DAIL Community, KCA, blood drive

Last Friday I visited Jubilate Cafe, the first Dail Community project operating in Atlanta. What the heck is Dail (pronounced Dah-ill)?

Back in 80's, Seoul, the capital of S. Korea, was a total ghetto; countless poverty-driven village with thousands of sick ppl who can't afford medicine and hungry ppl who can't afford food.

So, this pastor named Rev. Choi decided,"I'm gon' start scooping rice to ppl." ("scooping rice" in Korean is an idiom for feeding ppl; and yes ppl literally scoop rice to share)

And he did just that.

People started calling him Rev. Rice Scooper. Years later his project grew to include medical care and few years ago first-ever free hospital in Seoul was open, Dail Angel Hospital; any seriously ill ppl who otherwise can't afford medical care are treated there, the cost being funded by thousands of Angel Donors across the globe. And now Dail Community is scooping rice to the hunger in Cambodia, China, and Africa as well.

I've met him twice in last couple years when he came to start some projects in US; what a great guy; great example of how small thing grows to achieve a long-run goal; he literally started off going out to street with a spatula and a big rice bowl, and his project now continuously feeds the hunger in the aforementioned places. Definitely one of my major inspirations for my passion for charity.

Passion. Initiative. And I think it just takes some time. Oh sorry some is a bad word; much much time.

Anyway Jubilate Cafe is this little homestyle cafe that uses 100% of its proceeds for Dail.

Btw. Dail in Korean means "unity in diversity"

Jubilate opened couple weeks ago; I went there for the first time last Fri w/ my sister to attend a little promo concert the place held. As a not-profit volunteer myself, I know how it feels to have ppl come at events; one person, one face, one little step means so much. I talked with one of the ladies that work there. She said how $5 can provide a month of nutrition supplies for a kid in Africa. I shared my volunteer stories with KCA; how ARV costs only a dollar a day yet numerous kids die fro AIDS every year in Africa; she said I'm doing good thing and acknolwedges that AIDS is indeed a serious problem.

I just love these moments.

I had a brief talk with her about how I wanna start something in New York for Dail once I go back; I left my contact, enjoyed the concert (classical repertoire!), and went back.

Switching gear, poverty is intrinsically linked with AIDS; ok my Keep A Child Alive works; what's been up?

Haven't heard any response from my church mission committee regarding my short-term and long-term partnership proposal. Slow Southern bureaucracy. I will go to their next meeting on July 23. But I know busy pace isn't busy result; takes time to sip in. Unfortunately it's not like non-profits will run out of things to do.

As a kid watching legless people creeping in ghetto market place begging for money in S. Korea, I learned this world is a trashcan. As I started volunteering for charity, I was mad why it is still a trashcan when we have all these charity groups. By the time I reached high school, I realized this Earth can't pump shits unlimtedly hence it will always be a trashcan and best we do is distribute those shits as fairly as possible.

I was wikisurfing and found out that "Don't Give Up" cover version by Bono and Alicia Keys used to be exclusively sale on iTune and %100 of proceeds go to KCA; also found out Cingular (now AT&T) has that song on ringtone and %100 proceeds also go to KCA. Contacted the KCA headquarter to verify if these are still truths, once verified I wanna start a campaign (like low-key stuff on facebook and what-not, not to appear as iTune and Cingular promoters, lol) telling ppl to buy those.

The first high school chapter of KCA (KCA at Duluth High School, to be headed by my sister) promotion efforts that my sister and I will work on will start in July, starting w/ probably something w/ myspace (those myspace addicted high schoolers!)

Last Sunday was blood drive at my church. I kept company w/ one of my friends who gave blood while she's laying down relaxing right after giving blood. She asked, "Why aren't you giving blood?"

I was so embarrassed; I didn't think much into it; that evening when I invited ppl to join KCA facebook cause I couldn't dare send her invitation.

I don't know how much was pumped outta one person; but supposedly the blood collected from that day from one person keeps three babies alive.

As an international person (actually I hate that word international; "inter" means "between," and "between" implies there is some barrier to be crossed, and to assume that in the first place is the problem!...ok enough w/ my rant about words and some obscure concepts....here by international I mean I've lived countried besides US), it's always refreshing to know here domestically in US there are craps going on. Of course it is indeed true that babies in US have much much much better access to health care than babies in Africa and hence more and more efforts should be put for Africa; but in terms of each life itself every baby's life is equally precious.

I hate cliche and obvious statements, but any of those probably has something in truth: seems like there is more than one way to keep a child alive.

peace+love

The power of "I Know"

Besides the marketing research job, I have two side-jobs for Princeton Academy and Dream Kids.

For Dream Kids, a part of what I do is I'm teaching a 1st grader math and language; one-o-one; at his house.

First graders. They hate homeworks and stuff. This one is not an exception; he's strong; today he pulled off an entire tantrum about how he wants to get out of the study room. I pulled off my usual negative reinforcement talk "you can get out of here after you finish your work"

Not working well. Tantrum's getting intense. So inadvertently I spat out two words that proved to be powerful.
"I know" (that you want to get out of here)

The two words were magaical. It appeared that the tantrum wasn't just indicative of his desires; but also indicative of him wanting me to know how he feels and relates to him.

After I go on with that "I know" talk, he became a peaceful sheep completing his homework.

Wow. The power of "I know"; the power of interpersonal relating.

Ok, Keep A Child Alive. I presented my partnership proposal to the mission committee of my church. Overall, not much responsive. Of course we're talking about a local church whose idea of community service consists of visiting local homeless shelter and doing a can drive. Though we have mission trips to Honduras and what not, not much international element--sharp contrast to New York where just about everything is international.

What I really tried to establish was a framework for ongoing partnership; movement doesn't end with one-time swipe of credit card or signing off of one check; it has to build up, one person with another, one group with another, together. Relationships.

But it appears that the best I can get out of my church is a one-time contribution; darn it, but I realizes once the church makes a contribution the headquarter will take care of the ongoing relation--donor relations! So I feel like I've done my work.

I realized yesterday was 6th anniversary of me coming to US. Gosh my dad.....his mom (my grandma) still in S. Korean half paralyzed in a hospital all by herself with no family; and my dad can't visit him because he still doesn't have his permanent resident card due to the immigration stuffs being carried out horribly by our infinitely wise president and Congress. He can go there, but he can't come back; that's the issue, and it's not like given the family situation here he wants to leave US for good.
Dream Act now!!!!!

Uganda?

I usually have my entire blog in my head before I write it down. But this blog will be freestyle.

I received an e-mail about volunteering opportunity in Uganda. This doctor couple is running a hospital, nutrition program, and schoo as a part of World Harvest missions. And they need two males in 2008.

I sent a request for further info, so until I receive that this would be just preliminary reflection. So obviously the question is: am I going or not?

Besides the hospital, I know Uganda has a KCA site and is a country with the most successful history of AIDS remedy in sub-Saharan Africa; so I really wanna learn more about that too.

The cost is obviously a drawback. I don't know how much of the cost I will have to cover myself; but probably a major portion. Will that money be better spent as a donation to KCA?

But then experience is so much; I so know it's not just about money; the experience and social network will be priceless, and in the long run are probably more valuable than a one-time donation.

Plus, my life philosophy--especially at this young age--is try everything, anything, something; and Uganda would be a definite everything, anything, something.

School comes as a drawback as well. I plan to get my degree in Dec 2008, and spending a year or more in Uganda would obviously delay that; is this something I wanna try after graduation? Opportunities like this are surely to come again. But then, after graduation even if something like this comes up what if I'm so caught up with life and job I can't even make it? Is student-time the best and only time to gain this experience?

Parents. That's another consideration. My dad is a definitely yes; my mom, probably yes, although she would not like the idea.

All these will be reconsidered after I receive more info.

Meanwhile, tomorrow I'm making a proposal to the mission committee at my church to partner w/ KCA--short-term and long-term. Please let that go well!

And I'm glad my sister is interested in starting a high school chapter of KCA. I talked her into it but she seems to have an interest of her own and she's a good leader and has many friends. I really appreciate that.

Fight the virus with virus!

peace