Roadtrip!

Atlanta, Georgia here I come!!!

Meet Prudence...

The music of Prudence Mabhena is a powerful sound that echoes out of a country in crisis: Zimbabwe. Her success is all the more extraordinary because Prudence is physically disabled. In Zimbabwe, that can be a death sentence.

Prudence story is a tale of abandonment and neglect by her parents and stepmother, and then of a new home at Zimbabwe's King George VI School for the Disabled. Her stepmother despised her. "I felt like nothing; I felt useless. ... I really agreed with her, 'cause at the end of the day I would find out that, yeah, for real, there is nothing that I can do for myself. I ended up believing in whatever she said."

Fearing witchcraft, adults in Zimbabwe often see their children's differences as a sign that the family has been cursed. Mabhena was born with arthrogryposis, a condition that deforms the joints; it has cost her both of her legs, and makes it difficult for her to use her arms. When she was born, her father's mother advised her mother not to nurse her. After her parents abandoned her, she was cared for by her maternal grandmother, a rural farmer who kept Mabhena at her side as she worked.

Her grandmother taught her to sing. She would carry her out to the fields with her, and she would lay her in the fields as she worked in the fields. ... She would sing to Prudence, and Prudence learned to get comfort from music.

Music by Prudence is a 2010 short documentary film directed and produced by Roger Ross Williams. It tells the uplifting story of Prudence as she struggled to overcome poverty and discrimination. All other seven members of Prudence's band "Liyana" are also disabled. Music by Prudence won the 2010 Academy Award for Best Documentary (Short Subject).

Watch Prudence deliver a rousing rendition of 'Ipi Ntombi' (Where's My Lady) during VSA's opening ceremony at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC in June this year.

LOVE IS A WARM HUG



Yes, it really is mine! Thank you!?
A smile of appreciation from a patient at the Hospitality
Center after he's told he can keep the toy.

 Miss Ginny loves the Lord. . . and she loves children. For most of her 86 years, she has been a teacher and mentor of youngsters in her own kindergarten and at church. She leads the Junior Church at First Baptist Church in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire. Her class consists of about fifteen children, ages 5 to 9.

When Miss Ginny heard that two members of the church would be volunteering full-time with Mercy Ships onboard the Africa Mercy , she quickly invited them to talk to her class about the mission of the organization. Their presentation included a short video showing life onboard the hospital ship.

The children were fascinated - especially when they saw the children recovering in the wards. They excitedly wanted to know how they could help those kids.

Miss Ginny encouraged them to come up with some creative ideas. And they did! They sponsored a circus in their classroom one Sunday morning before church. They also sold tiny toys and even did chores around their homes to earn money for their Mercy Ships Fund.

In a few weeks, they presented a check for over $150 to the Mercy Ships volunteers to buy stuffed animals for the children in Togo, West Africa. "They need something to hug ," explained one of the children.

The first batch of stuffed animals was distributed to children at the Mercy Ships Hospitality Center in Lomé,Togo. People who are recuperating from surgery or awaiting surgery stay at the center. Children on crutches. . . children with serious burns, massive tumors, and cleft lips. . . tiny crying babies. . . all received their own huggable toy.

The mother of one young patient told a nurse that the toy was kept for in-the-house play only, so it wouldn't be lost or stolen. When asked if the toy was her little boy's first teddy bear, she responded, "It's the first gift he ever got !" His first gift was a gift of love from children thousands of miles away in Miss Ginny's class.


Written by Elaine B. Winn
Photo by Mercy Ships

American Cultural Observation 475: Boy Scout Popcorn

Last year I supported the Girl Scouts and their cookie drive in the name of cultural research! This year, Thanks to a colleague's grandson (thanks Dee!), I am siding with the Boy Scouts and their popcorn drive. And boy, am I glad I did!

This fall, Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts introduced a whole new lineup of Trail’s End popcorn products for their annual fundraiser – the biggest change in 30 years. Since 1980, Americans have supported Scouting with their purchases of Trail’s End microwave popcorn and ready to eat popcorn treats.

The sale this year occurs during the Boy Scouts of America’s 100th anniversary.

The popcorn sale helps pay for local Scouting programs in communities all across the country, and Scouts enjoy a great return on their sale, with more than 70% of the purchase price going to fund local Scouting.

Luckily for me, ready to eat Cheese Corn are now made with canola oil, with 0 grams trans fat and low saturated fat and all of the ready to eat products have beautiful new packaging that’s better for the environment because less packaging waste ends up in landfills. Just as well, as I opted for the Cheese Lovers Collection which contained three 8oz. packages of lip smackin', finger lickin' cheddar cheese popcorn (2) and scrumptious white cheddar cheese popcorn (1) and was I happy to see it was packaged in the ALL NEW reclosable packages.

Needless to say, there is now a trail of yellow cheesy goodness all over my keyboard!

Trail’s End is sold exclusively by Scouts in more than 280 Scout councils across the United States and Canada.

CONNECTIONS: A Mercy Ships Update!

Come with us as we take another close look at the unique world of Mercy Ships.  Recently the Directors of the all the Mercy Ships National Offices met in the organizations International Operations Center in Texas. We asked Don Stephens to update us on how these meetings went. While in South Africa, Mercy Ships is increasing access to mental health care by enhancing the capacity of the church to meet the mental health needs of their parishioners and local communities. Dr. Lyn Westman, Mental Health Program Administrator for Mercy Ships explained it for us.

Living life vicariously…

So, while having a mind numbingly quiet weekend some of my friends had quite a different time.

Gunning for Jesus!

Shannon found her inner Texan this weekend by going for shooting lessons. After a lengthy safety lesson she got chance to practice and decided that she liked the Glock 40 the best. As she was regaling us with the tale this morning we all realized that she sports the most testosterone in the office. Hands down.

Last night was Halloween and Shannon and Vangie spent the night in Hideaway with some of their friends doing their bit of treating. Trick or Treating is where costumed kids go from house to house and after ringing the doorbell and the house occupants would then offer candy after the kids scream ‘Trick or Treat’. Vangie opened the door and upped the kids by yelling ‘Trick or Treat’ as she was a bit excited. By now all four women crowded the door and started commenting on how scary one of the kid’s outfit was… They must have been a little too enthusiastic because the kid bolted. Mellisa, one of the door crowders took off after the poor kid while holding the bowl of candy yelling "don't you want some candy"?

Reclining Road Kill!

After spending the day at IKEA, Trevor was on his way home late Saturday night when he was accosted by a recliner… in the middle of Highway 110! Trevor came around the corner and hit the recliner full on! It just fell from a truck minutes before and one of the truck occupants was about to pull it out of the road when Trevor came around the corner. The truck valiantly tried to warn Trevor by flashing its head lights but it was too late. In Trevor’s words he had just a few seconds to react. He saw something that looked like a cardboard box in the middle of the road and thought that if he was to swerve he would cause more damage and might even roll his car, so he hit it instead. He knew it was more than a cardboard box when he saw an explosion of stuffing zip past the car... Needless to say the chair did not live and his car got a bit of damage. I kept on badgering Trevor by asking if he saw the recliner’s scared eyes in his headlight just before he hit it.

People Are Awesome

A compilation of awesome people doing incredible things.





Music: Mecha Love by Hadouken, out now on iTunes:

The Mourners: Tomb Sculptures from the Court of Burgundy

This past weekend I have been fortunate enough to be able to see The Mourners, a special exhibition at the Dallas Museum of Art.

"The Mourners from the tombs of the Dukes of Burgundy are deeply affecting works of art. Beyond their evident visual and narrative qualities, we cannot help but be struck by the emotion they convey as they follow the funeral procession, weeping, praying, singing, lost in thought, giving vent to their grief, or consoling their neighbor. Mourning, they remind us, is a collective experience, common to all people and all moments in history."
                                                  Sophie Jugie, Director, Musée des Beaux-Arts. Dijon

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the Valois dukes of Burgundy ruled over extensive territories in present day France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands from their capital in Dijon, which during their reign became a major center of artistic patronage.

Their court's sculpture workshop, presided over by Claus Sluter and his followers, produced some of the most profound and original art of the period. The tombs of the first and second Burgundian Dukes, Philip the Bold and John the Fearless, are among the summits of their achievement. Each tomb includes in its lower register an elaborate arcade in the flamboyant gothic style, populated by a solemn processional of alabaster figures of monks and clerics that appear to circulate around the tomb as if it were a cloister. These sculptures, known as the mourners, are small-scale embodiments of late medieval devotion. Though part of a larger monument, each sculpture is a masterpiece in its own right, and each mourner is carefully individualized. While some of the figures are shown wringing their hands or drying their tears, others appear lost in solemn contemplation, while still others hide their faces in the deeply carved folds of their robes.

The ongoing expansion and renovation of the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Dijon has created the opportunity for these exceptional works to travel together to the United States. The tombs of the first and second dukes of Burgundy have been displayed since the early 19th century within the dukes' medieval palace, which now forms part of the Museum. These galleries will be renovated between 2010 and 2012, providing a first and only opportunity to present the full suite of mourners independent of the architectural framework of the tomb itself, allowing the sculptures to be viewed and appreciated as discrete works of art. While the mourners from the tomb of Philip the Bold will remain on view in another portion of the museum, those from the tomb of John the Fearless are making an unprecedented tour.

Source http://www.themourners.org/

Peace Through Music

Friday night, during the Playing for Change concert in Dallas, I fell in love!

I fell in love with a 65 year old blind, black man from New Orleans and my life will never be the same again!

Grandpa Elliott and Clarence Bekker in action at the House of Blues in Dallas ( Photo - Keel)

Grandpa Elliott, born Elliot Small in 1945, also known as Uncle Remus, is a street-musician in New Orleans, Louisiana. He plays the harmonica, sings, and has been a New Orleans street icon for decades. His music and comforting presence have touched countless hearts throughout the years. When you think of the French Quarter you think of Grandpa. Many locals and frequent visitors to the Quarter consider Grandpa the saving grace and passionate force behind the revitalization of the city since Hurricane Katrina. His voice reminds us all that music can help the soul persevere through many hardships.

With a voice that tickles the soul and a harmonica that lifts the spirit, Grandpa continues to dazzle audiences from street corners to stages across the country.

He has also been on The Tonight Show and The Colbert Report. He has been a street icon on Royal Street in the French Quarter and Jackson Square in New Orleans since moving from New York City back to his place of birth in the 60's.

He performed to a crowd of more than 40,000 at Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California, on June 30, 2009, playing the Star Spangled Banner on harmonica and singing God Bless America. Watch it HERE. His debut solo album, Sugar Sweet, was released November 3, 2009.

The Playing For Change Band is a group of musicians from different cultures uniting together for the common purpose of peace through music is a powerful statement. 

The Playing for Change Band

Their 2010 fall tour is highlighted by the addition of famed Senegalese guitarist Ilon Ba (Baaba Maal) to the stellar Playing For Change band which includes percussionist Mohammed Alidu (Northern Ghana), vocalist Clarence Bekker (Netherlands/Suriname), vocals/harmonica Grandpa Elliott (New Orleans), vocals/percussionist Mermans Kenkosenki (DRC Congo), guitarist Jason Tamba (Kinshasa, the capital of DRC Congo) and vocalist Titi Tsira (Gugulethu, South Africa). Watch them sing Felangaye HERE

The Playing For Change Foundation (PFCF) is dedicated to connecting the world through music by providing resources (including, but not limited to facilities, supplies, and educational programs) to musicians and their communities around the world. http://www.playingforchange.org/

Source: Wikipedia and the Playing For Change Website

Day at the Zoo!

So, who knew that I would actually enjoy going to the zoo in Tyler, Texas! Right downtown is Caldwell Zoo and boy, is it well kept!

First opened in 1953 as the Caldwell Children's Zoo, the zoo was a development of the Child Development Laboratory, operated by the Hogg Foundation and the American Association of University Women of Tyler. It was run by Mr. and Mrs. David King Caldwell, who had brought in many animals for the enjoyment of the children and eventually established into an official zoo.

David King CaldwellBy 1967 the zoo featured over 500 animals from 87 different species. In 1970, the zoo was broken into, and several animals were killed. This prompted the children of the area to collect money to help restore things. Enough money was raised for the zoo to acquire an African elephant and was the catalyst to modernize the entire zoo. The city granted them 40 acres (160,000 m2) of more land in 1976, and a large, long-term expansion project was undertaken. A new elephant enclosure was built, and giraffes were added in 1978. In 1983 a 15-acre (61,000 m2) native Texas area was opened, and in 1984 reptile and aquarium sections were opened. In 1987 major reconstruction of the African exhibits was completed, creating large pasture areas and an overlook. Throughout the 90s, more improvements were added. In 2002 a new veterinary hospital was completed, along with brooding areas, and a quarantine facility. The zoo now houses a "Wild Bird Walkabout" featuring over 400 parakeets and cockatiels. Bird, otter and penguin presentations have also expanded, allowing for the further education of the public.

Plans are also in action to expand into the unused land surrounding the current zoo, including a new glass-enclosed aviary and improved habitats for animals. There will be several new animal additions accompanying these expansions including a colony of meerkats.

The Caldwell Zoo also houses the largest African elephant in North America.