Time to Re-Abolish Slavery

I just returned from the Global Forum on Human Trafficking. It was a 2 day event where 1500 activists, slacktivists (that's me), abolitionists, and interested stakeholders gathered to hear about the existing problems and then to hear about proposed solutions to these problems. Every speaker who came to the stage shared sobering and unacceptable facts and heart-wrenching stories of people they met as they learned about this human tragedy. Some were rescued and have great follow-up stories to their lives...some were not, and their whereabouts are unknown. We thought we had abolished slavery in the 19th century. Didn't we have a "great Civil War" to end the trafficking of humans? The problem has only grown since Abraham Lincoln was President. In 1865 there were about 8 million enslaved people. That number is now up to 30 million.

There are still too many stories about individual suffering under slavery, forced labor, sex trafficking, and debt bondage. I heard the statistics over and over again as each speaker took to the stage. Everyone had one number correct...30 million modern day slaves. If I play a numbers game, and I figure that for every 10 humans enslaved, there are 5 business people involved in the supply chain transactions, that puts the total of people in the world either in, or involved in human trafficking at 45 million. That would make it the 30th largest country by population in the world...right between The Ukraine and Tanzania. Even if I just use 30 million, that is still a country in 41st place between Sudan and Peru. If it were a state in the US, it would rank 2nd, right behind California, and well above Texas. When I think about it in those terms, I am floored by the sheer size of the global problem.

Here is the sad fact...slavery is an acceptable condition in our world. Imagine if an entire country were enslaved, the UN would denounce it, sanction it, and ask the US to invade it to overthrow the obviously cruel and unjust government. If it were an entire state in the US, there would be a civil war to right that wrong. But since it is widespread throughout every nation, it doesn't get the same reaction and outcry. Since it is a lucrative business the stakeholders are able to buy silence and acceptance.

This silent curse is now being exposed by groups such as the International Justice Mission, CNN, Al Jazeera, and Not For Sale. I got to see the bravery, and "pull no punches" attitudes of these organizations. They are cooperating and asking the world to join them. This is not really a political battle, it is a very black and white battle of good v. evil. Every human being should be against it. It is not a difficult choice.

There is excitement about new approaches to raising awareness and new ways to combat this evil. I am happy to have our company be a part of a new wave of social enterprise. If we have success, it means that lives will be forever changed for the better, and that we will get to tell good stories of emancipation, of repatriation, and of change.

We thought we abolished slavery in the 19th Century...we were wrong. It's time to re-abolish it in our lifetime.

Chow!

Live on Less and Donate More

The data was disturbing, and the comparisons in lifestyles between how the average Kenyan and the average "poor" US family lives was shocking. Here, let me share with you those comparisons: (from 2007, but relatively speaking, the stats haven't changed)

97% of “poor” Americans own at least one color television

80% of “poor” Americans have air conditioning

75% of “poor” Americans own at least one car

The average "poor" American residence has 2.56 rooms per person with approximately 740 sqft. per person and 100% clean water access

The average Kenyan residence in the capital of Nairobi has 0.27 rooms per person with approximately 55 sqft. per person and 40% clean water access

(The Census Bureau defines an individual as poor if his or her family income falls below certain specified income thresholds. These thresholds vary by family size. In 2006, a family of four was deemed poor if its annual income fell below $20,615)

I got these facts in an email from my friend Dave the other day. It came about a week after we returned from a life-changing trip from Kenya. After that trip, Dave has figured out that our standard for defining "poverty" is very different from the poverty he has come to experience in the slums of Kenya. In all instances, our "poor" still do not miss many meals, and have the choices in foods that they want to eat, generally speaking (there are exceptions, I am sure). The poor in other parts of the world are guaranteed to go hungry, and having a choice of foods is unheard of. Our poor generally have access to adequate health services of decent quality. In Kenya the access to health care is almost non-existent, and if you need to go to the district hospital, God be with you. Your chances of survival are slim. I have heard the expression that the poor in our country are still better off than 90% of the rest of the world, and now I believe it. In Kenya, the median income is just over $700 per year, and the poor are trying to live on $1 per day.

I don't flaunt these statistics to say that our poor aren't poor. I use them to make a comparison, and a point. For the 89% of Americans that live above the poverty level, which includes me, we need to be thankful, grateful, and generous in our giving.

Dave and his wife Sara have been supporters of CRF for years. They had never been to Kenya before, but had heard the stories, seen the pictures, and wanted to see for themselves, so they joined on our most recent trip there. I think Dave used the word, "bombshell" to describe how affected he was by what he had seen and experienced. I have seen a lot of things there, but the most poignant was when a small group returned from their visitation of late-stage AIDS victims in the slums. All 5 adults were in tears after visiting one young woman named, Patricia. I listened as Dave and Patti told the story of that young woman they had just seen. All of us listening to their story were moved to tears as well as they broke down, unable to fully describe their experience. Not only was she infected with AIDS after being sexually assaulted, she lived with severe epilepsy. "Living" is stretching it. She could only lie on the floor of a dirty mud hut with excrement all around her. She was skin and bones, yet tried to get up to show hospitality for her guests. There was no food, no furniture, no possessions to speak of, but she still wanted, or needed to show hospitality to visitors. That is the Kenyan way. After hearing her story, they asked what was being done for her. The health care worker with them quietly said that there wasn't much they could do for her, her late stage of the illness meant resources might be wasted. How does one accept that fate for that poor woman? In that small group was a doctor and two nurses...they would not accept that fate. Perhaps her late stage of AIDS development would not let her live much longer, but the rest of her life should be lived out in some semblance of dignity. They left food for her, and one of the women in the local HIV-AIDS support group promised to care for her. Imagine being that healthcare worker and having to make life-and-death decisions on who should have food or not. I thank them for taking on that responsibility and not having it fall on me. But more importantly, how do I make sure they have enough resources?

I think that is where Dave is with his life. I think that is where I am with my life. What can we do to make sure they have enough resources so they don't have to make such life and death decisions.

I have so much stuff! My possessions overwhelm me sometimes. They get in the way figuratively and physically. I would hate to tell you how many color TV's I have in my house and in my basement going unused. I have AC, I have 3 cars in my driveway, and stuff...boy do I have a lot of stuff! I hate doing the math to figure out how much I have spent just on stuff. I am not alone in this. My daughter is cleaning her room out after her sophomore year in college. Where did it all come from? I am almost paralyzed when I think about trying to rid my life of the extra stuff I have everywhere.

I have decided that I will live on less and donate more. It is a good mantra to have. It is what my God wants from me. Will you join me?

Chow!

Kenya Mission Trip #4; Mission Complete!

Wow, trip #4 to Kenya is already over and done with...that was the longest AND shortest 2 weeks I have ever experienced. This trip had special meaning for me because I finally convinced my brother, the doctor, to join me. You remember him, don't you? I wrote an entry on him a few years back for his birthday. I think it is the funniest piece I have ever written. His wife says it explains his inability to trust...oh well. Having him along was fun for me. He got to experience all the stories I have been telling him, and it was great spending 2 weeks with him. He has good stories to tell now, and I hope he will continue to love Kenya as I do.

We had a big group this time...17 intrepid travelers, most of them first-timers. This group was the easiest group so far...everyone seemed prepared, open, and unafraid of anything. Drama-free and eager to get to work is the best a group leader can hope for, and this group embodied both of these traits. We had some amazing young people...full of maturity, common sense, and fun. I "bonded" with two students from Western Kentucky University, Amy and Emily. We had fun making each other laugh over our meal experiences. Say "sheep colon" to either of them, and watch them bust a gut laughing. It was a mixed bag of travelers: a family unit (minus 3 of their younger kids but adding another 14 year old), a young married couple from Texas, a cattle rancher, a home-building contractor, 2 nurses, my brother the doc, a preacher, the college girls, the President of CRF, and the two trip leaders (Julie and me).

Let me say this about my co-leader: she did all the hard work. The planning, organizing, etc. She made it easy for me...that was the promise she made to me to get me to agree to go again. She said she would make it easy on me if I would help her lead the team while in Africa. She kept her promise. This was Julie's 2nd trip to Kenya, and my 4th. I don't know why, but I love it over there. Things are natural for me in Kenya. I get into the culture, the rhythm of the people, and I feel accepted there. I understand it in Kenya...I can't say that about any other place, including the US.

The work is always rewarding. We designed this trip to be more medical in purpose. We brought over 100 lbs of prescription meds, we got training in the Village Medical Manual before we left, and we designed courses to teach the kids on oral hygiene, water purification, malaria prevention, and hand-washing. Oh, and we brought along a doctor and 2 nurses to help out at the clinic. We always over-plan and try to do too much, and this trip was no exception. We seem to forget that the concept of time management in Kenya is run by the seasons and not a stopwatch. What we thought would take an hour takes several hours in Kenya.

In reality, the purpose of bringing people to Kenya is to let them experience the children and the work of CRF. They get to meet the saints that care for thousands of orphans and HIV+ men and women. It is thankless work, and our trip is in part, to thank them. The children are the most loving in the world. They don't need a reason to love you, they just do. They seem afraid of you at first, but after that initial hesitancy, they learn to open their hearts to you. They want to know everything about you because it gives them a view into your life. They are so easily satisfied and thankful. That is the amazing thing about these children. Orphaned by a horrific disease, living in conditions of poverty, they are joyful, loving, and happy. What does it take to make a kid in the US happy? If you can answer that, let me know...

100% of the people I bring to Kenya change their minds about why they are coming. If you ask them, they usually say they originally came to help, to teach, or to love. What they say afterwards is that they were helped, that they were taught, and that they were loved.

Yes, we got a lot done. We taught the kids how to properly wash their hands, brush their teeth, and we applied fluoride to all of them. We taught 5 groups of leaders the Village Medical Manual, we even worked in the health clinic. But we were unconditionally loved by hundreds of kids who had hope because of Christian Relief Fund, and we got to thank the tireless workers who hardly ever get thanked.

My brother has donated the meds we delivered two years in a row. I am glad he came to see the clinic and how underfunded it is. He learned that we have been wasting time and money by bringing meds in from the US in our luggage. He found them cheaper in Kenya. Turns out it was a communication breakdown. The clinic director had asked last year for specific meds he couldn't get in Kenya, and when we asked him for a wish list of meds he needed, he put down what he was missing in his inventory...he didn't want to tell us that he could get them in Kenya, his desire was to do what was asked, so he gave us a complete list. How crazy! So we wasted weight in our luggage that we could have used for shoes, teaching supplies, etc. for meds that could be bought in Kenya at 1/5 the price! So now we know!

Here are two quick stories I learned this last trip. The first is about twin brothers who were just found and sponsored, and the second is about a boy who was one of the first sponsored in our Eldoret project started 4 years ago.

Ronnie and Randy are brothers that are about 4 years old. Identical twins, they were abandoned by their mother who ran off after giving birth to them. They were taken to their maternal grandmother to be cared for. The grandmother was barely surviving on her own, being a widow without property, and worked long hours gleaning in the fields to make enough to live on for herself. I will lay out the life this poor widow lived. She gleaned in the fields for greens, potatoes, beans, etc. that were not all captured by the harvesters. She paid the farmer a small amount for the right to glean in his fields. Whatever she gathered she would take to the market and sell, usually making 100 shillings per day ($1.20). Of that 100 shillings, it took 20 shillings to buy coal for one meal, another 25 for oil, 20 shillings to buy a tin of maize, and 7 shillings to grind the maize into meal to cook. The rest was used to pay rent, buy kerosene for her lamp, and clean water to drink. This woman was busy 12-14 hours per day. She did the best she could, but could not afford daycare for the twins. She would lock the boys in her hut all day by themselves. By age two, the boys had developed their own language that no one else could understand. It was how they coped. When the grandmother heard that CRF was sponsoring children, she rushed to get them registered. They were given sponsors a month later, and their lives changed. The school principal named them Ronnie and Randy to give them names. They now attend nursery school and are fed 3 meals a day at school. They are 4 years old and are learning Swahili and English, though they prefer their own language of grunts and noises when by themselves. The two boys were almost wild, having learned to fend for themselves since birth. They had no concept of social skills, and had free rein of the village they called home. They preferred to fight the other children rather than learning to socialize with them. The school environment is giving them a chance to develop normally, and they now have lots of friends. I got to visit their home with the principal of the school. The grandmother is grateful to CRF, and tells me that her boys had no chance without us. Her life is no easier, but at least now she has some help. We don't blame the grandmother, she is trying her best to survive...this is the aftermath of the HIV-AIDS pandemic.

Barnabas Kipsoges is another success story. 4 years ago he was one of the first kids we sponsored when we started a project in Eldoret. When we first came to Eldoret, we were expecting to find only 20-30 kids needing sponsorship. Greeting us instead that first day were over 150 kids needing sponsors, and another 100 or more that couldn't make it to that first meeting. Overwhelmed was our initial feeling. But gradually we found sponsors for all of them, with more being registered with CRF everyday. Barnabas was one of the lucky 30 that first day. He was an emaciated and starving 13 year old. After getting regular feeding, he has turned into a star athlete that is the pride of Eldoret and his home country of Kenya. Barnabas has a knack for running. That is a Kenyan trait. Some of the best long distance runners are Kenyan, and Barnabas must have that gene. He is now one of the top junior runners at 5000 meters, running close to 4 minute miles. He is now 17 and sponsored by the Kenyan military. He is grateful to CRF, and to show his gratefulness, he bought a used SUV to donate to the Eldoret office of CRF to help get the workers around.

These stories help motivate me to continue to work for CRF. All children need a shot of hope to have any chance at success. That is what CRF does...it gives hope to children who don't have any.

Chow!

The New Deal

Let's see, 3 weeks ago today I had a heated discussion with the boss and quit. The next week I get 3 job offers, but don't take any of them. I decide to look for something a little closer to my heart, and the perfect scenario is brought to me. I think I found something amazing. Let me share with you, and you decide.

So last post I talked about perhaps putting my non-profit passion together with my start-up skills. Well this week I found my new job. It really was created for me. I will be starting a for-profit beverage company with a non-profit affiliation. The non-profit? Not For Sale (www.notforsalecampaign.org). The beverage company? A company that makes and sells ready-to-drink tea made from an herb grown in the rainforest of Peru. Why Peru? Not For Sale has a large project in Peru helping to free sex slaves and then training and counseling them for a better life. Maybe if we start a business based on something of value from the rainforest, we can employ people and pay them fairly so they can make choices about their futures.

This herb is already growing in knowledge and use in the US, and could be uniquely positioned in the beverage market. Also the affinity to Not For Sale will help create the social message we need to drive sales amongst the Millennial age group (you young-uns!). Sorry, I can't reveal what that herb is yet...you will find out soon enough!

I think this is perfect for me...I love the excitement of a start-up, and feel my personality is best suited for the unclear, ever-changing world of start-ups. I don't panic, I usually can find a solution, and I have a great network of contacts. It is also the beverage world, which I know very well, and am experienced in developing both products and brands that consumers enjoy, AND I will be able to start a social enterprise. Three for three. Now I just have to make it work.

If you have anything to offer me as I venture down this path, expect a call or email from me! And for sure stay tuned for more details.

Chow!

Turning the page

I started a new chapter in my life yesterday. I decided to end a bad situation turning worse every day by quitting my job after 18 months. I loved the people, the work, and the potential of the company, but I couldn't quite connect with my boss the CEO. We didn't see eye to eye on one very critical factor (in his opinion). Otherwise it was a good job and company. We were getting lots done, meeting objectives, gaining new business, new customers and new opportunities to bid, so that part was okay. He didn't like the fact that I sometimes took time off to get personal business done. I have never been measured by anything other than results, outcomes, and met objectives and have always made companies loads of money, but in this situation he wanted more from me than I could give. He was under the impression that I was gone a lot more than I really was, and wanted me to make a decision about what priorities were at the top of my life. It felt like an ultimatum...decide now on my life's priorities.

Don't get me wrong, I believe in hard work and an honest day's pay, etc. But vacation is up to the discretion of the employee, isn't it? How I use my days off should be my business, and when I use them should be based on when I want to use them, right? I guess not all bosses believe that. So instead of making promises I couldn't live up to, I decided it was better if I left. After a testy email exchange after yet another question about where I was and my loyalty to the company I decided that enough was enough. I went in on Monday and resigned. We discussed things and he tried to make it work by asking me to commit to a 40 hour week. I had already been putting in 45, so I knew it was only a matter of time before 40 turned into 50, and then 60 hours a week. I told him that I could lie to him and say that I would be there 40 hours a week, but in my heart I knew I could not. I have other responsibilities in my life, and sometimes those other duties require me to make them a priority.

I have always been very transparent about those other duties...in fact, when I interviewed I made it clear that I had these "things" going on. Soon after I started, I even gave him a list of those duties along with approximate times I would need to take off work. For example, my board membership with Christian Relief Fund required at least 2 Fridays a year for board meetings, and at least 2 weeks of foreign travel. My advisory and board membership of SmartCup required 4 weekdays a year for board meetings and other unscheduled meetings with investors, banks, trade shows, etc. I also had advisory roles with 2 other small companies that I helped with management and technical problems on that list. So all in all, at least 3 weeks out of the office. Sorry for being busy and trying to help the less fortunate...dang, how rude of me! Out of 4 weeks vacation a year, 3 of them are burned up on business and charitable stuff. No wonder I never get to do anything fun in my life...

So on to my next adventure. I got the best piece of advice from one of my former co-workers. She told me (thanks Shana!) that I should do something that takes my professional talent and combine that with my passion for non-profit work. She thinks I should help non-profits start up for-profit businesses to help fund their work. Hmmm. Great idea.

Saying good-byes are always hard, but as soon as I told him I was done, I felt so free. It felt good; it felt right. And there is no going back for me. I wish my former company and co-workers good luck. There are way bigger problems there than my hours, and hopefully they will find that out soon enough.

Chow!

Larry at 5-0

On the occasion of my 50th birthday, I write this entry. I have been thinking about this topic long before I turned 50, but at this milestone, I figured I should get it down. I have noticed a not-so-gradual change in my personality...it happened fast, maybe over the last 6 months or so. It is scary. I wonder if everyone goes through these stages of life the same way.

Top Ten List of Changes When You Turn 50

10: I hate ice cold drinks anymore...hurts more than refreshes.

9: I need to slow down when driving at night now.

8: I have accepted that gas is a part of life.

7: I enjoy crossword puzzles.

6: Just to be sure I heard correctly, I ask people to repeat things.

5: I plan things around trips to the bathroom.

4: I actually thought about buying a burial plot.

3: I have been writing my own obituary, but not getting too far on it.

2: My new favorite word is "idiot", and there seem to be a lot more of them around now.

1: I am actually starting to think that velcro shoes are a great idea!

When did I get old? I am becoming what I NEVER thought I would become...a man with limitations. Both physical and non. I can't lift as much, walk as far, or see as well. I am at the twilight of my working career, and that realization is hitting me hard.

I think I now understand what a "mid-life crisis" is. As a young man, you live your life looking forward to milestones of accomplishment. I think the crisis hits when your best milestones are behind you and you start looking back on your accomplishments. Without the dreams to propel you forward, you actually start looking for that feeling of accomplishment in other ways...fast car, new wife, new hairpiece, etc. You buy the best accomplishments your money can afford. Need and common sense have no place in those decisions...you want it, you can afford it, so you get it! I totally understand that now. It might seem ludicrous to your family, but perfectly reasonable to you. I get it! I don't know why I am coveting that new gun...I don't absolutely need it, but I want it, and I have always wanted it...why shouldn't I have it?

At 50, I have few regrets in life. If I had 2 events to relive in my life, I would do them over better, but that isn't bad when I look back. Other than that, I have accomplished way more than what I set out to do. Maybe I didn't dream big enough, but I had no real plan as a young man. I had a philosophy...open doors that are presented to you, and pick the ones that seem to teach you new things. All my decisions, personal and career-oriented were based on that philosophy. God has blessed me with everything accept the ability to "do-over" my mistakes...they are learning events, painful at first, but wholly useful.

I completely understand that saying, "Youth is wasted on the young." I feel like I am just beginning to give back to society and to help the less fortunate. I am running out of time and it bothers me. I want the energy I had as a young man combined with the knowledge that I have as a older man. Strange how life does that to us...just when we get to know ourselves and see our real potential it is time to think about slowing it all down. Maybe I will choose not to. Maybe that mid-life crisis desire can be channeled to do good.

Maybe...

Chow!