I was paying bills this morning, writing the date, 8-30-10, several times and realized that we've been back from Ghana one month today. Sorta hard to believe. Part of me feels like I was just there, while the other part feels like it was so long ago. I wonder if I've used my time wisely since we've been back, if I've been investing in the things that matter, if I've been seeking to help my Ghanaian friends in a way that will make a difference. And I miss Africa like crazy and can't wait to get back there.
I was looking through a blog the other day, one of a complete stranger. There was an entry on some NGO work in South Africa, and I was scrolling through, curious to read about it. I honestly don't remember what all it was about, but I did notice this comment at the bottom that someone had added in response:
"These stories and pictures are so moving. I am amazed how cruel human beings have become... Oh well."
I went from appalled to angry in about .5 seconds. OH WELL? OH WELL? Darn, that's sure rough, but oh well? How could someone say that if they truly were moved? But then again, I could list many times where I've thought the same thing. 'Oh well, I can't do anything about it'. So today, I continue to be reminded that there are precious children across the world who need us to be people who will not merely say "oh well" but who will be moved to action.
This is a Franciscan Benediction that I found and that has become my prayer since returning from Ghana:
May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships so that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace.
May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain into joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.
May God bless you, likewise.
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Check back on Wednesday for some exciting news!
Well, in accordance with the continuing madness that is this week, I'm headed to BCS after lunch. Hanging out with some friends for the evening and then on to Houston on Saturday morning for our next Mercy Project fundraiser. One of our gracious supporters is hosting a bowling extravaganza at Palace Lanes, and we are excited for another chance to raise awareness and funds for some sweet kids in Ghana. Looking forward to seeing some people from out of town and getting away for a bit myself.
If you need some food for thought over the next few days, check out Donald Miller's post on farming. (Have I mentioned he's a brilliant writer?) Many of the ideas presented here have come to mind over the last couple of weeks. Soak it up.
Last weekend Amber and I went to see a really cool art show at the Galleria. It's a competition put on by Red Bull called the "Art of Can". Anyone can enter a piece of art in any form or media. The only stipulation is that it has to incorporate the Red Bull brand in some way. All the entries were really good, though we never figured out if the showcased pieces were the ones that were selected or if there were other winners within the selected pieces. Who knows, but it was fun to walk through and look at everything. Inspired me to be a little more creative for sure. Here are a few of the pieces, although I can't give you a great sense of scale...
This was the first piece we saw. Stretching about 6-7 feet tall, it's made of 600 migrating origami birds – made from Red Bull cans of course. They had a video showing the 47-day creation process. Dedication.
This was my favorite piece. Mixed media collage using Red Bull cans and boxes. Hard to show the dimensionality here, but very tactile with great texture and color use. Brilliant!
And the plane... This work was hung up above the rest and is indeed a full size replica of a Kirby, with a 20 foot wingspan. A 19-year-old student from Iowa created the plane from 9,000 cans of Red Bull – and drove it 18 hours on a flatbed trailer to get it here. Impressive.
This artist based her art on the 'contents' of the Red Bull can. The picture won't do it justice, but the cans are held up by (I'm guessing) that liquid foam that solidifies upon drying. The foam is painted more and more the further down you draw your eye, splashing the logo with color. In a picture frame. Great concept.
And finally, the 'Robot Red Bull Dog Meets Fire Hydrant'. Created by a chef and artist from Florida, this piece was sculpted in a mold and then built out. Too fun.
And to think I've never even had a Red Bull before...
It's that time of year... Target aisles are crammed with excited children, parents, and too many shopping carts (no doubt a huge safety hazard), perusing the current school supply lists, matching listed item to product in hopes of being prepared and ready for action. I find myself among the crowd, desperately scanning the listings for the one that reads 'Suggested 21st Grade Supply List 2010-2011', in fine print 'for those who still love the smell of new erasers and freshly sharpened pencils; you, too, can participate'. I never found that list, but I may or may not have purchased a new 24-CT box of crayons from the fourth grade list, 1 red pen for the average sixth grader, and various colors of pocket folders for the 11th grader. I mean, really, what 11th grader cares about pocket folders? (Well, I did, but that's another story for another day.) Moving on...
The beginning of school reminds me of the beginning of a new calendar year. Everyone gets a fresh start, teachers and students alike. The summer days of pool time, sleeping in late, and reading casual books are over (though the summer temperatures are not), and it's time to focus on engaging young minds and learning. While I am indeed guilty of scouring the school aisle for bargains on 12" rulers, I will personally not be joining in on a new school year. (Thankfully, those days are long gone. Insert 'first day of school' picture here. Lucky for us all, I don't currently have one in my possession.)
However, I'm mindful of teaching friends who are taking on new classes, some for the first time, as well as the many children who are embarking on a new year. Make it a good one. Touch the lives of the children no one else believes are reachable; befriend the nerd who drops his books in front of the cool crowd.
Remember the many children who are not able to sit in their own desk in a classroom with smiling teachers. I think of the kids we met on the lake who have never seen notebook paper and markers, who only dream about a safe place to learn and grow and develop skills, free from their current 14-hour work days. Say a prayer for these kids today, that one day they would have the chance to go to school and laugh and play like other children.
This fresh start, this beginning, is something I could use a little dose of. It's been hard to jump back into life after our Ghana trip. I've had this overwhelming fear lately that the more I seep back into life here, the more I'm going to forget the feelings and moments from our trip. I fear that happening because I know I'm human and live in a society that values wealth and success and self. But as I look back through pictures and videos of the Ghana kids, I'm reminded that the moments that touch our souls so completely can never be forgotten. So I think it's time for me to dive in here in hopes that I'll be able to invest more in the work in Ghana when the time comes.
And don't you worry, if you missed your chance at pocket folders, the first week after school starts is always just as intense as the week leading up to the first day. There is always Little Joey who forgot his Fiskers Scissors for 2nd grade and Little Susie who just has to have the colored binder folder (the one with the little kitty on the front) to match her friends. So go ahead and pick up a few glue sticks and a 1" binder while your out. But please, oh please, leave that shopping cart at the end of the aisle...
Last but not least, here is my meager attempt at a slideshow of the trip. Many of the pictures you've seen on here already, but the audio at the beginning, the Lord's Prayer, and God is So Good (with video clip) are all from the kids at the Village of Life.
