Day 6: Y.M.C.A.

This is a non-profit post suggested by Grace Gorin.

Slogan: The Y is a nonprofit like none other. Be a member of something special.
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What is Y.M.C.A (Aka "The Y")?
             

 I think these guys described it best. 

Ok now, really. The Y.M.C.A. has been around for over 100 years. Originally the idea came from a young man named George Williams in London, who felt a  Young Men's Christians Association was needed for the farm boys who came to the city to look for a job. But when the need arose here a decade later a missionary decided to recreate it. Society desperately needed something like this and the Y quickly caught on. Soon after that an African-American's Y was created, and Y centers were used as meeting areas for civil right activists. In the 60s all Y.M.C.A.'s became open for everyone, regardless of race or religion.

Today the Y strives to serve the community be creating diverse programs for children, promoting healthy life styles for adults, and empowering the local body of people. While the Y might not be as Christ-focused as it used to be, the authentic love for people is as vibrant as ever.

Why the Y?

              Two reasons.

Number one. My friend Gracie works there and when first told her about this project she said I should do it. I hadn't even thought of the Y as a nonprofit, so I'm already learning a lot!

Number two. I like the Y. I used to be involved with their kids programs, including indoor soccer (where I learned soccer will never be my sport, I'm horrible at it), and over winter breaks I would get a cheap student membership and go workout. Now it's not so cheap... so I haven't been back but I really do need to go exercising. My muscle loss is horrifying. 

*Sad Note: I had the PERFECT idea for a creative piece of art for the Y, but then I ended up staying late at work and missed my opportunity. Oh well. I also worked on a huge project that I can't reveal just yet. Next week I'll have more time.

Day 5: SAT-7 Revisited

Did you know that the vast majority of Muslims have never met a Christian? To many muslims, Christians are evil. I have been learning about the caricature pictures of Christians that Muslims are being taught. For example, I recently read a story where a young man talked about his mother telling him that, "the Christians will come and take you away if you do not behave." Instead of monsters under the bed, kids would fear Christians!

Jesus loves all

Living in the West we can't understand what life is like in the Middle East and North Africa. There are cultural differences that we can't even comprehend. I spent two months in Egypt, which is the most open country in these regions and still did not understand much. People stood super close, they stared, most of the humor escaped me. If I was to just go up to any person in the street and start talking about Jesus they would think I was crazy and go on their way, if not kick me out of the country. But when a person who is from that culture starts to talk about Jesus, it makes begins to make sense.

This is what sets SAT-7 apart. Each program uploaded to the satellite feed explains Jesus' words through ways that represent both the culture and God's Truth. Did you know that in Tunisia lambs are considered dirty? So when we Westerners talk about Jesus being the Lamb, we are inadvertently confusing and even offending the very people we are trying to communicate with! Thankfully more Christians who understand this cultural separation are stepping forward.

SAT-7 has four different channels, SAT-7TURK, SAT-7PARS, SAT-7ARABIC and SAT-7KIDS. Different channels for different languages and cultures. Stories are coming in daily about how far of a reach this is having on the people watching SAT-7 programs. More couples are trying to work on their relationship instead of giving up, more men are turning from drug and alcohol abuse, and children's livelihoods are improving. In the countries where it is possible, more Christians are reaching out to their Muslim neighbors and becoming emboldened as they talk about their faith.

Here is a video about a group of Christians singing about Jesus in a mall. This is Lebanon's take on a flash mob. When I first watched this, I commented about the audio and how it seemed so staged. An international staff member who I was discussing this with said that for Lebanon Christians, this was huge. They were taking the risk of being out there and it had to be perfect. We don't see it as authentic, because it was obviously pre-recorded and very rehearsed. But to them, it was a huge hit! Put in that context, I watched the video again with a completely different view. 


*With 9/11 right around the corner, consider reaching out to someone you know who has a different faith than you. Remember that as different as that person may be, he/she was created by God and put here for a purpose. By loving like Jesus we can slowly turn the tide of hate and lift the veil of ignorance.

God bless.

Day 4: World Vision

What is World Vision? 
                World Vision's tagline says; "Building a better world for children," but I think that doesn't even cover half of it. This organization teaches, provides, encourages, and connects people all over the world. They have processes set in place for natural disasters and can be one of the first people on scene to help where needed. They are a company that sets up relationships for life, not just come in once and be done.
             
Why World Vision?
               I am highly inspired by World Vision. I do not remember when I first learned about World Vision, but I remember immediately wanting to work for them as a spokesperson. And I absolutely adore their child sponsorship program. It's hard to believe how they started sponsoring children in the 1950s and how big it has become. I think it's a genius model. By sponsoring for the care of a child, you raise the education level in a community, you lower the crime rate because less and less people feel the need to steal to provide for their family, and you provide security for a family financially which allow them to provide a loving environment for a child. Through this, you feel connected to people on the other side of the globe. It's win-win!
            Their disaster relief programs are also unbelievably strong. World Vision has been a consistent help in times of need. The 2004 Tsunami, Haiti, and now the famine in the Horn of Africa, World Vision has been the voice of the people there. I can give money to World Vision and feel completely confident that each dollar is being used in a way that values the humanity of each person being helped. As a Christian, this value is so important to me, but even more to the people in need. People shine when shown that they matter.

Instead of posting a picture of anything today, I want to encourage you to head on over to the World Vision site and consider sponsoring a child or giving to the Horn of Africa cause.

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I follow them quite a bit on social media. They have an amazing media team that captures very well what is going on in World Vision work.




P.s., I am now sponsoring a beautiful little girl named Anju. She is from India, a country very close to my heart. It might be very scary to take the plunge and begin sponsoring, but it is so worth it. I put it off for years because I was never financially stable, and I regret those wasted years when I could have been doing so much good in the world. One of my dearest friend told me over the weekend when we talked about World Vision that she has always had just enough to cover her sponsorship. I would say that she was even more financially unstable than I was, and yet every month $35 dollars would leave her bank account and there would still be at least one dollar left. God has always took care of her needs and her story is very powerful through this. So don't wait, sponsor!

                 

Day 3: Impact Georgia

What is Impact Georgia? 
             Impact Georgia is an organization that seeks to shine the light of Christ in the city of Atlanta through minor house repairs and intentional community work. Inspired by the ministry of Impact Florida, Impact Georgia helps teams of students encourage one another and the community they are serving by "giving up" a week out of their summer to clean up streets, rebuild porches, and exclaiming their love for God with those who may have never experienced His love for them. This week is filled with fellowship, discipleship and hard labor... with some guitar music thrown in of course!

Why Impact Georgia?
            I couldn't NOT do Impact Georgia. This nonprofit was started by one of my very dear friends, the great Kevin Jones. I met him my freshman year at Liberty University, and he has always been a positive influence in my life. He was greatly affected through his work at Impact Florida and felt called to do the same kind of work in Georgia. He and his crew have the training needed and will ensure that safety is paramount with your kids. ...I tried to get a hold of him for an interview, but we just couldn't connect this weekend. Maybe in an update (hint hint, Kevin, text me back!)?

            Also, I chose to profile Impact because I did a similar missions trip camp for three summers after finishing the 6th grade. I still remember some of the people I met and the experiences I gained during those short weeks. I learned I have no knack for carpentry, but plenty encouragement for those around me.

My work gloves from camp

If you are a parent of a teenager or a youth pastor I highly recommend checking out this type of camp, as I know God will move greatly as they are challenged.

 Go check them out!

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Day 2: SAT-7

Forgive me, as I really still do not know how I am going to go about each non-profit. And I had a greater challenge today when I came home and found that the internet had gone out. I'm currently sitting in a McDonald's (very awkwardly, I might add), because Panera Bread closed. But I wasn't going to miss this!

What is SAT-7?
                  SAT-7 is a Christian Satellite Television Station run by and for the people in the regions previously mentioned. I love this because as a Western woman it is nearly impossible for me to understand the cultural differences. I would not be able to broadcast a show and have it as well received as the shows produced by our staff in the studio locations.


Why SAT-7: 
                I chose SAT-7 as the first non-profit because I work for SAT-7 USA, and honestly, working for them was what inspired this project. Since I work behind-the-scenes, I can see how much it influences the people in the Middle East and North Africa, and that the work SAT-7 produces is such a positive encouragement in the lives of our viewers.

How you can help:
                   1. Give. Duh, this is what every non-profit wants. But if you choose to donate to SAT-7, you can pick where your money goes. If you come from a broadcasting background, maybe you want to have your money be spent to purchase new equipment. Or if your passion is to see young men of faith  trained in Biblical truth, you can specify your dollars to go towards the new TEACH project.
                   2. Pray and Promote. You would not believe how much time the staff of SAT-7 spends in prayer. The actors on each SAT-7 program pray on air, producers pray before shows and in the USA office we pray a lot for our ministry and one another, as well as the donors who write in a prayer request. It's a GREAT work environment. You can also sign up to be a volunteer and to talk about SAT-7 to some of your friends and home church.
                   3. Go. Sometimes SAT-7 USA (Canada and England as well, I believe) will send groups out to certain countries to tour our studios and to meet the staff who are working so hard to make sure each program is as top-quality as it can be. I've seen pictures, and it really does look like a great experience, one that could change you forever!

To follow and learn more about SAT-7 (USA)
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The blog is going to launch soon!
You can also sign up for the e-newsletter, which I have a big hand in writing! :) 

Day 1 - week list

It's Sunday! That means I list the names of the non-profits I'll be profiling. Looking forward to writing about these awesome organizations!

Monday: SAT-7

Tuesday: Impact Georgia

Wednesday: World Vision

Thursday: SAT-7

Friday: Y.M.C.A

I am still figuring out the format of style I want to go with this, so bear with me! Today is bare bones,  and it might continue this way. Or I could start jazzing it up! Let me know if you have any opinions on the matter. :)

New 365 project announcement!!!

Yes, I am starting a new 365. But this is not a self portrait project, or solely about photography, though both will probably show up on this blog many times. Now without further ado, I introduce the...

Non-Profit 

365

Project!!!

It's a year of writing about non-profit companies and the affect they have on society. I also hope to create a piece of art that interprets how I feel about the non-profit of the day, whether it's through video, drawing, sculpting, graphic design, etc. I want this to challenge me creatively and emotionally. I will start September 4th.

The Plan:

• Sundays: Announce the non-profits to be showcased for the week.

• Mondays --- Fridays: Showcase one non-profit each day. 
• Thursdays: Update on a non-profit previously posted. 
• Fridays: Write about a non-profit that YOU suggested! 

• Saturdays: Take a break/research.

Hope you join me as this project runs along and grows. Please email me when you find a charity that you think I need to bring awareness to.

Oh... and check out what I shot at work today. Not exactly a true headshot, but fun!