Being Changed while Being the Change

One Love Scholarship

2009-11-20T06:49:00.006-06:00

I have established the "One Love Scholarship" in Mangetti and want your help. The goal of this scholarship is to send one learner from Mangetti Combined School to senior secondary school (grades 11 and 12).

Mangetti Combined only goes up to grade 10, so the learners have to leave the bush to go to senior secondary school in town. Unfortunately, this means much higher school fees than most families in Mangetti can afford.

The average household income in Mangetti is 3 US Dollars per day. Yes, I said household and yes, I said 3 dollars per day! This is not even enough money to provide 1 meal a day for a family, as many rely on help from extended relatives. Needless to say, the average senior secondary school fees of 350 US Dollars is far more than they can afford.

In Namibia, passing grade 10 is a significant accomplishment, but in order to open doors of opportunity, they must pass grade 12. The people of Mangetti get neglected enough as it is, so we'd like to keep that door of opportunity open for at least one learner per year. This is where YOU come in! A donation of $10, $20 or $50 can provide a serious lift in a young Namibian's life. Larger donations are accepted also, but only if you're willing and able. If we can put together donations to equal $350, we can send a promising learner from Mangetti to grade 11 and 12! Thank you, in advance, for supporting international education, a key component of achieving world peace. :)

You can donate on my site by clicking on the "DONATE" icon.

FYI: The money for senior secondary school covers school development funds, hostel fees, stationary fees, uniform fees and other school fees that vary from school to school. Rest assured that every penny you donate will be used towards their education. The winner of the scholarship will be personally selected in mid-December when we find out the grade 10 results.

Here are photos of the 3 Finalists: Aloysia, Garu and Kamina. These aren't the best photos, I apologize.

ALOYSIA- in the front, looking at the camera

This was taken when she was helping create the library.

GARU-in the front in the orange trousers

Garu is one of my library assistants.

KAMINA-sitting next to me

This was taken when he won dinner at my hut for scoring the highest on the math exam in grade 10.

ONE LOVE.

Farewell Grade 10 :(

2009-10-22T15:15:00.002-05:00

WHOA! It's really been 4 months since I posted?? Crazy! My bad, y'all. I don't get a whole lot of time to type up blog entries from the hut and then post them when I have Internet access. I hope you can understand. I hope to write more soon and very soon about a wide array of experiences and stories, but I wanted to share my "farewell" letter that I wrote for Grade 10. I will say goodbye to them on Monday as they take their last exam (ENGLISH!!). Before the exams began, I wrote them this letter with memories of each learner. Before I could even start reading it to them, I was in tears. I was real unsure of how they'd react (Namibian men don't really express emotions like that), but after the class they sang me a beautiful song that they made up for me, ABOUT me. I wish I could post that video on here, but the Internet connection is way too slow in Namibia to do things like that. The main part of the song went something like this: "Mr. Butler, our teacher, we are sharing love together. Carry on, bye bye, carry on." Seriously, I wish you could see this video. When I get back to the US, I'll post it. Anyways, here is the letter. There are some inside jokes that only my learners will understand, but I have included a "glossary" at the end of the letter to help you better understand some of the things. I just wanted to share a bit of what these learners have meant to me (and this letter hardly covers all that I've gained from this year, just snippets).

Dear Grade 10,

As our time together comes to an end, I want to take a moment to reflect on what has been the most memorable year of my life. I remember that morning in January at assembly looking towards the Grade 10 lines and thinking, “Wow! I hope those boys (Pius and Muha) don’t beat me because they are much bigger than I am!” I remember Paulus and Joseph taking charge in the library sawing logs, proudly helping create the Kalihonda Library. I remember wondering if Hertha and Roise would ever speak to me, then finding out they are very sweet young women, just a little shy. I remember talks with Beatha and younger learners as we walked that side* for lunch when I lived at the guest house. I remember teaching Daniel the “Soulja Boy” dance in the guest house when he and the boys came to cut my hair. I remember Elias teaching me what Tate Buti* is really singing about in all his songs. NAUGHTY! I remember Gotfriead going out into the bush with Thomas and I to cut down trees for my house. That was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done! I remember Taapopi not saying much but always getting high marks and occasionally flashing his radiant smile. I remember feeling very honoured when Jonnas wrote about me in this term 1 English question paper*. I remember Auleria and friends coming to me protesting their required hair cut. Even though they had to cut their hair, I’m proud of her for speaking her mind. I remember all the sweet SMSes that Miss Lindsey and I received from Naironga while on holiday in Swakopmund. I remember hanging out in the Otara-tara* with Epimakus and friends trying to teach me Rukwangali. I remember Plasidius teaching me Rukwangali every day in class. “Awe sir! Na Na Na!”* I remember my weekend in Rundu with Garu and Kamina; at Kavango River Lodge, Garu enjoying his jacket potato* and Kamina wandering all around taking photos. I remember Uyepa, even though failing the first 2 terms, working harder than anyone else in term 3. I remember Aloysia, the youngest in the class and the only girl to pass term 2, working hard and actively participating in a class dominated by boys. I remember watching Martha on the netball field and looking at the photos of little Martha in the office.

Thank you for all the memories Grade 10. I will never ever forget you. As the exams begin, know that I believe in you. I believed in you when you were scared of me because you thought I was a Boer*. I believed in you when we decided to build the library. I believed in you when you stood up against corporal punishment. I will always believe in you. Believe in yourself, work hard, treat others with respect and good things will happen in your life. Now go knock out that exam, Hitman*!!

One Love,

Mr. James

GLOSSARY:

That side--This is what we say when you refer to anything, and i mean anything, that is fairly far away. Example: "Where is the store?" "It's that side." (usually accompanied with snapping and pointing with your finger in the general direction)

Tate Buti--A Namibian musician who sings many songs in one of the local languages about promiscuity and degradation. Instead of dirty, Namibians use the word "naughty" and I love it!

Jonnas' question paper--First, a "question paper" is another word for exam. Their writing prompt was to write about their hero and he wrote about me for coming into the bush to teach them even though there was no electricity, etc. :)

Otara-tara--This is kind of like the sitting room, or family room, in a homestead full of huts. Ours is pretty big and made strictly out of mahangu stalks. We have a fire in the Otara-tara and sit around it talking, laughing and teaching/learning Rukwangali.

Awe. Na Na Na.--Awe is pronounced "Ah-way" and Na Na Na is just like it looks. They use these expressions when they don't like something or they disagree with something or just to express general discontent with a situation. They use it a lot in my class, if we're playing a game and they think I cheated them out of points or something. It's hilarious. And when I use it in return, they all think it's hilarious. I like to use it in town when someone is trying to sell me something and I think it's too expensive. The reactions are priceless.

Jacket potato--baked potato. Garu proclaimed while eating his first jacket potato. "I'm dying gradually" because he loved it so much. So many amazing moments at that dinner. I'll write more about it another time.

Boer--another term for Afrikaaner. My learners recently confessed to me that most of them were afraid of me at the start of the year because they thought I was a Boer and the only thing they know of Boer's is that they treat blacks like garbage. It's really, really sad. Many of my learners' families live on farms around Mangetti and it really has a colonial era feel to it. So sad.

Hitman--World boxing champion from Namibia. I made the analogy that we were like Hitman who got knocked down in the second round because we did terribly on term 2 exams, but that we would get up and knock out the exams in term 3. They liked it. They are super competitive and I have a bit of that in me, myself, so it worked out nicely. :)

Thanks for reading. That ended up being a lot longer than I expected. Hope you enjoyed!

ONE LOVE.

Holiday, Hut and Library (with more to come)

2009-06-06T09:22:00.003-05:00

For the sake of time, I have to make an abbreviated post but I will write more at a later date...

For stories about my holiday adventure in Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe with some amazing pictures, check out Lindsey's blog:
http://lindseyloveinnamibia.blogspot.com

For pictures of my new home (mud hut) and our library that is finally finished, check out the following link:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=97680&id=511256995&l=7789a46dc4

TO BE CONTINUED...

ONE LOVE.

GET UP, STAND UP

2009-04-17T02:06:00.000-05:00

As you can see, I’m sticking with the Bob Marley theme for this entry as well. Keep reading and you’ll find out why.

I have decided to move out of my palatial, very western, comfortable guest house in Mangetti. I was thinking about moving for several reasons, but this week one of those reasons came to the forefront of my attention: racism.

Namibia is a very young country (19 years of independence after enduring the colonialization era) and inequality between blacks and whites still exists, especially in the bush. I noticed the type of attitude that Afrikaaners in the village (and some visitors) have towards the black community members and it really bothered me. It’s not really an ‘in your face’ discrimination, but there is a feeling of superiority that some of the whites have towards the blacks. I saw it when I arrived and I continue to see it daily. I have been thinking of ways to approach this situation with the Afrikaaners in the community (owners of the guest house where I’m living), but I wanted to be clear and have concrete examples of what I was speaking about.

Then yesterday I was approached by the owner of the guest house about my position in the house. He brought up the fact that I invite some colleagues to the house nightly to watch the soapy (soap opera). He asked that I not invite my colleagues over when there are other people (mostly white Afrikaaners) staying in the guest house. This gave me the perfect opportunity to inquire about my suspicions so I asked, “Why?”

He went on to tell me that not all people are comfortable with black people and that he wanted to avoid any of those situations. As you can imagine, I was burning up inside at this point. I told him that’s called racism and is not acceptable in this country, or anywhere in the world for that matter. He brought up several more points including that’s how he was raised and that it’s a business and he wants to give his guests a peaceful stay in the guest house. I countered with, “I don’t care if that’s how you were raised, it’s not fair or just” and then asked “Would it be a problem if I was inviting Afrikaaners over?” to which he responded, “Probably not.”

I stewed over this conversation for awhile and spoke with my principal about it. I decided that I needed to speak more with the owner of the guest house about this situation so I went to his house that night. I told him that it was his guest house and that I couldn’t tell him how to run it, but if he was honestly going to stand his ground about not letting me have visitors while other people were staying at the guest house (because of the level of discomfort the guests might get from seeing black people) that I was moving out. We talked for about 45 minutes about the issue of racism in Namibia, the US and throughout the world. He, himself, said he has no problem with black people, but I argued that not standing up for the black people in this community was just as racist as the people who come to Mangetti and feel discomfort around my colleagues. Passive racism is similar to active racism in that it’s still racism!

His main argument was that he did not want to disrespect his superiors who might come to the guest house and feel uncomfortable with my visitors (who are only there for 1 hour a night as it is). He referenced the Bible ALOT (I will spare details about that), especially when talking about respecting your superiors at all times. I asked, “Even when your superior is telling you to do something immoral?” and he responded “yes.”

His decision remained the same about the visitors, so I told him that I could not live in a house where I had to follow a rule that was laced with racism. As a result, within the month, I will move from my comfortable duds at the guest house. I will say “Mbaa” (Rukwangali for “bye”) to my comfortable bed, electricity, cold food and drinks, hot showers, TV and ample space and move into a mud hut. I am actually in the process of talking with community members and learners who are going to help me build my own mud hut by the school closer to the community.

I realize that my stance in this situation did not cause a change in the owner’s policy, but I do know that I brought up their racist attitudes and beliefs. I don’t think that happens very often with them. Therefore, I am happy to have at least brought it to their attention and maybe, just maybe, some change in their attitude will come from our conversations and my moving out. I also know that the community will not be happy with them when they hear why I am moving out, so there is a chance their attitudes and beliefs could be brought to their attention even more from community members.

It’s really hard to address something that has been etched into the way of life, here in Namibia, for generations and generations. But I felt I had to “get up, stand up” for what was right. Racism will not end in Mangetti with my move, and I fully realize that, but a stance needed to be made.

PEACE. LOVE. EQUALITY.

The "One Love" Phenomenon

2009-04-09T09:42:00.009-05:00

Greetings from Namibia at the beginning of a long Easter weekend. I'm getting ready to go camping at Ngepi Camp in the Caprivi Strip (the arm looking thing of Namibia). We're camping right on the river and will get to swim in the river in a cage that protects us from the crocs! Pretty cool, huh? :)

MY NEW PHOTOS NOW HAVE COMMENTS TO GO ALONG WITH THEM SO THEY WILL MAKE MORE SENSE TO Y'ALL. ENJOY!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=86758&id=511256995&l=6aaea25e0e

I do want to share a story from my beautiful village of Mangetti...

It's been 3 months since I moved into the most amazing place in the world, Mangetti. It seems like the time has flown by and at the same time, it feels like I've been here forever. The one constant struggle for me has been communication and connecting with my learners and people throughout the village. My learners speak decent English, but conversations are very challenging for them to uphold. The people in the community barely speak any English and I don't speak much Rukwangali.

I am a very social person, so you can see how this was a battle for me. I started ending class by saying "One Love" and showing them the ASL sign for "I love you." I wanted a way to connect with the learners through some type of sign (they do hand signs for their favorite artists all the time) and to let them know that I love them. I taught them what the sign meant and we listened to Bob Marley, "One Love" and soon all of my learners were responding with "One Love" at the end of class flashing me the "I love you" sign.

Walking through the village, I would hear my learners yell across the soccer field, school grounds or the location. "ONE LOVE, SIR!" while showing me the "I love you" sign. This started to spread throughout the younger grades as they saw the older kids doing it. Then it became an all school thing at one Monday morning assembly a few weeks ago. I brought a soccer ball from the States to give to the school and my principal thought it was such a nice gesture that he wanted to have an official presentation of the ball to the school during assembly. He asked me to say a few words at the end of the presentation and after my talk, I ended with "One Love" and the sign. All of my learners and even some of the younger kids responded. My principal, looking curious, asked what that sign meant so I told him and the whole school about the "I love you" sign. He then awkwardly made the "I love you" sign and showed it to me saying, "Oh, we love you too, Mr. James." If you knew my principal, you would know that this was the cutest thing in the world. He is the kindest, most easy going person I've ever met. So ever since that morning, all of the learners say "One Love" to me with the sign, even the 5 year olds who don't speak any English at all. It's even spreading to members of the community as some of them say it to me now with the sign.

It may seem silly to some, but it feels amazing to me because I feel like I am finally connecting with the village. It's only taken me 3 long months, but I love this connection.

Check out this picture of a young learner's shirt. He drew pictures of soccer players on the back of his shirt. You'll see that one of the players is making the "I love you" sign. :)

ONE LOVE.

Acceptance

2009-03-07T01:31:00.003-06:00

Special shout out to Mr. Lahman’s class at R.S. Kellis High School in Arizona. Y’all are amazing individuals and your teacher is inspiring to all.

The past 2 months have blown my eyes and mind wide open. It is challenging to think of how to put it all into words. I feel like I have been trying to write this post for about 3 weeks now; trying to properly express what I’m feeling over here in Namibia.

The one common lesson that I feel myself learning over and over is that of “acceptance.” I find myself learning this lesson from my learners, my colleagues, people in the community and throughout the whole country.

As I wrote before, most of the learners live in Mangetti in mud huts far away from their families (20-90K). They are responsible for everything in their lives while in Mangetti. It blows my mind to think of 10 year olds being completely self-sufficient, going to school and trying their best to improve their lives. I never hear a learner gripe about their responsibilities that are astronomically greater than any child I've ever encountered. They just do it. They accept their life situation and make the best of it knowing that that's just what they have to do. I know that my learners understand that in order to improve their situation they need to do the best they can in school. Education is incredibly key to their future and I am humbled to be a part of it.

I have shared some amazing conversations with colleagues about their schooling. They were all schooling during colonial times in Namibia. To say that I am grateful for my education in the US is an incredible understatement. Imagine teachers walking around with huge sticks ready to wail on you for a wrong answer. Imagine being so scared that all you ever do is memorize material instead of actually trying to process information and learn something. I have so much respect for my colleagues that they made it through school during such a trying time. But it all comes back to "acceptance." They accepted their life situation and did their best in those moments to succeed and overcame serious obstacles.

Observing Namibians in Mangetti and throughout the country, I see the most beautiful souls I've ever seen. Some may not have running water, electricity or ready access to food. Alot of Namibians do not have transportation to get food, run errands or visit family and friends. Hitchhiking is a way of life in Namibia. It is a beautiful thing, but definitely requires a great deal of patience and ACCEPTANCE. It is interesting to think about your day's plans revolving on whether or not you can find a hike. Like I said, sometimes these plans revolve around getting food for their family. I see an unbelievable amount of acceptance in this. They do what they have to do, when they are able and enjoy life all the while.

It definitely took some adjusting, but I am so grateful for this particular lesson that I am learning on a daily basis. My life is so much more peaceful. When I wake up and there is no water to shower, my day proceeds just as it would with a shower (maybe just a little smellier). :) When I can't get a hike back to my village at the time I had expected, I patiently wait for hours. I accept my situation by breathing and seeing the beauty that constantly surrounds me.

I cannot say that I have mastered this, but it is something that I am working on daily. I still get frustrated, I still get anxious, but overall I am at peace with life and whatever it throws at me. I am really excited to take this lesson back home to the US with me when that time comes.

Thanks for listening. I hope I've been able to give you a glimpse into this amazing lesson that I am learning.

Peace be with you all.

The beautiful clouds in northern Namibia. This picture was taken while riding in the back of a truck last week. It was awesome!

New Pics

2009-03-02T07:58:00.001-06:00

I will post a new update in the next week or so, but for now enjoy some new pictures.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=80440&id=511256995&l=dd1cf

One Love.

Types of Books

2009-02-22T05:40:00.002-06:00

I appreciate everyone's support for the first ever Mangetti School Library. You can send books anywhere from early childhood books to early chapter books. The learners are not very advanced in their English, but chapter books would be good for my Grade 8-10 learners. Books like Harry Potter would be awesome and anything below that reading level. Really any type of literature is better than no literature. THANK YOU ALL!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!!!

Mangetti...HELP WANTED

2009-02-04T09:31:00.005-06:00

THE MANGETTI SKY
I get lost in it every day...

I wrote in my last entry that I would keep you posted on ways in which you can help the learners of Mangetti Combined School. Well, the time has come for the first request for help. :)

I am pleased to announce that today, I began construction and the setting up of the very first school library at Mangetti CS. My amazing principal and I dug out some OLD wooden cupboards and fairly shoddy wood from one of the old restrooms in the school today. Let me just say that it's a good thing we had to get a tetanus shot. I wish I would have taken a picture of this old bathroom (even though it wouldn't have quite captured the amazing aroma). There were broken window panes, old rusty tin roof portions and buried in the were the gems that were going to serve as the starting block to our library. Once we dug out all the random pieces of wood and falling apart shelves, I had my Grade 10 learners help me clean them and move them into one of the new classrooms which I requested to be used as the school library. Today was just day 1, so there is a lot of work to be done yet, but we made some good progress today. This is going to be the greatest recycled, earthy library in the world! We were measuring, sawing, and nailing with a rock (yeah, we didn't have a hammer). Over the next couple days, we are going to do some work with some tree trunks and thick branches that are gathered by our school to make more shelving. It's going to be awesome!

Elias and Uyepa building a bookshelf. I told you we used a rock as a hammer.

We have some books. SOME. Let's just say that we don't have enough for each of our 363 learners. That is where YOU come into play. :)

There are two ways you can help:

1) You can send books and/or magazines, or find an organization that would be willing to send them. PLEASE SEND ME AN EMAIL (keepaustinweird@yahoo.com) WHEN YOU SEND BOOKS SO I CAN HAVE MY PRINCIPAL CHECK HIS PO BOX FOR THE PACKAGE. My newly updated address is:

James Butler
c/o Kalihonda Markus Sipapo
PO Box 2413
Rundu NAMIBIA

**FYI**If you do decide to send some books, it is wise to write "Jesus References" on the box. I'm serious. The post office sees that a package is from the USA and they get curious and have a look and if they like what they see, they sometimes help themselves. We were told that when there are Bible verses, Holy Crosses, Praise Jesus references, etc. they don't mess with it. I'm being completely serious here, but don't let it discourage you from sending books. I'm just passing along a helpful hint.

2) You can make a monetary donation on my website, which I will then order books and other supplies for the school. Here is the list of supplies that I am raising money for:

Books and/or Magazines, Exercise Books (what they write their notes in...not all of the learners have these and this is basically how they learn), Pens, Pencils, Calculators, Textbooks, Dictionaries, Files, Rulers, Erasers and Posters

I have set a goal of raising $2,000 for Mangetti Combined School. If you send a box of books, I will count that towards the goal. The learners are amazing and definitely deserve the library and supplies to get them through this year and beyond. Please pass this website along to anyone who might want to help.

You are all in my thoughts and in my spirit here in Mangetti. Just like the motto of Mangetti Combined School says, "Together We Can Make a Change."

I was only able to upload a few new pictures. Enjoy!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=75619&l=48322&id=511256995

MANGETTI!! NAMIBIA!!

2009-01-24T10:32:00.002-06:00

Where do I begin?? I have so many stories and random tidbits of information to share about my first week that I surely will not be able to share it all now. When I first arrived to Mangetti (which is 60km) from the tar road, we pulled onto the school grounds and stopped right in front of one of the school buildings which had the name of the school and it's motto painted on it. I stepped out of the bus which was blaring my new favorite song, "Kaanave" by Namibian artist Tate Buti and glanced up at the building and felt instantly at home. MANGETTI COMBINED SCHOOL it read in big bold letters. "TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A CHANGE" was painted amongst the school logo. Instantly. At that moment. I was home. "Are you serious??" I thought. After all, I do kind of have a Gandhi, "Be the change" tattoo on my left wrist. This was amazing. I then met some of the teachers and the principal, who were all very sweet and welcoming. The principal then called on one of the elders in the community to go on a tour of the village with me and show me my living arrangements. When we arrived at my new home, I was greeted by about 10 Afrikaaners who helped me unload my bags from the bus and put my bags into my room. Now when I arrived, I expected to be living in Teacher Housing on school grounds, but the roof is not on the house yet, so my principal arranged for me to stay in the guest house of the NDC Manager. Bottom line, it's REALLY nice. The room that I am staying in, I was informed, is the room that the regional presidents stay in when they come through Mangetti. My friends Katie and Alana had teased me about being treated like a king when I got to my village because it was so far out in the bush and they've never had any type of volunteer, but this was crazy! There are several homes in the village that are concrete and more modern, but the majority of the homes are mud huts. I really thought I was going to live in a mud hut, but I am grateful for the hospitality so I can't complain.

The first week of school flew by! I am teaching Grade 8, 9 and 10 Math and Grade 10 English. The learners are definitely still getting used to having an American teacher and the community is slowly adjusting to having me around, but I am spending a lot of time in "The Location" and speaking as much Rukwangali as I know. "The Location" is the part of the village with all of the mud huts. You can see The Location in some of my pictures in the link below. I definitely have a lot of work to do with my learners. They are probably on 3rd grade level (according to US standards) in Math and English, and that might be a bit high. The principal is amazing and super friendly, but is definitely relying on me a lot to help the colleagues because of my teaching experience. He has referred to me as an "expert" on several occasions which I find flattering and humorous at the same time.

The highlight of the first week has been my afternoon runs with the village children. After afternoon study (which ends at 5pm), I start running through the location and waving kids along to run with me. We run all through the location, up the gravel road (mind you, they are all running barefoot), through some cattle farm roads and the soccer field, into the location again and finish at the school grounds. By the end of the run, I usually have 40-50 children (usually around the ages of 5-10 years old) running with me! It is so amazing. When we finish at the school grounds, I lead some clapping and then "MANGETTI! NAMIBIA!" chants and finish with high fives for everyone. They really loved it when I taught them how to high five. I really can't describe how awesome it is to run through the village with the kids. I wish all of you could experience it with me.

Before I wrap up, here are a few interesting tidbits of info about my village and the first week. The first night, I heard a jackal outside of my door. My principal informed me that there are elephants, lions, tigers, hyenas, jackals, kudu and wild dogs that can be seen from time to time in the village. One of my colleagues taught me a trick on my cell phone to get periodic, sporadic cell service which involves me walking around a certain point on the gravel road in town holding my phone up like a crazy person. It sounds funny, and it is, but many of the teachers do it. And last, but certainly not least: our school has 375 learners, of which about 250 come from farm workers families from as far as 90km away. If they are coming from these farms, they stay in the location, in a mud hut, by themselves. If there is an older brother or sister, the younger ones are taken care of. This means that there are some 5-10 year olds fending for themselves in mud huts for weeks at a time. Yeah, SUPER SAD! I will be helping my principal with proposals for getting a hostel built at my school. It's ridiculous. No child should have to do that. Keep an eye out for what you might be able to do to help this and other situations at the school which are in dire need of assistance.

My flickr account wasn't working very well, but I uploaded pictures on facebook and you can see the pictures on the link below. ENJOY!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=73423&l=b1bfa&id=511256995

Much love from Namibia. "Together We Can Make a Change"

Last post for awhile

2009-01-16T03:46:00.002-06:00

Before I forget, or run out of time, here is a link to my photos page. I am still trying to figure out how to do different albums and what what, but this will do for now.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrbutler111/

I am heading up North tomorrow to my site, Mangetti. I really cannot express how excited I am about this experience. The orientation has been great and I've met some amazing people, but it's time to get started. I have no idea what to expect as far as living arrangements, what classes I'll be teaching and how many of them, and so on.

I thank you all for all the amazing comments, love and support! I will probably be back on the internet in about 2 or 3 weeks, so keep checking.

ONE LOVE.

Metahazeni!

2009-01-14T05:18:00.002-06:00

Hello Everyone! First, I would like to thank all of you who have visited my blog and left comments for me! You have no idea how much that means. I'm really sorry I haven't been able to update this as much as I would've liked during orientation. It's been pretty crazy.

I have 13 minutes of internet left, so I have to make this quick unfortunately. We did our teaching practicum last week. We were in a small village teaching random classes at the Eendejo Secondary School. The school is a hostel school and we lived on the school grounds. The conditions were not so great, but I loved it! The kids that we taught were gathered from the surrounding community (because it was their summer vacation). It was truly amazing to see kids come to school all week really wanting to learn when they were on holiday. I had the privilege of teaching Grade 8 boys with a fellow volunteer and we definitely fell in love with them. I brought a soccer ball, or football as some of the kids call it, and that was a huge hit. I even got to play some barefoot soccer (which resulted in amazing blood blisters) and scored a few goals playing against about 35 Namibian children varying in ages from 7-18. I'm improving my JV soccer skills, too. :)

Aaaahhh, I don't have much time left. I could write and write and write! I leave on Saturday morning (8 a.m. Namibia time, 1 a.m. US Eastern Time) for my site and will not have cell phone service there. I will have access to cell phone service on the occassional weekend that I leave town. So, I guess just try to call on weekends and hope that I am in a decent sized town. :)

Oh, and here is a link from the radio interview I did just before I left.

http://www.weol.com/6/6A/morningshowwo122908.html

Scroll down to December 30th and there is a link to my interview. Oh, and it says I'm from Avon Lake on the page (not true, I lived there, but am not from there).

Until next time, much love to you all!

My digits

2009-01-04T02:25:00.003-06:00

I got my phone today and here is the number:

011 264 81 419 5846

Those are all the country codes and what what that you need to dial to reach me. Oh, and I apologize for a faulty link in my first blog from Namibia. Here is a better one for calling cards (thank you Samantha):

http://speedypin.com/phone/cards/Namibia+-+Cellular

Remember, it's free for me to receive calls, so hit me up! :) Just remember that I am 7 hours ahead of Eastern Time.

Peace. Love. Respect.

When in Rome...I mean, Namibia

2009-01-04T02:20:00.002-06:00

Last night was by far the best "Namibian Experience" of the trip so far. We went to a traditional Herero restaurant named "Otjikaendu Den" (don't ask me how to say that). Anyways, I really wish I could post pictures on here right now so you could see the yumminess that I devoured last night. Instead, I'll just have to tell you that my meal consisted of goat intestines, goat and lamb chops, goat cheek, goat tongue, goat ear, and goat eye (yes, goat EYE. I popped it out and ate it up). It was actually pretty good. You should try it sometime. :)

Alright, that's my super fun update for now. We head to the North tomorrow for a week of teaching practicum. I'm not sure if I will have internet access or not, but I will update as soon as possible.

Sending all my love from Namibia.

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM NAMIBIA!!

2009-01-02T05:32:00.002-06:00

Wishing you a very Happy New Year from "The Biggest Internet Cafe in Africa" in Namibia. :) It has been an amazing first couple days. All 31 volunteers are some of the best people with the most positive, loving energy. We rang in the New Year in "Jo-Burg" South Africa and we definitely rang it in with a bang! :) Good times from day 1.

Right now, as I've been for most of the past couple days, I am fairly speechless about this experience. We just started orientation, and it's going to be very busy for the next couple weeks, but I am looking forward to every bit of it. We are heading up north on Monday for a week of teaching practicum and will also get a chance to go on a Game Drive through Etosha National Park. I'm REAL jacked about that! It's going to be awesome. I'll make sure to take lots of pictures of the giraffes, zebras, elephants, and hopefully a lion! We are going to our sites on Saturday, January 17th and start teaching on Monday, January 19th. I can't wait to get to my site. I DEFINITELY am in the most remote area out of all the volunteers. Everyone else has electricity and at least decent cell phone service. Ha! Who needs that? I am pumped to have the moon as my light and to use the 1 phone in the village at the building with the generator.

Bee Tee Dub (by the way), it's about 90 degrees in Windhoek (pronounced Vind-Hook) today. Also, I went for a run with 4 other volunteers and the owner of the hostel (think muscular running African man and that's him) and nearly died. I joked with the rest of the runners that they were Varsity and I was representing the JV squad (along with another slowy joey like me). I hope to continue this running trend, even if it's the end of me. :)

Alright, I have to go. I only have a few more minutes of internet. I do not have a phone yet, but I will get one in the next couple days. It is MUCH cheaper for you to call me (when I have service, that is). It's actually free for me to receive calls, even from the States). You can get good deals on calling cards on speeypin.com and pinonline.com (i think that's the name).

I hope you're all well and enjoying the new year. This is an amazing start to 2009 and have had wonderful moments (albeit fleeting moments) of true enlightenment on several occassions already. This is really happening. I am still in a bit of shock.

One World.

HIV Students in Namibia

2008-12-26T10:31:00.002-06:00

An interesting article from un.org providing even more motivation to address HIV/AIDS as part of my volunteer experience.

Special thanks to Aleks from my WorldTeach group for passing this along.

HIV-positive youth in Namibia, Tanzania need greater support from schools – UN

23 December 2008 – Children and young people living with HIV in Namibia and Tanzania are not getting the kind of moral support they need to further their education, according to the first United Nations report commissioned specifically on the learning needs of this vulnerable group.
“Supporting the educational needs of HIV-positive learners: Lessons from Namibia and Tanzania” calls for stepping up support for students living with HIV, noting that the extent of the failures of educational institutions in the two countries are being “masked” by gaps in data and a lack of research.
It identifies the challenges facing educational institutions who want to respond to the needs of children and young people living with HIV and makes recommendations and guidelines on how best to support them.
One of the most striking findings of the report, released by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), is the pervasive stigma and discrimination faced by children living with the infection.
“Every HIV-positive child interviewed in both Namibia and Tanzania described personal and ongoing experience of the negative consequences of disclosing their HIV status,” according to a news release published on the website of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
“Each felt that there was greater safety in keeping silent. Stigma was described as ‘more killing’ than the disease itself,” it added.
The studies found that the information on HIV shared in schools was often “depersonalized and remote from the needs of the individuals infected and affected by the disease.”
There was also a “lack of effective communication” about sex or reproductive health, with the subject treated ‘flippantly’ in many schools.
At the same time, the report did find evidence of reduced school fees and expanded feeding schemes for children orphaned or made vulnerable by HIV as well as children living with HIV, which it believes suggests that “things are getting better.”
UNESCO recommends focusing on specific interventions for HIV-learners, in addition to ensuring the equitable delivery of accessible, quality education for all children.

Article in local newspaper

2008-12-21T21:17:00.003-06:00

Check out the article that was in the Sunday Chronicle-Telegram (Lorain County newspaper).

http://www.chroniclet.com/2008/12/21/elyria-catholic-grad-heads-to-namibia-to-teach_122/

11 more days...

2008-12-19T13:37:00.007-06:00

I depart for Namibia in just 11 days! I seriously cannot believe that it's so close. It seems like a long, long time ago that I started this whole process (November 2007) with the intention of going to Kenya. Well, as fate would have it, that plan transformed into a wonderful opportunity in Namibia. It also seems like I've been on the "See ya later Circuit" for awhile saying bye to friends and family. I try my best to live in the present, but I wanted to take some time to reflect and share my list (I've determined that I like doing lists on this blog thing) of expectations for my trip along with people and things I will miss.

Expectations:
Helping Namibians, Helping other volunteers without teaching experience, Being helped by other volunteers who have gifts to offer me, Expecting the unexpected, Being challenged physically and mentally, Making a positive impact on the village of Mangetti and the Mangetti Combined School (especially since they've never had a WT volunteer), Learning the ways of the Kwangali and respecting their culture, Learning the language of Rukwangali (eventually), Reading a lot of books, Visiting Emily Samek in Guinea, Doing some fun travel adventures with the WT volunteers, KEEPING AN OPEN MIND EVERY MOMENT ABOUT ALL SITUATIONS.

Just pretend Puff Daddy is singing, "I'll be missing you" while you read this list:

Teaching and Learning from the Winn Elementary students, Teaching and Learning with the Winn Elementary Faculty and Staff, Spending time at home with my D.O.D. and step-mom Amy, Playing living room football with my little brother Patrick, Wrestling with Cocoa the super-pooch, Visiting Mom, Diane, Grandpa Hart, Rose, Aunt Betsy, Uncle Jim, Aunt Mary Ellen, Uncle Dave, and all my NY cousins, Watching my cousin Jake play bball, Laughing with my amazing twin sisters Megan and Dawn, Talking about our Cleveland and Ohio sports teams with my brother Hal, Hanging with anyone from the Butler clan, Screaming "OH NOOO!!" with Ben and Randy, Helping my Gramma and Grampa Butler and teaching Gramma how to "Myface", Playing strikeout with Andy, Talking mess about the steelers to Jojo and Mike, Spending time with all the Vajentics, Hearing my little cousin Sean say "What's that?" when someone passes gas, Eating crispitos at Uncle Tim and Aunt Vi's, Playing High School Musical Sing-a-long with my cousin AnLi, Talking about Lance McCullers with my cousin Kevin, Going to Taqueria Arandas with Samantha, Going to Mutual Kumquat and Spearhead shows, Quoting Pootie Tang, South Park, and Foot Fist Way with Nate, Being inspired on how to love by Nate and Rach, Being inspired on how to live by Lori Waas, Waking up Mark and Jules with late phone calls to talk mess or leave random messages, Messin' with Fuzz and Mrs. Deeks, Laughing with Aunt Shawn and my cousins Grace and Emily, Chillin' the most with the Bieleckis, Quoting movie lines with my boy Dan and calling his wife Angie "Buns", Dancin' with my boys Andy, Aaron, Danny and Poz, My EC peeps, My MC peeps, My Austin Family (Moms, Sis, Clayton fam, Moran, Señor, Leyla and Michael, Sinthia, Javi, Leyla, Myles, Venny, Bubu, Mr. and Mrs. Rangel, Abuelita, Tobalaya, Moni, Baker, Kiley, Colvin, Sanders fam, Penson fam, Jones/Washington fam, Sims fam, Gadison/Miller fam, Conwill fam, Randall/Hollins/Collins fam, and the rest of my students' families). Anyone I might have forgotten, I got nothin' but love for you.

I'm going to leave you with a quote from a book I'm reading, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.

"The secret is here in the present. If you pay attention to the present, you can improve upon it. And, if you improve on the present, what comes later will also be better. Forget about the future, and live each day..."

MY PLACEMENT!!!

2008-11-11T22:56:00.001-06:00

Here is an excerpt from my placement letter from the field director in Namibia. I'm so pumped!

Dear James,

Greetings from Windhoek! I hope you are getting excited for you year in Namibia. As you know, after much consideration, I have decided to place you at Mangetti Combined School. Mangetti CS is a combined school teaching grades 1-10 with about 360 learners and 14 teachers. It is located in the southern part of the Kavango Region in north-east Namibia. The local language of the area is Rukwangali and you will learn a bit during orientation to get you started. You will be the first WorldTeach volunteer at the school.

Currently, you are slated to be accommodated in teacher housing on school property. I did talk to the principal today, though, and indicated again that you are very interested in becoming involved with the community, which he was happy to hear. In fact, the school is overjoyed to receive a volunteer and the principal even said that the staff "jumped from excitement" when he told them. Mangetti is a very rural school, quite far from other towns. Therefore, it seems that the school and community feel somewhat marginalized. I think that your presence will do a lot to lift the morale of the school and community.

The two closest major towns are Grootfontein and Rundu. The principal says that many of the staff go to Rundu on the weekends and so it should not be a problem for you to get there for grocery shopping, etc. (There will be four WorldTeach volunteers in Rundu next year.) There is also a small shop at the NDC where you can find some basic needs. As I indicated, there is not electricity connected to the school at this time, though the wiring is in place and, this being Namibia, it could happen at any time or not at all.

Mangetti CS is interested in having a volunteer teach English and math Grades 8-10, and they say that your interests will be valued. I cannot emphasize enough that your assistance is greatly needed as they have difficulty attracting and retaining quality teachers due to the school's isolation. I am sure that you will be an amazing help and advantage to the school staff and be able to start many other projects and extracurricular activities that interest you.

BLOWN AWAY...

2008-10-22T00:09:00.003-05:00

I am simply blown away by the generosity from my family, friends, and people that I don't even know that are supporting this endeavor that will take me to Namibia in just over 2 months. My last post a few weeks ago, I stated that I was $268 away from my goal. Over a span of about a week, I received over $1,500 in donations!!! Like I said...blown away! The more that I am able to raise, the greater opportunity I have to stay for longer than a year. I would really love to have that opportunity, but do not want finances to hold me back from continuing this amazing experience. That being said, my goal of $10,000 was kind of a rough estimate of what I was envisioning, so donations will still gladly be accepted. :) Y'all are absolutely amazing. I am so fortunate to have amazing people in my life and I try real hard not to take that for granted.

Lots and lots of love and respect to you all!

Also, be on the lookout for a post in the near future regarding my placement. It looks like I might not get placed with the Himba tribe in the Kunene Region. There is an equally amazing opportunity in the Kavango Region in Northeastern Namibia. I will send more details when I receive them. I just know that it would be in a village in a remote part of Namibia with no electricity and the school has running water. If placed there, I would be the first volunteer that village and school has had. For those of you who know me, know that I would be extremely pumped about that possibility. WorldTeach has been incredible and I am so thankful for them. They are an amazing organization and I am blessed to be a part of it.

If you haven't done so already...GO VOTE!!!!

2 more months!!!

2008-09-23T22:12:00.005-05:00

I can't believe that I leave for Namibia in just over 2 months!! We don't have our departure date yet, but it will be sometime after Christmas. I am getting really, really pumped! It's been a looooooooonnnnggggg year awaiting this time. Since I was originally supposed to go to Kenya, I have been accepted into WorldTeach since last December 31st! It has been beneficial in regards to fundraising, but it is truly testing my patience. :) Although I am excited about my departure, I have quite a bit going on in the next 2 months; some exciting, some not so much. Here is a sampling...

Finishing up this 2 week stint as a 5th grade bilingual teacher at Winn. It is awesome. I love the kids. It has made me realize just how much I miss having my own class. It's also challenged my Spanish skills as I have to teach Reading and Math in Spanish. Today, we learned about 4 different properties of Multiplication. I definitely had to check on some translations, not to mention the stinkin' concept!
Having crown lengthening surgery at the beginning of October. For those of you who don't know what that entails; it's where the periodontist cuts my gums and bone so that my tooth shows more (so I can have crowns put on my root canals). Sounds pretty sweet, huh? :)
Getting paid for the first time in 3 months! It's not going to be a whole lot, but it sure beats selling my stuff on craigslist so I have money.
Going to visit my boys, Andy and Aaron, in Sprawlville, Arizona in the middle of October. :) Probably going to be a few tears shed at the end of that weekend.
Witnessing history as Barack Obama hopefully wins the Presidential Election!! **Not trying to offend any McCain supporters, but Obama's my dude...and this is my blog! :)
Saying good bye to my amazing friends, students and family in Austin on November 8th. It has been an amazing 6.5 years here. Most definitely will be some serious tears shed when my dad comes to bring me back to Ohio.
Getting to hang out with my fam and friends in the Midwest!
Going to see the Browns play (and hopefully win) at Cleveland Browns Stadium.
Going to see the Cavs play (I have more faith in the Cavs...after all, I am a Witness) at The Q.
Being home to see Ohio State whoop Michigan for the 5th straight year! O-H...
Spending Thanksgiving AND Christmas with my fam for the first time in FOR-EVER...FOR-EVER (think Sandlot).
Possibly meeting up with some fellow WorldTeach volunteers before we depart at a Mutual Kumquat show in Michigan.
LEAVING FOR NAMIBIA after Christmas!!!!!

There is definitely much more to list, but I'm getting a wee bit sleepy, and I don't want to bore you any more than I already have. :)

Oh, and check out my amazing fundraising progress! Thanks to everyone who has helped! Those of you waiting to donate...what are you waiting for?!?! :) Only $268 more!!!

Love and peace to you all...

UPDATE

2008-09-12T14:31:00.004-05:00

Thanks to all of the many generous donations made over the past 8 months, I reached my original goal of $6,000! I am now setting a new goal of $10,000. I misunderstood exactly how much I needed to pay WorldTeach and there have been some unexpected medical and dental costs to take care of. I have also raised my goal to ensure my goal of staying in Namibia for over 1 year. If I am to stay for another year, I will most likely have to purchase my own health insurance. I appreciate your generosity in donating towards my volunteer experience. Your willingness to support me allows me to help my community in Namibia to the best of my ability. I am just $358 away from my new goal!! Every little bit helps. Thank you kindly for your support!

Winn Students

2008-06-02T23:32:00.004-05:00

A few of my former students, Brooklyn and Christopher, are coordinating an after school fundraiser for the last couple days of school by selling popsicles and pickles (which were provided by former students' parents). These kids are an inspiration to me and a huge reason why I teach at Winn Elementary. Word has spread throughout the school that kids can buy popsicles and pickles after school to help Mr. Butler help kids in Africa.

UPDATE:
The students helped raise almost $200 in just 4 days! Included in this picture are Brooklyn and Christopher, former students who helped spearhead the after school fundraising. Thanks Brook and Christopher!!! I appreciate y'all!

How You Can Help

2008-04-29T16:41:00.012-05:00

WHO IS JAMES? WHAT IS HE DOING? Watch the video and find out!

HOW YOU CAN HELP...

Positive energy, thoughts, and/or prayers
Keep in touch with me while I am in Namibia via this site
Come to fund raising events (check this site weekly for events)
Monetary donations (I am raising $6,000 to pay for the year long experience and related costs)

*On my site (click on the "donate" link on the left side of this page)
*Send check to:

James Butler
1134 Lawson Lane
Austin, TX 78702

*TAX-DEDUCTIBLE (Make check out to "WorldTeach" and write James Butler-Namibia" on the memo line)

WorldTeach
c/o Center for International Development
Harvard University, Box 122
79 John F. Kennedy Street
Cambridge MA 02138 USA

Fund-raising progress (so close!!!)

MANY THANKS TO YOU ALL...

Grateful in Arizona!

2008-04-29T08:15:00.007-05:00

Danny and Dasan rockin' out to "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star"

Danny and Andy singing "Love of my Life"

Wow. That is about all I can say about the "African Benefit Concert" that took place at the Circle of Peace Church in Peoria, AZ this weekend. The concert was a collaborative effort by some of my best friends from college (Andy--Master of Ceremonies/Coordinator, Aaron--Giving massages, and Danny--Providing the sweet music). It was an amazing experience and I am so grateful for all the people who came and supported me and my cause. The concert raised $885!!! I am getting closer and closer to my goal of $6,000. Thanks again to all the support!

PEACE AND LOVE...

My new Green T

2008-04-25T16:25:00.009-05:00

I recently had a couple shirts made that advertise my website and my favorite saying, "Be the Change." I plan on wearing them every day to promote my trip. Check it out!

FRONT--notice the sweet "peace" font!

BACK--Namibia colored in

PEACE AND LOVE TO YOU ALL...

Manchester College, Mutual Kumquat, and SAVE THE FIREHOUSE!

2008-04-08T21:44:00.012-05:00

On Saturday, March 29th, Mutual Kumqua t put on an amazing show at Manchester College and raised awareness of my trip allowing me to speak and raise money. I am forever grateful to the wonderful people of Mutual Kumquat (Seth, Drue, Chris, and Jacob) as well as the beautiful people of N. Manchester and Manchester College. I was able to raise $290 at the event, pass out cards, and most importantly connect with people.

Again, I am so thankful to all of the people who supported me with words of affirmation, positive energy, donations, and songs (Kumquat brought me on stage and sang my favorite song, "In My Eyes", which they haven't played in 4 years...it was amazing!).

I also want to raise awareness of something else that is very near and dear to my heart. The Firehouse is a youth venue which hosts concerts and other fun activities in North Manchester, IN. It is a great place that was started by brilliant kids who wanted something fun to do with their free time instead of just sit around and drink. When I was a junior at Manchester, and RA on GMII (Garver Hall), we did a fund-raiser called the "Scruff-a-thon" (basically had a beard growing contest for the month) during the month of January to raise money for The Firehouse. Anywho, we raised $700 in a little over 3 weeks and it was an awesome experience!

Now to the real point of this story...The Firehouse roof caved in last summer and basically destroyed the whole place. So now they are renovating and raising money to return it to it's glory. Please visit their site and donate a few dollars. It is very worth it. You will get a happy feeling inside when you donate...I promise. :)

The Firehouse site
YouTube videos about The Firehouse

Exciting Updates

2008-03-18T18:27:00.003-05:00

Here are some updates:

I was featured in the February GCU (where I got my Masters) Alumni Legends Newsletter. Click here to read it. It was written before my Kenya trip was canceled.
I ordered business cards for my fund raising efforts and they have arrived. I am putting them in all my "Thank you" cards, passing them out to friends and family, leaving them at businesses, etc. I am excited to spread the word through these cards, and plus it's pretty cool to have a business card. :) Here's what it looks like...
Fund-raising Concerts:

Mutual Kumquat
Saturday, March 29th
Manchester College--Wampler Auditorium
N. Manchester, IN
8:00pm

Danny Klingler
Saturday, April 26th
Circle of Peace Church
Peoria, AZ
7:00pm

Peace and Love to you all!

Fund-raising Concert in Indiana!

2008-03-17T17:24:00.004-05:00

I will be in North Manchester, IN for a fund-raising concert on Saturday, March 29th. My friends' band, Mutual Kumquat, is putting on a CD Release/Benefit Concert for my trip to Namibia. I am really excited to see Mutual Kumquat live in action and also hope to see lots of friends from the midwest that might be able to make it to the show. Here are the details:

Saturday, March 29th
Wampler Auditorium @ Manchester College (IN)
8pm
Mutual Kumquat

Hope to see y'all there!!!

In other news, I have updated my site for the kids. Check it out.

Namibia Here I Come!

2008-03-11T21:26:00.011-05:00

After a long month of not knowing exactly what I would be doing with my life for the next year or so, I have decided upon an amazing opportunity in Namibia (just north of South Africa). I am still waiting for finalized details, but I will most likely be placed in the Kunene Region in northwest Namibia living with and teaching the Himba tribe. Do a search on "Himba" and you will learn of a culture rich in tradition and virtually untouched by Western civilization. Also, please check out my "Himba Slideshow" on the left side of my page. They live in mud huts, the women do not wear tops, and they are semi-nomadic people. That's just a few of the obvious differences from our society. Most teachers live in "teacher's housing" which consists of a small concrete structure, but I have requested to live with a host family. I think it will be an enriching experience like no other. The program will begin in December of 2008, so I will have some extra time in the States to catch up with family and friends before I depart. The cost is still $6,000 and I am back on the fund-raising train! I have received amazing support so far and am very grateful for that. I look forward to even more support in the next couple months before I leave. Here are some things that I am looking forward to in Namibia:

Teaching in a mobile school! WorldTeach has not sent a volunteer to teach in a mobile school and I am ecstatic to be the first if it all works out.
Living with a host family, possibly in a mud hut!
Experiencing a culture unlike anything that I could ever imagine!
Learning to appreciate life from a whole new perspective!
Being connected with WorldTeach, a great organization who has been in Namibia for 20 years now!
Stepping way, WAY, WAY out of my comfort zone and learning a very different way of life!
The opportunity to educate and raise their awareness about the AIDS pandemic that is destroying their country and continent!

FUND-RAISING ANNOUNCEMENT:
Saturday, March 29th--Mutual Kumquat (friends from college) is putting on a CD Release/Benefit Concert for my trip at Manchester College (IN). The show will be in Wampler Auditorium at 8pm. I will be there and would love to see anyone that lives in the Ohio/Indiana/Michigan area!

Saturday, April 26th--Danny Klingler (friend from college) is putting on a Benefit Concert for my trip at the Circle of Peace Church in Peoria, AZ (near Phoenix). The show will begin at 7pm. I will also be at this concert and would love to see anyone that lives in Arizona or somewhere else in the southwest (even though I don't know many)!

Please spread the word and forward this site to whoever might be interested in helping.

Suggested donation amounts: $25, $50, $100, $200, $500, or however much you can!

My goal is to raise $6,000 to cover my participation fee and related costs.

To donate, simply click on the "DONATE" icon to the left. It is a secure link. If you feel more comfortable sending a check to me, my address is:

James Butler
1134 Lawson Lane
Austin, TX 78702

To make a tax-deductible donation, send a check made out to "WorldTeach, Inc." to WorldTeach. Please make sure that you note the donation is towards "James Butler--Namibia Year Program." If you don't mind, could you please send me an email (see my profile) when you send the donation to WorldTeach so I can send you a thank you letter? Thanks!

WorldTeach
c/o Center for International Development
Harvard University, Box 122
79 John F. Kennedy Street
Cambridge MA 02138 USA

Check out my current fund-raising progress...

Dream Crushed...but Staying Positive

2008-02-08T16:28:00.001-06:00

The violence in Kenya has become so bad that WorldTeach has halted its program and put the brakes on my dream of volunteering in Kenya. I have been thinking about and praying for the Kenyans for the past month since this all started, and I will continue to do so. I really hope that they are able to stop the bloodshed and find peace, but there has been ethnic tension for years just waiting to explode and I have no idea how it's going to stop. I hope that the politicians are able to do something, but I'm not sure they will be able to quell the violence in 2 weeks like they claim. Anywho, I could go on and on, but I will spare you. :) Please keep the people of Kenya in your thoughts and prayers (if you pray). Thanks!

What's next for me? I am definitely going to volunteer somewhere next year. I want to help people in need. I would prefer to work with orphans. I would prefer to work with people affected by AIDS. I would also prefer to work with younger children. That being said, I am trying to be more open about opportunities. WorldTeach told me that I can choose another program to work with since I am already accepted into their organization. They have a few others in Africa that I am leaning towards (South Africa, Namibia, Rwanda), but I am also looking into Costa Rica, Micronesia, Marshall Islands, and Guyana. But I am also looking outside of WorldTeach to see if I can find something else that truly fits my passion. As you can see, I am quite confused right now.

Whatever path I choose, I will continue to fund-raise (at least $6,000) to pay for flights, program fees, etc. I greatly appreciate your support! I will definitely keep you posted on my decision.

Peace and Love.

Double Your Donation!

2008-01-28T19:46:00.002-06:00

Yellowhouse Media, an educational software company, has pledged to match donations up to $1,000 through the end of February!!!! I am incredibly grateful for their generosity and willingness to support teachers worldwide.

REASONS TO DONATE

2008-01-13T23:25:00.001-06:00

Here are 10 reasons to consider sponsoring my volunteer experience in Kenya:

You will be providing "Double AIDS Orphans" (children who've lost both parents to AIDS) with an experienced, loving, passionate, open-minded teacher.
Donations are tax-deductible. See below for more information.
Your donation is a contribution towards the costs of placing a badly needed volunteer in a developing country.
You will have a hand in improving education in developing countries.
You will be doing something about the AIDS pandemic that is plaguing Africa.
Ever dream of volunteering abroad, but never got around to it? This is an opportunity to be a part of that experience you dreamed of.
You will have first-hand access to my experiences in Kenya.
Your donation towards my participation fees will directly benefit the Village as I have to pay for housing and food for the year.
You will be making a difference in the world from your own home!
The money is not for me; it's for the kids. It's all about the kids!

Please spread the word and forward this site to whoever might be interested in helping.

Suggested donation amounts: $25, $50, $100, $200, $500, or however much you can!

My goal is to raise $6,000 to cover my participation fee and related costs.

To donate, simply click on the "DONATE" icon to the left. It is a secure link. If you feel more comfortable sending a check to me, my address is:

James Butler
1134 Lawson Lane
Austin, TX 78702

To make a tax-deductible donation, send a check made out to "WorldTeach, Inc." to WorldTeach. Please make sure that you note the donation is towards "James Butler--Kenya Year Program." If you don't mind, could you please send me an email (see my profile) when you send the donation to WorldTeach so I can send you a thank you letter? Thanks!

WorldTeach
c/o Center for International Development
Harvard University, Box 122
79 John F. Kennedy Street
Cambridge MA 02138 USA

THANK YOU!

Dream becoming Reality

2008-01-02T09:41:00.000-06:00

On New Year's Eve, I received a phone call that quickly turned one of my lifelong dreams into a reality...I have been accepted to teach in Kenya! WorldTeach, a non-profit based out of Harvard University, has enabled me to finally pursue this dream of teaching abroad in Africa. I will depart the States in mid-July 2008 and inspire/be inspired in the Nyumbani Village in Kenya for at least 1 year.

The Nyumbani (pronounced 'Nee-oom-BAH-nee') Village is located approximately 3 hours north of Nairobi. This village was built to serve elders and orphans whom have been left behind by the AIDS pandemic. The children that I will be teaching are orphans whom have lost both parents to AIDS. No doubt this is going to be an incredibly challenging and rewarding experience! "Lea Toto" (the name of this blog site) means, "to raise the child" in Swahili. Not only is this is the mentality of the Village where I will be living and working, but it is also the name of a program launched by Nyumbani to provide services to HIV+ children and their families. I am so fortunate and excited to live and work in a place dedicated to the AIDS pandemic, a disease that is devastating an entire continent, as well as the world.

Here are some of living/working details that I am aware of:

The program lasts from July 2008-July 2009
The cost of the program is $6,000. I am trying to raise that money, which includes my flight to/from Kenya, health insurance, visa, housing, and food. Pretty reasonable for 1 year.
I will be staying in some type of volunteer housing with the 6 other WorldTeach volunteers.
I am going to try to learn as much of Swahili and Kikuyu (local language) as possible. I love learning new languages!
I will receive a stipend of $100 per month. Yes, living large and in charge!! :) This is truly volunteer work.
I will work as a Teacher's Assistant, teaching English. I will be assigned to work with a class in a specific grade (grades 1-7).
We will undergo a 4 week orientation session once in Kenya. The first 2 weeks will most likely be in an AIDS orphanage in Nairobi.
We will have a 1-2 month break around December/January when the school is out for their end of the year holiday (like summer vacation) and we are encouraged to travel during this time!!! That is going to be amazing!
The possibility of extending my stay in Kenya will be decided in June/July 2009, but I will deal with that when the time comes.

I have already received amazing support and I appreciate you all for that!!! If you are willing and able to support me financially, you can click on the "DONATE" icon on my page. It is a secure link. If you feel more comfortable sending checks or money orders, you can send them to my house in Austin.

James Butler

1134 Lawson Lane

Austin, TX 78702

Let me reiterate that I am extremely thankful for any type of support: thoughts, prayers, comments on my blog, love, hugs, positive energy, donations, good vibes, etc. I THANK YOU.

PEACE AND LOVE TO YOU ALL!!!!!

Feel free to enjoy this video about the Nyumbani Village. Click on this link and then there will be a video link (look for "wmv" or "mp4"). Click on one of those to see the video.

http://www.nyumbani.org/village_need.htm