All I Need

Please check out the following video (Radiohead, MTV EXIT and USAID - All I Need): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xHfBAKMcCc# and share it with others, especially kids. I know that sounds like a strange request, but when the next generation begins to understand how we are all connected, even as children, I believe that change can and will come. They have so much potential and maybe change will come even sooner when it comes through them.

Canada Fights Human Trafficking

I can't tell you how many days, I get to the end of the day and wonder what I will blog about - as was the case again today! It's Saturday, so that means I slept in and leisurely got ready. I played some guitar and read a book (The Number Devil), but the day seriously lacked excitement and something profound to blog about (because I know that you don't want to waste your time, coming here to read about nothing). Anyway, I was quickly checking my email and decided to check out Listen Up TV's website, which linked me to another website that I think you should check out: www.canadafightshumantrafficking.com. They provide a lot of current information and suggest ways to get involved. I wonder what I'll blog about tomorrow. . .

Multicultural Evening

Altona put on a Multicultural Evening tonight as part of the Winter Carnival this weekend. I was asked to take pictures, which I had a lot of fun doing, and also to walk in with the South African flag, which was a huge privilege and honor for me. There are 28 different countries represented in the town of Altona and surrounding area. It was a great celebration of culture - food, dance, music and more!

Only 2 Weeks Until the Olymics

There are now only 2 weeks before the 2010 Winter Olympics start up in Vancouver and Whistler. As BC prepares to welcome the world, I know that they are preparing for the good and the bad that come with such a large sporting event. It's exciting to have all the athletes and tourists, and I'm sure that many are still praying for snow, as the temperatures have been high and the snow quite scarce.

But this type of event also brings people who are may be willing to risk more than they usually do because they are away from home and anonymous. It's really basic economics: as the demand increases, so must the supply. As the demand for prostitution goes up, this puts pressure on the supply, which in turn puts pressure on human trafficking - a very real concern for Vancouver.

Mind you, the demand for prostitution more than likely starts much more "simply" in pornography. You and I may not view pornography; in fact, we may admittedly oppose it; but until we see the fact that we - each and every single person on this planet - are interconnected; that our neighbour's problems are really our problems (and our neighbour may be 1/2 a world away); until we examine ourselves and see the injustice (of any variety) within ourselves; then we may begin to really change our world.

A Glimmer

Well it seemed as if all hope was lost (see Sunday's blog), but today there is a glimmer on the horizon! I have an interview for a teaching position (until June) next Wednesday. I would appreciate your prayers as I prepare and the rest is up to God.

Clearing the Snow

The snow and wind finally stopped and so that means that the shovels and tractors come out today to clear all the snow away. Normally, I wouldn't even think of taking a picture of my dad clearing snow - it's just a regular thing that happens all winter long. But you know when people have babies and they start seeing the world through the eyes of a child - well I'm seeing my world through the eyes of my new friends from around the world and I can bet that they have never seen such a sight!

Snow Day

A major winter storm had been forecast since late last week and, combined with all the students' prayers plus a few teachers' prayers, we have a snow day today. It was supposed to be my first day substitute teaching. I took the first picture of our backyard in December, just after I got home - that's the BEFORE. The bottom picture is the reason why highways and schools are closed today (it's what 0 visibility looks like for all of my South African friends, suffering (?!?) through high +30 degrees temperatures!).

Uncertain

The lesson from my time in Austria 6.5 years ago (yikes!) continues to keep coming back to me: you can plan as much as you want, but at the end of the day, God is really the one in control and so plans can and do change (whether you like it or not). Even when there's a stable job and life is steady, it's still uncertain. Not having a stable future right now seems to make life feel even more uncertain for me. I'm so thankful to my parents for letting me back under their roof and feeding me, and to my brother for letting me use his vehicle when he's on the road in his semi.

When I returned from Turkey in 2006, I came back with a burden for women's and children's rights and told people that I didn't know how that would look in my life, but I knew that I had to do something. And I can't believe what I've done since that time! - I worked at a women's shelter for about 1 year, and had my great adventure around the world for most of last year.

I didn't return home at Christmas with any specific feeling/mission/vision of what was next. I was excited to think about returning to the classroom, because I really do love teaching. But I haven't received any replies to the resumes I sent out and so it looks like I'll probably be substitute teaching, which is fine, as long as I do get days. It provides me with some flexibility to arrange opportunities to speak with churches, youth groups, schools, etc and get out the message of injustice that's on my heart.

But even in sharing at my uncle's church last weekend, it just feels like there's something more for me on the horizon. Maybe I won't return to the classroom in the same way I have in the past (which actually makes me a little sad). Just like my traveling to Austria and Turkey brought me to the point of last year's travels, maybe those experiences plus my teaching were just preparation for what's next. . .maybe. . .it's all so uncertain.

So What Do You Do?

. . .continuing from yesterday's blog, one of Greg's questions was this: "When people come up to you now and ask you what you do, what do you tell them? Do you say that you're a math teacher or is there something more?" Wow, that's a really good question and I'm not quite sure of the answer, but I can tell you this, I:

teach - struggle - travel - ponder - touch - sing - advocate - dream - value - scrapbook - listen - study - question - grow - love - email - care - analyze - persist - lead - photograph - answer - consider - organize - learn - swim - decide - challenge - feel - live - initiate - think - observe - read - trust - contradict - laugh - contemplate - research - believe - imagine - cry - speak - journey - change - explore - create - seek - risk - hope

Newspaper Interview

I had an interview this week with our local newspaper about my time away. I talked about the people I had met and the experiences I had and the lessons I learned. Of course, I jumped right on in and it actually left little time for Greg to ask me questions (and I know, some of you will understand that about me and others of you will wonder if I'm just making that up!). The few questions that he did squeeze in really gave me something to think about. And again, those of you who know me best, know that I like to chew on those types of questions for a while before I give an answer. I answered as best I could at the time, but a few of those questions have stayed with me and I continue to really ponder them. . .

Voices in the Dark

Please head to The Salvation Army's website (http://www.thetruthisntsexy.ca/) or go straight to YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syJEBYv94i0&feature=player_embedded) to watch "Voices in the Dark": Timea’s story of being trafficked from Hungary to Canada for sexual slavery.

Kiera's Blog

I introduced you to my newest little friend - Kiera Grey - just over a week ago. Her life, and the life of her family, has taken a dramatically different turn then anyone would have or could have expected. She was taken to Winnipeg and has endured many tests and had surgery this past Monday. If you want to follow her progress and encourage the family, go to their blog: kieragrey.blogspot.com

Amazing Grace

If you have not seen the movie "Amazing Grace", please go out and rent it. I watched it as I prepared to share this past weekend. William Wilberforce battled to abolish the slave trade and I needed a reminder of what I'm battling for today regarding human trafficking, which is modern day slavery. Wilberforce battled 200 years ago and, as I watched the movie, I wondered what people will say about us 200 years from now. That we worked tirelessly to abolish human trafficking by speaking out and through our governments, or will they look back and say that we turned a blind eye?


Amazing Grace (How sweet the sound)
That sav'd a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

~John Newton

Jaida

Jaida is the reason that we headed out to BC this weekend. She's the latest addition to my mom's side of the family, born in early December. That means that the oldest grandchild (me) and the youngest grandchild (Jaida) are just over 31 years apart.