Wedding Bells

My BFF Kim recently got engaged! I even got to help Pablo with the proposal from another continent. I am very excited for these two and know they have an incredible path before them filled with service to each other and the world.
Congratulations Pablo and Kim! Quito, Ecuador in July 2010!

Empowering Children as Peacebuilders Forum

As usual I'm behind on fulfilling my good intentions of blogging. Nevertheless, let me share with you a little bit about my recent trip to the Philippines. Last month I spent a couple weeks in Manila, Philippines for work. The purpose of the trip was to help out at an event called Empowering Children as Peacebuilders (ECaP) Forum. About 40 young peacebuilding leaders from 9 countries gathered together to share their ECaP work, build relationships with one another and launch a network for the children to continue to share their best practices with one another. Children ages 13-20 came from the Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, India, Sri Lanka, Korea, Kenya, Columbia and Lebanon. The first couple of days were spent with about 10 of these children who would be leading the Forum. World Vision staff helped train and mentor these youth so they were better prepared to lead their peers during the Forum. The five-day Forum itself was incredible. Each day was packed with interactive activities and peacebuilding exercises that helped the children think through their own context and peacebuilding work in their countries. Every country was able to share best practices through a marketplace, presentations, skits, artwork and media resources. Certain country groups introduced new modules and creative ways of thinking that could help other countries in their own peace clubs methodologies and activities. One night the children had a cultural night where each country group presented a dance, song or drama from their culture that shared a message of peace. On the last day the children worked very hard to develop a peace declaration stating their purpose and what they wanted to achieve as a group. The children shared this with stakeholders both internal and external to World Vision in a panel format. We ended our time together with a commitment signing as seen below.
I also had the opportunity to meet Fatmire Feka one of my heroes. After the war in Kosovo, Fatmire started Kids for Peace at the age of 11. She help found 8 clubs. Today there are 16 clubs led by children helping Muslims and Christians work together, teaching their peers about their rights and helping serve their communities through projects and activities. Fatmire, now 21 years old, was the keynote speaker at the Forum. Feel free to read the story I wrote on Kids for Peace as a World Vision International 2009 Peacebuilding Award Recipient.
I absolutely loved my time with the children. It was so wonderful to meet some of the children that have been heroes of mine since I began my work in peacebuilding. These children are true inspirations and agents of change and it is so cool to see them fighting for peace and justice at such a young age and with such passion and drive. Talk about true empowerment in their ownership and participation- taking up huge issues like children's rights, conflict analysis and community change! It is beautiful and this is exactly the kind of thing that excites me about working with children. My time with these children was so rich and full of life. Laughter, dance, and creativity that filled my experience with these kids will be something that will continue to motivate me in my work and carry me forward. I cannot wait to work more directly with children again in this capacity because let's be honest, working directly with children is my favorite. I only hope and pray that God will give me the opportunity to have that kind of dream job in the not-so-distant future.
For photos, media resources (including videos on awesome work in the Philippines, Cambodia and India), a look at the children's peace declaration, etc. please visit our public WVI Peacebuilding site.

Falling

It's true. I'm in love with fall. My true love season has always been summer with its lure of sunshine, flip flops, water-based activities, beaches and delish seasonal fruits. However, I've recently discovered that I'm having a love affair with fall. Seriously, I've noticed this budding romance since fall of 2007 when I moved back to Seattle after my time in Pasadena where fall is pretty much non-existent.
Since then I've become completely sentimental over all things fall- the colorful leaves, the crisp air, all pumpkin food products, corn mazes, gourds and apple cider. I've even convinced myself that I like butternut squash when I'm not totally sure my tastebuds are on board. Our apartment even looks kind of like a pumpkin patch right now and I love it. Fall here in DC has been fairly lame unless you walk on Capitol Hill or go to Rock Creek Park (loved a long bike ride there yesterday through the beautiful leaves), but the colors outside the city are even more amazing. Apparently Virginia and Maryland are good for something.
Even though the DC area puts on a good show of the season, I do miss fall in Seattle- something about the mountains accompanying the fall colors. But I can't complain about the view from here. So thank you fall for being so amazing and please don't tell summer that you're kind of my new favorite.

Day of Prayer

October 1st marks the first day of our fiscal year at World Vision. Every year World Vision sets the day aside for prayer. This year was my first Day of Prayer; I missed last year's by just a few days. It was a great day set aside to absorb, pray, reflect, share, worship and dedicate the year to the Lord as a community. It was very cool to know that World Vision offices all over the globe were participating in the Day of Prayer.
Throughout the day we engaged in corporate prayer, individual prayer, lifting up new campaigns, requests from our field staff and the needs of people affected and afflicted by dire circumstances all around the globe. One of my favorite parts of the day was when we prayed for our donors. World Vision had collected prayer requests from people that financially support World Vision. I think it is so easy for us let people invest into us as a humanitarian organization because we know that our work requires people willing to financially support us, but it is some times difficult to remember that our donors have needs as well. They may not be suffering from malaria or struggle to feed their families, but they still have real needs- cancer, a broken marriage, loss of a loved one, depression. As staff we had the honor of silently working through piles of prayer requests, praying, and then writing a postcard of encouragement to individual donors we prayed for. It was a powerful and humbling experience and I was really encouraged by the whole process. How wonderful to be able to prayer for our donors after they have been praying for our work!
In Richard Foster's Celebration of Discipline he writes, "To pray is to change. Prayer is the central avenue God uses to transform us. If we are unwilling to change, we will abandon prayer as a noticeable characteristic of our lives" (p. 33). I am so grateful to work for an organization that does not abandon prayer, but seeks the Lord as we are starting a new year. We pray because we know that without His power and might, our work is dependent on merely human effort. We pray because we need change, transformation, not only in our work but in our own lives as well. The Day of Prayer is the beginning, a reminder of our oneness with Christ as His Body, a call to lean into Him as we enter a new year as a community seeking to serve the least of these.
To learn more about how you can be praying for World Vision, visit our Newsfeed with up-to-date prayer requests.

Photos by Brian Tropiano

Tis the Day of Peace

Today is the International Day of Peace. Established in the early 80s, the International Day of Peace is "devoted to commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples…This day will serve as a reminder to all peoples that our organization, with all its limitations, is a living instrument in the service of peace and should serve all of us here within the organization as a constantly pealing bell reminding us that our permanent commitment, above all interests or differences of any kind, is to peace."- UN Resolution
As former Secretary-General Kofi Annan said on the International Day of Peace in 2005, "Twenty-four hours is not a long time. But it is long enough to look over the barricades, or through the barbed wire, to see if there is another path."
Although it's one day, one day carries power and weight. One day creates awareness, changes minds, encourages people to pray, listen, and reflect upon the power of peace, justice, and breaking down the barriers that divide us as individuals, communities, religious groups, ethnic groups and many other labels we voluntarily or involuntarily possess. One day is a start, a day of hope for change.
As you may have guessed, this day is like Christmas for those that work for peace the rest of the 364 days of the year. How amazing to see nations lay down their weapons, children march for peace, and people gathering around the globe to stop and imagine a peaceful world. In this day we find hope, motivation and inspiration in the stories of peacemakers and peacebuilders.
The more time and energy that I invest into my peace work at World Vision, the more I realize that peace is a foundational need for the well-being of the most vulnerable. Without it we are susceptible to violations of human rights and basic elements of what it means to live. This may seem like an extreme statement for someone living in the developed world, but think about those in the developing world. When peace is replaced with war, food security, access to water, education, health, livelihood, and basic human rights are all put at risk. Therefore, developing a culture of peace and capacity-building are necessary in the fight for peace.
Communities partnering with World Vision are celebrating today. This year we not only celebrate as we have in the past, but we also celebrate the inaugural World Vision International Peace Prize. I have had the honor and privilege of helping oversee this process and absorb the work of some incredible individuals and organizations. The Peace Prize includes two awards, the Peacemaking Award which honors an individual, and the Peacebuilding Award which is being shared by two organizations this year. The Peacemaking Award is awarded to Mary Ann Arnado of the Philippines and this year’s Peacebuilding Award is shared between Kids for Peace of World Vision Kosovo and World Vision Rwanda. Read their stories. Listen to the ways they have worked to overcome difficult obstacles and stand for peace.
Dare to imagine. Happy International Day of Peace.

Wedding dances

Check out the video of the wedding entrance below. Pretty fabulous if you ask me. After dancing down the aisle in my friend's Kenyan wedding in April, I think dancing down the aisle is pretty great idea.



This is the divorce spoof that is pretty funny as well:

Pray the Devil Back to Hell

I recently saw an excellent documentary I just have to write about. It's called Pray the Devil Back to Hell. It is a remarkable story of a group of visionary women who demanded peace for Liberia while the country was being torn apart by civil war. The incredible perseverance, hope, and commitment to peace and justice by this grassroots movement changed the nation and even paved the way for democratic elections and the first female head of state in Africa. The film deals with mature content and includes explicit descriptions of war and human rights offenses, but the message is powerful and hopeful. As I watched this film I became increasingly aware of the foundational need for peace in communities. My heart leaped out to the faces of the children and their complete excitement when peace was finally tasted. As the children on the screen sang about peace a rare movie theatre tear came to my eye and I smiled because that is exactly why I do the work that I do in Peacebuilding at World Vision.
Share the film with others and let the story of these women be told. Let's celebrate peace together and don't forget, the International Day of Peace is coming up on September 21st. Hooray!

Dawn in a box

Last Friday my roommate Erin and I went to visit our other roommate Dawn at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dawn is a med student, always looking to make some extra cash, even if that means she has to carry pee buckets around with her and collect her finger nail clippings in a bag for a week.

Medical Studies Dawn has done so far:

1) HIV vaccine in 2007 with GWU

2) Gave blood which they compared her D-dimer level to people who are HIV positive. D-dimer is a coagulation product that gives information about clotting and inflammation.

3) A thyroid study where they stimulated her thyroid (gave her TRH or thyroid releasing hormone) and then drew blood for the next 3 hours to monitor her response. They were doing this to see how this correlated to her DNA sequence for her thyroid receptor.

4) MRS study: She did an MRI, but instead of for 20 minutes it was for 2.5 hours. They gave her a labeled glucose infusion so they could watch the metabolism in her brain. They were testing this new way of doing MRI on her.

5) She was screened but got rejected last week from any PMS studies (including the one where they give you a drug to put you into menopause for 3 months). Even so, she did track her level of anxiety, sadness, mood, and energy every evening for 2 months for them.

6) She did a virtual reality study for medical students. She was given an article to read on a medical subject and had to take a quiz on it. Then she saw a virtual patient with a related condition and had to interact with her. Then she answered more quiz questions on her perceptions of the disease and the patient.

7) She was screened last week for a study where they administer electric shocks to her wrists as she watches a screen with geometric shapes and tests her prediction of when the shocks will come (ie can she figure out which shapes come before the shocks?) and will test her cortisol level, a stress hormone.

8) She was also screened last week for a malaria vaccine at Johns Hopkins' office in DC.

9) She was also screened last week for a study comparing her to former and current smokers. They administer a long psychological questionnaire and collect her 24-hour urine, toenail clippings, blood, and a cheek swab.

My favorite rejection of Dawn's is a study where they would have injected her with a strand of the Ebola virus. Never a dull moment in apt 615...

Sweet Carolina

This last weekend I rented a car and took a trip down to the South and boy did I ever. I have only been to the South one other time, but that was 8 years ago and I was barely there two days back then. I was so excited to go this time around and couldn’t wait to soak it all in.

The purpose of the trip was to visit two good friends from Fuller- Nicole and Brandon. I met the Berrys just a couple months after they got married in 2005. They may not know this, but ever since I met them, they have been one of my favorite couples. I find their story and relationship very encouraging and uplifting to be around. They are two incredible people that always challenge me in my faith.

It was a wonderful weekend- the perfect balance between relaxing and fun activities. We had cook outs, ate bacon together, enjoyed a Saturday afternoon in downtown Greenville (which included seeing where Nicole and Brandon met as well as an encounter with yummy ribs), played ping pong, hung out with their family, shot guns, kayaked down the river, watched movies, enjoyed great conversation, visited their church, played with Ella and snuggled with 7 week-old Allie.
It was a Southern experience at its finest, complete with mullet sightings, lots of “ya’lls” and conversations initiated by strangers. I drank my weight in sweet tea and tried boiled peanuts. The slower pace was a great change from being smack down in the middle of a city and I was quite sad to have to leave, especially without the youngest Berry stuffed in my purse.


There is something to be said about connecting with old friends. It’s always like coming home and remembering who you were and seeing how they have helped shape you to be who you are now. It was such a blessing to reconnect with the Berrys and I hope to see them again berry soon. Yep, I completely hijacked your pun didn’t I Nicole? ☺

Kenya 2009

It is hard to believe that it has been nearly a month since I got back from Kenya. The primary purpose of my trip was to be there for my dear friend's wedding. If you haven't heard me brag about her, it was this cheeky woman that got hitched:
She'd argue that I'm actually the cheeky one since I'm always playing tricks on her and she'd be right but that's really not important. Anyways, I met Loice the summer of 2007 when I went to Kenya for my Fuller practicum. We became dear friends while I was there and our friendship deepened despite the distance. She has touched my life in incredible ways and she is one of my favorite people on this earth.
I had the honor and privilege to not only be there for her wedding and be part of the wedding, but I got to spend a week helping her with final wedding preparations. It was such a precious time for both of us and it was also very meaningful to spend time with her family- a family that literally has made me one of their own calling me and treating me like their daughter.
The wedding was awesome and I loved being able to support Loice and witness her big day. Did I mention that this "support" also included me doing an African dance down the aisle? Despite the requests, that video will not be making its way on YouTube any time soon.
My amazing boss was kind enough to link me with some field work Peacebuilding was doing in Kenya, an arrangement that was both a personal and professional blessing to me. Following the wedding, I spent the next two weeks with World Vision for two different projects in Western Kenya.
The first project was a consultation of Empowering Children as Peacebuilders (ECaP) in Eldoret, Kenya. One of my biggest roles in my position in DC is facilitating the development of an ECaP project model, which is designed to provide the field with a strategic and practical model of how to implement (or adapt/redesign) ECaP. Therefore, our work in Eldoret was quite relevant to my own work with ECaP project design. We had about 30 individuals that are involved in World Vision peacebuilding activities come together to discuss what they've been doing in their own communities. This process helped us assess our work through their own feedback and ideas and will continue to provoke new areas for redesign and improvement of ECaP programs. I had the opportunity to serve as both a facilitator in the consultation and discussion sessions as well as photographer among these teenagers.

The second week was spent in Kitale completing a Do No Harm (DNH) evaluation. DNH is a toolkit and approach that World Vision uses to recognize how assistance affects conflict, which is helpful in the analysis of both a development and relief context. The whole idea of DNH is to make sure that our assistance does not harm while carrying out our intended good. Our team's role was to do an evaluation of a project designed as a result of the post-election violence. It was a food security project and peacebuilding project that was coming to completion. We interviewed almost 30 individuals or groups (both key informants and focus discussion groups) in the area in order to better understand areas where the project succeeded and fell short.
In between these two weeks of work I was able to also visit a child my family and I sponsor together. I had the honor and privilege of meeting Makose, his brother, grandparents, and about 30 other relatives and friends. This was a very unique experience, not only as a sponsor but as a World Vision employee as well. My time with Makose and his family was very meaningful and surreal. We enjoyed great conversation and laughter over chapati and chicken in their small mud hut tucked away in the hills of the countryside.
As rich and meaningful as my time in Kenya was, it was also very painful. The post-election violence has scarred the lives of people I love and that is nearly unbearable to process. I'll never understand why so many use violence in its many awful forms to express their anger, primarily against the most innocent of peoples. The brokenness of this world can sure be discouraging and easy to fixate on, but I have to remember that God is faithful and just in the midst of this brokenness as well. Because He is the Great Physician, Healer, Comforter and Deliverer, there is hope.
It was very difficult for me to leave Kenya. Although I know God has placed me in DC for this season in my life, my time in Kenya made me ache to be in sub-Saharan Africa again and also confirmed my desire to continue toward living and working overseas. For now I am trying to enjoy where I am and take the experiences and lessons as they come, never looking too far forward that I miss what is in front of me.

Journeying for justice

It was a vibrant and powerful weekend at International Justice Mission's Global Prayer Gathering. I have been a big fan of IJM for about 7 years, ever since I first heard about the organization while at SPU and read Gary Haugen's book Good News About Injustice. The organization's distinct mission to secure justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression is incredible. We live in a culture where working in the field of sexual exploitation and trafficking has become kind of "sexy." Saving lives has become sexy. If you have invested or even dabbled in this field very long, you know what I'm talking about. IJM rises above this all too familiar trend and does not shy away from the rawness of pain, suffering, and injustice. They uniquely deal with reality and invite others to taste some of the darkest parts of this kind of work, but they press forward with immense hope. IJM's professionalism is something that I've rarely seen elsewhere, which is evident not only in the presentation of who they are, but also in their fourfold methodology: victim relief, perpetrator accountability, victim aftercare, and structural prevention.
This weekend was a time for people to come together in prayer and lift up the work and faces of IJM. I heard countless stories of people from all over the globe and their battles with injustice; some had happy endings and others did not. With the details of many of these stories you could feel the heaviness that evokes feelings of hopelessness in a broken world. The complete evil and opposition that so many face all over the world is just unfathomable when you really let yourself absorb what you hear.
Despite this, I found complete hope in my experience this weekend. I was reminded of God's power to overcome injustice. And as I found myself surrounded by people that have touched my life in all of the major life stages of my adulthood (college, grad school and now DC), his presence in this work hit me and broke down barriers that had grown all too familiar to me.
He has not abandoned us in this difficult work. He has not left us to fend for ourselves and figure it out as we go. He advocates for us and he campaigns for those we seek to serve. His ears hear and his eyes see. He weaps with us and yet offers us a hope and joy that we cannot comprehend. On the opening night of the conference Gary asked us to write down three specific things we wanted from God that weekend. On Sunday as we were closing out the weekend, he asked us to look at what we wrote down. I kid you not, these three areas were the exact areas where he broke down walls for me. That was his gentle (or not so gentle) reminder that he walks with me in this fight against injustice. I read about cases of oppression that effect the poor every day in my work and often times I become numb to the depths of its pain, but God reminded me that it's okay to weap for the oppressed. In our weakness his power is made perfect. In our vulnerability and cries out to God for justice, he reminds us that he is still fighting. He fights with us...in fact it is us partnering with him, not the other way away. He began the fight not us. Because of his commitment to justice and goodness, we join in that and press on.

"Be joyful in hope, patient in suffering, persevering in prayer" ~Romans 12:12

Sunday night when I got home I received a call from my oldest friend Jolleen. We've known each other since we were in preschool, but have been separated by distance since 5th grade. Even though we don't talk or see each other all that often, we have always loved being part of each other's lives. Her out-of-the-blue call was the perfect way to end the weekend. Jolleen had come across a six-page letter I had written her when I was 15 years old that spoke of my first real encounter with poverty and injustice. I had just come back from my first "mission" trip and knew that God had called me to commit my life to working for the marginalized and poorest of the poor in the developing world. Her kind words brought it full circle for me and really encouraged my heart. It's been 11 years since that summer he put this call on my life and he has been so faithful to walk with me and lead me in this journey. My heart is grateful and filled with joy for the break-throughs of his loving goodness.
Let me close by leaving you the lyrics to a song that has meant a lot to me this weekend:

Mighty to Save

Everyone needs compassion,
Love that's never failing;
Let mercy fall on me.

Everyone needs forgiveness,
The kindness of a Savior;
The Hope of nations.

Savior, He can move the mountains,
My God is Mighty to save,
He is Mighty to save.

Forever, Author of salvation,
He rose and conquered the grave,
Jesus conquered the grave.

So take me as You find me,
All my fears and failures,
Fill my life again.

I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in,
Now I surrender.

My Savior, He can move the mountains,
My God is Mighty to save,
He is Mighty to save.
Forever, Author of salvation,
He rose and conquered the grave,
Jesus conquered the grave.

Shine your light and let the whole world see,
We're singing for the glory of the risen King...Jesus (x2)

My Savior, He can move the mountains,
My God is Mighty to save,
He is Mighty to save.
Forever, Author of salvation,
He rose and conquered the grave,
Jesus conquered the grave.

My Savior, you can move the mountains,
You are mighty to save,
You are mighty to save.
Forever, Author of Salvation,
You rose and conquered the grave,
Yes you conquered the grave.

Lenten Reflections

We are now a week and a half into the Lenten season and I just wanted to take a few brief moments to reflect upon its significance. Although my family and the church I grew up in never celebrated Lent, every year I am finding it increasingly vital to my understanding of who Christ is. This year is no exception. For those unfamiliar with Lent, it is a time aside for prayer, fasting, abstinence and reflection, all in anticipation of the joyous celebration of Easter. This Ash Wednesday I saw the importance and meaning of the ashes in a new way.
"...for dust you are and to dust you will return." ~Genesis 3:19
Although the ashes symbolize atonement and contrition, they are also a reminder that God is gracious and merciful to those who call on Him with repentant hearts. His divine mercy is of utmost importance during the season of Lent, and the Church calls on us to seek that mercy during the entire Lenten season with reflection, prayer and penance.
"Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity." ~Joel 2:13
The liturgical use of ashes developed in the Old Testament times. Ashes symbolized mourning, mortality and penance. Mordecai put on sackcloth and ashes when he heard of the decree of King Ahasuerus to kill all of the Jewish people in the Persian Empire (Esther 4:1). Job repented in sackcloth and ashes (Job 42:6). In relationship to the prophesy of the Babylonian captivity of Jerusalem, Daniel wrote, "So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes" (Daniel 9:3).
The Church adapted the use of ashes to mark the beginning of the season of Lent, when we remember our mortality and mourn for our sins. In today's liturgy for Ash Wednesday, the ashes used are made from the burned palm branches distributed on the Palm Sunday of the previous year. As followers of Christ, we must remember the significance of the ashes we have received. We mourn for our sins. We again convert our hearts to the Lord, who suffered, died, and rose for our salvation. We abstain from certain distractions or valued pieces of our lives or commit to a specific type of discipline, all so that we lean into Christ and take the time to focus on who He is. We renew the promises made when we first received God's grace, when we died to an old life and rose to a new life with Christ. Mindful that the kingdom of this world will pass away, we strive to live the kingdom of God now and look forward to its fulfillment in heaven as we embrace the "already but not yet" of the Lenten season.
Some will say this doesn't make sense to them as they claim, "Christ already rose from dead. He's already conquered death so what's the point of putting yourself through a season of penance and mourning?" This question misses the point and chooses to ignore that faith requires a deeper reflection of the Biblical narrative and the choices we have made, both collectively in our humanity and as individuals. This question and its mentality implies an artificial understanding of God's grace misses the complexities and sorrows that fill life. Furthermore, it also misses the opportunity to understand a little bit more about the pain and sorrow that the Triune God endured through the Biblical narrative and throughout modern history as we have turned our backs on God over and over again. In past seasons of Lenten I have tasted that sorrow and become more aware of the sorrow my decisions have put upon the One that longs to know me most.
Embracing the season of Lent is not a self-righteous journey; again this misses the whole point. We participate out of our response to know God and to enter into our humanity while also moving away from our humanity through selfless sacrifice.
May this Lenten season bring you hope as you anticipate the coming of Christ.

An update: My arranged marriage and other DC things

Dear friends,
Well I suppose it's time for a little update (I'm lying...it won't be so little). I'll admit it...I've been a bit of a slacker in taking the time to sit down and write this update. It's been more exhausting than I thought it would be to work full-time and have a social life while trying to keep up with friends and family where bits and pieces of my heart are (LA, Seattle, DC, not to mention my friends scattered all over Latin America and Africa). But alas, here I am to finally let ya'll know how it has all been going since I moved to DC in October.
World Vision
I will start with the obvious, the reason I moved to DC: the job. So far I am enjoying my job at World Vision International as the Peacebuilding Research Coordinator. The main areas I work in are communications, research, and technical communities of practice. Related to communications, I have done some graphic design and am working on a video production project. It looks like I will be picking up some more writing pretty soon for our Peacebuilding network newsletters as well. I also manage our Peacebuilding website/database and help train others on the technology tools we use so we can work together well as a Peacebuilding community. In regards to research, I help out with resource development, instability and fragile states research, macro analysis of our conflict workshop documentations for specific countries and then turning those into advocacy recommendations for the UN, EU, regional and national government leadership, and WV's sectors or departments. My other big project within research is to head up the WVI Peace Prize which recognizes an individual and organization that exemplifies stellar work in peacemaking and peacebuilding, respectively. The third area, technical communities of practice, relates to our technical work on the field. The most salient project I am working on here is developing a project model of a program called "Empowering Children as Peacebuilders." This means I have organized a team of people on the field and together we come up with guidelines and a set of standards on how to actually run this program and do it well; we'll be looking at methodology of empowering children, budget, measuring success, curriculum, etc. When we complete this project model we can then pass it onto our regional networks to actually implement and adapt for their cultural context. Overall, I really am enjoying my job and I can see why DC is a good fit for me right now. I must say that I do often grow anxious to get on the field to work with children, but I know that will come in time and for now I am grateful to have this opportunity that I have been given. I have to be patient and realize that my experiences right now are teaching me new skills that will make me more effective later on when I'm working directly with children.
I have had my ups and downs just as any job does. My biggest challenges have mostly surrounded the issue of isolation since my boss and other main co-worker work from home and rest of the Peacebuilding team is literally spread out all over the world. This has made it difficult for me to really feel connected to the people our work effects in the developing world. However, even in these last few weeks I have seen positive change; I now have a professional mentor from WV and am taking advantage of meetings outside the office with other organizations (ie: US Institute of Peace, International Rescue Committee and the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict, etc.). I really like my boss a lot and I am constantly learning about perseverance and servant hood, not only in relationship to work, but also from his personal life as I watch him care and serve his wife that suffers from Alzheimer's.
Getting connected in DC: Friends, roommates and community
My fabulous roommate Erin recently said, "DC is like an arranged marriage. It's hard at first, but over time you will fall in love with it." That statement could not be more true. Being placed in DC I was a little unsure but trusted that this was where God wanted me and since I knew Fuller had been praying through the apprenticeship placements, I trusted their judgment on this being the best fit for me. It hasn't grown on me as quickly as Southern California did (that didn't even take a day), but the longer I'm here the more I enjoy it (although I could certainly do without the 12 degrees F days). Although I miss the mountains and beaches of WA and CA, I love the monuments, free museums, and just meeting lots of other non-profit people with a desire to make a difference in the world.
I have made some really great friends here so far. My first weekend in DC I went on a camping trip with 7 complete strangers, one of which had a mutual International Justice Mission connection so I was eager to join. Many of the people are now my favorite people to hang out with in DC and I am happy to see that circle expanding. I have really been blessed by great conversations and good adventures together. I even spent Thanksgiving weekend in New York City with some of these same people. So fun!
My roommates are also great. One is a med student working toward being a doctor in Africa. The other just got back from Peace Corps in Niger and now works at an international development NGO. Do you sense an international theme? It has been awesome to have both of them in my life and I love our late night conversations and our random attempts to bring our friends together for parties, game nights, and other fun events.
I've also found a great church called Grace DC, which is a church plant of NYC's Redeemer and VA's McClean Bible Church. I've already started helping out with their homeless ministry and am trying to get plugged into a community group.
Whether it's through the church or a para church organization, I am really interested in either helping out with a big sister mentoring program, working with a refugee family, or working with international students. I am currently pursuing a couple different options at the moment.
Other DC highlights at a glance
Besides my trip to Shenandoah National Park my first weekend and the NYC trip over Thanksgiving, I have also had some great highlights living here in DC:

• I have enjoying meeting and spending time with my second cousin and her family. They only live a 45 minute metro ride away.

• I have also enjoyed reconnecting with some old friends including my best friend from elementary school and a good friend from junior high and high school. Good times.
• The IJM benefit dinner was in December and I was grateful to attend this year. I got the hook-up and was able to take my sister Jenny along when she was in town.
• Right before heading back to Seattle for Christmas, my sister Jenny and I took a weekend trip to NYC. This was my 4th time in NYC and the 1st time not staying in a hostel. That was great!
  

• Inauguration was historical! The crowds were crazy and the ridiculous Obama gear people sold on the streets was even more entertaining. I went to the "We are One" concert at the Lincoln Memorial as well as the swearing in ceremony. Both were incredible and I was grateful to be there for such a historical time.
• The National Prayer Breakfast was just last week and I was able to attend a couple events (although not the actual breakfast itself so no Tony Blair or Obama for me). I was so grateful to see one of my favorite former professors and very influential person in my life, Kerry Dearborn, and also spend some time with her husband Tim (who was also a professor of mine and now works at World Vision International).
  

Just around the corner
Over the next couple months I am looking forward to reconnecting with old friends as well. I am heading to Philadelphia next weekend to see my good college friend Mindy. Next month one of my friends from college is coming to visit and then right after that I will be attending International Justice Mission's Global Prayer Gathering. I've been wanting to go for years and can't wait for that. I also look forward to seeing good friends from college and grad school in town for that event.
I am ready for spring to come and with it, lots of new adventures and cherry blossoms too!
I'm currently working on some other major travel plans that involve planes rather than buses and cars, but until that is finalized I will keep that under wrap.

I am thankful for each and every one of you. Please let me know how you are doing and what's going on in your life as well.

With love,
Krystel

Make a Smilebox slideshow

60 truths, no lies

Recently there was a "25 random things about me" wave that was all the rage on facebook. Some people thought this was kind of lame, but obviously they do not share my love for both these things: lists and randomness. So because I try to keep you folks entertained and because I have OCD tendencies with making lists and my mind keeps thinking of better things I could have written, I have taken it upon myself to expand my list from 25 to 60. I think you will learn something new that you never knew you wanted to know...

1. I love musicals. I would give anything to live in a world where people bust out into song and dance.
2. When I was 8 years old I overdosed on pork products.
3. I learned to drive a stick shift when I was 12 years old.
4. If I could have one younger Hollywood BFF it would be Amanda Bynes and my Hollywood “big sister” would be Reese Witherspoon. Amanda and I would go out for drinks and Reese and I would sit around and drink sweet tea all day.
5. My non-Hollywood real BFF lives in Ecuador.
6. I have a really creepy memory when it comes to numbers. I can still remember the birthdays and phone numbers of kids from my 6th grade class.
7. I am a total neat freak. It borders on ridiculous.
8. I will shut you down in a game of FRIENDS trivia…no seriously I will eat you alive.
9. When I was in college I had the amazing experience of being homeless during my spring break junior year through a program called Urban Plunge. It was one of the best things I’ve ever done. My street name was Skillet because I like bacon so much.
10. I love to create something out of nothing.
11. Generally I’m not a big fan of big corporations of the US and would rather “stick it to the man,” but my guilty pleasure is Disneyland. Nothing is better and they don’t lie. It really is the happiest place on earth.
12. I have been playing the drums since I was 12.
13. I love making babies laugh and smile. Whenever a baby is looking at me I throw caution to the wind and make it my mission to get the child to show me the love.
14. I am obsessed with being near bodies of water.
15. I hate Starbucks.
16. I have been to 22 countries and counting.
17. Until I moved to California, my car trunk contained 3 garbage-sized bags full of costumes, wigs, and funny hats.
18. I have never dyed my hair.
19. Nothing tugs at my heart quite like children at risk issues in sub-Saharan Africa.
20. When I lived in LA I was an extra on 2 episodes of ER…I was the dying patient in the background. ☺
21. I love mullets but I would never date a guy that had one.
22. Whenever I get a side ache, I almost always mentally panic and worry that I have an appendicitis. Silly Krystel.
23. I love board games, but am really competitive. I once got in a physical fight with my best friend over a game of Candyland.
24. The weirdest thing I’ve ever eaten/drunk was a drink comprised of fermented spit, cinnamon and raisins.
25. One of my favorite autumn activities is to go to kids’ soccer games. Love the sounds and smells of it all.
26. I love cherry blossoms.
27. I love buffets. When I walk in the door, it’s safe to assume the business will be losing money.
28. I really want to learn how to knit and play the guitar.
29. My favorite gift to give and receive is personalized music. I’m not gonna lie, I make a killer mixed CD.
30. My favorite color changes every couple years, which is usually reflected in my wardrobe.
31. I really wish I knew how to speak French.
32. I have the worst luck when it comes to awkward situations. They love me and I’ve learned to indulge them. They make for great stories.
33. As a woman, I don’t see the point of traveling to the bathroom with other women. I think it’s weird.
34. I’m happiest when I’m outside in the sunshine.
35. When I was around 10 years old I wrote a 100 page novel.
36. I’ve always loved my teachers and professors. I think teaching is one of the coolest things you can do in this world and I have found that teachers and professors are often some of the most influential and inspiring people I’ve ever known. Maybe that’s why I have so many friends that became teachers too…
37. I want to go sky diving some day.
38. I love to drive in the rain at night.
39. I once worked as a migrant worker for a day picking brussel spouts in Mexico during a spring break in college. That was the hardest day of work I’ve ever had in my life.
40. I love books but I will always choose hanging out with people over reading. I wish I was better at making the time to read the books that I want to read.
41. I hate tomatoes and water chestnuts. Devil foods.
42. I have climbed the Great Wall of China.
43. I hold a pencil incorrectly when I am writing…apparently 1st grade didn’t train me well. This is partially why I have such awful handwriting.
44. I’m a dog person and think cats are pretty lame (although there are a few felines that I have enjoyed). Some day I really want to get a little pug.
45. I collect agates. I currently have 1,117.
46. I had my first poem published when I was 15.
47. I was kidnapped when I was a toddler from Alderwood Mall.
48. Sitting on Santa’s lap and the Seafair pirates were two of my greatest fears as a kid. Santa is still weird to me, but I’m happy to report that I now love pirates!
49. The only demerit I earned in junior high was for exiting out of the wrong door of the girls’ locker room. Rebel.
50. Ever since I saw a video on bacteria and germs in 7th grade, I’ve been terrified of opening doors with my bare hands. To this day I still use my sleeve. Thankfully the germ factor isn’t really an issue to me when I’m in other countries.
51. In high school I was voted “Class Clown.” Shocker.
52. When I was a kid my mom burnt my Cabbage Patch doll named Gilbert because she thought he was demon-possessed.
53. Although I’m extroverted, I have almost always been terrified of talking in class or speaking in large groups.
54. I wish I was more articulate with my words.
55. I don’t have nails on my baby toes…just pathetic stubs.
56. I always carry my camera in my purse wherever I go. You never know when you’ll need to capture a memory…or when you’ll see Jessica Biel at the movies.
57. My real name is pronounced Cris-tal (like the champagne), but no one every calls me that.
58. I am a real night owl and regret it almost every morning when I have to get up so early for work.
59. I am terrible at keeping my own secrets. I will take yours to the grave though.
60. My dream vacation location would be Greece. Beaches and gyros are a must.

A picture's worth a thousand somethings

My friend Holly introduced this on her blog. Holly, how do you find these things? Here is my photo mosaic of personal questions about myself:


Here's how you do it:
a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd’s mosaic maker.

The Questions:
1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name. (or if you're not a member of Flickr, do your blog name or email name or something like that)

Please share your creations too!

Update

It's coming soon...I promise.

Christmas pictures

Here is a Smilebox photobook of some of my favorite Christmas pictures. Enjoy!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Autumn catch-up

Here a couple smilebox slideshows of the two highlights of Fall 2008: a trip to Shenandoah National Park and a trip to NYC for Thanksgiving

Make a Smilebox photobook

Make a Smilebox photobook