@powertochange:

Bill Blaney Brings Drew Marshall From Skepticism To Certainty

Written by Eric Reynolds

October 5, 2011

“There’s a drought… apparently.” That’s how Drew Marshall opened his show with Bill Blaney last month: blunt, cynical and honest. Drew admitted from the get-go, “we live in a time when we don’t trust information, especially from people who are asking for money.” He also noted that the number at risk, 12 million, is too big for most of us to grasp. “The ‘fly-in-the-eye’ guilt-inspiring commercials don’t work anymore,” said Drew. Before turning it over to Bill, Drew noted that GAiN (Global Aid Network) was currently in Ethiopia saving millions of people. The stage was set.

Enter Bill Blaney.

With an undeniable tone of grace and more than a pinch of humility, Bill reminded Drew that they were only helping thousands. “We’re not helping millions of people, we couldn’t do that. We identify smaller groups of people that we can look after.”

Unfazed, Drew continued, “Ok. I want to follow the money trail, what would you do with my 1000 dollars?” A great question that many wish they could ask the non-profits they support.

Bill was wonderfully simple. “Well, we would buy food. Primarily what we’re providing for this group is milk, corn (mais), lentils: products… purchased in country since it takes too long for food to arrive. It costs roughly 75 cents a day to feed someone.”

Drew was shocked at the low figure, which prompted a probing query: “What frustrates you Bill? It must be hard not to be bugged. Especially when someone here complains about something. Like shut up, you know? Do you get frustrated?”

“In fairness, it’s hard for people to identify,” Bill replied, even-keeled. “It’s not like being there. You can’t understand poverty there with our relative affluence here.”

Bill went on to describe his journey in Ethiopia, the drive from Addis Ababa, the burning piles of cattle corpses, the malnourished children, and the delivery of food to the grateful Borana people. Captivated, Drew interjected sporadically throughout the course of Bill’s narration.

“Oh maaaan!”

“O!”

“Good for you.”

“I like this guy!”

“Wow.”

“Well said.”

“I’m so engrossed in your story I forgot I was hosting a radio show.”

By the end of the show Drew was all too eager to help. “What do you need? Cash?” Bill explained the importance of direct monetary gifts in a crisis such as this. “Right now we need money. We want to provide for these people’s needs and walk with them. We can do this, we can control [the donations] and make sure its done well.”

In less than thirty minutes the vision was cast and Drew was sold.

“I love the fact that you have taken a bite-sized group of people… its more relational that way… you’re not pretending to be the saviours of Africa. I love that!”

So do we.

For the full-length interview click here