We're kind of a big deal.
Steve and I are back in Kona and as it turns out we are really popular. We know this because reason #1 a stranger on the Kona campus came up to us and really casually said to Steve, "Nice to see you Steve and Diane!"* and then he looked at me and said (to Steve), "Dude, your seed is about to sprout".** As we walked away I asked Steve if that was our BFF that I forgot that we had. Steve had no idea who the guy was. BAM...we're famous. Also, reason #2 Johnny & Jenni posted a blog about us! We are really lucky to know this amazing couple and are so looking forward to spending every day with them this fall when we staff the Community Transformations DTS together ; )
*not weird.
**weird.
It's a GIRL!
Open publication Click for registration info.
So, a 1lb 15oz baby has overtaken my blog and now all of the posts are about her (yes, HER! It's a girl). I promise someday I will post about something else but for right now I am fighting jetlag (a 12 hour time difference) and a sinus infection that makes my head feel like it is simultaneously floating in space and being weighed down by bricks.
Weeks 21, 22, 23 and 24
Lack of internet, travel (and days where I have a general feeling of hugeness/not wanting to be photographed) has put us way behind on our baby weeks photos. Here is weeks 21 + 22. i will upload weeks 23 + 24 the next time I get a steady internet connection.
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Following the Wounded Healer.
"Compassion grows with the inner recognition that your neighbor shares your humanity with you. This partnership cuts through all walls which might have kept you separate. Across all barriers of land and language, wealth and poverty, knowledge and ignorance, we are one, created from the same dust, subject to the same laws, and destined for the same end. With this compassion you can say, "In the face of the oppressed I recognize my own face and in the hands of the oppressor I recognize my own hand. Their flesh is my flesh, their blood is my blood, their pain is my pain, their smile is my smile. Their ability to torture is in me, too; their capacity to forgive I find also in myself. There is nothing in me that does not belong to them too; nothing in them that does not belong to me. In my heart, I know their yearning for love, and down to my entrails I can feel their cruelty. In another's eyes I see my plea for forgiveness, and in a hardened frown I see my refusal. When someone murders, I know that I too could have done that, and when someone gives birth, I know that I am capable of that as well. In the depths of my being, I meet my fellow humans with whom I share love and have life and death." - Henri Nouwen
Read more...Start Something to Finish Something.
The Crisis
For over two decades, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) has terrorized central Africa, targeting civilians in a brutal campaign of abduction, murder and forced displacement. The LRA was founded in northern Uganda in 1986 by Joseph Kony in response to the marginalization of that region by the Ugandan government. However, the LRA soon lost popular support in northern Uganda and evolved into a group that survives by terrorizing communities and abducting children to fight its battles. In recent years it has not been active in Uganda, but instead operates in the remote border area between Congo, South Sudan and Central African Republic (CAR).
In its 24 years under the direction of Joseph Kony, the LRA has been responsible for the following:The perpetration of mass atrocities: The Lord’s Resistance Army is responsible for grave crimes against civilians, including the mass killings, rapes, and mutilations of thousands of Ugandan, South Sudanese, Central African and Congolese civilians. Since September 2008, the LRA has embarked on one of the most devastating waves of violence in its history, killing over 2,000 people, abducting over 3,000, and displacing upwards of 450,000.
The enslavement of children: In order to replenish its ranks, the LRA has forcibly-recruited thousands of children to be used as soldiers and sex slaves. In northern Uganda alone, Kony and his forces abducted an estimated 30,000 children.
The disruption of communities: LRA attacks have displaced hundreds of thousands of people in Congo, South Sudan, Central African Republic and Uganda over the past two decades. These attacks have disrupted the very fabric of community life, targeting schools, churches and marketplaces.
The communities that LRA violence has affected most are already among the poorest and most remote in all of Africa. The LRA targets people, such as the Acholi and the Zande, that have little representation in the governments througout the region. These governments and their military forces have neglected to protect civilians from the LRA and have committed widespread abuses against civilians themselves.U.S. and international leaders have consistently underestimated or ignored the strength and tenacity of the LRA, which has contributed to half-hearted policy measures that have failed to stop LRA violence and allowed Joseph Kony and his commanders to cut a swath of human destruction across central Africa.
We seek an end to these injustices and greater leadership towards lasting peace from regional and international leaders .
How It Ends
On May 24, 2010, President Barack Obama sparked hope for new U.S. and international will to address this crisis by signing into law the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act. In his statement, President Obama said, “I signed this bill today recognizing that we must all renew our commitments and strengthen our capabilities to protect and assist civilians caught in the LRA’s wake, to receive those that surrender, and to support efforts to bring the LRA leadership to justice.” This legislation gives the Obama Administration an unprecedented mandate from Congress and the American public to lead international efforts to permanently end LRA atrocities and help rebuild war-affected communities.We believe the United States has a unique role in helping to end the conflict, and Resolve’s mission for the past four years has been creating the political mandate necessary for the US to fulfill that role. We also believe that this political mandate will only be secured through effective, informed activism. Because of this, we have sought to bring as much information as possible to the forefront of the discussion. We hope this information will serve as a launching pad for people to better understand the complexity of the conflict, why it demands our attention and what role we can play in achieving a lasting peace.
Where to go from here
History: Resolve’s extensive account of the roots of the conflict, its evolution over the past 24 years and what action has been taken by the international community to bring peace to the region.LRA and Regional Conflict Library: A collection of reports, books and articles from civil society groups, academics and media for people interested in further exploring the conflict.
LRA Strategy Power Players: From President Obama to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, a look at our leaders’ commitment to ending the conflict.
Key Statistics: The most current numbers of people killed, abducted, and displaced by the LRA in Congo, South Sudan, Central African Republic and Uganda.
Your Mission: What you can do right now
Families in central Africa being targeted by LRA violence don’t have big lobbying firms speaking on their behalf in Washington. They have you. Below are 3 important things you can do right now to convince our political leaders to fund the President’s strategy to end LRA violence, allowing it to become concrete action that can save lives.
In 30 seconds: Sign the petition.
Help us reach our goal of 10,000 signatures by April 25th. Sign the petition and ask others to join you.
In one minute: Call your Member of Congress.
Join the S2F Phone Blitz! Every day from April 4th-8th, give your Members of Congress a call. It’s easy as pie and literally takes one minute --- 45 seconds if you’ve got ‘em on speed dial. Here’s all you need to do:
- Join the S2F Calling Blitz Facebook group HERE
- Click HERE for a short script and pointers to help you with your call
- Type in your zip code below to find out:
- Your representatives’ DC office numbers
- Whether or not they’ve taken action to help fund the LRA strategy
- Details of any local lobby meetings between now and April 25th.
Between now and April 25th: Lead a local lobby meeting.
In-person local meetings are the most effective way to get Members of Congress to care about ending this crisis. It may sound intimidating, but we promise it’s not that difficult and it's pretty darn fun. We'll work closely with you to make sure it’s a success. Here's what you need to do:
- JOIN A MEETING: Type in your zip code below or check out the map above to find meetings in your area you can join.
- LEAD A MEETING: If no meetings are scheduled in your area yet, sign up to lead one. (To find out what leading a meeting entails, click here.)
MS Paint Revolution.
I remember days back in the 90's before I knew what Photoshop was, before fancy "apps" for painting and drawing, where the cool way to color digital pictures was with PAINT for Windows. I was about 10 years old. My skills have not improved.
Per the request of my dear friend, Cambria, I have decided to post my (ahem) "artwork" on my blog.
I think I have a future here.
I think I have a future here.
Husblog.
The husband has returned to the world of blogging! Check out his page.
He's pretty cool, if I do say so myself.
He's pretty cool, if I do say so myself.
Week 16.
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| I did not plan on/want to have my photos taken this day, but it was the last day of my 16th week so it had to be done. |
Baby cheeks.
We used some of these baby photos of Steve and I for decor at Baby Schallert's first party (baby shower).
Act Justly, Love Mercy.
As you may have noticed, I've started a trend with this blog...it's called, "post sometimes and then don't post anything for a long time and then apologize and post again". So, here is the part where I apologize, sorry! and explain myself. Steve and I are currently en route to South Africa via Memphis (last week), New Jersey (now) and New York (yesterday and then again when we fly out). That may seem like a bunch of random pit stops to get to Africa but we decided to cash in some of our airline miles and visit family and friends along the way to break up the long, long flights a bit. Considering how much fun we have been having with our families, it was a pretty good idea if I do say so myself.
Some highlights from our trip thus far (and some posts for the day to come) include:
-Checking bags for free because of Steve's airline status.
-Quality Schallert sibling time and home cooked meals in Memphis.
-Attending a benefit gala with Jon & MC at Stax Museum in Soulsville.
-A mega baby shower hosted by my parents.
-A weekend in NYC with Steve's parents where we got to see his dad sing at Carnegie Hall (and go on a dinner cruise on 'The Spirit of New York'...just like in "The Office") .
...more to come.
In the meantime here is our latest newsletter including some details about our upcoming trip to South Africa and some plans for the rest of 2011. (2 pages) You can also visit our newsletter library HERE
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