January 17th, 2012
January 14th, 2012
Matthew 25:35-40 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you? “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’
Jesus has called us to serve the poor. Yes. That is truth. Then how do we serve them?
How do we serve them when we are traveling down a street in India and a woman who can’t feed her child comes up to you and asks you for food? What would you do?
I am one who wants to tackle issues as a whole. Whether it’s bringing clean water to the masses or building schools that educate thousands of children. But when you are stopped in your tracks by a woman begging for food, I don’t want to be seen as their savior. The rich American who you go and beg to and they give you money. Are their other ways around this?
I am traveling in India with my mother right now and she has a lot of questions for me. This is her first time to really travel in a developing country in over 30 years. She keeps looking at the mothers and the babies on the street and says “Look, Esther, they live on the street, like that?”
What’s so interesting to me is that I bring back photos from around the world to share these conditions but nothing has really hit her with this till now. Her heart is breaking for what she sees and all I want to do is fix the problem that I see. I think that’s how i’ve learned to cope with what I see all the time. So many of us. We want to fix it. So we do what we can. Use our resources, our gifts, our minds and find ways to help alleviate poverty on a grand scale by providing clean water, education, aids awareness, mosquito nets, feed programs. All amazing things that are impacting lives each day.
I still come back to the question about that one woman in that moment. What are we to do? Do we turn our backs and walk the other way? it’s true that we can’t save the whole world…but as Mother Teresa said “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one”
My response to these situations is usually to get down to their level and look them in their eyes and first ask their names. I go from each person to the next. I then use the little bit of language that I know to tell them they are beautiful. But in Ethiopia, begging becomes so overwhelming everywhere you go that you just ignore people jumping at you on all corners. In today’s situations when this woman was begging me for some bread for her children. I secretly gave my money to my Indian driver and asked him to go quietly and buy some food for them without them knowing it came from me. I don’t want them to see me as the hero. They are the hero’s for living the life of survival each and everyday.
But does it really matter? or is the important part that she is fed today. Another reason I am not one to give directly to a person begging is that I have seen a fight breakout between kids when one had something the other didn’t have.
So many thoughts turning in my head. I’m sure you have them too and that’s why I wanted to write this post. It’s something we all struggle with….what is the right way to help people.
One book that has helped me a lot is:
I’m curious about your thoughts on this.
What are some of the ways that you’ve seen helping done right with people begging on the street?
what are ways you’ve seen it done wrong?
What would you do?
November 28th, 2011
Featuring Joshua Havens, Manny Martinez and Michael Laymon. Music written by Ryan Edgar
Director of Photography/Videographer: ME
Video Editing: Luke Asper
Keep these boys in school! Go buy a WATCH and support them. READ THEIR STORIES and find out more about them!
November 18th, 2011
I can’t even express in words what this campaign means to me. While this post is a long while in the coming, I still wanted to share this story with you. Today i’m going to focus on the Vocational boys story. Look for the primary boys story in the near future.
So…I met Hello Somebody at Catalyst Dallas in May and since then we’ve been dreaming and building together to create a new model for how they operate. Many of you know about the Light The Streets campaign that I worked on together with Africa New Life last year. Their first year they had 100 street boys (50 vocational / 50 primary) students enrolled in school, mentoring and meal programs. As I began to hear Hello Somebody’s heart in feeding children I began a discussion with them on how this might be the perfect organization for them to partner with. While feeding programs are great….I believe it’s food programs + education that helps a child succeed. Every child should have the chance to learn and get a degree. With that degree they can get a job and one day feed themselves and their families. I’ve gotten to know many of these boys in the current program and the difference i’m seeing in their life is unbelievable. They are no longer calling themselves street boys…they are washing their clothes daily and full of life.
Meet Joe Fils – He is studying electrical engineering at one of the best vocational schools i’ve seen in Africa. He has big dreams and is an unbelievable singer. When I asked him why he likes to go to school. His reply, “why I like to go to school? Because I like to eat!” The incentive to the food program is that the boys have to attend school everyday. You better believe they are there, on time, and ready to go.
There are 100 new boys coming into the class of 2012 and it is Hello Somebody’s goal to raise funds to cover the entire cost of food, education and education for 1 year for each of them. Along with my sister, Anna, and my friend, Natalie, we captured 100 story profiles. We had so much stinking fun shooting the photos. If you take some time and read these stories you won’t believe the life that these boys have lived. Many of their parents were killed in the 2004 Rwandan Genocide and haven’t had much hope in life till they met Jesus and came to Africa New Life. They have hope again and are looking to a brighter future. I can’t wait to see where they go. Street Children to Leaders!
Martin Tuyishimire
My name is Martin Tuyishimire and I am 21 years old. I’ve been coming to Africa New Life Ministries since 2006. I heard about it by other street children. I thank God that I have not died. I know many kids that have died by getting hit by cars and falling from dump trucks. I live with my mom and my dad pass away when I was 7 years old. I have one younger sister. Life at home was not easy; there were many days and nights without food. I went to the streets to see if I could make money to help my mother and buy them food. I am so grateful that Africa New Life teaches me God’s word, which has transformed my mind and my life. My dream would be to study electronics at the Vocational Training school, complete high school, and then go to university and law school. Then when I become a lawyer, I will advocate for other people and give my extra money away to help children. I like being in peace and seeing people in peace. I worry about grudges because it results in fighting and death. I see the watches as a way for me to achieve my goals. I am so thankful. My favorite color watch is orange.
Emmanuel Shyiraker
My name is Emmanuel Shyiraker, and I am 18 years old. I have been coming to Africa New Life Ministries for 4 years. Some street kids told me about the programs they had. I thank God that I’m still alive now. My dad died in 2000, but I still have my mom and young sisters. I got sick and my mother couldn’t take care of me anymore so someone else took me to a hospital in Uganda. After I got better, I was abandoned in Kigali. Although my mother lives here, she cannot support me, so I feel I have to support myself. I have a friend who is a watchman who let’s me sleep in his office. I would like to be a defense minister in the government in Kigali one day. I would also love to study welding at the Vocational Training school. I fear seeing people kill each other again. I have been in jail several times, but God has helped me stop my bad habits and I no longer get in trouble. Having my name known somewhere would be amazing. That means so much to me because it makes me feel valued. If I get to go back to school, it would be so wonderful for my life. My favorite color watch is white.
Fils Twizeyimana
My name is Fils Twizeyimana, and I am 19 years old. I’ve been coming to Africa New Life Ministries since 2004. I learned about it from a former staff member who invited me to the Dream Center. I am thankful that I learned the word of God there. Once I knew God’s word, I was able to depend on Him and ask Him to help me go off drugs on the street. I sniffed glue for 9 years, and I have been clean for 2 years now. My dream is to finish school and be a counselor. I want to help rehabilitate children from drugs and street life. I desire to be a strong man and to have a family I can support. I want to be a leader and an example of breaking the chain of poverty through education. My parents died in the 1994 genocide and I live in their house. The court gave me the house after they died. I would be very grateful if someone bought the watch knew my name. I had no hope and no one to talk with about my life. I took drugs to take my mind off my struggles. Now that I know Jesus, I have God to talk with, and I know God cares for me. God has shown me His love through people, especially at Africa New Life. My favorite color watch is dark blue.
Kasim Ndayishimiye has 12 fingers! He asked me to tell the world about him and how God gifted him. And let me tell you, he definitely knows how special and amazing he is. So here I am telling you. Read his story. What a special boy.
My name is Kasim Ndayishimiye, and I am 18 years old. I don’t remember when I started coming to Africa New Life Ministries, but it’s been a long time. My neighbors went to the devotional and told me to come because I didn’t go to school. I want to study electricity at the Vocational Training School. I thank God for making me unique, and giving me 2 extra fingers. I lost both of my parents so I sleep at my Grandmothers, we both carry stones for money, and we can sometimes eat twice a day. I really enjoyed having my photo taken today! To be able to be crazy in front of the camera is a different experience for me that I have never had before. I dream about visiting the cross where Jesus died, and seeing Him face to face. I want people on the other side of the world to know that I have 6 fingers on each hand, and that I love hip hop music! My favorite color watch is white.
So so goofy. I just asked them to express themselves – to show me who they are. We had so many laughs together.
Please take some time to read their stories. These are the conditions that most of the boys live in. Their lives are being changed dramatically!
Lastly here is what I want you to do. GO BUY A WATCH! Tell your friends about the watches.
70 watches = one child in a school for a year! Help me put these boys that I care so much about back in school.
If you want to look at more photos of the Africa New Life street children program, click HERE.
November 16th, 2011
Sabbaticals – Everybody needs them…I knew I did.. But I guess I didn’t just know how badly I needed it.
I didn’t tweet, I didn’t facebook. I just enjoyed nature and beauty. Along with Cari and Heidi, I went to a cabin in the mountains of Colorado and listened to the still voice within me. I prayed, read, painted, cooked, knit a scarf, drew out my entire year on paper and I went on the most beautiful snowy walks that kept reminding me of Narnia ( I looked for Mr. Tumnus all around).
Before this trip, I honestly felt that I was nearing the empty bottle of my creativity. I had poured out so much and hadn’t stopped to refill. I traveled non-stop this year (over 200,000 miles) …… life on the road has become a blur. I truly care so much about each and every person I do a story on and I needed to remember them. So I sat and wrote down all the stories that I could remember. Thinking and praying for those men, women and children I had the privilege to meet and wondering where they are. I had a lot of thoughts. Are their lives really being impacted by the story I did? Do they remember me? Do my lady friends have more babies? Are they still drinking clean water? Have they had sicknesses? I wish I could just go find each and every person and ask them about life again.
I did a lot of thinking about what I do throughout the year. ..more thoughts.. Maybe it’s too much, maybe it’s not enough….Do I really have a direction i’m headed? What’s next in my calling? How can I have a greater impact? How do I make this more about them and not about me? How can I SEE people more clearly and past the surface of who they are? How do I draw them out of themselves? How can I be more creative and do more projects that nobody has ever done. I love dreaming outside the box.
The thing is that each of us have a calling…Even if you are not feeling it at the moment, you do. You are called to impact lives wherever you are. You don’t have to fly to China or Timbuktu to do that. You have people around you every single day that need a smile, a sweet word, a prayer, a coffee or just someone to spend time with them. Think about all the people in your life now that we are not pouring into! People long to be cared and valued…They long to be known and beautiful. And we are each called to do this where we are. It’s time to invest more in relationships and people….time to see people around us and take in the beauty that they are. Just like I search to find the beauty in poverty…. how can we draw out the beauty of the everyday life here. now. right before us. Drink in the beauty of life. We have today, this moment. The question is what will we do with?
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gotta love Instagram ;-)
October 30th, 2011
Pastor Charles, founder of Africa New Life, is such an inspiration to me. He is a family man with great dreams who walks in faith to the direction God leads him. The first time I heard him share his story I was floored. I just wanted everybody to hear it. Well, now they can!
His new book: THE NOBLE DREAM! was just released on Amazon. If you need a new read, check it out:
October 30th, 2011
took me 30 minutes of playing with 6 yards of fabric and watching countless you tube videos to finally figure out how to put on a sari again. whew. still not sure i did that right.
October 30th, 2011
Did you know…..we are some of the richest people in the World! A lot of people think they don’t make enough to support organizations or GIVE. This might make us think again……
If you make $25,000 per year……you are in the top 10% richest people in the world
If you make $35,000 per year…….you are in the top 5% richest people in the world
If you make $50,000 per year……you are in top 1% richest people in the world
Check your income here: http://www.globalrichlist.com/
this is old.. but a good examples on world perspective. If the world were 100 people, what would it look like.