Please Consider a Donation

Some of you undoubtedly saw the cnn.com story yesterday about a 5 year old Iraqi boy named Yousiff. He was doused with gasoline and set on fire by masked insurgents in January.

I will put a link to the article at the end of this sentence, but I feel compelled to warn readers that the before and after pictures of Yousiff are breathtaking and heartbreaking - so view them at your own risk.

I considered putting a link to the original article yesterday, but held back. There is so much bad news right now coming out of Iraq, and the coverage so constant, that we are all sufficiently aware of what is taking place.

Drawing attention to this single incident, as vile as it was, seemed to serve no great additional purpose. Furthermore, I sadly considered the fact that putting this story front and center may somehow mark it as a rare occurence which- between Iraq and Darfur (and likely, a number of other places our media isn't looking) - it tragically is not.

But the updated article today provides a little bit of heartwarming news and an outlet for action. That is why I am writing.

A non-profit burn center in California has offered to fly Yousiff and his family to America for treatment at no cost.

The article (again, warning on the pictures) provides a link to the Burn Center's website and donations can be made to a fund specifically for Yousiff (scroll down to the "Honor Memorial Gift Information" section).

I encourage all of you to consider giving a small donation. You can access the foundation's donation site directly here.