SAVE DARFUR

January’s Darfur Heroes

When we look back on our wedding day we will remember the silence during our reception while we took a moment to tell our guests why we wanted them to donate to Save Darfur and the people of Sudan.

Two months later, we are still using our fancy monogrammed cocktail napkins, but as Miriam’s toe nail polish fades and the next set of friends announce their wedding date, we feel a sense of accomplishment knowing that our community came together not only to celebrate our love and our future, but the love and future of a people far away.

Our love and passion for people definitely ties us together as best friends and lovers. We fell in love young and grew together from a long distance relationship. We were born and raised in Cincinnati, and have since lived together in New Orleans, Washington, Boston, and now Savannah.

At the end of the day this article could have been written about you. We all have the power to make an immediate impact, and help others around the world. We just need to open our eyes, take risks and challenge the status quo.

It is hard to understand and feel for people in Darfur when their lives don’t seem to affect us and their death does not contaminate the happiness of our days.

A few months ago, we were standing in the aisle of a department store, wondering, if the curve of the plate that we had registered for would go well with the glasses that we had registered for. We looked at each other and started laughing. We realized at that moment, that although we were playing these roles, Jacob the groom and Miriam the bride, we could still just be Jake & Miriam.

And so, we deleted our registries, to the dismay of some, and the awe of others.

You wouldn’t imagine how difficult it is to actually delete a registry.

Nonetheless, it was a decision that we believed in, and we moved on together to yet another decision.

We asked our guests, not to give gifts, but rather, donate, if they so chose, to a people many miles away. People to whom we feel a connection. A people that are being persecuted.

Some people didn’t understand why two white Jewish kids from the Midwest would suggest donations be made to their black African brothers and sisters many miles away. Our answer was that we are all brothers and sisters.

We never thought this decision would change the lives of so many.

And now, many months later, we have raised over $20,000 for THE SAVE DARFUR COALITION.

We feel honored to have had the opportunity to affect change. We feel honored to be associated with THE SAVE DARFUR COALITION, and we hope that our vision, will continue to change the lives of a people many miles away.