Interesting International Facts: adoption

Did you know?

That in Australia you cannot adopt if you are overweight. I met someone over lunch recently who is a single woman looking to adopt. she is Australian, but living, working...and adopting locally. She said she was interested in adopting from Australia, but because she was overweight she couldn't. I've never heard of such a rule. I've heard about rules regarding age or marital status, but weight? that's a new one.

What do you think, should someone who is overweight be allowed to adopt a child?

paying for loyalty?

I've never been a fan of the Iraq war. Not from the first day it was mentioned, until today. I did understand the reasons for invading Afghanistan following 9-11. I believe Clinton's policy of "stop or I'll yell stop again" when the Taliban attacked the USS Cole and a foreign embassy, etc, had actually emboldened the Taliban to try something like the attack on the Twin Towers. As attacks escalated I believed it was only a matter of time until there was an attack on US soil...and then there was. Following the events of 9-11, to stand by and do nothing would have been irrespoinsible. However, I believe involvement in Iraq took our attention away from results in Afghanistan, but now we are there and have destabilized the country, so to pull out at this point would also be irresponsible. Enough about Iraq, this post is about the ongoing question of what to do to weaken the Taliban.

Obama is suggesting we pay Taliban loyalists to defect. You can read the news article from the NY Times here. Sure, there will be plenty of takers to accept the money and they will tell us whatever needs to be said to get the money. However, is loyalty bought truly reliable or sustainable? If loyalty could be bought, what happens when the next bidder comes around asking for loyalty? Will loyalties change again? This sounds like a great plan to be able to claim some victories through monitary incentive, but will it actually make our country safer from the Taliban? I don't think so. The conflict is ideological, not economic.

What do I think would actually make a difference? I believe in the diplomacy of deeds. I believe good can melt even the most bitter and evil heart. Want to make a difference in Afghanistan? Do more good, give young people a different option to matter in this world, give them hope of a brighter future and follow through on these promises to also win the hearts of their parents. I believe more of this will truly change the world - even in Afghanistan.

Manila - last day

This morning we submitted the proposal to OFDA. Essentially, my job here is done. I requested to go home early. There is so much to do for our transition in Cambodia and in a couple of weeks I am headed to Thailand. I should be home if my duty is completed here. They agreed with my request. So, I am getting on an airplane in the morning and headed back to Cambodia.

As you know if you read the post from yesterday, I didn't get much sleep last night. My day also started early - 6am. I joined a local church in a medical outreach. Basically, we traveled in to one of the areas where the water is starting to recede. I wanted to observe what treatment looks like under these conditions.

You can imagine all the stuff that is floating in the water, or underneath the surface that can't be seen. People end up with some nasty cuts, or if they had open wounds they get infected. I saw a man today whose big toe was nearly severed. Yuck! Since word got out that doctors would be in the area, lots of people with ailments showed up. In the three hours I was there this morning, they had already registered 500 patients and only had four doctor volunteers and a couple of nurses. The system they had was impressive - intake, waiting room, consultation, they even had a pharmacy set up for those who were issued prescriptions (this part we could not have gotten away with in the States).

Their work met a critical need in these communities. As the water remains, the health issues compound. The lasting effects of the flood could be a health crisis - malnutrition (due to lack of food or diarrheal disease), infections, parasites, mosquito born illnesses, and the list goes on. We are doing what we can to avoid such a calamity and it was encouraging to see another local church serving their community. (NOTE this was done completely of their own effort and resources. We simply showed up.)

We have work going all over the island right now - a truck was on the way to the North to deliver much needed supplies, but had to be diverted due to landslides. Since it was looking for another way around, we just detoured it to the west of the island where the incessant rains are currently doing the most damage. We will work with the UN World Food Programme to airlift another batch of supplies to the north. then we have the work in Manila which I have been most involved in.

I have learned a lot participating in this disaster response experience. Just because I'm returning home, doesn't mean the work stops. the work here will continue at least until the end of the month and possible beyond until the end of the year. Please don't forget the people of the Philippines who have been hit by a terrible storm season.

Manila Day 7 - side effects

My goal for the day was to finish the grant proposal to the US government, Office of Federal Disaster Assistance (OFDA). It is currently 2am here and I am still working on it. I had submitted it to our International Headquarters office for review a few hours ago and received a call about an hour ago asking for clarification on some items. One of their questions required me to go downstairs in my pajamas and a bathrobe to ask the front deck guys working the night shift something only a local would know.

Most nights since I've been here I haven't slept more than 4-6 hours. I start work early, I work late. The challenge for the proposal is my reliance on a computer and the city is experiencing brown outs because one of the power stations was affected by the storm. Today's brown out lasted most of the day, which made computer access a bit of a challenge. My computer only has enough battery power for about 40 minutes - totally impractical in a brown out. I had to search for an area of the hotel with generator power (I can tell you my room was not one of them). I parked myself there for hours. The power came back on and I did some internet stuff (wireless doesn't work without electricity). I sent the draft to be reviewed by colleagues who've done this kind of thing before. Then I incorporated their comments.

About 9pm our time there was our daily bridge call, which is our opportunity to update headquarters about the days events. It's 9am morning time for them. While I was on the call, describing the proposal to them, the power went out. I lost cell service immediately, I assume because the cell tower must have also lost power. I still needed to send the final draft of the proposal to them. Once again, I found an area with generator power and, luckily, the internet was working. Success in sending the proposal to the US office! And now I am up still working, at least there is electricity.

At lunch I noticed a few people carrying flashlights with them. One girl had it in her back pocket, ready for the inevitable. It is quite a list of things to have to remember when leaving the house - umbrella for the rain? check. keys, purse, wallet? flashlight?...I just don't think I would have thought to bring my flashlight with me while shopping for groceries.

I did, however, remember to pack a light source in my carry-on bag. I was coming to a disaster, I didn't want to assume electricity would be available. On our trip to Lesotho earlier this year I found a handheld flashlight frustrating when trying to get anything done - reading a book before bed, eating dinner in the dark, going to the outhouse. Hands free was the way to go. I had borrowed a head lamp and fell in love. So, I bought my own and now that is what I pack. I was so happy to have my headlamp last night as I tried to find my way around my hotel room in the pitch black.

I had planned to write a post about the day earlier, but I fell asleep, dead tired earlier...but now that I'm up I thought I'd take advantage of the time.

Manila Day 6

My thought for the day is pretty simple - humans have a short attention span. People are still living in flooded areas. It is predicted that many of these areas will have water remaining for months. Daily survival is still a struggle for most. The health issues are starting to compound. The problems for the people affected have not disappeared, instead they are living in a prolonged state of emergency. All of this may be true, but the rest of the world is moving on.

the front page of the local paper didn't have the storms as a headline story. I looked on CNN a couple of times today and didn't find any stories in their top links on the storm. the rest of the world is moving on, but people are still suffering.

For those affected by the storm, the next few months (not days) are going to be very important in helping them reestablish their lives.

I do have a second thought, why do natural disasters seem to disproportionately affect the poor? there are lots of explanations like, the house construction isn't as good - you get what you pay for. or they don't have the savings to rebuild as quickly as a middle or upper class person does - so the duration of their suffering is extended by their lack of resources. maybe the land the poor are forced to build on is cheaper because it is less desirable and, therefore, more prone to disasters like flooding. whatever the reason, natural disasters seem to have a disproportionate effect on the poor. don't get me wrong, I'm not saying mother nature is out to get the little guy - fire, tornadoes, hurricanes, typhoons, volcanoes; these things do not discriminate, the will impact anyone regardless of race or class. But, when it happens the impact and ability to bounce back is greatly affected by the amount of resources one had to begin with, before the storm came. have you noticed that? we don't have to look far, the 9th ward in New Orleans is an example of this phenomenon. what are your thoughts on the matter?

Interesting International Facts: burger and a massage

did you know?

At the Burger King in Manila you can get fast food and a 15 minute back massage while you eat it. No joke. On our way out to TayTay today we had to change vehicles. They dropped us at the BK because it was close to the intersection we needed to be at. I decided to take the opportunity to get a quick refreshment and ordered a delicious coke float that cost all of $0.75. As I was enjoying my tasty treat and waiting for my ride I noticed there were girls walking around giving back massages. Curious, so I asked my host about this. She told me they are free, but you should tip and they last about 15 minutes. We didn't have time for me to try out this service, but I did decide every BK all over the world should have this. It give whole new meaning to "Have it your way" (the BK tagline).

Manila Day 5

I had a good day. Very different from previous days...not that they weren't good, just different.

This morning at breakfast, my new friends at the hotel gave me a thank you card and a postcard of the Philippines. I was so touched by their thoughtfulness. I decided I will share the thank you card with the team, but I'm keeping the postcard for myself as a momento of my time here. I plan to take it back to my office in Cambodia to remember the generous, courageous and joyful spirit I encountered here.

I spent most of the day with a colleague from our Canada office. He had set up some time with local missionaries. I am discovering that missionaries are a great resource for information. They can tell you where things are and what is happening, people come to them in a crisis. We spent the entire day in one community (TayTay), at one evacuation shelter. I had the best time just being with the people. That is hands down the best thing about my job - the people. The kids have been cooped up for days. They needed to get their energy out. So, we played, we sang songs, and I taught them the hokey-pokey. They really liked that. They learned my name and I learned some of theirs (the one's I could pronounce anyway). Experiences like that are why I came to the field. I want to be where the people are, not holed up in an office or sitting in front of a computer. I really enjoyed my day. We laughed a lot. I think laughter is therapy for the soul. As I was leaving the kids asked, "Sheri, are you coming back?" I don't think I can, but I enjoyed playing, dancing and laughing while I was there.

Manila Day 4

Today wasn't as exciting. I spent the day in the hotel sitting in front of my computer. I had work to do for my day job back in Cambodia, and we had some administrative stuff that needed to be taken care of. So, that's what I did...I wrote stories and sent pictures that will hopefully appear on the web in coming days, maybe in a future donor newsletter or some other publication in order to inspire people to give to our effort. I worked on a grant proposal to help our donor dollars go farther to reach more people.

Frankly, we can't do what we do without the grandma's that give from their pension fund; or the young families that have many expenses, but choose to donate to us anyway; or the individuals who have lost jobs in this recession but believe in the value of giving back so they give what they can. Any gift, no matter the size is valuable. If 1,000 people give $1, we have $1,000 dollars - which will feed a family for nearly 6 months. Or 1,000 people give $5 each, we'd have $5,000 -which could supply 200 households with hygiene kits. If 1,000 people gave $10 each, we'd have $10,000 - which would provide temporary shelter for 250 families. If 1,000 people gave $20 each, we'd have $20,000 - which could provide a water filter to a community that can provide clean water to 3,000 individuals a day. So, every gift matters. I've just shown you how gifts of $1, $5, $10 and $20 can make a difference in the world. The magic of multiplication!

The rest of the team went out to the field today. I'd rather be in the field.

Hanging around the hotel did have one benefit, I got to meet the staff. They had lots of questions about what we are doing here to help, what we've seen. At lunch I went in to the restaurant alone, but I wasn't alone for long. I had a steady stream of staff who had questions to ask. Eventually, I went upstairs to my room to grab my camera and show them a few pictures. If the other customers needed anything during my lunch hour, too bad, I had a captivated audience, and everyone, including the manager was neglecting their job. Instead, they were looking at pictures and asking questions.

They were amazed that there is still so much water. Where we are at in the city it is unbelievable that some people are neck deep in dirty water. They asked, "in your estimation, how long will the water remain?" (those were exact words, they speak fabulous English in the Philippines) I told them the estimates are that some areas will not be dry for another 3-4 months. They gasped, on girl said, "no, no, no" while shaking her head.

They laughed at the photos of all the Philippino's with smiles on their faces, posing for the camera. They said, "Philippino's love to take pictures!" They laughed at the ones who were clowning around for the camera. They commented that it is their culture to laugh and they were glad to see Philippino's still having fun.

When the others left one young lady remained to ask me more questions. Am I married? How does my husband feel about this kind of work? Do I have children? What does the Samaritan name mean? Coincidentally, on the front of the paper today they had a "good samaritan" story. I showed her how the name is the same and asked her if she had heard of the good samaritan before. She had not. I told her the story and how our ogranization started with this idea in mind. I told her it comes from the Bible, she could read it there if she is interested. She invited me to come back tomorrow. She told me she would be working the evening shift. If I am in the hotel before the restaurant closes, I will at least stop in and say, "hello."

I had a similar experience at breakfast and with the cleaning staff. I am glad I got to build some relationships on my day "in the office."

Interesting International Facts: eyebrow greeting

Did you know?

In the Philippines it is a common greeting to raise your eyebrows. I was told by a local this is the most acceptable way to acknowledge that you notice someone, even more than a smile. I tried it and it works. I raise my eyebrows, they raise theirs back. If you are ever in the Philippines, now you know how to appropriately greet people in public.

Manila Day 3 - "this is a disaster"

Today, we went Northwest of the city. This area was near a lake at the bottom of a hill. As the water up stream became too much, those communities opened the dams a bit to allow water to flow...and so on and so on until it reached this community. As you can imagine this community is now massively flooded. Unfortunately, there is no where else for the water to go, it has reached it's destination. They are predicting it will take months to recede. Months!

Thoughts for today...

Dengue fever: there are few things in life that I am afraid of. Living overseas, specifically in SE Asia, there are two things I fear. First, being bitten by a dog with rabbis. There are so many street dogs around. Many of them can be aggressive. That scares me. Second, is dengue fever. It has no vaccine. It has no cure. If you get it, the remedy is stay hydrated and basically suffer. If you get too sick then go to the hospital for an IV or blood transfusion. I don't like things I can't prevent, I want to be actively protecting myself against such illnesses. I read in the paper this morning that there are rising cases of dengue in our area. The standing water is breeding mosquitoes. A certain kind of mosquito carries dengue. There are obviously an increasing number of those mosquitoes, thus an increasing number of dengue cases. I covered myself in DEET this morning just praying it would ward off the mosquitoes. I was lucky to remain bite free today. Many of the people, including very young children weren't so lucky. I saw so many people covered in mosquito bites all over their bodies. In our proposal we planned to distribute mosquito nets, that could be a very good thing right now to help protect against diseases like dengue.

evacuation site: in the community we visited today we noticed many abandoned homes. The water was chest or neck high, we were in one of the make shift rafts that we rented from the locals. One of the people I am traveling with said those evacuated communities had an eery silence, I must agree. We then stopped in at one of 540 evacuation sites. There are over 300 families living in this small school house. Most classrooms house multiple families. As we walked around the numbers ranged from 11-21 families per room. These are not large rooms. They've moved the classroom furniture to the roof so the families can sleep on the floor. Each family has staked a claim, a small square in the room. In that small square they store the remainder of their worldly possessions and the family members spend time there (eating, sleeping, cooking, waiting). The first floor of the building is flooded. School was scheduled to open next week. Not going to happen at this location because there is no where for the approximately 2,000 people living there to go. The government is looking for an alternative location to start school.

attitude: the people we are visiting have lost all their material possessions, many have lost loved ones. They currently live in water world with a lack of food and often in cramped quarters with previous strangers. You would think these facts would entitle them to being grumpy and ungrateful. I can't say I wouldn't be feeling those things in similar circumstances. What we are finding instead are people with smiles on their faces and an incredible sense of humor. We came across a man today who was trying to salvage anything left in his home and take it to the evacuation site. He's in neck deep water and piling things he finds in his make shift raft. He sees us. He smiles, then he says, "this is a disaster." He doesn't say it like he is bitter or angry. He says it with a hint of sarcasm and a smile - I could picture him saying, "now this is what I'd call a disaster." People have been very welcoming to us, even as they trudge through the murky waters and I sit relatively dry in my rented raft. I learned about a bit about life today, we can choose our response to things. Your worst nightmare can come true and you can grow depressed and angry, or you can keep smiling and find moments worth laughing about. I hope I would have such a gracious attitude under such difficult circumstances.

the storm that will not end: Typhoon Parma spent most of the day hanging out in one northern region of the Philippines, then it turned back toward our direction. The rains had stopped this morning, but now they are back. Just what this place needs - more water! When will it end? We are told there are four more months of rainy season. Four. More. Months. Yikes!

Manila Day 2

newspaper: in the paper this morning there was a full page add about what to do to take care of your automobiles engine in the event of a flood. It was actually an interesting read. I also read an editorial where the guy is talking about a natural disaster providing an opportunity to reassess priorities - people, not stuff ,are what matter most.

work: I spent the morning working on grant proposals and submitted one just after lunch. Then we went to the field.

volunteers: our national (local) partner has an amazing network of volunteers. Over 200 volunteers have packed around 9,000 food packages. They also help distribute the goods. Our partner is the local church. Regardless how you feel about God, it is my belief that the local church, when functioning right, has incredible potential to be a force for good in the world. Today, I witnessed the local church at it's best - people giving selflessly to anyone who had a need. They were giving with a smile and willing to get their hands dirty (sometimes their whole bodies, literally). It was inspiring!

water world: Since arriving in Manila, I'd only seen paved streets that were wet with rain, but definitely not flooded. Today, I saw something I have never seen before. We drove a short ways to the south part of town and the picture is completely different. Waist high water. We are not talking clean water either, this stuff is filthy. It stinks. There is all kinds of trash and debris floating in the water. People have no where to go, so they just walk in it. The kids swim in it. They have made these make shift boats out of anything they can find, including a bath tub. They transport stuff, women and children on these boats through the streets. There were also a number of air beds being used as rafts. In one area, they have started building raised walkways made of sticks. Their ingenuity is astounding! Our host tells us that people are developing rashes because of the water - I'm not surprised. The food that had been given in this area in the beginning is already gone or growing stale in homes with no electricity. For this distribution we only have 400 food kits. There are thousands of desperate people living without basic necessities. We are driven in to the community in a giant military truck, riding in the back with the food. If I had enough, I would have given something to everyone.

dignity: as I watched the crowds form to receive our measly offering I was struck by the question, how can we restore their dignity? earlier in the day as I was working on grant proposals it had come up that some of the needed items were underwear and sanitary napkins. I am the only woman on this team of men and they considered sanitary napkins an unnecessary need. I made a case to include them as part of the hygiene kit. I watched many of the women at the distribution. Many were in their pajamas (not uncommon in Asia in public), but the difference was lack of undergarments. I noticed them trying to retain their modesty (very important in Asian culture). A nearly impossible feat while wearing cotton pajamas in waist high water. I know food matters for survival. I know in order to make food that kitchen items such as a pot to cook rice are necessary. I know the need for clean water. I don't deny the value of any of these things. On a list of competing priorities with limited resources, some things have to go to the bottom of the pile. After my experience today, I've decided to those who survive something like this disaster restoring dignity is also a worthwhile goal. At least for the women, sanitary napkins and undergarments are an important part of that response.

contrasts: after spending the afternoon in the water and muck we went back to the part of town where my dry hotel is, with my comfortable bed and warm shower. We ate dinner at an Italian restaurant until I was full to the rim. I thought about how in my surroundings it was easy to forget what I had just seen and experienced. it was easy to forget that there are people up the road who don't know what they are going to eat tonight for dinner and don't have a dry place to sleep. I wondered how often in my day to day life I am oblivious to the struggles of those around me. How often do my comforts blind me to the needs of others. I'm sure it is more times than I can possibly count.

super typhoon - yikes!

I'm getting on an airplane in a couple of hours headed to Manila. If you've been watching the news there is a super typhoon headed right for that area. The area has already been devastated by a recent typhoon, which is why I am on my way there. The news report is below:

Oct. 1 (Bloomberg) -- The Philippines mobilized its armed forces as Supertyphoon Parma headed for the country, threatening more heavy rains a week after Tropical Storm Ketsana devastated parts of Manila in Luzon and left 277 people dead.

The Navy has assembled a task force in northern Luzon, where Philippine forecasters expect Parma to make landfall on Oct. 3, spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Edgard Arevalo said in a phone interview. The Air Force will send trucks and rubber boats to facilitate evacuations when local officials request them, Air Force spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Gerardo Zamudio said.

Parma’s winds increased to 241 kilometers (150 miles) per hour today, according to the U.S. Navy Joint Typhoon Warning Center, making it a Category 4 storm, the second-strongest on the Saffir-Simpson scale. It’s forecast to get stronger before making landfall, according to the center.

LINK: http://metocph.nmci.navy.mil/jtwc/warnings/wp1909.gif

Please pray for the safety of those of us who are going to serve in this disaster response, pray for the families that have already lost so much, pray for the southeast asia region that is getting pummeled by natural disasters in recent weeks. Pray that in the midst of the chaos I will be able to see the people who are hurting and be an example of God's love to them through my actions, regardless of how much (or how little) sleep I am getting.

I've never been through a typhoon before, but just the word "super typhoon" and "150 mile per hour winds" scares me a bit. The team that is there is already looking for a safe place to shelter us from the storm.

I'll be on the computer quite a bit and will post when I can.

going to Manila

You may have seen the news reports about a recent Typhoon in our region. Well, my employer has decided to respond to this need and I was selected as one of three from the organization to be deployed. I found out last night that I was going and I will be on an airplane tomorrow morning (Friday morning my time).

In case you haven't seen the news reports here is the most recent report from
CNN:

The worst-hit country, the Philippines, began the slow process of clearing up mud and debris Wednesday. Even as they did so, Filipinos kept their eyes peeled on another storm looming in the Pacific Ocean. In the city of Pasig -- part of metropolitan Manila -- enterprising residents used inflatable mattresses as makeshift boats to ferry people through flooded streets. The government, which some people said did not act quickly enough, opened up part of the presidential palace for aid distribution. Ketsana left at least 246 people dead as it passed over the Philippines. Another 38 people were still missing, the National Disaster Coordinating Council said. The storm affected nearly 2 million people and forced the evacuation of 567,000. At one point, 80 percent of the capital Manila was under water after experiencing the heaviest rainfall in 40 years. As the death toll rose, so did the collective grief. "I did not know what happened," said Gingerly Comprendio. "We were on top of a roof. We got separated. The next day when I came back to our house, I saw my eldest already dead and my aunt saw my other child buried in the mud." Ray Lee, a prominent judge, single-handedly saved 32 people using his jet ski. "There were cries for help, so I returned to other houses or roofs and retrieved
all the people there," he said. To help avoid a humanitarian catastrophe,
several nations have rallied to the Philippines' side.

To read the rest of the article, click here.
Irin News also has a good article on the need, to read that article click here.

I've never been part of disaster response before. I've never been to the Philippines. I imagine I will be living on adrenaline in coming weeks. I'll keep you posted as I am able.

sex tourism

One of the sad realities of our world is that there are people out there who prey on children. children are vulnerable and should be protected, but when that protection isn't available to them, children can end up exploited.

It is hard to believe, but there are people out there who book travel for this purpose - exploitation. there are travel companies that specialize in sex tourism, which usually involves young boys and girls.

There are groups in Cambodia trying to combat this evil. There are signs everywhere like this one. I took this photo on the streets. the advertisement was on the back of a tuk-tuk. I've also seen it on billboards, t-shirts and bumper stickers with the same message.

Last week I was sent an article on the topic. It seems three American men are being charged with the crime Stateside as part of the crackdown on sex tourism.

there are people who believe these stories are exaggerated and the problem is overrated. What do you think? Does sex tourism exist? If so, how should it be stopped?

travel essentials: canteen

On my last day in the office my boss in Boone gave me a gift. He and his wife had spent a few years serving in Africa and he had lived in Vietnam prior to that. He said there were two things he really appreciated in the field: his knife and his canteen.

He said he didn't think it was appropriate to give me a knife.

I told him women's clothes often don't have pockets or belt loops so I wouldn't have anywhere to put a knife anyway.

Why is a canteen such a good travel accessory? Because it keeps your water colder for longer than any plastic bottle available. They also often come a handy carabiner so you can attach it to any bag you may be carrying.

Above is a photo of a canteen we bought after I received one as a gift so we could each have one. My mental image of a canteen is what you see army men drinking in movies, but I quickly discovered that canteens are all the rage in our environmentally conscience society. Even Old Navy sells them with trendy designs on the outside. So far, it has worked very well to provide us a handy source of water in our new location.

What is your favorite travel accessory?

...not in Kansas any more

A few short weeks ago Kenyon and I were in our town, Kansas City. We are a long way from that now! One of the first things Kenyon said when were exiting the airport in our new town (Phnom Penh, Cambodia) is, "we aren't in Kansas any more!" That's for sure!

We have arrived in Cambodia and spent our first full day touring the city looking for a place to live with Caroline, the Country Director's wife.

We rode around in our tuk-tuk going from place to place. She showed us some of the essentials we will need in making our new place home - grocery, shopping, etc. We...eventually...found a place we like, but it's not available until the end of September. Caroline and her family invited us to live with them in the meantime. What hospitality! Her kindness has made all the difference in making this transition an enjoyable experience instead of a completely overwhelming list of tasks.

Thank you, Caroline. You are a gem!

Neglected Tropical Diseases

did you know that approximately 1 billion people each year are affected by diseases that are preventable or treatable?

here's the part that is most upsetting...these diseases disproportionately affect the poorest in our world. these diseases have been "cured" in our own country while we left others to suffer. these diseases are often known as neglected tropical diseases or NTD's.

prior to globalization it was probably an acceptable philosophy to take care of our own and leave other countries to fend for themselves. but, globalization is the reality we live in. what does that mean? it means the lines are blurred, borders are just arbitrary establishments. if there is anything that the H1N1 Swine Flu outbreak taught us, it's that disease can cross borders quickly and have a devastating effect.

I am about to live in a part of the world where NTD's are rampant. there are some diseases I am deeply concerned about as they are VERY likely - dengue fever for instance. I will do what I can to protect myself and my family and pray for God to protect us where I cannot.

I am glad that NTD's are finally making the international political agenda. it is also good for my friends with leporsy in India, as that is on the list of NTD's. if you'd like to learn more, visit the World Health Organizations website by clicking here.

Why do you think these preventable and treatable diseases have been neglected? should we continue to neglect them, or is there something we should do to respond?

Cambodia: Progress?

In recent years, South East Asia has become a hot tourist destination. I personally love this part of the world. I find the people charming, the culture fascinating, the food tasty, the colors, sounds and sights enchanting. South East Asia cast it's spell on me years ago and has been luring me back ever since. Kenyon and I were married in this part of the world because it is simply my favorite destination. I've been to a lot of places, and in my opinion there is just something special about South East Asia.

In Cambodia, poverty is rampant, but progress is being made. Cambodia has some amazing sites, the most amazing being Angkor Wat.

The country is trying very hard to attract tourists and develop industry. I applaud those efforts, but am not a fan of all of the tactics being used. Sex tourism is being promoted and the exploited are not protected. Poor people are being displaced in high numbers. If you remember my post about looking for a house on the internet, I briefly mentioned this problem. My mom recently emailed me an article highlighting some of these actions. The development that is happening is creating major disparities among those living in the country, it is very clear who are the haves and who are the have nots.

In January, we started a program to help families being relocated to the slums. I helped write the proposal last year and oversight of the implementation will be one of my responsibilities in the new job. I love doing work in rural under served populations, but I also welcome the opportunity to do some work in an urban area with burgeoning need.

Cambodia: Genocide

In the early 1970's, Cambodia was involved in civil war. The end to that war came when the Pol Pot regime came in to power in April 1975. The people hoped for peace, instead what they got was genocide now known as the Khmer Rouge.

Pol Pot established a communist nation and the citizens became their slaves. Creating a society where the citizenry worked as peasants in the coutryside was the ideal. "Peasants were seen as simple, uneducated, hard-working and not prone to exploiting others. Their way of life had not changed for centuries, yet they always managed to survive...The Khmer Rouge felt that new people had made an active choice to live in the cities and thus declared their allegiance to capitalism. All city dwellers became enemies of the new communist state, a status that would cost hundreds of thousands of them their lives." (The Khmer Rouge Years)

As I understand it, this viewpoint is what made the Khmer Rouge so destructive. Though the regime may have lasted a short time (I believe they were in power four years), infrastructure was lost for decades. Education was not valued, thus it was not encouraged and often not available. A generation was raised with a lack of access to education. Those with education were targeted for elimination because they were enemies of the state. Imagine a country that lost it's entire professional class. All doctors, lawyers, teachers - gone. That is what happened to Cambodia. The "intellectuals" were either killed, or they fled to other parts of the world and most have not returned.

This lack of educational opportunities makes our work difficult. We need a highly skilled labor force to accomplish our tasks. Every employer needs skilled workers. The skill set is limited in Cambodia because the educational infrastructure still has not returned at a prominent level. This demonstrates a lack of capacity, but not a lack of ability.

It is my belief that every person on earth wants meaningful work. It is my belief that if given the opportunity to learn, most rise to the occassion. I have seen this happen in other areas lacking infrastructure. It takes more work on our part because we are starting from a low level of base knowledge, but I am convinced that if we are willing to make the investment in individuals, train them up to do a professional job, they will respond positively and do what it takes to accomplish the task. Did I mention this isn't easy? Because, it's not. Frankly, I wouldn't be so interested if the task was easily accomplished. Personally, I love a challenge. What better challenge than to invest in individuals to help them make a better life for themselves, their families and ultimately their nation? I can't think of anything more noble to dedicate my life to.

Cambodia: Human Trafficking

I thought I would spend the next few days highlighting some of the issues in Cambodia, a place I will soon be calling home. One of the things that has drawn me to this place is the issue of human trafficking. Poverty contributes to this evil, because despite the warnings individuals are willing to risk everything to believe empty promises of traffickers due to their desperation. The lies quickly become bondage and by the time they learn the truth it is too late to get out. In the book Not for Sale there is an entire chapter devoted to Cambodia because this is such a serious issue.

The impoverished masses of Cambodia represent the economic challenge [to abolition]. At least one in three of Cambodia's 15 million people live below the poverty line today. Cambodian women above all, do not get the chance to study formally or learn vocational skills; 41 percent of the country's adult women are illiterate. While finding a job in Cambodia can be difficult under any circumstances, an uneducated and impoverished woman does not fit the profile that most legal employers seek to hire. Desperate to secure the well-being of their parents or perhaps their own children, a poor woman can become easy prey for a trafficker.

That is an understatement! My employer is looking at ways to increase our impact on this issue. We have submitted a grant to do work in a northern region of the country to provide alternatives for income for desperate women before they are snatched up by traffickers. We are submitting two more grants in October (one in Cambodia and one in Myanmar) to do similar work. For years we have supported partners that help women leave this life and reintegrate in to society. Specifically, the programs help women who want to make a better life for themselves or their children. It gives them business opportunities and so much more. If you want to learn more about the work of these agencies, click here and here.