hotflawedmama interviewed Barack Obama?

It’s true, all true. About 4ish years ago I worked at our local NBC affiliated TV station. I was an intern that moved to production assistant, etc. Anyhow, when I was an intern in the reporting department a press release came in that an Illinois senator was stumping his health care plan across the river (Illinois is about 3 minutes from the Davenport TV station’s office). So…since it was before his multiple books and before his tremendous ability to make the nation swoon, they sent the intern.

I watched him give his schpeel and then he came to the few reporters to be asked questions. Well the others just sat there but I had genuine questions on his healthcare plan so I asked them. He looked at me the whole time he answered (which is actually rare, if you watch many men closely…when a woman asks a question of a man, he’ll answer and look at a male in the room even if it’s the camera guy).

So anyhow, I told my family about it then but it wasn’t nearly as cool as now (obviously).

So the point of all of that is that you guys should probably start thinking I might be the coolest person you know…and spread the word.

I am soooo not a crafter. Not a scrapbooker, not a sewer, not a anything like that the mother’s should be. So imagine my excitement when the Water for Christmas team decided to have a craft night last night. But I made it. 🙂 No really, there was a lot of hard work…and wine and beer…done last night. Bracelets, Africas traced and cut, posters made, ribbons sewn…all for the greater good. But I am seriously not cut out for a life like that. That’s how much I love you people and how much I believe in what we’re doing.

Because you miss them, here’s a cute picture of 2 of my kids.

So…this isn’t a political post at all. I’ve stayed away from politics purposely on hotflawedmama because political views never translate well on blogs (nor do a lot of other emotions quite frankly). Anywho, so this post is all politics aside.

Today Tariku pointed at the TV and said, “Barack Obama, Ethiopia?” I almost cried. He recognized the face as familiar. He had a representation of himself right in front of him and that person happens to be the next president of the United States. Now I don’t think that should’ve been THE reason to vote for him; but I can see how people were perhaps more interested in what he had to say because of the possibility. All I know is that, in a few months, there will be pictures in the white house like there are pictures in my house. Of a white mommy and a black baby. A boy with direct ties to Africa and a mommy from the heartland of the United States. Representations of the multiple colors and cultures in families now. It justifies something a lot of us adoptive mommy’s didn’t know needed justified.

Last night I also saw hope in a lot of people’s eyes who perhaps did not have it before. Whether or not I believe in what he stands for I recognize that. It seemed for the first time people realized what a single person could do. What I’m hoping is that it sticks. That the attitude of “my vote doesn’t count” or “I don’t matter” becomes a thing of the past. Because I do believe in the power of one. Even more powerful than the power of one? The power of one uniting to become the power of many (which you saw last night, obviously!)

Coming together to do things like, say…give clean water to everyone in the world. So are you in? Do you want to continue being a part of something that we’ve been told is not possible in our lifetimes? Whether you voted for Obama or McCain last night, are you still hungry to support a cause that could change the course of history and reunite a world that hasn’t yet realized where we were born holds no bearing on the fact that we are all brothers and sisters?

Sweet…then give WATER FOR CHRISTMAS!

ETA: I just saw this video and I doubt it’s a coincidence. Watch it, even if you’re not a fan of Daughtry (like myself).

Water. I just danced for water.

I have been listening to Tesi’s heart brim with passion for months as her plans to raise 10 billion dollars and give the world clean water has occupied many of our conversations. When you see such passion brim, it’s hard not to want to be a part of it. That’s why I was thrilled when she asked me to dance for water. Thrilled, nervous, and completely intimidated.

Give a former cinema major a camera and a vision and before you know it, you’ll be standing in a near empty swimming pool in the middle of Iowa. That’s where I found myself this morning.

I love music. I love poetry. I love God. I love humankind. I believe we are here to endure God’s beams of love. And shine them everywhere we go. And to the places we don’t go, or haven’t gone yet.

Water and ripples and water and ripples.

To be an American at a time like this. I almost cried when I went to vote. To be able to vote with relatively little hassle is quite amazing. Especially after reading about places like Zimbabwe and the like…getting shot for voting for the wrong person, etc. It really makes you thankful we get a voice at all.

So I used mine. I brought my kids so they could see it all and take it all in. It was pretty awesome. Here are a few pics of that.

Me after I voted and received my free cup of Starbucks (picture taken by Trysten).

The kids before we went to vote. And apparently the bunny ears start happening at 5. Sweeeet.

Happy democracy!

So that was fun, right? You excited to see more?

I wanted to make a few comments. One: Did you guys notice the thought behind this video? (Mad props to my hubby who cast a vision). $10 Billion dollars (OR, clean water for everyone in the world, as the case may be) for the person(s) who noticed that I was doing a “rain” dance. And me moving around all the time? That was me dancing all over the world. I’m dancing so that it will literally rain, rain as well as rain money so we can build some wells! Remember how I told you once I was a cinema major? Yeah, mom and dad, all your hard earned money went into that 2 minute video.

Two: So you know how I talked lots about getting uncomfortable in the last couple posts? I was thinking about what that actually means. Because, truly, some people could give LOTS of money and still not really be uncomfortable. For some people it’s not about the giving money. So what is my big hiccup? In full disclosure I struggle with the issue of pride. So if I’m being honest, that video was kind of hard to do. I talked a big game but when it came down to it, I was a bit nervous at you all seeing me in my small black shorts and uuber white legs dancing to a horribly inappropriate song (sorry mom).

Still two: So what are we supposed to let go of (in both the secular and non secular world)? Well the things we hold onto most. I have a few people in my inner circle (you know who you are) who are holding onto their pride, or their image, or whatever in this game. And it’s not about that is it? Because in all honesty it’s ridiculously easy to cut out one present for each child at Christmas or cut out a dead bird or something similar. Much more difficult to really let go of the thing you keep close to the chest.

Three: Do that. If you’re kind of shy, try going up to people in your workplace or at your church and ask if they want to be involved in this project. You a really bad dancer? Send me your video so we can all enjoy your letting go. No seriously, really let go. Send out a mass email even though you usually talk behind the backs of mass emailers. Or…call your local radio show when they’re taking callers and instead of requesting a song talk about Water for Christmas…(hey, I worked in Marketing, I could go on here people.)

Didn’t it look fun for me? That could be you (and I’m not just talking about dancing here kids). Get uncomfortable and tell me how you’re doing it.

So these are the tools YOU can use in your local community/blogworld to help the cause as well (if you’re totally lost, see the previous post). These are the tools we are using and ones we’d be happy to have you use at your disposal. My email (tesileagh@hotmail.com) can be used if you have any questions and don’t want to put them in the comments field, feel free to email me!

1. Jody had the great foresight to buy the website: http://www.water4christmas.com. So send people there, it will automatically take you to the information/donation page.

2. If you or someone you know is leery of internet payments go ahead and have them write checks payable to CHARITY GLOBAL with “water for christmas” in the memo line and mailed to:

Charity Global, Inc.
150 Varick St. 5th floor
New York, NY 10013

If you’re using this option, please send the checks as you collect them. Every week we will be getting an update from Charity Global on how much we’ve raised so far and would love that to be as accurate as possible!

3. All online donations generate a tax-deductable receipt at time of transaction. Receipts for all other forms of payment will be mailed. So make sure you make people aware of that as well!

4. Amy has created the coolest bracelets for sale for $5. They make great stocking stuffers! If you are interested, go to Amy’s etsy shop at here.

This is also a good thing to buy in bulk and have your kids sell at school! Wear them anywhere and everywhere and generate conversation. The blue beads represent the water we are “buying”. They were made from recycled glass from Ghana. And we come full circle.

5. If you’d like to add the blog button from my sidebar, click on “share” right below it. Copy and paste the HTML in your own sidebar. It’s not just easy, it’s beautiful too!

6. Quite possibly the only way we’ll build multiple wells (which is our goal) is to have you take this into your community, your church, your families, your home. One way we’re doing that is by setting up tables in front of places like Hy-Vee and Wal Mart, to start the conversation. Here is an example of the table we will be using in our area.

7. If you would like to hand out cards saying “I want Water for Christmas” or “I gave Water for Christmas”, you can email me and I will send you a PDF file so you can have them printed out. We also have PDF files we can email so you can print out large posters if you choose to set up a table of your own.

8. As most of you know…I love dancing. So when Jody started delegating tasks and ran out when she got to me she asked me what I wanted to do and I said, “Dance”. Kidding at first, it got me thinking, which is never a great idea. And this came out of it.

I will be hosting “Dancing for Water” on hotflawedmama. I have recruited people to dance a short dance and will post it on my blog through youtube. Now, donations are on an honor system so give as much as you can give when viewing the videos. Just click on the “I want Water for Christmas button” and you’ll be directed where to give. They will be coming as often as I can get them (HINT, HINT, If you will dance, send me your video! Time to get uncomfortable, right?) So keep checking.

The idea is to generate more eyes to the cause. Youtube is full of people who love watching crazy videos. It’s also full of people who are not in the blogworld like you and I so we’re hoping to target that audience as well.

Oh, and if you feel like emailing Ellen DeGeneres and telling her about our deal, please do. I’ve sent one email and will send a few more to see if she’ll dance for Water for Christmas! Email her here.

9. Feel free to link or copy and paste anything from our blogs! We want to do our best to get the word out near and far. If everyone we know just gave a small amount (for instance, everyone who visited Jody’s blog donated $5), we can change the lives of many. MANY THANKS!!

It’s on you…now GAS.

Hang with me here. I’ve been thinking and dreaming about this blog for months so excuse me for my lengthiness and overall verbal vomit. But this is how I process and this is how I express passion over the blog world. I hope you catch it. I hope you read until the end.

When Jody and I were brainstorming on our various monthly projects a few months ago one kept coming back to us as one we will do “soon”. It is obviously essential to everyone, and after looking into it we realized it’s doable. It’s within our reach. It’s one life-changing thing that could easily be eradicated in a few days, weeks, months, certainly in our generation.

We originally got negative feedback about doing something this big before/during the holiday season. People are using all of their discretionary income on Christmas presents; people are too wrapped up in family dinners and turkeys, chickens and decorations. We heard them all and though they are probably valid we know it’s the perfect time.

Because we aren’t called to do and to give when it’s convenient or when we have lots of money left after the end of the month. We aren’t even called to give from our discretionary income (thank goodness, because who has any of that laying around anymore?) We are called to get uncomfortable and truly sacrifice. Trust God that He will take care of you and will make the payments happen. Give joyfully and to a cause that is above and beyond the “me-ness” that has captivated the world.

So what is the project? Well, without further ado…It’s

WATER FOR CHRISTMAS!

What? Well we’re digging wells in Liberia. We’re digging wells because people all over the world have no idea what a clean drink of water tastes like. We’re digging wells because, as mothers, we refuse to stand by and let other mothers watch their child die from drinking water from a tainted source. We’re digging wells.

The reason this blog is difficult is because I have no idea what gets you readers fired up. There is no way to explain what and why people get passionate about certain subjects. So I’ll try to address a few here.

You the statistical type?

 The United States spends $450 BILLION on Christmas A YEAR.
 It would take just $10 BILLION for EVERYONE IN THE WORLD to have access to clean water.
 Every day 4500 children die of water borne illnesses due to no access to clean water. In a week, 42,000 people die; 90% of those are children under 5.
 Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80% of all sickness and disease, and kills more people every year than all forms of violence, INCLUDING WAR.
 1.1 BILLION people on our planet lack access to safe, clean drinking water. That is ONE in SIX of us.
 $20 can give a person in Africa clean, safe drinking water for 20 YEARS.

Statistics not for you? How about God and/or Christianity and/or needing to tithe and don’t know where to put it?

 Re-read this post.
 Stop being okay with what is happening to our brothers and sisters across the world. DO something about it. Something big.
 Take what you learn in your Bible studies and your church services to the world. Stop talking amongst yourselves about how awesome Jesus was; SHOW the world how awesome He IS.
 I can talk to you all like this because I am one of you crazies.

Not a Christian? Totally turned off by my Christianese?

 You’re human right? This is not a Christian or non-Christian thing we’re doing. It’s a human thing.
 This is what Jody wrote about “us” (the orphan ministry) and why we’re doing it: “We are people. Moms, Dads, Sons, Daughters. United by the desire to keep our eyes and hearts open. To increasingly live for things bigger than ourselves. So this Christmas season, we’re going to give up something. Big somethings. Little somethings. Going without so the people in Liberian villages can have access to clean water. The Moms, Dads, Sons, Daughters.” This mission is humanity’s mission; not specific to one group of people.

If you don’t fall into any of those categories than I apologize. Zach told me not to guilt you all into this (I think that comes from his Catholic roots…kidding, kidding). So I won’t. Maybe try Jody, Cassie or Amy.

But we’ve been trying to figure out a name to call our ministry for awhile. When her sister and brother-in-law asked Jody what she wanted people to know or do; she answered simply “Give a shit”.

So that’s what we’re asking you to do. (If Jody can cuss, and she’s a pastor’s wife, than surely I can too). A perhaps nicer way to say it is to “Go and serve”. Either way…

What I want from all of you is to donate (obviously). But perhaps more importantly just open your eyes. The next time you take a drink of water imagine the mom with children on her hips and a water jug on her head walking miles to get to a water hole that will one day kill her or her children. Get seriously disturbed with how the world is and how easily we can change it.

I get it, you’re sick of being asked to care aren’t you? I’m with you there. There are millions of things, good things, to get behind especially during the holiday season. So we’re not trying to say our mission is better or more appropriate than any other. We’re asking you to give to them all. ☺

Cut out 1 present for each child and give him/her WATER FOR CHRISTMAS. Stop exchanging gifts with your significant other and give them WATER FOR CHRISTMAS.
You know those parents who constantly remind you they need nothing? Give them WATER FOR CHRISTMAS.

Just do it (thanks, Nike) give WATER FOR CHRISTMAS.

More on the “how” later. Thanks for hanging in.

Zach took the kids outside to run around with it being so nice and all. He comes in and says, “You have got to see this.”

What was he talking about you ask?

Tariku throws a perfect spiral 100% of the time. Right to the chest. I almost cried (if Zach’s being honest, he’ll tell you he did actually cry).

Zach said he was going to call him Michael Vick (with his speed and whatnot) but thought it might be inappropriate. Especially considering how much Tariku loves dogs and all.

But you should seriously see this kid. It’s pretty rad.

I used to play volleyball. For those that don’t know there is a “move” in volleyball called set/spike. Well, tomorrow is my “spike”. Tomorrow we launch our new monthly mission and get you fired up. Today, I’m doing my “set”. Because I was kind of “set” today by our church service. It totally prepared me for the ace I will deliver tomorrow.

Okay, enough of the redonkuless analogies.

We watched a video today, you want to see it (which you should) go here.

The basic premise is unifying the Church. The pastor says his one prayer would be “God, make us one”. I liked the idea. No more competition, just uniting to actually DO what God called us to DO!

He pointed to a few spots in the Bible:
–Ephesians 4: 2-4 “Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Always keep yourselves UNITED in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together with PEACE.”

–Acts 4: 32 “All the believers were of one heart and mind, and they felt that what they owned was not their own; they shared everything they had.”

The pastor showed a video of him going around the city to ask if people thought Christians were divided or united. Most said divided. One guy in particular said this, “Christianity today makes people TURN AWAY from organized religion.”

Even though it made me horribly sad to hear, I was completely with him on that. Shoot, I’m a Christian and there are some I run into that make me want to turn and run the other way.

So I’m ending this post with a few questions I’ve been percolating on…

1) How will people in the world know we love Jesus? By our hate or our love?

2) What would happen if we stopped hoarding and started giving?

3) What would happen if the people of the world stopped HEARING about Jesus and started SEEING His plan play out?

4) If the Church really would unite, how quickly will the message spread once: poverty is history; everyone has access to clean water; there are no more orphans; etc, etc.

And the words to the song in worship today that brought it all home for me:

“Mighty to Save” by Hillsong

Everyone needs compassion
Love that’s never failing
Let mercy fall on me
Everyone needs forgiveness
The kindness of a Saviour
The hope of nations

Saviour
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

Shine Your light and let the whole world see
We’re singing
For the glory of the risen King