Global Outreach Alliance

I don't have time…

Steven Wrigley — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 21:18:16 +0000

“I don't have time.” -All of us

It's easy to say, isn't it? We all have a million things going on at once–work, chores, bills to pay, emails to check, family obligations, etc. However, a midst the hustle and bustle of daily life, may we not for a moment forget others.

“There's more to life than increasing its speed.” -Gandhi

Slow down a

bit. Be mindful of others. Take your time. Enjoy life. Find ways to serve and uplift. Find ways to show up for others in their time of need. Life is short–incredibly short! Our ability to be there for others or to contribute to meaningful causes won't always be a reality. Our health can deteriorate at any given moment. So why wait? Now is our chance to show up.Now

is our chance to get involved locally and/or globally. Now is our chance to leave our legacy of service and mindfulness of others' well being. Now is our chance to consider the impact that our touch (our time, talents and treasure) has on the lives of others.

The all-time greatest experience, in my opinion, of being a human being is bringing out the best in other human beings. Don't let a minute of your existence go by without being concerned about the well being of others. Don't let a day go by without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you. Why? In addition to the unparalleled value only YOU can add to the life of another, you'll find that in the service of others your best self is revealed.

So how do YOU do it? How do you make time to serve others?

Be Mindful

Steven Wrigley — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 18:43:43 +0000

Along with being mindful of beauty and creation, do we take the time to notice those around us in their daily distress and need? I’m not just talking about the beggar or the hungry orphan. I’m talking about the everyday “Mr. Jones.” “Mr. Jones” is too battling his daily demons. He too his scared, vulnerable and at times in severe emotional stress despite the mask he wears of perfection.

Plato said it best: “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” It’s so easy, however, to put aside the needs of others and withhold our kind deeds as we continue on in our own hastiness throughout the daily race of life. We easily become married to the frantic go-go-go lifestyle of survival and affluence, only to neglect those who may be strategically placed on our paths or those who are within our reach.

Once we notice the need, we need to be determined to act on that need. It’s real easy to feel so

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rry for someone when they’ve been knocked down. It’s another thing to use your power and effort to help lift them off the ground. Be there for others. Truly be there. “The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers”. –Zen Master, Thich Nhat Hanh.

What does Thich Nhat Hanh mean when he says ‘offer others our presence?’ I would imagine it would mean to be

truly in the moment—truly involved in enjoying another’s presence—truly mindful of their needs. Moreover, become liberated from our own self-wants and the restrictions of time. Be there solely for others and be on their time. Only then, Nhat Hanh teaches, will we be able to witness their potential and self-worth “bloom like flowers.”

Life is all about relationships. Build others up, and you too will bloom.

This is a repost from StevenWrigley.com

The Joy of Giving

Steven Wrigley — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 22:56:50 +0000

“No man can sincerely help another without helping himself.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Historians hold the view that Abraham Lincoln often battled with feelings of occasional depression and melancholy. One way he countered those feelings was engaging in local community service or small acts of neighborly kindness. He became well known for always being one to lend a hand. He once said the following: “When I do good, I feel good; when I do bad, I feel bad, and that is my religion.”

As I look back throughout my life, it’s extremely clear at what points I’ve been the most happy. Those points in time were when I was wholeheartedly giving of myself (either my

time, talents or treasure). The happiest jolts of my life are and were, oddly enough, when I’ve not been concerned as much of my well-being as of the well-being of others. There’s a certain satisfaction that comes from authentic, sincere giving, and not from actions that are primarily motivated by self-concern.

“The experience of mindfulness of others’ needs is one of the most blissful experiences that we can know. Recall how exciting it is giving presents…[to loved ones, friends or strangers]. The gratitude you feel for their happiness equaled, and may have surpassed, your own excitement about receiving gifts. Why? Because you were receiving what you gave.” -Wayne Dyer

The phenomena in life of being equally happy or even happier than the receiver (as Wayne suggests) is something I don’t think we’ll ever fully comprehend. Simply put, it just feels great to give.

There are countless ways to give in small and large ways locally and globally. Here’s one option that is near and dear to my heart: Consider signing up for a monthly donation of $5, $10 or more, in which 100% of your reoccurring donations will be used to fund the “empowerment of communities,” not salary or overhead. Sign up to donate monthly here on our site by clicking here. Learn how Global Outreach Alliance ”empowers communities” here.

This photo is from a 2011 Cambodia House Building Expedition. This photo reminds me how happy I was as we gave new homes and house warming gifts to the families who had worked their way through micro-savings to earn a new home. True joy. Consider joining us on our 2013 Cambodia House Building Expedition by clicking here.

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This blog post is re-posted from StevenWrigley.com

Change is beautiful.

Steven Wrigley — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 17:39:55 +0000

Happy New Year to all of our partners, volunteers, friends and supporters! May this be the year we make the changes necessary to achieve our personal and social dreams.

On the topic of change, not too long ago, I stumbled upon these short, weekly

web videos produced by Carl Weathers about the power of change. Their message is simple, yet extremely powerful. Each of us possesses the ability to change the path we’re on, the thoughts we think, and the decisions we make. The changes

we make on a personal level reflect larger changes that are felt by others around us. All of us can choose to be happy despite our circumstances. Moreover, we all can use our power to make a positive change in our world–large or small–it all matters and has impact.

What do you wish to change? Whatever it may be, start small, begin with a plan, and work enthusiastically towards great change in your life and in the lives of others. Instead of large resolutions that may be unrealistic, start small. Change one thing daily. Start for 30 days. Work slowly, yet full of passion, intent and commitment.

And as for a lesson on the beauty of change: ”What the caterpillar calls the end, the rest of the world calls a butterfly” -Laotzu. Therefore, be excited for change and the new, beautiful beginnings on the horizon!

Change is beautiful!

Happy New Year, from GOA! Here’s to a happy and fulfilling year full of meaningful change!

Happy Holidays from GOA!

Steven Wrigley — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 19:20:06 +0000

Dear Friends & Supporters:

As we approach the end of another year, we are reflecting on how we did at “empowering communities” and best place to check credit score realizing our mission to promote self-reliance in the global village. I imagine that you may not be familiar with all that we have accomplished this year, so it is my hope that you’ll take a moment to learn and celebrate in our growth through updates on Facebook and our website. Or better yet, join us on an expedition in 2013 to learn of the value of a dollar when used responsibly, to see meaningful results first hand, and to have a personal impact on our projects.

When volunteers join us on expeditions, they often comment on how much they have learned regarding responsible and sustainable community development practices. They are impressed with our model of giving and our limited operating budget that ensures huge results. They often point out how refreshingly different we are in our respect for local cultures and cultivation of homegrown solutions–and that our team is made up of passionate and talented people from all walks of life.

GOA’s programs play an important role in promoting self-reliance through education, mentoring and sustainable development solutions in the communities we work. However, we need volunteers to tap the full potential of our programs. We need volunteers to see and experience the powerful work we are dedicated to. In other words, we need you! This coming year, please consider joining us locally from the comfort of your home, or embark on an adventure with us on one of our global expeditions.

I look forward to this coming year as we continue to build on Global Outreach Alliance’s strong foundation and continued progress.

Happy Holidays to you and yours, friends! Wising you all warmth and joy wherever the journey of life takes you this coming year!

Sincerely,

Steven Dee Wrigley
Founder, Director
Global Outreach Alliance

Inspiration From a Child's Desk

Steven Wrigley — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 07:31:13 +0000

On a recent trip to Kenya, I was inspired by the words I found scribbled and/or carved on the children’s desks at the ESS school, one of the schools we support. Most of the students there come from families with annual income at or below the global extreme poverty line. Some of these students are those who have been enrolled in our Scholarship Program. Many of them sit through class hungry. Most, if not all of them, have lost parents, siblings or extended family to AIDS or malaria. Many of them walk about an hour or so to get to school. They get the chance to express themselves on their desks, of all places, though.

Where I’m from, I’m not sure you would see inspiration or motivational reminders scribbled on desks. Maybe I’m wrong. But I recall reading vulgar phrases or four-letter words, or even offensive images of nude body parts drawn on desks and bathroom stalls. When I asked the head teacher if it was acceptable for the children to write on their desks, he responded: “Yes, it’s OK. They need the inspiration. As long as they don’t write anything vulgar, we’re OK with it. We support it.”

Below are a few of the things I found on the desks at the school. Keep in mind, this was not a rarity. Something meaningful and inspiring was nearly

on ALL desks.

Their message: Hope. Love. Courage. Enduring through suffering. Discipline. Experience.

What would you write as your daily motto if faced with extreme poverty?

These children have lots to teach us.

Consider being the hope and ray of light these children are waiting patiently for. You can help by sponsoring a child from our Scholarship Program, or supporting our School Support & Construction project.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” -Nelson Mandela.

Enough of the Poverty Porn!

Steven Wrigley — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 19:51:49 +0000

Dear Friends & Supporters:

Take a look at the pictures and messages we portray on our website and on Facebook. You will see positive, uplifti

ng and happy faces. You will see messages that promote kindness, charity, respect and love. You will never see “poverty porn” (malnourished, starving, famine-stricken human beings). It’s not to say that form of suffering does not exist. It does. No doubt, there are severe struggles and challenges the global village faces daily–that of extreme poverty, corruption, inequality, inadequate health and educational services, etc.

Because of which, we have joined the global village in a non-paternalistic, direct partnership to honor homegrown solutions, promote local ownership and self-sufficiency, and to achieve results of impact and sustainability…all while avoiding the degrading handout and Western-savior mentality every step of the way. We protest against organizations that only portray the suffering and heart wrenching ‘bad’ in countries they work to serve in order to earn emotion-triggered donations. This, we feel, is degrading and dehumanizing to those who are victims of this form of exploitation.

There is so much good–there is so much to celebrate. If you happen to see a story or post from us that saddens you, you’re likely to see ten more that uplift you. Suffering exists. Pain is evident. We are not advocating to put on rose colored glasses to make the world look rosy. However, we wish to turn from the negativism that so permeates our world and look for the remarkable good. Stories of hope, perseverance and empowerment are the stories we will tell.

Remember, there is no such thing as “underdeveloped.” There is only “developing.” We protest against the use of “poverty porn” and stories that degrade and diminish all the good that is being done by men and women of worth and integrity. Negativity should never justify calls for assistance. Our interrelated humanness, sincere desires for authentic partnership, and the hope of learning something from each other is why we do what we do.

Much love,

Steve Wrigley
Founder, Director
Global Outreach Alliance

P.S. Here’s a funny satire that may help shed light on the irony of the world cheap car mechanic consistently painting a negative picture of the developing world: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2012/11/28/166095383/africa-for-norway-viral-video-pokes-fun-at-stereotypes-in-aid-efforts .

Cambodia: Service/Learning Expedition 2012

Steven Wrigley — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 07:04:58 +0000

We’re back from another amazing service/learning adventure to Cambodia. Already we’re missing the good people there who radiate so much goodness and love.

We again partnered with Tabitha to help get 10 families off the streets and into new homes

through the culmination of a micro-savings program.

This has to be one of the most joyous scenes…witnessing the joy that comes from simple efforts to improve quality of life. Here’s one of the families ‘ children piled on the steps of their new home:

Margret, the ‘Team Mother‘, ready to carry out treatment at the medical table for those who may hammer and/or cut themselves while building:

A previous volunteer said: “All of us were changed by the profound exchange of love and service: we had given them new houses to live in, they had given us a new way to understand living.” So true! We come with open eyes and ears to learn and absorb the lessons our friends in the global village have to teach us. Here is one of the gracious, hard-working families who received a new home:

Young Cambodian girl greeting our team of 15 volunteers:

Teamwork:

Mother/Daughter teamwork:

Villagers ready to move in to their new homes:

Our team was also able to spend some quality time at CICFO. CICFO is a children’s home in Phnom Penh that we (Global Outreach Alliance) work to support. They are a remarkable organization ran by two wonderful, miracle-working volunteer Khmer “mothers.” This children’s home, which cares for 31 children, is unlike any orphanage we have seen before. We do not always support orphanages as their model simply creates “orphans” and dependency on donor dollars–then, the cycle continues–more and more orphans pile in and more donor dollars come to support its viscous cycle of “feeding” children. Consequently, transparency suffers, and well-intended people soon are funding institutions that pocket money and neglect children’s pressing needs for long-term, sustainable development and education. However, CICFO is different. They have self-reliant enterprise projects (e.g. chicken coup, organic mushroom farm, hand-made bracelets and greeting cards, and a fruit tree garden), all of which helps lighten the load of donors and allows them to educate their children about future possibilities for generating income and self reliance. They focus on education and teaching skills all while preserving their beautiful culture. They even work to get the children back to their families or in responsible families’ homes (which is unheard of with most orphanages). They are not the typical “institutionalized orphanage.” They create a wonderful home for these children all on a shoestring budget of $1.85 per each child, per day. That is remarkable considering that it includes everything to take care of the children (i.e. rent, utilities, medicine/checkups, nutritious meals, clean water, education and private tutoring, school uniforms/books, transportation to/from school and activities, etc.). Many orphanages we have seen conversely rip your heart out and then stomp on it because they are mismanaged and solicit additional donor dollars by purposely downgrading the level of poverty–they keep the facilities dirty and unsanitary, they don’t feed or clothe the children adequately, they don’t educate, etc–all because if things were better looking, then they could possibly lose funding. In orphanages, double dealing and corruption often runs rampant–not to mention the most mind-blowing disease of all–sex and labor exploitation of precious children. It sickens us! But not here at CICFO. It’s a home. It’s a family. It is a wonderful breath of fresh air! It truly is a small heaven on earth:

………………………………………………………………………………….

Consider joining us on our next expedition to Cambodia.

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We’re back from another amazing service/learning adventure to Cambodia. Already we’re missing the good people there who radiate so much goodness and love.
We again partnered with Tabitha to help get 10 families off the streets and into new homes through the culmination of a micro-savings program.
This has to be one of the most joyous scenes…witnessing the joy that comes from simple efforts to improve quality of life. Here’s one of the families ‘ children piled on the steps of their new home:

Margret, the ‘Team Mother’, ready to carry out treatment at the medical table for those who may hammer and/or cut themselves while building:

Young Cambodian girl greeting our team of 15 volunteers:

Teamwork:

Mother/Daughter teamwork:

Villagers ready to move in to their new homes:

helps lighten the load of donors and allows them to educate their children about future possibilities for generating income and self reliance. They focus on education and teaching skills all while preserving their beautiful culture. They even work to get the children back to their families or in responsible families’ homes (which is unheard of with most orphanages). They are not the typical “institutionalized orphanage.” They create a wonderful home for these children all on a shoestring budget of $1.85 per each child, per day. That is remarkable considering that it includes everything to take care of the children (i.e. rent, utilities, medicine/checkups, nutritious meals, clean water, education and private tutoring, school uniforms/books, transportation to/from school and activities, etc.). Many orphanages we have seen conversely rip your heart out and then stomp on it because they are mismanaged and solicit additional donor dollars by purposely downgrading the level of poverty–they keep the facilities dirty and unsanitary, they don’t feed or clothe the children adequately, they don’t educate, etc–all because if things were better looking, then they could possibly lose funding. In orphanages, double dealing and corruption often runs rampant–not to mention the most mind-blowing disease of all–sex and labor exploitation of precious children. It sickens us! But not here at CICFO. It’s a home. It’s a family. It is a wonderful breath of fresh air! It truly is a small heaven on earth:

………………………………………………………………………………….
Consider joining us on our next expedition to Cambodia.
Path:

Clean Water: A Lesson in Gratitude & Call to Action

Steven Wrigley — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 18:11:02 +0000

Did you know…

Nearly 1 billion people suffer needlessly without access to safe water
Women spend 200 million hours a day collecting water
Every 20 seconds, a child dies from a water-related illness
The m
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ajority of illness is caused by fecal matter
More people have a mobile cell phone than a toilet

If you’re reading this post, you likely drink clean, treated water from here:

But if you’re in rural Cambodia, you’re likely to get your water from polluted open rivers or shallow ponds like this:

or this…

or even this….

The purpose of this post is to remind us to be grateful. Then, to act on our gratitude by promoting good in the life of another.

Moreover, this post isn’t meant to be degrading . It is my hope to provide a lens to understand areas where we should be astronomically grateful, and areas where we can consider giving back. The good people of the developing world are industrious, resourceful, hard working and very smart. They have opened my eyes and taught me a better way to live.There are, however, challenges the developing

world faces that we cannot even fully understand. Please, do not for a moment think that it is because they are individuals who are lacking in any way–NO! Rather it is a matter of resources, lopsided distribution of wealth, inability to access capital, social injustice, absence of educational or enterprise opportunities, or corrupt, mismanaged government policies–these are what cripple and harm the global village.

If this post moved you at all, please consider donating to Global Outreach Alliance. We are a 501(c)3 non-profit, public charity. Every penny of your direct donations to our project fund actually goes towards our projects (makes sense, right?)–not to administration or fundraising costs (learn more here). We have developed grassroots projects in rural communities around the globe; or, because we don’t want to reinvent the wheel, in some areas have formed strategic partnerships with local development agencies who have proven track records for producing tangible results. We empower communities by promoting self-reliance through education, mentoring and sustainable development solutions.

In many of the areas we work, we are in desperate need of funds to finance wells or rain water harvesting systems. Wells produce clean, pure drinking water. They also can help triple rice or corn yields by bringing water to crops in dry seasons. Extra, added harvests means income. Income means access to opportunities like education. Education means…well, you get it. It’s an empowerment process.

Join us!

Changes

Sayra Moran — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 00:45:19 +0000

Every time I travel, it is a huge learning experience

for me. I feel like a student, aptly listening to the world and what it has to teach me. No matter what I learn about, it brings a change and makes me grow. I went to Guatemala last summer, excited to see what lessons were in store for me in this beautiful Central American country. When walking through Antigua, a small colonial town, I heard beautiful music playing and ringing over the bustle of the streets. I followed the music to the next street over and to my surprise; it was coming from a band of little boys and their instruments. A crowd was gathering around them, people taking pictures and dancing, listening to the music and rhythms soar into the sky. I was smiling and enjoying it when it dawned on me that they weren’t just playing, they were working. They were trying to make money. I saw this many times the rest of the trip, children working alone or alongside their parents.

heart sank, yet at the same time I felt a renewed passion and sense of purpose for our philanthropic work. This is why we dedicate ourselves to this cause of creating self-sustaining growth. Because there are less fortunate people that share the same hopes that we have, hopes of a better future, warm meals, and stable homes to return to and if we can help make a difference, why not? We can continue to keep their hope alive that someone is extending a hand and enjoying their presence in the world. We may not be able to change the whole world, but we can make a change in one person’s world, one family’s or one community; all just by making small changes to our lives and even giving a bit of our time.

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” – Mother Teresa