Entries by mycgistory

Midwest Food Bank event

Inspiration comes in all ages and sizes. 43 kids gave up their Saturday morning to come to the Midwest Food Bank and sort out different toiletry items and giant bags of candy for the hungry and needy families of Indianapolis. However, they did not just come, they came willingly and with excited faces. The entire […]

Happy Hands – Happy Handbags

We are constantly overwhelmed by the opportunities that God provides for byTavi in the United States. It seems that every time we turn around, God has opened a door for a major event, or saved us a prime spot at a conference, or gives us the opportunity for a great marketing tool for FREE! This […]

Recycling Our Hearts

When I arrived I noticed the recycling cart parked in front of the CGI office.  This is a pretty common sight in Cambodia, especially in the city.  Very little goes to waste in the developing world.  Mom was not far away, but it struck me that she left her little one in the cart while […]

Story of Hope: Chanary

When I met Chanary two years ago, she would hardly look me in the eye. Her face wore her pain. Her past had its scars, many of which we cannot understand here in Central Indiana.  We welcomed her into the Daughters House, where she was taught the Bible, English, and sewing skills. We watched her […]

A Hand Up, Not a Handout

Opinions:  It is said everyone has one, and everyone is entitled to one. Yet here in Cambodia I have found people do not have opinions, or at least they do not share them. When I ask, “What do you think?”, I get blank looks. This has been a struggle for me, because I like others’ […]

Cook with Love!

Valentines Day is around the corner, and it’s easy to get caught up in the expectations that sometimes surround the holiday. With flowers to buy and cards to sign and dinner reservations to make, the true meaning of love can get lost in the shuffle of our culture’s commercialism. The Bible defines love differently: “Love […]

When Evil Prevails. . .

“All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing.” I first heard this quote when teaching the play, The Diary of Anne Frank, to eighth graders at Greenwood Middle School. Nineteenth century British statesman Edmund Burke’s observation certainly applied to Hitler’s regime and the Holocaust of the 30’s and […]

Fighting for Their Smiles

My name is Vanessa Alexander. I’m a sophomore at the University of Indianapolis studying Social Work with a minor in Child and Youth Programs.  About six years ago my life was changed when I was exposed to the injustice of human trafficking.  Since then I have been blessed to have some awesome experiences that have […]

A Future of Hope

When I was at the workshop yesterday, Sokheng (the older woman seated on the left) asked if her two nieces and their cousin could be included in the byTavi program.  I told her she should ask Nary, who had already sent her to me.  This led to the three of us, plus Vibol, sitting down […]

For Just One

While in Cambodia, I was reminded of the impact this country and its people can have on you. There is such great need everywhere you look. The needs can be overwhelming.  However, I have to constantly remind myself that while we can’t help everyone, we can help some. So we do. There’s a story told […]