe.
Each couple consisted of one HIV-negative person and one HIV-positive person who was on effective treatment for the virus and had minimal amounts of the virus in their bloodstream.
The researchers are now thrilled to report that there were zero cases of infection amongst the couples, regardless of the amount of sexual contact.
The study’s success builds on earlier research that proved the treatment’s efficacy amongst heterosexual couples. This study nows shows that antiretroviral treatments are just as effective in homosexual couples as they are for heterosexuals.
The study, which was conducted by researchers from the University College London and the University of Copenhagen, was published in The Lancet journal earlier this week.
“Our findings provide conclusive evidence for gay men that the risk of HIV transmission with suppressive ART is zero,” said the study’s lead author, Professor Alison Rodger from the UCL Institute for Global Health.
“This message has been endorsed by more than 780 HIV organizations in 96 countries and can help end the HIV pandemic by preventing HIV transmission, and tackling the stigma and discrimination that many people with HIV face,” she added.
“Increased efforts must now focus on wider dissemination of this powerful message and ensuring that all HIV-positive people have access to testing, effective treatment, adherence support and linkage to care to help maintain an undetectable viral load.”
Dr. Michael Brady, Medical Director at Terrence Higgins Trust, said: “It is impossible to overstate the importance of these findings.
“The … study has given us the confidence to say, without doubt, that people living with HIV who are on effective treatment cannot pass the virus on to their sexual partners.
“This has incredible impact on the lives of people living with HIV and is a powerful message to address HIV-related stigma.”
Cure Your Friends Of Negativity By Sharing The Good News To Social Media… (Photo by C Goldsmith, Centers For Disease Control and Prevention)
One of the world’s most beloved couples has just announced the birth of their firstborn child – and people from all over the world are sending in their well wishes.
Duchess Meghan Markle and Prince Harry of Sussex issued a statement earlier this week on their shared Instagram page announcing the arrival of a healthy baby boy weighing 7lbs. 3oz.
After deciding to name their baby Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, the Royal couple conducted an official photoshoot with the newborn two days after his birth.
“The Duchess and baby are both healthy and well, and the couple thank members of the public for their shared excitement and support during this very special time in their lives,” read the statement.
The boy, who is now seventh in line to the British throne, is the Queen’s eighth great-grandchild.
Archie is also the first Royal youngster who has been born with dual American-British citizenship.
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Prince Harry, who was present for the birth of his son, told reporters that the joyous occasion has been truly remarkable.
“This is definitely my first birth. It was amazing, absolutely incredible, and, as I said, I’m so incredibly proud of my wife,” said the Duke, according to BBC. “As every father and parent will ever say, you know, your baby is absolutely amazing, but this little thing is absolutely to-die-for, so I’m just over the moon.”
“It’s been the most amazing experience I could ever have possibly imagined,” he added. “How any woman does what they do is beyond comprehension.”
(WATCH the news coverage below)
Be Sure And Share The Breaking News With Your Friends On Social Media…
Quote of the Day: “O, to be delivered from the rational into the realm of pure song.” – Theodore Roethke
Photo: by Jeroen Komen, CC license via Flickr
With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?
While mathematics may contain the secrets of the universe, the world’s best mathematicians have been particularly interested in the secret behind this chalk formula.
Professors and educators around the world have been hoarding a certain kind of Japanese chalk that was previously made by a company called Hagoromo.
Most people are still mystified by the recipe and techniques that were used to make the utensils, but one professor said he assumed the secret ingredient was “angel tears.”
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After Hagoromo went out of business, teachers desperately started hoarding the chalk and trading it like precious jewels.
Thankfully, a Korean company bought the chalk recipe from Hagoromo and continued making the sticks – but listening to educators talk about their longtime romance with the chalk is still priceless.
(LISTEN to the intriguing story below) – Photo by Great Big Story
Draw Up Some Positivity By Sharing This Fascinating Story With Your Friends On Social Media…
This blog was submitted to GNN via our submission form If you have any positive stories of your own that you would like to share with our audience, check out our submission page to learn more.
After being told that he would never live a normal live following a spinal cord injury, this man is riding his powered wheelchair 2,900 miles from Los Angeles to Washington D.C. in order to raise money and awareness for the 6 million individuals and wounded service members in the US living with paralysis.
In 2006, Janne Kouri was paralyzed from the neck down after he suffered a spinal cord injury. He was told by countless experts that he would never recover and never lead a normal life after the accident.
After two months in intensive care and a year of rehabilitation, however, Kouri moved back to Los Angeles and immediately started a nonprofit organization called NextStep Fitness, and he has since dedicated his entire life to helping those who suffer from paralysis. He opened up the first state-of-the-art fitness and rehabilitation facility in Los Angeles in 2007, and he now has facilities in Phoenix, Atlanta, Kansas City, Orlando, Raleigh, and Las Vegas.
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When asked how the ride has been going, Kouri said: “It’s been an adventure and I’m having the time of my life. Just having the opportunity to see the country from a unique perspective is amazing.
“We’ve met so many wonderful people and great organizations along the way, it’s been more than I could have ever hoped for,” he added.
On his journey east, Kouri is using a Permobil chair and a Bowhead, a special bike created for those with paralysis – and he hopes that his journey will show others with similar disabilities that they can have a very full life.
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So far on his “Ride for Paralysis” journey, Kouri has thrown out the first pitch of a Cincinnati Reds game; rolled into a stadium with Rumble the Bison to deliver a half-court basketball in Oklahoma City; met with wounded veterans and team members from the Wounded Warriors Project in Phoenix, Arizona; and spoke to physical and occupational therapy students at the University of Tennessee.
The expedition has raised $290k to date with a goal of $500k by the time he arrives at his alma mater, Georgetown University, on May 15th.
WATCH Kouri’s story—and the moment he was able to stand and dance with his wife for the first time—on Good Morning America.
For more information about Kouri’s gym, his journey east, and how you can get involved and donate, you can visit the Ride for Paralysis website and follow Next Step LA on Instagram for updates from the road.
Pedal The Story Over To Your Friends By Sharing It On Social Media – Photo by Janne Kouri
Imagine 500 kids with cancer wearing superhero capes as they explore California’s Great America amusement park in Santa Clara. Well, that’s exactly what will happen this Mother’s Day at the 30th annual Courageous Kids Day.
More than 500 families come each year for a “day away from cancer” complete with free admission, complimentary lunch and fun activities for the brave children and families.
Courageous Kids was founded by American Cancer Society board member, Gay Crawford. A two-time cancer survivor, she started the event after her colleague’s 2-year-son was diagnosed with leukemia. She realized that there were no services for children with cancer in the Silicon Valley region so she rallied everyone she knew to bring this event to life.
“I’m a cancer survivor so I understand the impact this can have on a person’s life,” said Crawford. “I’m also a mother, so I can only imagine the heartache that comes when a child is diagnosed.”
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As Courageous Kids Day is held on Mother’s Day, every mom, grandma, and female caregiver is welcomed with a beautiful hand-made flower corsage. This is just one of the special touches at this heartwarming and welcoming event.
Families enjoy time together at the theme park but also have a special area, the Picnic Grove, devoted just to these Courageous Kids. There have been celebrity visits, including football legend Ronnie Lott, San Jose Earthquake players, and local pageant winners who all take photos and sign autographs.
Every family also gets a free portrait from a volunteer professional photographer, a special treat for these families who don’t have time to make family photos a priority.
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“I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2007 and one of my favorite Mother’s Day memories is Courageous Kids Day,” said Alyssa McCoy of Campbell. “It was incredible to find people of all ages and backgrounds who shared my story. It was amazing to watch my mom bond with other mothers, sisters, aunts, grandmas and other survivors. I’ll forever be grateful.”
And she’s not the only one.
More than 20 years ago, Bob and Joyce Steinfeld attended Courageous Kids Day with their 1-year-old son, Sam, who was battling cancer, and his sister, Lindsay, who was 5 years old.
Sam lost his battle to cancer just two years later, but the Steinfeld family continues to support the event to this day—Bob has played a pivotal role every year since then (even when juggling a demanding career at Apple), and has led it for the last three years.
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“The event could never happen without Bob’s commitment and organizational skills,” said Crawford. “The people at Great America know if Bob is involved, every aspect of the day will go smoothly.”
And this year will be no exception as hundreds of families eagerly anticipate the hula hoop games, water balloon tosses, and unlimited laughter, this Mother’s Day (May 12) at California’s Great America.
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Reprinted with permission from Peace News Network
Since South Sudan’s civil war began in 2013, over one million citizens have fled to neighboring Uganda.
Refugees continue to face tension—both between ethnic groups and with host communities—but in the Bidi Bidi refugee camp, one group of refugee reporters are behind a radio program that is broadcasting hope.
The reporters, all of whom are from various refugee camps across Uganda, have been transmitting 30-minute weekly radio programs on peacebuilding between refugees and host communities.
The program, which is broadcasted for Morobo Broadcasting Services (MBS), often focuses on stories that deal with religious harmony, women in peacebuilding, and youth.
“The kind of peace messages that we broadcast are unifying and reconciliatory peacebuilding messages,” says Juruga Samuel Andrew, MBS program manager.
“Looking at the current crisis we have in South Sudan, looking at the population that is involved in this crisis, you’ll find that the greatest number is the youth,” says Andrew. “So we also go to the youth, we ask them what message they want to pass to their fellow colleagues concerning peace.”
As well as broadcasting stories of peacebuilding, the reporters’ movement through the camps has also helped refugees connect with each other.
CHECK OUT: Africans Are So Happy Border Fight is Over They’re Calling Random Phone Numbers On the Other Side
“They’ve been able to locate their lost ones,” says Doreen. “Some of them have been coming to us saying that: ‘It has been good the radio has given us the opportunity to reunite with people.’
“When the conflict, started some of them went different ways, separate ways. Others went to Congo, others came to Uganda, so it has given them the opportunity to reunite.”
MBS staff hopes that their stories will continue to impact the communities they reach and eventually spread to neighboring regions as well.
“When we build [unity] here, we believe that this unity will be taken back home to South Sudan, which can make people live peacefully,” says Andrew. “Because we start it with ourselves as individuals, then it extends to our neighborhood, then the neighboring communities, then the leaders. And you’ll find it goes to the highest level possible.”
(WATCH the video below)
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MORE: Watch Celebrations Erupt When Country Border is Finally Opened After 20-Year War
The Speaker: Mark Redmond was a finance major in college and working in a corporate job on Madison Avenue when he was 23. He had it all: a high paying job, a studio apartment near Park Avenue, nice suits and car. Little did he know that fate would intervene after he decided to volunteer once per week at Covenant House — a shelter for homeless teenage boys in New York City.
Notable Excerpt: “My family was apoplectic, my coworkers couldn’t understand it… but I knew this was what I should be doing with my life, so I quit my job, gave my car to my brother, and gave my suits to Goodwill.”
“It felt like I was doing a crazy thing. It was as if I was walking away from everything that I had worked for during grade school, high school, and college,” he told Good News Network. “Yet at the same time I had absolutely no doubt I was doing the right thing.”
The Lesson: At Covenant House in 1981 he ended up living with 40 other full time volunteers. They were from all walks of life, all ages, and each one lived in a tiny room, complete with cockroaches, located across the street from a strip club and a crack house. But Mark couldn’t have been happier, playing basketball with the troubled youth and handing out food.
“I didn’t get much training and I really didn’t know what I was doing. We’d help kids look for work or a place to live. One of the young men there, I am still in touch with him, all these decades later—in fact I spoke to him yesterday. He spent decades in prison after Covenant House, and I would visit him and write to him. I went to his 20-year-anniversary of being drug-free recently, it was a great night. He was typical of who we were trying to help: teenagers from multi-generational poverty, addicted to drugs, high school dropouts, in and out of prison. But we’d do what we could to make their lives better, and as with the case of this young man, sometimes it worked out well.”
Today, Mark is 61, and is the Director of Spectrum Youth and Family Services, a nonprofit that works with homeless, runaway and at-risk teenagers in Burlington, Vermont.
(LISTEN to the story of how he decided to give up everything…)
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Dogs may be man’s best friend, but a new survey of 2,000 dog owners shows that they’re also good for helping their owners make new friends too.
The survey says that almost half of dog owners have made friends while on their “walkies.” In fact, people say they have met an average of four new people though their pets while out for walks or at puppy training classes.
The results found that 54% of dog owners believe having their pet has boosted their confidence and made it easier for them to talk to strangers.
Pet owners have also experienced reduced stress levels, more time outdoors, and general health improvements. Their love lives have been positively affected, too, as one sixth of participants say they know someone who has met their partners through owning a dog.
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On average, owners spend more than 7-and-a-half hours a week outside walking their pup, while one in 10 even spend up to 10 hours.
But more than one-third admitted they prefer going on a walk with a human companion and, on average, spend one hour a week arranging outings with fellow dog walkers.
Similarly, this has led to the dogs themselves having a vast social life too, with 60% of owners believing their pet has “dog friends”.
In fact, the average pooch is considered to have three friends, with more than one quarter them having a “walking buddy”.
Beyond canines, 3 in 10 dogs also have other animal companions, the majority of which are cats – but some respondents even said their pet is friends with a horse and rabbit.
Furthermore, 8 in 10 believe it is “important” for dogs to have friends that they can regularly see and play with. A further one-third of participants admitted to arranging play dates for themselves and their pooch.
Common places for dogs to meet other pups were found to be in the local area, with 63% often bumping into the same animals when they are out and about. One in 10 have interacted with fellow pooches while on holiday at the beach and in walking groups. Similarly, one in 10 owners have made friends while on holiday with their dog and others have met new people at the vets and training classes.
The survey was commissioned by children’s TV channel Boomerang, which launched its new “Mighty Mike” show earlier this week.
“Mighty Mike” follows the haphazard and hilarious efforts of a sophisticated pug named Mike as he tries to befriend the dog next door and defend his house against pesky neighbors.
“Dogs that mix nicely together can form strong bonds and learn a variety of social skills from each other that humans may find hard to spot or recognize,” said Nick Jones, MA Dog Behaviorist.
“Similarly, dogs are the perfect ice breaker to start conversations with people you might otherwise pass by and are proven to bring numerous health benefits along the way, such as improvements in mental and physical health, which this research has also shown.”
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