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Reach Out To The Least Of His Creatures

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By MICHELLE BEARDEN

mbearden@tampatrib.com

Published: March 14, 2009

In these lean, mean times, we all have to come up with innovative ideas to meet all the economic challenges thrown at us.

Layoffs, buyouts, unpaid furloughs, expenses going up and income going down, thanks to no raises and benefit programs going kaput. And no end in sight.

Maybe you're not personally affected. So if you do something to help a neighbor, or even a stranger, you get extra points.

This week's prize winner for stepping out of the comfort zone and doing something of worth to help others is Holly O'Brien.

O'Brien is a legal assistant for a Tampa law firm. Since 1998, she's served as board president for the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, a no-kill shelter on North Armenia Avenue in Tampa.

She gave up wine for Lent, the 40-day period of sacrifice and spiritual reflection leading up to Easter for followers of her Catholic faith and some other Christian denominations.

When she goes out to dinner or entertains, she's tallying up what she would normally spend on a glass of Cabernet, or a bottle of Chardonnay, over this six-week period. Then at the end, she's taking that money and spending it on dog and cat food for the shelter's assistance program.

The program was launched a year ago. People donate dry and canned pet food, which is given away free on a first-come, first-served basis to those who are in financial distress.

"People are turning in their pets because they can no longer afford to feed them, due to circumstances beyond their control," executive director Sherry Silk says. "They're losing their homes and their jobs, and are having trouble even putting food on their own table."

The food assistance program provides a little relief in these stressful times. A few bags of food can go a long way - and could mean the difference between keeping or surrendering a beloved family pet.

From March to December, the program gave away 68,000 pounds of donated food. The requests have increased dramatically since October. And so have the number of animals being turned in. "We went up about 25 percent," Silk says. "I blame it solely on the economy."

O'Brien wanted to make a more meaningful sacrifice for Lent this year - not just giving up something, but doing something proactive with the money she will save. She loves a glass a wine with friends after a long day at work. Now immersed in a major trial, those end-of-day libations help relax her.

But knowing she's putting aside that wine money to buy pet food for those who can't afford it gives her a sense of spiritual satisfaction.

"I've seen little children from the lowest level of poverty, and I know how important that little dog is that sleeps with them at night. It brings them such security and happiness," she says. "I can't think of how hard it would be to lose that dog. So this is the least I can do."

O'Brien, who shares her home with several rescued cats, sees a definite connection between faith and caring for God's creatures and environment.

So do the publishers of "The Green Bible" (HarperOne, $30). Released in the fall, this new revised standard edition of the Old and New testaments highlights how the books of the Bible speak directly to how Christians are called to care for creation.

More than 1,000 passages that reference the earth - nature, animals and humanity - are highlighted in green. They've always been there; now they become more meaningful.

The book itself is environmentally friendly with a cotton-linen cover, recycled paper, soy-based ink and water-based coating. It has the endorsement of several worldwide organizations, including The Humane Society of the United States.

It also includes inspirational essays and contributions from an impressive lineup: Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the late Pope John Paul II, Brian McLaren, and St. Francis of Assisi.

How is "The Green Bible" resonating with the public so far? Let the numbers tell the story. Already, 40,000 are in print in the United States.

J. Matthew Sleeth, a former emergency room doctor who is now a leading national speaker on faith and the environment, is one of the book's contributors. Sleeth, author of "Serve God, Save the Planet: A Christian Call to Action," says he has seen a significant change in how fellow believers view their role as stewards.

"Not only are they becoming more aware, they're becoming more biblically aware," he says. "So many Scriptures deal directly with how we need to respect and care for God's creation. Once people understand the strong faith connection, it becomes more meaningful."

Sleeth once spent a day in Knoxville, Tenn., preaching to the most liberal church in town in the morning and ending with speaking to the most conservative church in the evening. At both ends of the spectrum, he got the same enthusiastic reaction to his message on the biblical mandate to preserve our world and care for creatures.

"It's much better to be known to be for something, rather than against," he says. "This is an area where we can all work together, without our political divides."

Faith is a powerful motivator. For Holly, it drives her to help families keep their beloved pets - and reduce the numbers of animals that end up homeless. For Sleeth, it convinced him it was time to leave a lucrative career in medicine to guide and inspire others to go green.

Consider what you can do. Read "The Green Bible" and go to greenletterbible.com for some ideas. Things aren't so sunny these days, but we're all in this together. If each one of us does something, this world can transform.

Learn more about the food assistance program on Michelle Bearden's "Keeping the Faith" segment at 9 a.m. Sunday on WFLA-TV or go to humanesocietytampa.org. Michelle Bearden can be reached at (813) 259-7613.

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