It's a coincidence that Tuesday was the day I picked to spotlight organizations; Tuesday is also when my Circles workshop is held. Last Tuesday was discouraging, so I didn't have it in me to write. Part and parcel of the work. It is a difficult to thing to completely change one's habits and mindsets and orient oneself to a new worldview. Which is what the participants of the workshop have to do. It is hard work for them. When they are done, we put on a big graduation celebration for them.
They aren't done, though. Now they are called "Circle Leaders," and they are matched with two Allies.
(This is where the volunteer part comes in).
An Ally is a volunteer, who agrees to partner with a Circle Leader and walk alongside them as they work on meeting the goals they have set for themselves, whether that be earning a GED, eliminating a chunk of debt, or starting college. The Allies and Circle Leader form a "Circle," and it meets the first Thursday of every month for two hours, for 18 consecutive months. All of the Circles meet together for a meal and sharing "New and Goods" (at every Circles event, each person in the room takes a turn sharing something new and/or good that has happened to them since the last meeting. It could be "I got a job!" or "My grandbaby smiled at me for the first time!" or "Thank goodness soccer practice ends this week!"). Then each Circle meets together, catching up and sharing progress (or lack thereof) on goals.
The idea is to give Circle Leaders both more resources and more support. It is also to involve middle class individuals in the fight against poverty, upping their investment in making the community a better place for EVERYBODY.
Speaking of that, people can also volunteer to be part of our Guiding Coalition, a group that works to make changes in the larger community. But I'll talk more about that next week. Because I skipped last week and I still get one more week to talk about this. Because, you know, I make the rules about this blog;)
It is tough work being an Ally, too, I'm not going to give false illusions. But I will say, as I often do, that sometimes the most rewarding things to be involved with are kind of hard sometimes. As an Ally, you will form new friendships and gain new perspective. You might even be completely inspired.
How's that for a pitch for volunteers? :)
Showing posts with label Reaching out a hand. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reaching out a hand. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Circle of Empowerment
Tuesday's post got moved to today. Yesterday was crazy. My boss was out due to a scheduled surgery, and the other Circles Coach unexpectedly landed in the hospital. Tuesday is Circles Workshop day; I facilitate in the morning and my co-worker facilitates in the evening. This involves getting the food and setting up the space, handling all the paperwork, etc. It was a long, busy day yesterday.
The Circles workshop is a 15 week class that is meant to provide tools for a more stable life for participants. We screen interested individuals who are below poverty level, and those who pass commit to the workshop sessions. The workshops are designed to give people an accurate picture of what life is like for them right now, help them envision what life could be for them in the future, and work on the plans and steps in between the two. The material begins with the concept of what living in poverty is like: survival mode in a context of the tyranny of the moment. It introduces the theory of change: you can't get out of where you are now by doing the same things you are doing now. It talks about the rich/poor gap and how it works: the top 10% of the population possess 70% of the wealth, and the policies in place today will only increase that gap. We uncover the hidden rules of middle class society that the marketplace is based on; people in generational poverty are usually unaware of these and their importance. We talk about the eleven categories of resources (financial is only one category), and why each is important. We evaluate which resources we have as individuals and which we lack, then strategize about how to build those areas of resources we are low in. We conduct a community assessment to evaluate how well our community supports families, and talk about how to build community resources. We look at financial priorities, and how to develop a personal financial plan. Ultimately, each participant develops a detailed map of where they have been, where they are, and where they want to be, with specific and measurable goals they wish to work on over the next 18 months. (Which I will talk about next time).
Along the way, the participants learn a lot about themselves, society, political and economic systems, and exploitation. They form strong connections with one another, which gives them support while they work to change things in their lives. They have a Circles coach to help them troubleshoot, stay accountable, stay motivated, and connect to resources. The participants learn the joy of giving back and take up little responsibilities within the program, for which we try to reward them with points they accumulate and can redeem for computers (our favorite one, because of the necessity of a computer to navigate in the marketplace) and "fun" items they usually do not get to treat themselves to like movie tickets or restaurant gift certificates. (We gratefully accept donations of these types of things! *Said in my very best non-profit begging voice*!)
This is a powerful experience for those who commit themselves to it (including the coach). The underlying principle is that people are problem-solvers, and each person is the authority on their own experience.
It is difficult to describe the privilege of watching people become empowered to change their lives. It is inspiring to see our participants persisting in climbing over some pretty big obstacles. It is amazing to see them develop the courage to try new things, to test out their voices, and to buckle down and exercise impressive discipline. It has been an absolutely joyful experience to link arms with these women (and a few men).
And you can too. More on that next time;)
The Circles workshop is a 15 week class that is meant to provide tools for a more stable life for participants. We screen interested individuals who are below poverty level, and those who pass commit to the workshop sessions. The workshops are designed to give people an accurate picture of what life is like for them right now, help them envision what life could be for them in the future, and work on the plans and steps in between the two. The material begins with the concept of what living in poverty is like: survival mode in a context of the tyranny of the moment. It introduces the theory of change: you can't get out of where you are now by doing the same things you are doing now. It talks about the rich/poor gap and how it works: the top 10% of the population possess 70% of the wealth, and the policies in place today will only increase that gap. We uncover the hidden rules of middle class society that the marketplace is based on; people in generational poverty are usually unaware of these and their importance. We talk about the eleven categories of resources (financial is only one category), and why each is important. We evaluate which resources we have as individuals and which we lack, then strategize about how to build those areas of resources we are low in. We conduct a community assessment to evaluate how well our community supports families, and talk about how to build community resources. We look at financial priorities, and how to develop a personal financial plan. Ultimately, each participant develops a detailed map of where they have been, where they are, and where they want to be, with specific and measurable goals they wish to work on over the next 18 months. (Which I will talk about next time).
Along the way, the participants learn a lot about themselves, society, political and economic systems, and exploitation. They form strong connections with one another, which gives them support while they work to change things in their lives. They have a Circles coach to help them troubleshoot, stay accountable, stay motivated, and connect to resources. The participants learn the joy of giving back and take up little responsibilities within the program, for which we try to reward them with points they accumulate and can redeem for computers (our favorite one, because of the necessity of a computer to navigate in the marketplace) and "fun" items they usually do not get to treat themselves to like movie tickets or restaurant gift certificates. (We gratefully accept donations of these types of things! *Said in my very best non-profit begging voice*!)
This is a powerful experience for those who commit themselves to it (including the coach). The underlying principle is that people are problem-solvers, and each person is the authority on their own experience.
It is difficult to describe the privilege of watching people become empowered to change their lives. It is inspiring to see our participants persisting in climbing over some pretty big obstacles. It is amazing to see them develop the courage to try new things, to test out their voices, and to buckle down and exercise impressive discipline. It has been an absolutely joyful experience to link arms with these women (and a few men).
And you can too. More on that next time;)
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Team Effort
I have a good friend who is a really, really good mom. (Well, I have quite a few of those....) Ami and I have gotten close over the past year or so, and our families have become friends too. Jeff and I have a lot of affection for Ami's girls, Ellie and Katie. Ellie is one of Anna's BFF's, and the friend she was baptized with. They have a special bond. Watch out - they are gonna change the world:) Katie will be a 5th grader, and Jeff and I volunteered to be 5th grade Sunday School teachers this year. So we get to have Katie (and some other fantastic kids too - we picked a good year!) in our class.
Katie is amazingly smart. She's precocious and full of energy. She is full of hugs and questions and spunk. She endeared herself to us pretty quickly. But I know that Ami and her husband Rob have had lots of challenges because of Katie's diagnosis. I have witnessed their amazing tenacity. They work tirelessly to do what's best for their daughter. Their love and devotion to their family is obvious to everyone who knows them.
Autism spectrum disorders have affected other friends and acquaintances in my life and in yours. You have probably been touched by their stories too. We don't often know how to ease the burdens of friends, or support them in what they do, but sometimes little ways come up.
For those of you who know Ami (or are touched by her story), her family is raising money for Autism awareness and research through the Autism Speaks walk. I asked Ami if I could post this link but she didn't know what I was going to say:) I hope I didn't embarrass her. Ami, I wanted to honor your wonderful family. Love you! Check it out if you would like to contribute a little something to the cause or send the La Ducs some love.
Go Team Katie! :)
Katie is amazingly smart. She's precocious and full of energy. She is full of hugs and questions and spunk. She endeared herself to us pretty quickly. But I know that Ami and her husband Rob have had lots of challenges because of Katie's diagnosis. I have witnessed their amazing tenacity. They work tirelessly to do what's best for their daughter. Their love and devotion to their family is obvious to everyone who knows them.
Autism spectrum disorders have affected other friends and acquaintances in my life and in yours. You have probably been touched by their stories too. We don't often know how to ease the burdens of friends, or support them in what they do, but sometimes little ways come up.
For those of you who know Ami (or are touched by her story), her family is raising money for Autism awareness and research through the Autism Speaks walk. I asked Ami if I could post this link but she didn't know what I was going to say:) I hope I didn't embarrass her. Ami, I wanted to honor your wonderful family. Love you! Check it out if you would like to contribute a little something to the cause or send the La Ducs some love.
Go Team Katie! :)
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
A Good Cup of Coffee
So I mentioned fair trade the other day, and as I'm drinking my coffee I am thinking this is one of the biggest changes I have made in my consumption habits. This is a bit of a tightrope to walk, because I don't want to make people feel burdened with something instead of inspired by something. I hope you will take my thoughts on this in stride, and know that I don't judge people for not taking up all of my causes or internalizing all of my convictions. Please take a free pass and don't read today's post if you would like to not analyze your morning cuppa joe.
We drink lots of coffee. Not just me and Jeff, but our nation. It's, like, a staple. One that we, as a big powerful and only recently downgraded country seek big, cheap supplies from the "Third World." When we do that, sometimes small farmers go from being able to provide a simple yet sufficient life for their families to being on the edge of starvation and disaster. A cheaper commodity can mean a slashed income for someone not exactly living in the lap of luxury in the first place. If you want an in-depth look at the coffee system, watch the documentary Black Gold.
The amount of injustices in the world are myriad, and the idea of addressing them all is overwhelming. In an effort to not become completely depressed or crazy, we make choices which battles to engage in. Because coffee is something Ineed enjoy on a daily basis, I should examine my participation in the coffee cycle. Coffee also happens to be one of those things where conscious-clearing alternatives exist. You can buy coffee with the little fair trade logo on bags in your grocery store, for instance. Wegman's store brand carries a couple of fair trade blends, as does Target's. Even Aldi is selling a fair trade blend now! A good brand sold in many stores and at Bruegger's is Green Mountain.
I buy all kinds of brands, but I have 2 favorites I must tell you about. Available online via Amazon, and possibly the best practice company on the planet is Pura Vida.
They are serious about changing business models to benefit ALL people involved and protect the environment. (Oh yeah, other benefits of fair trade coffee are not only that it is usually of superior quality, it is usually organic).
Perhaps the coffee dearest to my heart is Paramount's Rwanda Coffee .
Have you ever seen Hotel Rwanda? This coffee is Michigan State University's effort to make sure something like the 1994 war and genocide never happens again in that country. They work with farmers in Rwanda to make sure they have a market for and are paid well for their coffee. It's just an all around beautiful partnership. And good coffee. You can get it online, or if you are one of the lucky souls who lives in or around East Lansing, MI (insert my sigh of longing), you can purchase it at Goodrich's Shop-Rite or at your local Biggby's. It's what I'm drinking this morning.
Coffee may not be your passion. But there might be something else that is. If you would ever like to share something you've learned with an audience, please contact me and we can talk about an O,R guest writer spot for you. Maybe even over a cup of fair trade coffee:)
We drink lots of coffee. Not just me and Jeff, but our nation. It's, like, a staple. One that we, as a big powerful and only recently downgraded country seek big, cheap supplies from the "Third World." When we do that, sometimes small farmers go from being able to provide a simple yet sufficient life for their families to being on the edge of starvation and disaster. A cheaper commodity can mean a slashed income for someone not exactly living in the lap of luxury in the first place. If you want an in-depth look at the coffee system, watch the documentary Black Gold.
The amount of injustices in the world are myriad, and the idea of addressing them all is overwhelming. In an effort to not become completely depressed or crazy, we make choices which battles to engage in. Because coffee is something I
I buy all kinds of brands, but I have 2 favorites I must tell you about. Available online via Amazon, and possibly the best practice company on the planet is Pura Vida.
They are serious about changing business models to benefit ALL people involved and protect the environment. (Oh yeah, other benefits of fair trade coffee are not only that it is usually of superior quality, it is usually organic).
Perhaps the coffee dearest to my heart is Paramount's Rwanda Coffee .
Have you ever seen Hotel Rwanda? This coffee is Michigan State University's effort to make sure something like the 1994 war and genocide never happens again in that country. They work with farmers in Rwanda to make sure they have a market for and are paid well for their coffee. It's just an all around beautiful partnership. And good coffee. You can get it online, or if you are one of the lucky souls who lives in or around East Lansing, MI (insert my sigh of longing), you can purchase it at Goodrich's Shop-Rite or at your local Biggby's. It's what I'm drinking this morning.
Coffee may not be your passion. But there might be something else that is. If you would ever like to share something you've learned with an audience, please contact me and we can talk about an O,R guest writer spot for you. Maybe even over a cup of fair trade coffee:)
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Unfathomable
Chances are, wherever you are this morning
It. Is. Hot.
And the grass is probably either brown, getting brown, or your neighbors are totally watering their lawns every day. Even here in the land of precipitation, things are less than green.
But you're eating, aren't you? I am. In fact, I have variety in my balanced diet. I even have recently complained about grocery store prices and am always wondering what new and exciting recipes to cook for dinner.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/worldnews/8630255/Horn-of-Africa-famine-Somalia-Ethiopia-and-Kenya-suffer-worst-drought-in-60-years.html#.Tie-6i149gQ.facebook
This picture got to me. I cannot imagine looking into my child's face and telling them I don't have anything for them to eat. Really, do we have any idea what starving is like? No. We have no concept of there being no food to buy or pick. Nothing. Not even the can of vegetables that's been in the pantry for a year or leftovers from three days ago. Nothing.
What heartbreak could exceed your own child starving to death. How senseless does it seem that a little life full of potential is snuffed out by lack of food. Not cancer, but not enough to eat. Is that even possible when I just threw out half a bowl of pasta salad my family wouldn't eat? When the farmers at the market still have stuff left at the end of the day?
Somali refugees are here in the states. These people have been through a lot, and I cannot imagine what is going on in the streets of this already fragile country. Ethiopia's recent memory has famine etched into it already. Kenya seems a little more stable and hearty - but the elections a few years ago proved that things can get ugly fast.
Terribly sad and depressing post, I know. I believe, however, that we should face up to what goes on in the world. We get to look away the rest of the day.
http://www.worldconcern.org/crisis/
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/
It. Is. Hot.
And the grass is probably either brown, getting brown, or your neighbors are totally watering their lawns every day. Even here in the land of precipitation, things are less than green.
But you're eating, aren't you? I am. In fact, I have variety in my balanced diet. I even have recently complained about grocery store prices and am always wondering what new and exciting recipes to cook for dinner.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/worldnews/8630255/Horn-of-Africa-famine-Somalia-Ethiopia-and-Kenya-suffer-worst-drought-in-60-years.html#.Tie-6i149gQ.facebook
This picture got to me. I cannot imagine looking into my child's face and telling them I don't have anything for them to eat. Really, do we have any idea what starving is like? No. We have no concept of there being no food to buy or pick. Nothing. Not even the can of vegetables that's been in the pantry for a year or leftovers from three days ago. Nothing.
What heartbreak could exceed your own child starving to death. How senseless does it seem that a little life full of potential is snuffed out by lack of food. Not cancer, but not enough to eat. Is that even possible when I just threw out half a bowl of pasta salad my family wouldn't eat? When the farmers at the market still have stuff left at the end of the day?
Somali refugees are here in the states. These people have been through a lot, and I cannot imagine what is going on in the streets of this already fragile country. Ethiopia's recent memory has famine etched into it already. Kenya seems a little more stable and hearty - but the elections a few years ago proved that things can get ugly fast.
Terribly sad and depressing post, I know. I believe, however, that we should face up to what goes on in the world. We get to look away the rest of the day.
http://www.worldconcern.org/crisis/
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
a baby step
Time for some honesty. When it comes to the struggles of women worldwide, I've not done a whole lot. My heart aches when I hear the stories, when I recognize that being born a woman in many parts of the world is a life sentence, in a way. Yet I haven't really found my way of making a difference. I've been an observer of the situations, not a participant in remedying them.
But I may have just stumbled upon something that is right up my alley.
Over the weekend, I hosted a byTavi open house in my home. byTavi and a sister program, Daughters, have both been featured here before. You can read what Tiffany's written about them here and here. There are also links at the bottom of the page for more information about what these organizations are doing for women in Cambodia.
It was my sister-in-law, Carrie, who first introduced me to these products, the organization, and the story. One holiday, she unloaded a huge bin of scarves and bags. I'm a shopper. A lover of beautiful things. And I was so excited! We "shopped" for hours in the dining room. I bought things for myself and gifts.
That was over eight months ago. That night, Carrie suggested that I have a party. A simple idea. I have people over, show them the byTavi products, tell a little about the story of byTavi, and let them buy if they find something they like.
And honestly, it took me eight months to work up the courage. It seems silly, doesn't it. Having to work up courage for such a simple thing.
It actually took the prompting of a friend, who had never even seen the products, to get me to do it. We are in a book club together and she thought it would be a great idea to have the products out and available to the book club members when they came over for the monthly gathering. So I did.
And then, since I had three tubs of gorgeous stuff, I decided to build up my courage and ask the rest of my friends over to see what byTavi makes.
It actually took the prompting of a friend, who had never even seen the products, to get me to do it. We are in a book club together and she thought it would be a great idea to have the products out and available to the book club members when they came over for the monthly gathering. So I did.
It was a great evening. I sent out an email invitation to about twenty gals and gave them the website ahead of time so they could look at some of the products. Ten or so of them came to browse, try on, and check out the bags and scarves.
Basically, all I had to do was display the products and collect the payment, though I did also provide some fresh flowers, snacks, and drinks.
It was a great way to spend an evening. It felt great to introduce some of my friends to the lovely products and the good work that byTavi is doing for women in Cambodia. Women with children who are worried about things I've never even had to consider.
Thanks byTavi, CGI, and Carrie for letting me in on this amazing experience.
If you think you'd be interested in hosting a party like this, you can get in touch with the right people by going to the byTavi website. Again, the link is at the bottom of the page. Also, byTavi and The Center for Global Impact are on Facebook.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Giving When It’s Hard
Today's post is written by a friend who is more like a sister to me - Courtney.
She deserves her own inspiring woman post. I asked her to write about her work with women with addictions, to give us a glimpse of what that is like. She provided me with this very honest and beautiful essay about volunteering as a group leader:
She deserves her own inspiring woman post. I asked her to write about her work with women with addictions, to give us a glimpse of what that is like. She provided me with this very honest and beautiful essay about volunteering as a group leader:
I want to sit here and say that giving of my time, money and talents is natural, easy and fulfilling. Of course it can be, on that right day, in that right light, and given unspoiled circumstances. But often, most often in fact, it’s not. Mostly it’s hard, dirty, boring, frustrating. All those emotions you don’t think of when you call up your local agency and ask if you can be an answer to their prayer. What did they pray for exactly? A warm body? A punching bag? Sometimes either of those titles would fit. So why do I go back? Why do I continue to rearrange my schedule, make my kids wait, ask my husband to give? Because that’s what we’re made to do.
God has created us with eyes to look beyond ourselves, with ears to listen to the struggles of others and with shoulders to bear the burden of one beaten by life’s circumstances.
If we deny this purpose and mission for our time on earth, we cease to grow properly. We become the ingrown toenail of ourselves, growing deformed under our skin. Red, swollen, hurting, irritated, bothering.
I currently work part of my week at a homeless shelter for women and their children. The Charis House located in downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana, is a refuge for women who have nowhere else to turn. On a day to day basis, the atmosphere is of gratitude and filled with God’s glory and love. But some days, there is resentment, anger, aggravation and depression. Some days the women I work with sleep through my class, tell me I’m not worth their time, and curse me under their breath. The information I bring, though possibly useful, is seen as another burden in their already troubled lives. No thanks are given, or even considered.
So why? Why do I love these women like they were my own family? Why do I continue to reach out when my proverbial hand is slapped raw?
Because that’s what Jesus did for me, and will continue to do for me. How many times did I refuse His Grace, His Glory, His Truth? This is the immature nature of our sinful selves that will only be cured upon His command. Until then, I’ll give what’s been given to me – even when it’s hard.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
(3 word phrase Nike would sue me for using)
In the Reaching Out a Hand feature, we usually turn the spotlight on one particular organization/cause for a month. This month has not really worked that way, and instead I hope to bring you ideas about ways to spy organizations in your own community you might want to support or become involved with. Jessie, whose lovely sermon was posted here last week, saw needs in her community and built her own organization from the ground up. Not of all of us have that kind of time, energy, creativity and sheer force of will. But we have this idea that unless we're doing something huge like that, we should just not get involved at all.
This past Sunday, our church did our "Rock the Routine." Instead of our regular services, we signed up for projects around our community and went out and served. People went and planted onions (in the mud and rain) at the Matthew 25 farm . People cleaned up a local park. People visited residents and sang at the VA hospital service. People organized and sorted at Rescue Mission stores. A group painted a local fire house. One group planted a garden with residents at Enable . People put together lunches at the Samaritan Center . My family's group went to the Salvation Army where half of us painted the daycare, and the other prepared and served brunch and played with some of the kids at the emergency shelter.
One of the things these Sundays do is open our eyes to opportunities to be involved in organizations in our community that are lifelines for our neighbors. My 7th grader has never thought about the fact that some families sleep in a shelter in a borrowed bed until she saw it with her own eyes, for instance. I was reminded of how quickly a daunting job can get done if a few people roll up their sleeves and work together. It's good to get out of our routine, expose ourselves to a new corner of the world, stretch some muscles we haven't used.
We often think what we have to offer is insignificant. We aren't giving enough time. Enough money. Enough passion. I could start harping on things like the "pay it forward" concept, the loaves and fishes story, the Its a Wonderful Life example, but I will sign off with a new favorite quote:
"If you can't do great things, Mother Teresa used to say, do little things with great love. If you can't do them with great love, do them with a little love. If you can't do them with love, do them anyway. Love grows when people serve." - John Ortberg
This past Sunday, our church did our "Rock the Routine." Instead of our regular services, we signed up for projects around our community and went out and served. People went and planted onions (in the mud and rain) at the Matthew 25 farm . People cleaned up a local park. People visited residents and sang at the VA hospital service. People organized and sorted at Rescue Mission stores. A group painted a local fire house. One group planted a garden with residents at Enable . People put together lunches at the Samaritan Center . My family's group went to the Salvation Army where half of us painted the daycare, and the other prepared and served brunch and played with some of the kids at the emergency shelter.
One of the things these Sundays do is open our eyes to opportunities to be involved in organizations in our community that are lifelines for our neighbors. My 7th grader has never thought about the fact that some families sleep in a shelter in a borrowed bed until she saw it with her own eyes, for instance. I was reminded of how quickly a daunting job can get done if a few people roll up their sleeves and work together. It's good to get out of our routine, expose ourselves to a new corner of the world, stretch some muscles we haven't used.
We often think what we have to offer is insignificant. We aren't giving enough time. Enough money. Enough passion. I could start harping on things like the "pay it forward" concept, the loaves and fishes story, the Its a Wonderful Life example, but I will sign off with a new favorite quote:
"If you can't do great things, Mother Teresa used to say, do little things with great love. If you can't do them with great love, do them with a little love. If you can't do them with love, do them anyway. Love grows when people serve." - John Ortberg
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
The One
Thanks so much for letting me guest-post during these last few weeks about IJM. I know they have just been just a glimpse of IJM’s work, but I hope they’ve provided you with really tough issues to think about (because I believe that facing reality is the first step to improving the world in which we live) as well as the belief that amongst all the horrors of the world, there is hope and life.
As I wrap up my series of guest posts about IJM, I want to share a couple of final thoughts. Working here day after day for months and years presents some challenges that I didn’t necessarily anticipate. It gets really easy and normal to get caught up in the day-to-day and forget about the people for whom the organization exists. Just like it’s easy for so many people involved in various causes to get caught up in politics, theoretical arguments and power struggles and forget the actual people for whom we are fighting.
Don’t get me wrong: IJM absolutely is focused on big-picture structural transformation, and that’s vital to keep the work we do sustainable. But, what I love about the organization is that it so often brings me back to the truth and rawness of the story about the one person. It has been amazing to me how one person’s humanity can cut through all the theoretical arguments and big idea discussion by people in power. Picture a room full of powerful people in suits arguing over the finer points of human trafficking – when should there be intervention, whose job is it, where is the money coming from, and are people even asking for help? When you bring the little girl who is raped ten times a day in a brothel into that room, suddenly the arguments seem foolish.
I’ve often heard Gary, our President and CEO, talk about how we would respond if we were present amongst all the suffering. Of course there is still a great deal of thought and preparation as to how we go about our casework, as there should be, and a good deal of waiting that goes along with that. If you look closely at IJM’s methods and work, this is obvious. But what wouldn’t we – you and I - give to restore the one person if we knew – I mean REALLY knew and really saw what they experienced. And if they were OUR family members experiencing these horrors?! I think we would stop at nothing to bring rescue and restoration.
Well, Jesus sees all of it. It makes a little more sense to me that His love was so sacrificial when you realize that He sees all the pain in the world, and is intimately close to it. He doesn’t just hear stories and know statistics. He is there and deeply loves the people who are suffering, more than we love even those closest to us.
Suddenly, my own “sacrifices” seem so small and inconsequential. What am I actually doing to alleviate suffering in the world? And is what I’m doing an afterthought once I work through all my “big” problems of the day? You know, lack of sleep, work presentations, cooking dinner, balancing the family budget. When compared to slavery, sexual violence, human exploitation and abuse of power, such problems seem just the tangential arguments that can keep us from actually doing anything useful – foolish.
Thanks again for letting me post. It has been a great blessing for me to be taken back to the heart of the stories and to the reason I love IJM so much – the people whom we serve.
As I wrap up my series of guest posts about IJM, I want to share a couple of final thoughts. Working here day after day for months and years presents some challenges that I didn’t necessarily anticipate. It gets really easy and normal to get caught up in the day-to-day and forget about the people for whom the organization exists. Just like it’s easy for so many people involved in various causes to get caught up in politics, theoretical arguments and power struggles and forget the actual people for whom we are fighting.
Don’t get me wrong: IJM absolutely is focused on big-picture structural transformation, and that’s vital to keep the work we do sustainable. But, what I love about the organization is that it so often brings me back to the truth and rawness of the story about the one person. It has been amazing to me how one person’s humanity can cut through all the theoretical arguments and big idea discussion by people in power. Picture a room full of powerful people in suits arguing over the finer points of human trafficking – when should there be intervention, whose job is it, where is the money coming from, and are people even asking for help? When you bring the little girl who is raped ten times a day in a brothel into that room, suddenly the arguments seem foolish.
I’ve often heard Gary, our President and CEO, talk about how we would respond if we were present amongst all the suffering. Of course there is still a great deal of thought and preparation as to how we go about our casework, as there should be, and a good deal of waiting that goes along with that. If you look closely at IJM’s methods and work, this is obvious. But what wouldn’t we – you and I - give to restore the one person if we knew – I mean REALLY knew and really saw what they experienced. And if they were OUR family members experiencing these horrors?! I think we would stop at nothing to bring rescue and restoration.
Well, Jesus sees all of it. It makes a little more sense to me that His love was so sacrificial when you realize that He sees all the pain in the world, and is intimately close to it. He doesn’t just hear stories and know statistics. He is there and deeply loves the people who are suffering, more than we love even those closest to us.
Suddenly, my own “sacrifices” seem so small and inconsequential. What am I actually doing to alleviate suffering in the world? And is what I’m doing an afterthought once I work through all my “big” problems of the day? You know, lack of sleep, work presentations, cooking dinner, balancing the family budget. When compared to slavery, sexual violence, human exploitation and abuse of power, such problems seem just the tangential arguments that can keep us from actually doing anything useful – foolish.
Thanks again for letting me post. It has been a great blessing for me to be taken back to the heart of the stories and to the reason I love IJM so much – the people whom we serve.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
It's My Party
This year I will turn 31. I will also be visiting Uganda in August.
What do those two things have in common?
I have decided showing up in Uganda empty handed is like the lamest thing ever. I mean, I give on a monthly basis but I want to do something special for the grandmothers that I love so much.
For my birthday this year I have started a campaign to raise enough money to build a grandmother a house. It only costs $700 to build a house with metal roof to keep out the elements.
Visit the Nyaka AIDS Foundation page to view photos of their current standard of living by clicking here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=235422&id=84413107212
Jackson once told me a powerful story that will stay with me for the rest of my life.
It rains daily in Uganda. The conditions of the homes that many of our grandmothers live in is very poor. If you've seen the picture, you can tell that water would run right through the roof. There is no sleep for a family being rained on. The grandmothers will ball up school uniforms under their grandchildren on the floor and huddle all together to keep them dry for school in the morning.
Did you get that?
Education is so important to these families that they will lay on the ground huddled over their school uniforms to keep them clean and dry for the next day. They will lay in the rain.
Because this is my last day to post on Nyaka, I wanted to share that story and the link to my Birthday Page.
http://wishes.causes.com/wishes/251302?bws=fb_stream_wish
Jackson and I were joking that I could build a subdivision and name it Taj Mahal.
Good sense of humor!
It's my party and I will build a subdivision if I want to!
What do those two things have in common?
I have decided showing up in Uganda empty handed is like the lamest thing ever. I mean, I give on a monthly basis but I want to do something special for the grandmothers that I love so much.
For my birthday this year I have started a campaign to raise enough money to build a grandmother a house. It only costs $700 to build a house with metal roof to keep out the elements.
Visit the Nyaka AIDS Foundation page to view photos of their current standard of living by clicking here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=235422&id=84413107212
Jackson once told me a powerful story that will stay with me for the rest of my life.
It rains daily in Uganda. The conditions of the homes that many of our grandmothers live in is very poor. If you've seen the picture, you can tell that water would run right through the roof. There is no sleep for a family being rained on. The grandmothers will ball up school uniforms under their grandchildren on the floor and huddle all together to keep them dry for school in the morning.
Did you get that?
Education is so important to these families that they will lay on the ground huddled over their school uniforms to keep them clean and dry for the next day. They will lay in the rain.
Because this is my last day to post on Nyaka, I wanted to share that story and the link to my Birthday Page.
http://wishes.causes.com/wishes/251302?bws=fb_stream_wish
Jackson and I were joking that I could build a subdivision and name it Taj Mahal.
Good sense of humor!
It's my party and I will build a subdivision if I want to!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
To Uganda
Today I am blogging under achiever style.
Today has been a day and a half and it's not yet over. Nothing terrible. Just one of those days that started with plan B and is now on plan F. I wanted to share with you all another amazing project of the Nyaka AIDS Orphans Project. I wrote about it last year weaving in stories from my life and our commitment to Tay, our Compassion child.
I also have my own Pen Pal whose letter just left today. *smile*
We currently have a Young Hero Program that acts as a service learning project for students of all ages. Once the project is completed, children in the United States are granted the privilege of becoming Pen Pals with the children at Nyaka and/or Kutamba School. It is an opportunity to broaden all of their horizons and it inspires me every time I am able to place letters into bags full on their way out the door.
To Uganda with love,
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
A Little History
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| Festival of Trees at the Peoples Church of East Lansing |
Is it still Tuesday? Did I miss it?
I am tired. I've been busy counting donations (woo hoo) until my eyes cross (booo).
It's a good problem to have for an Executive Assistant at a small non-profit with ginormous goals.
Have you like the Nyaka AIDS Orphans Project on facebook yet?
Part of the reason for the craze in our office is the Grandmother Basket Project. Considering this is the 100th Anniversary of International Women's Day, I thought I would start with a little history lesson on the Grandmothers of Nyaka.
Prior to the sweeping death toll of HIV/AIDS in Uganda, there had been a stretch of over 20 years where no one died. I am not making this up. My boss's tale to tell but it's true. Families were built, children loved and educated a plot of land at a time. Children are considered the only retirement income necessary in rural Uganda. Parents literally sell their assets piece by piece in an effort to ensure an educated, free of poverty future for them. The children grow up and support their parents.
HIV/AIDS shattered that historical tradition.
After years of sacrifice, the children of our grandmothers died. Some were left owning only the small plot of land that their shabby home stood on. They had no money, no livestock, no agriculture to sell and no way to come up with any of these things on their own. They lived hand to mouth and sometimes the distance could not be crossed. On top of these struggles, on average they now became the guardians of 7 very young, very hungry grandchildren.
This was the line at Jackson Kaguri's door. A line of women and children requesting food for tuition, food and medicine from a young newly married, college graduate. This was the beginning of Nyaka AIDS Orphans School but you can read more about that in The Price of Stones.
In order to support the children in their home lives, the NAOP needed to support the women who were sacrificing so much to care for them. This is when the trade began; a student for the school nurse to tend to sick grandmothers. This is when the grandmothers started learning about how to keep small gardens from the Farm Manager at Desire Farm so that they could provide nutritious produce for those growing minds and bodies.
Eventually, the baskets that they traditionally made and sold at market caught the eye of the organization as a way to support the Micro-Finance Program.
 | |
| Chase Bank on Grand River :) |
So now, every trip made to Uganda, brings a return of hundreds of baskets and bead necklaces. I was lucky enough to get Lunch With A Purpose to swing by and help me inventory them this time. I have just hired an intern and I have a high school student who volunteers after school helping me ship the baskets all over the country for our in home Grandmother Basket Parties. It is a good thing too!
These baskets are a life line for the Grandmothers. Our organization buys them upfront so that the grandmothers can go on creating while we sell their inventory. They have taken that money and started to sell pottery, more baskets and produce from their gardens. These women didn't need charity. They just need a way to lift themselves up one hand at a time.
We have also listed a few of their baskets in the Etsy Nyaka Grandmother Shop.
Fortitude. That is the word I think of every time I look at their photos. I can't wait to visit them and show them the photos of people all over the country who have lovingly purchased their baskets, shared their stories and supported them with prayers.
Love...the world over.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Feel At Home
I was planning to go over the edge this year. Not mentally. That has already happened. I had on my list of things to do this year
- to repel the Boji Tower!
I know that Tuesday is "cause" day. Bear with me. It's coming.
I just found out that I will be going to Uganda in November. I will be visiting the Nyaka AIDS Orphans Project. Which reminds me...I need to update my passport now.
Any whoooo...
Again. Done. They can eat and learn. Problem solved.
Eventually, children were finding it difficult to attend school. Grandmothers were getting sick and someone had to care for them. Water had to be fetched and chores done every day. Our grandmothers on average care for 7 children orphaned by the death of their parents. We will talk about them in a minute.
The Nyaka AIDS Orphans Project built gravity fed water systems, bringing clean water to the people. CLEAN water. The water that would decrease illness in students and grandmothers. The water that would be closer, so chores would not interfere in class time.
At Nyaka and Kutamba School, they trade the school nurse for students. When a grandmother gets sick, the student reports to the school and sends the nurse on a home visit. The student can get an education and the grandmother can receive care from a trained professional.
By the way, the child most likely to stay home will be a girl. (Remind me to post about the "Pad Our Sisters" Project this month.
Our grandmothers....*sigh*
I love these women. They deal with greif, stress, age, illness and severe, suffocating poverty but they persevere. I have so much respect for this group of women. Jackson has said that we will not rest until our grandmothers do. I swear the same oath now. I spend my days selling their baskets. I am a little sad because we just hired an intern to take over the Grandmother Basket Project that has grown to be too big (yaay!) for me to handle along with my other duties (boooo!).
I am glad that we are covering causes on Tuesdays because I could write a novel...oh, wait...my boss did!
It's called The Price of Stones. Try to pick it up and read all about the way the organization began.
I will continue to fill you in on the Nyaka AIDS Orphans Project this month. Every Tuesday, I will focus on another bit. It's just too big and too amazing for one blog post.
I hope that is okay Tiff & Amanda? ;)
Okay, so the reason I am not going to repel? I have decided that instead of raising $500 for the city I love, I am going to try and raise $700 to build a grandmother a new home. I didn't mention that our organization builds homes, kitchens and latrines for the grandmothers did I? Well now you know why I need all month to tell you about Nyaka!
I can't show up in Uganda empty handed, now can I? It would be like showing up to a dinner party without a bottle of wine!
Today, I leave you with a video about the people we serve.
Love them. Pray for them. Give generously.
- to repel the Boji Tower!
Unfortunately, that is probably not going to happen. Not because I'm scared. I won't be scared until I actually lean over the edge. That is when I may have a panic attack. Now I am fine. It is a fundraiser for Team Lansing. I love my city and I really want to raise money for it...almost as much as I want to repel down that big beautiful building.
Probably not going to happen.
Any whoooo...
I have been working for the Nyaka AIDS Orphans Project since September of 2010. It is an organization that provides free education to orphans who have lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS. The idea is huge. There are over 2.4 million AIDS orphans in Uganda and we currently serve 547 children now. A very important drop in the global bucket.
This goal is amazing. The fact that the man who lived in the village of Nyakagyezi, Uganda has seen this vision through to fruition is amazing. All things being equal, he could have stopped there. He could have said, they have access to an education, I can go back to America a good, generous man. Enough.
However, the teachers began to report that children who at first came to the school bursting with energy were becoming exhausted and lethargic throughout the day. They typically walk 7 miles to school every day on one meal. They were malnourished and over worked.
The organization built Desire Farm and started a Nutrition Program. The children still have to walk for miles but they receive two nutritious meals from their own organic farm.
Again. Done. They can eat and learn. Problem solved.
Eventually, children were finding it difficult to attend school. Grandmothers were getting sick and someone had to care for them. Water had to be fetched and chores done every day. Our grandmothers on average care for 7 children orphaned by the death of their parents. We will talk about them in a minute.
The Nyaka AIDS Orphans Project built gravity fed water systems, bringing clean water to the people. CLEAN water. The water that would decrease illness in students and grandmothers. The water that would be closer, so chores would not interfere in class time.
At Nyaka and Kutamba School, they trade the school nurse for students. When a grandmother gets sick, the student reports to the school and sends the nurse on a home visit. The student can get an education and the grandmother can receive care from a trained professional.
By the way, the child most likely to stay home will be a girl. (Remind me to post about the "Pad Our Sisters" Project this month.
Our grandmothers....*sigh*
I love these women. They deal with greif, stress, age, illness and severe, suffocating poverty but they persevere. I have so much respect for this group of women. Jackson has said that we will not rest until our grandmothers do. I swear the same oath now. I spend my days selling their baskets. I am a little sad because we just hired an intern to take over the Grandmother Basket Project that has grown to be too big (yaay!) for me to handle along with my other duties (boooo!).
I am glad that we are covering causes on Tuesdays because I could write a novel...oh, wait...my boss did!
It's called The Price of Stones. Try to pick it up and read all about the way the organization began.
I will continue to fill you in on the Nyaka AIDS Orphans Project this month. Every Tuesday, I will focus on another bit. It's just too big and too amazing for one blog post.
I hope that is okay Tiff & Amanda? ;)
Okay, so the reason I am not going to repel? I have decided that instead of raising $500 for the city I love, I am going to try and raise $700 to build a grandmother a new home. I didn't mention that our organization builds homes, kitchens and latrines for the grandmothers did I? Well now you know why I need all month to tell you about Nyaka!
I can't show up in Uganda empty handed, now can I? It would be like showing up to a dinner party without a bottle of wine!
Today, I leave you with a video about the people we serve.
Love them. Pray for them. Give generously.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Washing Feet
A couple of years ago, Tiffany and I (as a part of our first attempt at social justice) had the privilege of hosting Mark Brecke in Lansing for a film screening of They Turned Our Deserts Into Fire. Mark Brecke traveled to Darfur to photograph images of those who had indeed had their deserts turned into fire by the Sudanese government. The women who watched their children burn, the husbands tortured by the images of their wives raped, their villages decimated and their extended families vanished into thin air all translated in photos. He used the photos to show typical Americans on a train to D.C. the images and film their reactions.
Some of the reactions made me hopeful. Some just made me mad.
Today, while wandering the ever educational (and sometime not) world of Facebook, I saw that Mr. Mark Brecke "liked" The Price of Sex. So there are a few people on Facebook whose "likes" I pay attention too. Mark is one of them.
Remember a bit ago when Tiff used the word "HATE". Well, this movie is created and produced by a woman originally from Bulgaria who has made it her mission to give a voice and a face to the women of Eastern Europe who have survived human trafficking. I spent the afternoon watching the Multimedia Series frozen. A woman who has no way to know how many clients she saw in a day but imagines it could have been 50. Women (yep, that's plural) who threw themselves from balconies to escape. Children who are very much easy marks. Poverty, that evil threatening shadow, that drives populations out into the mouths of wolves.
As I listened to a woman say that it would have been better for her to never be born I had one image in my mind. It popped up like a screen saver. I saw myself with a white, metal bowl. The bowl had a little of the enamel washed away from the rim due to use. In it was warm, soapy water and a white towel. I was bringing it over to wash her feet.
I am in Lansing, Michigan. Far from the poor villages of Moldova. It is not physically possible for me to wash her feet. To look up into her eyes and show her the love of my Savior. To say nothing. To sit in solidarity and in tears over what this world of sin has done to her.
I know what it feels like to suffer in abuse for a few days in my youth. For a few horrific moments of heart and soul tearing. I sit in awe of 50 rips a day, every week for years and years. Women who are then discarded like trash to spend the rest of their lives...doing what? Healing, wallowing, suffering, surviving?
If you are reading this you are one of the richest women in the world. It's true. You probably have clean water on tap, a home, a vehicle and support one or more children with a steady income from either you or both you and your husband's job. What are you doing with your wealth? What are you using your free time for? What are you using your facebook posts for? Your tweets? Your coffee breaks over the water cooler? What kind of books are you reading?
The reason I ask is because you, if you are a Christian, are the legacy of Esther who went before a King to rescue an entire population at the risk of her own execution.
If I perish, I perish
Esther doesn't do it for you? Okay.
What about Rosa Parks? Or how about Elizabeth C. Stanton? Not yet? What about Eleanor Roosevelt? Or Mother Teresa who claimed, The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty.
We as Christian women, borderline Feminists, stand at the end of a long line. A legacy of helping. A legacy of metaphorically washing feet in a cheap basin carrying love or in reality tending the sick, dying and discarded of our generation. A legacy of following Jesus into the darkest places of sin and sorrow with our little shining light.
So here is the cause I'd like to cast a light on today. What appears to be a powerful expose on the darkest, writhing in the night. Go "like" the page and keep up with The Price of Sex: Women Speak. Watch it when it comes out. Invite your friends over. Share the link on Facebook. Tweet it up. Shine a light.
Wash some feet.
Here are ways to get involved with the fight against human trafficking. One of our HATE words.
Get Involved with ThePriceofSex.Org
P.S. I'm twitterific @Mother_Flippin and of course, I have a Mother Flippin' Fan Page! :)
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Everyone's a Daughter
It's the first of the month! Which in my house means new budget month! Ok, yes, bill paying, but also renewed stash of grocery and spending money.
So before I spent all that cash (ha, ha) I thought I would roll out our spotlight organization this month. One day my good friend Amanda was wearing this gorgeous scarf. When we ooohhed and aaahhed, she shared with us where she bought it. The organization is called "by Tavi", and all of the scarves and handbags are made by women who are using this business to get their families out of severe poverty.
This is an issue dear to my heart. There are places in the world where when her husband dies, a woman is left with almost no options to provide for her family. Or sometimes, a family is so desperately poor that even if the husband is around, there is still no property ownership. Loan sharks prey on people like this, and keep them virtually in slavery when they lend money for small business operation. People stay in poverty and never get ahead. Anyway, I'll let you read about it at the link at the bottom of the blog page in the "Reaching Out a Hand" section.
A sister project of this is called "Daughters." And I really love this one. There are little girls in this world who are given to brothels in order to provide their family with income, or kidnapped, and forced into prostitution. This is one of those things I HATE. Stealing childhood has to be one of the worst crimes on earth. "Daughters" provides a safe home for these girls, where they can be girls. They also teach the older girls skills, and they have launched a line of gowns that are being sold in a prom and bridal store in Indiana. The "by Tavi" link also includes a way to get to the "Daughters" blog.
My thought concerning this type of post is multi-faceted. I hope we are informed, and not shutting our eyes to the suffering of daughters in other places. I hope we are inspired by people fighting injustice, and find little ways to chip away at oppression in our world. All of the causes might not tug at your heart, but there may be one or two along the way that move you to do something. If so, don't ignore that feeling - that's the Holy Ghost moving! ;) These organizations always need money as they are not- for- profit, so maybe each month we can forgo a latte or two and send 10 bucks and a note of encouragement. Or, the next time we want a beautiful scarf or new handbag, we can shop on "by Tavi" and support some hard working women. And when people oooh and aaah, we can share the story.
So before I spent all that cash (ha, ha) I thought I would roll out our spotlight organization this month. One day my good friend Amanda was wearing this gorgeous scarf. When we ooohhed and aaahhed, she shared with us where she bought it. The organization is called "by Tavi", and all of the scarves and handbags are made by women who are using this business to get their families out of severe poverty.
This is an issue dear to my heart. There are places in the world where when her husband dies, a woman is left with almost no options to provide for her family. Or sometimes, a family is so desperately poor that even if the husband is around, there is still no property ownership. Loan sharks prey on people like this, and keep them virtually in slavery when they lend money for small business operation. People stay in poverty and never get ahead. Anyway, I'll let you read about it at the link at the bottom of the blog page in the "Reaching Out a Hand" section.
A sister project of this is called "Daughters." And I really love this one. There are little girls in this world who are given to brothels in order to provide their family with income, or kidnapped, and forced into prostitution. This is one of those things I HATE. Stealing childhood has to be one of the worst crimes on earth. "Daughters" provides a safe home for these girls, where they can be girls. They also teach the older girls skills, and they have launched a line of gowns that are being sold in a prom and bridal store in Indiana. The "by Tavi" link also includes a way to get to the "Daughters" blog.
My thought concerning this type of post is multi-faceted. I hope we are informed, and not shutting our eyes to the suffering of daughters in other places. I hope we are inspired by people fighting injustice, and find little ways to chip away at oppression in our world. All of the causes might not tug at your heart, but there may be one or two along the way that move you to do something. If so, don't ignore that feeling - that's the Holy Ghost moving! ;) These organizations always need money as they are not- for- profit, so maybe each month we can forgo a latte or two and send 10 bucks and a note of encouragement. Or, the next time we want a beautiful scarf or new handbag, we can shop on "by Tavi" and support some hard working women. And when people oooh and aaah, we can share the story.
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