For our 3rd anniversary we decided to explore Lyon. From Albertville, it's only an hour or so ride by train.
Life in Small Town France
Colorado: Part 2
Colorado: Part 1
One of the great things about working for our organization is their investment in training, and their ability to pick some of the best places in the U.S. to have these trainings! We spent all of June and most of July in Fort Collins, Colorado. There we had classes and seminars 5 days a week to prepare us for living abroad. We learned about conflict styles, leadership abilities, and language learning, all things that help us live better overseas. After the 5 weeks of training, we had an all-staff conference with everyone across the U.S. in our organization. Around 5,000 people came to Colorado State University as we spent time together, listened to wise speakers, and had open and honest conversations about issues that have plagued our communities. And of course, in between all of that, we spend time exploring Colorado. Below are a few of those photos:
How to Stay Healthy When Traveling Overseas
If you've ever taken an international trip outside of western culture then you've probably experienced the fun of the little critters that rumble in the belly. And when you are only in said country for so long there's nothing worse than having to miss out on a few days by spending them near a bathroom. Sadly, I've been there way to many times. If Sarah, Steve, Andrew, and Roberto are reading this all I have to say is . . . remember Guatemala? There's nothing worse than sticking your head out of a car window and letting it go... #classy
That said, I've learned quite a few tricks over the years on how to keep yourself healthy and thriving when in a new food culture. Not only that I've also learned the hard way things NOT to do that will keep you healthy when you return. So let's get started!
1. DRINK LOTS OF FILTERED WATER - I'm going to assume that most of you aren't first-timers to traveling overseas and so it goes without saying that you never drink the tap water, including when you brush your teeth. But what I constantly see is when people finally take a break and eat at a restaurant, it seems everyone always orders Coke. Now I totally get it. It's made with real cane sugar and is void of that nasty high fructose corn syrup, but that doesn't mean it's all good. And while you've had a long day and totally deserve that Coke, I encourage you to drink two waters for every soda. There's nothing worse to your gut than tons of sugar. Not only that but if your system is fighting off bugs then sugar only weakens your immune system. So if you feel yourself starting to rumble, go against all instincts in reaching for that Sprite, and instead opt for sparkling water with a lime or lemon quarter or plain 'ol bottled water. Speaking of lemon, that brings me to my next point.
2. ADD LEMON TO YOUR WATER. In fact, don't just add lemon, but carry with you a 100% pure-grade essential oil (Young Living) and put in one drop of lemon oil in your water. Take note that lemon oil will eat through plastic so be sure to invest in a glass bottle before leaving. I love this one! Plus it comes in several different sizes and tops. I'm a straw gal myself. Why lemon you ask, well, it not only has antioxidant properties but it aids in cleaning out the nasty stuff, keeping your ph balanced, and making sure you rid your colon and liver of all the crap we put in it. Plus if you get a sore throat just add a drop to hot water along with local honey, it works wonders!
3. TAKE A DAILY PROBIOTIC. All day, every day I will preach against antibiotics, but if you have to take them then make sure you are also consuming a probiotic. And it's probably a good idea to just go ahead and take that little guy whether you have antibiotic or not. It's amazing at regulating gut health and will help keep you strong. If you are looking for a good probiotic that you don't have to refrigerate then I suggest Young Living's PB Assist.
4. ANTIBIOTIC ALTERNATIVES. Anytime I had a stomach ache I use to down an antibiotic. I knew it was a little critter and it had to die. I've had my fair share of parasites and giardia, so I got pretty good at recognizing the symptoms. The problem was I didn't replenish my gut flora with probiotics and I took way too many antibiotics. If you are in a place that has malaria and are prescribed medication, make sure you understand what it is. I was taking Doxycycline for malaria prevention as well as cippro when I felt icky and then a stronger antibiotic when I would show positive signs of parasites. But no one ever told me to be careful and use probiotics or that I had an alternative. And now I'm paying for it. I took so many antibiotics that I soon developed candida in the gut. This led to IBS, weight gain, food allergies, unbelievable sugar cravings, thyroid imbalance, tiredness, and more. Now I'm not saying that you will get this from one dose of antibiotics, but if you are a frequent traveler and find yourself taking them more than once in a year then you might want to be careful. Okay so what can you do instead.
I am a HUGE fan of essential oils. Here are a few of my favorites for traveling abroad:
- For tummy troubles like pain, loose bowels, vomiting, etc use Di-Gize oil. If you can't do pills then invest in the oil. While the oil is great, I've found more relief with the pill as it's going straight to the problem area. Another good option to help with pain is Peppermint Essential Oil. This stuff is also good for headaches, adding to tea or hot water, and a ton of other things.
- To kill parasites and other bugaboos use the ParaFree Softgels. This stuff is gold. Seriously. I used it for helping me get over my Candida and it worked better than the anti-fungals my doctor subscribed. (shhh, don't tell) That said, it's packed with essential oils like Oregano, Peppermint, Melaleuca (Tee Tree), Thyme, Lemongrass, and Lemon. And it's that Oregano that will kill all things! You take one to three pill for ten days. If you start out taking three pills you will notice some cramping, that's your body detoxing what's inside it. So I recommend building up. Start with one and see if you can handle more.
- Now some of you may just be blessed with the opposite of loose bowels. I say blessed because I've never been on this end and things are always greener on the other side. ;) But if you are looking for something to help balance you out as well as detox some of the crap living inside you (crap as in not quite parasites, but still needs to go) then I highly recommend Detoxzyme.
Okay those are my tips for keeping your gut in check while abroad. I'd love to hear what things you guys use to keep healthy?
To purchase any of the Young Living items shop here & enter this number: 2301525
EDIT: So Lily from Balance Me Beautiful reached out to me to tell me about her great website full of amazing information on essential oils. If you are interested in oils I highly recommend reading her post: http://www.balancemebeautiful.com/types-of-essential-oils-benefits/
It's a great intro into 9 popular oils. If you check it out, be sure and leave her some love!
Zero Tolerance on FGM
I first heard of FGM when I was watching Half the Sky. FGM or Female Gentile Mutilation is an ugly, not very known, reality. Popular in many parts of Africa it's a practice that dates back generations. And for many, it's a practice centered on old wives tales.
I'm not going to describe what happens, because to be honest, I'm not even sure I can. But I want to tell you my story in facing this horrible tragedy.
We were in hot East Africa and I was sitting in a room with three other women. They begin to describe their work with their girl's running program. We talked about how the girls managed to get proper nutrition, what their school schedule looked like, how their parents felt about them participating in a running group, and what they considered to be some of their biggest challenges.
It seems that every month there comes a time in a woman's life when things just aren't so pretty. Nodding in agreement we understood, but you see that was just it—we didn't understand at all. In fact, we had NO idea. For when girls hit puberty they are often subjected to FGM. Even though many countries have outlawed this practice it still happens, and because in many places it's illegal it happens in unsupervised, unclean places. But when a woman has undergone FGM she doesn't just experience her monthly time like everyone else. She goes through a pain so strong it rivals childbirth...and this happens every. single. month. *jaw drop*
So these young girls already facing a lack of food, clean water, and proper shelter, now face a pain so unbearable most of us would be upside down in pain pills after minute one. As they go on to describe what happens to these girls my mind goes wild. I completely understand these women's concern and I'm even more proud when she tells me how she's stood up for these women. She's fought for their safety by going to their parents, telling them the real truth of what they are doing to their daughters, and even offering them education.
A few days later I found myself in new whirlwind of a new country. This time I was in the thick of it. I was no longer in a place that considered this illegal, but in fact, 90% of women had undergone FGM, and all from the push of their own mothers. But that's where Dr. Edna comes in. I got the privilege to meet Edna and hear about her fight in FGM. She has a hospital in the city where she trains and sends out midwives. These midwives not only help with delivery but they help with educating locals on the reality of FGM.
Meeting Dr. Edna and hearing her talk about all the great things her hospital is accomplishing.
(side note: I need to work on my smiling...life of always being BEHIND the camera I guess)
Dr. Edna telling us about her initiative to train and education the women and men that work for her.
I realize I'm not in a position to train midwives or stand up to mothers, but I am in a position to educate you. I can tell the stories of the women I've met and I can give you options to help.
1. Donate to Dr. Edna's hospital directly: https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/EAHF/
2. Donate to Global Aid Network. GAiN works in several countries around the world that help combat not just FGM but also in helping provide washable famine pads to women and girls. I've actually gotten the privelage to help work on this campaign and love watching it in action! Read more here: http://www.gainusa.org/engage-luopads/
2. Share stories like the one above and educate yourself. Here are some articles from The Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/society/female-genital-mutilation
Autumn in Colorado
The Labor of Rest
As most of you may know the hubby and I work for a humanitarian organization. As humanitarians we’ve had the privilege of traveling a lot and seeing a lot…both good and bad.
So it’s easy for us to understand our company’s new mission: to reach the toughest places on earth. Because we’ve been to these toughest places—back roads in Africa, treacherous mountains in Central America, and far away villages in Central America.
But for people like Reed and I sometimes our “toughest” places look different. You see, when Reed and I are stuck in a mudslide, flying a small plane to a remote village, or just experiencing a new culture for the first time we are in our element—we come alive! We get that feeling that overtakes you when you think to yourself, “This is what God created me for!” It’s us at our best…
But what most people don’t know is that we only spend about 10% of our time on the field or “at our best.” The other 90% of the time we must work diligently from behind a cubicle, tracking shipments, designing banners, answering emails, writing reports and so on. And as I think about what the majority of our time as a humanitarian worker looks like I realize that sitting behind the cubicle is our “toughest place.”
And for now that’s okay, because it’s the path God has us on. But there is something you must watch out for when you sit inside the cube world—schedules. As Americans we are taught to obey schedules and of course if you can get ahead of the schedule, well, you’re a better man than most.
Seem ironic, because if you’ve ever visited another country you know that there are very few places that hold schedules to such a high standard as us Americans. Living in South America for a couple years taught me the Latino Time Table, which I’m a big fan of since I was no longer late to anything!
So what do we do with our entrapment to schedules? Well if you’re me, you forget about it and make it happen. You stay late at work, sacrifice your social life, and ultimately your health.
Lately I’ve realized just how much pressure I’ve been putting on myself to stick to my schedule and deadlines. But this week it came to a head.
I’ve been battling stomach problems my whole life, but in the past 6 month they’ve finally irritated me enough to see a doctor. So while I continue to fight the daily routine of pain and fatigue and figuring out the 5 things I can eat that won’t hurt me, I somehow started to come down with sore throat. “No big deal,” I thought. “It will go away,” I said...Ugh, 12 hours later and I’m still pining away for my hot water and lemon essential oils.
Then I realized something. If I won’t stop my schedule God will.
No, I don’t have cancer or need brain surgery as some of my friends are actually facing today, but I do need rest. And not just the kind I get at night. I need time away from work, a chance for my body to heal, and an opportunity to sit still and hear from the Lord.
But it’s hard. When I know I have friends facing more significant health battles than me, I don’t want to acknowledge that I’m weak or need prayer. I don’t want to tell people about my struggles after hearing about co-workers who may not be with us in a couple of months. But that’s selfish. If we do not share our burdens with others then we are depriving them of their chance to intercede on our behalf. And we are also telling God that we can handle this without him.
So I stand convicted and ask for forgiveness. The Lord has my attention as I’m forced to lay on the couch and stop working. So let’s share in each other burdens no matter how big or small. Feel free to email me or leave a comment in ways we can encourage and pray for each other.
I leave you with a segment from The Balanced Wife blog:
“I'm afraid of what will happen if I take my foot off the gas or stop trying to squeeze the most productivity out of the day- it already feels like I'm always behind, and that feels heavy. But He is our respite. Spending time with him will teach me to live freely and lightly. What I know and hold to today is that when my labor on earth is done, I want to have spent more time worshipping my Father than my schedule.”
How Running is Changing the World
I remember in middle school when my feet first hit the pavement of the track. Sweat rolled down my chubby cheeks as I choked back tears, “who would ever do this for fun?!” As the years went on I learned to appreciate the sport of running. Spending 8+ years on a track team will kind of do that to you.
I mean have you ever had a bad day and just feel the need to clear your head? I don’t know if I’ve ever found anything more motivating me to run than for that very thing. I seem to always think better after a good run. But what if running was used for something more than clearing your head, losing weight, or even a friendly competition?
I knew before we left for East Africa that we would get to spend some time with a local girl’s running club. I have been part in partnering with a local organization over there in helping provide nutritious food, running shoes, uniforms, and vitamins to the girls on the team, but for the first time I was going to meet the girls and hear the stories behind it all.
Our second day in country we rode a taxi through the make shift roads and pulled up to a gated house. Inside we sat under a fan and listened as the coaches began to tell us stories—stories of triumph, stories of heartache, and stories of change.
Stories like Medina who is still in her early teens. She has spent most of her life working as a shepherd, watching over the goats and tending to their needs. One day she saw her cousin coming back from school and she decided she wanted to be educated as well. She went to her mom to ask for permission but she said no, “You have to look after the goats.” Disappointed, Medina went back to the field and decided she didn’t care what her mom said, she would attend school anyways.
But her rebellious spirit didn’t end there. After spending time in school and still tending to the goats she was in the field when she saw a few girls running by. She decided she wanted to run too. Again, she went to her mother and asked for permission. Of course, she said no, “You must watch after the goats, the school is enough.” Disappointed, but not discouraged, Medina decided to run anyways. It just so happened that they were holding a race in her town so she entered…and won!
The neighbors ran up to her mom telling her how well her daughter did and that she must let her run; she could be a star! Frustrated and tired her mother reluctantlylet her start running. Now Medina has a chance at qualify for the junior Olympics…if she stays in school.
You see, for the coaches the running club isn’t just about becoming good runners or learning sportsmanship, it’s about developing a life worth living. The girls are required to stay in school and work hard. And if they do not pass their exams to continue on to secondary school (high school) then they require them to go to classes that teach skills like baking and sewing.
You see, because it’s about teaching empowerment, education, and giving dignity to those who need it most. One of the coaches told us that most of the girls involved in the running club are what society would call the “trouble makers”. There have been many times when locals will come up telling them that they can’t believe the change they have seen in these girls because they were all known to be girls who get into trouble.
As one of the coaches said in another interview, "As part of this team, they are empowered. Empowered to say, out loud, 'I want to be the first in my family to graduate from high school.' Empowered to dream of being a pilot in the air force, even in a country with no air force. Empowered to say, 'I want to place second in this race, higher than the team thinks possible, higher than I have ever placed before.' Empowered to run through menstrual cramps bordering on childbirth pains because of female genital circumcision. Empowered to value hygiene and clean clothes. Empowered to stop, pull the thorn from the toe, and keep running. Empowered to aim at the Junior Olympics and to believe that racing there is truly possible. Empowered to believe in one's inherent honor, value, and dignity even after an attempted rape."
So next time you go out for run, think of these girls. Remember their triumphs, remember their hardships, but more importantly remember that they are strong. They are strong women who will one day change their country and hopefully the world.
Weights made from cans and cement...genius!
The workout room.
Love the fun they were having with the camera!
Girls will be girls. :)
Building Dreams Inside a Refugee Camp
Sweat rolled down every inch of my body. My clothes soaked up water like the children’s toy that just plopped into a glass of water. But it didn’t matter; adrenaline pumping as my senses took in the surroundings. We seemed to be in the middle of nowhere, but for the middle of nowhere there sure was a lot of activity—women carried jerry cans back from the community well, children followed along, stopping to look at whatever creepy-crawly moved in front of them.
Soon our SUV rolled to a stop. After crossing through rough terrain a security checkpoint and a little smooth talking we made our way to the make-shift sewing center.
Camera strapped to my hip I bent my tall frame and entered in. Inside the dark sauna were around 20 young women working on their latest projects. Their smooth, black skin only accented their brilliant white teeth. It made me wonder what a Crest ad campaign manger would do if he walked in here! There was only one way they could avoid the yellow and brown stained teeth of their male counterparts—no kat. The highly addicting drug that drove so many into desperation, if chewed long enough, would stain anyone’s pearly whites. But these ladies were different. Their white teeth alone showed me they had determination.
After the teachers introduced us we made our rounds to talk to the girls. Each one proudly held up their latest creation as I snapped a photograph. But the real joy came when I turned the camera around. You see, it’s funny how we Westerners react to the back of the camera. We squench our nose and usually follow with some sound of “ugh”. Immediately coming up with reason why we need to lose 5 pounds, get a haircut, or never wear that shirt again. But anytime I’ve turned the camera around to someone in the developing world I get a different response. I get joy, usually ensued by uncontrollable laughter. Whether it’s elderly men, young women, or children, they are fascinated to see their portrait! And now that they’ve discovered this little gem of the digital age, they want more. And being a photographer sent to capture stories, I never complain!
After capturing a few shots we stopped to talk to a young girl named Ayaani*. Her hot pink scarf immediately caught my attention followed by her shy demeanor. But soon she began to open up, telling us of how she had arrived to the refugee camp when she was 8 years old along with her parents and two siblings. At only 16 years old she has spent most of her childhood living in make-shift house made of UNHCR tarps. She appreciates what she has now, because even though she doesn’t have much recollection of what happened before they arrived to the camp, she knows it wasn’t safe, and she knows this camp saved her life.
They told her she is in the process of going to America, that her family along with 6 others will soon be approved. Her face lights up as she tells us through a translator how she doesn’t want to be ignorant; she hopes to study both English and French.
Being in a refugee camp seems to always-illicit dreams of getting out to the Western world. Growing up watching friends and even enemies get tickets to the West creates a fascination of something better to come. I wish I could tell her of my friends who’ve made it and how living in the West isn’t always better. Fighting to overcome a new culture, language, and being too old for school, having to figure out a job with little to no education presents a new kind of hell none of us could imagine. But of course I can’t say that. In fact, what I really want to do is give her a hug hand her my phone number and tell her to call me as soon as she lands. But that wouldn’t be wise either. So instead, I muster up a smile as I choke back tears.
Each of the girls in the sewing center have a unique opportunity. They have the privilege of learning. They are given a skill that allows them to bring home some income, but more than that it allows them to bring home dignity. They are blessed to have teachers and supporters pouring into them, looking them in the face and telling them they are worth it!
So join me in praying for these ladies. Pray for their dreams and aspirations and pray for those who are pouring into their lives, that will never ever stop.
*names changed for security reasons
Ayaani showing off her latest creation.
Tina and I posing with two of the female teachers.
Group Shot of the sewing teachers
Group shot of some of the girls in the sewing program.
I absolutely LOVE this photo of Nami, one of the teachers. Her joy was seriously contagious.
If you'd like to hear more about how you can play a part in helping us fund more projects like this leave your email below in the comment section and let's get together for coffee or over skype!
