House of Loveness, Zimbabwe

Brighton, age 9 (March 2012) supported by House of Loveness, Zimbabwe I've had to spend some time collecting my thoughts about the recent Invisible Children campaign.  The minute the campaign went viral and I saw the urgent appeal on Facebook from my friends and their children, I was perplexed.  The outpouring of urgency from the campaign didn't make sense because I knew Kony (the head of the LRA) that the campaign was focused on capturing (with your donations) was no longer in Uganda AND no longer a threat. His damage was done years ago. The children that survived his atrocities do deserve our help.   The focus should be on empowering the children's future, not on making Kony a household name. I have never met the filmmakers of Invisible Children but I do know they spoke at my own children's school 2 years ago.  They pulled in on their bus, showed their film and got the children engaged in conversations about Africa and how to help. I know their intention...

  Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn't matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we've done something wonderful, that's what matters to me. -Steve Jobs There is always some magic that happens to me every trip to Africa, some connection to my humanity that is exposed.  I go to Zimbabwe for the children but I leave feeling like I've given myself the gift of living my legacy by immersing myself in another country and another culture.  Africa turns on a whole new set of neuro pathways in my body, mind and soul.  I feel more connected to everything when I return...more connected to my family, my friends and my work.  I feel more connected to my ancestors and to a fully lived life. I am especially inspired by African music and dance.  I love the way the women of Zimbabwe move when they dance.  Their movement reveals their life force and their connection to their ancestors. I've had a similar connection to music and dance thr...

                            A Birthday Wish by Susie S.   Once a year, no matter what else is going on, people in my life, friends, family and co-workers have taken the time to celebrate the moment I came onto the planet.  I'm so grateful for that.  Imagine not knowing?   Birthdays have always been special for me.  I was born on my youngest Aunt's 7th birthday and there were always two cakes so we each were special.  Then, as the years passed I met more friends who were born the same day in August.  Marcia, Geoff, Shelly, it is so fun to celebrate with you! When I was 11, my mom bought me a horse for my birthday.  One of the best moments in my life.   I had to do a scavenger hunt all over town and ended up in my Grandma's yard where he was waiting. On my 16th birthday I p...

                        If we wait to feed, educate, and meet the healthcare needs                          of every American child before we look beyond our borders                          then what will the rest of the world look like?                                        -Lucy Griswold (activist/humanitarian)                        Improved technology, population growth and globalization have     ...

House of Loveness children at school A Birthday Wish... Six months ago I was having dinner with my friend Susie S. in London. I was on the way back to the U.S. from Africa where I had been visiting the children my organization, House of Loveness, supports in Zimbabwe.  London was an overnight stop on flights home that were pieced together through frequent flier mileage. I always leave Zimbabwe happy but broke. On the 20+ hours of planes home, I look at the videos and photos I took with the children and I organize my lists of things I need to raise money for my next trip to Zim: 32 pairs of new shoes in sizes 1-5, books for the school we support, donations to cover tuition for the children and an additional teacher, new school uniforms, the list goes on and on. When I arrived in London, I was grateful for the time with Susie, an expat from the US, now living and working in England.  I had just celebrated my birthday (by myself) in Cape Town before I went on to Zimbabw...