Cole and I went to Star Wars in Concert when it came to Saskatoon and I brought our little canon point and shoot camera along. I just turned the flash off and clicked away and got this lucky shot. It was a great show – the movie clips and lights were very well choreographed. Highly recommended if you are a fan of Star Wars and also enjoyable if you like music and/or a well produced show.
With all the thunderstorms we have endured thus far, it was great to see something nice. Cole gets the credit for pointing it out to me. Not every day you get to see this outside your front door 
Our time in London during our layover was fast and a bit of a blur. We had just crossed the Atlantic and had about one hour of sleep. One of these days I would like to spend some more time visiting the city, but got in an authentic tube ride to the city centre and back.
Sometimes I find our lifestyle in North America too fast and busy-especially with a brain like mine that tends to need to process all the details of things. Not always a conscious feeling, just a fuzziness and generally feeling like a pinball in a pinball machine. Every once in a while I need to reset or reboot myself to clear the strange feeling and fog of details that seem to plug up my creative side. The only thing that seems to work consistently is a long relaxed run. I am sure the increased blood flow to my head has a lot to do with it, but I do think we just try to do things too fast here, and time to think is a good thing.
So yesterday being one of those pinball brain days, today I had the day off and some time to reset. Still processing and thinking a lot about our Zambian experience, I put on my Zambian leather wristband and headed out for a long run. I didn’t think of anything earth shattering or of a cure for cancer during the run. In fact, it kind of hurt the body. However once I was showered and recovered, the pathways of my brain felt clear and everything seemed back in perspective. I still do very much miss my Zambian experience. There is something I really miss and can’t completely quantify. I still long to travel back there and to visit many other people and places in Africa- but for now, until I can- I will be running to stand still, and work and dream towards the next time.
This week, a friend of Christy’s sent a note to her facebook. Her family had been inspired to sponsor a child from reading about our trip and were now the proud sponsors of a girl from Ethiopia. She concluded with the words “I hope that many other people will choose to do the same”.
So that got us thinking (always dangerous). How many other people were sitting out there and were interested, but hadn’t made the move? How could we inspire others to take the plunge into sponsorship?
So we decided to try a little incentive. We have 6 Zambian children that still need sponsors. Both of us are going to post this challenge on our respective blogs, and if you are interested in sponsoring one of these amazing kids, post in the comments. We will get in touch with you in the next day or two, and get your info over the phone.
The first 2 people to sponsor one of these kids, will receive a little thank you straight from the market in Zambia.
Really, it’s win-win-win-win. Kids get sponsored, you get a little piece of Zambia, Christy gets the satisfaction of knowing her bartering in the market was not in vain, and the internet learns that we’re not above bribery to see people sponsor kids. We’re cool like that.
So search your heart and your pocketbook, and post and let us know if you’re interested in any of these amazing kids.
If you would like to sponsor a child from any other country, we can do that for you as well. You will still be eligible for the Zambian item if you go that route too. And if you have questions about sponsorship or specifically the project in Zambia, we’d love to answer them.
Zambia Kids:
Luca (boy) – Aug 6, 2002
We had the pleasure of meeting sweet Luca and his Mother Mary and brother in Zambia. If you choose to sponsor this little boy, we will make you a short dvd with photos and video of our visit.
Austin (boy) – July 1, 2001
William (boy)- December 25, 2003
Masowe (girl) – December 29,1997
Mutafela (boy) – August 27, 2002
Gladwell (boy) – December 2, 2003.
We have only started to know the depths of love
The possibilities of what we can do together
feel limitless with you by my side
I want to drink the world in
together
All tastes sweeter
is more vibrant and real
when I see in your eyes
what I feel
We have only just begun…….
Happy 17th to my sweet Christy.
After hearing that I have been in Africa of of the first responses I get is ”Yeah, I hear they are dirt poor there”. Well there is dirt and people who are poor, but we have to be careful not to superimpose our societal version of “poor” on to their culture. They may not have all the material things that we have to consider ourselves “normal” or middle class in North America, yet I visited a few successful farms that were lacking for nothing they needed to survive and even thrive. Yes they still lived in mud huts and probably could use more garden tools or cooking utensils, but their immediate needs were not seriously lacking- in contrast to some of the villages where it was obvious they were. I have begun to rethink and define poverty as not being able to meet your own basic needs to live a healthy rewarding life with your family. By this standard many in Zambia are succeeding- especially with a child or two that are sponsored. The problem is that way, way to many are not, and are having trouble breaking the poverty cycle between generations because of the lack of education and agricultural training. This is what World Vision has become very good at. Breaking the cycle and moving families forward.
So consider rethinking poverty- and realize how rich we really are here in North America. Sponsorship does not just throw some money at the so called “dirt poor”, but actually attempts to break the poverty cycle so they don’t need help, but can thrive on their own- even helping out their neighbors.
I have been back over a week now, and I still have to pinch myself and look at pictures to remind me of our African experience. Part of it was I jumped straight back into work full time, feeling like I was slammed back into my usual routine before I felt ready. It has been hard. My brain wants to process and reflect on the mountain of information I took in, but by the end of the day all I want to do is put my brain in neutral. Part of it for me is artistic frustration- millions of ideas with a lack of time or energy to capitalize on all I want to do.
This may get a bit better as time goes on this summer, but I am just not done processing. My hard drive of a brain has many layers and things are a bit clogged right now. I do know that given the opportunity I would do it again in a second. Working along side my team mates and the World Vision staff in Zambia felt like coming home to me. Something about being over their felt like the pieces in my soul puzzle fit. I can’t explain it. Maybe after some more processing it will make more sense, but right now it is just beyond my comprehension, but I know one thing for sure…I miss it.
