Choosing A Path Today

For some reason, this year I have found it difficult to maintain my blog with the consistency of past years. And I'm really trying to change that. It definitely has not been for a lack of content. In my travels, I find myself reflecting regularly on experiences and seeing small life lessons strewn all along my way.

Separately, last week, I was able to list at least 20 books I have read and I would love to review. I even have a couple of books I am looking forward to reading and reviewing that are waiting in the wings. One of the ones I'm most excited about reviewing is a book called The Last Hunger Season by Roger Thurow. It is an absolutely fascinating book, and one that I hope many people will take the time to read (more about it in a later post).

Beyond this, Jamie and I were able to visit Kuria, Kenya in August and see Nuru's work first hand with specific intentions including being able to share these experiences with others. The progress that is being made, and the lives that are being changed because people here have chosen to care, and because people there are being equipped with the tools and knowledge to lift themselves out of extreme poverty is absolutely awe inspiring. These stories need to be told and shared with others!

And then, there are the moments when we have met up with old friends, or made new ones along our journey. We both feel incredibly blessed to have the opportunity to cross paths with so many truly amazing people--people we are proud to call our friends.

In the middle of it all, sometimes it is hard to know where to start and as I spend time wondering, another day goes by in which I let uncertainty create a vacuum where there could be a story told, a review written, or a reflection recorded.

It's funny to me because at the beginning of the year I set several goals, and have been able to accomplish virtually all of them with the exception of blogging consistently. At least I have a few months left to push forward toward this goal and although I'll fall short of my goal for the year, I can at least end well.

As I have been thinking about this, I have realized I am not alone. Every day, people from all walks of life are hindered in progress because they don't choose a path. For me, it is a matter of what story to write, and the longer I wait, the more choices and opportunities emerge, and then some opportunities also end up going away.

Some people wait forever before deciding to ask that special someone on a date, or to become their spouse while considering contingencies. Others debate over a career move, but fail to take a step. Still others have life-long dreams that never get moved forward because they never begin taking steps and choosing a path toward that goal.

At times, it makes sense to wait. Not every project, dream, or conversation needs to be realized immediately. But at some point, we have to act or they will never be realized. We must choose a path and move forward. If we don't, we will miss opportunities. We will miss mistakes as well, but then we will also miss out on the joy of achieving.

Today, I want to encourage you to choose a path, and begin walking. Today, I hope that even by writing and posting this blog, I can take a step down this path of writing more regularly, and sharing with others, and begin moving toward my goal set at the beginning of the year.

May your life be enriched as you begin to walk down a path. Who knows, your own journey may lead you to a great discovery about yourself, and about others, that will pave the way to a better tomorrow.

Thinking Back To September 11 2001

The day started like any other day for me at Mylan Pharmaceuticals. I was an analytical chemist working in quality control. I had walked from my apartment which was just about a mile from Mylan, and arrived slightly before 7AM the way I had walked many times before that day. I had written up some work from the previous day's testing, and was beginning sample preparation for some more tests. We used to listen to the radio in the lab back then, and we were stunned in our workday when we heard the first news broadcast at slightly before 9AM. I don't think any of us knew how to respond to it. How could anyone? What we were listening to was so foreign to our ears. How could any of this have happened? And then, as the day went on, we continued to do our work as we listened attentively to update after update, each one stirring us freshly. What was happening to our world?

I remember in the early afternoon that I made the decision to post a note on our break room door for a time of prayer for anyone who was interested. It seemed like the one thing that was within our power was to call upon the Creator of the universe to share our fears, our concerns, and our deep sadness over what we had heard over the radio over the course of the day. As I walked home at the end of the work day, I wondered about all of the people who had been in those towers. I grew sad as I thought of families and friends who would never be reunited in this world. I grew angry at evil and injustice.

When I arrived at the apartment, I found my roommate sitting in the living room, his eyes glued to the unbelievable images on the television. Was this really happening? I remember phone calls going out, to say that our church, like many communities of faith,  was having a special time of prayer for our nation and for our world that evening.  We were all stirred to our core as we tried to comprehend what we had witnessed on television and over the radio waves that day.

I remember seeing images in the days after the event of missing person postings as people wondered if their loved ones had been among the survivors or not. I even remember seeing, for a moment, what I thought was a photo of one of my high school classmates, Mary Lou Hague. Unfortunately, Mary Lou was among those whose lives were lost on that day. I mourn the loss of a friend, but I can't begin to imagine what her family and the families and friends of so many others continue to feel every year as this day approaches.

So much has happened in all of our lives since that day. I have watched a number of friends graduate from college, start new careers, move to new locations, and even get married (and I've actually done those myself). We have buried loved ones, and watched new technologies develop at a remarkable pace. We have witnessed changes in our lives and in our culture that at one time we could not even imagine.

When flying before the events of September 11, I remember sitting with friends and loved ones as I waited for my plane to arrive at my gate in the airport. Since that time, I have learned to say my goodbyes enroute to the airport. I have many fond memories of saying goodbye or hello to family and friends at airport gates, but since September 11, no new memories like that are possible.  And as I walk into a variety of hotels and other buildings, I am reminded, as I empty my pockets to walk through metal detectors, that today's world is very different. Today, various agencies work tirelessly to insure that our lives are safer, and that an event like what happened 11 years ago does not happen again.

In the eleven year wake of September 11, 2001, one thing hasn't changed. I believe that people have not lost hope. We have not lost the opportunity to do good in our world. Every day, we have opportunities to love our neighbors, to practice kindness, and to strive to be a help to others. As you read these words, I ask you to consider how you might help make the world a better place. We live in a world that is still hurting, but we have not lost hope. This hurting world needs people like you and me to actively pursue ways in which we can work toward a better tomorrow. May we all consider our how we can contribute to a brighter future, and may we never grow weary in doing good.

Returning To Kuria

The last few days have been so filled with stories, I'm not sure where I should begin. It has been a while since I have carved out time for blogging, and as much as I have desired to write more since starting this journey, I have not done it until now.

Friday morning Jamie and I awoke early, and began final preparations for this journey. Our goal in traveling to Kenya is to gain direct updates on Nuru's programs and to directly see the level of impact Nuru is having in Kuria and to then be able to share what we have seen with others, and Brett inform people back home in the US about this work.

After we woke, we traveled to Pittsburgh early Friday morning with my dad and another long time friend who has Made the Pittsburgh airport trip with me many times. We then proceeded from Pittsburgh to Detroit to Amsterdam where we waited for our final flight to Nairobi. We arrived in Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at 8:30 local time Saturday night. At the airport, we had a reunion with A very dear friend I made on my last trip to Kuria, Julius Nyamahonga. Julius grabbed a cab, and eventually we went to a hostel to sleep for the night before an early morning bus ride to Kuria.

Along the bus route, we passed through many towns, and also saw this amazing view of the Great Rift Valley. This land and it's people are beautiful. We have been greeted warmly by all we have encountered, and on the bus trip I met some amazing people who have committed their lives to the service of others. For the most part, the bus was quiet aside from the din of a radio playing local music, but at one point, I heard a young man behind me begin to sing hymns.

Later in the trip, I descovered that he was as chemist (like me) and that he was traveling to a nearby community called Migori from Nairobi to serve others. His name was Herbert, and he was an incredibly passionate and energetic man. We had a long conversation about faith, God, our world, and life in general, and then after he got off the bus, he handed me two books through the window of the bus as the bus pulled away. I will look forward to reading these gifts when I return to the States.

Our bus had a few delays along the way, but everybody arrived safe and sound in Isibania late Sunday afternoon. During the final two hours of th bus trip, we were greeted by Nuru team members Scott and Claire Rumpsa who had travelled to Kisii to visit a doctor and get antibiotics for an infected wound in Claire's leg.

Together we journeyed on and when we arrived in Isibania, we were able to all take a taxi together to the Nuru staff house and we arrived at about 430pm local time. In three days we have been on three continents. I hope to share even more updates in the near future about all that we are experiencing. We have seen so much in these last few days, I am still trying to process it all.

One last thought. This is truly a beautiful world in which we live, but also a world with deep needs, suffering, and hurting. When we can help and serve others, we inject more beauty into this world. Wherever you may find yourself today, look for an opportunity to serve.

Eagle Cliff Mountain Colorado

On our last day in Colorado, we took yet another trip to Estes Park, and this time we visited the YMCA of the Rockies, an incredible YMCA that sits on the edge of Rocky Mountain National Park. We traveled again with Josh, Carri, and their son, and at the YMCA, one of my long time friends from my old job at GCM, John Drage, greeted us and he and I had a brief reunion. We had about 2.5 hours to hike around before we left for the airport with the Drakes. (Love the Drakes!)

John, knowing we had limited time, and knowing he would not be able to join us, pointed out Eagle Cliff as great nearby summit to take in one last look at Rocky Mountain splendor. We took off immediately. We started at about 7000 feet along a stream, and ended at 8300 feet in elevation over a one mile stretch. I don't think I would have been able to do it if I didn't have a week of high altitude conditioning in. Josh and Carri scampered straight up (with 2 year old on back and soon to be born second child).  We made it to the summit in record time, and again, it was absolutely beautiful. We took some time to soak it in and ate a lunch that Jamie and Carri prepared earlier that morning. We turned around and made our way back down Eagle Cliff just in time to be greeted again by John.

I'm immensely grateful that I was able to spend this last day in Colorado with many friends. John had tried to get me to visit Colorado and attend a summer leadership training program GCM organized for college students, but I never made it out there until this summer. It was wonderful to be reunited with an old friend, and to be physically challenged as Josh, Carri, Jamie, and I pushed our way up to the summit and back in record time.

May we each make the most of every day, and be attentive to the adventures and the fellow adventurers that come across our paths.

Rocky Mountain National Park and Estes Park, Colorado

 Well, it's been a little over a month since Jamie and I had the amazing privilege of being able to visit with a couple of amazing friends in Colorado. We were invited to share Nuru's story at a Java software developer conference, and while in the area, we were able to visit with our great friends Josh and Carri Drake and their young son. Josh and Carri, aside from being die-hard Mountaineer fans and lovers of the great outdoors are both pretty amazing athletes.

Josh picked us up in the Denver airport, and took us to their home in Fort Collins, CO. Josh is a graduate student working on a PhD in Exercise Science at Colorado State University. Carri also has a background in exercise physiology, and they are both incredibly fit folks. Josh rode on the cycling team at WVU, and Carri was a gymnast on WVU's team as well.

When considering where to take us to experience Colorado, they decided on Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park (we also spent some time exploring Fort Collins which was pretty cool too!).

My hope for the trip was that we would be able to see Elk (Wapiti in Shawnee), and almost immediately upon arrival to Estes Park, we saw a herd hanging out in a neighborhood, and eating the blooms and leaves off trees. It was absolutely amazing to be so close to an animal that once roamed the entire United States. They were truly beautiful creatures. The only way this experience could have been better is if I would have heard an elk bugle. Perhaps another time.

After our brief stint in Estes Park, and our visit to the Stanley Hotel (site of The Shining), we traveled into Rocky Mountain National Park. We hiked a trail that was fairly level, but was at 9,100 feet elevation. That was the highest point Jamie and I had ever experienced together. We hiked along for a couple of miles, and the scenery was absolutely breathtaking. While we were hiking, we may have been adjusting to the higher altitude, but Carri was six months pregnant, and Josh was carrying his two year old son on his back. At our turn around point, I traded Josh and carried their son on my back all the way to the car.

It was a lot of fun hanging out with Josh and Carri, and singing Shawnee songs to their son along the way. I'm so grateful that Jamie and I had the privilege of seeing some great friends while we were away from home. Not only that, but it was absolutely beautiful country. I felt like I was walking along a movie set the entire time.








If you ever have the opportunity, you should definitely visit Rocky Mountain National Park--it is truly a beautiful place. And even if you never get to visit this park, my suggestion to you is to go outside, and explore the beauty that is around where you live. Walking in nature helps us to slow down, and simply appreciate life and the gifts that each one of us is given. And we could all use more time spent in appreciation.

Early Harvest

Well, it was just a few weeks ago when Jamie and I planted a variety of corn, beans, and squash, and while the summer has been incredibly dry for the most part, our squash and zuccini plants have been doing incredibly well. In fact, every day, we are producing more than we can eat in recent days. It seems that each day, we wake up to more and more produce being yielded from our little plot.

The good news is that we have been able to share this food with others. We have baked zucchini bread, cooked frittatas, and even grilled & sautéd a few variations for good measure. It is absolutely amazing to see so much come from working the land, planting, weeding, and waiting for God to do his work. It really is an amazing gift that we plant and weed, and where there were only dirt covered seeds at one time, there is now an abundance of food.

This may sound a little strange, but it has been my experience when eating food I've planted or that was planted and grown by others, it just tastes better. And here in the states, I believe that people are forgetting how to grow their own food. There is an art to preparing the land, to planting, to weeding, and to harvesting. There's a rhythm to all of it that many don't experience. I know that for me, as I left home to go to college, I didn't pay a ton of attention to the work that was being done by my parents and others to grow food, and I didn't plant anything on my own for many years.

Since I've started planting, I've been amazed at both the yield of the land, and the yield to my spirit and body. There's something about taking the time to work the land that is good and wholesome physical labor with a purpose, and there is something about the process, that reminds us that most of what happens on this earth takes time. In a world of fast food, email, and instant results, we can lose sight of that reality. It takes time to grow food. It takes time to prepare food. It takes time to work the land.

It takes time for us to grow as well. May you not become disheartened at growth that is at a slower pace than what you want, and may you see a great yield of produce from your fields and from your life.

Pleasant Grove Baptist Church

Last weekend I had an incredible privilege. Jamie and I were invited to a visit a small country church in Herring, West Virginia. Not only did we have the incredible privilege of visiting this space, but also, I was invited to share the message last Sunday. Last Sunday wasn't our first visit to the church, but it was really encouraging to see the growth of the congregation since our first visit. We were welcomed with open arms, and it was cool to listen to the people who make up this congregation share their lives with one another.

As I walked forward to share, I began thinking about the generations of people who had gathered here before. On the front of the church is a sign that celebrated 100 years of this church's presence in the community. The church building was erected in 1891. That's over 120 years of faith-filled families gathering in this space. I realized as I walked forward, that I had never shared in a church that old. I thought about how there just aren't many buildings at all in the United States that have been around that long. I thought about the level of care that I witnessed the people had for each other in this space. And then I thought about the tombstones outside the church that were a visible reminder of many of those who were part of this church in previous generations.

What an incredible legacy. In our culture today, so much emphasis is placed on what is new and trendy, and I have to say that it is incredibly refreshing to step into a space that has been filled with generations of stories and memories.

May we each take time to think about the stories we will leave behind in the places and spaces we inhabit. May we fill these spaces with life and love!

Squash Blossom 2012

It has been a few weeks since I have made the time to blog, but I believe the emergence of squash blossoms in our garden is a wonderful opportunity to stop, reflect, and write. Every year, since starting a home garden, I've made it a point to take time, no matter how busy my schedule, to enjoy the squash blossoms.

They don't really emanate a strong fragrance, but they are a reminder that soon food will be arriving to the Williams homestead. My ancestors would perform intricate quill and bead work designs that were representations of the squash blossom and a reminder of the beauty and bounty of the created world. The Creator of the universe provides us with all good things, and fills our world with beauty. The sad thing is that many of us miss out on seeing this beauty. Whether we busy ourselves too much and don't make space to enjoy these little gifts, or if we are simply lacking in thanks, the fault is our own.

Beyond its beauty, for me, the squash blossom is a catalyst for memories. Memories of tribal gardens of the past, memories of family gardens growing up, and memories of the many meals provided by growing, harvesting and cooking crops together with family and friends fill my mind as I look at these beautiful flowers.

If you don't have a garden, you can still plant a squash, and see this flower and it's fruit before summer is over. Jamie and I planted in June and have enjoyed a couple of squash and zucchini already. For just a small investment, you can provide food for yourself and your friends and family for multiple days.

It is truly amazing that God not only meets our physical needs through foods we can grow, but also does it in a way that if we are willing to take time we can see traces of beauty all around us.

I'm thankful for squash blossoms and the bounty provided from these beautiful broad leafed flowering plants.

Etsy and Harriman Woodworking

Have you ever heard of Etsy? It's a website that serves as a hub for artists, artisans, and craftspeople of various types to sell their wares to people everywhere. My best understanding of it would be that it is an online grassroots marketing and distribution site for people who are skilled in various arts and crafts. If it had been in existence when my mom was living, I have a feeling she would have been enjoying a profitable retirement as she could have an outlet (beyond local craft shows) to distribute her amazing crochet, knitting, beadwork, and jewelry. 

I first discovered Etsy through my friends Clare and Jimmy Shreeves. Clare buys a number of handmade items on Etsy. My wife also frequents Etsy, and has bough multiple wedding gifts through the site (and also bought our cupcake toppers from our wedding there). The site has tons of listings in various categories, and each listing has an image. Many of the artisans are willing to make custom items as well. I love the idea behind this site, because I feel like there's something really special about hand-made items. Hand-made items tell a story. The creators of the items have refined a skill, a process, and strive for excellence in their work. 

Recently, I found out that one of my old roommates from college, Luke Harriman, just opened an Etsy page. Luke and his wife Diane, are incredible friends, and I'm grateful for any time I get to spend in their presence. Luke has also always been gifted with his hands. He also has recently completed a PhD in English--so he's a pretty smart guy too! Back in our undergrad, I can remember Luke teaching himself how to crochet, play the fiddle, and he even taught himself pottery and made our plates, bowls, coffee mugs, and drinking cups when we were living together.

Luke is also an incredible woodworker. He has worked in carpentry as well as cabinetry, and I'm really excited that he has started making beautiful clipboards and cutting boards and is selling them on Etsy. The photo above is his "End Grain QR Code Cutting Board" that he is selling on Etsy. It's a pretty intricate piece, and it is also a great conversation piece. The QR code is becoming an increasingly common format for bar codes and it is able to be scanned with smart phones. This particular cutting board has a QR code that takes you to the website of Nuru International. Beyond being an incredible conversation piece about Nuru, Luke has dedicated 20% of the proceeds from sales of this item to further Nuru's work.

Looking for a high quality cutting board from a talented craftsman? Looking for a kitchen tool that has an incredible story to tell, and that benefits an organization doing incredible work? look no further, visit Harriman Woodworking on Etsy, and tell others about Luke's incredible handiwork!

Five Years

Today marks five years since my mom left this world and journeyed to be with Jesus. The time has passed so quickly. It really feels weird to think about how much my life and the life of my family has changed since she went home to be with Jesus. I wish she could have been around to see it all, and that she was still here with us, but she has gone on to a far better place. She no longer suffers the challenges of high blood pressure, type two diabetes, congestive heart failure or metastatic invasive carcinoma breast cancer. And when I list out all of those challenges she faced daily, it makes it even more impressive she stayed with us for as long as she did. 

In 2007, I cut a significant amount of my hair in honor of my mom, and in 2008, I cut the remainder of my locks in honor of her, and to mourn her loss as per our Shawnee tradition. I’ve not grown it back since. My brothers, Chuck and Willie, both made sacrifices of their locks as well. Chuck even shaved his mustache—a permanent fixture on his face since the 80s. Even Willie’s son Christian shaved his head in honor of my mom. Willie also wrote this beautiful song to honor and remember her upon her passing. It still brings tears to my eyes as the memories come flooding back of her courageous last days on this earth.

I started my first garden the year my mom died. Over the years, I’ve learned a lot through my dabblings in local agriculture, but more than anything, I’ve been reminded of lessons she and Dad taught me about planting, growing, harvesting, and hard work. Of course like any kid, I didn’t enjoy the discipline at the time, but I can look back with immense gratitude now.

And within a month of mom saying goodbye, I began to have serious conversations about global poverty and international development withmy longtime friends Jake Harriman and John Hancox. These conversations along with extensive reading and research on the subject, and much prayer, fasting, and wrestling, led me to a significant career change as I joined my friends as they started Nuru International. I’m grateful that I have been able to deepen my service to others, and invite more people to confront the crisis of extreme poverty in our world. I really wish mom could have been here to see what we have been able to accomplish in the five years since she died, but I am incredibly grateful my dad has been here cheering us on in this work.

And a little over a year ago, I got married. I wish my mom could have spent more time with Jamie. She’s absolutely incredible, and I think they would have absolutely loved each other. They are two of the best examples I know when it comes to compassion and caring for people around them.

And then there’s my sister. She left a ten year job at a doctor’s office to start a new career this year. Not only that, but my sister has become quite the runner. It seems like every weekend she is getting a new trophy or award for her running exploits. Since the year my mom went to be with Jesus, Becky has led our family in participation with the Wood County Relay For Life. Mom was never able to attend—the first year, she was in ICU. Little did we know she would be leaving so soon. And Becky had her own bout with cancer in 2007 too. Just a month after mom’s parting, she had a malignant melanoma removed. She’s a survivor.

Dad was walking twelve miles a day, and riding his bike 20-30 miles 2-3 times per week after mom died. And then in 2009, he had a massive heart attack. It was utterly unexpected. Dad has always been healthier than most people half his age. Since that attack he doesn’t walk twelve miles a day anymore, but he is probably in better shape and eating better than ever before. As much as we kids miss mom, Dad lost his best friend of 43 years. Dad continues to be an example of generosity and compassion to others too. He supports Becky at virtually every race she runs, and he maintains his garden the way he has done for years and gives away significant portions of its bounty.

My brother, well he is still working in the same job, but his level of responsibility keeps increasing. He’s an extremely talented engineer. And he lives and loves sacrificially with his time. He’s up at 430AM virtually every day to drive himself and several coworkers to work and stays up late to make sure dogs are walked and chores are done. And further, his son has graduated high school and is a student at Notre Dame (not WVU, but still not a bad education).

And in the last five years, each one of us has grown in our faith as well as in our service to others. My dad just recently took the steps to join his church and was baptized the same day.

On Mom's last trip to the hospital, my sister, dad, and I spent the day with her, and I left the hospital to drive to Morgantown to receive my MA in English. I leaned down to hug her and told her, “I’ll try to make you proud tomorrow mom.” As I stood up, she looked at me with her eyes filled of compassion, as she breathed deeply from the oxygen tube running under her nose. She smiled and said, “Every day you make me proud.” Those words echo in my mind every time I think of her. She loved each one of us well, and she showed us by example, even during her last days, how to love the people who cross our paths in seemingly random ways.

I wish mom was still with us, but one day we will reunite with much rejoicing. And until that day, we will labor, and dedicate the remainder of our days to love God and love others well, and to work to serve our neighbors both locally and globally. I know that if she were here, she would continue to be so proud of each of us. I know she would be cheering us on alongside Dad, and she would be cheering Dad on as he maintains his health and faith so well.

Wherever and whoever you are, you have an opportunity today to make a choice. You and I have an opportunity each day to pour out a legacy of hope and compassion, to wisely steward the gifts we have been given, to love well, and to live well. And I pray we may live as an example worth imitating as we walk this earth, just like Mom.

Fairmont Senior High School Students Join Nuru International’s Efforts To Fight Extreme Poverty in Kuria, Kenya

Back in February, I had the privilege to witness a first in the short history of Nuru International. I visited a high school in north central West Virginia that had organized an entire week of events dedicated to raising awareness about Nuru’s work as well as raising funds to further our efforts on the ground in Kuria, Kenya. To my knowledge this is the first time a school anywhere in the country has dedicated an entire week to ‘being Nuru’ and, as a West Virginian, it makes me extremely proud to know that this school is in my home state of West Virginia.

Over the course of the week, students organized a variety of activities to raise funds and to ‘be light’ on their campus. (Nuru is a kiswahili word that means light and has a connotation of hope.) The week started with me visiting the school for an all school assembly to talk to students about the issue of etreme poverty, what Nuru does, Nuru's West Virginia roots, and how young people just like them are getting in the fight to end extreme poverty together with Nuru.  That same day, students and faculty were encouraged to wear their “We Bears Do Care” Nuru Club T-shirts, and wrote statistics on clothes pins and pinned  these to one another to raise awareness around the school about global extreme poverty.  The week progressed with students being able to buy glow in the dark bracelets, raise funds to participate in a ‘bucket walk’ , and culminated last Saturday with a 5K race on the campus of Fairmont State University.

To me, one of the most amazing aspects of the week was the fact that it was largely coordinated through the efforts of one teacher and a handful of students. Mrs. Adrin Fisher, an English teacher (and also a past graduate of Fairmont Senior High School and West Virginia University), helped her students form a club, get permission for the events of the week, and mentored them along the way. As a result of their efforts, more and more students and teachers began getting involved with the events of the week, and together they had a massive impact.

Over the course of the week, over 200 people joined Nuru International’s fan page on Facebook, and these students together raised over $2700 to support Nuru’s work on the ground in Kuria Kenya. I am so proud of these young people. As Mrs. Fisher noted, too often, young people from small town America are discouraged from believing they can do something really significant to make a difference in this world.  The fact that Nuru was started by Jake Harriman, a person from rural Appalachia (Preston County, West Virginia), really resonated with the students and served as an example that they also could step up and make a significant impact on our world.

I hope other schools around this state, country, and world, will follow the example of these students, and organize their own unique events and fundraisers to inspire even more people to join us in this fight so that one day, we can say that together we were the generation who ended extreme poverty, and helped people everywhere have choices and the opportunity to determine their future.

Nuru International Partners With Sevenly Clothing To Help Families in Kuria West, Kenya

Last fall, you might remember a blog post I wrote about a clothing company called Sevenly and their partnership with Nuru. Well, this week, Sevenly partnered with Nuru again.

Each week, Sevenly partners with a different nonprofit that is helping people around the world in areas varying from hunger alleviation, to human trafficking.  They have partnered with organizations including International Justice Mission, CompassionInternational, and Charity: Water. We are grateful to be among the organizations that they have invited to partner with them on multiple occasions, and we are even more grateful for the funds that they are raising through their business model this week that allow us to further our work.

When Sevenly designs a shirt, they design it for a limited run. The shirt Sevenly is creating for Nuru will only be available for one week, and as of my writing this post, there are just under two days left to purchase this design. Sevenly donates $7 from every shirt sale to the cause of that particular week, and because they have a quality product, they are able to generate a large donation in a relatively fast amount of time.

I love this model for a couple of reasons. Number one, it is effective. Since Monday, Sevenly has raised over $11,000 for Nuru through selling t-shirts. My second reason for loving this model is for the reminder it brings. You see, often we underestimate the power of a small donation. But several small donations added together make a huge impact.

Last Sunday, I was able to share with a group of folks from my home state of West Virginia (Almost Heaven), the amount of money they have raised over the last four years as a result of their small monthly contributions to Nuru. It is absolutely amazing to consider how quickly these contributions add up. Don’t ever make the mistake of thinking your contribution is too small. Everybody has a contribution to make toward ending extreme poverty, and we put these contributions together, more and more lives are changed for the better.

So consider buying a quality shirt or hoodie this week from Sevenly and putting another $7 toward the amount they are raising for Nuru this week. And beyond this week, consider making a recurring donation to Nuru. Twenty-nine dollars per month (less than a dollar a day) can help an entire family lift itself out of extreme poverty. Together, we are ending extreme poverty, one community at a time!

Creating A Bu$iness You’ll Love: Top Entrepreneurs Share Their Secrets

Toward the end of 2011, I received a copy of a new book in the mail. The book was Creating A Bu$iness You’ll Love: Top Entrepreneurs Share Their Secrets edited by Mark Chimsky-Lustig. The book features essays from a wide array of entrepreneurs including Howard Schultz of Starbucks, Tony Hsieh of Zappos, and Craig Newmark of Craigslist. One entrepreneur on the cover of this book caught my eye in particular though—Jake Harriman of Nuru International.

I’d like to give a review of this book that was completely unbiased, but because I know Jake fairly well, that will be a bit difficult. So I’m balancing this post between the book as a whole and Jake’s contribution.

As a whole, I was really impressed with the book. The essay authors and their styles vary considerably, and make this book a very enjoyable book to read either as a whole, or by reading an individual essay.  I’d have to say the most creative essay in the book was Tony Hsieh’s “Everything I Know About Business I Learned From Poker”—It was extremely brief, fun, and engaging.

The book consists of several chapters that include a brief author bio and then a short essay about some of the pivotal decisions they made that helped them  to start and grow successful businesses. As I mentioned before, some of the authors include folks like the founders of Starbucks and Craigslist. I think it is wonderful that so many have contributed a nugget of wisdom from their experience as a contribution to this book.

Separate from the book as a whole, I love the fact that this book has given Jake an opportunity to share some of the experiences that served as the engine for what would become Nuru as well as sharing some of the challenges he has overcome in seeing this dream become a reality (including contracting malaria twice, getting struck by lightning, and being attacked by thieves). At the close of his chapter, he offers five practical pieces of advice for anyone who wants to start a business or social enterprise.

One piece of advice in particular that I appreciated was Jake’s suggestion to develop a “getting out of bed” answer. What drives you to get up each morning and do the work that you do? What compels you to push forward. I think the reason that this particular passage struck me is that I believe that this is the key to participating in any endeavor. When times get tough, what is going to motivate you to keep pushing  ahead? What is going to be your reason to not give up, when giving up is the easy route?

There’s a ton more in the book, across all of the essays, and I highly recommend you pick up a copy, and give all of these essays a read. This book would be a great inspiration for pushing your dreams forward and taking them from ideas to reality.

Jumping Rope Into Fitness

As 2011 was coming to an end, I found myself, among other things, considering ways I could maintain my fitness in a low cost, time effective way.  A few years back, I had purchased a jump rope, but could never really get started jumping because I was looking for the perfect surface to jump on.

Rather than continue the search, I thought back to my childhood, and jumping on sidewalks and gym floors and varied surfaces. And as a result, I started jumping rope in my gravel driveway as well as on a couple of different streets at Lake Floyd & in Parkersburg over the holidays last december.

The first day I jumped rope, I think I set a goal of jumping 500 times. I thought I was going to have a heart-attack after 100 jumps. (So I took a break after each set of 100 jumps, and made my way step-wise to 500.)

What I discovered along this journey is that jumping rope is definitely not as easy as it was growing up on 15^th Street in Parkersburg and chasing each other & playing tag as we raced through double-dutch jumping.  It was not nearly as easy as it seemed when I participated in one of my first fundraising events a Jump Rope for Heart at Mckinley Elementrary school. And it was definitely not as easy as it was when I tried out for the jump rope team that later became known as the River City Skippers (I didn’t make the cut).

Instead, I found that jumping rope is a challenge and that a little bit goes a long way in burning calories and improving cardiovascular fitness. After a few minutes of jumping rope, my heart rate can get up to 170-180 bpm (similar to running sprints or running longer distances at near max effort). I can get about 120-130 jumps in per minute, and I can also carry a jump rope with me anywhere I travel.

In essence, I can pack an intense cardioworkout into my day with 5-10 minutes of jumping rope (in 1-2 minute intervals), and I can take the equipment with me anywhere. I think the idea came to me when I saw the rope, and I had seen a few of those infomercials advertising the latest in exercise equipment (and known of a few people who made purchases but failed to use them). I feel like any health or fitness plan needs to travel well, and should be able to happen at a relatively low cost.

So far, I have a little over five months of jumping and building a baseline with the rope. If you are looking for an inexpensive way to jump start cardio and fitness, I recommend a jump rope. Or even if you are looking for a way to vary already existing workouts or a way to take a simple workout on the road, jumping rope is a great form of exercise.

My one recommendation is to go slow. Unless you are incredibly fit already, you aren’t going to be able to jump rope in the same way you did as a child. You’ve put on weight, and your body is not accustomed to the impact. The cardio workout is intense, but it is also an impact workout, and as such I recommend entering in slowly and build a strong base. Of course, in saying this, I’m not an expert. I’m just a guy with a jump rope who is trying to maintain and improve my health. 

Acquiring a Bike Trainer Part Four: Cultivating a Habit

This is the last of my mini-series of blog posts on my acquisition of a trainer. In previous posts, I gave some of my reasoning for why I purchased a trainer, some basic research on trainers, and then how I took the plunge on Craigslist.

Now, I have had the trainer for about two months, and I have been riding 5-6 times per week for 30-40 minutes per day. And this is where discipline has been important.

The hardest part of starting any new habit is carving out the time to add it to the daily routine. My solution has been to rise earlier to insure I get a ride in. Most of the time (but not always), I’ve been getting up between 5 and 530AM to insure that I can get my ride in before going to the gym and getting started with my work day. 

It hasn’t been incredibly easy. After not riding or running for a while, muscles in my legs were not conditioned for the new exercise. I knew that if I was to make this a habit, I would need to be disciplined—especially during the first week when I would be sore. I pushed through, and now I’m starting to reap some of the benefits.

Because I have cultivated this habit, I have been able to increase the duration of my rides. I have more energy throughout the day. In general terms, I feel better. I used to run 4-6 times per week, but fell out of the habit a few years ago, and I’m starting to feel like I used to feel when I was running regularly. Instead of being completely exhausted at the end of a run, I feel refreshed. Instead of riding being part of the discipline of cardiovascular fitness, I feel like riding is now a means for me to clear my head and regain focus.

Of course, these changes don’t happen overnight. And without an attitude of discipline, any cultivated habit can quickly disappear if I ‘get to busy’ or allow my circumstances to distract me from the habit.

Separately, since the beginning of the year, I’ve enjoyed watching my wife cultivate a similar habit with running. She has a goal of running a marathon this fall, and since the beginning of the year, she has been slowly and deliberately been building a solid foundation in her running to help her train without injury and prepare her body to be able to run 26.2 miles.

I hope this series of blogs has been helpful for you if you are considering a trainer, or if you are making steps to cultivate a healthy lifestyle in general. Thanks for reading, and happy riding, running or whatever you do to increase your health and well being for the long haul. 

Acquiring A Trainer Part Three: Craigslist

As I continued the process of acquiring a bike trainer, my friend Derek presented me with a dilemma. Do I buy a new trainer or a used one? My first thought was that since he was the only cyclist I really knew, it wasn’t like I could just find a quality used trainer. It was then that Derek started telling me about Craigslist.

Of course I had heard of Craigslist. It is a highly successful venture started by Craig Newmark and essentially serves as a free online bulletin board for selling goods, finding roommates, and giving away unwanted items, and a number of other activities. While I knew that this was a tool used by many, I had heard bad stories about people getting scammed, acts of fraud, or even advertisements of trafficked people. As with any tool, or anything either online or face-to-face, it is important to use a degree of caution and discretion when entering into a new venture.

So for the first time, I checked out Craigslist. Some of you are reading this and thinking, “Welcome to the twenty-first century!” While many times I am an early adopter, I try to proceed with caution always, and so I was slow to check out Craigslist. At first, I looked at listings in Morgantown WV, and found nothing. Then, realizing I would be in Pittsburgh four different times to pick-up and drop-off friends at the airport, I began to expand my search area. I found two trainers in Pittsburgh.

Then came the debate of whether it was better to pay more money for a new trainer that I could return at any time if unsatisfied, or buy an almost new trainer for about half the price, with no return policy. After some debate, I searched both options. I met with someone who had posted an almost new trainer for a low price on Craigslist, and proceeded with caution. Just because I met with the seller didn’t lock me into buying. And from the details the seller had left online, it appeared they were being equally cautious.

The trainer had hardly been used. It looked new. It was still in the original box. The seller told me that he bought it, kept it for a year, and just couldn’t get into the habit of moving things around to make consistent use of it. I bought the trainer, and proceeded home with my purchase, feeling like I had acquired a bargain tool that could be used by both me and my wife.

After my experience I would say that Craigslist is a solid tool, but as with any sites online, proceed with caution. Craigslist even gives some tips to avoid getting scammed.

And then a few days later, I set it up in the living room and started riding. It has been about a month since I started. More on that in my next (and final) post.

Acquiring A Bike Trainer Part Two: Research

In a previous post I mentioned the reasons why I began looking for a bike trainer, and then I began researching different types of trainers, brands, etc. For the core of my research, I poured over multiple blogs, but relied most heavily on the counsel of a trusted friend and one time competitive cyclist, Derek Roberts.

My dad and brother had told me about a cool site called Nashbar and that’s the first place I began researching different trainers. Of course I also visited sites like REI as well to look at benchmark prices. You can buy a trainer for as little as $119 and you can also spend several hundred for one.

So here are the three types of trainers listed the least expensive first. All three types have their benefits and if you are going to use it, any trainer is better than none at all.  All are essentially a tool that allows you to convert your road/mountain bike into a stationary bike.  As such, be mindful that they will wear tires just like riding on the road, and you also need to be careful to keep your tires inflated properly.

Wind Trainer—This is most simple and least expensive form of trainer. The faster you pedal, the more wind resistance is picked up by the fan on the trainer, and so your pedaling becomes more challenging. The negative of this type of trainer is that the faster you pedal, the louder the trainer becomes. If you live in an apartment complex, you might get complaints from your neighbors with this one. The real benefits are that they are simple and inexpensive.

Magnetic trainer—This type of trainer is slightly more expensive, and utilizes magnets to create resistance and change tension for you as you ride. One of the criticisms of this type is that there are occasions during which riders applied enough force as they pedaled to break through the tension of the magnets. This means minimal resistance as you pedal. These trainers are more quiet than the wind trainer, and so could be beneficial if you live close to others.

Fluid trainer—The most expensive of the three basic types, these trainers rely on resistance created by an enclosed flywheel spinning through a viscous fluid that does not expand significantly when heated (as when someone pedals quickly for long periods of time). These are the quietest of the three types of trainers, and come the closest to simulating riding on the road. As one shifts through gears, the resistance increases, and many consider these to be among the most long lasting types of trainers as they are an enclosed system.

So as I visited websites and listened to the counsel of others, my friend Derek suggested that I consider taking a look at Craigslist. He thought I might be able to find a quality trainer at a reasonable cost, and also might be able to help out another person who bought a trainer but never really used it.  I was a little skeptical of Craigslist, but more on that in another post.

Acquiring A BIke Trainer Part One: Why A Trainer?

My dad and brother have been riding bicycles for fitness for quite some time now. In fact, in late January, my dad visited my brother and they spent multiple days riding around southern California on bicycles. One day they actually ran into my friend and boss, Jake Harriman while riding along the coast in Orange County.

During the winter, my dad usually rides for 20-30 minutes 2-3 times per week at the local YMCA. During the warmer months, he is out 2-3 times per week and usually rides a minimum of 10 miles but has pushed around 30-35 on some longer rides.

After hearing them share some of the fun they had, it made me feel a little sad that I’ve gotten out of the habit of riding, or almost any form of intense cardio. Although this year I’ve been consistent about going to the gym (to lift), and I typically walk 30-40 minutes per day, I just haven’t been disciplined about stepping up my cardio.

I visited the gym with my seventy year old dad this winter, and after joining him for one of his 3 hour workouts, I felt pretty tired. I decided I needed to do something to step up my fitness beyond weights and walking, so I started looking into bike trainers.

Why acquire a bike trainer instead of just using a stationary bike at a gym? Well, there are a couple of reasons. The first reason is that I really don’t like to spend more than an hour total at the gym—I want to be in and out quickly and early in the day so I can get started with work. Also, having the trainer at home allows me to get a bike workout in whenever it fits my schedule. Lastly, being on a trainer allows me to closely simulate actual riding, and since I want to be able to enjoy riding as the weather gets warmer, what better way to get my back, core, legs and arms prepared than by riding on an actual bike. 

And so, after discussions with my dad and brother, I began to dive into researching trainer types, costs, and brands before making the commitment of the purchase. More on that in a future post.

Nuru International In the New York Times

It’s been a little over a month now since my longtime friend and CEO of Nuru International, Jake Harriman made a guest appearance in the New York Times on the blog of Nick Kristof. If you haven’t had a chance to read it yet, I highly suggest giving it a read.

In the post, Jake shared a little bit of the background as to why he left the marine corps, applied to business school, and has essentially dedicated his life to working toward ending what I believe is the greatest humanitarian crisis of our generation, extreme poverty.

It’s hard to really get one’s mind around all that has happened since Jake finished an MBA at Stanford, and launched Nuru in southwestern Kenya. Both in the states, and in Kenya, growing numbers are joining in this work, and helping to equip people with the tools and knowledge needed to lead their communities out of extreme poverty. I'm personally grateful for the number of friends who have joined us in this work, and who continue to inspire me daily by the commitments they make to help end the greatest humanitarian crisis of our generation, extreme poverty.

Thanks for reading, and have a great weekend!

Lenten Commitment 2012

This year, although I still made it to visit an early morning church service, I did not get to blog about my Lenten commitments, Ash Wednesday or any related subject. 

Each year, I approach lent in the spirit of taking an opportunity to gauge how I am growing in my relationship with God, and specifically, I look at lent as a time to re-commit, re-set, and re-engage with God and identify areas for growth. According to church tradition, people typically take this time to either give up something or add something to their life with the intention of being able to better focus on their relationship with God.

In the past, I’ve taken what some would consider some pretty radical steps of fasting or engaging in the discipline of simplicity. In the past I have also added dimensions to my devotional life in order to better know and connect with the Creator of the universe.

This year, I decided to walk through a devotional book, that may be the best devotional book I have ever read or used. It’s called Developing Intimacy With God and it’s by a guy named Alex Aronis. In the past, I had noticed that Aronis suggests lent as a great time to engage in this eight week devotional, as the last week coincides well with a celebration during the week after Easter Sunday. 

The book has a simple cover and title, but I love the way it encourages me to think about my walk with God differently. Rather than focusing on all of the things I might be able to do for God, Aronis’ book encourages me to focus my energies on spending time with Christ so I can learn to be like Him in my actions and attitudes.

The last few weeks have been incredible with regard to slowing down from the busyness of life to listen, abide, and cultivate my relationship with Christ. I really love taking time to be intentional about meditating on the words and life of Jesus and praying that as I develop this habit, that I might learn to better love both God and my fellow human beings more deeply.

It has been a wonder-filled journey thus far, and I look forward to continuing it, not only throughout the Lenten season, but for the rest of my life.