ONE

While attending the regional gathering of A New Baptist Covenant last Saturday in Birmingham, I took part in a session on "The Challenge of Eliminating Global Poverty." In this conference, I learned more about The ONE Campaign. If you don't already know about ONE, you should. Bono was one of the cofounders of this grassroots campaign and advocacy organization. ONE boasts more than 2 million supporters from around the globe, people who have chosen to join the fight against global poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa. Visit www.one.org and sign the declaration:

"WE BELIEVE that in the best American tradition of helping others help themselves, now is the time to join with other countries in a historic pact for compassion and justice to help the poorest people of the world overcome AIDS and extreme poverty.

WE RECOGNIZE that a pact including such measures as fair trade, debt relief, fighting corruption and directing additional resources for basic needs - education, health, clean water, food, and care for orphans - would transform the futures and hopes of an entire generation in the poorest countries, at a cost equal to just one percent more of the US budget.

WE COMMIT ourselves - one person, one voice, one vote at a time - to make a better, safer world for all."