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Thoughts on giving blood, it is an offering

I started giving blood when I was in the military.  There would be regular calls for blood donation to help wounded soldiers.  When I got out of the military I continued the practice.  I was told by the Red Cross that they needed my blood type and my blood flowed quickly.

In the 1990s I was asked if I wanted to donate platelets.  Platelets are the broken blood cells that allow our blood to clot.  They are the main reason we do not bleed to death from a paper cut.  Chemo-therapy destroys platelets.  Especially in children who are being treated for cancer with Chemo-Therapy, there is a danger of bleeding from the slightest injury.  Therefore, platelets, donated by others,  are given to such people during the Chemo-Therapy.  Platelets must match the blood type of the recipient, like whole blood.  Donating whole blood takes about 15 minutes.  Donating platelets takes 2.5-3 hours.  The process is called aphaeresis.  They take the whole blood out of one arm and centrifuge out the platelets and put the blood back in the other arm.  Because there is no volume loss with a platelet donations, platelets can be donated every 3 days.

The Bible has a great deal to say about blood.  From the very first sin, animals were killed to create coverings for Adam and Eve.  The assumption of theologians is that the animals were sacrificed to cover their sins.  From that point on, animals were sacrificed and their blood spilt to make atonement for people’s sins.  God made it very clear, post flood, that blood is sacred.  When a person eats meat, they cannot eat it with the blood still in it.  Additionally, people cannot spill human blood without punishment.

It is clear that people need blood to survive and people need platelets to survive.  I donate as an offering to God and out of concern and love for my fellow man.  Donating blood with the Red Cross is voluntary.  I have read that money used to be paid for blood, but that does not seem to be that case today, in California.  Therefore I voluntarily give my blood for God to use the best way possible to heal the most people.  Blood does not last forever, therefore there is always a need.  Especially when there is a large scale tragedy, like the series of hurricanes earlier this year, the Red Cross takes blood form all over America and shipped it to Houston, Florida and Puerto Rico.

Therefore, I offer my blood and platelets as an offering to God. I understand that some cannot give blood.  I can and apparently I am good at it, so I give. It is the most personal offering I can give to anyone.  I walk in with nothing and blood is taken out of my body and used to help others.  Donating blood is a very personal offering humbly offered to my God and my fellow humans.



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