At least one reason I stay Catholic

The Globe has an article today on Matthew McGarry, a Massachusetts native working in Darfur for Catholic Relief Services. Reading about people like him and knowing lots of people like him often makes me want to quit the academic path and head off somewhere to get my hands more dirty. Does anyone know of academics who have taken sabbaticals to do relief work or a service year somewhere?

At least one thing I can do is encourage you to make contributing to the work of organizations like this a part of your budgeting, rather than an afterthought. CRS has a "sustainers" program, where you can have a small amount ( $5, $7, or $10...or more, if you wish) taken out of your bank account monthly. It's a good way to circumvent one's tendency to procrastinate. More information is available on their website.