Collecting Donations for Haiti

It sure has been a busy few days, but that is the least I can do given what is going on in Haiti today.  Yes this was thrown together at the last minute. We found out on Friday morning of the need for support and we jumped right on it.  Yes, it was last minute but at a time when every moment counts - each minute we wait, each minute those in Haiti are waiting.  We were happy to do whatever we could to support the work Partners in Health was doing in Haiti, and take up the charge to rally our Philly community to participate - gathering the specific items they were asking for.  We were working with charity:water, based on NYC, who works around our world on different water projects. Really great organization that  works with Partners in Health in Haiti.  And Partners in Health also has a long and strong history of providing healthcare for the poor in Haiti.

So, we got to work, crafting emails, reaching out to our respective contacts to get the message out, pushing it through our social networks, tweeting away. It's pretty amazing how fast things can mobilize through internet. Then made a list of potential retail donors and called away.... rejection after rejection (but for good reasons although it still stunk to be rejected... most companies had already donated at the corporate level and donations at local levels were being managed and potentially matched corporately!), but then whole foods in philadelphia offers 210 gallons of water!!!   then we had to break it to them that this was a homegrown grassroots effort and if machinery was needed to move it... well, we might need to scale back just a bit...  so, we went with 150 gallons.

On Sunday, we collected at my Church - so much in donations despite it being last minute and all.  Then folks from the community and random people who heard about it show up with donations.  1 day of collecting, 2 packed full car loads of donations with more at my friends house and more to be picked up.  That night we starting thinking, maybe we should get a truck.  Too tired to think, too congested to breathe, time to get some rest.

Monday's schedule:
10 AM - pick up 150 gallons of water @ whole foods.
11 - 12PM - pack up the rest of the stuff and load it all into the vehicles
12PM - leave for NYC
2-3PM - arrive and unload
3-5PM - head back and be home
5PM - conference call meeting

Here's what happened instead...
9AM - trucks are more expensive than anticipated and no response on possibility of them donating it for charitable reasons. start searching craigslist, penske, uhaul and calling them.
9:45AM - Uhaul truck secured for pick-up at 10:15AM in S.Philly.
9:46AM - get dressed and pack up final bits and ends
10:20AM - arrive at Uhaul, complete paperwork, head to whole foods.
11:10AM - arrive at whole foods. pick up water. decide that friend's van can fit the water + other donations. call uhaul for possibility of returning the truck and getting a refund.
11:45AM - Uhaul says yes on the refund (for the most part at least)! Drive to friend's house to pack up stuff, swap water in truck to van.
11:45 - 1:15PM - move donations in house onto street so easier to load. neighbors look at us as if we are crazy. elderly lady walks out of house and inquires as to what is going on. as we are loading things into the van, she brings out a foam pad to donate, then an old sleeping bag. super cute. we take it and load it into the van.
1:15PM - packed and loaded into the van. go return uhaul. van gets an oil change and tires filled. pick up vietnames hoages across st for a quick meal
1:45PM - finally on the road to NYC
2:15PM - pull over on side of highway - the car is unbalanced with all the water and weight. car is overheating.
2:..

this post has been in draft mode for months so i'm not going to try to update the rest now... but hopefully it gives some insight into our day.  eventually we made it to charity:water and dropped everything off... although on our return we had stop again as our tires were not going to make it.  anyhow, adventures... fun times... scary times... it all worked out just fine.

Praying for Haiti

God my heart cries out for the people of Haiti. I am overwhelmed by the tragedy and the sense of my own helplessness.  I've donated, but I want to do more... I've prayed and I must continue praying.  I must trust the power of prayer, but I can't help but want to be there with my own arms and legs, helping to dig people out and hugging those who have lost so much but have made it. 

I've been watching CNN and Nightline continuously for the past however many hours - the scenes continue to wrench at my heart.  Last night I saw a video clip that brought tears, but this time, tears of joy... as through this desperation, the Haitian people, having no where to sleep but the streets, gathered together to sing praises to God... despite the devastation and all that they had lost... to praise despite their circumstances.  Wow.

I'm also touched by the global community that has come together to help Haiti. Search and rescue, medical, and other experts and personnel from all around the world... China, Brazil, European nations, Russia, US... and many others... joining together to help.  I pray for unity among them all... that they could work together effectively to bring the most help to the Haitian people. Truly... a uniting of nations at work.

And a final thought, amidst all of this devastation and sadness and the few glimmers of joy, the thought that is keeping me up right now... how do we prioritize the issues and needs of our world.  The crises our world faces every day is tremendous.  I can't say to a child starving and freezing to death on the streets of Philadelphia that I must first take care of another problem going on in the world. A life is a life. I suppose the answer is just that - you can prioritize the immediacy of the need, but you can't prioritize human lives. It's not business planning.  Anyways, lots of things going through my mind right now.. but to sum it up... i wish i could physically do more to help.  continue praying everyone... and donating to reputable organizations working there now... worldvision... samaritan's purse... red cross... lots of others I'm sure.

"I Have A Dream"

I was looking through my old files at home in search of something, and came across a short essay I had written in 3rd grade or so.  I thought it was pretty interesting what I chose to write my essay on, even as a child.  Scary, yet quite amusing.  Reminds me that God does create and mold each of us in His image and for His greater purpose.  I guess it's always been in my heart...

Peace and Pollution

I have a dream to have peace.  Without peace, there will be more wars and fights.  Children may even learn that you should fight.  Without peace, this world might never survive.

My other dream is to stop the pollution.  One day, the pollution will stop and there will be fresh air to breathe.  The world may never survive if violence and pollution don't stop.

Happy Thanksgiving

...a day where we stuff our faces, enjoy time with family, and thank God for His blessings upon the family over another year... but did you know, it was not a national holiday until 1963?  Yes, the first Thanksgiving was in 1621 when the Pilgrims feasted with the Native Americans, but it was not until November of 1963, while in the middle of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be celebrated on the last Thursday of November. I thought I might share his proclamation below, as a reminder of what this day is about and how it was originally proclaimed to be:

The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added which are of so extraordinary a nature that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God. 

In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign states to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere, except in the theater of military conflict, while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.

Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense have not arrested the plow, the shuttle, or the ship; the ax has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege, and the battlefield, and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens. And I recommend to them that...

... while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

can i just complain...

can i just complain and vent for a second?  there is just TOO much that needs to get done in life. too many relationships to care for... too much work... too many tasks... too many requests... too many commitments... too many of everything...

often... like right now... i feel caught in the middle of things... of people... and i ask myself, what the heck am i supposed to do. it's especially hard when you love both people and ya get stuck in between... all the time.  somehow, i always end up in the middle, and i'm tired of it.  i wanna say to them... grow up... why don't you know how to love and forgive... Jesus taught us, didn't He?  why don't you get it?  is it that hard?  maybe i don't understand but Jesus does.  why can't you go to Him and instead of me?  put aside your egos and frustrations... LOVE. FORGIVE.

i have one of those old school WWJD straps that's been attached to my backpack since who knows when... probably middle school or something... i'm gonna start wearing it on my wrist, and flashing that to people when they've got a problem or complain about stuff.

and... I'm stuck in a rut... and i can't seem to get out.  i've got some stuff i need to write up related to my social enterprise with a firm due date... but i can't get it on paper.  God I need your wisdom... I need your direction... you put me here... this is your enterprise... this is your vision... help me put it on paper... all for your glory. please... my head is spinning. i'm desperate. i'm tired and overwhelmed. help me please. amen.

CALL+RESPONSE: What's your response?

Another event I attended...actually twice because it was SO powerful and I wanted to bring friends.  CALL+RESPONSE, a "rock"umentary film that reveals the world’s 27 million dirtiest secrets: there are more slaves today than ever before in human history. www.callandresponse.com for more information.  Wanted to share some notes I captured from that event as well:

• for all of us who are free, it's our obligation to do something.  if we do nothing, nothing will happen
• free your mind and your a__ will follow
• open source activism
• 2m kids are sold into sex slavery each year
• music is the only thing that can enter a person's heart and mind without permission
• most of us are in between a state of obliviousness and a paralysis of depair.  
• the cost to set someone free is approximately how much Americans spend on Valentine's day
• I don't want to wear someone's despair
• a slave worker in India, when asked how he keeps going despite the torture and conditions said that he takes pride in making something beautiful...
• slavery is about economics.  it's not about people trying to be mean to each other.
  
• in 1787, a group of men chose to get around a table and said to end the British slave trade.  that's like saying in today's terms that we would end the global automotive industry
• we need a 21st century abolitionist movement
• justice is what love looks like in public  

what's your response?

Oxfam Action Corp: Impact of Climate Change event

Last Tuesday, I attended an event/talk on the impacts of climate change, sponsored by Philly Oxfam's Action Corps.  Before I purge my notes, thought I might document some and share it here, more so I won't forget.  Diane Loucks, leading Mayor Nutter's taskforce on hunger spoke briefly and introduced Lance Simmens who currently serves as Gov Rendell's Special assistant for Intergovernmental Affairs.


Diane Loucks

• 1 in 5 in Philadelphia don't have enough food to meet basic needs... that equates to about 300,000 people... that's like all the people in Pittsburgh living in hunger.
• 1 in 3 live in poverty
• this is a slient but real problem here in Philly

Lance Simmens

• there is no issue more important than climate change
• the most vulnerable and worst hit by climate change are always the poorest - look at katrina and the lower 9th ward in new orleans.
• Churchill's comment in the Speech of Commons on November 12, 1936, that "The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to its close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences." is now.  That period has arrived.
• there's enough energy in the sun to power the world
  
• china, usa, and indonesia are top 3 carbon emissions contributors
• the global climate is a non-linear system.  1 degree change at the equator is equivalent to 12 degrees at the poles.
  
• Thomas Friedman: "we have a subprime culture".  we need to change the way we think and act!
  
• if the US had continued to censure oil like we did between 1976-1985, we would not have needed Persian Gul oil in 1995. 
• it's not about politics - this transcends politics - this is so much bigger than politics... it's a global problem.
• deforestation - we lose 1 acre / second.  every 20mins, that's 1200 acres taken down for development.  trees absorb CO2 and covert it into O2.  WE NEED THAT!
• we have to be the "regeneration" - recycle, reuse, reengineer... otherwise our lives will be reduced, redacted, etc. we need to revive America.  Redefine, reenergize, revive this world - grab the challenge and reenergize the world.
• BANANA - build absolutely nothing anywhere near anything!  -Thomas Friedman
• lack of leadership is not the problem - it's a lack of statesmanship.  statesmanship entails wisdom and leadership.  there are very few out there.  
• we need to change the system - the only people capable of changing the system are the ones who benefit most from it.  government exists to correct market deficiencies.  we have the know-how, now we need the political will to do it.  we need to tell politicians its important - that's how we will change the system.  it's a tremendous challenge.  
• 風向轉變時,有人築牆,有人造風車 : when the direction of the wind changes, some (people) build walls, some (people) make windmills.

An updated testimony

So I'm finally formally committing to the Church I've been attending for the past few years by becoming a member... and as part of that membership process, I had to submit my testimony. I was going to take the easy route and copy and paste one I had written a few years ago, but... that didn't feel right... anyways, I thought I might share it on my blog too - after all.. it's a public profession so what do I have to hide...

..........................................

It wasn’t one specific moment or emotional experience that brought me to Christ, but it was through much prayer from others, youth group meetings and Bible studies, and “blind” discipline during my middle and high school years that caused me to see and accept Jesus as my Savior. It was in college when I feel God really reinforced my commitment to Him, opening my eyes to just how wretched a sinner I am and how much I needed Him in my life. In hindsight, I can see how God had planned and guided every step of the way. It’s a life-long journey, and God continues to reveal Himself to me in different ways, teaching me new and challenging things, and loving me for who I am – sinner and all. In my testimony here, I’m going to share the beginning of this journey and briefly touch on some recent experiences of how He’s working in my life and leading me along the journey today.

I grew up in a typical Asian-American family, where education came first, arguably even before God. From as early as I can remember, we attended Church services on Sundays, but we were never a very “religious” family. I knew the Bible stories from Sunday school, but they didn’t seem all that different from the fairytales and short stories like Little Red Riding Hood that I read at home, with the exception of the Bible stories perhaps being a bit less animated. I knew what “to do” and how “to act”, defined not explicitly by Biblical standards but by parental disciplining simply based on the common morals of our culture, which allowed us to easily fit into the typical Church-goer crowd.

It wasn’t until my early middle school years when I began to even begin comprehending God’s love for me. Albeit it was still somewhat superficial, it was the start of my spiritual journey. Sunday Church services were supplemented by Friday night youth discipleship classes where our adolescent brains were challenged by theological concepts, biblical teachings, and learning what being a Christian truly meant. Admittedly, the material we covered often surpassed my intellectual capacities; however those lessons began to form a strong Christ-centered foundation in my heart and mind. I began to see how much God loved me, and how much I needed Him. I am eternally thankful for our youth pastor who shepherded us during those formative years. I can still hear his voice as he told us every week that he prayed for each of us by name every day, and as he challenged us to read our Bibles and to be disciplined about having a regular quiet time with God. I know God heard our pastor’s prayers for us. It is obvious by looking at how the majority of us who were part of the youth group during those years have grown as men and women of God, committing our lives to Him.

I was baptized in March of 1994. I professed my belief and faith in God and called on Jesus to be my personal Savior. As I think about it today, sometimes I question whether I understood the public profession I was making or whether I was jumping on the bandwagon of being baptized since many of the other youth group kids did too – almost as if it being a “rite of passage” of some sort. But re-reading some old prayers from my journal that I had written during those years, I cannot doubt my faith and commitment that I had made then. I was simply an infant in my walk with God, and still had and continue to have so much more to learn.

During my high school years, I yearned to grow that personal relationship with Him, especially as the stresses of high school academics, extracurriculars, and social peer pressures grew, but I struggled. I practiced “blind” discipline, doing things like quiet times to check it off the list of things to do, reading Oswald Chambers and my student bible, and even journaling my prayers. I didn’t feel very close to God. Our relationship felt unilateral – I prayed a bunch of stuff and repeated it almost daily, and often did not hear a response. I taught Sunday school classes, lead praise and worship, and organized all sorts of activities and events for my youth group and Church. By the time I graduated high school, I was tired and burnt out from “Church stuff”, and while I yearned to hear Him and experience His love, I did not know how to. My life was filled with activities, commitments, and responsibilities from Church, school, and other extracurriculars.

As I entered college, I had planned to find a Church, but told myself that I was not going to serve or become too involved just yet. I wanted a break, I wanted to absorb and learn, I wanted to experience the different facets of college life and explore the great city I was now living in. But God had other plans for me as almost immediately after moving in, I had strangers contacting me to attend Christian fellowship events. I wondered if somehow there was some sort of “Christian” label attached to my name and email. 

I participated here and there in different fellowship activities, but was dissatisfied with the community who seemed to be so inwardly focused. The more dissatisfied and lonely I grew, the more I felt God calling me to stay and be part of that community. I didn’t understand why. At the same time, I had never felt so close to God before. He was teaching me so much through sermons and talks, the Bible, and through other “random” occurrences. Despite having read the passage in the past and not getting much from it other than a story, God put Luke chapter 5 in front of me one afternoon – the story about Jesus calling His disciples – and He dug deep into my heart, convicting me of the depravity of my sinfulness, and yet despite the wretchedness of that sin, He still wanted me to be part of His team, and to partner with Him in reaching our world. I was floored by both my sin and by His love. I realized to what extent I did indeed need my Savior, and sought to gain a deeper understanding of His love for me. I was in awe. I was in love. I was getting to know Him at a personal level, and it was awesome. All I wanted to do was get to know Him more and share this love with others. 

Since that experience my freshman year, it’s been my priority to seek God’s direction in all things that I do. God has given me a heart for loving and caring for His people – that is something I had known since a child. Prior to college, I had thought that would equate to helping people through being a medical doctor. However, during college, despite my extreme aversion, God took that passion for helping people, provided experiences to show me the extent of the social needs of the impoverished around the world, and showed me the influence business and for-profit strategies could have towards effecting positive social change and bring social justice. As He led my reluctant soul into the for-profit business world, I began to see why he wanted me there: 1) to be a witness to my colleagues around me; and 2) to build the skills and experiences, and apply them to serve the poor around the world.

As I look back at the past 5-6 years working for Lincoln Financial, I recall periodically questioning why God had placed me there. I wondered if I had heard God wrong and instead let the words of my practical family transcend my hearts desires. But God would remind me why when I needed to be reminded. Every role I held and all the seemingly “random” projects and relationships He placed in front of me, I can now see how purposeful they were and how God was using different experiences to teach me a new thing or sharpening a skill or characteristic. All of those experiences collectively have shaped my thinking about our world and around addressing global poverty and justice issues. 

I’m currently at a crossroads of significant change. I feel Him asking me to step out of the security and stability of the “boat” I currently sit and work in and from. He’s asking me if I truly trust Him, if I’m committed to Him and His kingdom. He’s assuring me that I am ready, that He’s prepared and equipped me with what I need, and that all I need for this next step is to trust Him and have faith. He’s given me a passion, a vision, and a strategy. He’s given me a network of peers to pray and support me. I’m excited to take up the charge, but at the same time terrified and so insecure, but I am learning daily to lean fully on Him. I would desire to be in no other place than in the arms of my Heavenly Father, holding me and preparing the path as I walk in faith, working with His greater Church body, together, building His global ministry and kingdom.

Yankees win!

I was a bit torn throughout, but I think my heart was leaning towards the Yankees all the way... sorry to all my friends who are Phillies fans...  one thing I forgot about was when I was 8, 9, or 10 or something, my friend Nancy and I were the two girls who were CRAZY about baseball.  I mean, we traded baseball cards with each other, created our own fantasy league teams (without actually officially playing), and would look up all the player stats on Prodigy... back way when.  We even created our own company... recently I unveiled a business card that Nancy and I must have put together for our company... Metankee.  I loved the Mets. Nancy loved the Yankees.  Mets + Yankees = Metankee.  Yes, we were strange children.

Anyways, I'm amazed at how international the Yankees are.  As the players were getting their moments on camera, they all spoke with accents. And how cool was it to see Matsui win the MVP, speaking in his native tongue, using a translator.  How cool is that!!!  Seeing and hearing the team reminded me of the diverse country we live in.  Another cool thing... there are so many Christians on the team.  I don't mean just the traditional periodic church goers, but devout believers who get the Gospel.  I read some commentary that you'd often see Rivera reading his Bible in the dugout... and that he wants to be an evangelical pastor after he retires... and there's Teixeira, Pettite,... and others...  and what's really cool is that they got up to the mic and boldly thanked God... not in that generic way, but you could tell there was something deeper there...

Anyways, didn't turn the game on until the 6th inning because my roommate and I had some friends over who share a similar heart for social issues and social justice.  Really great conversation over an awesome thai curry that Jenny, my roommate made. Yummy...  alright... need some sleep... desperately.

Phillies vs. Yankees... a major dilemma for some

For the most part, I won't talk about this publicly for fear of... well... Philly fans.  Those from Philly or know of Philly sports fans know that sports are taken extremely seriously in this town.  I mean - throw out any attempt of being respectful or to that matter... even civilized.  Philly teams are the one and only.  Everyone else... well, I think Philly sports fans would say... they suck.

Honestly though, having grown up in central Jersey, I was a hardcore NY Mets fan, with the Yankees pretty high on the list.  I didn't like the Phillies - I liked the Phanatic, but at the time, the Phillies were quite bad.  I remember I used to always want to go to Mets and Yankees games, but my dad would never take me because he hated driving into the city; so periodically he'd take my brother and I to Phillies games.  Still fun, but usually I'd be rooting for the other team. 

I must admit, having lived in the Philly area for the past 4 or 5 years, the Eagles and the Phillies have grown on me.  I mean, I'm no die-hard sports fan in general - I love playing sports - but as far as following - not nearly so much.  I like the Phillies, but I also like the Yankees.  The question now becomes, which one do I like more... enough so that I would root for one over the other.  It's a tough question, especially when all my close friends here seem to be pro-Phillies all the way.

So who really cares and why is this on my mind?  Well, I'm comforted by a NY Times article posted today that shows that I'm not the only one torn up on this issue.  The article is about my tiny hometown, and how it's smack dab in between NY and Philly.  Now, you see... the reason why I'm struggling with this goes much deeper... it goes down to my roots...

October 29, 2009 

Living, and Torn, Between Two Cities

If any spot could be torn apart by the World Series, it would be the town of Cranbury, N.J.
As far back as Colonial days, its Cranbury Inn served as a popular halfway stop on the two- or three-day journey by stagecoach between New York and Philadelphia, and these days both Yankees and Phillies rooters can be found at the inn’s bar.

“We swing both ways here because we have so many connections to both,” said Gay Ingegneri, who with her husband, Tom, has owned the inn for the past 14 years. “We’re definitely on the fence. Our emotions seesaw a lot.”

Exhibit A for this quandary of allegiance is Mrs. Ingegneri herself. She grew up in a small town in eastern Pennsylvania and spent four years living in Philadelphia when she was training as nurse, so she roots for the Phillies when they play any other team except the Yankees. But as the teams prepared to square off in the World Series opener Wednesday night, a childhood memory nudged her heart toward the Bronx.
....
But geographically speaking, there is no town that more capably serves as a midpoint between Yankee Stadium and Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.

The town of 3,200 people is in both cities’ orbits, about 50 miles from both New York and Philadelphia, and residents travel to both by driving 15 minutes to the Princeton Junction station, which is on the Amtrak and New Jersey Transit lines. The town also gets television channels from both New York and Philadelphia.
...
for the full article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/29/nyregion/29midpoint.html?_r=1&ref=nyregion

Today, over 25,000 children died around the world

Doing some research on poverty issues... came across an article from March.

Over 25,000 children die every day around the world.
That is equivalent to:

• 1 child dying every 3.5 seconds
• 17-18 children dying every minute
• A 2004 Asian Tsunami occurring almost every 1.5 weeks
• An Iraq-scale death toll every 16–38 days
• Over 9 million children dying every year
• Some 70 million children dying between 2000 and 2007

The silent killers are poverty, hunger, easily preventable diseases and illnesses, and other related causes. In spite of the scale of this daily/ongoing catastrophe, it rarely manages to achieve, much less sustain, prime-time, headline coverage.

The continuation of this suffering and loss of life contravenes the natural human instinct to help in times of disaster. Imagine the horror of the world if a major earthquake were to occur and people stood by and watched without assisting the survivors! Yet every day, the equivalent of a major earthquake killing over 30,000 young children occurs to a disturbingly muted response. They die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and the conscience of the world. Being meek and weak in life makes these dying multitudes even more invisible in death. - A spotty scorecard, UNICEF, Progress of Nations 2000

Rest of article: http://www.globalissues.org/article/715/today-over-25000-children-died-around-the-world

THIS IS NOT OK.  How can we sit here and eat, drink, play?  I ask myself that as I comfortably sip my coffee in what could be described as a luxurious coffee shop (Cosi's) in downtown Philadelphia...

Just in awe of the perfect conductor

This weekend... I was reminded of how amazing God truly is.  This Saturday was our church's first ever interchurch parish women's flag football tournament.  We have been practicing and playing hard for this one day of playoffs and games.  I was literally on weather.com every day of the week (multiple times a day), and praying hard that God would change the course of weather that meteorologists were predicting... that is... rain, rain, and more rain... all day.

I started the week praying in confidence, believing God would come through; but I have to admit, by Friday night, I was starting to lose hope.  I still prayed He would change the course of the weather, but at the same time, realized that it's His call when and if He wanted us to be on that field.  Before I went to bed on Friday night, the situation looked worse than before... with a 90% chance of rain and thunderstorms!

So Saturday morning, I wake up at the crack of dawn because I was volunteering and running a 5K, and to my surprise, it's not raining.  They sky is gray, but not horribly dark -- a glimmer of hope we might play! It drizzles a bit on my drive, but not too bad.  I help out with registration and videography, and then at the last minute decide to run it (totally regretted it after i started as i thought about playing football all day and my body being tired...)... and then I bolt to the field where we're playing.

As I drive, there's some drizzle, but not horrible.  At one point, the sky actually looked like it was clearing.  As we warmed up, there was even sunshine... and I just stood there utterly amazed.  I was humbled by how big, how amazing, how gracious, how in control He is of everything.  I was reminded of how small we are; but at the same time; how much He cares and hears our every prayer.

Every day is given to us graciously by Him; but honestly, I tend to forget.  Yesterday, for me was so powerful.  I really felt how real, how mighty, and how awesome He truly is.  It ended up raining on and off throughout the games, but it was never a constant heavy heavy downpour, until we finished all the games and were packing up to go home.  Literally, as we began cleaning up our stuff and packing up our cars, the thunder began to rumble. 

AND, during one of the games, the downpour was heavy enough to cause a rain delay, where both of the teams, as they stood there getting soaked, had the opportunity to bond and get to know each other as sisters of one church.  It was a much needed time of fellowship for the sisters on the field as that game was getting pretty intense... perhaps overly aggressive.  But because of the sudden rain, it forced the 2 teams to come together as one... introducing each other... getting to know one another... and come 2nd half... it was a completely different dynamic.  Yes, it was still competitive, but it a very different attitude on the field.  You could see it.  Girls from opposite teams supported each other... It was a touching moment.  ONLY He could have orchestrated that... 

Yeah, my team lost in the finals, but it was so fun and so amazing to see His body come together through competing against each other.  Sounds almost contraindicative but it did indeed bring new and old sisters together, across parish lines, across ages, across occupations, across all boundaries.  What brought us together was a desire to play outside and get to know new and old sisters; but what ultimately bound us together was a love for Him, and that was indeed an amazing thing to see week in and week out.  I pray that this season was glorifying to Him, and that seeing His daughters playing and His sons coaching on that field, brought a smile to His face.  I know it did for me every day... and I'm thankful for the opportunity to be part of it.

I am just so in awe of Him...  how can I not love Him... how can I not believe how real and how in control He is.  Rain and all... it was a perfect day...  the season in general... was just such a blessing from Him. 

human trafficking thoughts from the spring...

I had typed up this blog post while awhile ago after I returned from Taiwan this past spring, and I guess I never actually posted it.  But since drafting this... I've learned that the young woman who worked at my grandparents left - not sure why although my family speculates due to her husband coming over to Taiwan and her wanting to be with him?  I'm not really sure though.

Also on the topic of human trafficking, I recently read Somali Mam's story in her autobio: The Road of Lost Innocence.  Oh man what a powerful story that gives a personal account of her experiences being trafficked and forced into prostitution.  I highly recommend the read.
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This topic has been on my mind for awhile now, but the concept of trafficking beyond what I used to relate it to – sex trafficking of women and girls – is something I’ve become more and more aware of with what I saw in the Delhi airport.  I think I blogged about it then: ….

So it’s a relatively common practice both here in Taiwan and other countries around the world for the wealthier to hire women from the Philippines, Indonesia, and other less wealthy countries to be their live-in maids, nannies, etc.  I had heard about these women who come over to work and make money, but never thought much of it, until this trip to Taiwan.  My grandparents have lived in the US for most, if not all, of my life, up until a couple years ago when they moved back to Taipei.  They still had a house there so they are now living there on their own. They hired one of these young women who is from Indonesia.  She is my age and has a young son in Indonesia.  She is great!  My grandmom is not the easiest to handle, but she does a great job with both her and my grandpa. She’s super cute, an awesome cook, and just a very thoughtful, considerate, and caring person.

So the big thing that irks me is that she was hired through an agency that takes a 50% cut of the amount my grandparents pay each month.  I mean, this agency probably takes care of her transport here, working visa, etc., and she doesn’t have to worry about housing or food because she lives here and cooks and eats with my grandparents, but it just feels wrong that for all the work she does, she gets so little.  It may go far in China and some other Asian countries, but Taiwan is not a cheap place.  She left her family to come to Taiwan to make money and send it home.  Maybe this is a lot of money relative to what these women can get in their home countries, but in my mind it just doesn’t feel right.

It just made me think of those men who were boarding that plane in Delhi to Riyadh to work on construction projects.  Is this any different?  I’m not sure how the contracts work for these women but I sure do wonder.  What happens if she breaks it and goes home? Was her passport confiscated when she got off the plane, just like the men heading to Riyadh? I have no idea – I’m totally speculating and perhaps thinking about this in a very Americentric way and perhaps I should not be.  Who am I to say that our way is right and their way is wrong.  I guess my point is that there is no my way versus their way.  I just feel there is a simple standard of treatment towards all humans that defines more of the “right” way – I don’t care where they are from or where they are going. Give people what they deserve, not what they are used to receiving based on where they hail from.  Help them help themselves – empower them to succeed.  What can we do to help?  How about start a competing agency that does it “rightER”? An agency that makes money but helps these women at a more fair standard.

Venturing Beyond the Corporate Walls… 2 inches at a time.

So what is the next step for Tammy Wang? Well, I’m still in utter shock that I’m old enough to be working, and have somehow been with Lincoln for the past 6 years of my life! I can’t believe it! Granted I have had 4-5 different roles in those 6 years, but am still shocked I have stayed in corporate America, in financial services for so long. I always knew I’d jump back into a focus on social issues and helping others. That’s always been my passion, and I knew joining Lincoln out of college that my journey through Lincoln would be purposeful, deliberate... intentional. I mean... I won't go into details now; but as a senior in college, I had narrowed my job decision to two options: 1) Lincoln; or 2) IVCF staff. Seemingly opposite extremes... but... not really. Anyhow, with much prayer, advice, and thoughtful consideration, I joined Lincoln. I knew I was there for a reason, and one of those reasons was to equip me and prepare me for a future "something" geared at the heart and passion that He's given me.

So how does one describe this “something”? Well, I’m not really sure, but I’m ready to embark there. In about a week, I will be switching to a 3-day work schedule at Lincoln, giving me those 2 other days to focus on that “something”. So a quick summary of how this panned out – I try to get “let go” but fail. I stick around for a couple months, and then decide I indeed needed to go. I inform my boss that I would resign at the end of the summer. Fast forward to, well, the end of summer. No replacement yet but plenty of work. Part-time gig. I wasn’t sure of the plan at first, but as I thought about it, and as my boss reminded me of my active, somewhat adventurous lifestyle, hinting at my need for medical benefits, I figured it might be a good transition strategy, both for Lincoln and for me personally. A couple extra days to focus on the “it” while also still having some income and benefits. I figured the worst that could happen would be to quit if the schedule wasn’t working out.

I’m excited to get focused. I have some business ideas and models in my mind, but not sure exactly how it will all work out... but I'm learning to trust Him. Looking back, it's so obvious how He has been revealing it piece by piece to me through conversations and experiences He's given me. Gotta pray more about it... So I guess right now, I’m not totally stepping out of the boat and onto the water. It’s kind of like stepping out of the boat, but with a life preserver I guess?

Which reminds of an interesting conversation I had with my parents when I told them I wanted to leave my job. The amazing thing was, for both my parents, it started out very poorly (i.e. me in tears sitting in my car in a starbux parking lot, on my cell phone with my parents), but within an hour, God totally changed their hearts. It was amazing! Not to say they are total fans of me quitting and stuff; but they seem to be more understanding of me doing this... so the conversation with both my parents went something like this: “what? What do you mean you want to quit? What happened?..." so both my parents thought I got yelled at or something happened at work that would cause me to rashly decide to quit... and then them not understanding why I would leave a stable, "good" job... and then as my dad and I finish up our conversation since both of us had to go to meetings, he started talking to me about horses and ponys.... as we're having this serious conversation with me in tears in the starbux parking lot.

Dad: "Tammy, it's just that it's easier to jump from a moving horse to a moving horse"
Tammy: "What? What are you talking about?"
Dad: "You know... while you are working at a strong, moving company, you look for another strong moving company while you are still working, and you jump to that new moving horse if that opportunity makes sense."
Tammy: "Oh... but dad, I want to jump from a moving horse to a pony".
Dad: "Okay... well, that's better than walking."
Tammy: "But sometimes you have to jump off the horse to nurture the pony".
Dad: "Umm... ok, let's talk about this later."

Then my mom leaves me a voicemail while I'm in a meeting that she supports my decision but asks if I've thought about asking for a leave of absence, and in Chinese says: "and mommy can take you for a walk"... travel together and stuff... counseling from mom.

and then I get an email from my dad:
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hi Tammy,
thank you for sharing your thoughts with me this morning. i respect your decision and am 99% supporting. the 1% concerns are:

1. catching a horse (even pony) is easier if you are riding one than on foot.
2. ...
....
8...

in short, you get my support (so is mom's) and good luck. as always, we put your welfare before ours.

love, Dad
.........
I'll save you from the other 7 points that add up to the 1%; but anyhow, it was really awesome to have their support, even though I definitely still get push back from a practical sense...

i'll share more as things progress...

Current Events – Triathlon, Vick, Kennedy

Indeed it has been awhile since my last update, but it’s not that I haven’t thought about updating. I have – but I guess when it came down to putting it in writing, well, then life just happened. Things I’ve been thinking about but clearly just passing thoughts since after a day or two, the subject passed or was replaced but the next compelling subject or current event. I guess I do have A.D.D.

I wanted to write about doing my first triathlon – no, I did not drown and yes, I still cannot float, but I did survive. Actually, we, doing it with my girlfriends, all survived. It was so fun training together, and every training session was a reminder of the Christian walk. It requires discipline, dedication, and focus. I had to keep reminding myself to “find the cross”, whether I was running down a sidewalk, on a treadmill, swimming in a pool or lake, or biking the road or spinning in a gym class. The cross is everywhere, and when I focus on it, He sustains me. The simple act of discipline in training and not giving up is so minute compared to the suffering Jesus went through for me. He didn’t give up for such a grand task and responsibility – I surely can handle the physical and mental challenge He’s given me the mind, body, and heart to conquer.

Then Michael Vick signed by the Eagles? How funny is it that the days after the announcement, my company angry calls and emails against what “we” did. Yes, we have branding rights over the stadium, but our relationship to Eagles management? Anyhow, I was thinking about the Philadelphia “welcome” of Vick to the Eagles – typical angry fans, Philly style. I don’t really follow sports – I just really like playing them – but as I thought about the negative reactions the public was expressing against him and the Eagles for signing him, I couldn’t help but think of me, a wretched person who does horrible things daily, whether it’s expressed publicly or just in mind and thought, and yet my Heavenly Father still accepts me and welcomes me with open arms. Vick served his sentence and seems to be truly sorry for what he did. Who am I to judge? That sin thing really sucks.

And more recently, just this past week, the passing of Senator Teddy Kennedy. Can’t say I personally knew the man, but I surely do have a lot of respect for him. Yes there were poor decisions along the way with Chapaquick and other things I’m sure, but again, who am I to judge? To see and hear his “foes” from a political standpoint get teary eyed about his death is a testament to the skill and dedication of this man.

I used to say to my family that I wanted to become the President so I could change things – make things right – fix everything that’s messed up. Yes, idealistic but I guess that's how I'm tuned. Yesterday they were showing replays of Kennedy’s speech back in the 70s, relinquishing his fight for ever running for President, and instead, committing to serving the American people through his Senate seat. I couldn’t help but ponder whether I too would one day enter the political spectrum. I claim that politicians are not effective and government itself is just too bureaucratic and inefficient. But as I was listening to them playback some of the success of Teddy Kennedy, I was impressed. The things that he fought for and won are real actions that have affected me… title IX for example. One day, we’ll see. I don’t think I could be the President – I’m not such a fan of debating. But then again, politicians debate and argue a lot too, but we’ll see where life leads. Well, right now at least, live day by day... learning to follow His lead.