haley house

I've spent the past two days making photos for Haley House. My son, Max, is one of five live-in residents here. He helps run the soup kitchen. He also helps with the clothing room and the food pantry. He works on the website. He even teaches a cooking class to at-risk high school kids. He's forging wonderful relationships with like minded good souls - people who have so much to learn from him and so much yet to teach him.

This is the philosophy of Haley House:


A revolution of the heart.

We believe in addressing problems at their very root. Using food as a vehicle we help alleviate suffering, build new skills and bring communities together. When people eat, work, and share stories, the barriers built by economic and educational disparities are broken down. Through these heart-connections we hope to create a genuinely peaceful society.

We believe in the possibility of transformation through personal relationships; where the advantaged and the most disadvantaged will be valued equally - while we honor the intrinsic goodness at the heart of every person.

We are open. We support spiritual exploration and do not discriminate against different practices. It is the power of various practices that transform people's lives and in the end, our world.

We are transparent. We listen deeply and collaborate before making decisions. This brings forth the best thinking from diverse points of view and experience.

This documentary, made in 2008 by Alexandra Pinschmidt, will give you a good idea as to the scope of what Haley House believes and the tremendous amount of good that Haley House accomplishes.





Here are some of my photos of guests who come to Haley House.

I made these photographs in the apartments of some of those guests who are now living in affordable housing thanks to Haley House.

Here are the residents: Mary Ashton, Albert, Tomas, John and Max (taken when they were on a retreat in New Hampshire several months ago).

And finally, here are Max and me standing in front of the soup kitchen.

felt squares threaded with love: guest post by suzanne garr

Team 5 member Suzanne writes:

"Almost every time I share the story of the kids at SMK, the person who's listening asks: 'How can I help?' That was Julie Armour’s immediate reaction. Julie's been an elementary school teacher for the past 30 years and has a background in art. Even though she retired from teaching a few years ago, she continues to be involved in children’s lives through her at-home tutoring programs.


Julie has always loved art, particularly making crafts from felt. She was trying to think of something that the girls at the orphanage would like, but would be easy for me to carry to Uganda. As we were sitting around the dinner table one night, Julie ran upstairs to get her book of felt craft, and as we were flipping through the book we came across these felt necklaces. They seemed easy to make, small enough to stuff into a suitcase and, most of all, they looked fun. I asked Julie how she makes them, 'First I choose the colors. Then I cut the felt into small squares. I take the thread and needle and string the felt squares and small beads together.' Pictured here are just a handful of the fun color combinations that Julie has made so far. I will pack the finished necklaces into my extra duffel bag,and they will be part of the Christmas gifts we'll bestow upon the children at St. Mary Kevin Orphanage Motherhood.


Thank you Julie for being a part of the SMK family and giving of your art, time and heart."
- Suzanne

bernadette

One thing I've learned since establishing Change the Truth is that there are so many people who have huge hearts and who want to help. I have been blown away many, many times... by a high school student who approaches me after a presentation to say she wants to go to Uganda with me, by a Bar Mitzvah boy who wants his community service project to benefit the kids at the orphanage, by a teacher who wants to showcase CTT at her school's "Africa Day", by an old friend who brings over 200 beanie babies for me to take to the children, by a complete stranger who makes an anonymous donation, by an eight-year old boy who wants to send his Ugandan pen-pal a new soccer ball. The list goes on and on, and as these positive ripples spread out over more and more people, more and more good things continue to happen. I feel ever so lucky to be part of such an outpouring of love.



Bernadette is one of those people who stepped up after a presentation and offered to help. Here is her story:

"I first heard about ‘Little Dresses for Africa’ from a high school friend. After checking out their website and getting a dress template I decided to sew a few just for fun.

Soon after my sewing adventure began, I attended a presentation by Gloria Baker Feinstein about CTT one evening at St. Andrew Christian Church in Olathe. After talking with Gloria and discussing the dresses I had brought along to share with the same group, I dreamed of creating as many dresses as I could for St. Mary Kevin Orphanage. But with that dream I knew I had to ask for help, and boy did I get help!

I soon spread the word about St. Mary Kevin Orphanage to anyone who would listen, along with my dream of creating dresses and shorts. To my wonderful surprise I have received donations of cash, fabric, trims, and sewn dresses and shorts from a great variety of people including members of Curves, former co-workers, friends from Minnesota and Kansas, and of course, many women from St. Andrew’s. Because of their generosity, a total of 117 dresses and 43 pairs of shorts will be on their way to St. Mary Kevin Orphanage in December!

This experience has been the perfect match for me….my love for sewing and my love for children."

- Bernadette Kautio

Thank you, Bernadette and friends. People like you inspire me to keep going.

moses and starfish

His name is Moses. He’s adorable, sweet and loving. The first CTT heart he stole belonged to Team 3 member Kaley. That was back in 2009.

Kaley noticed that Moses couldn’t hear very well. She taught him how to sign the alphabet. They hung close whenever the team was at the orphanage. When we left Uganda, Moses gave Kaley some rubber bands so that she would not forget him. He had been wearing them on his wrist and wanted her to do the same when she went back to the US.

We’ve learned a lot about Moses since that trip. All of our hearts have been stolen by him now.

Team 4 member Avis began the process of teaching him sign language this past December. He was like a sponge. He soaked it up. He memorized the books she brought with her, then wanted more.

Moses has some very devoted buddies, each of whom looks out for him and makes sure he is able to make his way through the day in spite of his rapidly progressing hearing loss. Antwain and Francis have got his back. It would warm your heart to watch the boys together. It certainly cooked mine.

Recently CTT Liaison Melissa took Moses into Kampala for a complete hearing exam. Probably his first ever. He didn’t fare so well. The audiologist reported that Moses borders between significantly and profoundly deaf.

Meanwhile, a woman from Amsterdam stepped into the picture. Her name is Monique, and she is planning to go to the orphanage as a CTT volunteer this summer. She read about Moses on my blog and emailed me immediately. Turns out she has a friend who runs a hearing aid shop. His name is Gerben, and he wants to donate a set of hearing aids to Moses. Seems that when a customer dies, the hearing aids he/she wore make their way back to the shop. He just happened to have such a pair that would be perfect for Moses.

After a bunch of emails between Gerben, Monique, Melissa and me, it is now official:

Moses will get the chance to hear. The Oticon hearing aids are now on their way from Amsterdam to Uganda.

Remember the story about the starfish on the beach? The one about a man walking along the beach and noticing 
a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean?

Approaching the boy, he asked, "What are you doing?" The boy replied, "Throwing starfish back into the ocean. 
The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die." “Son,” the man said. "Don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? 
You can’t possibly make a difference!" After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish 
and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said, ”
I made a difference for that one.”

Yes we did.

tornado

The scene around much of the Joplin, Missouri area is one of destruction and devastation. Mother nature has been unkind to a number of areas throughout the Midwest but on Sunday, May 22nd she was ruthless.

A severe storm came through the area and dropped a large tornado that tore a 6-mile path across southwestern Missouri, to date killing 116 people and injuring 400. This twister was the single deadliest tornado to strike the U.S. since a June 1953 tornado in Flint, Mich., that storm also killed 116, according to the National Weather Service.

The weather forecast for today does not look promising. More storms, high winds, hail and possibly even more tornados are predicted for the area.

A state of emergency has been declared and the National Guard has been activated to assist with the clean up efforts.

How You Can Help Joplin

If you would like to help the victims of the Joplin tornado there are a number of different ways to do it.

Donations

The Joplin Red Cross could use donations. You can contact them at (417) 624-4411 in order to find out what is necessary.

The Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA)

A list of major non-profits that operate regularly in Missouri can be found on the National Donations Management Network website. You can also call (800) 427-4626 for further information.

The Missouri Interfaith Disaster Response Organization is taking donations for longterm recovery efforts.

The Community Blood Center of the Ozarks is in need of blood — particularly type O. You can donate at your local blood center.

Volunteering

211 Missouri is helping organize volunteers in the affected areas. More information can be found by calling (800) 427-462.

Nurses or doctors looking to help can call (417) 832-9500 for the Greater Ozarks chapter of the Red Cross.

maya!

Change the Truth is thrilled to announce that beginning March 1st we will have a college intern living and working at St. Mary Kevin Orphanage.

Maya Knight, who is currently in Tanzania, will be heading by bus to join Melissa and all the children shortly after the Ugandan national elections takes place. Maya will be teaching computer and English and plans to create a women/girl's empowerment group for the older girls and female staff members.

I asked Maya to provide some information about herself. I recently received this email:

"Last night I was sitting with my friend on the rooftop bar that overlooks all of Moshi, Tanzania, the place that has become my beloved home away from home. We started talking about where we would be if people didn’t help us get to the point we are at now. I thought about my grandparents, two holocaust survivors who were given an opportunity to start fresh and make something of their lives. Now, because of them, I have the opportunity to get a fine education. I am who Iam because of these two people. My passion for Africa springs from their generous nature.

I first decided to travel to Africa in my sophomore year of college when I was feeling a little bit aimless. That summer, I went to Tanzania and the country stole my heart; the children chasing the van everyday as I was commuting to work, the huge smiles I passed by everyday from complete strangers, and the incredible optimism these people have despite all of their struggles. I went home to face a harsh reality of my own life, and knew from that moment that my life’s purpose was to be in Africa.

A little about me: I was born and raised in Fort Collins, Colorado. I feel so privileged to have grown up in such a beautiful place. It is a culture all in its own. People are relaxed, happy and healthy. Beautiful landscapes are right in my backyard. I couldn’t imagine growing up in a better place. I take it for granted and at times I am itching to escape, but I really do adore it. I am
blessed with an absolutely incredible family. They have given me awareness, nurtured me, and supported every spontaneous move I have made without judgment. My father had a similar experience when he was young. As a soil scientist, he was deeply attracted to Belize, a land rich in agriculture, but like me, he unexpectedly fell in love with the country. I have seen his passion blossom over the years, and seen how happy he is there, and I have always envied him, hoping one day I would find the place that makes me feel that way. So far, out of everywhere I have been Tanzania is still that place for me, but I am convinced it is not just Tanzania, but East Africa.

I am a student of the world. In school, you can label what I am doing community development, but my goals reach much farther than any degree. I studied abroad in Bolivia and Argentina this past September and October. This trip reconfirmed my love for Africa, and gave me new ideas. My dream is to be a midwife, and to establish a midwifery training center for women of rural Africa. My goal is to learn everything I can about African cultures and about how to best use my skills in the communities I’m working in.

It has been two years since my first trip to Africa, and I am back again for the third time. I have combined all of my passions and skills, and have learned an abundance from teachers, social workers, doctors and business men and women during my travels in Africa that I never would have learned in any classroom in America. My education entirely depends on experiences in the world, and I love it that way.

I know Gloria through my aunt and uncle. I was first exposed to her work when a collection of her images was featured in a book about the many holocaust survivors of Kansas City including my grandparents, great aunt and great uncle. We have shared brief conversations during a wedding reception or a family reunion, but I never imagined I would be working with her and Change the Truth. I learned about Change the Truth and St. Mary Kevin orphanage when my aunt and uncle gave me the gift of Gloria’s stunning book as a gift when I returned home from my first trip. I was amazed by how well she captured the essence of Africa.

I am very intrigued with Uganda. I am so thrilled to get to spend three months at SMK and to be a part of this project for many years to come. I am sure I will learn as much from them as they learn from me. The work that Change the Truth is doing is presenting these people with an opportunity to succeed. I don’t know where I would be without the people who got me to this point, so I have to try my hardest to return the favor to my brothers and sisters." - Maya

"do it yourself" foreign aid

Please read the Nicholas Kristof NYT Magazine article about the "do it yourself" foreign aid revolution. I promise you will feel moved and inspired.

His blog follow-up addresses ways to help. There are so many. Again, very inspiring.

Yay for us... the do it yourselfers!

lee

Exactly three years ago I started this blog. Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined where it would have taken me, especially considering it was supposed to simply be a way to let my friends and family read about my first trip to Uganda.

One of the nicest things that has happened thanks to the blog has been the connections I have made. People I would not have otherwise met have found me and have thus found out about Change the Truth. Cyberspace has definitely contributed to the expansion and growth of CTT in this way.

One of my favorite things to do on the blog is introduce the children from the orphanage, as well as the people who are now lending them a hand…. especially the young people who are doing so.

One of my earliest young supporters was Lee. Read a past post about him here. Now Lee is a junior at the Pembroke Hill School and is the president of the art club there. (He is a very talented artist.) I recently received an email from him asking if the art club could do an “art supply drive” for the kids at the orphanage. His idea is to encourage art students to donate new and gently used supplies like sketchpads, brushes, paints, pencils and pastels. Pretty great, no? I just love it when young people come up with ways to help other young people. In this case it is a way of connecting art-loving kids from Kansas City with art-loving kids from Kajjansi!


Lee has grown up around altruism. His kind parents have set the right example for him. His mom works at Operation Breakthrough; from a very young age Lee always tagged along and did whatever he could to help out. Now that he is old enough to establish his own set of beliefs and commitments, he is taking a stand to help less fortunate children who happen to share his passion for art. Bravo, Lee!

In my dreams, I see Lee sitting across the table from Nicky at the orphanage in Uganda. They are trading ideas about shadowing and shading, color and design. Lee is very tall, his hair is usually an unusual color, his clothes are cool, his skin is pale, he has a dog, he has his parents. Nicky is slight with closely cropped hair, dark skin, torn clothing and a very sad past. Nevertheless, the boys’ legs bump against each other under the table. They laugh and joke around. They look up from their work occasionally and nod encouragement to each other. When they fasten their eyes on each other, they are each filled up with a sense of wholeness and goodness and fellowship. And everything suddenly just feels kind of right.

kids helping kids

To be inspired is to witness how selfless and generous young people can be.

Sarah (Team 2) from New York has shown us just how dedicated and caring a young woman who is about to become a Bat Mitzvah can truly be. Since our trip, I have heard from two other Saras; one from Chicago who has decided that Change the Truth will also be her Bat Mitzvah project and a college student from Kansas City who is applying for a grant to spend a month working at St. Mary Kevin Orphanage this coming summer.

Just when I thought it was the month of Sara(h), I received this email from Jenna, a high school student in Kansas City.


"Gloria: When you came to class and told us your story I truly was inspired. For my final project I donated my large beanie baby collection to Change the Truth. As I was collecting all my beanie babies my mom was constantly asking me if I was sure I wanted to give them all away. At first I have to admit I was a little sad. I felt as though I was giving away a part of my childhood. But I then realized that these beanie babies only hold memories from when I was a young girl and those memories are forever with me. Why should I be selfish and let these beanie babies collect dust in my closet when a child, who has nothing, could also make wonderful memories with the cuddly creatures? Donating the beanie babies to Change the Truth gave me an understanding as to what charity is actually about. I realized that I received so much more than what I gave away to the children. I felt as though I was truly going to make a difference in a child's life. It was a feeling of great fulfillment and gratification for the soul."

We can all learn a lot from the younger generation.

three cups of tea: one man's mission to promote peace... one school at a time

It’s a book many people have told me I should read. I bought it some time ago and started it, but I didn’t get very far.

I asked a few friends if they had read it. I was surprised at how many said, “Well, yeah, I started it…”

Then the Kansas City Star Book Club called a couple of months ago to invite me to be a participant in their next discussion. The book? Three Cups of Tea. So I picked it up again.

This wildly popular New York Times best seller is not particularly well written. The metaphors are tired and uninspired. Events that could have, in someone else’s hands, translated into a gripping and compelling read often collapse into bland, contrived, predictable and self-serving verbiage. Greg Mortenson, the climber turned humanitarian co-wrote the book with journalist David Relin. Mortenson is truly an inspiring man with a fascinating tale to tell and many powerful lessons to pass along. I just kept getting annoyed with and distracted by the writing style (or, should I say, lack thereof.)

But since I had promised to read the book for the Star book club, I forged ahead. I’m glad I did.

I learned a lot about what is possible in the world of global humanitarianism. Though what I am doing is far, FAR smaller in scale and can’t even compare to the magnitude of Mortenson’s contributions, I was able to relate to his joys and frustrations, setbacks and victories. To my surprise, I came away from the read feeling inspired to learn more about international aid and to push myself even further with my own organization, Change the Truth.

One of the most frequently asked (or implied) questions I get concerning the work I am doing in Uganda is this: “Why Africa? Why not your own backyard?” While I politely reply that I am indeed involved with community volunteer work here in the US, I have always struggled to find the words to explain why I feel it is also important to help attend to the needs of people in developing nations. In Three Cups of Tea, Sir Edmund Hillary’s response (in 1964) to a question about his humanitarian efforts in the world’s poorest and most remote places is mentioned, and it really resonated for me:

“Slowly, painfully, we are seeing worldwide acceptance of the fact that the wealthier and more technologically advanced countries have a responsibility to help the underdeveloped ones. Not only through a sense of charity, but also because only in this way can we ever hope to see any permanent peace and security for ourselves.”

Throughout the course of the book, Mortenson succeeds in gently and successfully explaining to his audience the logic behind Hillary’s statement. In doing so, he inspired this particular reader to continue her work and to push ahead with even more determination and vigor.

In his dogged quest to build schools, especially for girls, in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Mortenson has changed tens of thousands of lives for the better. He has endured a kidnapping, a fatwa, death threats, hate mail and an endless array of unbelievable obstacles that would have sent most of us home crying. He’s a rock star among humanitarians.

The book club discussion was a real treat. I was honored to sit with a distinguished panel of people who are truly committed to repairing the world. Our conversation about Three Cups of Tea will be published in this Saturday’s Kansas City Star.

kindness

Did you have a Ouija board back when you were a kid? I did. My girlfriends and I would often pull it out in the middle of the night during a slumber party and ask it questions of huge magnitude like, “does Jimmy like Kathy?” or “who is going to ask me to dance at the next Cotillion?” or once we started to feel braver and kind of scared, “how will Toby die?” or “will my parents get a divorce?” or "when will the world end?"

I sort of feel like we are skipping across the top of a Ouija board these days. There is so much uncertainty in the air.

And there seem to be so many people who have the power to nudge the “Ouija” in this direction or that, spelling out lots of different possibilities for the future.

One thing I am learning, though, is this: no matter what, people basically have kindness swelling in their chests.

Think back to what Anne Franke wrote in her diary:

“I keep my ideals, because in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.”

Ever since I issued a wish list for items to take to the orphans at St. Mary Kevin’s in Uganda, my email in-box has been jammed, my front porch has been stacked with boxes and my phone rings a lot more often. It’s been incredible, really.

Forget skin color, sexual orientation, political views, religion or socio-economic status… everyone wants to help. Nothing divides people when it comes to simply being kind.

If I were thirteen and had just asked “Ouija” if people would really step up to the plate again and again to help one hundred and fifty motherless/fatherless children in a small town 7,000 miles away from where I live, I wouldn’t have to persuade it very much to spell out an emphatic Y-E-S.

marissa handler

Below is an edited transcript from an interview conducted by Britt Bravo, a writer and blogger who offers strategic consulting, social web empowerment and career coaching that teaches individuals and organizations to realize their big vision. Here Bravo asks Marissa Handler, author and spiritual activist, about discovering what our role is in changing the world by being open to what "calls to us."

Marisa Handler: "Essentially, I feel strongly about what Joseph Campbell meant when he said, 'Follow your bliss, ' which is that in order to discover our destiny, to discover who we are in the deepest and truest sense, we really need to go in the direction that speaks to us. To me, that means following the direction that represents beauty, and represents heart, and truth, and all of these grandiose words that essentially mean that it is something that moves us and that gets us excited.

I believe if we go in that direction, and our intention is to be true to ourselves, and also to remember our own interconnection, and the state that the world is in right now, that it will guide us to a place where the work that we are doing is actually helping, and has an application.

I think that there are as many different ways to be an activist as there are human beings on the planet right now. Your way may be starting an organic catering company, or painting about issues that are important to you, or getting out on the streets and protesting, or maybe working with policy; there are all kinds of different work.

Essentially it means that we don't always all have to do the same thing, and actually, that if we all do the same thing, that's not going to necessarily save the world. I think that in an age where what we're facing often seems very vast and faceless - huge institutions, corporations, or undemocratic governments - I think that the real answers don't so much lie in, they can, but not always, intricate solutions. I think the real answers lie in the small, diverse, creative solutions we come up with ourselves in our communities, by ourselves, or with our friends, or with a global group. It may be a bigger group, but the emphasis is on diversity and creativity.

If we follow what speaks to us, we're going to be true to ourselves. We're also going to be true to what the world wants of us."

Here's the entire interview, which is definitely worth a read.

getting high

What is it that happens to us on the inside when we lend a hand to help those in need? Why is that so many people have written to me to ask what they can do for Change the Truth; why are so many people interested in going to Uganda with me in December to assist the children at the orphanage?

Is there an endorphin that is released in us when we do this work, kind of like when we exercise, that simply makes us feel good?

I have no idea, but I do know that more and more, as this project of mine evolves, I come into contact with folks who want to help - who want to give up their free time, their money, their skills, their vacation - to extend a hand to those less fortunate than themselves.

Do we feel guilty for the excesses of our American lifestyles? Or is it, as Anne Franke said, that we are all basically good inside?

I am amazed over and over again at the spirit of generosity and enthusiasm which adults and children alike have directed toward one hundred and fifty orphaned kids in Uganda - children they do not know, children they most likely will never meet. The guy who does my framing, school-aged kids from many different cities, a writer from central Kansas, a single mom and her kids from back east, teachers, artists, lawyers, doctors, a family from Washington state, a local woman who gives great facials, they are all lining up to do what they can to provide assistance to Samarie, Billy, Apacko and the others. How could I have known?

All I had to do was mention the possibilities, and BOOM! you gravitated toward the idea and the need. This experience is probably the first time in my life that I have truly felt like part of a world community. I hope you have an inkling of that feeling, as well.

ADDENDUM:

After writing the above, I decided to do a little research on the topic of giving/feeling good, and came up with this explanation from an article in the New York Sun:

“A number of studies have researched exactly why charity leads to happiness. The surprising conclusion is that giving affects our brain chemistry. For example, people who give often report feelings of euphoria, which psychologists have referred to as the ‘Helper's High.’ They believe that charitable activity induces endorphins that produce a very mild version of the sensations people get from drugs like morphine and heroin.

Charity also lowers the stress hormones that cause unhappiness. In one 1998 experiment at Duke University, adults were asked to give massages to babies — the idea being that giving a baby pleasure is a compassionate act with no expectation of a reward, even a ‘thank you’ — in return. After they performed the massages, the seniors were found to have dramatically lower levels of the stress hormones cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine in their brains.

The bottom line from all the research on giving is that it is not just good for your favorite cause; it's good for you, too. For relief from stress and depression, it's probably more cost-effective than whatever your doctor might prescribe. For getting a little high, it's not illegal, and a lot less fattening than booze.”

children helping children

I am constantly amazed and humbled by the good work being done by kids. They really want to help, and they just do it rather than merely talk about it.

Just before Christmas, a ninth grader named Ali called to say that she wanted to make a donation to Change the Truth in honor of her mom and give a certificate stating such as her gift.

More recently, I received a letter with cash stuffed in the envelope. The accompanying letter from a young girl named Ashton said:

“For Christmas I was given $25 to donate to any organization. I chose to donate mine to Change the Truth. I was hoping this could be used to help pay the school fees for my pen pal, Clare.”

Last night, the following email from a twelve year old in Chicago danced its way across my laptop:

“My Bat Mitzvah is in April 2009 and for my mitzvah project I would like to try to raise money for Change the Truth Foundation because I have been trying to find an organization that I could do for my mitzvah that would also help make people's life better in any way and now I found one. I will be thinking of ways to raise money. In addition for this foundation being my mitzvah project I would like to be a pen pal to one of these children to see what life is like and hopefully sometime before my Bat Mitzvah I would have the privilige to go to Uganda.
Thanks much,
Sara”

Ladies and gentlemen, I am here to say that there is hope for the future!

change the truth team I reunion

If any of you are even remotely considering a “volunteer vacation” (or what my 19-year old refers to as an “alternative vacation”) let me tell you that it could be one of the best gifts you’ll ever give yourself.

Last night I had the immense pleasure of reuniting with the wonderful team that accompanied me on Change the Truth’s first mission trip to Uganda.


These people have become my very good friends. Trust me, when you spend so much time together in such an emotionally charged situation, it’s simply what happens – you get pretty close. After all, we saw each other first thing in the morning, we saw each other exhausted, we saw each other un-showered and without makeup, we saw each other in tears, we saw each other outside of our comfort zones, we saw each other make fools of ourselves dancing or trying to speak another language or trying to get a handle on our often gut wrenching sadness. And we had many hours to talk and get to know things about each other that usually take a long time to discover. For example, one night at dinner, someone posed this question: “What is your greatest fear?” You get the picture.

We got together last night to share pictures, talk about what it’s been like coming back home and watch a video that Lynne lovingly assembled in our honor.

Once you’ve been on a trip like this, you realize that the people with whom you shared the experience fall into a new category of friendship. You share something that no one else can truly understand, so that makes the relationship unique. And in that context grows an opportunity to explore a side of yourself that can, under ordinary circumstances, be hard to access.

There are plenty of books and websites that can be helpful in a search for just the right volunteer vacation for you/ your family. I highly recommend looking into it. And if you are interested in joining CTT on the 2008 trip, let me know.

Based on all the hugs, laughter and tears I saw us sharing last night (not to mention the profound work that was performed while we were at the orphanage!) I guarantee you that the trip was one of the best gifts we have ever given to ourselves.

brain gets a thrill from charity: study

By Julie Steenhuysen
Thu Jun 14, 5:10 PM ET

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Knowing your money is going to a good cause can activate some of the same pleasure centers in your brain as food and sex, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.

People who participated in a study got a charge knowing that their money went to a charity -- even when the contribution was mandatory, like a tax. They felt even better when they voluntarily made a donation, researchers found.

Ulrich Mayr, a psychology professor at the University of Oregon, said the research sheds light on the nature of altruism and could help people feel better about being taxed.

"It shows that in an ideal world you could have a tax situation where you could be a satisfied taxpayer," said Mayr, whose study appeared in the journal Science.

In the study, Mayr and two economists gave 19 women volunteers $100 each and then tracked their brain activity in a functional magnetic resonance imaging scanner.

The women were shown their money automatically being transferred from their account to a local food bank.

When the money reached the food bank account, it activated portions of the brain -- the caudate nucleus and the nucleus accumbens -- known for pleasure. The effect was even greater when the people got to choose to give the money away.

"What is interesting is that these pleasure areas are for really basic needs, like food, sex, sweets, shelter and social connection," Ulrich said in a telephone interview. "It's the area that tells the brain what is good for us."

As it turns out, "That very same brain area not only tracks what is good for us, but what is good for others," he said.

He and colleagues were hoping to find out whether there was something in the act of giving itself -- and not just the social and egotistical reward of being a philanthropist -- that offers satisfaction.

"The fact that we find pleasurable activity in those mandatory tax-like situations strongly suggests the existence of pure altruism," he said.

Of course, simulating a tax is quite different from paying taxes to a government with policies you may or may not support, he noted.

"What it shows is that, in principle, we are capable of feeling good about doing our share," he said.

an unusual volunteer job

Our high school graduate is spending his summer bussing tables for a catering company by night and whirring around the city in an ambulance by day. The latter stems from Max’s training in the eighty-hour Wilderness First Responder course he took over spring break in Arizona, followed by a an Explorer course he took with a Kansas City metro ambulance company. He has always had a need for speed and a desire to help those in trouble.

So, this kid who usually sports flip flops, sagging shorts and a Lienenkugels beer ball cap and who doesn’t utter more than a few grunts and groans before 9:00 a.m. energetically left the house Saturday morning at 5:30, smartly dressed in the ambulance crew uniform - tight fitting cargo pants, a bright green polo shirt, a belt (to which was attached his cell phone) his new black shoes and, last but not least, a stethoscope (prized graduation gift) draped around his neck.

But let me back up a bit. Before any of this happened, I had to sit before a representative of the ambulance company who explained the risks involved in riding with a paramedic/EMT crew as they venture into any and all parts of town, lights flashing, sirens screaming, tending to wrecks, homicides, heart attacks and the like. Then I had to sign a waiver.

The guy behind the desk turned his attention at one point to Max: Have you ever been to a morgue? You’ll probably go to one this summer. Ever seen anyone die? You probably will this summer; maybe little kids or even kids your age. Ever been up close and personal with someone else’s blood, vomit or feces? Get ready to wipe all of the above off your shoes.

I felt a little woozy during this part of the presentation. I looked over at Max. It was obvious he was getting only more pumped up.

During the course of his first day on the job, our volunteer Explorer kept in close contact with us by way of text messaging:

8:27 a.m.
We’re making a Code One call with the lights and EVERYTHING. I’ll tell you all about it after we do it.

9:13 a.m.
We’re at the ER near Becca’s house… we picked up a lady from a nursing home. She had back pain, so they called us. Nothing big (yet) but it was fun.

10:16 a.m.
This is Unit 24. We’re 10-19 to North Kansas City Hospital. We have a Code Two…a.k.a. not a big deal. Guy has a swollen ankle. Got him from the police.

11:54 a.m.
This is Unit 24… My 10-20 is the back of the car writing graduation thank-you notes. I have seven done. Over.

2:32 p.m.
Just running calls. Still nothing too exciting.

4:05 p.m.
Oh hell yes we got a call to Rockfest. Woop woop woop!! We have an ETOH patient (that means he’s drunk). Also on coke.

Max came home safe and sound and says he can’t wait to go out again.

sister schools

Michael, project coordinator and manager of the orphanage at St. Mary Kevin’s, arrives in Kansas City tonight. He has been in the Seattle area for three weeks and is stopping here for a few days before heading back to Uganda. He and Rosemary (founder and director of SMK) and eight of the children have been touring, meeting with American school children, performing their singing, dancing and drumming concerts and raising awareness/funds. I can only imagine how mind-blowing these past three weeks in the US have been for some of them, especially the very young ones.







My sister lives in Seattle and attended one of the performances. She was kind enough to send me these great photos. The children look so vibrant and joyful! Rosemary had on her Change the Truth t-shirt, which, of course, sent me to a giddy place. My sis said there was standing room only at the church where the kids performed – she guessed maybe 250 people were in attendance. Sister Schools, a wonderful non-profit based in Seattle that pairs schools in the Seattle area with schools in Africa and Central America, was responsible for bringing the group from SMK to the US. The mission is great – Sister Schools teaches compassion, service, and social responsibility by partnering students in donor schools with children in need. They achieve this through two distinct goals: first, by providing students the life-changing and character-building experience of personal giving; and second, by providing supplies, hope and inspiration to those in need. Kids from schools in the US send sports equipment, books, toys, clothes, backpacks, etc. to kids in far away lands, and all the children involved learn a lot about each other and each others’ worlds in the process. Terry, the founder of the organization, states as his purpose:

“Sister Schools is dedicated to giving children a better understanding of the world in which they live and helping them experience the life-changing effect of personally giving to those less fortunate than themselves. Those who receive help gain hope, inspiration and much needed material assistance. Those who give discover their ability to help others and serve their community; regardless of their age, race or social position. Students see the direct effects of their actions and the compelling changes they have made. Sister Schools was founded in response to children who needed to give. It was founded at the request of children who, discovering the plight of other children in desperate circumstances, believed they could make a difference.”



Terry has been doing this for close to eighteen years now. He was responsible for my introduction to SMK in the first place; to him I am so very grateful!

Pricilla is one of the children in our pen pal program

Justine

After the concert, the kids all put on their Change the Truth t-shirts for a photo. Coolest photo I’d seen in a long while! Thanks, Bobbie.

good people doing good things

I would like to share some of the amazing work being done in simple but heartfelt ways by some amazing people who want to help the children at St. Mary Kevin’s. First up, an email I received the other day:

“Hello. Recently my 11-year-old son and I donated money to Change the Truth. My son sent $10 of his own money as a Mother's Day present to me. I would like to establish a pen pal relationship with one of the children at the orphanage so that we may get to know him or her personally. We will continue to help support the orphanage, as we are able. I'm a single mother and don't have a lot of extra money but want to do what I can. Thank you.”

Next… my niece is getting married in June. Guess what she and her fiancé registered for, alongside dishes and bath towels? Right. An opportunity to make donations in their honor to organizations about which they feel passionate. They included Change the Truth on their wish list.

Last, but not least, my good friend who is a nurse put on her saleslady hat yesterday and schlepped all the beaded jewelry made by the kids at the orphanage to the children’s hospital where she works. There, in the procedure room, in the lab and in the office area, she modeled the necklaces and bracelets and talked about the kids in Uganda. She arrived at my house last night with close to $200, all of which goes directly to St. Mary Kevin’s. How cool is that?

Thanks to each of you who are making Change the Truth come alive.

make the world a better place

A young man named JJ has made the admirable decision to do what he can to help kids his own age who happen to have been born into situations wildly different from his own. This is the email he sent to me in which he describes the goals he has set for himself surrounding his upcoming Bar Mitzvah.

“I am a 7th grade boy and will become a bar mitzvah this summer. One of the commitments to becoming a bar mitzvah is to make the world a better place. I learned about change the truth.org from an article in the newspaper. I read it and knew that I wanted to help fix this problem, that there are millions of parentless kids that can't even afford to go to school in Uganda. If these kids do not have the opportunity to go to school, they are condemned to a horrible life.

It only costs $285 (about the cost of an ipod) to send one high school orphan in Uganda to one year of school. My goal is to send 10 kids to school for a year. To raise this money, I have planned to work various jobs and will donate my earnings for scholarships for these kids. I will also be asking for donations from friends and family by writing them a letter about this situation.”

You go, JJ!