May
07

So most of you know, my wife and I have a huge desire to be a part of what God is doing in Botswana, Africa. We probably would be living there/would have lived there had life not thrown us a few wonderful curve balls named Elijah and Norah. It is still very much a passion of ours to be the hands and feet of Christ in an area where the need is as great as anywhere in the world. Yet, at the same time we know that God is asking us for now to be still and wait on his timing.

It’s been a bit of a conundrum. I’m working a job that I’m not in love with. We’re stuck
in a bit of rut. So, we’ve decided the only thing holding us back from doing what we love is ourselves. We’re dreaming big. It’s a bit scary. It’s even more unsettling. But mostly, it’s really invigorating, refreshing, and full of hope.

We’ve got a couple of different ideas circulating round in our heads. There’s one in particular that I find really exciting that I wanted to throw out and see what the old blogosphere thought of it. I’m hoping for some suggestions, ideas, corrective criticism, reality checks…. Here goes:

You’re probably well aware of the fact that the physical needs of the Southernmost part of Africa are HUGE. Largely due to the AIDS pandemic there are unfathomable amounts of poverty, children living as orphans, sickness, etc. If you’re not familiar with what’s going on, you need to be. I firmly believe it’s the obligation of all people of faith to take care of the poor, the sick, the orphaned. It’s one of the most central themes of Scripture. The need in Africa is outstanding. Prayer is one of the biggest needs. So pray, it’s a way that everyone can be involved. Pray big things. Our God is capable. If you need a better understanding of what’s going on. Pick up this book (the Awake project – you can get it for .36 cents on Amazon).

In Old Naledi, Botswana there’s this terrible cycle. A child’s parents die of AIDS’ related illness. The child is passed on to a relative who already is probably struggling to get by or the child ends up on the streets. The child can’t afford basic essentials that allow them to finish school, let alone go to university. Child falls through the cracks and due to lack of education winds up unable to find a job or at best a very menial one. Now an adult, the child lives in extreme poverty and is at a MUCH higher risk to contract HIV. The adult has children. Children fall into the same cycle of poverty.

That’s not always how it goes. But it happens a lot. Even with parents, the child is living in EXTREME poverty. Of the sorts that I could never understand it if I hadn’t seen it with my own two eyes. (Yet the believers there live with a hope in God like I’ve never seen – but that’s another post).

In Manhattan, I’ve found a lot of people who are passionate about seeing change in the lives of these children. They want to see justice served in the lives of these kids. They want to give out of the abundance of their blessing to help someone in Old Naledi have a hope and future.

So here’s the dream: Erine and I set up a non-profit organization that connects people here in the States with specific children in Old Naledi. We find people/organizations who will donate from their abundance to meet the basic needs of these kids. Money to provide uniforms so that these kids can go to school (no uniform = no schooling int Bots) ,to provide an entire set of school supplies to each sponsored child each year, to allow for at least one doctor’s visit and one dentist visit ever year, to ensure they have a place with power at night time so that they can do their take home studies, anti-retrovirual meds if necessary, etc. It really wouldn’t take a lot each year. A menial amount to most of us. Probably less each year than our silly economic stimulus checks we’re getting from President Bush. If one or two or three groups of people would sponsor a kid, we’re probably talking less than most people spend on designer coffee at Starbucks each month.

An insignificant amount to you, life changing amount to kids in Old Naledi.

I would also try to organize at least one trip to Old Naledi a year that provided an optional opportunity to go to Old Naledi and do a humanitarian based project (i.e. go fix something for the Tlamelo project, help build the dreamed children’s community center, etc.) and meet the child they’re sponsoring.

Isn’t there a group that does something just like this you ask?
Good question. There is a group of people who does something like this. But not exactly the same. One such group is called Compassion International. And they do AMAZING work! But, my idea is different. They take kids from all over the world and find them sponsors. Their idea is awesome and works well. With Er and my idea, we’ll be targeting a whole community and ideally rather than changing just one life in one community – we’ll change an entire community. And if we find more people wanting to sponsor kids than we have kids in Old Naledi – we’ll move to another slum on the outskirts of Gaborone, Botswana. And then another. And then another. Until every child in Gaborone and the surrounding areas had at least the opportunity to have a better future.

Change because folks across the pond valued their community enough to offer education, basic needs, and medical support.

A huge dream? Totally. An impossible one? No way. And I’d love to devote my time and talents to seeing that it happen.

But the questions that plauge my mind are: Where do we get the upstart money? How to we become registered as a non-profit? Can I devote myself to this full time and still pay my bills? Where to we start? Is this some sort of ridiculous, overly idealistic dream?  Is this what God wants me to do with my time?

Help.

Apr
03

The rules that student athletes have to follow are ridiculous.  I’m certainly against allowing them to take money and/or gifts OU style – but seriously.  It’s over the top.  O.J. Mayo should be able to go to a basketball game when one of his long time friends give him tickets.  They’re tickets, not cars.

The reason for my little tyraid?  My wife loves the Goo Goo Dools.  So, for Valentine’s Day I bought here some tickets to go to the “Gridiron Bash.”  Thanks to the overbearing nature of the NCAA, the event is cancled.  Read about it here. Thanks NCAA.  Give me a break.

On a side note – I got to watch the last couple of the Royals sweep of Tigers.   3-0.  At least if my White Sox suck, I might have a pretty good #2.  Or it’s a fluke…  Either way, I’m taking Eli up for a game soonish.  Anybody want to come?

Mar
09

This weekend I watched American Gangster.  I wanted to know to know what all the buzz about.   I just started to write that it was a phenomenal portrayal of the ugly underbelly of the drug culture during the Vietnam War.  Then I laughed at myself because 1) I wasn’t even a glimmer in my daddy’s eye during this era and 2) I am the poster boy of the white suburban class and apart from Al Pacinio and Denzel Washington movies and a few books I know absolutely nothing about the mob, the Bronx, or the underlying drug culture of a time period that I wasn’t even alive for.But it was a great film.  I do recommend it – with a bit of hesitation.  Just be warned there is some brutal violence (though not gratuitously), the language you would expect from drug dealers and the mob,  and some nudity.  So don’t come crying to me if you get offended.  You’ve been fairly warned.Back to my original point.  The main character Frank Lucas is the second hand man to the head African American Mobster in NYC.  Through a series of events, he ends up taking over an single handedly changes the whole dynamic of the drug and crime scene.  His support cast is made up of his family, a whole lot of crooked cops, junkies, and one small group of detectives who choose to be above their peers and actually seek justice.  PLOT SPOLIER:  If you don’t already know – Frank Lucas ends up getting caught.  In the process he takes down about 2/3 of the NYCPD drug unit, develops an odd friendship with the officer who brought his 52 million dollar empire crumbling down.  Ultimately, for selling out the cops he get to plead out and only spends about 15 years in jail.    

If you’re not going to see the movie you can go here and read a pretty good recap of the life and times of Frank Lucas.  It’s from the New York Magazine.  Lucas was interviewed for the story so you get a pretty good insight into his personality and such.   

 What was most fascinating to me was that I was drawn to a strange sense of admiration for Frank Lucas.  My mind knows that he’s one of the most horrible figures of recent history.  But, still I couldn’t help but like him a bit.  And it bothered me a lot.  He’s was a murderer and provider of drugs that ripped people’s lives to shreds.  Yet, I had this admiration of him. Then I decided that it was a good reminder that God is evident in all of His creation – even when it’s at it’s worst. Sure, Frank Lucas was a lot of terrible things.  But he was also made in the image of God and parts of that come through.  Lucas (as portrayed by Hollywood at least) exemplified traits like loyalty and justice (though be it perverse).  He also made sure to take care of the folks in the projects (while at the same time providing them with one of the most destructive substances ever).  He loved his family intensely.  It’s hard to verbalize.   But, a good reminder to me.  I’m pretty quick to judge folks.  Certainly what he did was horrible.  But, Lucas is a person just like me.  Another part of creation made in the image of God.  And, really apart from grace – I’d be made to be like God but living apart from him -just like Frank Lucas.  Only a honkey surbanite.

Mar
05

Read this article on Rueters just now. Personally, I’m going to pass on taking my lessons in religion and history from this guy. Mostly because of the part where he admits to have partaken in hallucinates about 160 times.  Kinda funny read though.  I like Rueters.

Mar
03

Why the change you ask? Funny you should ask.

I love spring. Not so much because I hate the cold or the snow – but mostly because it’s a time where I can see the earth go through a time of healing and renewal after being cold and empty from being away from the sun’s warmth. Not to different from what Hosea talks about.

I can relate pretty well to what Hosea is writing here. It’s been a hard year(ish) of transition for the Porters. Nothing is at all what we expected it to be. Yet, none of it has escaped the hand of the Lord. It’s pretty easy to get pretty self absorbed in the uncertainness of it all.  Not intentionally, but no good nonetheless.  As He has allowed for me to go through a time of wounding and hardship – He has is also teaching us about the healing in living before Him. Certainly, even in this hard time of tearing He has blessed us well beyond what we deserve. A good reminder of both His goodness – but also of my own inability. Which is good.  I’m painfully aware that my ability won’t get me too far.

So, I’m excited for spring. A physical reminder to me of the Lord’s faithfulness to continue this work He has started. A reminder that as the earth draws near to sun and in it’s warmth finds healing – so do I depend on the Lord and in His presence find life.  A time of a transition into something new and much more beautiful.

So – a new blog to give me a fresh start. A place to still wrestle with my thoughts, but in a fresh way. Hopefully, a less self absorbed way.

I know you’re worried – but don’t. You can still read the old stuff here.