Nathaniel Hurd is a 28-year-old graduate student at Columbia University's School of Internationaland Public Affairs. He just completed an internship in London interning as a communications officer at CARE International UK. From 1999-2004 he lobbied, consulted and researched on UN and US Iraq policy.
A few weeks ago, I stood in the sacred spot where John the Baptist baptized Jesus. The Baptism site is in Jordan and I was in-country for a week to staff a high-level delegation of my organization that was looking at the Iraqi refugee crisis in Jordan and Syria. (Millions of Iraqis have fled violence in Iraq and have either sought safety as refugees in the region, mostly in Jordan and Syria, or are trapped inside Iraq; many others who have been unable to flee are also in need.
Though my reason for traveling to this part of the world was work-related, my trip occured only six years since I too was baptized and ended a lifetime of saying “No” to God or “I don’t know” about God. While my work is…
I can count the number of times I’ve cried over the past decade on one hand, so I was surprised when I found tears rolling down my face during Sunday Mass recently. It was the day before the annual March for Life and my priest was talking about the inherent dignity of every person, particularly unborn children. He called on all of us to pray and march for children who had been aborted and for their parents. And I just couldn’t hold it together.
I lost a sibling more than 20 years ago to an abortion.
Not a potential brother or sister. An actual brother or sister. This was the first time I’d really focused on my sibling’s loss, rather than me and my own loss.
Dynamite
A few years ago my mother told me that…
How to make sure the victims of Hurricane Katrina receive the help they need.
In the wake of a disaster like Hurricane Katrina, many of us want to do our part to help those who are suffering but aren’t sure which organizations to donate to. Below are some resources to help you make your donation decision.
InterAction, “Guide to Appropriate Giving”
InterAction is the largest alliance of U.S.-based international development and humanitarian nongovernmental organizations.” There are both secular organizations and religious organizations from different faiths. To join, members must go through a tough review process and follow a strict set of standards. Members work in every developing country. Members have a lot of experience dealing with natural and/or…
A few days before heading out of town, I called my parents in Vermont to tell them I would be away for the weekend. My Dad had a stroke in 1996 so I like them to know when I’ll be away from my home base in New York City , in case there’s a medical emergency. They both answered the phone.
Nathaniel: “I’m going on a retreat.”
Mom: “What kind of retreat?”
Nathaniel: “A religious retreat.”
Dad: “What denomination?”
Nathaniel: “Catholic.”
Mom: “They persecuted my people.”
Nathaniel: “They’re my people too.”
Mom: “If you become a Catholic, I will stop being your mother.”
London July 8, 2005For the second time in four years a “terrorist” group has attacked civilians in my city. On September 11th I watched black clouds rising from lower Manhattan as I walked to work in Brooklyn. Yesterday at 8:51 a.m., an unknown group attacked civilians in London, my home for the summer.
The police have confirmed that within 50 minutes, there were four explosions: three in the subway system and one in a bus. So far, at least 50 people have been killed and over 700 people have been injured – some so seriously that they lost limbs. But the reaction that I have seen from Londoners has been very different from what I saw in New York on September 11th. For most of yesterday, my view of the attack…
A few weeks ago, I stood in the sacred spot where John the Baptist baptized Jesus. The Baptism site is in Jordan and I was in-country for a week to staff a high-level delegation of my organization that was looking at the Iraqi refugee crisis in Jordan and Syria. (Millions of Iraqis have fled violence in Iraq and have either sought safety as refugees in the region, mostly in Jordan and Syria, or are trapped inside Iraq; many others who have been unable to flee are also in need.
I can count the number of times I’ve cried over the past decade on one hand, so I was surprised when I found tears rolling down my face during Sunday Mass recently. It was the day before the annual March for Life and my priest was talking about the inherent dignity of every person, particularly unborn children. He called on all of us to pray and march for children who had been aborted and for their parents. And I just couldn’t hold it together.
In the wake of a disaster like Hurricane Katrina, many of us want to do our part to help those who are suffering but aren’t sure which organizations to donate to. Below are some resources to help you make your donation decision.
A few days before heading out of town, I called my parents in Vermont to tell them I would be away for the weekend. My Dad had a stroke in 1996 so I like them to know when I’ll be away from my home base in New York City , in case there’s a medical emergency. They both answered the phone.
London July 8, 2005For the second time in four years a “terrorist” group has attacked civilians in my city. On September 11th I watched black clouds rising from lower Manhattan as I walked to work in Brooklyn. Yesterday at 8:51 a.m., an unknown group attacked civilians in London, my home for the summer.
For most of yesterday, my view of the attack…
