World Vision through City Eyes

Feed a kid, change their world?

2012-01-19T06:32:00.000-06:00

While in Swaziland, we had the privilege of hearing from World Vision Swaziland's national director Solomon Mariam on the issues and opportunities that lie before them. He had great insight into this country's unique balance of tradition and desire for change.

World Vision recognizes that the long-term sustainability of the programs and projects they implement to address food security, clean water, education, health or economic enterprise must be owned by the local government at some point. So they are adapting and growing their development model to expand on current partnerships, helping provide education, equipping, and empowerment of the local government where needed. The hope is that at the end of a development cycle (15-19 years), the local community is prepared to continue to drive and develop programs and oversee any infrastructure that has been put in place during that time.

Where you might have previously invested in World Vision because of your interest in making a difference in a child's life (a great thing in and of itself), it could be said that your sponsorship also enables World Vision to make a difference in the government of a child's community, province, maybe even country - providing long-term improvements not only for your sponsored child, but many others in that community. That's a pretty good return on your money - feed a kid for $1/day, change their world forever.

Thirsty?

2012-01-11T11:49:00.000-06:00

With the drought in central Texas this year, I began to think about what it would be like to not have easy access to water. I have to say it made me incredibly grateful every time I took a hot shower.

Today we met a lady, Dudu, who showed us how her family collects water. To the right you will see a picture of the water that I posted earlier on Facebook. In a word - yuck! I cringed as I watched the youngest take a drink from one of the containers. Every one of her 9 kids has been to the hospital for treatment because of the diseases they have contracted through the water. This family (literally all the kids from age 3 - 13) spends about 2 hours a day collecting water, and that's assuming the spring near their house is producing. If it isn't, add another hour or two to that. It's constantly on their mind. The oldest girl, Zinhle, said she finds it difficult to concentrate on schoolwork because she is always thinking about needing to get home so she has time to collect water before it gets dark.

Thanks to WorldVision, there will soon be a system in place that makes the nearby river water potable and accessible to the homesteads. We asked Mom what she will do when the day comes that she has easy access to clean water. Her reply? "We will have a big party and drink and bathe all day!"

Day One

2012-01-10T10:56:00.000-06:00

I have so many things bouncing around in my head, I don't know where to begin. So I'll start with basics. Swaziland is beautiful. In the South where we are, the terrain is mountainous and verdant. It is stunning. The people we have been introduced to are gracious and kind and hospitable.

Today was packed full of learning opportunities. This morning we visited with a caregiver volunteering with World Vision. It was an adventure just getting there, and the story is amazing. You can read my take and see a video about that experience on the World Vision page to the right. This afternoon, we went to a local church to hear from the various Bible Clubs in the area. This meeting represented 5 pastors from the community that have formed an alliance - meeting monthly to pray for each other and their community (sounds familiar?). There were about 250 kids singing songs and quoting bible verses. It was so much fun! Check out the audio of their singing at the bottom of this post! By time we actually left, I think I had one of them down! Siyabonga, Jesu! (Thank you Jesus)

But what has stuck with me all day was what "Bongi" (the National Director of Development for World Vision Swaziland) said this morning during our devotion. He said that at the heart of all that World Vision does is the question: "Where is the child in all of this?" So, no matter what they are doing, if this question can't be answered, the work is missing the mark.

I love this! It is a clear measure of their intentional commitment to their vision. In Austin, as we hold out the vision of a united Body of Christ connecting with the needs of the region so that the community experiences spiritual, cultural and social transformation, I wonder what the question is we should be asking in order to insure our work is hitting the mark?

Arriving

2012-01-10T00:52:00.003-06:00

The flight was uneventful from Atlanta to Johannesburg. I'm personally very glad about that having had some weird flying experiences. We spent the night In 'Jo'burg' and the hotel we stayed in was very nice. It had wifi, great coffee, AC and hot water. What more could one want after being on a 14 hour flight?

I am now sitting on a plane that holds 55 people (those of you who know me well - I can feel your prayers!) headed to Manzini.

There have been a few times during the trip that I have felt like an awkward, inexperienced traveller, but for the most part I have been enjoying all the people I have seen from all the countries of the world. What I love about humanity is that even though we may be separated into groups by linguistic and cultural differences, we have a lot in common. We all laugh when we are tickled, we cry when we are sad or scare. While waiting in line for immigration, a young lady standing beside us burst into tears. She just realized she missed her connecting flight and wasn't sure what to do. She was scared and alone and and, just like my kids, needing someone to tell her it was going to be okay. That's not an American thing or an African thing. It's a human thing.

A lot of the issues that World Vision is raising awareness of are the same. Things like hunger, clean water, good medical care aren't foreign issues, their human issues.

Christians are called to show compassion and sensitivity to the needs of those around us. As a result of this exhortation to "love our neighbors", we have the opportunity to engage with human issues at a local and global level. What is the human issue that resonates with you and how do you see getting involved?

And We're Off!

2012-01-06T06:32:00.001-06:00

The day has come. We have met, we have planned, we have packed and now it's time to go. There is a small contingent already in Swaziland making final arrangements before the Austin group arrives. One of them sent this picture she took from the window of the plane as they were arriving.

We have learned that our access to the internet may be limited while we are there, so my posts might be intermittent. My goal is to share what I learn as often as I can. In the meantime, the World Vision team will also be giving daily updates at: People of Austin: Meet Swaziland! I have included a link to the right as well.

I guess all that's left at this point is the 14 hour flight to Johannesburg (not excited about that), and then arriving on site Sunday.

As I leave, I hold close the thoughts expressed by David in Psalm 25: 4,5: Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

It is amazing to me, that we have a relationship with a God that is so big that time and circumstance are nonexistent for him, so powerful that his breath creates worlds and yet so willing to invest in us individually. Reaching across eternity through His word to give us peace that He is involved in our lives and ensure us He wants to help us understand Him and His ways moment by moment. That is a mind-blowing, awe inspiring God.

Preparing for the Trip

2012-01-05T07:49:00.002-06:00

Getting ready for a trip takes preparation. The amount of preparation depends on how long you will be gone and how far away you are going.

There's the preparation in regard to packing. What to take and, even more importantly with today's TSA guidelines, what not to take. There's the things you almost forget because you can run to the corner store at any given moment and pick them up (like ibuprofen) or they are always right at hand (like toothpaste).

There's the preparation to be able to travel. Getting the plane tickets, making sure you have your passport. Shots! What about insurance? Does my phone work where we are going?

And there's the preparation to extract yourself from your daily life. At work you make sure things are being taken care of during your absence and you’ve let people know you’re going to be out of pocket. At home you make sure your pets will be fed and plants will be watered, you might need to take care of mail and paper pickup, etc.. (In my case I probably should have fixed frozen dishes the family could heat while I am away.)

But for this trip, there is also the keenly important preparation of ourselves for what God is wanting to do. Taking the time to position yourself for whatever God has in mind for the trip.

World Vision did a fantastic job coaching us on best ways to prepare in all of these areas. Okay maybe not so much on the daily life front but that's not really their role. However in each of the other areas, they did a fantastic job. (Thank you World Vision!) In regard to packing, they provided a list of things to take. In regard to travel logistics, they gave us information on what we needed and where to go to learn what decisions to make. In regard to spiritual preparation, our team leader encouraged us to meditate on how Christ emptied himself and to consider doing the same (read more about this in my Traveling Buddy Andrew's blog).

The point I want to make is this: In the hustle and bustle of preparing to leave, the most important preparation we can do is the one that requires us to "be still and know".

But that’s not just for this trip. We are committed - for the long haul - to a big vision of seeing our Jerusalems, Judeas, Samarias, even the ends of the world impacted by the good news of Christ. In this particular situation, we are asking God to unveil His heart in regard to the connection between global work and local work. Are we prepared for this trip? Are we being still in order to know?

The amount of preparation depends on how long you will be gone and how far away you are going. We're going for eternity, from here to the ends of the earth. Big trip.

What's the Plan, Man?

2012-01-04T07:53:00.000-06:00

So today our small band of 'social media-ites' had our last conference call before we meet at the gate on Friday. And while we don't have all the specifics of our agenda on the ground in Africa, we did get a general game plan.

Dana shared that World Vision works with their partner communities they to develop a plan for sustainability in 12-18 years. I think I already mentioned that they focus on food, clean water, health, education and microfinace. Their goal is for the families and individuals to experience abundant life as described in John 10:10. World Vision operates 17 of these Area Development Programs (ADPs) in Swaziland, four of which are supported by U.S. donors. While we are there we will be visiting 3 ADPs (which you can see on the map as the southernmost 3 ADPs): Maseyisini, Mahlalini and Mhlosheni.

From what I learned today, each of the 3 we are visiting will represent an ADP at a different phase in the process. One is fairly new, one is about mid-way into it's plan, and the third is almost complete. I'll let you know which one is which as I learn (and I'll include some phonetics to help with the pronunciations!). I'm glad that we will get to see various stages and various issues being addressed. I'm curious to find out if there are things we can learn - like critical milestones for moving a community forward, or key things to look for that indicate the area is ready to go to the next level.

As I said, we are on a learning adventure...so Onward Ho!

Who's going?

2012-01-03T07:34:00.000-06:00

So, just who will be traveling to Swaziland? It's a mixed group of individuals from Austin and World Vision.

We have been divided into two teams, if you will, for the purposes of documenting our experiences on this trip. The 'news team' is comprised of (big surprise) 2 representatives from our very own KVUE news plus the man behind this city partnership vision, Devin Hermanson (who did the picture titled Unity included to the right).

The other team is comprised of 5 representatives from the Austin area (3 from the church arena, 1 from the business arena and me, from the ministry arena) plus 4 individuals from World Vision (including Dana Fay who many of you might recognize as the area liaison for churches). We are the 'social media' team. I'm real interested in learning more about what, exactly, that means. From what I can gather to date, we will be sharing stories with you, our networks, and inviting you to respond so that we can share your responses with the people in our stories. The hope is that through our communications, we can connect the Austin community more closely with the people who are impacted by World Vision's work. So get ready to respond!

On the immediate horizon, I am looking forward to getting to know my travel companions - both those who represent Austin, and those from World Vision. I love that there is a blend of different backgrounds that will be coming to this table all because of 1 thing: We love Jesus. And in our individual pursuits of Him, He has seen fit to intersect all of our paths at this particular time for the particular purpose of travelling to Swaziland.

If we believe that our circumstances are orchestrated by God so that His purposes can be accomplished, then we can look forward to this blending of personalities and backgrounds with an expectant hope that God is in the middle of it and is doing something big.

So in my final days of preparation and prayer for this trip, I am grateful to God for His good wisdom in organizing the perfect team that will be able to accomplish the work that He wants done in each of our individual lives, as well as on behalf of World Vision and the city of Austin - for the eternal benefit of His Kingdom.

Can we make a difference?

2011-12-30T09:31:00.000-06:00

So, to recap - we're on an adventure to experience World Vision's work first hand in Swaziland. I've shared what I've learned about this country and the issues they face. I also shared some comparatives with Austin. Locally and globally the issues of education, health, basic needs and economic opportunity are important. The problems are complex - larger than any one of us can solve by ourselves.

So - how can we, as individuals, impact such huge issues? It will take people who are willing to live a life beyond themselves. People who understand Kingdom priorities, Kingdom principles. People who, like Jesus, give. Give of their time, their talent and their treasure. But that's Kingdom living, right? Freely you have received, freely give.

Here is some interesting information on Christian giving as found at Generous Giving.

Around the world, the total annual income of Christians who are committed to the Great Commission is $6.8 trillion. In the U.S. alone, that figure is over $2.6 trillion.
Over the last 10 years, income has increased about 20% while giving has decreased almost 50%.
Church goers only give about 2.5% of their income.
According to the Borgen Project, spending $19 billion per year between now and 2015 could potentially eliminate global starvation and malnutrition. Another $12 billion per year over that same time period could provide education for every child on earth. And an additional $15 billion each year could provide universal access to clean water and sanitation.

That last fact gets to me. Is that even doable? As stated on Generous Giving: If Churches were willing to give 10% of their income and and dedicate 60% of that to international missions, there would be $98.4 billion available for the international church and $32.8 billion for domestic missions.

So I would say YES! It is feasible for us - together - to make a difference even to the ends of the earth. It just takes a change in our giving habits. What if we truly believed and adhered to the Kingdom principle: Give and it shall be given to you?

Completely anti-logical, completely the way of God.

Click here to learn more about Christian giving.

and Austin?

2011-12-29T09:48:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I shared some interesting statistics about Swaziland and the issues they are facing. In Austin we are concerned about similar issues - specifically: education, affordable housing, and healthcare and their interrelationship.

In the arena of education, the concern is to help ensure kids are reading on grade level by the end of 3rd grade. Through 3rd grade, people learn to read. After 3rd grade, people read to learn. If kids have not successful mastered the ability to read by the end of 3rd grade, they spend the rest of their school career struggling. Studies show there is a high correlation between those who are not at 3rd grade level reading and high school dropouts. High School dropouts are expensive to the society. Each costs, on average, $260,000 in lost earnings, taxes and productivity and are more likely to either be arrested or be a teen parent - both of which also have financial and social costs.

Attendance is a key issue for children learning the fundamentals of reading. Many families move frequently to either avoid drastic increases in rent or to take advantage of special rates. This movement prevents children from having a consistent school experience. Affordable housing solutions can help families have the option to stay in one place longer. There are many societal benefits to a community that is not as transitional but this is another topic for another time.

Along with frequent moving, health issues keep children from consistent engagement at a school. Families who are having difficulty affording rent are also having difficulty providing health insurance as well. This limits access to medical treatment when kids become ill and preventative education and checkups.

And here's some food for thought (pun intended) related to the health issue: Many children depend on their lunch at school as their one and only meal for the day. If they are not attending because of moves or illness, they also may be foregoing meals - contributing to the risk of having poor health.

What I have represented here is a simplistic overview of a complex social problem. I am in no way saying that our issues are comparable to those in Swaziland. I am grateful that I can go to my kitchen and get a glass of water without having to worry about typhoid or dysentery. What I am saying is that we too have concerns on a large scale - larger than any one of us can handle alone and more complex than can be solved one day.

Learn more by reading the 2010 Kids Count Report published by Annie E. Casey Foundation.

Swaziland

2011-12-28T09:19:00.000-06:00

So - My first few blogs will be sharing what I'm learning. Today I'll tell you a little bit about Swaziland. This is a small country about the size of New Jersey surrounded on 3 sides by South Africa. A small strip of Mozambique stands between it and the Indian Ocean (or would that be the Southern Ocean?). It is one of the few remaining kingdoms in existence today - governed by King Mswati, who has 12 wives. SiSwati is their native language, but official business is conducted in English. Swaziland has one of the highest literacy rates in Africa (around 80%).

Economically, the country's average annual income is around $2,400, compared to Texas' $48,000. About 60 percent of Swazis engage in subsistance agriculture growing sugarcane, cotton, corn and other crops for their families as well as raising cattle, goats, and sheep. Because of the easy access to sugar, the Coca Cola Company has located a concentrate plant there. Coca Cola, as you might guess, is responsible for a large portion of their gross domestic product - about 40%.

I found it incredibly interesting that the average life expectancy is 32 - a far cry from our 77 years. (I guess this means I will be a wise elder while I'm there.) This young life expectancy is not a great surprise when you consider that nearly half of the country's population is under the age of 18.

On the health front, AIDS/HIV is their growing concern today. The increase in the number of adults who have AIDS/HIV has created a situation where more than 130,000 children are either orphaned or have parents who are dealing with the disease. Only 62% of their population have access to safe water. Safe water is a critical contribution to the country's health as so many diseases are transferrable through unsafe water systems.

World Vision has been working in the country to help not only feed people through sponsorship and other programs, but also increase the number of households with access to clean water. But for long term sustainable life in the country, the economic engine must also be bolstered. So World Vision is also focusing their efforts on Micro Finance Enterprise helping local entrepreneurs have the opportunity to create work and generate income for themselves and others.

In conclusion, the issues Swaziland faces are significant, but they are not as foreign as we might initially think. Like the Swazis, we place a high value on education, economic stability and diversity so that employment opportunities exist, safe and healthy living conditions and access to food and water. So maybe, we have more in common with the rest of the world than we originally tend to believe.

Introduction

2011-12-27T08:27:00.000-06:00

World Vision through City Eyes? What is that about? In a sentence: It's experiencing an adventure with World Vision through the perspective of a city-oriented person. At ABBA, Austin Bridge Builder's Alliance, we want see a united Body of Christ, throughout Greater Austin, serving the needs of our city, and its people, such that the city is experiencing the transformational love of God – culturally, socially, and spiritually. Our efforts focus on connecting the Church community and its resources to the needs of our city/region so that every man, woman and child may SEE and HEAR the compelling message of Christ’s love for them.

I truly believe that by shining a light on critical issues that people face around the world you can also bring resolution to those issues at the local level. It's like turning a light on in a dark room - it lights the entire room, not just one particular area. By raising awareness of poverty and hunger, sex trafficking or health needs around the world, the central Texas region can't help but benefit.

Acts 1:8 reads "...and you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere - in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." I don't see the use of the word "or" in that verse. I see the word "and". If we take that to heart, there must be something to the idea of sowing into God's work around the globe that also brings benefit to God's work locally and vice versa.

I invite you to join me through my blog during the next few days as I travel to Swaziland with World Vision and explore the concept of city partnership with them...as I look at the work of World Vision through City Eyes.