Feb 6 2012

The Soulful Bunny Hop

Just a few hours ago, I returned from something called The Sankofa Journey. Each week, I participate in a weekly creative arts challenge on the Facebook page of my sister’s company. This week’s theme was “bunnies,” so I wrote the following piece as one way to begin processing my Sankofa experience:

The Soulful Bunny Hop

Started in Chicago, hopped down to Birmingham
Four little girls, God rest their souls
Saw the park where young people stood up for Right

Hopped down to Montgomery
Saw the site of the voter’s right march
Saw Dexter Avenue Baptist Church
Saw a list of people who were killed because of hate – but their families don’t
even know yet…decades later, discoveries are still being made

Hopped over to Selma
Walked the Edmund Pettus bridge and sang songs of my people

Hopped over to Jackson
(but not before stopping in Demopolis for soul food…ribs so tender they fell
right off the bone…and yes, there was peach cobbler!)
Saw The John Perkins Center (for Racial Reconciliation)
It was Sunday, so yes, we had CHU’CH! (Reminded that, just as He was with
Moses and Joshua, God is with us today in this struggle.)

Hopped up to Memphis
Saw the Lorraine Hotel…room 306…the balcony where he died. Even saw room
5B of Bessie Brewer’s Boarding House…and am reminded of our call to forgive
Saw the Slave Haven – a stop on the Underground Railroad. Was reminded that I
am the descendant of a strong, resilient and clever people. Warriors.
Saw Beale Street…and a plate of chicken and waffles at Miss Polly’s – got
sho nuff “sancti-fried!”

Hopped up to Portage (Indiana) and unpacked our experiences…continuing to learn
and grow and be challenged by each other

Hopped up from Portage to Chicago
What a ride, what a ride!

Jan 16 2012

My Life with Crohn’s

Last year, I committed to sharing more about my life with Crohn’s, in an effort to raise awareness. I decided that today was as good a time as any. The thought for this post came about as I was thinking about how I’m going to survive this particular semester. So here are some random peeks into my life with Crohn’s:

My day has to begin at least two hours before my first appointment. This is so I can give my body time to decide how it’s going to respond to waking up and to breakfast. This semester, I have an 8 a.m. class two days a week. That means that my day has to begin by 6 a.m. And that doesn’t even guarantee success.
Eating away from home (and going out in general) means being aware of where public restrooms are located. It also means not having the luxury of waiting out my body’s response to food. This is one reason why, when friends want to do dinner and a movie, I prefer to do the movie first. Because, hopefully, I’ll be heading home soon after dinner.
At any given moment, I could experience any number of intestinal complications – from severe cramping to any of the symptoms from the catchy Pepto Bismol jingle.
Whenever traveling away from home requires an overnight stay, I prefer to stay by myself, with access to my own bathroom. Because, when I gotta go, I gotta go. (This is also one reason I prefer to live alone. When I get married, a second bathroom is a must-have.)

Dealing with all of these issues usually results in me coming across as flaky and/or antisocial because: 1.) I’m hesitant to make solid plans, 2.) I’m hesitant to agree to accommodations that involve sharing a bathroom and 3.) I sometimes have to cancel plans at the last minute (which is why I’m hesitant to make solid plans).

Keep in mind that this is just my experience. Crohn’s affects different people in different ways, with varying levels of severity. My condition has worsened over the years; yet, I’m still in better shape than many others. So. There you go.

Jan 5 2012

Free stuff!

“Disclaimer” – This is not a product review. Today, I got a free pen while on an errand at Office Depot. Being the lover of pens/pen snob that I am, I could barely contain my excitement. My day was so busy that I didn’t even get a chance to daydream about what I would write first. I actually had forgotten that the pen was in my purse until late in the evening. So I grabbed my journal, got comfortable and eagerly pulled the pen from my purse. I spent a few minutes reading through the informational card that it was attached to. It’s from a new Paper Mate line called InkJoy. Apparently, these pens are some kind of hybrid combo between ball point and gel. There are six different pen styles available; of course the free one I got was in the bottom tier (it’s the 300 RT). But, hey, it was free, so who’s complaining? I put pen to paper and started to write, anticipating what would come next . . .

And I discovered that the ink was purple! Now, yes, the barrel of the pen was purple, but I had assumed it was just a decorative thing. I don’t know if it was the ink color or the actual performance of the pen, but the wind left my sails at that point. This is kind of like the V8-VFusion incident of last year (stay tuned for a post about that, lol!). I suppose, in time, I’ll grow to enjoy my new pen. After all, it was free!

In case you’re curious, here are some photos of the pen and the info card. I must admit that I’m tempted to try out the top of the line model, the 700 RT (ooh, even sounds fancy, huh?). If you’re familiar with this line of pens, feel free to share your own experience.

The Paper Mate InkJoy 300 RT

Informational card for the InkJoy line

Jan 2 2012

The Dreamer’s Toolbox

For years, I’ve been drawn to the story of Joseph (told in Genesis 37, 39-46) because he was a Dreamer. I was recently re-reading his story in preparation for writing a theological reflection, and was reminded of some important points. So I’d like to share with you four things that should be in every Dreamer’s toolbox:

Endurance. Even in the lowest points of his life, Joseph ended up in positions of leadership. Little did he know, this was preparing him for something greater. Instead of being upset that we aren’t where we think we should be in life, we should choose to bloom where we are planted. Chances are, we’ll also pick up some necessary skills along the way.
Patience. Joseph’s dream wasn’t realized until thirteen years after he’d first received the vision. We live in a society that wants what it wants “right now,” and we have forgotten about the lost art of patience. When it comes to God’s promises, there are plenty of biblical examples to remind us that we have to trust His timing. This can be a hard pill to swallow when we see others excelling. The important thing to remember is that God sees the big picture, we don’t.
Humility. As soon as Joseph had his dream, he told it to his family. His excitement came across as arrogance and started him on a rocky journey. In the New Testament account of Mary, the mother of Jesus, we hear the phrase “she pondered these things in her heart” more than once. This is a good reminder that sometimes, we have to keep our dreams to ourselves until God tells us when to reveal them. A little humility goes a long way.
Focus. On the other hand, sometimes “favor just ain’t fair.” Humility had nothing to do with the fact that Jacob singled out Joseph as his favorite son. Joseph’s “loose lips” were just the straw that broke the camel’s back. The truth of the matter is this: sometimes, people will dislike you for no reason. Despite this, we have to remember to not take it personally or let it distract us from whatever God has called us to do.

Jan 1 2012

Starting over

It’s January 1, 2012, the beginning of a new year . . . the time that millions of people begin working on new resolutions for their lives. It’s also the one year and one day anniversary of when The Dreamer Speaks began. My goal on December 31, 2010 was to blog every day. That worked for a few months, but then life just got the best of me. I tried to keep up and publish a few random posts here and there, but I eventually stopped.

I could say that the reason I stopped blogging was because I got so busy with school and changing jobs and moving, but that’s not really the case. To be honest, I’m not really sure of the reason. What I do know is that I began to beat myself up about it – especially as I would read other people’s blogs and admire how well they were doing. To make matters worse, I would get blog ideas all the time and just wouldn’t sit down and put them on paper. Sometimes I’m my own worst critic. Sometimes I’m my own worst enemy.

I suspect that I am not the only one who deals with this issue. So many people not only have amazing ideas, they also possess the talent and skills to make their dreams a reality. Unfortunately, we spend more time worrying about the “what ifs” than believing in ourselves and doing what we were created to do. We spend so much time trying to plan and over plan when what we’re really doing is procrastinating and trying to protect ourselves from the possibility of failure. Don’t get me wrong, planning is important; but there is such a thing as too much planning.

For the past few months, I’ve been wanting to get back on the blogging horse, but I’ve come up with excuse after excuse. Then I told myself that I would focus on it once the holiday break rolled around. Well, it’s the holiday break, and I still haven’t sat down to work out this grand plan. And it dawned on me . . . just write! I am always encouraging others to work toward fulfilling their God-given purpose, but here I am not doing the same. I know that I was born to write, but I look for excuses not to. Not anymore.

The beginning of a year is a great time to start new things, but it’s also a great time to start an old thing over again. Better than that, January 1st isn’t the only good time for starting over; any of the other 365 (or 366) days of the year just as perfect. So, if you find yourself not following through on your resolutions or life goals (or whatever you call them), don’t beat yourself up about it. Just start over.

I’m grateful for everyone who has taken the time to read my blog, and I hope that you all find some value in it. Please keep coming back, and tell your friends. Here’s to a great year!

Apr 6 2011

How to be more like Superman

I’m a misfit and always have been. I’ve always had a thing for communicating via t-shirt messages. During high school, I often wore shirts or buttons with messages like “I’m not from this planet” or “Why be normal?” In my senior year, I (along with a male student) was voted “most unique.” I knew back then like I know today that “unique” is often a nice way of saying “weird.” But that’s okay. Like I said, I’m a misfit and always have been. By the way, Merriam-Webster’s (online) Learner’s Dictionary defines misfit as:” a person who is different from other people and who does not seem to belong in a particular group or situation.” (I could go into the command to “be in the world but not of the world,” but there’s just not enough space!)

The other day, I was watching “Superman” (the original one with the only actor I’ll ever accept as the Man of Steel: Christopher Reeve), and I couldn’t help but to ponder all the deepness wrapped up in the concept of Superman hiding his greatness in the disguise of Clark Kent. Early in the movie, young Clark confides in his (adopted or “earthly”) father that it’s frustrating to know that he can do all of these amazing things but can’t tell anyone. His father says, “You were sent here for a purpose…and it wasn’t to play football.”

Here’s a kid who races trains for fun, and he just wants to be the star of the football team. Can we say low expectations? But maybe that’s a point for another post. The thing that stood out to me was the idea that Clark was sent to here for a purpose. Yes, we know that Jor-El (his biological or “heavenly” – as in space is in “the heavenlies”) father sent the infant Kal-El to Earth to escape death – and he chose Earth because its atmosphere was most like Krypton. However, once he spent time in his Fortress of Solitude and came to understand the depths of who he was, Superman’s presence impacted the world in a way they’d never seen before.

I’ve seen this movie numerous times, but I’d never truly pondered these ideas. So, here are a few nuggets that spoke to me:

You are here for a purpose, but you have to invest some time into discovering what that is. (Where is your Fortress of Solitude?)
Once you understand who you are and what your talents are, don’t hide them away. Share them with the world, the world needs what you have!
You were not meant to be like everyone else, so stop trying to fit in. Choose to be the unique you that you were created to be. Be like Superman, be a misfit!

Apr 1 2011

Meet the Caroline Wambui Mungai Foundation

Television shows like “Secret Millionaire” and “Undercover Boss” have reminded us of the biblical charge to treat people well because we could be entertaining angels. All of these things remind us that you just never know who you are interacting with.

Three years ago, when I started working with Catherine Wanjira Mungai, I had absolutely no idea that 1.) we would become such great “sister-friends” or 2.) that she was a business/ministry force to be reckoned with. It turned out that Catherine’s family operates a foundation that provides housing and education for vulnerable children in Kenya. As I’ve gotten to know more about Catherine, I’ve discovered that her entire family is a force to be reckoned with. They are a group of extremely intelligent and compassionate people. (I’ve also been introduced to Kenyan tea and a fried dough delicious piece of Heaven known as mandazi…but that’s a different story!)

Today, I made a $50 donation to the CWMF as a part of my ongoing Lenten personal giving intiative. (Read about it here.) Grab some Kenyan tea and a mandazi, get comfortable and get to know the Caroline Wambui Mungai Foundation through my interview with Catherine and her parents, George and Anne Mungai.

How did the Caroline Wambui Mungai Foundation begin?

The Foundation was established in December 2004 within days of the departure of Caroline [our daughter/sister]. The purpose of the Foundation was and continues to be enhancing Caroline’s love for children and her dream to start a children’s Home and School for orphans and destitute children. The vision was founded on a vision that ushers needy children from poverty to destiny with love. On January 10^th, 2005, the first orphan was accepted at the CWM Children’s Home in Wangige, Kenya. The Home-School was initially housed in a vacant four-bedroom house on a 3-acre property that we [Mungai family] donated for this cause. Within three years the number of children [aged from 2.5 to 4 years] reached 40. Based on the pressing and mounting needs, it was decided that no more children would be accepted until all the infrastructure and staff were in place and adequate flow of resources [financial, etc] were forthcoming.

What is one of CWMF’s greatest achievements to date?

The Foundation reached several projected milestones in the first three years. Foremost, a deep [600 feet] water well was drilled to provide permanent and reliable water supply. A two-classroom Kindergarten with two-rooms for office space was completed while construction of a residential building was initiated. The latter has now been completed to the second of the projected three levels. The forty children have since moved into the residence where they are taken care of by three resident mothers. The third level of the facility awaits funds to be completed.

The orphans are getting their education at the Home-School. All of them started their first day of class at the Home. Based on their age when they arrived, six of them have reached grade six while the rest are between first and fifth grade.

Construction of classrooms has been done as needed. Although our desire was to have all the classrooms completed simultaneously, resource limitations have forced us to adapt by using existing buildings as teaching facilities. The school wing of the Home has two complete classrooms. Plans are under way to initiate construction of the remaining classrooms.

The Foundation has engaged 14 workers [including five teachers] that work full time at the Home-School.

What’s one of the funniest experiences you’ve had since working with CWMF?

One of the youngest kids to come to the Home is Anne Wambui. This girl was deserted outside a supermarket for three days. Her mother [whom she does not recollect] abandoned her and left her to fend for herself at the age of 2.5 years. She was sent to the Home by the Kenya police. The funniest twist about this girl is that she must have been born about the time Caroline departed form us. All she could remember was her name [Anne] which is my mom’s name [Anne Mungai]. We decided to name her WAMBUI [for obvious reasons]. It turned out when we went to the Home and met her for the first time, she became very attached to us and she claims and declares that she is “special”. Last summer Anne, in her true spirit of joy and exuberance was nicknamed “the drama queen” by one of the visitors for her spontaneous dancing and inclination to entertain.

Is there a current program or initiative that you would like to highlight at this time?

The on-going program includes three major undertakings. Foremost is the completion of construction of the school buildings including an office facility. Blueprints have been approved by the local government. Secondly, completion of the third level of the residential building and a semi completed kitchen-dining hall are pending completion. Thirdly, the Foundation decided to invite children from the local community as paying day students. It is expected that these students will provide a financial flow but most important, they will help our children identify and socialize with ordinary children alleviating the orphan stigma [a socially beneficial need]. In order to get children from a bigger radius, the Home-School needs suitable and reliable transportation.

It is anticipated that the first six children will join high school in two years and thereafter others will follow suit. Sound high school education is a pre-requisite for University admission. We will need sponsors for the children’s high school cost and beyond. This is the biggest responsibility because if we fail to provide a good education, our efforts to provide a destiny for these children will have fallen short.

What are some ways that the following groups can get involved with CWMF: college students, families, religious groups (church, temple, mosque, etc.)?

The quality of upkeep and sustenance that we provide has worn many visitor’s hearts. We have received many visitors from around the world who speak very highly of our services to the orphans and destitute children.

College students can volunteer at the Home which counts for community services overseas.

Families can sponsor the children’s education and upkeep [see brochures], volunteer at the Home and provide donations in monetary form or in kind. Religious groups and other organizations can sponsor construction of remaining buildings and help provide the wish list cited above [transportation, high school education, etc].

Anything else you’d like people to know?

The Foundation’s vision is to establish the current Home-School as a model that can be replicated elsewhere in Kenya or in other nations where there is need. We hope that we can fully complete this first project and embark on the next one whenever resources become available.

Up to the present we have depended on donations from friends of the Foundation. Our desire is to identify substantial donations from other Foundations or organizations that boost us to pursue our vision.

Mar 25 2011

Meet One Heartland

I was introduced to One Heartland (then Camp Heartland) through a workplace volunteer program. Once a year, we would pile into a coach bus and travel to Milwaukee on a Saturday morning. Once we arrived, we staged a day-long carnival for the camp participants. During one of those visits, a camp counselor (shoutout to “Even Steven!”) suggested that I apply for a summer staff position. I took him up on the offer, and history was made.

My summer at Camp Heartland was impactful for a number of reasons. I have a chronic medical condition that required daily pills, so I felt at home in Club Meds with my campers. And I had just lost my father to an unexpected death about a month before I started at camp. So, it was a place of emotional healing as well. But it was also a place full of laughter, songs and spelling my name with my butt. I also cherish my camp name: Diva (short for Diva Dogg).

Today, I donated $50 to One Heartland’s Annual Fund, as a part of a personal giving initiative for the Lenten season. (Read about it here.) In addition to giving to a different organization each week, I am highlighting that organization via an interview on my blog. So please take a moment to get acquainted with One Heartland through their Executive Director, Patrick Kindler:

How did One Heartland begin?

One Heartland, formerly known as Camp Heartland , began in 1993 by then 22-year-old Neil Willenson after befriending a family in Mequon , Wisc. living with AIDS. Nile , then 5-years-old had contracted HIV through his mother and both were struggling with not only the heavy burden of the illness and medication but also of the isolation they were facing in their community. Neil spent time with the family, helping to alleviate some of the weight of it all.

Nile told Neil that he really wanted to attend a summer camp; to play soccer, to make friends, to be a kid. Neil called camps across the country. No camp would take Nile due to his AIDS status. Neil decided to gather his friends, they raised $60,000 through their personal networks, and put on the first week of Camp Heartland for 72 campers infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. Many campers were very sick and couldn’t take part in many of the camp activities but all agreed, it was the best week of their year, or even their life.

After that first week of Camp Heartland , parents called immediately wondering when the next session would take place. Now, in 2011, we provide six weeks of camping programs to HIV-impacted children, youth and families, reach out to thousands of individuals with messages of hope, compassion and AIDS awareness, and have begun to serve other populations facing social isolation similar to that of HIV/AIDS.

What is one of One Heartland’s greatest achievements to date?

Every year, despite the economy and other financial setbacks, we have not only continued to serve our campers who have been coming to Camp Heartland on average for six years, but we grow our programs and services to new HIV/AIDS-impacted clients and other socially isolated populations. We’ve had to make cuts and sacrifice but we’ve continued to keep our programs intact for those who need them the most.

What’s one of the funniest experiences you’ve had since working with One Heartland?

Our former Facility Director had this huge stuffed plush bear at Camp. Every day, he’d use it to scare me or other camp staff! I once found it in my shower as I was getting up at 6am in the morning. I screamed so loud I probably woke up the entire camp!! Steve, the Director, and Boris, the bear, were infamous for scaring the daylights out of me, all of the counselors and even the campers! It was pretty hilarious and I’ll remember it forever.

Is there a current program or initiative that you would like to highlight at this time?

Right now the entire One Heartland staff is focusing on reaching our final goal of raising $60,000 by the end of our fiscal year (March 31, 2011) as we need to have a balanced budget and good financial standings to continue to provide life-changing programs this summer and for years to come. This is our most important initiative at the moment to ensure camp will be the best it can be!

What are some ways that the following groups can get involved with One Heartland: college students, families, religious groups (church, temple, mosque, etc.)?

One Heartland relies on the kindness and generosity of individuals to provide our camping programs. We have many opportunities to get involved!

Donate! Every dollar helps to fund our camping and care programs for kids and families facing social isolation. Make a personal donation or host a Party For Our Cause and invite your friends to support One Heartland alongside you!
Volunteer as a Camp Counselor ! Our summer camps in Minnesota , California and New York are staffed entirely by individuals willing to donate their time and talents for the cause. All of our volunteer apps can be found at www.oneheartland.org. Volunteer for a week at a time or the whole summer!
Do a service project! Make red ribbons or birthday cards for our campers or come to the One Heartland Center in Willow River , Minnesota and take part in a service project to help improve our facility.
Host a Journey of Hope AIDS Awareness Presentation! One Heartland provides an opportunity for our campers who want to speak out about their HIV/AIDS status publicly through the Journey of Hope. Bring the Journey of Hope to your college, high school, workplace, church or synagogue and help spread our messages of compassion, prevention and awareness of life with HIV/AIDS! Email Elise@oneheartland.org for more information.

Anything else you’d like people to know?

Thanks for everything! Your support and the support of others like you have allowed us to grow over the past 18 years into the largest camping and care program of our kind.

Mar 20 2011

Nilwona: A True Story

I am in a season of transition, and it has resulted in quite a bit of personal reflection and inventory. At various times in the past few months, I have been given opportunities to share bits and pieces of my story with others. It never fails, people are amazed at the things I share.

There are many pieces of my life that I have been quite transparent in communicating. However, there are other parts that I’ve shared in a more opaque way. (Thanks, Rev. Carey, for that nugget of wisdom!) Over the past couple of weeks (and more specifically, the past few days), I have been thinking more intently about why people are inspired and fascinated by my story. Based on the feedback I’ve received, people seem to simply be drawn to the fact that I am “authentic” and “present” with them. Yet, lately, I’ve felt that something was missing.

This morning, as one of our outgoing staff pastors began his sermon introduction, I had a revelation. Right now, I can’t even remember what it was he said that lit this spark – I don’t even think he’d introduced the scripture or started preaching. But whatever he said was the missing piece of the puzzle that had formed in my mind. I realized what was missing from my story.

People know me as a dreamer, someone who is passionate about encouraging others to overcome obstacles and strive to do great things in the world. I have often shared the fact that I grew up on food stamps and hand-me-downs yet was raised to trust God and to value the importance of education. I’ve spoken often about how I overcame financial and spiritual obstacles. But I haven’t always included a very important piece of my story, the thorn in my side.

I have Crohn’s Disease. Crohn’s is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that also falls into the category of autoimmune diseases. With autoimmune diseases, the body’s immune system wrongly identifies a part of the body as a foreign invader and attacks it. (Some other autoimmune diseases are multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and asthma.) Crohn’s also causes some other complications within the body. I have had symptoms of Crohn’s for most of my life but wasn’t officially diagnosed until I was 18 – and in surgery. The story of my diagnosis alone is quite miraculous; the disease had progressed to a point where I should have died. Yet, I’m still here.

Only my family and closest friends know the true extent of what my life with Crohn’s is like. Everyone else kinda of finds out on a “need-to-know” basis. This is partly because, as a society, we’re fairly uncomfortable talking about intestines, bowels, poop, etc. (Poop talk is only acceptable when you’re the parent of a child at potty training age or younger.) There is no pretty pink ribbon or yellow bracelet to support people living with IBD (which includes Colitis) – but you will sometimes see me wearing a blue bracelet that says “Got Guts?” Not many celebrities go on television to share their story of how they’ve battled with debilitating stomach pain and cramps. And, even when Dr. Oz televised his colonoscopy, he left out the gory details.

Living with Crohn’s is a major part of my story. And it’s what, to me, makes my story what it is. When you understand that traveling to Zambia was a potentially life-threatening experience for me, it makes it all the more amazing that I was able to do it twice. (I had some medical challenges, but I endured them.)

Many have often heard me talk about the importance of sharing your story because you never know who can learn from your experience. I am inspired by people like Princess Kasune Zulu and countless others who have chosen to be vocal about their life living with HIV/AIDS because they want to be a voice for those who don’t have a voice. Well, I would not be living my life to the fullest and serving the world if I did not do the same for people living with Crohn’s/IBD.

So. There it is. This won’t be the last post about Crohn’s or living with Crohn’s. In the meantime, if you would like to know more about it, please feel free to visit the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America website at www.ccfa.org.

Whaddya think about that?

the dreamer speaks

…encouraging people to live out life…