Get Involved Archives - Page 5 of 6 - Center for Global Impact

The Luxury of Making Choices

Photo by Aimee Davis

I caught malaria once. It came during a season when I was a missionary serving overseas among the poor. To this day, I’m not sure how or when I contracted the disease. I simply remember the pain and fatigue which overwhelmed me for weeks until I did one crucial thing.

I bought medicine—a tiny pack of four pills costing the equivalent of eight dollars.

This action seems logical, and indeed, it was. What complicated it was my awareness that the majority of those I was ministering to would have died long before being able to afford the life-saving treatment.

Yet my understanding of this, as well as hundreds of conversations with the poor, made poverty no less easy to define. Initially it was a lack of money, space, and resources, and certainly the poor experience the deprivation of such. However, poverty encompasses much more than physical shortages. Rather, to be poor is to dwell in an existence without options and in circumstances without escape.

Quite frankly, the poor do not have the luxury of making choices.

Photo by Aimee Davis

As a believer, I can’t help but consider the greater significance in having the ability to choose. The Bible’s first book gives witness to Adam and Eve roaming the confines of Eden with opportunities at their fingertips. To name this, to go there, to eat that; this remarkable human propensity to make decisions existing before the fall of humankind signifies divine approval. Perhaps free will is a significant and foundational component of not only what it means to be human, but also what it means to be in perfect communion with God.

So what does this mean for us, and more importantly, for Cambodia? It means ushering individuals and families into communion with God again through restoring choices to the poor. And this restoration is what CGI is passionately pursuing.

Photo by Sonja Overhiser

For the most vulnerable women and girls of Cambodia,it means. . .

– she can choose to send her brother to school tomorrow because of the meal she cooked at the Green Mango Café tonight.
– she can choose to accept a higher paying position because of the fluent English she learned as a cgiDaughter.
– she can choose to buy the medicine that will save her mother’s life because of the purse she sewed for byTavi.

She can choose.

Think about those words. Then join CGI in the fight for the poor and for their freedom to choose.

by Bethany Rivera

byTavi at Village Experience

Well, if you are as old as I am you’ll know the Village People’s one hit song was YMCA, but you might not know Village Experience (6055 N. College Ave. 46220) has a more contemporary message.

Nicole Krajewski & Martha Brammer

Founded in 2008 by sisters, Anne and Kelly Campbell, Village Experience sells fair trade products handmade by impoverished women in Thailand, India, and Kenya. Their heart to help the poor make a living by providing an American market correlates well with CGI’s mission

Thursday, June 27, from 5-7pm, byTavi’s new Imprint Collection, along with Green Mango treats from CGI’s cookbook, were featured in the fair trade boutique’s Give Back Evening. Several CGI supporters attended and enjoyed browsing through the byTavi products.

Yet what made the evening more significant is the partnership of two like-minded organizations collaborating to help at-risk women throughout the world. I’m thinking Jesus likes that cooperative spirit in His followers.

Let’s pray for more opportunities to work together with those nearby and those throughout the nation and world.

by Joyce Long

Hearts to Help Cambodian Kids

“Jesus loves the little children, All the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white, All are precious in His sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world.”

When Clare Herbert Woolston (1856-1927) penned these lyrics to a Civil War marching tune, she had no idea that children decades later would still be singing them. Nor would she fathom how CGI KIDS would someday take these words to heart. All she knew is that Jesus loves children and so should we. (Matthew 19:14)

When 75 kids during Fountaintown Christian Church’s Vacation Bible School (VBS) learned about their Cambodian counterparts, they wanted to help. They raised $1,800, some of which has already been used to purchase school uniforms. Costing $10 each, an estimated one-third of the families cannot afford the three-four uniforms required for each of their children to attend school.

Having clean water to drink is also a huge need for families living in extreme poverty. Recently one hundred kids from Southside Bible Church’s VBS have helped by contributing money for 23 water filters.

When kids here break their piggy banks and ask for more chores to help kids in Cambodia, Jesus smiles. He may even be singing!

Meet Joanna Goodwin!

The loving hands of 150+ state-side volunteers like Joanna Goodwin make CGI’s byTavi program possible. Raised in a Christian home, Joanna participated in mission work in Moscow, Russia and Honduras. Because of her love for God’s people, Joanna attended the 2011 North American Missionary Convention where she first encountered byTavi. She was so awed by the story behind the beautiful products that she was soon loaning out her personal purse to spread the word.

Within a year, Joanna hosted over 15 events and became one of byTavi’s most valuable sales representatives. Like many in the Bible, Joanna’s story isn’t one of an extraordinary woman with special training, but one of a God-loving, passionate mother of twins who fell in love with Tavi’s story. Since then she has blessed many women with her heart.

In March Joanna hosted byTavi staff Whitney Vance and Kristen Baynai in Atlanta for a weekend of shows and the opportunity to speak in her church, Galilee Christian Church. As relationships continue to grow in Georgia, byTavi is blessed by the love and support of Joanna (and husband Mark) and her parents John and Karen Dressler. Her friends Tonya Moore of Cornelia Christian Church and newly recruited byTavi Rep Samantha Depue have also been very influential in helping her spread the word. Please pray for Joanna as she moves forward with new partners and relationships in 2013. God is building byTavi all over the country, and we are so blessed by His work and those who work with Him.

For the Kids in Cambodia

In September 2012 I had the joy of participating in CGI’s 5K. I signed up anticipating my husband would watch our 15-month-old son and 3 ½ year old daughter while I lazily jogged the trail. Well, husband dearest needed to rescue a jet engine, leaving me with our children. I quickly realized my simple, sweet trot to raise awareness about Cambodia would be much more work. I loaded our double stroller, packed a bag of snacks, filled sippy cups to the brim and trudged off to the race.

My daughter Nellianne began asking questions: “Where are we going? Who are the people we’re running for? When do we eat next? They don’t have nice water?! I have to pee!” general questions and comments for a three-year-old thrust into a 5k. We arrived, unloaded, and checked in. The event, geared toward children, bustled with carnival games and parents as runners registered and proudly pinned on their badges. The large group headed toward the start line, funneling together like clowns in a car.

Just after the start gun popped, Nellianne looked up at me and politely asked, “Momma, may I run, too?” A thousand thoughts zoomed through my brain (as often happens in a mother’s mind). In the end, I let her run.

photo by: Craig Nordhoff

And she ran. And ran. And ran some more. In total, Nellie ran ¾ of the 5k and, in honesty, motivated me to run more than I would have otherwise.

After the race, I asked her if she understood why we were running. “Ummm…” She paused.

“For the kids in Cambodia.”

“But, Nellie, do you know what that means? Why do they need people to run for them?”

She waited, then responded, “They don’t have water or anything and we’re running for them.”

“That’s right sweetheart. We ran today so they could hear about Jesus and have jobs and clean water and so many more wonderful blessings! Our running raised money to help them!”

Two months later, she came to me and asked if she could give some of her toys to the Cambodian kids that don’t have any. We gathered some stuffed animals and books she no longer used or needed and gave them to Jaime Roscoe. When Jaime asked her why she wanted to do that [give her toys away], she said: “It made me sad they didn’t have anything to play with.”

I completely underestimated my daughter. Not only did she run – she grasped the idea of the run. It stuck somewhere in her tiny toddler heart, causing her to make decisions later in the year to help someone else, without provocation or motivation for herself. CGI Kids is helping change distant ideas into concrete concepts for children to grasp. Nellie isn’t just putting money in a jar to help change lives in Cambodia, she’s visualizing another child in need and asking, “What else can I do? How can I help more?”

CGI Kids is doing so much to help me teach Nellianne about people in need, about what it means to have a servant’s heart and what loving one another is all about. I am so grateful for their ministry and the way it is shaping my daughter.

by Emily Golbov

My Sister Tavi

My sister died of cancer the day before I was scheduled to leave for Cambodia. While my heart broke, I knew it would honor her memory to go there to see what I could do to empower the poor and prevent human trafficking. My sister and I both shared a passion for this area of brokenness. Each of us felt compelled to be a voice for the voiceless or those who have been silenced. She was a speaker, author, and activist who used her voice to bring attention to women’s issues. Her death inspired me to live my life leaving no stone unturned to help the poor, abused, and marginalized. She’s my inspiration to live with passion and to fuel the fire in my heart to love God, love others, and invite others to join God’s mission.

When I met Tavi, we instantly connected. I just LOVED her! I felt like I had known her my entire life. I’m sure this came from God. It was mutual. We spent time together in her home with her children as well as in the byTavi workshop. She shared her heart, telling me how she lost both her husband and daughter to AIDS and how Center for Global Impact (CGI) had helped her learn a skill. Now with the income from making purses, she could send each of her kids to school and purchase needed medicine to help her stay well as she also has AIDS. Tavi also shared about the pride she has in her home. She was able to replace her mud floor with a cement one, which significantly improved her living conditions. When we finished talking, she asked: “Will you be my sister?”

Tavi didn’t know my sister had just died. She didn’t understand how her question impacted me. We both cried as we agreed to be sisters. Tavi, my sister in Christ, has been empowered through CGI’s byTavi program. Her life will never be the same, and her story inspires me to share byTavi so that others like her can provide for themselves and their families in a healthy way.

Chains are being broken. Lives are being healed. The gospel is being shared, and Christ is being revealed in Cambodia. Daughters are no longer sold into human trafficking because mothers have a professional skill that provides for their families. What a blessing to be a part of what God is doing in Cambodia! He is at work. Who would have thought that by buying a purse, you could change a life? Amazing!

To live is Christ. . .

Tasha Simons

FUN: Par for the Course!

Usually I don’t pre-pay and register to make a fool of myself. I can do that for free. But I’m considering it this time because it’s for a great cause. With CGI’s annual Empower Golf Outing on the horizon (Friday morning, June 7, in case you’re wondering), I’m seriously considering digging out my 1976 vintage Patty Berg starter set. That alone is an act of faith!

Last year over $7,000 was raised in CGI’s inaugural golf outing at Winding River Golf Course. What a blessing! The day was picture perfect , too. For me, hanging out with Aimee Davis, Whitney Vance, Kristi (Dormady) Monroy, and Vanessa Alexander made me feel 30 years younger. This year I expect CGI’s volunteer coordinator Kristen Baynai to continue the “fun” in this annual fundraiser. But what’s fun if we can’t share it?

So I’m challenging you who golf or who have golfed to come join us. The early bird registration (www.myCGIstory.com) ends Wednesday, May 1, if you’d like to save $10 on your entry fee. Or you can even register the day of the event if you’re a weather watcher. Plus as an extra bonus, you may even see an exciting four-some of retro golfers closing out the pack. Handicaps R-Us!

By Joyce Long / Photos by: Aimee Davis

Blessings from Kosova

Corey Devereaux with 7-week old baby girl Eljesa

Corey Devereaux, who helped facilitate CGI’s honey production project, shares God’s work in Kosova.

What a blessing it is to visit Hyra in Morinë. Hyra and her sister in-law Raza lost their husbands and some sons in the genocide performed by the Serbian army in 1998-1999. Chris Alexander, Doug Harty and CGI became involved with the family as they wanted to provide a way for the family to improve their weak financial conditions. They also wanted something that would help us build a relationship to share our faith in Jesus.

As usual I was joined by Arben, Shanae, Gillian and Adam. Arben translates for me and is a good friend and fellow brother in the Lord. Shanae is a colleague/teacher at Prishtina High School (PHS). Adam is my roommate and teacher at PHS and Gillian, a good friend, works with Albanian people in the city of Suharekë.

Today we came to visit for three reasons. One, we last saw the family December 26, the day after Christ’s birth. Two, Marigona,Hyra’s daughter in-law, and Ylber, Hyra’s son, had their first baby seven weeks ago. Three, we wanted to share what Easter means to us as believers.

It was a very blessed time of sharing stories, laughing, talking about the last week of Jesus’ life on earth and the resurrection and eating amazing food.

We are all hopeful and are praying that this will be a productive year for honey. Hyra desperately wants to pay us back for everything that we have given so we can help other families. We just want to build relationship and share the Gospel. Hopefully both take place! To the left is a picture of the family. Ylber wasn’table to be there as he was at work. The new baby’s name is Eljesa.

A Shared Passion

Linda Thomas and the ladies of byTavi in their Ignite t-shirts – July 2011.

Ignite Women shares a passion with byTavi for seeing women set free – spiritually, as well as physically. During Ignite’s recent Bible study, Vanessa Alexander shared how lives are transformed by the power of Jesus Christ through the work of CGI.

Linda Thomas, Ignite leader and author of In Step with the Spirit, also shared her passion for the women and girls of Cambodia. Having traveled to Cambodia in 2011, Linda visited the byTavi workshop along with the Daughters program and the Culinary Training Center (now including the Green Mango Café & Bakery). Linda encouraged the ladies of Ignite to express their faith through love (Galatians 5:6) for the at-risk girls in Cambodia. In this case, that meant SHOPPING! Purses, totes, and messenger bags, along with an assortment of scarves and “Make More Than a Fashion Statement” t-shirts, were available.

CGI appreciates partnerships such as Ignite. In 2010, Ignite leaders specifically prayed they would make an impact “around the world.” God has answered that prayer.

If you are a woman – regardless of age or church affiliation – we encourage you to visit Ignite online: www.Ignite Women.com. Read more

Recycling Our Hearts

by Alan Beringer

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 she searched through bins and asked neighboring store owners if they had anything that she might be able to sell. When she returned we asked her what amount she would make from the recycler. She said $5 a day, but based on what we saw in the cart and know of the industry, that seemed very optimistic.

Our hearts break in increments, but they heal quickly. Then we forget. We become distracted and self-absorbed. Then we move on. Could I challenge you to remember the poor today? Perhaps even do something for the poor today? On the drive from the airport, we were stopped in traffic at a light. A little kid – maybe 8 or 9 – took a feather duster and started “cleaning” our car. This happens a lot here. The boy needed money but knew that doing something was better than just begging. His hopeful eyes gazing through the still dusty glass finally broke Alan Beringer down, who rewarded his effort with a small gift. Let your guard down today and let your heart break just a little. Consider for a moment what your life and what your future would be like if this picture was taken of you.

Until ALL have heard,
Chris