bloggers, charities, and the question of poverty tourism
There was some interesting brouhaha on twitter this week from the blogging world. In case you aren’t completely entrenched in the blogosphere, I’ll break it down: Heather Armstrong, writer of the mother of all blogs Dooce, went on a media trip to Bangladesh along with Christy Turlington, to learn more about what the charity Every Mother Counts is doing. Cool, right? Well, the trip received backlash and a public fight played out on twitter. I covered this whole spat in detail . . .
advocating as a busy mom
Today I will be leading a panel at the Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit about how to be an advocate as a busy mom. I have to say, I’m already feeling inspired by the things that busy moms have done. Yesterday morning I went to a session on the socio-political aspects of adoption, and I heard the story of McLane Layton, a mom who adopted three children from Easter Europe only to discover that her children did not get citizenship after being adopted. She started lobbying . . .
in search of a model for orphan care
From time to time, I will get an email from someone asking me for advice about running a children’s home or an orphanage. While I have a background in psychology and a definitive heart for orphans, I really can’t claim any expertise on best practice. I certainly have opinions, and there is a lot of research available that suggests some of the negative effects of institutional life. But in terms of finding the elusive handbook for doing it well? I don’t know that it’s out . . .
thoughts about the idea camp for orphan care
“To show compassion for an individual without showing concern for the structures of society that make him an object of compassion is to be sentimental rather than loving.” William Sloane Coffin Jr. I’ve been wanting to put down my thoughts about the idea camp I attended two weeks ago, but it has been hard to organize a coherent post about this multi-layered experience because there is just so much to unpack. So . . . I rambled in a video instead. I am still planning to post the . . .
World Aids Day
In honor of World Aids Day, I wanted to share this video from Project Hopeful about living with HIV. I realize that not everyone will adopt, and not everyone is in a position to adopt an HIV+ child. But I do think that our knowledge base is still very behind, and everyone benefits when we take the time to battle the myths and stigma of HIV. Did you know that children born with HIV today, with the help of current treatment regimes, can have a normal lifespan? Check it out and . . .
Gifts that Give Back
In a season marked by giving, I love the idea of giving back to our community and our planet. This year, my family decided to forego gifts for the adults, and give donations in each person’s name instead. It’s been so fun thinking of each family member and finding ways to honor each of them with a unique donation. Here are some great ways you can do your Christmas shopping and give back at the same time. Krochet Kids offers 3 year programs to women living in poverty. In this program, the women . . .
christians and adoption
I have a confession. I was a little ambivalent about attending my first Christian adoption conference. I read a lot of blogs. (Too many blogs). Some of them are very critical of adoption. I am an advocate for adoption, but I read with interest because I also think the system needs massive reform, and because I think it’s good to get the perspective of others. Usually I have a pretty high tolerance for listening to viewpoints that differ from my own. (Usually). One of . . .
two hours from miami . . .
The island of Haiti is such a devastating place. We feel connected to it, especially since we are trying to bring a child home. It is always on our hearts and minds, and there are some days where I am just overwhelmed by the difficulty these people face on a daily basis. Truly, I don't think any of us can fathom what hardships are faced by those living in Haiti.This was one of those weeks where several stories broke my heart. Licia, a nurse who lives in a rural village in Haiti, tells the story . . .
Buy a purse, support a woman in Haiti!!
I am SO excited to be able to host an online "purse party" for an amazing group of women in Haiti. Heartline Haiti is a mission that runs a Sewing Program to provide women a means to support themselves. (It is also run by the amazing missionaries who are taking such good care of our son at Maranatha Orphanage). These purses have been handmade by women in the program located in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. They are made by hand of recycled fabric and burlap sugar sacks. Haiti is the poorest country in . . .
This Just Makes Me Want to Strangle Some Balls
It's almost Christmas, and yet I'm still ranting on my blog. I know, I know. I should be posting a recipe or sharing a holiday craft or writing about something involving festivity and merriment instead of unloading about all the injustices in the world. But I just can't help myself.I tried to move on after yesterday's post. The kids were with grandma for the night, and I am still fighting a bug, so I curled up early on the sofa and found nothing on the Tivo but children's movies. So I did . . .
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