I think it was George Carlin who said that inside every cynic there's a disappointed idealist. And don't I know it. At times, my wholehearted belief in something has been the beginning of that same belief's undoing; lean in too close to examine something and the entire weight of it might come … [Read more...]
Fun and Games: No Laughing Matter?
When I am too busy and don't play long enough with Toddler, he tugs on my clothes and demands "up, up" and if he cannot get what he needs, he will bury his face in the backs of my legs and whine in his shrillest pitch until I get down on the floor with him and help him find the puzzle piece with the … [Read more...]
The Difference Education Makes.
In a great many places in the world, education means being able to do more than simply survive. It is security, opportunity, and a way to lift whole families out of the poverty cycle. It means literacy, and the ability to advocate for oneself and one's community. Education is enabling. Poverty is a … [Read more...]
No Child For Sale.
[youtube id="4J1sYC3zM2c"] I met a family, two sisters who had made homes on a piece of land they don't own and who raise their children beside fields of sugar cane. The home looked as though it had been assembled over time, like the families had added wood, metal and chicken wire when they were … [Read more...]
Conchas, Mangroves and Coconuts: El Salvador, Day 2
I know I said yesterday I'd tell you about some of what World Vision is doing in El Salvador, but right now I'm in a hotel in Sonsonate and the Internet connection is spotty at best. So rather than invest heavily in a lot of text I could lose if the connection drops out, I'll just show you some of … [Read more...]