Lets dig right into it. Thanksgiving. Turkey, football, family, friends, food, and home. What a warm holiday to bring us all together at the table to share a meal. We celebrate being together. No wonder why so many people love Thanksgiving, they feel at home. What a great feeling of togetherness! This Thanksgiving lets share in abundance and unity.
I will be missing my second consecuative Thanksgiving. It is always sad to miss one one of my favorite holidays. To be away from family and friends. To be away from home. But this Thanksgiving, I am reminded that thanks giving is a choice.
This is not an origional thought, this notion came up in a conversation with Eduardo, one of our security guards in Ecuador. It was one of those late nights, sitting on a branch of our mango tree, outside the guard shack. We would just exchange stories. But mainly, he would talk and I would listen. Eduardo told me of his story, from struggling as a youth, to becoming a man. From selling clothes on the street, to getting a new job, to building a house and starting a family. He had a golden rule through the good times and the bad. His Golden Rule was gratitude at the end of the day. To count your blessings, give thanks to God, and share everything with those near to you.
Everyday he worked his hardest and whether he sold 2 shirts or 10, he ended the day with a choice. ¿Gratitude or Greed?
Evernight when we lie our heads down after a days work, we are faced with the same choice. Gratitude or Greed? Are we happy with what we have? Or once we get, what we want, do we want more?
It`s a choice. And I have witnessed that it does not matter how much you have. I have seen overwhelming gratitude from people living in cane houses that are half the size of my garage. And I have witnessed overwhelming greed from those living in mansions. Yes, it goes both ways as well! It comes down to not what you have in your house, but who you are in your house. Thats the choice.
I want to leave you my personal reflection from parable of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fish that I believe tells the miracle of Thanksgiving... There was a large crowd. Hungry. Tired. Then there were 5 loaves of bread and 3 fish- Apparently insufficient food for everyone. But then there was a revolutionary amongst the crowd. He instructed the crown to unite, sit down, and be together. First, he gave thanks for the little food there was. Next, he distributed all he had, displaying the miracle of sharing.
Now I don`t believe Jesus had a wand and transformed 5 loaves of bread and 3 fish into a giant feast. Matter cannot be created or destroyed. It can only be transformed. So had did so little transform into so much? By sharing. This parable is the miracle of sharing. Everyone at that gathering must have had something. No matter how little individually, if the whole group gave up everything and shared it with the community, there would be an abundant feast.
Is this not the world`s situation right today? When 40,000 chlidren die of starvation everyday, we are tempted to say we live in scarcity. But what if we could come together, unite, and share as equals? Bob Marley had an insight that I like... Unity must have to start now, because I mean, how long would we have to suffer, to learn these things, that we must be united?
Thanks giving is a choice. Every day we decide. We can be greedy and hoard, we can be grateful and share. Its a choice.
This Thanksgiving, lets celebrate abundance, sharing, and unity.
November 25, 2010
November 19, 2010
Cholera, Sledgehammers, and Hope?
Cholera- Yes, its thriving in Haiti. Yes, Hurricane Tomas made it worse. Yes, completely preventable. What if you do get it? Yes, completely treatable. So why are so many dying? Lack of clean water. So many still live in Haiti, and all around the world, without clean water. This is a human right. The cure to cholera is CLEAN water, salt and sugar.
Sledgehammering concrete and rebar. Hmmmm. Not what I planned I would be doing with my college degree. But after a quick reflection, there is nothing else I would rather be doing with my Jesuit education. We work along side Haitian volunteers. Yes, there is a language barrier. But there is something about teamwork that unites people that we would be tempted to say are from different worlds. So as Wizmey and I work together going shot for shot at this rebar with our sledgehammers, we are united. Together. In the same place. In the same earth. For this moment, I recognize that we are brothers. So after we finish, we haul out the 15ft piece of steel that used to support a roof. Together we re-establish a foundation under all the rubble. Together we make eye contact and fist pound. Together we realize our inter-connectedness. No words, just a smile and a handshake.
Hope. More than a word? An idea? A dream? One sweet lady who has been living in Haiti for 26 years told me that she has hope because she cannot bear the other side. So we have to hope things can only get better. We have to hope that these refugee camps with transform. Thats what we hope for, transformation. From sickness to health. From darkness to light. From loneliness to community. There is so much negative energy in Haiti. The trauma- we cannot begin to imagine. When we get into a car accident, observe a disaster, we experience trauma. Haitians live in a culture of trauma. The poorest country in the western hemispere collectively witnessed the traumatic effect of the earthquake. Death, in every aspect. Everyone who I spoke to in Haiti was affected. So amidst all the trauma and suffering, we ask for hope. Hope to transform all the negative energy to positivity. I am new to this country and admit to being a bit naive in my observations. However, I do belive that out of darkness must come light.
Lets hope the upcoming elections bring the Haitian people freedom to be people. Because living in those refugee camps, with no opportunity, dying of preventable diseases, and living at the mercy of international aid is not a life for our Haitian brothers and sisters. But this is not where the Haitian people have hope. In government. Hah! They do not understand anything other than corruption. So where do we dare to hope?
Where do we have the power to not just have blind, idealistic optimistic, and unrealistic hope? We have the power to control ourselves, we simply need to have hope in our own lives, and have this be the way we look at the world. Yes, the individual transformation is where realistic hope takes root. And just one person can transform their life, then spread that positivity and hope to their family, then to a community, then to all of society. A person 2000 years ago walked this earth. A bit crazy. Not too popular. But he lived in relationship with all of humanity preaching hope amidst suffering. Not against the corrupt polition, with him. Yes, the sinner can be transformed. Yes, the prostitute can be forgiven. He understood the suffering in the world. He did not flea from it. He suffered with the people. He did not destroy hatred, classism, pride, and greed. He transcended them by his perfect example. And he shared stories that invited us to transcend. We have the invitation to believe in hope. Waiting. Waiting. So what do we do with our invitation?
Who will be the next MLK, Ghandi, Desmund Tutu? Yes, there will be more. But we do not need to be heros. We need to be ourselves. Compassionate, forgiving, and free. Willing to suffer with in order to heal. We do not need to go to Haiti. Haha, that is the bigest illusion that we belive is true. That we need to go out and heal the world. NO. It starts within. We all suffer, feel lonely, and hurt. But that feeling goes away, right? How? A sign of love from another, who shows that you are not alone. That is the power of transformation. Its only nature. The day will transform into night. Right? So lets open the doors to suffering and joy. Lets have hope that suffering will transform into joy. Lets understand that we all feel these emotions. Lets share the experience called life. Lets understand the power of a kind word and the value of a smile. Right here, right now, with who ever you are with. And let that positive vibration radiate to all those we encounter. We have the power to be happy now. Smile. And share it! But share it today.
So when we have hope, we live in hope. Its not an ideal, its a way we live our lives. Upful and bright. So when we look at a world in all her suffering, lets be good to each other. There is hope in that. We are all invited :)
Sledgehammering concrete and rebar. Hmmmm. Not what I planned I would be doing with my college degree. But after a quick reflection, there is nothing else I would rather be doing with my Jesuit education. We work along side Haitian volunteers. Yes, there is a language barrier. But there is something about teamwork that unites people that we would be tempted to say are from different worlds. So as Wizmey and I work together going shot for shot at this rebar with our sledgehammers, we are united. Together. In the same place. In the same earth. For this moment, I recognize that we are brothers. So after we finish, we haul out the 15ft piece of steel that used to support a roof. Together we re-establish a foundation under all the rubble. Together we make eye contact and fist pound. Together we realize our inter-connectedness. No words, just a smile and a handshake.
Hope. More than a word? An idea? A dream? One sweet lady who has been living in Haiti for 26 years told me that she has hope because she cannot bear the other side. So we have to hope things can only get better. We have to hope that these refugee camps with transform. Thats what we hope for, transformation. From sickness to health. From darkness to light. From loneliness to community. There is so much negative energy in Haiti. The trauma- we cannot begin to imagine. When we get into a car accident, observe a disaster, we experience trauma. Haitians live in a culture of trauma. The poorest country in the western hemispere collectively witnessed the traumatic effect of the earthquake. Death, in every aspect. Everyone who I spoke to in Haiti was affected. So amidst all the trauma and suffering, we ask for hope. Hope to transform all the negative energy to positivity. I am new to this country and admit to being a bit naive in my observations. However, I do belive that out of darkness must come light.
Lets hope the upcoming elections bring the Haitian people freedom to be people. Because living in those refugee camps, with no opportunity, dying of preventable diseases, and living at the mercy of international aid is not a life for our Haitian brothers and sisters. But this is not where the Haitian people have hope. In government. Hah! They do not understand anything other than corruption. So where do we dare to hope?
Where do we have the power to not just have blind, idealistic optimistic, and unrealistic hope? We have the power to control ourselves, we simply need to have hope in our own lives, and have this be the way we look at the world. Yes, the individual transformation is where realistic hope takes root. And just one person can transform their life, then spread that positivity and hope to their family, then to a community, then to all of society. A person 2000 years ago walked this earth. A bit crazy. Not too popular. But he lived in relationship with all of humanity preaching hope amidst suffering. Not against the corrupt polition, with him. Yes, the sinner can be transformed. Yes, the prostitute can be forgiven. He understood the suffering in the world. He did not flea from it. He suffered with the people. He did not destroy hatred, classism, pride, and greed. He transcended them by his perfect example. And he shared stories that invited us to transcend. We have the invitation to believe in hope. Waiting. Waiting. So what do we do with our invitation?
Who will be the next MLK, Ghandi, Desmund Tutu? Yes, there will be more. But we do not need to be heros. We need to be ourselves. Compassionate, forgiving, and free. Willing to suffer with in order to heal. We do not need to go to Haiti. Haha, that is the bigest illusion that we belive is true. That we need to go out and heal the world. NO. It starts within. We all suffer, feel lonely, and hurt. But that feeling goes away, right? How? A sign of love from another, who shows that you are not alone. That is the power of transformation. Its only nature. The day will transform into night. Right? So lets open the doors to suffering and joy. Lets have hope that suffering will transform into joy. Lets understand that we all feel these emotions. Lets share the experience called life. Lets understand the power of a kind word and the value of a smile. Right here, right now, with who ever you are with. And let that positive vibration radiate to all those we encounter. We have the power to be happy now. Smile. And share it! But share it today.
So when we have hope, we live in hope. Its not an ideal, its a way we live our lives. Upful and bright. So when we look at a world in all her suffering, lets be good to each other. There is hope in that. We are all invited :)
November 10, 2010
the next step
So I know its been a while.
Couch surfing in DC, LA, Boston, and NH. Thank you all for the hospitality.
But as I am currently in this "transition" period, I decided to take a step back out of the country. I had my eyes set on a couple jobs, through the Cristo Rey High Schools, and the Boys and Girls Club of America. But everyone knows the situation we are in right now. No Jobs. They say where one door closes, three more open behind you. So instead of staring at that closed door, waiting and waiting, I moved my eyes to where there is work. Haiti.
I first thought about this possibility because a dear friend, Melissa, got involved in a public sanitation project, building toilettes. She said I should come and check it out. And when a good friend tells you to jump off a bridge, you take a leap of faith.
So I took my next step to Haiti. And its nice to know that it is just the next step. And I got involved with Ryan and Carissa as well. We flew into the Dominican Republic and bused our way over to Haiti. Crossing the border was oppressive. Guns, baggages, vans, buses, papers, smog and noise. We walked, 4 white kids, with our backpacks through the confusion. And 3 buses later, made it to Cange, Haiti.
There we met up with David, a friend working at the Partners in Health facility. He was in the highlands, so we could wait out Hurricane Tomas with a certain degree of safety. There we hiked, yoga'd, journaled, listened to reggae music and relaxed in front of the beautiful mountains of Haiti. Our comfort level was high and it was good to meet some hopeful people involved in the inspiring story that was popularized by Tracy Kidders book, Mountains Beyond Mountains.
Then we bused to through Port au Prince to see the other side of the country. The buses are loud and claustrophobic. The city is packed with endless rubble, water, congestion, heat, and tents. Tent camps are vast. Tents pack street dividers. It is tough to imagine. The whole ride, I shook my head in sadness. With all of the disasters; cholera, earthquake, hurricane, flooding, and cluster of NGO's claiming to solve the problems- I am asking myself, is this country a disaster?
We are currently working with "All Hands Volunteers." The NGO's base is filled with about 60 volunteers. Anyone can volunteer, you just need to show up and work. No age, no religion, no race, no country, no school, no profession. I have met some very interesting cats who all seem to be in this transition period. And everyone has a story to tell...
We are located in Leogane, the epicenter of the January earthquake, and victim of flooding from Hurricane Tomas. Right when we got off the bus, we stared shoveling mud out of neighboring houses. Areas of the town were flooded leaving 6 inches to a 1ft in some houses. The mud was a product of the flood, and with the recent cholera outbreak, it poses a huge sanitation threat. Just imagine. So we use words like, toxic and decontaminate a lot.
Aside from mud, is rubble. Yes, despite the fact that it was about a year ago, there is still rubble. Everywhere. Not just in the poor sections of town. Even their main government buildings are down. As we passed, Melissa commented, "a reflection of the government here."
The second day, we rubbled. Sledge hammering, shoveling, barreling, and pick axing rubble. Little by little.
And today, I spent the morning taking care of infants at a local orphanage. This might be the greatest need and challenge in Haiti. Caring for the youth.
So this organization is completely opposite of Rostro de Cristo. The latter boasts "being and not doing" while the former is "all hands." There needs to be a balance. And I enjoy working for what seems to be a polar opposite organization. Why not experiment with the other side? And since we work so much, its time to get back to it...
Couch surfing in DC, LA, Boston, and NH. Thank you all for the hospitality.
But as I am currently in this "transition" period, I decided to take a step back out of the country. I had my eyes set on a couple jobs, through the Cristo Rey High Schools, and the Boys and Girls Club of America. But everyone knows the situation we are in right now. No Jobs. They say where one door closes, three more open behind you. So instead of staring at that closed door, waiting and waiting, I moved my eyes to where there is work. Haiti.
I first thought about this possibility because a dear friend, Melissa, got involved in a public sanitation project, building toilettes. She said I should come and check it out. And when a good friend tells you to jump off a bridge, you take a leap of faith.
So I took my next step to Haiti. And its nice to know that it is just the next step. And I got involved with Ryan and Carissa as well. We flew into the Dominican Republic and bused our way over to Haiti. Crossing the border was oppressive. Guns, baggages, vans, buses, papers, smog and noise. We walked, 4 white kids, with our backpacks through the confusion. And 3 buses later, made it to Cange, Haiti.
There we met up with David, a friend working at the Partners in Health facility. He was in the highlands, so we could wait out Hurricane Tomas with a certain degree of safety. There we hiked, yoga'd, journaled, listened to reggae music and relaxed in front of the beautiful mountains of Haiti. Our comfort level was high and it was good to meet some hopeful people involved in the inspiring story that was popularized by Tracy Kidders book, Mountains Beyond Mountains.
Then we bused to through Port au Prince to see the other side of the country. The buses are loud and claustrophobic. The city is packed with endless rubble, water, congestion, heat, and tents. Tent camps are vast. Tents pack street dividers. It is tough to imagine. The whole ride, I shook my head in sadness. With all of the disasters; cholera, earthquake, hurricane, flooding, and cluster of NGO's claiming to solve the problems- I am asking myself, is this country a disaster?
We are currently working with "All Hands Volunteers." The NGO's base is filled with about 60 volunteers. Anyone can volunteer, you just need to show up and work. No age, no religion, no race, no country, no school, no profession. I have met some very interesting cats who all seem to be in this transition period. And everyone has a story to tell...
We are located in Leogane, the epicenter of the January earthquake, and victim of flooding from Hurricane Tomas. Right when we got off the bus, we stared shoveling mud out of neighboring houses. Areas of the town were flooded leaving 6 inches to a 1ft in some houses. The mud was a product of the flood, and with the recent cholera outbreak, it poses a huge sanitation threat. Just imagine. So we use words like, toxic and decontaminate a lot.
Aside from mud, is rubble. Yes, despite the fact that it was about a year ago, there is still rubble. Everywhere. Not just in the poor sections of town. Even their main government buildings are down. As we passed, Melissa commented, "a reflection of the government here."
The second day, we rubbled. Sledge hammering, shoveling, barreling, and pick axing rubble. Little by little.
And today, I spent the morning taking care of infants at a local orphanage. This might be the greatest need and challenge in Haiti. Caring for the youth.
So this organization is completely opposite of Rostro de Cristo. The latter boasts "being and not doing" while the former is "all hands." There needs to be a balance. And I enjoy working for what seems to be a polar opposite organization. Why not experiment with the other side? And since we work so much, its time to get back to it...
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