Thursday, September 28, 2017

Clothed in Gratitude

I am consulting at an NGO in Cambodia called ABCs and Rice.  The mission of the organization is to empower children living in poverty through education.  To keep the kids in school instead of working on a farm, peddling trinkets at the tourist spots, or begging on the street, ABCs and Rice provides the students with rice and vegetables to take home to their families twice per month.  This model allows the children to provide for their families, see the value in hard work and education, and of course offers an incentive to stay in school.   I encourage you to read more about their mission on their website. In my short time here, I have seen how ABCs and Rice is the first step in a staircase to a prosperous and fulfilling life for these wonderful kids. 

Whether in the West, or here in Cambodia, the key to a life out of poverty is education. We have to be taught about the life that’s out there and see the bright future on the horizon.   Not everyone can do it all on their own.  To dig yourself out of a hole, someone has to offer you the tools.  To climb out, someone has to steady the ladder.  Most of us wouldn’t have gotten where we are today if it weren’t for the grandparents, parents, teachers, or friends who guided us through it.  Personally, I have many people to thank. 

I arrived here thinking I knew true gratitude.  I had a solid start, at least.  My grandfather passed away when my dad was only four.  This left my grandma, Norene, a single, working mom, to raise two boys on a bank teller salary. My dad learned to appreciate just having food on the table growing up; a feat only accomplished by watching every penny that came in and by the help of a strong community and family network.  Because of his own upbringing, my dad made sure that I never had to worry about food on my plate, but also that I appreciated all that I had.  We all fall victim to envy every day, no matter how we were raised, though.  Like anyone, when I was back home in the US, I occasionally caught myself coveting my old neighbor's BMW or my friend’s 70” flat screen.  Each day, I remind myself of the lessons passed down from my grandmother and work on making the most out of what I have.

We all learn at a young age what we should appreciate, and how to prioritize our values.  You might remember your parents reminding you to count your blessings with sayings like “Be respectful and eat everything on your plate. Kids are starving in [Insert Third World Country Here].”  Working for a school in a third world country like Cambodia has put life and all our material possessions into a whole new perspective for me.  For many Cambodian children, running water, a solid floor, a doorway, and even the guarantee of a square meal are signs of material wealth. Most of the students at ABCs and Rice come from household incomes of less than fifty dollars a month.

To share a small example of just how impactful ABCs and Rice is on the lives of these children, on the first day of school here, Tammy Durand, ABCs Founder and Director, and a couple of lovely volunteers from New Zealand, lined up the students who waited excitedly but patiently for something that you or I likely take for granted every day: clothing.  






I sat at my desk looking over my computer screen as each child filed in not knowing what gift they were about to receive.  Then, Tammy and the volunteers, without skipping a beat, started grabbing among the stacks of clothes neatly folded in the cabinets along the wall. Instantly, smiles cracked across every child’s innocent face as tops and bottoms were held up to find the right size. It was like Christmas!


At Christmas as a kid, though, I remember hoping for a new Gameboy or a sock full of money.  The children at ABCs proudly accepted a set of used clothing that someone else discarded. The angelic smiles on their faces that day showed me just how wrong I had been about what it means to be grateful.


Despite my upbringing, I remember envying the new Dr. Martens or Tommy Hilfiger jeans my classmates would wear to school.  That day at ABCs and Rice, the children couldn’t have been more elated about hand-me-downs.  I didn’t see a single child fighting over a certain item, complaining about the colors, or even getting picky about whether they matched. Not one of them compared brands or pointed out small stains here and there. They were just truly thankful for clean clothes to wear tomorrow.  

Clothing donated by people from all around the world put pure joy on children’s faces here.  This is not only proof that donations, whether financial or material, change the lives of children who don’t have much other than their potential, but it is proof that the heart remains pure if we provide it with a righteous path. 




While children back home certainly learn the value of appreciating what they have, there is no greater smile in the world than the one on the face of a child who never expected a thing in the first place.


 
At ABCs, the kids don’t just get education and clothing, they get breakfast and lunch, which includes meat and vegetables, important nutrition that many people in third world countries like Cambodia go without.  ABCs also provides free education in the English language, a skill that for many in this tourist economy is the ticket to a much brighter future.  And of course, twice per month, each child goes home with 6 kg of rice to feed their families. But, perhaps most importantly, the students of ABCs and Rice get access to a bigger world and learn the ever-valuable lesson that you truly can achieve anything you put your mind to.  This is a taste of all that life has to offer them, which is just enough to motivate them to push through all that the world has thrown at them. ABCs and Rice isn’t just a school; it is THE package of tools that clear a pathway for the kids—tools that you and I take for granted. 


Along with providing operations insight, it is my goal to raise money for this great organization so they can continue their mission and these kids can continue to learn new, valuable life lessons every day.  To support this great organization, I’ve set up a donation page linked here and also along the top right side of the screen.  Over the next 6 months, together, I believe we can raise $5,000, which is less than a month of operating costs at ABCs and Rice.  If you have the means to help ABCs and Rice continue to change young people’s lives every day, please donate what you can.  Any amount is greatly appreciated! (On your cell phone? Clink here for the mobile- friendly site)

If you know someone else who has a passion for education, or who might be interested in learning more about ABCs and Rice, please share this blog with them!

Stay tuned next week as I tell the story of Tammy Durand, founder and Director of ABCs and Rice.  She built an organization that supports nearly 200 students every day with only a couple hundred dollars in her pocket and a great idea. 

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