Practicing What I Preach

My family, friends and colleagues often hear me talk about my personal goal to become an endless source of Love, Peace and Harmony. NOTE: this is a very slow, bumpy work-in-process... 

 

My first work week back in Addis was cut short by Timkit (Epiphany), an elaborate celebratory time for Ethiopian Orthodox Christians. The empty field, ½ block from my house in Addis, is a popular gathering spot for numerous local churches. Try to imagine, religious music and preaching broadcast non-stop for over 40 hours, so loud it is difficult to hear a normal speaking voice.  Being a person who combats mental fatigue with quiet solitude, I find Timkit challenging.

At 3AM the second night, while reflecting on the meaning of Love, Peace and Harmony, I had my own “epiphany” I’d like to share:

Love = facilitating the discovery process of JOY, HAPPINESS for others

Peace= empathically understanding needs, concerns, belief system of others (which requires TOLERANCE)

Harmony= collaboration, balance, respectful co-existence

My take-away:

1.     Timkit celebration is a good opportunity for me to practice “tolerance”

2.     AND, the Hamar are experts at Harmony. Collaborating and sharing with others are “knee-jerk” reactions for them. During these past four years, I have never witnessed one Hamar ignoring the needs of a neighbor.

I’d love to hear your thoughts...

Biggest Event Since Elton John Concert!

That’s the buzz in northern MN regarding the upcoming “Do YOU have what it Takes?” competition on Saturday, February 11, in Duluth MN, sponsored by Drops of Hope.

Drops of Hope is a group of high school students and business advisors from Duluth MN who have partnered with the Rotary Club of Duluth and GTLI to bring clean water to Hamar people of Ethiopia. www.whatittakes.us
 

These wonderful young people from Proctor, MN’s DECA club have organized an amazing “Have Fun, Do Good” fundraising extravaganza. On February 11, the “best” singing and/or dance groups from 46 high schools in northern MN will compete for top honors. All proceeds from the event will go directly to GTLI clean water projects in Hamarland.

 

And, watch out “Guinness Book of World Records,” another world’s record is about to be smashed. On 18 February, thousands of hardy Minnesotans are gathering to create over 5,100 SNOW ANGELS!  Providing even more “Hope for Hamar.”

I always knew MN was a special place. Of course, I’m biased. It’s my birthplace (Mahnomen, MN) as well as my 3 children and 3 grandchildren.

2 Suitcase = 4 Months

One of the questions asked during my last lecture in the states was, “Have you packed any items in suitcases Americans might find unusual?” My reply was, “I still need to pack and can’t remember what I am supposed to take!”  As is often the case during my two month in the states, “stuff” is accumulated in a closet and at the last minute, packed.

This trip, the contents included:

	Approx weight	Notes
200 clown noses	Not much but bulky	Make believe fun items
Candles	20#	Dark nights with no electricity
Food items	5#	Almonds, tea, Balance bars
Beading supplies	30#	Wire cutters, crimpers, misc supplies for IGA program
Toys for orphans	10#	Books, wood animals, Qwirkle board game
Personal items	20#
Gifts & office supplies	10#

Early trips included multiple tents, tools to fix vehicles, medical supplies, etc. The load varies each trip.

There is much to accomplish before I return in early May.  WASH (water, sanitation hygiene) project for 6,000 people is in full swing and a new project for an additional 7,200 scheduled to start by February 1; our new primary and adult literacy school’s grand opening will be in February; microenterprise projects in chicken farming, beading, goat skin tanning and vegetable gardening are ramping up; 8 “mingi” orphans need to be moved into a better facility; and funding for the Mother Child Health program and Abandoned children (Mingi) project needs to be secured.

Meanwhile, activities in the USA and Europe are expanding as well: our wonderful volunteers sold record number of Hamar shikinee (beaded products); 7 Rotary clubs and a Seratoma club have indicated interest in our Mingi project to date; the first outcome of GTLI-Carleton College relationship, African studies, featuring Hamar and GTLI’s work, will be tested in a Northfield, MN middle school this spring; Martha Paas, GTLI’s newest Board member, is spear-heading fund-raising in MN and Christine Walsh is keeping us organized. And, thanks to Nemer Fieger and Michelle Schindler, our just released 2011 Annual Report is now available on the web:  Annual Report

Stayed tuned for weekly updates with new photos – my New Year’s resolution!

Wayne Eddy Affair | Lori Pappas

By Terri Lindgren, on January 6th, 2012

Today Wayne interviews Lori Pappas Founder & Executive Director of Global Team for Local Initiatives.  Lori spends over six months a year in Africa working with the Hamar Tribe of southwest Ethiopia she shares her stories of building a school to educate the Hamar women, as well as the trials of teaching the people basic hygiene and sanitation as preventative illness practices.

Lori ‘s background is as a specialist in strategic planning who has served as a strategy consultant, turnaround consultant and executive vice-president of a multinational software company. A successful software entrepreneur as well, Pappas is the founder of JobBOSS Software Inc., a developer of software packages for the manufacturing industry.

Lori Pappas, NGO Ethiopia, Global Team for Local Initiatives, Public Talk at Carleton

“The Magic of Yes: Stepping Beyond Fear and Embracing the New,” an illustrated, exciting, compelling and immediate talk about global outreach and Lori Pappas’ work in Ethiopia. Sponsored by the Economics department and The Humanities Center at Carleton.

Date: Tuesday, January 10th, 2012
Time: 7:00 pm
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Weitz Center 236
Contact: Nikki Lamberty, The Humanities Center, x4217

Check out GTLI’s website
Click here to listen to the show!

Listen in to the Wayne Eddy Affair every weekday. Monday through Thursday, 9:00-11:00 a.m. Fridays from 9:30-11:00 a.m.