Making Music

I'm having a hard time writing about any "fluff'" after reading and watching about what is happening in Egypt right now. I'm just so sad for everyone over there who is living with all of the violence and especially the uncertainty about what is going to happen next. I cannot imagine living in that sort of situation. It is just crazy to see the footage on the news. My heart goes out to everyone there.

So today's post is about a good friend who has tried to make a difference in war-torn countries. Let me tell you about the wonderfully amazingly superbly unselfish Liz Shropshire. In 1999 Liz was living in Los Angeles as a music instructor. One day while sitting in horrible traffic she listened to NPR and heard what was happening in Kosovo. (In case you don't remember in 1998, Slobodan Milosovic ordered Serbian security forces to escalate a ten-year campaign of repression against the Albanian population of Kosova into a scorched-earth ethnic cleansing campaign. After a four-month NATO bombing campaign, Serbian forces withdrew from Kosova in 1999).  Liz was horrified and wanted to do something to help the people who were not "cleansed". Long story short she sold all she had, fundraised like crazy, contacted music instrument manufacturers and went over there to help teach children music.

The pictures that she sent home that first year were horrifying. Children played with guns like they were dolls. Towns were now just rubble. Children lost their parents, grandparents, older brothers, aunts, uncles -- you name it. There was now a host of people without any family left.

Liz decided to do something and she did. Over the years she has successfully created a music program for war torn countries. Kosovo was the first. She is now in Uganda and Northern Ireland teaching children music - not war.

Here is what her website says about her organization:

The Shropshire Music Foundation provides free musical instruments and instruction to former child soldiers and refugees in some of the world’s most wartorn places: Uganda, Kosovo, and Northern Ireland. Since 1999, we have taught more than 10,000 young people that through music they can bring healing, hope, and peace to their communities.

The Shropshire Music Foundation mission is to redress psychosocial trauma, advance emotional health, develop scholastic achievement, foster ethnic tolerance, promote peace, and improve the quality of life for war-affected children and adolescents through the establishment of on-going music education and performance programs.

So while you're sitting in your comfortable house, on your comfortable couch watching the uncomfortable and horrific photos of what is going on in Egypt. Take a minute to think of Liz and send her a donation. She runs her entire program solely on donations. Even if you all you have is $5.00 -- send it. It all goes towards one of the most amazing programs in the world.

For everyone in Egypt my heart and prayers go out to you. I wish for peace and wished that we had more of it in the world. Thank you Liz for being an amazing inspiration to me and to others!