The Power of Today!

"Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.” -Mother Teresa

My name is Melanie Shaleya Lewis. My purpose on this blog is to make you want to get up and swing into positive action! Especially those of us in Faith. We all know that many churches are not connected in communities as years ago. We'll continue to uphold the assembling of ourselves in fellowship, yet we need to invite and be involved in the communities in which we serve God. 'Love they neighbor as yourself' is the second great commandment.-Mark 12:31. No worries though.-'The time is always right to do what is right'-Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

I have a passion for service, events, international relations, politics and education. Yet Faith is my foundation. It all began as a child. My mother would take my siblings and I to many interesting places. We'd be exposed to great diversity in our City of New York. Camps in China Town, excursions to protest in Washington D.C. for development, seeing Nelson Mandela after his release in a parade on Broadway, taking us to work before there was and during Take our Sons and Daughters to Work Day. I love my momma and my poppa!

(Pic-Found on Rachiim Ausar-Sahu web page) My extended family all attended Washington Temple COGIC in Brooklyn New York. They were there when it went from 'tent to temple.' Bishop F. D. Washington was the Founder. Our youth choir would sing on youth days. We'd also engage those that couldn't attend services at Senior Citizens homes. My dad was part of the team that painted Washington Temple once. It used to to a movie theater, so that was a big project. I remember accompanying my brother and dad to Prisons where the Love of God was educated to inmates and how Jesus died for our sins/mistakes. The organization had many auxiliaries and groups to make a difference. There was a foreign missions outreach ministry shipping clothing and other items to different countries and so much more.

I was blessed to learn of Africa having been a youth in the Crown Heights Youth Collective in my community. Mr. Richard Green and Mrs. Myra Brown had an excellent team devoted to the community which actually started the year of my birth. << Check the video of Mr. Green. He worked on Shirley Chisholm's Campaign for President!- I later traveled to the Czech Republic as a Global Teen Ambassador with the International YMCA -(Young Men's Christian Association) It was awesome to meet teenagers from all over Europe. I was sent to the location that has Camp Phila. -Which meant friendship. So great to recall this as we just celebrated International Friendship Day last week. (See last Tuesdays post.)

I attended Medgar Evers College after High School yet didn't have the funds to continue and wanted to do something positive while out of school. So my brother lived in Boston and suggested to me to the opporunity to serve in City Year. I served as a corps member in the City Year Boston Americorps Program and loved that great experience. I then completed matriculation at Clark Atlanta University. I continue to work with awesome organizations today! Some of those include -Explore Schools, Brookyn NAACP and my current place of worship- Rapha Evangelistic Worship Center. ********************************************************************************************************************** So now I want to tell you of some great ways you can serve in making a difference; in addition to clicking on links above to some of the great organizations I've experienced.

Opportunities are still available this 5oth Anniversary of Freedom Summer!!! The Brooklyn NAACP is recruiting additional volunteers to assist at cool events in Brooklyn now into the fall season. Sign Up today and help register citizens to vote. Call (347) 836 - 9025 or Email contactus@brooklynnaacp.org Visit www.naacp.org to find an opportunity near you!

Join me on Wednesday, September 10th as an official participant in Cycle Around the Globe on World Suicide Prevention Day September 10, 2014! Click Here for more information about Cycling for Hope in Brooklyn ! Help me spread the word with this hastag #Cycle4hopeinbk. The plan is to hand out materials in the community of Brooklyn, NY at Utica, Franklin and Prospect Park Stations! The finale is a ride around Prospect Park! Everyone gets a certificate. If not in Brooklyn I still encourage some type of participation of awareness this day. Click Here for more info on getting involved or leading your own initiative!

Tuesday, September 23, 2014 is National Voter Registration Day! NYC Votes has diverse organizations signed up to assist on this day of registration and awareness. Contact them on volunteering today or contact your state organization or plan your own event before September 5th. Click Here! Is your teen active in the community? Check out this article in generation Citizen. They can be on the local community board!******************************************************************************************************************** Does your organization have an opportunity you'd like to see here? If it's related to Civic Education, Service, International or Faith- Based Intiatives, Email Me Today! -Blessmelanie@gmail.com ~Peace and Blessings!