planning a trip to haiti during hurricane season does not make a good combination.
but then again neither does zero budget, planning on getting across the border on the back of a motorbike to save on costs, the crazy heat and the rain.
Wednesday 30 June 2010
Tuesday 29 June 2010
world cup woes
i'm working my way through the stages of grief just like all the others in the country right now. i think i'm nearing acceptance.
i've been looking forward to this tournament over the past 2 years and got my hopes up.
they got knocked out, or more like "slam dunked" out, on sunday by germany 4-1.
the problem is the team (not the players) is not good enough... no matter how much i justify and listen to all the reactions they didn't win because they were not the better team.
it's gutting as there's a huge discrepancy between "my hope" for this team and the "reality" of them. i sense that a pattern is emerging as i've said something like this before and the solution is either i lower, or boycott, my hope or we improve the reality.
i've been looking forward to this tournament over the past 2 years and got my hopes up.
they got knocked out, or more like "slam dunked" out, on sunday by germany 4-1.
the problem is the team (not the players) is not good enough... no matter how much i justify and listen to all the reactions they didn't win because they were not the better team.
it's gutting as there's a huge discrepancy between "my hope" for this team and the "reality" of them. i sense that a pattern is emerging as i've said something like this before and the solution is either i lower, or boycott, my hope or we improve the reality.
Friday 25 June 2010
tools for self reliance
what i love about my job is i get to meet a range of pretty committed groups and people in trying to change a small part of the world.
this morning i sat with a small outfit that started out about 30 years ago through giving out some tools to help a few people set up their businesses. however after awhile they observed that tools that they were giving were being pinched by other people because they were so valuable in certain parts of africa.
they got angry initially. but then after pondering it realised that the tools were valuable and sought to understand why people were stealing them. then asking those that would be stealing whether they would like to have some of their own to build an enterprise. they therfore got smart.
after 30 years they said to me it is less about the tools themselves and now more about the people. the tools are just the means to build a livlihood.
like i said i get to meet some interesting people and groups working for some pretty interesting ways to change a small part of the world. i love my job.
this morning i sat with a small outfit that started out about 30 years ago through giving out some tools to help a few people set up their businesses. however after awhile they observed that tools that they were giving were being pinched by other people because they were so valuable in certain parts of africa.
they got angry initially. but then after pondering it realised that the tools were valuable and sought to understand why people were stealing them. then asking those that would be stealing whether they would like to have some of their own to build an enterprise. they therfore got smart.
after 30 years they said to me it is less about the tools themselves and now more about the people. the tools are just the means to build a livlihood.
like i said i get to meet some interesting people and groups working for some pretty interesting ways to change a small part of the world. i love my job.
Monday 21 June 2010
Friday 18 June 2010
world cup fever
love it. hate it. indifferent.
so often the hype is somethink like this:
but... when the game starts it's more like this:
so often the hype is somethink like this:
but... when the game starts it's more like this:
Wednesday 16 June 2010
when your papa throws you in the air
one of the favourite parts of my day is coming home.
usually the following happens: i walk in. i see that initial smile from my children. wait. it hits them and then they charge into me shouting "papa!". very fast too. sometimes knocking me over. either they're getting big or me older.
depending on the time of evening i'm then thrown into a bout of requests, feeding, nappy changes, milk preparation, tidying, teeth cleaning and bedtime stories.
the transition from working to being a dad is instant.
yesterday i was throwing reuben in the air as i did with caleb and joshie. he smiled. laughed as his his flopped around. i felt like a king and he my prince. as i did so i had this strange sensation sweep over me of fathers lifting their childen across the ages and the world today... and then the feeling morphed into a strange sense of fellowship with them. i thought of my father. my grand father. those around me who have children and even those who do not who have been lifted by their parents.
it's simple. to be thrown around or be the one lifting.
usually the following happens: i walk in. i see that initial smile from my children. wait. it hits them and then they charge into me shouting "papa!". very fast too. sometimes knocking me over. either they're getting big or me older.
depending on the time of evening i'm then thrown into a bout of requests, feeding, nappy changes, milk preparation, tidying, teeth cleaning and bedtime stories.
the transition from working to being a dad is instant.
yesterday i was throwing reuben in the air as i did with caleb and joshie. he smiled. laughed as his his flopped around. i felt like a king and he my prince. as i did so i had this strange sensation sweep over me of fathers lifting their childen across the ages and the world today... and then the feeling morphed into a strange sense of fellowship with them. i thought of my father. my grand father. those around me who have children and even those who do not who have been lifted by their parents.
it's simple. to be thrown around or be the one lifting.
Tuesday 15 June 2010
meet nit...
some of our colleagues in cambodia shot a film about one of the groups they are partnering with...
Friday 4 June 2010
let no one ever...
"... Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting."
Mother Teresa
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