A New Christmas Tradition

We haven't posted a blog in a while, mostly because I wasn't really sure I had anything to say worth reading. I'd like to share about our Christmas yesterday, so in good form this post is extra long to make up for the missed posts ;)

For Christmas we came up to Seattle to share the holiday with Phil's parents and siblings. We haven't been up to visit since we moved back to California in July so it's been great to hug missed friends and experience an actual winter.

Through their church (occ.org), Phil's family has connected with a street kid ministry in Seattle called New Horizon's Ministries. They coordinated a back pack drive and also did a holiday party with the kids who otherwise wouldn't have experienced the love of community and alternative family on Christmas. Through their volunteer times spent with New Horizon's, they made some great connections with kids who came over yesterday for Christmas dinner.

When we talk in church about serving and loving those in need around us, I tend to shift uncomfortably in my seat at the thought of opening my home and family to being vulnerable. It's not that I worry about theft or safety, I'm just not sure how to do that. How do you invite a homeless kid, or any random person, into your home to share warmth and love? What if they are vegetarians? Can I get them a gift? But what do I get them? I know they are homeless, so do I invite them to stay the night? But what about the next night? What will it be like when I drive them back into the city and leave them on a street corner in the rain? "See you later" just doesn't fit.

Forget the hesitations, let me share with you how beautiful it was.

My father and sister in law left early to pick up Greg, 19, from a shelter he was sleeping outside of near downtown. You read that right- he was sleeping outside the shelter - he's on the wait list and may get a bed in early February, if he's lucky. They then picked up Sydney, also 19, and her 4 year old son Isaiah from the shelter they can sleep in until March. We at home just got ready like normal, finalizing the menu as the younger kids played video games Santa left them, all eager to continue celebrating the day with our new friends.

30 minutes before our guests were to arrive, the power went out. The wind was pretty bad so we thought it would be a temporary thing and just kept about the day. When the water stopped working we laughed that this would be like staying in Kenya. Phil called the power company to learn that something like 30 counties were out of power and it was being worked on. Around 3 we realized we should think about something else for dinner, and after a hilarious bout with the pork and BBQ girll, our buffet of mashed potatoes, apple sauce, and cookies Santa didn't eat wasn't going to cut it. Thankfully Denny's is open 24/7, so we all gathered and headed off.

It was terrific, we spent the day laughing and playing games and realizing first-world problems are not really problems, and even though the power was out we were still better off than most. I laughingly mentioned to Greg that this probably wasn't what he had imagined for Christmas day, and he put things into perspective, replying that he's homeless and would have been sitting out in the cold rain. Today he introduced us to cheesy grits and later is making a Cajun dish and fried chicken. He's a long way from where he came from, is seriously talented but is stuck in a life of poverty on the streets, just like thousands of kids around this country.

My heart aches to know that last night we gave him a warm bed and secure meal, will probably do the same tonight, but what about tomorrow? How can we help him? What will it be like when we take him back to the shelter he sleeps outside of? Will I say "It was a pleasure to meet to, hope to see you again" and then drive off, probably stopping by a store on the way home?

Realities like this round my mind and overwhelm my heart all the time, no matter where I am in the world. But because of people like my in laws, who don't mind being uncomfortable for the sake of helping others, I can be courageous and take the chance to enjoy company different than me- who really aren't so different. If not for them I probably would have limited my holiday service to a few hours at a soup kitchen, not even on Christmas.

So this CHRISTmas, I'm thankful for so many things. God blesses us in ways we can't even imagine, and its hard to remember that everyday. Yesterday I was excited the power went out and that we didn't have water and that we ate at Denny's! I think if we did the traditional chaotic glutinous thing it would have numbed us to the miracle Christmas is truly about. We were together and experienced love, joy, hope and goodness...it was perfect.

If you missed church, or want to experience some more Christmas before next year, check out this video message from Overlake Christian Church in Redmond, Washington. If you live in the Seattle area and want a church that truly represents the body of Christ and loves the unlovely, visit occ.org. If you'd like more information about street kids, visit untilthen.org.

God is good, all the time.




Home for Christmas from Overlake Christian Church on Vimeo.

My Birthday

Today is my 25th birthday.
Will you celebrate with me? Will you please sign this petition on change.org to help street kids around the world?


watch this video to learn more about the petition



Thank you!
-Dalene

His Plan is Always Better Than Mine

Phil and I were scheduled to return to Kenya for another long stay. We planned to head over in May of this year, and then pushed it back to November. Then when Phil started working for a company again we knew our long trip wasn't going to happen. But I could still go.

I was planning on flying over for the first week of November. We had tickets already, just needed to move the dates a bit.

I really really really REALLY wanted to go. I didn't have a full plan of what to do other than spend a couple days on our water projects with Until Then and Freewaters, but I could easily find things to fill my trip.

But it didn't feel right.

A lot of times, well most of the time, I have a personal agenda I'm pushing for wanting to do something. Sure, I already had the plane tickets and a place to stay, but there was no real reason for me to go (other than not wanting to lose the ticket). Because I wasn't working I had the time, but it also meant we were on a tighter budget and going to Kenya for a week would be pushing it financially.

I was praying about it and seeking advice, but I just REALLY wanted to go. I love Kenya, and you probably already knew that about me.

I had it worked out to go by myself and meet up with friends at Mattaw Ministries (sponsor one of their kids for $35/month!). But then I had a dream.

Dreams are how God captures my attention, which must mean I need to listen when I'm awake.

I don't remember the dream now, it was about a month ago, but I recall sharing with Phil that the message was loud and clear not to go to Kenya. And I was bummed. I can't think of a better word for how I felt. Just bummed.

About three weeks later I was offered a job and it was perfect timing as we struggled meeting our tight budget. In the back of my mind, and on my heart, I was still trying to justify going to Kenya. Maybe God would change His mind?

East Africa (roughly)

If you've been following the world news you're familiar with the current famine crisis in East Africa. Global headlines on the situation in Somalia started in August, the UN estimating 29,000 children died in a few weeks time. Slowly we're hearing famine is realistically affecting Ethiopia, South Sudan (which gained independence from Sudan in July) and Kenya, too.

The famine is caused (and increasing) from a number of factors, including political instability, drought, corruption, war and disease.

So you can guess that I was even more pumped up to get back to Africa and do whatever I could. I already kind of had tickets... even though by this time I had cancelled them.

And then this week in the Kenyan news we've heard nothing but targeted terrorist attacks against American/European tourists, generated from a distantly-linked Al-Qaeda group from Somalia. My father in law was scheduled to go to Kenya in mid November and he canceled his trip, and he's gone to Kenya during some of the worst possible conflicts you could imagine.

I would have been in Kenya right now if I had stuck to my plans. In addition to the target I'd be for an attack, can you imagine the financial cost it would have been to change my ticket to leave, have to stay at hotels near the airport and travel back and forth from the embassy?

My point in sharing this with you is that my God didn't want me to be in Kenya right now, and I didn't understand why not until a few days ago. I couldn't imagine why He had called me to serve in Africa and help street kids, but not want me to go to Africa to help street kids. But praise the Lord, He had other plans and they were beyond better than mine.

There have been several prayers this year that God has answered with a "no/not yet" that have come to fruition, but I'll save that for another post.

Praying for those effected by famine and terror,

Dalene

PLEASE help!

Sign this PETITION to help street kids in developing countries.

What About the Homeless?

I started working a couple weeks ago at the local Boys and Girls Club and I love it. It's the perfect job for me: I get to play with kids all day and get paid for it! When I lived in Texas I worked at a branch for a few months until Phil proposed and we started our life together. The club in Texas I actually attended when I was in 2nd grade, and it was at that club where I was first introduced to racism (outside of my family, who hadn't been as openly racist that I recognized at that age). Racism, I've observed, is something passed down from generation to generation, instilled as a belief in young people by their parents and grandparents. I look forward to not passing that belief on to my children, though realize they will probably learn about it from friends (as I did).

Anyway, the club I work at now is a dream. An ocean view in the distance and a beautifully kept park full of adventurous kids is where I am employed, which is so unique for an organization that traditionally services low income families. Racism isn't an issue here, and neither is bullying or stereotypes. There is still need though, mostly emotional support and security from children left to raise themselves through the internet and materialism... so fairly normal for North America.

What struck me the other day was the abundance of opportunity that the Boys and Girls Club affords its children, no matter where the location. Children have a chance to meet the President of the United States and are selected as recipients of education grants and afforded amazing opportunities.

And then the tears came.

What about my friend Daniel in Kenya? He's about 11 years old and has no security or comfort in the world. He was left abandoned years ago (I've known him for 4 years) and has been raised by various aid organizations that see him rarely as a child but as a statistic of poverty. I wish there was a Boys and Girls Club in his town where he could go for a snack and play games that will help him develop into a functioning member of society.

But there's not.

My struggle this week is realizing not every child in the world is a child. When I'm frustrated with 9 year old Billy at work for giving me attitude and being disrespectful to his peers, I have compassion with him in realizing that his behavior is modeled from his culture. But maybe in 10 years Billy will meet a Daniel, and he will remember his childhood at the Boys and Girls Club and will create one for the homeless youth of the world.

Ever Hopeful,
Dalene

To Serve

Between January and March I spent a lot of time in the hospital, mostly visiting my husband who either needed an emergency surgery, was suffering a fatal something or other, experiencing painful side effects of treatment... all in all I was in the hospital with him (or myself) on probably 17 different occasions, some of which I've tried to forget. Praise God, Phil hasn't been back to the hospital for an emergency since then.

On each of those 17 visits I remember a sense of panic that I didn't want Phil to think he was alone, to know that he was loved- and so it was with urgency that I would rush to whichever room he was in. Of course I was comforted that he was already in the hospital so any care he needed would be administered, but I was worried about his emotional health. Having been treated in a hospital myself, I remember clearly the presence of loneliness as I sat in the room, wondering who, if anyone, would come through the door next. Even an hour by myself felt like a dark existence of despair. It was that memory of being so lonely that I didn't want Phil to experience.

---

I've been reading books lately, usually have 2 or 3 going at once, and the pages of each are filled with testimonies of community overcoming individual darkness. In a couple books, there are stories of visiting victims of disease in their dying moments, and sensing a power of hope midst despair. It was reading these pages where I realized I've missed something huge in my own life. A disappointment flooded me and visions of visiting Phil in the hospital overwhelmed my thoughts. I remember being in the ICU with him in the small hours of morning, his parents also there. And then around that memory I see all the other ICU rooms, the floor quiet except for heart monitors and breathing machines. Hardly any other visitors were there.

I had missed 17 different opportunities to serve.

I wish I had stepped outside my selfish desire to be with Phil and visited the sick that had no one. I don't have any memories of visiting victims of illness in their affliction, other than family. I don't reach out to strangers who are probably experiencing the darkness of despair and loneliness. How hard would it have been for me, on those 17 occasions, to walk in to the room next to Phil's and offered to serve someone with another pillow? Or a cup of apple sauce? I easily did it for Phil, I'm sure it would be just as easy to do it for someone else.

Everyday we miss opportunities to serve others that are in our life. The slow old man at the grocery store who takes forever picking out his lettuce, I bet I could help him!

In my Christian faith we believe that God made Himself a man to serve humanity, that we might do the same. "Love your neighbor as yourself", it's all about service.

I'm going to do my best this week not to miss opportunities to serve those around me.

Will you join me?

Ever hopeful,
Dalene

P.S. please sign the petition from our previous post!

change.org

petition the adheisive industry 

The adhesives industry: Add nasal irritant to glue to stop kids from inhaling their products 

There are 150 million children who live and work on the streets of our world. Many of them use inhalants to dull their hunger and ease the pain of their difficult lives. The adhesives industry can add a nasal irritant to their adhesives formula which would prevent children from inhaling their products. This simple formula change would save millions of lives while not changing the efficacy of their products.

If you've seen the film "Glue Boys" (you can order it to the right of this post if you haven't yet), then you have seen why this needs to happen. Please click here to sign the petition!

Too Busy

One of my favorite things about being in developing countries is the way time is spent from day to day. I may have a mental list of tasks but allow myself to be distracted en route to make a new friend, and that is satisfying for the day.

In the States, individuals are paralyzed with anxiety from their daily routines and little joy is found in anything. If we see a friend at a coffee shop we have to schedule to have coffee a different time and go on about the day, even though we could have sat down together at that opportunity. We clean the house before the cleaning lady comes and have family meals at fast food chains. We rush getting ready in the morning and there's no time to pray with the kids at bedtime. Every movement of our days is planned according to a delicate schedule with no room for flexibility or spontaneity. That's not living, that's being a robot. Do we even notice the leaves changing colors on the trees or friendly smile of a passing stranger?

I've been reading "The Life You've Always Wanted" by John Ortberg, to fill my mind with positive things instead of the usually oppressing injustices of the world. The chapter I just read was highlighting the reality of our hurried society. We are constantly connected to the world through our cell phones and don't go an hour without checking our Facebook or email. I know Phil and I are on our phones last thing in bed and first thing when we wake up, as if we missed something while sleeping. And to think we could spend that time in conversation together!

It was reading that chapter that I realized how much time I waste each day. I rush to get ready, to meet a friend (while I have my cell phone out and watching the clock), go to the store, catch up on my TV shows before some one gives it away on Facebook, make phone calls... and then I'm exhausted and stressed, with no appreciation for life. I don't have a job right now so one would think I'd enjoy my days, but I'm still too busy to relax or find pleasure in creation.

The other thing I realized is that if I'm in Kenya, or somewhere in the world where no one rushes, I love life. I sit and listen to the birds chirp in the morning, or take in the scent of falling rain on growing grass. I walk slower, carry my phone less, have deeper conversations. My faith is strongest when I'm out of the States, and it might have something to do with actually having time to cultivate a growing relationship with God. The Christian faith is all about intimate relationship with our Lord... yet the only way to have a functioning relationship with anyone is to invest in it, and not be too busy.

We had to cancel our trip to Kenya next month for health reasons, but we still really wanted to go. Kenya is where Phil and I met, and where living makes sense. I bet that living would be easier in the States if we took the time to actually live here, too.

So, in the morning, I'm not going to check my phone first thing. I'll read before I shower, and I'll eat breakfast. I love breakfast (any time of day). I'll call my grandparents and maybe go grocery shopping with a friend. I'll sit outside and watch the bugs. I want to enjoy life every day. Then the harder days will be easier.

Why not live more?

(My new favorite place in the world to enjoy - my backyard)

 

Living as best I can, 

-Dalene

What is UntilThen.org?

In the majority of our posts we talk about the organization Until Then. Though whimsically named, the mission is anything but.

About 5 years ago, Phil directed/produced the award winning documentary "Glue Boys" (available for purchase to your right). The film highlights the everyday lives of 6 homeless boys in Kenya, and shares the history behind the youths' addiction to inhalants such as shoe glue, gasoline and brake fluid, as a method of survival.

As the film was shown to various audiences, one constant question was "what can we do to help?". Phil would direct those interested to various organizations around the world who cared for vulnerable children, though was not satisfied with that being enough.

So in 2008, with family and friends the organization Until Then was born. The purpose of Until Then is:

          "Until Then is dedicated to raising awareness about the issues of street children.  Our mission is to open the minds and hearts of people all over the world so as to engage them in action to bring hope and help to the forgotten street children of the world.  We will dream of a day when all children have homes and families and will work for this reality 'Until Then'.”

And the way we attain this is by having conversations.

One of Phil's past jobs was with DC Shoes and he frequently shared his passion of fighting injustice. Years later an old colleague called him up who was starting a shoe company and asked Phil for advice on doing projects that benefited the poor. It was through this conversation that Until Then's partnership with Freewaters began, and how we do clean water projects.

Until Then is not a fundraising organization, though when people donate money 100% of goes to projects that help street kids. We focus on three areas of helping street kids: prevention, intervention and rehabilitation. We do this by advocating and creating awareness, as well as through partner projects.

Until Then is run by volunteers who equally believe that projects helping street kids should be self sustainable, and so we partner with organizations, churches and corporations to achieve that. The end result of any of our projects is that a vulnerable child is better of today than they were yesterday.




Ever Hopeful,

Dalene

Making a Difference

HIV/AIDS claims millions of lives each year and is the leading cause of orphaned children in the world.
Read this short, uplifting article about a woman who is making a difference in Kitale, Kenya (Phil and I met in Kitale). Patricia is nominated as a CNN Hero this year. 
Read this, and then vote for her with us. 

read the article directly at CNN here


Church leader reverses stance on HIV, reaches out to those affected

By Kathleen Toner, CNN

Kitale, Kenya (CNN) -- HIV is a curse from God. That's what Patricia Sawo used to tell others as a church leader in Kitale, Kenya.

"I thought it was a moral issue and a punishment for the disobedient," Sawo remembers.

Then one morning in 1999, Sawo awoke to find her body covered in shingles, a rash commonly associated with HIV. Scared and upset, she cried in the bathroom for two hours. A test soon confirmed her fears: She was HIV-positive.

"I couldn't believe it," said Sawo, now 45. "It was, 'Oh my God, how could this happen to me?' "

Sawo suspects that a blood transfusion was to blame, but at that time she didn't dwell on how she'd been infected. She just wanted to rid herself of the virus.

She had always told others that God could heal people if they'd fast and pray as penance for their sins. But when she followed her own advice, she still tested positive. She continued to fast and pray repeatedly for the next four years, hoping for a different outcome. But the results remained the same.

When her status became public, she became a victim of the prejudices that she had helped spread throughout her community. Within weeks, she and her husband had lost their jobs, she'd lost her leadership role in her church and their landlord had kicked them out of their home.

Sawo's family struggled for years. She and her husband started a small business to make ends meet, but she says it failed because her customers were wary of her HIV status.

Web extra: CNN Hero Patricia Sawo

"The stigma was ... painful," she recalled, saying it was even worse than the virus itself.

Eventually, Sawo realized that her attitude -- and the teachings of her church -- had been wrong. She found her way to Handicap International, a nongovernmental organization that provided accurate information about HIV and AIDS, and the experience set her on a new path.

In 2002, Sawo was ordained as a minister, and she went on to help start ANERELA+, a network of African religious leaders living with or affected by HIV or AIDS. She began preaching about the issue regularly from the pulpit, believing that faith leaders have a responsibility to speak out.

"The church must change its attitude," she said. "HIV is not a moral issue. It's a virus."

As Sawo's profile as an HIV/AIDS activist grew, people in her hometown began to confide in her that they, too, were HIV-positive. She began an AIDS ministry, caring for the sick in their homes, and soon people started coming to her house for help. She used nearly all her income to help those in need.

"Seeing so many look to me, it made me feel responsible," Sawo said. "Whatever money I got ... I used it to help them."

In 2005, Sawo and her husband established the Discover to Recover Centre. It was originally intended as a place for adults to receive care. But as patients died, leaving their sons and daughters behind, it evolved into a home for children.

The church must change its attitude. HIV is not a moral issue. It's a virus.
--CNN Hero Patricia Sawo

RELATED TOPICS

• HIV and AIDS
• Kenya

Now, 48 children live at the center. Many have lost one or both parents. Others have parents who are struggling with the virus. Eighteen of the children are HIV-positive themselves.

The close quarters aren't luxurious. The rooms are filled with bunk beds and mattresses. But Sawo, assisted by seven staff members as well as some of her own children, provides food, medical care and schooling. The young children attend the center's on-site preschool, while Sawo pays school fees for the older children.

Sawo said the most important thing she gives them is motherly love.

"They keep me going," she said of the children at the center. "They're my life."

Sawo doesn't have room for all the children who have been affected by HIV and AIDS in her community, so she also supports about 50 children who live with a parent or grandparent. She gives these families food, school fees and uniforms if needed; she sometimes even helps pay their rent.

Today, as a trained HIV/AIDS counselor, Sawo counsels 20-25 people a month, helping them come to terms with their health status. She also offers advice about coping with the virus and she connects people to programs that distribute free medicine.

For several years, Sawo funded her efforts by working as an HIV/AIDS ambassador for an international Christian organization. But that income has been cut back recently, and her husband died of malaria and typhoid in October 2009. Now, the center is surviving through monthly donations from Hope Span, a U.S.-based nonprofit, and Sawo's sheer determination. She has started farming maize and beans to ensure its survival.

Someday, Sawo said, she hopes to offer foster care housing, primary and secondary school and a vocational training center for children and adults.

It's been a long journey, but Sawo is confident that she has found her mission. She said that in a way, she's found the "healing" -- at least in a spiritual sense -- that she prayed so hard for after she first tested positive.

"HIV, it's made me a better person," she said. "God has his own ways of healing. ... So, for me, I'm healed."

Want to get involved? Check out the Discover to Recover Centrewebsite and see how to help.

The Pain of Women

Today is "Women's Equality Day" (at least according to an article I read in the Huffington Post). If only it were true everywhere in the world. Its easy to dedicate something to a day, such as MLK day, world AIDS day or Labor Day, but whether it's truly honored by the majority is another story. 

"The Stoning of Soraya M." is one of the most upsetting films I have ever seen. And if you know me, you are aware of my knack to find the most depressing film, book or place in the world.

I've been having a hard time coping with having so much free time on my hands. In the 7 weeks since we've been back in Southern California, I've read a couple books, been to the beach a bunch, made new friends, and have been job hunting like crazy. Now you may be thinking to yourself "um that sounds awesome, wish I could spend my days at the beach reading, or doing nothing.." and I would gladly trade places with you. But my Father (that's Heavenly Father...) knows me well, and He knew that I needed this "down time" to give Him all the heartache and grief that I've compressed and hidden away. So now that I know I need to grieve the loss and pain that I've gone through in the year previous to these 'awesome' 7 weeks, I've been fighting it.

So, knowing that crying is probably a good place for me to start, I turned to Hollywood. I tried to find a title that would be sure to bring the tears flowing, and having Netflix instant it was an easy search (I guess I could have just watched Glue Boys...). And there it was, "The Stoning of Soraya M." The description reads:
          "Set in 1986 Iran at the start of Khomeini's reign, director Cyrus Nowrasteh's drama tells the true story of Soraya (Mozhan Marnò), whose husband plots to have her falsely accused of adultery so he can divorce her and marry a young girl. French journalist Freidoune (Jim Caviezel) is pulled into Soraya's tragic story when he meets a desperate woman named Zahra (Shohreh Aghdashloo)."


Perfect. 

And did the tears come pouring down or what. But now after finishing the film I'm mostly filled with anger and rage, which may be part of the 'grieving process' but not exactly what I was going for in my planned process. 


Okay, so watch the film. 


After reading the plot about a husband who wanted out of a marriage to marry another and the only way was to have his wife violently murdered, one has to think something like "are you kidding me". Watching the stoning scenes I was actually cursing the husband, calling him names such as "pig" while shaking my head in disbelief and blowing my nose, trying not to hyperventilate through the tears. Sure this film was set in 1986 Iran, but Shariah Law (or Islamic Law) still permits the stoning of women today. The film mentions that in an acusation, the woman has to prove her innocence, while a man has to prove her guilt (never mind that he was having an affair outside of the marriage, but men don't get stoned). 

How do we celebrate "Women's Equality Day" then if every women is not equal? My white skin gives me more equality to men in a lot of countries, but how is that fair? If man and women were created equal and need each other to survive, why is one considered insignificant and treated worse than wild dogs? 


Women's injustice is one of the greatest social injustices of our era, and will continue to be for generations to come. In all the work that we do with the poor and forgotten, its the women that are often left out. Most of the street kids we work with are in fact boys, and we've shared on here before that its because the girls are taken in as sex slaves or house servants - which is neither better or worse than life on the streets. Modern day slavery is comprised mostly of women and young girls. For the most part, women in the modern age are treated as a commodity and not as people, and there is evidence of that from the commercial sex industry to Hollywood to who receives foreign aid.

There has been a sudden influx of humanitarian organizations focusing on women's rights, such as Kiva, that gives micro loans to empower the poor. This is wonderful! I only wish it was their own families and communities lifting and empowering women, not solely the distanced foreigners who believe in women. 


Watching "The Stoning of Soraya M." didn't really help me process my "stuff", but it did empower me to keep fighting for the voiceless. I know that is the calling on my life, to advocate for the forgotten, and somehow my personal pain ties into that. It's highly unlikely that you or I will ever be stoned, but we owe those who could be our allegiance to fight for them. 


So on this "Women's Equality Day", this woman is continuing to fight for true women's equality, no matter what. 

Will you join me? Go watch that movie, it's a sure motivator (get some tissues). 


Ever Hopeful, 


Dalene

discounted Freewaters Shoes

If you've heard us talking about Freewaters shoe company, but haven't ordered your Freewaters, yet, TODAY is the day to do it! Roozt.com is hosting a deal, for $25 you get a $50 credit at the online Freewaters store towards your purchase (and that is enough for one pair!).

Freewaters is the corporate sponsor for the water wells Until Then does in Kenya. Check out projectfreewaters.org or untilthen.org fore more info about clean water projects.

Famine... what do we do?

Phil and I have been reading and hearing everywhere about the famine that is occurring in Somalia. Famine was predictable there and will more than likely spread to Kenya soon and then there's Sudan which seems to always be screwed. Of course there are also the neighboring countries that are setting up refugee camps for survivors to help alleviate the crisis. Basically, its really bad.

The UN's World Food Programme estimates 11 million people are directly suffering from the famine in Somalia,  and World Concern states its closer to 12 million and that 29,000 children have died.

Can you visualize those numbers? I can't; its overwhelming.

What we've been stumped is how to help. We want to donate money, as that seems the most direct and effective thing to do... but who do we give to? There are so many great organizations doing relief work that we're not sure which one to give to. Do we give to the World Food Programme who can feed one person a day with 50 cents? Or to World Concern where 94% of every $1 goes directly towards relief efforts? Or do we join efforts with orgs like One Day's Wages who pull monies together and then give to which ever organization they work with? Or there's organizations like Fruited Plains, that teaches widows and displaced families in Kenya how to cultivate land and grow enough food for a sustainable income.

There are so many options.

But we shouldn't let that stop us from giving. Phil and I believe there are many ways everyone can help alleviate the crisis in Somalia. Any action from creating awareness, advocating and/or donating will help those suffering famine in the Horn of Africa.

I encourage you to talk with at least one person today about the famine, and then if that was pretty easy (and it will be), try doing something else.. maybe put it as your status on facebook, or link an aid organization and create awareness that way. The options are limitless. Use your voice to help the voice less.

I'm off to donate, and it doesn't matter to which organization. Every little bit helps.

Thankful for what I have,

Dalene

For Bart

My dear cousin Bartlett Smith died tragically last week. We went to Texas to celebrate his life with family, and Phil was able to make this beautiful tribute video.



Bartlett Edward Smith from Phil Hamer on Vimeo.


If your loved one struggles with suicidal thoughts know that help is available for them and you. Contact a hotline or local social services agency for direction on getting them help. Suicide is 100% preventable and 100% heartbreaking.


Finding Hope, 

missing Bart,

Dalene

Numb

After years of hearing statistics of injustice that don't change, one could become pretty desensitized to the heartache of the world. That's a harsh summary of where I have been the past few months.

- 150 million street kids
- 3.7 million people suffering famine in East Africa
- 16 million AIDS orphans
- 2 million children that are sex slaves

Just to name a few.

See what I mean? You read something like that and its overwhelming. The instinctive response is to shut down our emotional connection, try not to grasp the literal meaning of millions of people suffering an injustice, and move on. I do it too. Just writing those stats I was inclined to not feel a connection. And then too its easier to ignore depending on your socio-economic status. Most of our readers are well above the poverty line, so its highly unlikely that you personally know a street kid, an orphan, a child prostitute or someone infected with HIV. That makes it easier still to not personalize the statistics with our every day lives.

But then I'll read a story about a street boy named Philip (not my Philip, just coincidental). Philip lives in a Kenyan city and is probably 10 years old. The story, written by my father in law on Until Then's blog, tells of how he was carrying a rock in his hand. This rock is his only defense against a cruel world that beats him and abandons him. Reading this story, I felt my stomach churning with pain, my heart-beating with rage and tears of compassion running down my cheeks. I don't know Philip personally. I know he fits in to at least one of the statistics above, if not two. But Philip can't be seen as a statistic of injustice, he is a person. He is a child that is unwanted and has no one to love him. But I love Philip, and I pray you do too. I encourage you to read this story at UntilThen.org.

If you, like I often am, are feeling disconnected from the numbing statistics, read this story about Philip (http://untilthen.org/update-from-kisumu-with-george-washington/). 

I am attempting to live out this verse from the Bible, Micah 6:8: "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

That's quite a charge, I hope I can live it out!

Ever Hopeful,

Dalene

Happy Birthday Phil!!

Happy birthday to the man who lives to help others. Your love and dedication to street kids has changed my life, and I'm a better person because I know you (and blessed to be your wife).

Phil with some of his dearest friends, rehabilitated street kids he's been working with for 10+ years in Kenya

"Kadoma" Film Premiere in Seattle

 Thursday night in Seattle "Kadoma" will be screened for its first time to the Seattle crowd. The event is sponsored by Eddie Bauer's First Assent. Film begins at 6:30. Click Facebook event for the event page on facebook, or visit the film's page here.

"Kadoma" is a film about whitewater exploration in the heart of Africa, specifically the (not so) Democratic Republic of the Congo. This documentary highlights the challenges of poverty and the exquisite beauty of unspoilt earth. The expedition, sponsored by Eddie Bauer, was led by renowned explorer and great whitewater kayaker Hendri Coetzee. If you've been following our blog, then you may recall the post about Hendri, my beloved cousin.

Come join us downtown for the screening.

Location - The Mountaineers Program Center
7700 Sand Point Way NE
Seattle, WA 98115
Host - Mountaineers
Time - 6:30 PM




Looking forward to seeing you there!

Get your Freewaters Sandals, for free!

Until Then is hosting a "Shameless Promo" Contest online, and the winner of the contest will win a pair of Freewaters sandals (up to $100 value). Check here for more info (the link will take you to the Until Then Blog, where it gives you official details). Contest ends June 17th.

Many of you have wanted to get a pair of Freewaters but maybe haven't yet. Here's your chance to get a pair for FREE!!

Thanks to Freewaters for contributing to Until Then!

Ready, Set, Go!

The Importance of Community

This season of our life has produced much heartache, and to be frank there is no end in sight, and the "light at the end of the tunnel" is dimming. We sprint towards it, but are being pulled backward by darkness and the fight is getting harder.

I've shared very little about our current darkness, but in order to convey the importance of community, and how we've failed to have it, I feel I must share. If you read our post "a new kind of heartache" from February, then you know that depression is taking ownership of our lives. Depression is dark and produces nightmares during the day. The majority of people experience some sort of depression, most commonly referred to as "the blues", but others are gripped and drowning with the illness of depression. We have the later form in our home, and have been struggling to win, anguished to survive one day at a time. Depression is not a popular topic, whether referring to the blues of a break up or being admitted into an inpatient program at a hospital. Because its not easy to talk about, nor anyone is eager to hear the daily stresses that come with it, community is hard to establish or maintain, and friendships diminish. All we're left with at the end of the day (and usually the dark hours of the night), is depression and each other.

It was recomended to me that I read Henri Nouwen's "Inner Voice of Love". Nouwen struggled with despair in depression, and "Inner Voice of Love" was a product of his experience, written from a collection of journal entries. Today I read the entry titled "Cry Inward", and I'd like to share it with you.

"Cry Inward

A split between divinity and humanity has taken place in you. With your divinely endowed center you know God's will, God's way, God's love. But your humanity is cut off from that. Your many human needs for affection, attention, and consolation are living apart from your divine sacred space. Your call is to let these two parts of yourself come together again. 

You have to move gradually from crying outward-- crying out for people who think can fulfill you needs-- to crying inward to the place where you can let yourself be held and carried by God, who has become incarnate in the humanity of those who love you in community. No one person can fulfill all your needs. But the community can truly hold you. The community can let you experience the fact that, beyond your anguish, there are human hands that hold you and show you God's faithful love."

This is how I feel today.

Phil and I live in Washington now, and left the most secure sense of community we'd ever known in Southern California. We believe God led us up here, and why we are going through this dark season now, with no community, is beyond me. I see where we had opportunity to establish community, but thought that this season was going to be short and temporary. We were wrong, and now struggle with loneliness and isolation.We now know that even if we think something is temporary, no matter where we go, we were created for relationships, and community is ever important, for every season in life.

If you don't have a sense of community, please learn from our current situation, everyone needs community!

Soaking in God's love, and stomping on the Devil's head,

Dalene

Gettin Got Water!!

Thanks to you generous supporters, we are about to build a well together! I am so encouraged by your support of this whim idea we had that our friends would donate $20 each for a well, and you went above and beyond in donating! The "Diarrhea is No Good" campaign raised $900 for a well, so let's pray that's enough to get water pumping! Usually the hand dug shallow well Until Then does is about $1,200, but I have faith that our $900 will be enough! There will be an Until Then team in Kenya this week working on water wells and a drop in center, so they will send photos for us to share with you.

As always, pray for water!


Dalene

We're So Close to Getting a Well!

Because of you generous donors, we are on our way towards providing a well with Until Then!

We are about 1/4 of the way towards our goal of $1,300. Its amazing that so little money will provide clean drinking water for about 100 people (for a very long time!). Our goal is to have 65 people donate $20 each.

Clean drinking water is something that Phil and I have just recently begun to learn about, and we have both suffered the consequences of drinking dirty water... remember the "Joys of Poop" post? When we were last in Kenya, we spent some time in a rural village outside of Kisumu. We were trying to do a well for a poor community that Until Then has been working in with Overlake Christian Church, and actually needed water to be able to dig. The nearest water source was about a 5 minute drive, and we were fortunate enough to have vehicles. If we hadn't, it would have been a 20 minute walk there, and then a longer return depending on the weight of the water. There were mostly children doing the walk for water from the village to provide for their families, and most of the children were girls.

I'm hoping you'll partner with us in providing a well so that children won't have to walk as far to get water, and will have a new chance to actually be children. Wouldn't it be more fun to play in water than have to walk to get some?

To join us, click the donate button to the right. All funds go to Until Then and are completely tax deductible. Every dollar you donate will go towards this project!

We can do it!

Children in Dago, Kenya, collecting water in buckets

$20

We are thinking that we can get just 65 of our friends to donate $20 each to help us build a well through Until Then.

The well will provide clean drinking water to those without. Every day, school age children have to walk for hours to find a water source for their family. If we provide a well, then these children can go to school instead!

If you're in, click the donate button to the right. It will take you to Until Then's secure PayPal account, where all donations are tax deductible.

What do you think, will you join us?

Ever Hopeful,

Dalene

"What if I Can't Afford to go to Africa?"

This morning I had the honor of speaking with a group of high school students during their Global Issues class (via Skype; I love Skype). A dear friend is the teacher of this Kentucky class, and she has the awesome ability of engaging high school students to care about global issues. The only global issue I cared about in high school was if I could afford an Italian leather handbag... my, how times have changed (but I still like Italian leather!).

She asked that I focus on children affected by poverty and what Until Then does. I had about 45 minutes to engage 17 year old hearts and minds with crazy statistics and hopefully empower them to do something once the video chat ended.

Between attempting to explain the differences of refugees and illegal immigrants and trying to hold back on how human traffickers are ruling the world, the students just wanted something tangible that they could do to make a difference. Texting $10 to a relief organization wouldn't satisfy their desire to help. Giving up their college tuition to go to a developing country for a personal experience of poverty is not an option for them.

Advocacy and Awareness, two of the most powerful tools for change... if you can advocate and create awareness then you are making a difference, and students are really good at both. One of our projects with Until Then is Kids For Street Kids. There is a group of high schoolers in Orange County that have an Until Then Club, where they raise awareness about homeless kids in Kenya, as well as in Orange County. They write supportive letters to street kids across the globe and raise money to alleviate poverty, but they are also making Easter baskets for local homeless kids. The students of this Until Then Club have made their peers (and faculty) aware that there are 150 million street kids globally, some of whom are in the United States. The kids, on their own and with little direction from us, decided that they were going to be the best possible advocates for street kids; hence the purpose of Kids For Street Kids.

If you would like more information on starting an awareness campaign and becoming an advocate for street kids, email us or leave a comment below! We're also on facebook.

meet Reggie, a 10 year old in Seattle, Washington, who decided that his church should put together backpacks for street kids as Christmas gifts. Reggie is an advocate for street kids.

Advocate for life,

Dalene

A Day Without Shoes

I use to think that I knew what jiggers were. My granny in Texas is always talking about the jiggers that we can potentially get playing in the pasture, and she follows by sharing with us her 'homeopathic' remedies for getting them out. So, when we were in Kenya last November, I heard a lot of talk of jiggers and couldn't believe that the caregivers (mostly volunteers with big hearts and strong stomachs) hadn't heard of my granny's home remedies, and was excited that I actually knew some way to contribute and help!

Well, if they were chiggers, I indeed would have known. There's something about that Southern accent my granny has that makes a few words with different meanings flow together; take snake and stake for example (yelling at me to watch out for the cows calling them stakes, my silly granny... oh, snakes..).

The only way to remove jiggers, if you are one of the millions of people in the world who suffer from having them, is to dig them out with a sharp object. In your mind, picture little maggots swarming around inside your feet, creating infection and terrible discomfort. Jiggers are the product of fleas that burrow in feet (most commonly in farm animals, but surpassing the goats and cows with infection are children in developing countries). The fleas lay eggs and turn into little white worm looking things. If your foot is itching like mad, you find something sharp to scratch at it; the infection is under the skin, not showing on the surface.

Alright, graphic enough for you? Me too. I think I'll skip breakfast.

Here is a photo for you!

courtesy of Amy Biemeck, www.safariofsix.blogspot.com

There are much more graphic photos I could share with you, but this should be enough to convey the intensity of jiggers.

So, how does one become infected with jiggers?

From not wearing shoes, usually because you cannot afford them.

Today is "A Day Without Shoes," a global movement that occurs one day a year, started by Toms Shoes. The objective is to raise awareness about diseases that stem from not wearing shoes, such as the potentially life threatening jiggers you've just learned about.

If you are not able to go without shoes today, then please spread the word about it.

Below is another awesome video, produced by my incredibly talented husband. It will encourage you, and will hopefully be a useful tool in engaging others to join the movement in fighting for social justice.

Have a wonderful Day Without Shoes!

Always for the Children

Siempre Para Los Ninos is a children's home just south of Tijuana, Mexico. We spent some time down there a few weeks ago, and Phil made this video to create awareness about the plight of Mexican children, and the rate at which they are abandoned. This film instills hopefulness, as well as encouraging the masses to love on the millions of orphans that we are obligated to care for. Who wouldn't fall in love with these beautiful children?!

If you are interested in visiting Siempre, you are more than welcome. There is a dedicated group from Southern California that goes down every Wednesday afternoon, and there are consistently groups that go down for short term trips from all over the USA. For more information send an email to Eric, eric@centralcommunity.com

Enjoy!

World Water Day

Our first well in Kenya, partnered with Freewaters to provide clean drinking water to those without, in hopes of preventing children from running to the streets. Woot woot!

 

traffic.

Last March I went to Thailand with an amazing group of women to witness and learn about something that I didn't understand. The trip was great, but then who wouldn't love 10 days of sunshine and a new culture? The after affect, even a year later, is damaging... part of my heart was destroyed in Thailand. [Albeit, if you've been following our blog then you know that a lot of things break my heart.. so its not so profound to know that my experience in Thailand wrecked me. But I'm going to tell you about it anyway.]

So you know about Until Then, the non profit we work with dedicated to raising awareness about street kids, like in Phil's documentary Glue Boys (follow those links to learn more). I went to Thailand on behalf of Until Then, to learn what the street kid population looks like there and more specifically to see what trafficking looks like with street kids. I'll tell you now, my experience and research has been that there are no street kids in Thailand, at least not a 'traditional' representation of street kids (which would be homeless children). There is however a huge population of commercial sex workers, also known as victims of human trafficking. You may recognize this population being referred to as prostitutes. My stance, and some of my friends and associates, is that no one grows up wanting to be a prostitute, so all prostitutes are therefore victims of human trafficking and the commercial sex industry.
Where street kids come in to this is that they are recruited, just as in the United States and truly all countries, within hours of being on the streets to work in a brothel, bar, massage parlor, or any other 'establishment' that offers sex at an hourly rate. Most commercial sex workers have an average age of 13 or 14, which makes them children... in all countries. I've written a lot about this topic, and if you'd like more information I'd be happy to direct you to some.

Last night I went to an informational meeting sponsored by Global Breakthrough, an organization that stemmed out of that Thailand trip last March. They are dedicated to abolishing slavery once again, this time in the form of human trafficking. They have put together an informational video, runs about 9 minutes, but I would like for you to watch it, and share it. You are now aware of this outrageous truth and now you have to do something about it. Education is the first step in ending slavery.

I hope you will join me in being a broken heart for the enslaved.