Rock To Wind A String Around

• You spend your days playing with your children, tending your garden, working outside of the home, starting a business — not walking miles to your only water source
• Your children go to school every day, instead of walking miles to their only water source
• You have no threat of water borne diseases, such as cholera, typhoid, bacillary dysentery, polio, meningitis and hepatitis A
• You don’t have to worry that people up river are using your only water source as their only sanitation source
• You will not lose your child to diarrhea, which is the leading cause of death of children in countries with high mortality rates.  And you will not worry that even if your child survives diarrhea, he or she will fail to thrive and become vulnerable to other infections

I know that before my trip to Ethiopia I took water for granted.  I had heard about the issues people in developing countries face regarding water, but had never really thought about it.  Now I think every day about what my daughter’s life would be like if she lived somewhere that did not have access to safe, clean water.  I cry when I read posts about the 5 million children who die every year from diarrhea.  My heart aches when I think about the women who cannot start a business, or work in a farm to support their families, because they spend so much time each day walking to and from their water sources- which are often times infected with bacteria.

Please consider donating to EOR’s water first program.  You can do so here.  Our $10,000 pledged donation will literally provide clean water to an entire village.   We can do this, but we need your help.

posted to the EOR blog by  my brilliant friend Shawn

This was previously shared on EOR’s blog…

Water affects every aspect of our lives, yet nearly one billion people around the world don’t have clean drinking water, and 2.6 billion still lack basic sanitation. World Water Day, celebrated annually on March 22, was established by the United Nations in 1992 and focuses attention on the world’s water crisis, as well as the solutions to address it.

This year, a collaborative of US-based organizations have joined to raise awareness and call for stronger commitments from governments, the private sector, and US citizens for water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) initiatives in low-income countries.

By deploying the solutions that already exist, we can save the lives of thousands of children each day, advance education and employment – especially among women and girls – and fuel economic growth around the world.

Here at Ethiopian Orphan Relief, Inc.  we are pleased to call attention to the expansion of world  water day to world water week.  All of us invested in the success of Ethiopia understand that the lack of clean drinkable water  for much of the country limits the growth and prosperity of the nation. Girls who spend their days carrying water have little time for school and literacy.  The mortality rate for children without access to clean drinking water remains unacceptably high.

EOR remains committed to the goal of providing clean water to Ethiopia.  Although our original plan to build a well in Boru was tabled, our amazing board member, Lauren, is actively searching for a new water project to fund.  To date, we’ve raised more than $7000.00 USD for this project, but we’d LOVE to add more to the total.

Think of how important clean water is to you.  Remember the gratitude you feel every time you’re thirsty  and can sip the beverage of your choice and then think of the many children of Ethiopia, mostly girls, who spend the day carrying heavy jerry cans of water so their families can enjoy the same privilege.

I’ll be making an additional donation to EOR this week, to benefit our water fund.  I hope you’ll consider doing the same.

(This is a reprint of today’s EOR post)

That’s this year’s theme for International Women’s Day.

Each year around the world, International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8. Hundreds of events occur not just on this day but throughout March to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women.

Organizations, governments and women’s groups around the world choose different themes each year that reflect global and local gender issues.

IWD has been on my radar for frillions of years.  As a teacher, I was quick to add women’s history to any unit we studied in class.  I loved sharing anecdotal histories of women as well as information about notable women of the past.  I never thought to discuss the politics of gender though, to visit much beyond yesteryear or my own backyard.    Now, with my thoughts firmly tethered to Ethiopia, I spend a great deal of time thinking about the women and girls there, not in the past tense, but today.

Those of us thinking about Ethiopia know that it can be a challenging place for women and girls.  Women are less likely to be educated or become literate,  they marry early, give birth to greater numbers of children (more than 7 on average) than in other parts of the world, and are more likely to die in childbirth.   The statistics are far more grim for the orphaned girls of Ethiopia.

That’s why I’m happy to share with you the mission of our partner, Children’s Heaven.

“Our mission is to embrace and empower the precious orphaned girls entrusted to our care in an effort to minimize their socio-economic vulnerability. We provide essential services to our children along with compassionate care, love, hope, security and religious guidance. We also equip them with the necessary skills, knowledge, opportunity and self assertiveness that will enable them to lead healthy and productive adult lives.”

Ethiopian Orphan Relief Inc. is proud to partner with Children’s Heaven.   You‘ve helped to move the program from a few shipping containers into a beautiful furnished building with room to grow and you are continuing to help Hanna meet the needs of more than 100 girls in Ethiopia.  Today, International Women’s Day, is a great day to make an additional donation to EOR’s partner, Children’s Heaven, to further the health and well-being of the girls of Ethiopia. With your support, EOR will be able to develop a full service feeding program so that Children’s Heaven can provide nutritious meals to the girls in care every day of the week.

My donation is made to honor my own well fed, well educated Ethiopian girl, Astrid Meklit.  Who is honored by your gift?

DoNaTe NoW

As a teenager in the age of AIDS, the very notion of such an esoteric disease was both personal and scary.  When I left home for college, I applied a fairly rigid set of standards to my own behavior to avoid becoming HIV+.   That’s how AIDS affected me.

In my early 20’s, I became the director of an Extended Day Program.  I was much younger than the rest of the directors, ran a financially beleaguered program, and was new.  So popular, I couldn’t stand it!  Delightful L ran a similar program and was marginalized for other reasons.  He became a good friend and great source of comfort in that difficult first year.  I knew he was ill, but couldn’t believe it when a few months after leaving his job, he died of AIDS.  His diagnosis was kept secret from everyone, including friends, and his adoring grandmother insisted that only pneumonia be listed as his cause of death.  I, like everyone, knew that a larger scale tragedy had taken place.  That’s how AIDS affected me.

In my early 30’s, our up-and-coming neighborhood in Chicago housed a program for those living with AIDS.  I donated a few  meals, some toiletries and cash, and would wince with guilt knowing I could do more, but didn’t  as I sauntered past to my own healthy life.  That’s how AIDS affected me.

In my late 30’s I prepared to adopt from Ethiopia.  Initially terrified that I might bring home an HIV+ baby, I was comforted by the thought of numerous tests designed to assure us and a worried US government that our little one would be healthy.  AIDS could remain confined to Africa, with no residue clinging to my own life.  That’s how AIDS affected me.

Today, I spend a lot of time thinking about the plight of orphans living in Ethiopia, .  I can grieve my friend L, be thankful that my daughter is healthy, and donate money to EOR for orphan projects without ever really thinking about the insidious disease that creates chaos in homes, in families, in communities.  I have that luxury, though it is one afforded to few others in the world.  My duty is to step away from that privilege,  to really examine AIDS and its impact, and to find my own part in a solution, no matter how small the role.  EOR’s partner projects are working hard to make a difference.   People in my world are working hard to make a difference.  I must make a difference.  When I look back on my early 40’s, I want to see direction and motivation in what I do to combat AIDS.  Today is World AIDS Day and AIDS does affect me…

If you aren’t sure what to do about AIDS and its impact on the children of the world, visit:

From HIV to Home

good people with good answers labor there.

*I’ll be making an additional contribution to one of EOR’s partner projects this month in commemoration of World AIDS Day.  I’ll contribute an additional 1.21(1, for each one of you,  21–the number of years World AIDS Day has been commemorated)  on behalf of each person who leaves a comment on this post.

It’s World AIDS Orphans Day.  The very idea is absurd.  More than 15 million children around the world are orphaned because the people who love them most died from a manageable disease.  I’m here in Portland, planning our Lights of Hope fundraiser, in large part, to fund an AIDS clinic for one  of our partner projects.  Although I am more than happy to work for this clinic, wouldn’t it be a million times  better, maybe even 15 million times better, if we just find a way to eradicate AIDS and then we can spend this money on a new school or library?

I thought so.  We are agreed–eradication of AIDS is the goal, and until eradication is possible, disease managment for ALL, not just those of us fortunate enough to live in the US.  Someday, hopefully soon, we can think of May 7 th as AIDS Remembrance Day, rather than World AIDS Orphans Day.

Following emergency surgery, it’s best to allow the patient to:

a.  regain lost computer priveleges

b.  make otherwise unreasonable requests about food and beverage selection

c. visit thrift stores

d.  attend choir practice

e.  all of the above

Let’s hear it for e.   Honestly, the boy is the picture of health.  Although a little more fatigued than usual and a little tender, he’s otherwise fine.  Pops (who hopped into the car mere minutes after our initial call to drive from FL to OH for the week) provides all the sweet elixir needed to promote health and wellness in the newly appendix-less. Elliott won’t be cleared for physical activity anytime soon, so no homeschool gym or tennis (or dishwasher duties) but everything else is good to go.

Feeling optimistic today about the health of my boy, the health of my nation…

Today, December1, 2008, is the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day.  For 20 years, we’ve remembered, discussed, mourned and hoped and all the while, AIDS continues to decimate lives, families, countries..

While the number of cases of AIDS grows exponentially throughout the world, sub-Saharan Africa is particularly challenged.  Too little money, too few resources–it’s a virtual death sentence for many who have been diagnosed.

I can cry about AIDS, remember loved ones who’ve died, think of those who are suffering, and make a pledge to do more.  Today, I’ll be making an additional donation to ETHIOPIAN ORPHAN RELIEF specifically to support the girls at Be’emnet orphanage.  Like the majority of the orphans we serve, the girls at Be’emnet were orphaned because of AIDS.  Worldwide, there are estimated to be more than 15.5 million orphans because of AIDS.  The money I give through EOR can’t help 15.5 million, but it can make a difference in the lives of a few girls in Southern Ethiopia.  I invite you all to help.  Comment here today, and I’ll add a dollar to my overall pledge to Be’emnet.  Comment and link on your own blog and I’ll add 2.00.

Look here, for more information about World AIDS Day, including a nifty AIDS awareness quiz.

beemnet-flyer

This night was worth every dollar that we gave, every call that we made, every door we knocked on, every precious hour of family time spent apart–I’d do it all again, and more, to relive the majesty of this evening.

By the time we finished phone calls and errands, and choir, it was too dark to do any sign waving.  Elliott was sad about this–he saw some other kids out with signs and was deeply envious.  As we pulled into our neighborhood, he said ‘maybe we could wave signs tomorrow?  to tell everybody how glad we are that Barack Obama is our new president”

YES          WE            CAN!

Just one more day. I’ve got one more list of  phone calls to make, and we’re scheduled to drive people to the polls between 9 and 1.  After that, we’ll sit back and celebrate–waffles and ice cream for all (in AM’s case, it will be a lovely wheat-free waffle with some Rice Dream on top, but she’ll be happy anyway).

It’s been a real joy to watch Elliott take part in this election.  I remember how proud I was to work the polls for the Carter/Ford election in my 2nd grade class.  I was thrilled when my candidate won.  I think of Ms. Kornafel every time I vote (or eat a cupcake, although that has nothing to do with elections…) and thank her for furthering my civic education .  I wonder what Elliott will take away from this? He’s been an Obama fan for quite sometime, and while I knew initially that he was rooting for the home crowd favorite, I think there’s so much more he connects to now.

Tomorrow afternoon, when we’ve finished calling and driving and choir-ing, I think I’ll take the boy out to a street corner with his big Obama signs.   Sign work was his favorite during the Kerry campaign–he jumped and clapped every time someone honked.  “They honked for ME!”  he would shout.  Tomorrow, they’ll honk again; this time it really will be for him.