Salaam Zindagi! – A Salute to Life

My life has come full circle

I started out with many minuses

There were many tearful years

But everything turned out beautifully for me

The negatives were dealt with

The positives I held on to

Became lifesavers… literally!

I am not saying I’m a hero

I am not saying I did it all by myself

I am not saying that life is a bed of roses

But I am saying that my life turned around!

My sadness and sorrow was turned to joy!

From living in despair not knowing my future

I have become a person who is happy and content.

There was a time I stood at the brink

Not wanting to live

Not having a reason to live

There wasn’t a soul who knew of my predicament

No human soul…

But the God Who created me…

He knew and held on to me.

I cannot but stand in awe that…

This great God Who holds the universe in His hands

Should care so much for one tiny little soul

Like me.

Why would He stoop so low to touch the ground

Just to comfort one hurting soul,

One girl no one else wanted.

Yes there He was day after day,

Night after night… without fail

Patiently bearing with my unbelief

Waiting for me to look to Him with faith.

It took Him years but He got my attention

When it dawned on me

That I had been saved in every way possible. 

Today I know that no matter what

My God is for me, He is with me and will never leave me!

I can vouch that even in troubled times

He will always be by my side…

My biggest encourager, support, teacher and guide

My most gracious provider and protector

He even fights my battles for me!

Today I have no doubt

That anyone anywhere can make it

If they just give Him one chance

To touch their life.

The ever-loving hands of the great ‘I AM’

Are ever reaching down to hold a soul

To touch, to comfort, to fill their every need. 

This great Creator didn’t stay in a heavenly mansion

Cut off from the pains we endure as humans

Jesus instead chose to become man,

Live a life like us and become a sacrifice

So we wouldn’t have to suffer ‘forever’.  

His love for each soul compelled Him

To make the supreme sacrifice… So great is His love!

If you have doubts or fears

If your eyes are full of tears

If you have no source of joy or supply

Try Him! He won’t let you down 

If friends and family have abandoned you

In your most dire need…

Call Him! He will be there for you!

~ Henrietta Decruz

The Code Blue Campaign

We live in a stressful world. Everyone is going through something. There comes a time in a person's life when the pressure is so high that they are not sure they can make it. It is a time when they need the assurance, support and encouragement of their loved ones, their friends or even someone with the heart to help.

A lot of people who reached the brink didn't know they could ask for help and were lost. We can stop that by reaching out to the people in our lives so that they can overcome whatever it is that is holding them down and be helped.

The Code Blue Campaign is for people of all age groups. It is for students who are going through exam pressure, career pressure, parents pressure or even peer pressure. It is for women who have seen trials in their lives and see no hope. It is for men who feel defeated and desolate. It is for elderly people who feel isolated and lonely with no one to care for them.

It is for those who see no meaning in life. It reminds us that we do have a responsibility in the well being of those around us and this gives us a chance to speak 'Life' into their situations and circumstances.

Let us spread the word around! 'Code Blue' means its time to reach out to someone in need. The person may need a listening ear, a prayer, a helping hand or even professional help. Reach out to them and connect to counselors or trained personnel from NGOs if you cannot handle the matter. But reach out. Your timely help can save someone's life!

The Code Blue Campaign was launched in Hyderabad and a group named 'Youth Alive' provided counselling for those in dire situations. The Deccan Chronicle carried a report about the campaign and soon there were calls coming in from different parts of the Twin cities. There were days when more than 500 calls were received. The Sakshi Newspaper also shared about this campaign and soon calls came in from various districts of AP (at that time it was united!) The campaign went on well during the time that the students were awaiting results and under pressure. After that period there was a decrease in the calls coming in.

Code Blue Campaign can be a boon to people anywhere as its basic idea is to have two words to enable a person to express the greatest trauma they are going through at that time. Anyone should never have to suffer alone. A person who is pushed into a corner and isolated during the worst grief or suffering tends to feel suicidal. He or she feels worthless and unwanted. CBC is an effort to ensure someone at that point in their life can reach out to someone sympathetic who will give them a listening ear and help them through that difficult time in their life.

Here is a link to the lyrics of a song that I wrote that appeals to a person who is feeling suicidal to not take their life.
http://henriettadecruz.blogspot.in/2011/05/life-is-calling-you-song.html

Check out the Facebook page of Code Blue Campaign...
https://www.facebook.com/codebluecampaign?_rdr=p

The article about Code Blue Campaign that appeared in the Deccan Chronicle, Hyderabad.

Code Blue Campaign written about in Sakshi Newspaper