Donate gently worn shoes to Haitian earthquake victims via Sport Chalet

Posted on 17. Jan, 2010 by kchristieh in international, non-profits

Hopefully the 28 pairs of gently worn shoes my family and I cleared out of our closets will help make life a little more comfortable for Haitian earthquake victims. I’m just about to drop them off at Sport Chalet, which is partnering with Soles 4 Souls by collecting shoes at all 55 of its stores until January 31st to send to Haiti.

I especially tried to part with sandals and durable shoes and sneakers, since I figure that as a tropical country the people there probably prefer warm weather shoes or shoes that can handle walking over rubble. But I included a few nicer pairs of shoes, since at some point people will be ready to wear more dignified clothing.

I hope that time comes soon.

I pray that my size 7 wide shoes wind up on the right (and left!) feet.

Women are the solution, not the problem

Posted on 26. Oct, 2009 by kchristieh in economy, education, feminism, health, inspirational people, international, startling statistics

Tonight I met one of my heroes: NY Times journalist and Pulitzer Prize winner Nicholas Kristof. I heard him address an alumni group about his work and his new book, Half the Sky. Other than my family and our president, there’s probably no one I’ve blogged about more. I have immense respect for how eloquently he tells the stories of people who are unfairly treated, and for how deeply he cares about what happens to them.

Here’s a quiz based on what I learned this evening:

1. Which do you think there are more of in the world: males or females?
2. If the 19th century was defined by slavery, and the 20th by totalitarianism, what is likely to define the 21st century?
3. True or false: As many American women died in childbirth during World War I as men died on the battlefield.
4. A female sex slave in Cambodia can be purchased for several hundred dollars. Approximately how much in today’s dollars would a 19th century American slave be worth?
5. Which of the following concerns Kristof the least when he visits an African warlord: car accident, banditry, or dying at the hand of the warlord?
6. In some developing countries, families spend 2% of their income on education. What do they often spend 20% on?

Answers:

1. Males. Even though statistically there should be more females, so many females are aborted and such a low priority is placed on the health of women that in many parts of the world, boys outnumber girls by an outsize margin.
2. Gender inequity. It’s a huge problem in much of the world, and holds many societies back. Also, see question 1.
3. True. American maternal mortality improved when women got the right to vote, and politicians thought the electorate demanded adequate medical care.
4. $40,000. As poorly as American slaves were treated, their masters had more of a financial interest in keeping them healthy and productive. A female sex slave is worth so little that if she causes problems, she’s expendable. In some instances, her fellow slaves are made to beat her to death if she’s a troublemaker.
5. Dying at the hand of the warlord. Caveat: that holds true when he’s in the territory of the warlord. The warlord doesn’t want to be known for being responsible for killing an American journalist. I agree about the car accidents; one of my fellow writers from The Stanford Daily recently died in a car accident in Africa.  :(
6. Tobacco, alcohol, prostitution and elaborate celebrations. Kristof argued that this is why women should be empowered to make more financial decisions. He said he’s seen families whose children have died of malaria for lack of a $5 net, and yet the father spends $1.50 on alcohol 3x a week.

Kristof doesn’t want to just make people feel sorry for the people he writes about: he wants to spur them to action. Here were some areas where he said improvement would make a drastic different not only in the lives of the women they affect, but would have a ripple effect in helping the societies in which they live:

• End sexual slavery. Nearly 1 million women and girls a year are trafficked as sex slaves, and at least one reputable group estimates that there are 27 million people in bondage worldwide at this time.
• Improve female education. He said that when he’s talking to leaders of poor nations, he makes more headway on this issue by explaining that females are their country’s biggest untapped resource than by appealing to moral arguments.
• Improve maternal health. Today, a woman in Niger has a 1 in 7 lifetime chance of dying in childbirth. Women in many other countries don’t fare much better. A poor woman in a rural setting has two strikes against her, but there are techniques and practices which could be used to serve even these women better.
• Empower women financially. Micro-loans have been particularly successful in allowing women to not only provide for their family’s livelihood and education, but it’s allowed them to have more of a say in how the family money is spent.

If I were a journalist, I’d want to be like Kristof. But I’ve chosen a path where I can be around my family more, so I try to do my part by volunteering, creating websites for non-profits, and blogging.

Kristof was correct when he said that what makes us happiest is when we help others. It’s immensely satisfying to have a positive impact on the world. And Kristof definitely does.

If you’re interested in hearing Nicholas Kristof speak, he’ll be in Southern California for a bit longer. Here’s his schedule of events.

If Julia Child could do it, so can I

Posted on 09. Aug, 2009 by kchristieh in books, food, inspirational people, international, movies

The new movie Julie & Julia inspired me so much that I’m half-tempted to make boeuf bourguignon for dinner tonight. Instead, I opened up my cookbook cabinet and told my kids that they could each choose a recipe that contains no ingredients that I’m allergic to and I’d make it for them this week.

I knew I’d love this movie. I loved reading both Julia Child’s and Julie Powell’s even before I knew a movie was being made about them. Although I perfectly fit the demographic for someone who’d love these books – a French-speaking, American woman blogger – I think the books and the movie have a more universal appeal. They portray passionate people looking for a purpose in life who are willing to work hard at what they do. I also appreciated both the literary and on-screen representations of their marriages. Both women were in loving marriages full of mutual support and respect. Nora Ephron did a wonderful job of knitting both books together, and Meryl Streep, Amy Adams and the rest of the cast are absolutely marvelous.

I can’t wait to see what my kids choose for me to cook.

White House | Black Market vs. Pakistan

Posted on 08. Aug, 2009 by kchristieh in inspirational people, international, religion

Sometimes I think my brain has a brick wall between its different sections. Sometimes that’s bad, but sometimes it’s necessary in order to fully process what’s going on.

For example, the other day I was waiting to see whether my daughter liked a shirt at White House | Black Market when my cellphone started its merry little ringtone. It was my friend Majid, who’s a pastor in Lahore, Pakistan. He told me about an awful massacre of Christians in Gojra, a village near Lahore. We had an imperfect connection, not only because he was in Pakistan but because I was in the heart of the Glendale Galleria, but even as I gave thumbs-up to my daughter’s clothing selection, I heard about how a mob of 1,000 burned nearly 150 homes, killing 11 people. It was surreal to hear of such horror even as I stood in such a safe and comfortable place.

Majid said that the people of his church are not only giving aid to survivors of the attack, but on August 11th they’re going to bravely protest the government’s mistreatment of religious minorities. August 11th had already been declared a national holiday commemorating the anniversary of Pakistan’s founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s 1947 speech calling for impartial government, religious freedom, rule of law, and equality for all, so it’s fitting that this would be a day to protest for these things.

These people are very brave to protest, and deserve all the prayers and support that people can give them. I hope it makes a difference.

Links:

• Were Pakistan’s Deadly Gojra Riots Enough to Provoke Change? Widespread outrage might lead to reconsideration of country’s blasphemy law or other reforms. (Christianity Today)
• Pakistan churches to hold day of protest on August 11 (Presbyterian Outlook)
• Pakistani Christians Stage Protest Rallies after Violence (Assist News Service)
• Violence against Christian Minority in Gorja City, Punjab Province (ACT International, which is also raising funds to help displaced villagers)
• Majid’s Church
• Proud of being Pakistani? & Flames of Hate (great blog posts with more details about the attack and the current situation in Pakistan)
• (shows how close it is to Lahore)

Here’s part of a message I received from Majid today. He said it was ok to publish it here, since he wants to get the word out about this tragedy.

The Gojra Tragedy is another shameful incidence of religious intolerance and violence against minorities in Pakistan. This is not the first time that the fanatics/ extremist amongst the majority community have committed serious acts of aggression and murder against the minority groups for no fault of theirs.

The brutal attack on Christians in a village called Korian near Gojra town on 31st July 2009 where more than 50 houses were burnt and the people were terrorized on the pretext of desecrating the Holy Quran which in fact never took place.

After two days the Christians living in Gojra town were attacked and seven members of a family were burnt alive, two shot dead and their houses were burnt completely.

An emergent meeting of all Church leaders and primary members of the community was called on 3rd August 2009 at NCCP Ecumenical Center and unanimously condemned the incident of Korian and Gojra.

It was further resolved that the NCCP along with the Catholic Bishop Conference and representatives of the community at large urge the Government and Parliament from the day that the Blasphemy Law was enacted, hundreds of Christians were subjected to prison and torture of no fault of theirs.

It was also resolved that the leaders of the community with the support of the community at large demand the government to repeal the 295 B & C and save the community from religious fanatics and terrorists. For decades these acts of extremism and intolerance have taken place in Shanti Nagar, Sangla Hill, Bahawalpur, Taxila, Murree, Bamian Wala, Kasur and now Gojra and many other places.

It was decided that a protest and prayer meeting be held of all the churches on 11th August, 2009 at Naulakha Church, Lahore in remembrance of the martyrs of Gojra as an expression of solidarity with the Gojra victims.

Why are Costa Ricans so happy?

Posted on 07. Aug, 2009 by kchristieh in animals, inspirational people, international, life lessons, startling statistics, travel

When I left for my week-long vacation in Costa Rica, I figured I’d come back with photos of monkeys, a few bug bites and a deeper tan. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I didn’t see a single monkey, get bitten by a single bug, or darken my skin by even one pixel. Instead, I returned home pondering the meaning of happiness and our place in the world’s ecological and economic crises.

The Happiness Question arose because before I left, I read an article about how Costa Rica was ranked highest on an international survey of happiness. How could a country be so happy when it contains so many squalid, makeshift shacks? Or when it has so much barbed wire and so many bars on the windows? Am I so materialistic that I can’t imagine being so poor and so happy, or were the people that live in those shacks not surveyed? Does the barbed wire exist out of fear, or out of a desire to protect what’s dear?

My daughter, who studied Spanish, Costa Rican history and ecology for the past month in San Jose, says that the reason that Costa Ricans call themselves “Ticos” is that it’s short for simpatico, which means “kind.” Between that and the Costa Rican motto, pura vida (which translates to “pure life”), it appears that the country tries hard to put a positive spin on things. My daughter also says that Costa Ricans are very proud of their beautiful country and their gracious countrymen. And who can blame them? Over 60 years ago, they abolished their military, and devoted their money and effort into security, education, and culture. This stable nation is home to five percent of all known animals on this planet, and has become a world-renowned ecotourism destination. And I will attest to the fact that every single person we met there was incredibly helpful and friendly.

When I returned home, I grabbed off my bookshelf to see if Costa Rica was listed as one of the happiest places that the author chose to visit. It wasn’t. So I went back and looked at the article again, and saw that the survey compared nations based upon their populations’ life expectancies, life satisfaction, and ecological footprint. Costa Rica definitely scored high for ecological footprint, considering its conservation efforts and the fact that people living in shacks don’t use many resources.

I doubt that our country could ever match Costa Rica’s ecological footprint. We’d need to severely limit our material consumption to do so, and I don’t think that on average we have the willpower to do so. And if we did, I doubt we’d be very happy about it.

That’s depressing.

Meet the overseas competition: cramming for exams in China

Posted on 13. Jun, 2009 by kchristieh in education, food, international, things that bug me

If you thought that the 5.5 hour a day, 5 days a week, 14-week Elite SAT review course that I described in yesterday’s post was excessive, then definitely don’t move to China. Today’s NY Times article, “China’s College Entry Test Is an Obsession,” describes how the Chinese standardized test is:

• The only criteria for entry to university
• Only offered once a year
• Nine hours long
• Taken by 10 million students each year, of whom only 3 out of 5 make the cut

Not surprisingly, students cram like crazy for this test. The article described a class of kids that studied in a hospital hooked up to oxygen so that they could concentrate better, and a boy who studied 14-16 hours a day for a year, and only took one day off every three weeks.

It’s too bad there aren’t enough spaces in Chinese universities for everyone who wants an education. At least here in the U.S., there’s a space for nearly everyone to have some sort of higher education.

I appreciate that my kids don’t have to go through this sort of cramming. However, we also need to remember that our kids aren’t just competing against other American kids; they’re competing against the rest of the world. And they’re hungry, figuratively and literally.

Here’s the breakfast of champions described in the article: “a bread stick next to two eggs, symbolizing a 100 percent score.”

Maybe I’ll present that to my son the morning of his PSAT this Fall. Or maybe he’ll stick to his Cheerios.

Discover the World website re-design launched

Posted on 08. Jun, 2009 by kchristieh in international, non-profits, work

I recently had the privilege of re-designing the website for Discover the World, a Christian organization that does lots of great work in Africa, particularly with children whose parents have died of AIDS. They also provide mosquito nets, leadership training, schools, water filters, emergency relief, and more. They make a huge difference in the lives they touch, but there’s nearly an infinite need for more help. I like that their mission is to

“lift up the world’s neediest people so that they can sustain themselves.”

That’s help that will have a long-lasting effect. I encourage you to check out their website and learn about their great work.

Besides enjoying working on a website that will help make the world a better place, I enjoyed working with a nice client that had a full retinue of fantastic photos. While I was working on this site, I heard Greg Mortenson speak and saw the slides he took of the work he’s done in Afghanistan and Pakistan. I was struck by how much more colorful the African clothing and scenery is in the Discover the World pictures, and how much more the people in Africa smile in their pictures despite an equally destitute situation. It’s amazing how different cultures can be.

Save the babies + educate the kids = healthy society

Posted on 06. May, 2009 by kchristieh in education, feminism, inspirational people, international, non-profits, quotes

One of the biggest lessons Greg Mortenson has learned since he started to build schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan is to LISTEN. I think he’s learned it quite well. He’s listened to children, their parents and village elders who have asked him to build schools for their villages. He’s listened to mothers who have asked him to help reduce the infant and maternal mortality rates. And as a result, boys and girls are being educated in greater and greater numbers each year, and those children are coming back and helping their villages escape the cycle of poverty and ignorance that serves as a breeding ground for Taliban extremists.

I had the privilege of hearing Greg speak at the California Distinguished Speakers Series this evening in Pasadena. He’s just like how he describes himself in his bestselling book, Three Cups of Tea: just an ordinary, humble guy. But that’s what makes him so extraordinary. He’s made it his life’s mission to educate the children of Pakistan and Afghanistan, and is particularly interested in making sure that girls get an education. He said that when a girl learns to read, she is likely to teach her mother to read, to read newspapers to her family, and to someday deny her son the blessing that he requires to go on a jihad. Greg is the son of former missionaries, and doesn’t have much money. But he’s determined and passionate, and gets others excited about making a difference in the world.

One of the first slides he showed was of this African proverb:

Teach a boy and you teach an individual

Teach a girl and you teach a community.

At first glance it’s easy to dismiss that as being more applicable to Third World countries, but I found it interesting that he said that many of the American politicians and military readers who say they’ve been touched by Greg’s book say they read it because their wives encouraged them to. I was pleased to hear that the new administration is taking Greg’s ideas seriously. Maybe Barack Obama does read my blog!  ;)

Many thanks to Robin R., who gave me the tickets (my hubby accompanied me – I’d given him the book to read last summer!) since she wasn’t feeling well. I hope she gets better soon! Now I need to sleep and stay healthy to continue making a difference and to have the energy to do even more things!!

26 Great Things About My Church

Posted on 28. Apr, 2009 by kchristieh in inspirational people, international, religion

There are so many reasons I love La Canada Presbyterian Church: the beliefs, the people, the programs. Today I was reminded that I also love how much our church reaches out to the world. I’m constantly amazed by how many people at our church take on so much. Here’s the list of 26 upcoming events I put on the Outreach portion of our church website this evening:

• Sat., May 2nd:
  Mother-daughter-friend lunch
• Wed., May 6th:
  Scott Chamberlain speaks at Pastor’s Bible Study
• Sun., May 10th:
  • Sign up for a Go Journey on the patio
  • Rev. Bob Engel preaches: “Starting Churches in L.A.”
  • A Light Lunch at LCPC with the Women of the Walter Hoving Home
• Wed., May 13th:
  Rudy Carrasco speaks at Pastor’s Bible Study
• Sat., May 16th
  • Make Breakfast for Inner-City Church Planters
  • Work Projects with World Impact
• Sun., May 17th:
  • Sign up for a Go Journey on the patio
  • Philip Lotspeich preaches: “How Can God Use LCPC to Start New Congregations?”
• Thurs., May 21st:
  Tour After-School Tutoring Program
• Mon., May 25th:
  Run a Marathon (or cheer them on) for Child S.H.A.R.E.
• Tues., May 26th:
  • Tour After-School Tutoring Program
  • Learn about China with Kathy Call
• Wed., May 27th:
  Oasis in the City – Discovering Urban Mission Together
• Sat., June 6th:
  Bring Joy to Women and Children in Need (Hope Gardens)
• Sun., June 7th:
  Visit the Walter Hoving Home
• Wed., June 10th:
  Microfinance: A Solution to Global Poverty
• Mon., June 22nd:
  Changed Lives & Changed Villages in Ethiopia
• Sat., June 27th:
  Work Project with Harambee
• Fri., July 3rd – Sun., July 5th:
  Improve an Orphan’s Home
• Sun., July 5th – Sat., July 11th:
  Help Rebuild in Galveston, TX
• Sat., Sept. 26th:
  Hammer with Habitat for Humanity
• Wed., Oct. 7th:
  East Africa Vision Evening
• Mon., Oct. 12th:
  Hear About Ethiopia
• Sat., Nov. 7th:
  Hammer with Habitat for Humanity

I wish I had time to do all of these!

Wayward conversation defiles classic French poster

Posted on 14. Apr, 2009 by kchristieh in art, international, music

I hate it when something I like winds up having a negative connotation. Like a favorite name (Katrina) that becomes associated with a major hurricane, or a date (4/1) that will be remembered for a very sad event.

That happened on a smaller scale this evening. Somehow a conversation wandered to the subject of Michael Jackson, and I joked that we should purchase the gates to Neverland that are being put up for auction. Wouldn’t they look marvelous on our driveway?

But then my son passed through the kitchen, and saw the little framed poster of a French woman gazing fondly upon her daughter as she served hot chocolate to a cat: “Compagnie francaise des chocolats et des thes.”

He wrecked it by noting that the woman looks like Michael Jackson. Doesn’t she? Creepy. I need to take a break from this picture for a long, long time.

Come to think of it, Michael Jackson is guilty of wrecking the name “Neverland” for legions of Peter Pan fans.

Why I give money to the Father of the White Monkey

Posted on 22. Feb, 2009 by kchristieh in inspirational people, international, religion

Can you imagine putting yourself in mortal danger by training medics and bringing humanitarian aid to besieged people in an ongoing civil war? Would you bring your spouse and young children behind the enemy lines?

Several years ago I heard the founder of the Free Burma Rangers speak, and that’s exactly what he does. He’s the son of missionaries and a former U.S. Special Forces major, so he’s well-equipped to risk his life to bring medical care and hope to the ethnic Karen people of Burma. In order to shield his identity, he’s referred to as “Father of the White Monkey” in the recent Atlantic article, “Lifting the Bamboo Curtain.” Here’s how he describes his work:

“We stand with the villagers; we’re not above them. If they don’t run from the government troops, we don’t either. We have a medic, a photo­grapher, and a reporter/intel guy in each team that marks the GPS positions of Burmese government troops, maps the camps, and takes pictures with a telephoto lens, all of which we post on our Web site. We deal with the Pentagon, with human-rights groups … There is a higher moral obligation to intervene on the side of good, since silence is a form of consent.

I was incredibly impressed by him (and his family). He’s brave, honest, hardworking and loyal. I feel completely confident that my donations to the Free Burma Rangers are used wisely and have an incredibly positive impact.

If you want to learn more, visit the Free Burma Rangers website. It uses photos and stories to document what the FBR relief teams have found on their missions. Note: it’s not for the faint of heart, for the Burmese Army has perpetuated some horrific atrocities.

Someone should make a movie about the Father of the White Monkey. In the meantime, I’ll keep donating, praying for them (I have a Memo to Me reminder to do so every day) and will make sure to wear the Good Life Club t-shirt he gave me to Curves tomorrow.

It’s hard to stop the babies when there’s chemistry involved

Posted on 13. Feb, 2009 by kchristieh in international, parenting, shopping

I’m pretty proud of myself for this week’s Etsy Find: a “sugar and spice and everything nice” card for the baby shower for a chemistry whiz friend who’s expecting a little girl.

There was definitely chemistry between Great Britain’s 13-year-old Alfie Patten and 15-year-old Chantelle Steadman about 9 months ago. Alfie, who looks like he should be in 4th grade, became the proud papa to little Maisie Roxanne this week. Click to see the video.

So sad. I hope it works out for them.

It’d be easy to judge them, their families, and the society in which they (we) live. But if there’s one thing parenthood has taught me, it’s humility. I’m just grateful I’m not a grandma right now, and will just keep doing what I can to teach my kids to make good decisions. And when it comes to sex, I’d better be the teacher, because they’re not getting any sex ed. at school.

Maybe this situation will be a wake up call to others who can help prevent more 13- and 15-year-olds from becoming parents.

Jack is Back!

Posted on 23. Nov, 2008 by kchristieh in international, tv

I took a break from my love affair with my new iMac to watch “24 Redemption” this evening. Jack Bauer is saving the world once again, this time from African warlords and the people who fund them.

I was impressed that there were commercials encouraging people to donate to MalariaNoMore and to learn more about the use of child soldiers. Maybe this show will make a positive difference in the world.

It was also cool to see a woman president. I hope Barack Obama’s first day in office isn’t as eventful as hers is. Too bad Obama doesn’t have a real-life Jack Bauer to back him up.

I loved the preview for the upcoming season. My favorite line was Chloe’s: “I’m just a stay-at-home mom.”

Oh, Chloe. Never say “just” a stay-at-home mom. Like all other moms, I’m sure you’ll prove yourself pretty quickly!

It’s much easier to read Pedro Paramo with this character chart as a study guide

Posted on 28. Oct, 2008 by kchristieh in books, international

When Salon.com called the classic Mexican novel “The Perfect Novel You’ve Never Heard Of,” I knew I had to read it. Here’s a quote from one of the great reviews on :

Juan Preciado comes to Comala looking for his estranged father, Pedro Paramo. In this town, the dead and the alive mingle together and talk, the epochs overlap. Bit by bit we are told a violent and dark story, with somber and convoluted characters. In the end it is a tale of war, perversion, solitude and other themes common to Latin American literature, but seen from a very unusual perspective. And Rulfo reveals as an extremely self-demanding author: every sentence is worked and reworked to utter perfection. Read it, it’s magical.

Since the book is about a man seeking his father in Mexico, I gave it to my husband for Father’s Day. He enjoyed it, but said that it was confusing, especially if you read it a few pages at a time. Even the Salon.com article agrees:

Peculiar things start to happen on the page, things I’ve never seen in a book. The tenses switch back and forth, past to present and back again, sometime in the space of a single paragraph, until time itself becomes senseless. The stories begin to refract, shatter, and rebuild; pronouns multiply—I, he, she, you, stumbling over each other. Dialogue and thoughts are left unattributed. The perspectives shift from internal to external and back again, from Preciado to Paramo to Paramo’s childhood love, Susana San Juan. “This town is full of echoes,” one character says.

On Sunday afternoon I read the whole book, and every time a new character appeared, I added it to my chart. It got pretty complicated, but my husband was right: charting it made the story and its meaning much, much clearer, and helped me to enjoy the story much more. Click here or on the picture below to see the pdf version of the chart, which was created in Microsoft Publisher.

It’s good when our world gets smaller

Posted on 25. Sep, 2008 by kchristieh in international, politics, quotes

Meet Oleksiy (Alex) Palchykov and Andrii Chakov. They stayed with us the other night when the Kiev Symphony Orchestra played at La Canada Presbyterian Church. Both are singers, and Alex is one of the lead soloists. The whole group was extraordinarily talented.

Alex and Andrii only spent one night at our house, but we all enjoyed getting to know each other and learning a little about each other’s worlds. We exchanged email addresses, and hopefully we’ll keep in touch.

This is the second time this year we’ve had international visitors. Several months ago, we hosted an amazing Pakistani family at our house, and I plan on keeping in touch with them forever.

I think it’s great when we meet people from other countries.

• It reminds us that our way isn’t always the “right” way. Andrei wanted his milk heated up before he put it on his cereal. Nothing wrong with that!
• We have a chance to appreciate our blessings. We get a distorted view comparing ourselves to other Americans.
• It gives us a human face behind the stereotypes. I have a much different view now of Pakistan’s people than I had a year ago.
• When we know people from a place, we’re more likely to want to learn more about that place. Just as I keep up with the RedBankGreen blog because I used to live in that area, I also read articles that mention Kiev or Pakistan much more closely now.

The other day I saw a CNN segment where a group of young, first-time voter Mennonites in Goshen, IN were asked whether they thought it was naive for Barack Obama to want to meet with leaders such as Hugh Chavez and groups such as Hamas. Here’s a sampling of what they said:

• “How else do you fix the issues that are important to us if the leaders won’t talk to each other?”
• “I think diplomacy and trying to find alternative solutions is something that involves a leap of faith. But if you’re willing to take that risk and to have that faith, you find hope in something greater than yourself.”
• “I think that part of being patriotic is being a good neighbor to those actually in our country and to those far away.”
• “You can’t just think about what you want, but about what others want also. Maybe their choices aren’t always the greatest, but they’re human beings, and they deserve respect.”
• “When you go to another culture, you learn that the way that you were raised isn’t the only way, and maybe not even the correct way…and you learn to respect other peoples’ views and other peoples’ ways of thinking.”
• One young woman talked about how she was shocked at how her stereotypes were shattered when she traveled to Iran and was welcomed with incredible warmth into peoples’ homes.

Amen to all of that! Note to self: must find out more about this Goshen College that these articulate young people attend…too bad Indiana’s so far away!

How tolerant should we be of intolerance?

Posted on 22. Jul, 2008 by kchristieh in books, education, international, religion

I value love, and an outshoot of that is that I value respect and tolerance for people with other viewpoints and beliefs than my own.

But what should I do when the other person is not only intolerant, but actually advocates hating people such as myself? According to the Slate.com article, A Textbook Case of Intolerance, government-sanctioned textbooks teach Saudi schoolchildren to hate non-Muslims:

In fact, any child who sticks around in Saudi schools until ninth grade will eventually be taught that “Jews and Christians are enemies of believers.” They will also be taught that Jews conspire to “gain sole control of the world,” that the Christian crusades never ended, and that on Judgment Day “the rocks or the trees” will call out to Muslims to kill Jews.

These passages, it should be noted, are from new, “revised” Saudi textbooks. Following a similar analysis of earlier versions of these same textbooks in 2006, American diplomats immediately approached their Saudi counterparts about the more disturbing passages, and the Saudis agreed to conduct a “comprehensive revision … to weed out disparaging remarks towards religious groups.”

It’s hard for me to be tolerant of that. Sounds to me like American diplomats need to protest again. If only this were just a Saudi problem. Slate says that these textbooks are also “distributed, free of cost, to Saudi-sponsored schools as far afield as Lagos, Nigeria, and Buenos Aires, Argentina.”

This is so sad. All it does is encourage hatred and division. All the more reason for our government and private individuals to help fund organizations such as Greg Mortenson’s Central Asia Institute.

Why Barack Obama should read “Three Cups of Tea”

Posted on 15. Jul, 2008 by kchristieh in books, inspirational people, international, politics, religion

For all the money we’ve spent fighting terrorism in Pakistan, it seems to me the situation is far worse off now than it was several years ago. Too bad our government doesn’t adopt Greg Mortenson’s tactics. Nicholas Kristof agrees:

Mr. Bush has focused on military force and provided more than $10 billion — an extraordinary sum in the foreign-aid world — to the highly unpopular government of President Pervez Musharraf. This approach has failed: the backlash has radicalized Pakistan’s tribal areas so that they now nurture terrorists in ways that they never did before 9/11.

Mr. Mortenson, a frumpy, genial man from Montana, takes a diametrically opposite approach, and he has spent less than one-ten-thousandth as much as the Bush administration. He builds schools in isolated parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan, working closely with Muslim clerics and even praying with them at times.

You can read all about Greg Mortenson in the book, Three Cups of Tea. (Wow. It’s as of this time.) I finished reading it recently, and was totally inspired by this humble American mountain climber who sacrifices his time with his family and a potentially higher standard of living to help people halfway around the world. His willingness to adapt to local customs and the love he has for the people he is trying to help have earned him immense respect among people who are usually suspicious of Westerners.

Today I had lunch with a friend who’s involved in a ministry in Ethiopia that builds schools and especially tries to educate girls. Hopefully I’ll be able to help them by creating a website in the next few months so that they can convince more people to support them. Here’s an impressive ministry our church supports that I think someone should write a book about: The Free Burma Rangers. They brave incredible dangers to bring emergency assistance to the indigenous Karen people of Burma, as well as document human rights abuses.

We’re so blessed in this country, and it’s incumbent that we share our blessings. Hopefully our next President will understand this and we’ll make REAL progress towards peace and understanding.

Where the Hell is Matt?

Posted on 11. Jul, 2008 by kchristieh in international, travel, videos

He’s dancing on YouTube in his “” video. This 31-year-old self-described deadbeat can be found dancing his goofy dance everywhere from Alhambra to Zambia, with everyone from crabs to Bollywood dancers to African children.

It’s silly, but I bet it will make you smile. I’ve watched it twice now, and it was even better the second time. I love seeing people from all over the world having fun, and seeing how as different as we are, we’re also very similar. I also love seeing the exotic scenery.

If someone were to ask, “Where the Hell is Kathy?”, the answer would probably be at my desk. I hardly ever go anywhere. Matt notes on his website that Americans need to travel more. He’s right. If only we got more vacation and the dollar were stronger. Also, I’ve never been a self-described deadbeat. I’m not complaining, however: there are advantages either way.

PS – Don’t miss the . They show more cool places he visited. I would NEVER dance on that rock in Norway! Also, see the where he dances alone in lots of places. It inspired a gum company to sponsor him for the big trip.

PPS – I found out about this from today’s NY Times article, A Private Dance? Four Million Web Fans Say No. They’re going to have to change that headline, as he’s at over 16 million views at this point.

“Live and Become” is an amazing movie

Posted on 05. Jul, 2008 by kchristieh in international, movies

I agreed to see “Wall-E” last week only if my family would see “Live and Become” (translated from “Va, Vis et Deviens”) with me this weekend. I’d heard about it awhile back, but when I got a special Laemmle Theatre email touting it, it sounded like a movie I didn’t want to miss. I’m SO glad I went!

The movie’s about a Christian Ethiopian refugee boy whose mother places him with a Jewish Ethiopian woman who is being airlifted to Israel during Operation Moses in 1984. He hides that he’s neither Jewish nor an orphan for many years, and leads a completely Jewish life until his secrets overtake him.

I looked the movie up on Wikipedia, and it doesn’t mention anything about it being a true story. It sure seems real, however, and I’m guessing it’s a combination of many true stories. It’s a long movie – 140 minutes – but it kept me completely enraptured. The story is gripping, the acting is wonderful, and at the end it totally made me cry. It’s no wonder this film won too many awards to list. (Bonus for you Francophiles: much of the dialogue is in French!)

The adults in our group loved it, but my teenage son thought it was too long. I think my daughter would have liked it, but she wasn’t there. I took her to see “Kit Kittredge” tonight, so I made up for it. More about that tomorrow…

“Persepolis”: the perfect 4th of July movie

Posted on 03. Jul, 2008 by kchristieh in books, international, movies

Here’s why you should rent Persepolis this weekend:

• This movie about a girl growing up in Iran reminds us to cherish our freedom, and to be willing to make a stand to preserve it.
• It’s appropriate for most of the family (it deserves its PG-13 rating).
• The animation is so amazing that it was nominated for an Academy Award earlier this year and won the Jury Prize at Cannes in 2007.

I enjoyed reading Marjane Satrapi’s autobiographical graphic novels, and several years ago. This movie combines both books. She’s a very brave, intelligent woman, but is also very humble and willing to share very personal details about her life. Our whole family enjoyed this movie.

The book you MUST read this summer: “What is the What”

Posted on 20. Jun, 2008 by kchristieh in books, inspirational people, international

If you read only one book this summer, read Dave Eggers’ . It chronicles the life of Valentino Achak Deng, who escaped from his village in Southern Sudan to become a “Lost Boy” who saw unspeakable horrors as he walked across the desert to safety. After years as a refugee, he was fortunate enough to come to the U.S. and start a new life. His courage and determination are inspirational.

This incredibly well-written tome weaves current events with Valentino’s recollections of his youth. The book is labeled a novel only because he can’t guarantee that conversations and events are exactly as he remembers them, but the book has so much detail that I bet he’s not far off. I couldn’t put this book down.

Besides learning a lot about this time and place, I gained even more of an appreciation for the current situation in Sudan. It was also a good reminder not to whine about the little setbacks I may suffer in life. In truth, I’m a very, very fortunate gal, and need to be thankful for that and do what I can for those who aren’t as fortunate.

Hopefully I’ll be able to convince my kids to read it.

I’m making a difference as an international lender via Kiva

Posted on 19. Jun, 2008 by kchristieh in international, non-profits

A year ago, I lent María Del Roció González of Nuevo Laredo, Mexico $75 to help purchase a bread machine for her bakery. I did it via Kiva.org, which pooled my money with other lenders’ to loan Sra. Gonzalez a total of $1,200. She’s been paying it back on a regular basis, and made her final payment yesterday.

Instead of withdrawing the money, I chose to lend it to someone else. Whenever I lend to someone on Kiva, the first thing I do is search for a Hernandez. I figure they might be a distant relative. I actually found one yesterday, and decided to lend the money to Francisco Javier Saldaña Hernandez of Acuna, Mexico so that he can expand his small house. He still needs $400 to get to the $600 total that he needs, so click here to donate! At first I was hesitant: after all, he’s not using it to expand a business. But then, I figured that I was lucky to be a Hernandez in the United States, where banks are happy to lend far greater sums to me. Also, the agency that referred him to Kiva has a 0% default rate.

Of the 22 Kiva loans I’ve made, 10 have been paid back in full so far. It’s satisfying to know I’m able to make a difference in peoples’ lives.

Pan’s Labyrinth deserved all the awards it received

Posted on 18. May, 2008 by kchristieh in international, movies

Last night I had the most bizarre and imaginative dreams I’ve had in a long time. It makes sense: I finished watching “Pan’s Labyrinth” right before I went to bed. This Academy Award-winning Spanish movie was one of the most creative I’ve ever seen. It ties the Spanish Civil War in with a story of a little girl who believes in fairies. The special effects are incredible, and the story is both disturbing and riveting at the same time. It’s in Spanish with English subtitles, but if you speak even un poquito of Spanish, you’ll probably understand a lot.

It’s rated R, but don’t think it’s any more mature than most PG-13 movies. Even so, my teens didn’t like it. They saw it several months ago, before they knew about the Spanish Civil War. Without understanding the context of the story, the movie seemed downright strange to them. It’s probably best to keep this one for the adults.

Are there Scientologists in Iran?

Posted on 27. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in international, movies, religion, sports

Just kidding. Bad idea.

But I couldn’t resist the analogy after watching the following two shows back-to-back on my Tivo last night:

• An with Jenna Miscavige, daughter of Scientology leader David Miscavige. Jenna spoke about what it was like to grow up in the Church of Scientology, and what drove her to leave.
• The movie Offside, about Iranian girls who dressed like boys to try to see a 2006 soccer match between Iran and Bahrain which will determine which team goes to the World Cup finals.

I felt like we had a Repression Film Night. The Nightline interview reiterated for us how wacky Scientology is, and how it has serious issues with anyone who disagrees with it. (I guess this blog post means I won’t be invited to Tom & Katie’s any time soon!) As for Offside, it offered a view of Iran that we seldom get in the West. The girls tried to use logic to convince the soldiers to let them see the game, but the soldiers weren’t driven by logic. They lived in fear of their Captain, and didn’t want to mess up their own chance to finally get out of the military. So the repression continues.

Ironically, as repressive as Iran is, Offside made it clear that Iranians are quite proud of their country. In fact, my husband pointed out that it’d be folly for us to ever think we’d have a chance of winning a war against such a patriotic country. I agree.

So once again, last night I was once again reminded how fortunate I am to live in a country that values freedom, and to practice a religion based on love, not repression.

Additional links:

• Great blog posting about Offside
• Legendary Spy Magazine article about Scientology
• Tom Cruise expounding on Scientology (video)

Daryn Kagan’s new book shows us “What’s Possible!”

Posted on 25. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in books, inspirational people, international

Do you ever get tired of reading about all that’s wrong in the world? I do. The world is full of wonderful people who do amazing things, but their stories are often ignored by the media.

Former CNN anchor (and fellow college classmate) Daryn Kagan is determined to find these people and tell their stories. Her website, www.DarynKagan.com, uses videos to tell the stories of people who have accomplished extraordinary feats for themselves and others.

Daryn’s summarized many of these stories in her new book, “” I couldn’t put this book down. I thought that fifty stories might be a bit overwhelming, but each one of them was so special and inspirational that I wanted to read more. Each one of the stories is sticking with me, and I’ve mentioned some to my family and friends. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Sebri Omer, an Ethiopian immigrant who gave up half of his successful gas station business to fund a hospital in his native land;
• Henri Landwirth, a Holocaust survivor who founded “Give Kids the World,” a group which treats children with life-threatening illness to a memorable visit to the attractions of Central Florida;
• Zainab Selbi, who survived Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship and went on to found Women for Women International, which helps other women war refugees;
• Bob Nameng, who went from being a Soweto street child to founding Soweto Kliptown Youth (SKY) to help give the children and young adults of Kliptown hope for the future;
• Paula Lucas, who founded the American Domestic Violence Crisis Line to help women like herself who were being abused on foreign soil;
• Ken Wyniemko, who got heavily involved in The Innocence Project after he was released after being wrongfully imprisoned. (The Innocence Project estimates a 5% failure rate in the judicial system, which translates to 100,000 people wrongly imprisoned!)
• Jacquelyn Mitchard, who emerged from a tough time in her life to write , which wound up being selected for Oprah’s Book Club.

These are only a few of the amazing stories Daryn tells. By the end of the book, I think anyone would be compelled to stop any future whining and find a way to make their own mark on the world. Read this NOW!

China 2008 Olympics rehearsal

Posted on 18. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in international, sports

Too bad China’s so repressive, and that Beijing is so smoggy, for it sure looks like they’re going to put on this summer:

I’ve never seen so many people in one performance.

I wonder how many of them agree with their country’s policies? I doubt that all of them do, but I’m looking at them from my biased American “freedom” perspective.
Then again, maybe many do agree. After all, this poor Duke freshman can tell you all about what it’s like to be perceived as a traitor in China. I’m sure that there are many people who disagree with China’s policies that are afraid to speak out.

We’re all “Under the Same Moon”

Posted on 06. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in international, movies, politics

Meet Carlitos. He’s nine years old, and hasn’t seen his mother in four years. She’s an illegal immigrant living in Los Angeles while Carlitos lives in Mexico with his grandmother. “Under the Same Moon” (“La Luna Misma”) chronicles what happens when the grandmother dies and Carlitos decides to cross the border and find his mother.

I loved this movie. The acting was superb, the story was engaging, and even the hardest of characters were touched by Carlitos’ determination and heart. No matter what your views are on illegal immigration, I think this story will touch you, too.

We went as a family, and we all enjoyed it. Besides the entertainment value and political discussion that ensued, I’m glad it allowed my teens to see one view of what life can be like in Mexico and for illegal immigrants here.

The dialogue and music were in both English and Spanish with English subtitles. I’ve often wondered if mariachis ever play songs with subversive words to unsuspecting cholos, and now I know that if they play the corrido, “Superman es Ilegal,” they’ll be singing words such as,

He came from the sky but is not a plane
He came in his spaceship from Krypton
And though it hurts to admit it
Superman is an illegal
He’s a journalist?
Well so am I.
He didn’t serve in the army.
What’s up with that?
But he’s blond, blue-eyed and well-built
And I am dark and fat and really short
Why do they let him work?
Without Social Security or a green card?
They let him fly without a license
And even call him Superman!

Not so subtle! You can see the clip from the movie that includes the song on YouTube by clicking .

China committing cat genocide

Posted on 02. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in animals, international, sports

My last post received a comment that directed me to the U.K. Daily Mail article, “Olympics clean-up Chinese style: Inside Beijings shocking death camp for cats.”

Thousands of pet cats in Beijing are being abandoned by their owners and sent to die in secretive government pounds as China mounts an aggressive drive to clean up the capital in preparation for the Olympic Games.

Hundreds of cats a day are being rounded and crammed into cages so small they cannot even turn around.

Then they are trucked to what animal welfare groups describe as death camps on the edges of the city.

The cull comes in the wake of a government campaign warning of the diseases cats carry and ordering residents to help clear the streets of them.

Can you imagine seeing this when you walk down the street?

Or what if this happened at your kids’ school?

Paranoia is so intense that six stray cats -including two pregnant females – were beaten to death with sticks by teachers at a Beijing kindergarten, who feared they might pass illnesses to the children.

Of course, this comes as no surprise. After all,

The cull of Beijing’s estimated 500,000 cat population is certain to provoke international outrage as it comes just over a year after the Chinese were criticised for rounding up and killing stray dogs across the country.

Looks like China is willing to implement extreme, cruel measures to create their own Olympic Potemkin village.

Wearing cat coats and Olympians in China: where do we draw the line?

Posted on 01. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in animals, international, my life, politics, religion, shopping, sports

Did you know that it’s legal to make a blanket or coat out of cat fur in Switzerland? According to today’s NY Times article, “A Push to Stop Swiss Cats From Being Turned Into Coats and Hats,” Switzerland is the last Western European nation where this is permitted. I can’t fathom killing a cat for a coat, yet I wear leather shoes every day. Is it because cats are our friends? What if a chicken is your friend? My mother-in-law befriended a chicken when she was a little girl, and then one night it was on the dinner table. She hardly ate chicken for the rest of her life.

Where do we draw the line?

That’s what Olympic athletes are asking themselves. In “Issue for Athletes: Protest on Darfur at Olympics,” Olympics-bound athletes relate their struggle to balance disapproval with China’s human rights policies with the fulfillment of their lifelong dreams. More than 200 of them have joined “Team Darfur,” whose purpose is to increase awareness of the genocide in Darfur.

Should the athletes boycott the games? Can we Americans truly stand on such a high horse, considering our high incarceration rates, our government’s willingness to use torture and the very existence of the prison at Guantanamo Bay? And if we ask the athletes to boycott the games, shouldn’t we do our part and stop purchasing goods made in China? What about other countries with dubious human rights records?

It’s easy to see why people come to different conclusions on issues such as these. There are no easy answers. I try to do my best to do what’s right, to stay informed, and be willing to change my mind. It sounds very relative, I’m afraid. I try to do what Jesus would do, but sometimes that’s hard to figure out.

West Bank Story spoofs Israeli-Palestinian relations

Posted on 07. Mar, 2008 by kchristieh in international, movies

I think I started laughing the moment that “West Bank Story” began. After years on our wishlist, this 2006 Academy Award Winner for Best Live Action Short Film finally showed up on our Tivo. The movie follows the story arc of “West Side Story,” but instead of the Jets and the Sharks, it features the Palestinians who run the Hummus Hut right across from the Jews who run the Kosher King. There’s music, snapping fingers, a love story, and a great lesson at the end. All of this in only 30 minutes! My kids and I got a big kick out of it, and I laughed constantly.

Shakespeare would be pleased. After all, “West Side Story” itself was based on “Romeo & Juliet.” “West Bank Story” makes the story that much more modern and therefore accessible, and is daring enough to attack a topic as incendiary as Palestinian-Israeli relations. Hopefully this movie will make people on both sides of that debate take a second look at how unproductive hate can be.