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At a drug rehabilitation center in Myanmar. That's me on the right (in flip flops). Our donor client funded this program complete with free HIV testing and medical treatment.
LEGACY OF LOVE, A BEAUTIFUL INHERITANCE OF JUSTICE AND PHILANTHROPY
Feeling weepy today… as I reflect on the legacy that I want to leave for my children and future generations and the dreams I have in my heart for them.
I want to be able to tell my children someday that this is our legacy for you: your parents fought for social justice and with the love of God, they did their best in loving orphans and helping them to be parented and empowered through healthy communities and social enterprises. Your parents lent their energy and voice in fighting for the ending of sex trafficking; in helping restore trafficking victims & providing support for safe homes for their rehabilitation, and in bringing healing and restoration to hurting at-risk children, broken lives & the desperately poor. This is what’s burning in my heart. I hope that it burns in my childrens’ hearts as well someday.
I want to carry on my 4th generation blessings of social justice work and extraordinary compassion. My great-grandparents on my mother’s side opened their home and hearts to love and feed the poor who would trek from all over to be nourished by free meals; they also gave whatever they could. They gave away coats, money and even gave the long johns they were wearing to those begging in the winter – so moved were they with great compassion for the suffering.
My great-grandfather was a radical, influential political leader (for his entire career till he retired and ran an huge fruit orchard) and had a deep passion for justice. You could say that he pioneered governmental social services in his region out of his large home estate. My mother had a privileged upbringing (was the first family in her town to have a T.V. set when she was a child among other material things), but grew up watching her grandparents give the shirts off their backs to street beggars. She was definitely shaped by her unusually loving grandmother; my mom is also incredibly compassionate… she has for more than 30 years helped low-income families in a myriad of loving and kind ways and cooked for the terminally ill at her church.
What qualities do I want my kids to model after their parents? I hope it’s what I’ve seen modeled in my great-grandparents and parents: deep faith, compassion, integrity, selfless service, noble living, wisdom & discernment, thoughtfulness and a deep commitment to friends and family.
What else is there besides deeply satisfying and nurturing relationships? Nothing. No work, no call of duty, not even material things can replace the special friends and family in our lives.
At the Mother's Heart foster home in Mangshi, Yunnan province, China
These kids were incredibly radiant… there were lots of giggles and hugs… it was a joy to be with them in October 2009 on a trip on behalf of a donor client… their parents have passed away from AIDS. Living in these foster homes has meant the world of difference for them. Before living at these homes, they were at risk of being sold to traffickers, dropping out of school, drug use and mistreatment. To see their beautiful smiling faces was one of the highlights of my time in Yunnan last fall.
I’m missing China.
I'm interviewing Commercial sex workers (CSWs) at the Ruili Women and Children's Center (left - Mr. Bangyuan Wang, of Health Unlimited and I'm sitting next to him in black)The Ruili Women and Children's Center in Ruili city, southern China
Back right - Gyen Nai, 33 years old.
Gyen Nai was shooting up heroin when I began to talk with him with the other Health Unlimited staff members.
The poorest of the poor and the forgotten
My trip to southwest China last week on behalf of a donor was a life transforming one for me. Though I’ve been there twice before, this time, it was different. I can’t put it into words. I spent time with blind people, AIDS orphans, prostitutes, drug addicts with HIV. I fell in love with these people and the region.
“Prayer begets faith, faith begets love and love begets service of the poor.”
“Today it is very fashionable to talk about the poor. Unfortunately, it is not fashionable to talk with them.”
Mother Theresa
A great passion has lodged itself in my heart to do what I can to help channel more resources and mobilise others to go (student volunteers, social entrepreneurs). I want to see that area TRANSFORMED by compassion and strategic services.
I know it will take a lot of work. I’m already behind in my fundraising work for elderly comfort women survivors… I want to raise funds for a holiday trip to the city (these comfort women survivors live in rural areas and this was recommended by lawyer Kang Jian who is in touch with more than 30 of them) and mobilise medical volunteers to provide treatment. These survivors also need art therapy and psycho-social care. If you’d like to help, please send me a message!
Rescuing desperate women
Two prostitutes are in need of help with their children’s high school tuition. These women are in their late 20s or early 30s and they are in sex work in order to cover the room and board costs of their sons’ school fees. We are in touch with a New York foundation to see if they would cover the school costs – however, these women must agree to get out of that line of work.
I also met Lisa Samuelson, a wonderful British woman and the director of an NGO called Eden that serves prostitutes in Kunming by offering a safe house, providing HIV and STI prevention education and a life-changing job program that trains them in jewelry making.
In one of my last blog posts I had mentioned that I wanted to track down an NGO that helps women escape prostitution so that the Burmese prostitutes I had met near the border area last year would have alternative employment.
Well, BINGO. Eden is the right organization. With local partners, we’re working towards bringing together different NGOs that work with prostitutes in southwest China to learn from Eden’s jewelry business. So far, Eden has been supporting 20 former CSWs who now live with dignity and hope.
Here’s the link to Eden: http://edenministry.myshopify.com
I’ll write more about my trip and post photos soon. I will leave you with one more quote by Mother Theresa that I lifted from Heidi Baker’s book Compelled by Love (I wept while reading this book about her work in England’s slums and in Mozambique):
“Be kind and merciful. Let no one ever come to you without coming away better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness: kindess in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting. In the slums we are the light of God’s kindness to the poor. To children, to the poor, to all who suffer and are lonely, give always a happy smile – give them not only your care, but also your heart.”
Spending time with AIDS orphans at Mother's Heart homes in SW China (mothersheartchina.org). One of our donors funded the 3 homes for a year.
Me in striped shirt, So Lat (2nd from left), is 22 years old and addicted to heroin. My good friend Bangyuan Wang, program manager for Health Unlimited at far right.
The three guys on the right are with Health Unlimited, a UK-based organization that works with the most marginalised communities in the world.
The young man, second from the right, is a very dynamic outreach worker and the young man behind him is a drug user who helps collect used needles (in exchange for new ones to prevent the spread of HIV).
My good friend Bangyuan Wang, is the program manager of this project (in white T-shirt). He plans to go overseas for graduate study. We are trying to find sponsors and scholarships for him.
He’s an incredible leader and unsung hero who has selflessly worked amongst the poorest places in southwest China near the border. If you’d like to contribute to his tuition fees, please message me and I’ll connect you with Bangyuan.
Shooting alley
We found Lasan (left) on the ground. He had overdosed. Bangyuan Wang, program manager (and unsung hero) is sitting with him.
I’ll write about his story in the next blog post.
My reflections after my trip to New York and the United Nations in September where I heard a U.N. staffer mention what Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon values the most in a person: Humility.
I believe Humility is the most underrated virtue of all time. But it is one of the most important.
Humility allows us to learn from others and admit our mistakes. Humility steers clear of conflict and sees the best in others. Humility does not self-promote or put others down. Humility lifts others up. It is a peace-maker, a healer.
What if we had more of it in the Middle East peace talks? In the talks with North Korea? etc. etc.
I deeply admire the obvious humility of Ban Ki-Moon, the UN’s Secretary-General. One UN worker who had chatted with the SG said that Mr. Ban appreciates humility most of all in people. I’ll have to agree.
You’re so humble Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon!
In the west, especially in a marketplace context, it’s a given that you tell people right away what you do, where you work. Self-promotion is de rigueur and helps some make those connections that get them ahead. Interestingly, in China, it’s more subtle. I’ve learned to communicate as the Chinese do and sometimes that includes putting my experience down and lifting up someone else’s expertise. But not in a disingenuous way.
Walking in humility is rather freeing. While planning for an upcoming conference down in southern China, I am multi-tasking like crazy and forgot to email the venue info to an NGO staff who’s presenting. I was gently reminded by Cao Hong, a wonderful friend and highly respected NGO leader to pass on the necessary information.
I admitted quickly that I had forgotten to do that. There was no other reason. Simply an oversight on my part. That’s not something I would have easily done in the past. I was too much of a perfectionist. I soon realized that that was humility in action. Learning to walk in humility – albeit with clumsy steps - has given me a newfound freedom.
Book Writing Update
I only have a few days to finish three chapters according to my deadline. I plan to send these to a few people to edit. This past week’s writing process has been more agonizing than usual. I went to the gym today, weight lifted (took out my frustrations), and later bought some oranges and apples from an outdoor stand.
I must be more productive in my writing tomorrow! I’m tempted to order a Big Mac from the delivery service (yes there is a McDonald’s delivery service in China!). Is there a proven correlation between consuming fast food and poor writing?
*As of December 22, due to my book writing schedule, I will not be able to carry out this project*
Public Health Project
I am coordinating a pilot test of interactive health education DVDs to be used in the developing world context. Testing and evaluation of the product is necessary before large scale distribution and use.
Thare Machi Education (TME) produced these DVDs and translated them into multiple languages for use in 12 countries. TME will be distributing these DVDs free of charge or at a minimal cost. The DVD set covers 28 community and personal basic health issues including HIV/AIDS, hygiene, immunization, nutrition, etc.
TME is a charity that provides education for women and children in the developing world using modern technology. www.tme.org.uk
Thank you Thare Machi Education for investing time and resources into translating the DVDs into Mandarin! Visual communication is a powerful way to convey vital health information to rural people, many of whom are illiterate.
Some staff of an NGO in southern China regularly use drama in an outdoor variety show to teach villagers about HIV/AIDS (photo below). Some of the villagers I spoke with afterwards said they had learned something new about the spread of the disease.
Stigma hurdle in China
A few villagers expressed that they didn’t realize that one cannot be infected with AIDS by merely shaking hands with someone who is HIV positive. This is a common belief among rural populations, hence there is a lot of stigma and people are afraid to get tested or share publicly if they are infected.
Combating stigma is one of the greatest challenges for non-profits and government service providers working in HIV prevention education in China.
Dai people in a Yunnan province village enjoy the dramas with a HIV prevention message.
September 2008: This is the average daily used needle intake at the Health Center in S.E. Asia. This center offers medical support for HIV infected people and HIV prevention education.
September 2008: Listening to the stories of two 21-year-olds. They're HIV positive and recovering drug addicts.
Trip of a Lifetime: Meeting pioneers in HIV/AIDS work
I am prepping for an upcoming trip to conduct site visits to NGOs working in the sector of HIV/AIDS on behalf of a donor. Today, I have thought of my trips to southern Asia over the last several years. And I feel honored to have met so many extraordinary people in China, S.E. Asia, from North Korea and all over the world. These unsung heroes have inspired me and as I share their stories in this blog in the future, I hope they inspire you too.
(I keep pinching myself to see if my life is real. Am I really living this adventure? And how can I live out my convictions and core values with even greater authenticity?)
Soon, I’ll be visiting some heroes who are helping drug addicts, commercial sex workers and those infected with HIV/AIDS as well as those affected by the disease such as AIDS orphans. These people have made enormous sacrifices to support the ones living on the margins of society. Their compassion and courage astound me. How do they do it? What keeps them going each day? How can they not do the work? was one person’s response.
NGO staff disposes of used needles.
What can we do to remember people living with HIV? How can we improve upon the services that are provided to drug addicts and commercial sex workers (CSWs)? In the S.E. Asian country I visited, the commercial sex workers at one particular brothel did not have alternative employment opportunities in the region.
That’s no surprise. This is a village area stuck in circa 1960s. The dirt roads blew dust when the occasional motorbike or ancient bus blasted by. The buildings look rickety and run down. And there is no mall, not even a small one, in sight! Only outdoor markets with mystery meat splayed on the wooden table.
The brothel is in the building to the right. This is a Chinese neighborhood of a S.E. Asian country.
There must be more that can be done for these women at the brothel. Lives are hanging in the balance. The women are at risk of getting infected with HIV, venereal disease or suffering violence from their customers. They often come from impoverished family backgrounds and have to go into this line of work to support their families.
September 2008: Children of commercial sex workers playing outside of the brothel.
These CSWs at the brothel, I discovered that they would be open to learning new work skills. I know of some NGOs that offer jewelry making skills workshops and then sell the items overseas. I will see if I can connect these women at the brothel with an NGO that is willing to work with them and go through the oft-arduous process of raising funds for this project.
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