Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

Hoping to gain $1 billion in NASA funding, President Bush went on record to say in a 2004 speech, ""the desire to explore and understand is part of our character." It is true! We do have deep desires to go beyond the familiar and into the unknown. He continued, " We do not know where this journey will end, yet we know this -- human beings are headed into the cosmos. Mankind is drawn to the heavens for the same reason we were once drawn into unknown lands and across the open sea. We choose to explore space because doing so improves our lives and lifts our national spirit." Right now, the United States has on its hands an $8 billion (yes, billion) space market which for some is exciting while others think funding of this magnitude ought to be funneled toward the needs of planet Earth.

Thirteen year old 8th grader, Jessica, was recently faced with some hard questions like the death penalty, the condition of the public school system, drugs and the NASA space program. Here is her insight on perhaps why a second look at space exploration ought to be considered and how such scrutiny transcends even the hardest political lines and straight into a journey to the heart... She writes:

Hundreds of people fled to the superdome when everyone heard that Hurricane Katrina was going to slam into New Orleans. Many, many, many people died while others tried to hold onto life in the flooded and overcrowed superdome, yet, now billions of dollars might be spent on space exploration. Well, that sounds interesting but there are people whose homes are destroyed. My whole point is that those billions of dollars should be used for all of the Hurricane Katrina victims. What do you think?

Space exploration sounds very exciting but thinking about many people with no homes isn't. All of that money should be used for useful reasons, and space travel can be useful but I think saving lives is more important. Isn't the point of going out to space is to try to find traces of life elsewhere? We should be trying to keep life on earth or at least try to save the life of others.

All in all, shouldn't we be thinking about others instead of ourselves? I really think it would be smart to place that money toward a useful cause. The people who live in New Orleans would also be very happy and thankful for all the help. Kids would be able to go to school again, their parents could get a job and they could enjoy a normal life again. Wouldn't you want the same if you were in their place?

There was a rich man who wanted to follow Jesus and he asked Jesus how he could be a follower. Jesus told him to give all his money to the poor and follow him but the rich man didn't want to because he was too selfish so he walked away. I think Jesus felt sad that the man loved his riches better than the poor. The rich man had too much pride maybe and felt a little bit bad about being greedy.

Next time we are in a position where we need something and someone has helped us do you think you would want to do the same for someone else? Do you think you would want to lend a helping hand and help a person who is less fortunate? Think about it and maybe you can make someone's day!

-Jessica 8th Grade

EDITOR'S NOTE: Of course we aren't in any way making a political statement but rather sharing the insights of some of our younger HeavenlySanctuary.com Team Members. In 8th grade, political fronts are never an issue :-)