In the words of..

When I decided to venture out into the world of blogging, one of the reasons for doing it was so that I could connect people with others through stories and simple questions, who normally would never interact. We all in fact have a story, and however boring they may seem to us, they are our own and different from anyone else and that uniqueness carries a little fascination with it. How cool is it when we can take the time to listen to others and be encouraged or inspired or even entertained by that persons thoughts and experiences! Basically I really enjoy hearing a persons journey and why they do what they do, and am excited to share with you some thoughts from people I know.

My good friend Caleb put together some words that he offered to share here, so thanks Caleb for that, and I hope you enjoy reading what he has to say as much as I did.

In the words of..

First name = Caleb.

Where I am = Jeju Island, South Korea.

Why I’m in Korea = I’m teaching English. And making some money. And learning the language. Also, having fun.

How Austin knows me = We kicked it together at college. He had the pleasure of living with me his sophomore year, at which point in time I was a wise senior with a great deal of powerful life advice to offer. I guess we hit it off; we’ve kept in touch ever since in spite of the fact that we usually live a couple thousand miles apart.

Something everyone needs to know about the city where I live = First, we’ll start with the name, Jeju-Shi (제주시). Okay, so you probably really don’t need to know the name. Unless you love what I have to say so much that you need to buy a plane ticket here so you can chat with me in person.

To be more serious, the first things I noticed about Jeju focused on differences: the seemingly lawless driving, the homogeneity of the island’s inhabitants, the communal orientation of Koreans, etc. I suppose it only makes sense to notice contrasts at first.

After having had a good deal of time to think about differences, I bored of the constant comparisons between the West and the East and decided to just experience Jeju for what it is. It’s amazing how quickly this place can feel familiar, warm, and nearly second nature if you give it the chance.

I suppose that’s the take away. I think you should know that, despite the very different nature of where I live, at the most fundamental layer it’s made of people with emotions and needs nearly identical to those you and I experience, though it may be expressed differently.

What I like to do here in Jeju (that I can’t do back home) = I will say Norae Bang (노래방) for starters. This literally translates as singing room, but the Japanese version, Karaoke is already well known and a good reference point. The difference is that, here in Korea, you go with a group of friends (or your business partners, fellow teachers, the roughly 60 year-old principal) and rent a private room. And you then sing to/with each other. Now, when I mention the advanced-in-age principal I think I should make it very clear that every principal I’ve gone with has been a warrior in the Norae Bang. They sing, dance, and party long after I begin to tire (we’re seriously talking about singing past midnight AND going to school the next day ON TIME). I’ve gone to Norae Bang with groups as big as 25 and as small as 2. It’s always an after-dinner-activity option—expect to be there long after dinner. You can order food there if you get hungry from the strain of performing.

I’m telling you this because I actually am willing to sing in front of other people after having come to Korea. This was far from the case in the USA. I used to straight up refuse, not that I was asked often. I’m by no means a great singer, but something about Korea has inspired me to take what skills I do have and actually practice singing.

I’m now not only comfortable singing for other people, but I actually love when my phone rings informing me that a group of friends are at the Norae Bang hoping that I’ll come and join them (oddly enough, I pretty much exclusively sing songs in Korean, recently branching out into the genre of rap, so I get to feel like I am learning a language as well as having a really good time. I will, however, perform Vanessa Carleton’s “A Thousand Miles” upon request, haha).

What God’s doing here = I would say the same thing He’s doing everywhere, that is, working through the body of Christ to bring the Kingdom of Heaven to Earth. It’s rather important to recognize, as this question implicitly does, that God is here. He’s not far away in some distant heaven, passively observing. He’s active and moving. We don’t always notice.

Then again, when we’re not noticing it’s probably the case that God would have us doing something in His name but we’re too distracted to realize it. I know that—when I’m not completely focused on what I want—I’m often better at observing a need here or there than I am at actually getting involved and helping. I may see something that seems like injustice and it’s very easy to say, “Look, there is evil. Why is that allowed to happen?” But really, if I take my identity seriously—and by identity I mean the fact that I am a part of God’s church and family—the proper reaction would be my involvement, giving the glory to God while doing so.

To attempt to be a bit more specific to the country I live in, Korea actually has a rather large number of Christians. I’ve heard it has the largest church in the world, located in Seoul. I attend a fairly large church here on Jeju and there are some striking difference about my church here and some that I’ve attended in the US. Here there seems to be more emphasis on spending time with other church members and simply being together. Anytime there is a service or gathering (Sunday, Wednesday, Morning Prayer) a meal is shared. Nearly everyone eats together. I’m part of a small group that meets together on Sundays after church, but we often meet up just to hang out on other days of the week. Christmas Day, if you’re a Korean Christian, is spent at the church. It’s very interesting to see some of the differences in my church here, and I would love to see some of the differences implemented in other places with more frequency.

the power of living

I am a sucker for quotes, 'inspirational sayings', or just a good word. Today I heard one and thought it was worth sharing.

"There is only one way of turning people's loyalty to Christ, and that is by loving others with the great love of God. We cannot revive faith with argument, but we might catch the imagination of puzzled men and women by an exhibition of a fellowship so intensely alive that every thoughtful person would be forced to respect it."

From 'Alternative to Futility' by Elton Trueblood

I might have found another book I'd like to put on my list. I think the reason I am so attracted to these words is because recently I keep hearing and seeing and reading about the power of God being shown in a seemingly non powerful kind of way and I love that. Not because this idea of just loving others is 'trendy' or 'relevant' but because I think the transformational power of living a redeemed life really pleases God and shows what is possible with him. Intellectual conversations and the like have their place but the real work of bringing restoration to the world is accomplished through Christ followers following Christ and that's what I was reminded of today.

Street people and my response

I have been thinking a lot of the people you see on streets lately. You know the people I am referring to. They are often asking for something, maybe even in the same place each day. They may be playing an instrument, wanting to sell something, look a bit dirty, smile and try to talk to you, or just keep their head down with their hand out. Of course I'm referring to people that are generally known as homeless. I have trouble using the word homeless at times, and before I go any further I thought I'd explain why that is. Once I heard someone talking about homelessness (I can't remember who it was or where or when, just what was said) and he asked why we describe these people in a way that focuses on what they do not have. Most of our descriptions of people or groups or whatever are based on what they have or do, not on what they do not. Interesting. Also, I am not always convinced that every person you see on the street is actually without a home. Maybe they are travelers, or migrants, or only temporarily homeless. Those are my thoughts surrounding the word homeless, but for the sake of the conversation making sense I'll use it as I write.

I have been thinking of homeless people recently because since moving to Seattle and living very near to the downtown neighborhood, I am constantly passing by and surrounded by homeless people. My experience with, or I guess my awareness of homeless people started on a middle school trip with my church to an urban area in the U.S. where we worked with a church to serve the homeless. Once I moved to Denver to attend university I learned more about homelessness because some friends were really into the campus ministry devoted to serving those people. Denver also consistently ranks in the top 8 in homeless population so there is a large need there. I then when I was volunteering in Amsterdam, Netherlands I was exposed to homelessness outside the U.S. Besides the international side of it, the difference between my exposure to homelessness in Amsterdam versus in other places before was that in Amsterdam it became more personal. Personal because I would make friends with people through my work at the youth hostel and for many different reasons, I would sometimes have to say goodnight to those friends knowing they would wander the streets for a few hours, looking for a place to crash and hoping the police would not come and tell them to leave. And now I am here, in Seattle, surrounded by people who are in need. And this makes me ask questions and think about what my role in all of this is, especially as a Christian because Jesus said things like this..

"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also, if someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners', expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." Luke 6:27-36 NIV

Jesus cannot be serious, can he? If someone takes something from me, don't expect it back? Lend to someone without expecting repayment? To me I wonder if this is really what he was trying to say because it sounds backwards, it's tough, it's not what I'm used to. But why would Jesus say something if he wasn't serious? What are we as Christians, people who are called to follow and obey Christ, to do with this? I see a consistent theme here in these verses. It has to do with Jesus telling us to be different. Even 'sinners' do things that we may think are good. Jesus wants us to do more than just good I think. And that is where I feel like I often stop.

I struggle with seeing people on the street and understanding what I am to do about it. Money? What if they use it for something 'bad?' Time? What if I'm late? But if these words of Christ are true and I have to assume that he is serious, I don't think I can ask these questions. I am to have mercy, give without repayment, and love people even if they hate me. I have a burden. I see people on the street and I don't like it. It stirs something within me. I often walk by, not knowing what to do. And I feel like I can't do that anymore. My conscience is one thing, but when I have a burden and conviction from the person I claim to base my life around, how can I keep walking by?

I've decided to do a couple things. They're not huge or super crazy but things I think I could do. For one, I am going to start looking at people in the eye and recognize that they are there. I realized a tendency sometimes is to look away but isn't that showing them more than anything what you feel about them as a person? Another thing I will do is when I have, for whatever reason, a draw toward someone, to stop and acknowledge them, ask about them, and learn about what their need is. And also I am praying for a generous heart and eyes to see these people in the way Christ would. Simple things, but a good start for myself I think.

Don't be fooled into the lie that there are only people in need in the slums, or the alleys, or the streets. Christ's words stung my pride and my preconceived ideas about homelessness and I hope for a similar experience for you in your sphere of influence. Let's strive to live like redeemed people. It's what our Savior asks.

For more information on homelessness in the U.S. check out the National Alliance to End Homelessness. They have some good resources and thoughts.

photo & a story - buses & windy roads

Before you start reading it might be fun for you to imagine what is happening in this photo and even build a little story around it. We can see how your 'photo interpreting' skills are.

Okay, now you can start reading.

I have always been jealous of people who don't get motion sick. Many a time I have been forced to endure long car, plane, and boat rides by sitting in one place, usually with my eyes closed, trying to escape to a place where my head would not ever spin again. This hasn't stopped me from continuing to jump on all those different kinds of transportation though. This picture was taken a couple months ago on a very motion filled bus ride in Morocco from the town of Ouarzazate to the city of Marrakech. My traveling buddy and good friend Henk just couldn't help but document my sickly state and now I'm kind of glad he did because I get to tell a story about it.

In April Henk and I decided to spend a couple weeks traveling through Morocco. I wanted to see what life was like for people in a very different part of the world than I am used to. We basically bus hopped from town to village to city to town through central Morocco. This particular bus ride was near the end of our trip and took us over the High Atlas mountains which are some of the largest in this region of Northern Africa. Distance wise, it sounded like a pretty quick trip. Before this day our longest bus ride I think was around 8 hours so I figured I could handle something that just went from one side of a mountain to the other. I quickly discovered I was a bit too optimistic in my approach to our last bus ride in Morocco, as we steadily climbed and weaved into and through the High Atlas. I have driven through and over and around lots of mountains before this but what made this experience so not good for my head/stomach was how the roads are built. There are no tunnels, bridges, or any other time and curvy saving detours. The road are simply built into the mountain a little and therefore go where the mountains go. Well in this range the mountains go all over the place. At several points in our descent into Marrakech, you could look out the window and see the road winding nearly on top of itself for a good, long distance.

Although I was pretty out of it for most of the trip (along with half the other passengers), I did occasionally look outside at what I was passing through and that made the whole motion sick part of it worth it. The mountains were a combination of the rolling kind and the peaky kind like you see in Colorado. Lots of green, not too many trees though, and deep valleys. Some of the most stunning views were of the waterfalls that would gush out of a piece of rock and fall several hundred feet below. As someone who gets more than a thrill out of being in the mountains it was really special. Just wish I could have spent more time on the mountains instead of on the mountains, on a road, in a bus. Maybe next time.

what is christmas?

It is December..

And this means that besides being faced with a quieter hostel, lots of cold wind, and loads of tea, I am also thinking about that big holiday that is coming up. This will be my first Christmas outside of my home country and just like many things that come along with living abroad, that excites me because it is something new. One thing that has remained the same however is that I have already been challenged to think about what Christmas exactly is and why we celebrate it.

This afternoon myself and fellow hostelers were brainstorming ways to 'bring' Christmas to the hostel, but we began with a discussion about why we do the things we do during this time of year. At the end, we all agreed that it is simply a time to praise God and love others. Interesting because that is something that we should be doing all the time ya? So why is it that we tend to forget that sometimes? I'm not sure what Christmas looks like in Holland but I know what it looks like in America and I don't always like it.

The couple weeks prior to Christmas and Christmas itself, we at the hostel will be serving meals, making snowflakes out of paper, building gingerbread houses, and having a special Christmas open mic night but the goal of it all is to praise God and love others. So I guess the question for the day/season/month is what is Christmas and what am I going to do about it?

who is he?

Since coming to Amsterdam, I believe I have lost some of my naivety. In regards to how I view others, the world I live in, and also how I think of my faith, as well as how I explain it. When interacting with guests, or more frequently with our cleaners, there is one disagreement that always comes up regardless if the issue at hand is purpose, the origin of life, drug use, forgiveness, grace, church history, conspiracy theories, or love. That is whether Jesus is the Son of God or not..

Everyone has their assumption or bias or presupposition or opinion on this. At least for me, I use to have this idea that people don't want to talk about God or faith or the divinity of Christ and therefore it was easier for me to rationalize in my mind why I should just leave it alone. But I am finding that people actually are interested and are willing to discuss this stuff, which is cool.

Anyway, back to the whole ''exactly who or even what is this Jesus guy" question. We can debate theology, interpretation, or the best 'style' of worship but the thing we should be most concerned with is whether Jesus is the Son of God and if so how do we communicate that truth to others.

Listen to what CS Lewis has to say about the ultimate question..

"I am trying here to prevent anyone from saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to."

Wow. Well said Mr. Lewis.

So what do you think?
No, I mean what do you believe?

This is a question we cannot unfortunately push to the side or ignore. If Jesus actually is who he claimed to be, then making a decision for ourselves on where we stand is at the very least worth considering.

Want some more food for thought? Check out this article.

Movement

A couple nights ago, we had an open mic night at the hostel. Like most Chinese food, this is the kind of thing that can be very good or something that you could have gone without. On this particular night, despite very little preparation, it worked. It flowed. Staff members and guests alike took turns singing, rapping, and joking for three hours. In the simplest of terms, our open mic night was a group of people who were excited about sharing with others something they enjoy. There was no light show, or a script pre written by the MC, or lineup. All there was were people. People just sitting around being honest and transparent with each other through music and words.

Music, tunes, a good beat, whatever you want to call it has an effect on us. It moves us. I think God can have a similar 'moving' effect on us. I think God uses things we enjoy to move us towards him even if we do not recognize it is he who is doing the moving. This is what I felt on that night, and that is why I love being at the hostel. We are about community, relationship..and so is God.

God moves and is active, and it was so humbling to see him move us towards him on that evening through some music.

stuff

A friend of mine showed me this short documentary, which is basically about stuff. Have you ever wondered where stuff goes when we toss in the trash can, or what impact our massive amounts of consumption has on other people and our planet? This documentary addresses these questions and a few more.

Someone once said, "How you treat creation reflects how you feel about the creator." Wow, what a humbling statement. I hope you take a few moments to watch this film. Just follow the link..

The Story of Stuff

life

small world

It is always comical when phrases that are overused truly become a reality. We have all heard the "it is a small world" one. Well this became especially true for me in the last week or so. Not long ago, I received a phone call at my home here in Amsterdam which really caught me off guard to begin with. When I answered it, I heard a semi familiar voice on the other end. It turned out to be a good friend from my home city in America. This person has played a significant role in the youth group in the church that I grew up in and I have not talked to him in quite awhile. He was in Amsterdam on business, discovered I was here also and wanted to get together. We ended up meeting at church the next morning. How cool is it that my first church experience in Amsterdam was spent with several new friends and an old one.

Late last night at the hostel, staff and guests gathered together in the cafe for a time of prayer. There was a young woman across the circle that I immediately recognized, however I could not think of how I knew her. We struck up a conversation and eventually discovered that we both worked at Kanakuk Colorado (a summer camp in America) three years ago. She happened to be passing through the city and was staying at the hostel.

It is a small world. Being reunited with these two friends here in Amsterdam forced me to have an internal discussion about coincidence and appointment. Although it would be easy to write off this experience as a coincidence, I cannot help but think of it as more like an appointment. An appointment to reunite, share, discuss, encourage, pray, and reflect. It truly was refreshing to have such an encounter, especially since I have only been here just over a week.

What appointments have you had recently?

new places, new faces

When I first learned that I would be coming to Amsterdam, I was thrilled because I knew I would have many new experiences. Within four days of arriving, this has already become absolutely true.

During my short time here so far I have..

developed excellent power walking skills,
been to a church service near the Red Light District,
acquired a strong liking towards stroupwaffles,
learned how to say the Dutch alphabet,
participated in worship with people from six different continents,
discovered the joy of daily being in a hostel surrounded by people on a journey, like myself,
and have been reminded of how fruitful living in true community with others can be.

Each of these unique experiences has a unique story..and I have only been here four days. I am already beginning to understand how wonderful this opportunity of service is, and I look forward to the days ahead. Though I am still slightly suffering from 'jet lag', my spirit is energized and I feel alive. I am excited about sharing with you specific stories of encouragement, joy, heartache, and revelation.

maji news

Well, it has been just about six months since Maji was launched with the goal of raising funds for Charity:Water and telling people about the global water situation. During that time, through the sales of our t-shirts and the generous donations of many people, we were able to raise enough money to build two wells through Charity:Water. Sometimes it can be easy to look around at our world and only see the bad stuff. But the success Maji has experienced reminds me that although there are indeed plenty of bad stuff, there is also plenty of exciting stories about progress and change. I truly believe that lives have been changed due to the work of Maji and ultimately, Charity:Water and all of their partners on the ground. So thank you to everyone who joined us in the fight against injustice by buying a shirt, donating money, time, or resources, or simply telling a friend about the one billion people in our world who do not have access to safe, clean water.

Beginning this summer, Maji is going to take on a different role. We will no longer be selling t-shirts, which in the past has been our focus. Instead Maji will exist as an advocacy group, continuing to inform people about the work of Charity:Water and of the global water situation as a whole. Our website will still be up and running, and we hope that people will use it to educate themselves about the impacts of not having access to safe, clean water.

At the core, Maji is a movement that exists because people learned about an injustice and decided to take action to eliminate it. My hope is that that spirit will live on. It is only when enough people take a stand against oppression, poverty, and injustice that freedom will be experienced by all.

amsterdam

Having recently graduated from university, I have, like every other graduate, been plagued by the same haunting question..."What are you going to do?" This question can be quite intimidating. There is a certain amount of pressure upon young people entering this transition period because they have spent the majority of their lives becoming educated so that they can become an essential part of society and earn a living that can in turn serve as provision. Therefore, making a decision about how to invest your time and energy following completion of school is important. I do believe that such a decision is important, however I have become alright with admitting that I do not know exactly what I want to do and where and for what reason. This view may sound apathetic and lacking direction, but in all reality that is not the case at all. I have several passions, dreams, and goals and I believe those elements all play a role in discovering how I want to spend my time here on earth. But I also think that discovery is a process. It is interesting to see how our desire for instant gratification has carried over to our life plan. My desire to figure out what I am going to do is motivated by my interest in discovering how my passions, dreams, and goals can be implemented, rather than simply finding a career. I do not want a career, I want something meaningful and lasting. All of that to say, I have decided to look for opportunities that will enable me to use my passions first and foremost. This has led me to pursue a unique opportunity I am very excited about..

For the next few months, I will be working in a hostel in Amsterdam Netherlands. This hostel exists for a bigger reason that simply to provide lodging. It is about service, relationships, and truth. It is about communicating the love of Jesus with travelers. I am stoked about this opportunity because it will allow me to experience a new culture, relate with others, and broaden my horizons in regards to how I think and view the world. Will this serve as a career? No. Will it force me to use my gifts and passions? Yes. I truly believe this experience will equip me for whatever comes next. I look forward to sharing with you what I learn, so keep reading!

Shelter Christian Hostels

human rights and war

In my last semester as an undergraduate student, I have been blessed with a light load as far as classes go. This has enabled me to put that much more effort in the couple of classes that I do have. One such class is Global Human Rights. Week after week, my classmates and I have discussed, debated, and read about human rights issues. Lately, our focus has been human rights and war. This is a difficult piece of human rights to address because it seems like there are more questions than answers. Questions we put forward and ones that I am still asking myself include: When is war necessary? Are violations of human rights a natural, inevitable result of war? During war, who is holding who accountable? Is the use of violence a necessary piece of ending genocide and injustice? What should the role of the international community be in regards to monitoring human rights violations and war? These questions are just a small representation of what has been circulating in my mind recently. Honestly, I do not have as many answers as I would like, but then again is it even possible to come to a single, fair, and unbiased conclusion on any of these questions? One thing that I have understood better since embarking on this piece of my studies is that these questions have not been properly introduced and discussed among the international community and the international organizations that are supposed to look out for the welfare of humanity. This is slightly disheartening because I believe until these questions are resolved in regards to human rights and war, then a lack of accountability and justice will continue. Like many other issues of injustice, it appears one of the reasons no results have come into being on this is because it simply is not a priority. It is easier to right off what happens in war as, well..war. Democracy, politically stability, ideologies, and international security takes precedence over what happens to the people on the ground. This is such a paradox because it seems obvious that accomplishing the previously stated goals could be best achieved through community development and empowering the masses, not war. War is something that nobody likes, but most find it necessary. Are there certain situations where violence is necessary to ensure the safety and well being of some people? Probably. But I wonder whether there is another way to ensure the safety of some people while respecting the rights of others? If you have any experience, insights, or opinions on human rights and war please share..I am still searching for the answers to some of those questions presented earlier and in general a better understanding of how human rights and war are supposed to coexist.

twestival wells

The new social networking phenomenon is Twitter. It aims at connecting people through the simple question, What are you doing? Twitter's popularity has exploded recently and has even birthed movements. One such movement is called Twestival. Twestival was started by fellow twitterers (don't know if that is actually a word) with the goal of raising support and awareness for an organization that is close to my heart, Charity: Water. In the end, 202 cities worldwide particpated in Twestival and approximately $250,000 was raised!

Currently, people from Charity: Water and their partner organizations are in Ethiopia experiencing firsthand wells being built from the funds accumulated through Twestival. Although most us are a long way from Ethiopia, we can still experience the excitement of watching the first Twestival being built. This link will take you to Charity: Water's website, where videos from the drilling can be viewed.

The series of videos that Charity: Water is graciously sharing with us are excellent reminders of the work that is being done and that needs to be continued. While watching the videos I got super excited because what is going on is real! It shows that voices are being heard, needs are being met, and lives are being changed. Sometimes I think we in the West have a really narrow worldview in regards to what is happening in other parts of our world and that narrowness leads to blindness, which leads to numbness. Numbness to the fact that brothers and sisters are suffering and at times dying simply because of the place they were born. We have always known that this is the case, but we have become okay with it. Well it is not okay and the people who were a part of Twestival in 202 cities worlwide would agree. Please put down the remote, think outside of yourself, and become a part of something that is revolutionary, is moving, and is meaningful.

maji update

It has been just over four months since myself, Joe, and Cole officially launched Maji. Maji is our attempt to be proactive in the fight against poverty, specifically regarding the current global water situation. It was pretty disturbing to us that while we and millions of others in the developed world were taking warm showers, running our dishwashers, and buying overpriced bottled water a billion of our brothers and sisters were lacking safe, clean water to merely drink. We decided to take action by attempting to raise funds for an organization called Charity: Water, which works on water projects in developing countries, as well as raise awareness in our sphere of influence about the water situation. We have had a wonderful response from friends, family, and the community.

We are constantly looking for ways to improve on what we are doing so we can continue to get the word out about the water situation as well as provide Charity: Water with resources so they can continue their great work. Our most recent improvement is to our website, givemaji.com. Since the beginning, this site has served as our best communication tool and we are excited to announce that a new layout is up and running. Our hope is that this improvement to our website will continue to attract people interested in finding out more about the water situation and about how they can get involved. We are excited about this development because it represents a new chapter in the life of Maji. Check out the site, let me know what you think, and join us and Charity: Water as we continue to aggressively puruse our goal of providing safe, clean water to all.

scotland recap

I spent the past week in Lenzie, Scotland which is located just northeast of Glasgow. Myself and ten others from my university embarked on our journey in hopes of encouraging local church workers, specifically those involved with the youth. Although the majority of our time was spent hanging out with teens and telling them our stories of how we came to follow Jesus, we also were able to spend time with the elderly in the community as well as the deaf blind population. Each day presented new opportunities to serve, laugh, pray, learn, experience, travel, chat, share, and love. The purpose of this trip was to serve and be a blessing to others but naturally I also came away with new eyes in regards to youth work, the Scottish culture, and travel in general. Here are some things I learned while in Scotland:

-Scotland is the only country in the world where Coca-Cola is not the number one sold soft drink..it is Irn Bru, which is a wonderful combination of mystery ingredients that I quickly fell in love with.

-Football (Soccer) is not merely a past time..it is a part of Scottish life.

-Americans are 'exotic.'

-Scots are well educated, and truly interested in global affairs.

-The bagpipe is not easy to learn (we're talking years here), is very loud, and produces a really sweet sound.

-Haggis is a traditional Scottish dish that is well liked and not bad considering what it is (you may want to Google this one).

-The youth in Scotland struggle with many of the same issues that American teens do.

-The food available to the public is generally less processed than in the States.

-Cool, damp, mornings can be quite enjoyable with a cup of tea and a scarf.

-The two most closely located, separate Starbucks stores in the world can be found in Glasgow.

-A juice called J20, which is bottled, blows Tropicana out of the water.

-The deaf blind people in this part of Scotland are incredibly joyful, very fun, and extremely good at chess (All the Americans in our group that played against the deaf blind folks lost miserably, including myself. This points more to their intelligence than to our lack of chess skills).

-Successful youth ministry revolves around establishing lasting relationships rather than having entertaining activities and extravagant programs.

-Public transportation in Scotland is abundant, relatively cheap, and accessible.

-Yes, people still wear kilts, but primarily to weddings and other special occasions.

-Tea in America sucks.

-When you are genuine and speak boldly, kids are more likely to listen.

-High fives, encouraging words, and smiles go a long way.

-The gospel transcends time zones, cultures, and distance.

In my post prior to leaving for Scotland, I mentioned two goals I had. One, that I would focus on learning how people in a different part of the world live and think. And two, that I would spend time building relationships and therefore opening up my eyes to different perspectives. Both of these goals were accomplished, and I feel blessed for this opportunity to experience something new. I am overly impressed with the Scottish people because of the pride they have in their culture, their hospitality, and their love for discussion. I was sad to leave, but feel I will carry the things I learned with me for some time.

scotland

Tomorrow I will be embarking on an adventure that has been in the works for several months now. The land most well known for William Wallace, bagpipes, and the kilt will be my home for eight days, and more specifically the village of Lenzie. The purpose of this trip is to encourage local church members and community workers, hangout with the young people, and create solid relationships. Although these goals are consistent with each member of the group I will be going with, there are certain things I am personally looking forward to experiencing. First is the opportunity to see first hand how people in a different part of the world live and think. This will help me better understand the Scottish people, but will also provide me with valuable knowledge that I will be able to use in future travels and such. Second is the opportunity I will have to interact with the people, and therefore broaden my horizons in regards to how I perceive others and life in general.

Within the last year, I have been looking for ways to engage with the world in new and exciting ways. Although I have had many experiences during this time that would classify as such, this trip to Scotland truly takes my desire for engagement to a whole new level. I hope to be a blessing to those I come into contact with throughout this trip, but I know I will be blessed and that is what I am most excited about. Either during my time in Scotland or after I return to the States I will be writing about my experience and most likely posting pictures as well so stay tuned.

world water day

In 1992, the United Nations officially declared March 22nd 'World Water Day.' The purpose of designating this day as such is to highlight the current global water situation and to inform the public of how real the lack of safe, clean water is for so many. Water is one of the elements that is required for life to exist, and therefore the fact that one out of every six people on Earth lacks such a vital resource presents a very serious and troubling problem. Although the lack of safe, clean water is obviously debilitating in regards to health, the effects do not end there. People, especially women and children, are pulled away from work, school, and other necessary daily duties because they are forced to travel long distances in order to fetch water that is neither safe nor clean. This quiet crisis is keeping too many from experiencing the life they so deserve. There is an organization called Charity:Water that is combating this injustice is very innovative and effective ways. To learn more about the current global water situation, what Charity:Water is doing, and in turn what you can do to join the fight, please click the banner below.

Kenyan food crisis

Something that did not make it in the headlines recently is the current food crisis that is occurring in Kenya. This crisis has developed for several reasons:

-Falling income, both at home and among family members abroad that typically send money back. This shows how the financial crisis has not affected just the affluent and also reminds us of who is hit the hardest during slow economic times.

-Short rains late in the year in 2008 has caused a drought which has resulted in crop failures.

-High food prices. The price of maize has soared to incredible heights, which obviously translates in people being forced to cut back on the very thing they need the most.

-Inflation and high fertilizer prices have not allowed subsistence farmers to plant the volume of crops desired.

This crisis is deep and wide. While subsistence farmers in rural areas are being especially hit hard, the urban populations are not immune. The World Food Programme (WFP) has recently announced that it will scale up operations to meet the needs of 3.5 million people who are expected to be affected the worse during this crisis. That number could very well continue to rise. The WFP will focus a majority of their energies on rural areas though. That means that the needs of approximately 4 million urban dwellers and 1.9 million people who live with HIV/AIDS who are feeling the effects of the food crisis will not be met through the operations of the WFP. What will happen to those people? It is nearly a guarantee that the Kenyan government will not be able to meet those people's needs, so who does that leave? The international community, the African Union (AU), local nonprofit organizations? I am not upset with the WFP; granted they are attempting to help those that are most effected by this crisis. My frustration ultimately comes down to a fact that continually haunts me. In a world that has so much, people still go hungry. We as a global community have not found a way to utilize our resources effectively.

This food crisis is a reminder of the importance of tapping into the most vital resource in Kenya..the people's aptitudes and entrepreunerial minds. This concept goes far beyond aid and is rooted in forming relationships and encouraging innovation. I am talking about empowering Kenyans through the use of income generating grants. There is an organization doing just that called The 10/10 Project..follow the link, educate yourself, and join the story.

Source: World Food Programme