life is a beach

a few weeks ago i went on holiday.

after taking caleb on a number of local attractions... i quickly found out that all the cool things of local interest involved driving... which in turn meant traffic queues, money to get in, a short attention span from caleb but a great day out with some cool things... however, maybe it was more us oldies that were getting the satisfaction of "doing something" and often the joys were lost on the 'leb-meister... like this great steam train ride... which had awesome views but still the handles on the doors were far more interesting... and an hour was a long time for him to keep interest in the outside. it made me think was the £15 spent worth its weight together with the 45 minute journey down.

so we went down to the beach the next day and had a blast. as we were nearby, no car trip. it was fun and we all loved it. the waves. the cool water. the great marine life. the ball. the sand castles.... and it was free.

Caleb memiors#entry 2: so i found myself in a bunch of balls

... don't know how i got here. was out on recon in a fox hole... there goes my cover. the commanding officer won't be impressed. dang.

Mid Life Crisis?

was watching the west wing last night and saw an episode called "365".

it's an episode that looks at the presidential administration facing the close of their final term. they find themselves in a position of just keeping their proverbial heads above the water.

then one of them who has seemingly spent the day wasting time watching old tapes of their president's finest moments whilst the rest of the team barely have time to grab a coffee, gathers them together at the very late hours of the evening.

he has a whiteboard and scribbles on it "365". he asks them what they have done. all comment about the busy-ness and their struggles. they heartily agree that they are glad that the day has ended and they're still alive.

he states clearly we have 365 days left.... what are we going to do: are we going to continue to just make it through the day... or are we going to make a change. we have an opportunity to do in one day here what would take others a lifetime to do. what do you want to do?

the episode goes on.

all of a sudden i find myself thinking. what am i doing with my time, am i on the back foot.... wouldn't i prefer to be on the front one. what do i want to do with the time that i have left?

On Fame

man alive! i've just finished my fifth radio interview in four days. not to mention page 5 in the times today too.

this year's give me shelter has really stepped up, thanks to three awesome volunteers that have been getting the likes of KT Tunstall and Virgin and a host of other amazing groups excited about the project. these guys, have given their time and expertise to help out and with little or no reward other than being part of something bigger

i'm astonished at what's going on... and i've all of sudden found myself thinking about what is going on and the desire to be part of something bigger

i got a christmas message last year that read:

"On behalf of everyone who has thanked me, shook my hand or smiled in grateful appreciation of our work, let me say thank you on their behalf to the Global Hand team for the part you guys play in that process."

it really took me back as we deal with a lot of "middle men", so to speak and this remided me of who we represent. to the business sector we represent a world of development, poverty, and need. then on the otherside, to the development community, we represent an onlooking affluent world seeking to engage.

i really felt humbled and hugely unworthy person to be in this position, by being in the middle and representing such a big world. i all of a sudden felt an enormous weight on my shoulders the pressure to get things accurate and right to capture the heart as well as the specifics.

i guess this is only the beginning as i hear the today programme are interested with a host of others... well i'll continue to do my best and keep in mind the "bigger" picture.

:)

Give Me Shelter 2.0

Last year Global Hand worked with the Mean Fiddler at the Reading/Leeds festival to channel surplus tents for needs around the world.

Ben piloted the initiative, GIVE ME SHELTER and it seem to lesser degree show signs of being a great way to use some of the goods.

There were many learnings to take away and build on.

The festivals were impressed with the work done and hence has now been asked to scale up for this year’s festival. Another amazing outcome of the Reading and Leeds festivals was that Global Hand was approached by Glastonbury to replicate a similar venture. However when they visited Glastonbury organisers they discovered that it was on a much larger scale, for example they are looking for roughly 50 volunteers to help before, at, and after the festivals…..wow it’s a huge challenge for such a small team, but one they are all excited about and looking forward to.


More later...

Check out: http://www.newconsumer.com/news/item/1842/

4 years...

angie & i have been married 4 years today.

we've come along way... and it has been a wonderful journey. but here's how it started:


when i read about marriage being so belittled due to statistics to show they don't work or are being preferred to living with partners or even relationships without the legality are free from policing... i often wonder whether we should have taken a different path re our relationship.

would we be better off without the legal part or would it make a difference to how we raise caleb. in honesty, i don't really know. i do know that somepart of me had it drilled in whilst i was growing up: if i am to spend my life with angie, if we wanted children and if we wanted to take these steps together that i should marry her. maybe that is tradition or socialisation... i can't really say. i am actually none the wiser, in my own mind, which is right or better.

i am, however, utterly thankful for these past 4 years. they have been incredible. i have had the most wonderful companion, friend and mentor. (angie is not bad either ;-) it really has been a treasure to have had this time together... and as i reflect on these years, i think its only just got going as it keeps getting better and better.

In Geneva... and there's snow...

Well here I am in Geneva for an Aid &Trade Conference where GH is presenting at.

Here's a pic of where we're staying... more on the conference to come...

Just had our car stolen...

the car has been nicked.

here i am in bed typing away and i find myself thinking about the whole inconvenience of this and frustrated with new burdens it forces me to bear.

angie and i have been praying about this. she wisely, and equally frustrated deep down, gave thanks for this situation and the gift that we have in this vehicle.

only this morning we were reading in our family devotion time about the secret of being content in all situations (philippians ch 4). i have been trying to work out its meaning ever since i first read this passage back when i was a teenager. i feel none the wiser now.

i remember my first crash and how a friend told me that i was more worried about my dad's reaction than otherwise. that i was more worried about letting other people down. and i remember it distinctly when she summarised with the words "it's just a car". i keep saying these words over. i also find myself remembering, bizarrely, a star trek episode where a community facing impending invasion cling to the things around them. their monuments, their buildings, aqueducts and infrastructure for the people. and with a final plea data, the enterprise officer sent to help relocate this society, states "these are just things. things can be replaced. but the people... they... they can not be."

it's just a car.

i guess i am thankful that we had such a blessing through it.

it came when out other car died. it has provided us with 2 years of hassle free driving. it brought my son home for the first time. took us all the way to lake geneva and back. all the meetings that it has enabled me to go to. allowing us to bring food to the table... and all those lovely trips to see family, to see friends and the joy of fellowship. it came to us miraculously when our needs were such and now it goes.

i am thankful for all that this car enabled us to do. but was it the car that did it. no it was the people we met the friendships that were enhanced and the family bonds strengthened. the car was just the vehicle we used to be with others.

have i learned the secret of being content in all situations. well not quite. but i am finding myself being thankful whereof i would have been dwelling on the loss... after all it's just a car.

Hopefully?

New Year already and I'm full of high hopes and perhaps a renewed energy to do new things... reckon this will be the year I write my book, change the world or even pick up a new hobby... seems like every year i go through a similar pattern. hmmmm, sounds familiar.

I have just sent my first weekly report for GH UK's activities and I look back to see that a few hour's work resulted in several partnerships that is connecting HM Marines several charities in the UK and communities in the Helmand Province, Afghanistan. An area that is the host to a resurging war between the Taliban and UN peace keepers.

I feel very humbled by this. As all it took was the energy to do something... i mean what is a few phone calls or emails... well in this case it brought together many parties united under an operation, it generated and held interests, motivated people to share and amazingly converged many people's hopes. Some to help, some to partner, some to rebuild, some to be thankful that they are alive another day.

It may not be the long term solution to a terrible situation, as a bomb may hit again or the war take a turn for the worse, but it made me think how valuable hope and the motivation to help one another goes a long way.

I have high hopes for this year... :)

The Solanky Event 25th November 2006

Hellooo :)

Thank you for all that were able to make it on the 25th.

We were very honoured to see so many of you and also thank you for all the encouragements we received from those who couldn't make it.

We really treasure all the support we receive- whether through encouragement, chats, phone calls, emails, prayers and other wonderfully ways that you have shown in demonstrating belief in this lifestyle that we lead.


I enclose a few pictures and also a podcast of a message from the Global Hand International President for the Solanky supporters that sums up our message whist also thanking you for your role in addressing world needs. Please click through below to download the MP3 file.


Message from GH president

Tis also awesome to show you how you are helping the world through your acts. As mentioned , on the day so many times your encouragements and emails have come at the right time when its been lonesome and daunting. The timing, in some circumstances, has been somewhat miraculous. It really has provided us with immense strength to get through these difficult times.

Once again thank you and as ever please do feel free to contact us.

We wish you a very Merry Christmas.

Lots of love
abc
xoxoxo

Caleb memiors#entry 1: never trust a monkey

she gave me the usual banana. i had ideas for hiding it next to monkey. but as i went to hide it i notice monkey has weapon in his hand. we wrestle for what seems an eternity. combat training of no use here. this was pure survival instinct kicking in. monkey tries to taking a darting stab. i can hold off for only so long. we're on the floor before the giant man sitting down comes to grab me.

turns out monkey was just sitting next to a mirror. the supposed weapon, a reflection of his paw. i give him a look as papa carries me away. i got my eye on you monkey.

christmas already... where has time gone

ahhh the world of blogging starts:
Well this was us last year (eyes left). Angie doesn't appear to be preggers (she carries it well!).... and now look at us... eek :)

we're pretty enamoured by the lil' guy.

over time we hope to use this space to bring you into the world of the solankys... enjoy!

as always, feedback: tis greatly appreciated.