I never personally met him. Yet I speak passionately about him. An encourager. An inspiration. His memory and actions are re-lived and accounted for in story and warming anecdote. Someone who dared to challenge their status quo. To question others to see something greater. A servant. I wish I had walked with him.
Their motto: be the change. Words that resonate and uttered by another great.
His name was Ells Culver. He co-founded the group Mercy Corps. I'm an invitee of theirs in the Scottish House building just up from Downing Street. The minister opens his welcome with these words:
"There are International development agencies and then there's Mercy Corp..."
Tuesday, 23 November 2010
Wednesday, 17 November 2010
Forgotten crises
Just been to an event hearing about a BBC journalists on crises that float under the radar.
A Bosnian chap said to my colleague a few years after the war "sometimes I wish there would be war again here"... "because when it was here the world cared".
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
A Bosnian chap said to my colleague a few years after the war "sometimes I wish there would be war again here"... "because when it was here the world cared".
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Tuesday, 16 November 2010
Metanarrative
At a meeting yesterday I was talking about the narratives we employ to describe our relationships. My friend was saying how challenged he has been by the frequent meta narrative or language of economics to describe such relationships. We "invest" in them looking for "return". We "reap" the "reward", or "profit" from them. Relationships add "value" to our lives.
These terms frequently leave our lips as common describers for our reality.
He was saying the economic meta-narrative was a common baseline for understanding.
The conversation quickly ended as we both sought to dash for our next meeting seeking to "implement" "effective" "time management".
The brief "hug" we gave as we said good bye reminded me of another meta narrative that spoke volumes without words.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
These terms frequently leave our lips as common describers for our reality.
He was saying the economic meta-narrative was a common baseline for understanding.
The conversation quickly ended as we both sought to dash for our next meeting seeking to "implement" "effective" "time management".
The brief "hug" we gave as we said good bye reminded me of another meta narrative that spoke volumes without words.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Location:Roper Ln,Camberwell,United Kingdom
Sunday, 14 November 2010
Monday, 8 November 2010
Wednesday, 20 October 2010
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
blessed are the rescuers
wow. watching the rescue of the trapped chilean miners.
seeing the rescue plan in action and fruition is humbling and very touching.
Tuesday, 12 October 2010
The magic number
Joshua turned 3 this weekend.
3 years ago I waited by the phone as Angie started contractions. 3 years ago I heard our good friend and now Joshie's godmother respond to angie's plea for an epidural "no time now Angie this baby is coming!" 3 years ago I met my son... Who was going to be named Reuben but the moment we saw him knew he was a Joshua.
Happy birthday joshie!
3 years ago I waited by the phone as Angie started contractions. 3 years ago I heard our good friend and now Joshie's godmother respond to angie's plea for an epidural "no time now Angie this baby is coming!" 3 years ago I met my son... Who was going to be named Reuben but the moment we saw him knew he was a Joshua.
Happy birthday joshie!
Location:Tunbridge Wells,United Kingdom
Tuesday, 5 October 2010
Sunday, 3 October 2010
Thursday, 12 August 2010
like learning to ride a bike
the stabilisers were off. the challenge was set... two takes and we had a flyer
Monday, 2 August 2010
Wednesday, 30 June 2010
hurricane season
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.
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.
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...
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