You asked for it...

Hello young adult friends--and happy New Year to you! This is your January edition of You asked for it ..., uncharacteristically arriving in your inbox early in the month--due to the fact that I'm leaving for Sudan this afternoon! Our Learning Tour group of 8 folks (including 3 young adults) will be visiting communities in the war-recovering southern part of the country, learning about the challenges they face, the dynamics of the region (conflict in Darfur, the Congo, Ethiopia), and how we can work with them for something better. We'll be taking about $5000 in assistance for girls' education and malaria prevention (you won't believe the Justice Fact below!!). But of course it's not just about us giving them stuff--they have a lot to give us too: a vibrant culture, lessons about keeping hope alive, hospitality in the midst of great poverty. If I have the chance, I'll write you from Africa with the latest.

On with the show! In this edition of You asked for it ...:

• On with the show indeed! Dan the Man on YouTube
• On with your show--intern and job opportunities from Orion
• Show-stopper--global warming, that is--join the virtual march/check your CO2 output
• What a show--totally revised young adult NCP webpage
• Show me the money--and get a rainforest wristband (new shipment just in!)
• Justice Fact, Enviro Fact, Faith Fact

Enough for now--gotta pack!

Love and peace and strength for the journey,
David

• Good work  The folks at Orion are all about matching up good people with good work. Check out their latest listing of internships and jobs--everything from organic farm workers to chefs to a costume collection assistant (I'm not kidding about this)
• NCP News Yes - here he is in living color with what we are calling NCPNews
• Take a (virtual) hike    Laurie David (who is somebody famous--just don't ask me why, but it's about Hollywood ) is busy putting together a "Virtual March" calling for action on global warm. Join in--no blisters...and we might just save the planet!  Want to see how you're doing in the ole' CO2 department? Dare you...
• Check it out!    You are SO going to like our new young adult page!  And follow the links off the new Get Organized page to see what you can do about poverty, global warming, women's issues, indigenous rights. PLUS, we're offering the chance to start NCP chapters on campuses!
• You always wanted to join a band...   Well, here's your chance! And yes, for $5 (or less if you plead) and a completed Join the Band form, a genuine rainforest wristband made by the Cofan people of the Ecuadorian Amazon can be yours. We just got a shipment of 500 of these be-u-tiful bracelets and they're ready to go outta here. And the money goes to the Cofan to give them income from sustainable forest use. Everybody wins!  Meet the Cofan on our May 18-29 Learning Tour.
• Justice Fact: According to the World Health Organization, over 3000 people (mostly African children) die of malaria every day. The best prevention is to sleep under an insecticide-treated bed net--but only 3 percent of at-risk African children sleep under one of these! That's why we're doing our Every 30 Seconds campaign--for as little as $10 a kid gets a safe night's sleep.  
• Enviro Fact   The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations just reported that cattle production is actually responsible for more global warming gases (methane, nitrous oxide, CO2) than all the world's vehicles!
• Faith Fact    "Let all that you do be done in love." I Corinthians 16:14