GK Builders Institute

Ever dream of being a part of recorded history? Ever have that rare opportunity when you know that you are? That's what happened to us this weekend. The concept is simple, but the reality is truly revolutionary. The GK Builders Institute is an academic adventure that is first being undertaken by the Jesuit Ateneo de Manila University and the University of the Philippines. Both schools have agreed to work in conjunction with GK on research ventures that explore why GK is successful on many different levels. There findings are being compiled into an academic curriculum that will be taught in the schools as part of the GK Builders Institute. This weekend we participated in the first ever Township Development Summit, a program of GKBI sponsored and hosted jointly by UP and AdMU. More than 100 mayors from around the Philippines gathered for the summit to learn about GK and to learn how their Local Government Unit (LGU) can support the work, bringing assistance to squatters in their cities. It is truly inspiring to see people of significant power and stature come together with a humble heart willing to learn. Most importantly, these mayors found new hope for the problems of poverty in their cities, and have been empowered to do something significant about it. As part of the Builders Corps, many mayors were also approaching each of us, imploring us to visit their cities, to bring the message of hope, and ultimately to help GK communities grow in their cities- creating a slum-free, squatter-free Philippines. When I first heard that we were going to meet some local mayors, I envisioned people who had political power over cities about the size of most US suburbs, or smaller. Nope. Some of the videos that we saw this weekend showed off cities easily the size of Toledo, if not even Cleveland. These are prominent figures with major budgets responsible for thousands of poor squatters in their cities. They came to the summit by invite and with curiosity. Many left with new hope and a vision for change, growth and upward movement of the poorest of the poor in their cities. Many had 10-50 hectares ready to be inspected for development, and within only a few years, the very real possibility of giving thousands of squatters a new home, and a new community. A place to call their own, and to welcome others with pride and dignity. A house that is earned, that restores an individual's sense of providing for their family, and their sense of building a beautiful, loving, and nurturing environment for their children. THIS IS GK. A movement that has been growing one village at a time suddenly exploding, and will likely show growth in the next year that looks more like 10 - 100 villages at a time. I know it sounds far-fetched, absurd even, but it's true. If you doubt, I encourage you to come and be a part of it so that your heart too can have hope for the future. Amidst all of this inspiration on the local level, several prominent national leaders were also present for the weekend. We met personally several provincial governors, and heard a couple Senators speak. And Tito Tony personally introduced us to the Vice President of the Philippines! We were all surprised by his relaxed candor, but we later found out that he has been a strong supporter of GK from the very beginning. He has spoken at several GK events, and has said that he will never turn one down! So we were among a few that were directly introduced to him. Personally, I felt like he truly tried to empower the LGU's with the support of the national government to engage GK and start effectively fighting poverty in this beautiful place. So, we had a busy weekend. It was educational, but more, it was inspirational. The Summit was so successful that it was overbooked before it started. A second summit is being planned for November, and several mayors have asked to send other members of their staffs. In addition to hosting summits at UP and Ateneo, mayors and Universities around the Philippines have also offered to host, bring hope to the country, and a solution to local leaders. It is truly a grace to be a small part of something great. It is also a sometimes fearsome task to wonder what God will ask of us in this place. In truth, there is nothing here we can do that is within our means- but everything can be done, because we do not rely on ourselves!

The GK Way

Hello Friends...I have only a moment, but I wanted to leave a note to share just a bit of my thoughts, feelings and prayers from the last few days. Each day we have been almost inundated with an abundance of enthusiasm and joy for the work being done in GK. We are continually meeting more and more people who have found themselves immersed in the work of restoring hope and dignity to the poor of this country. People have been making remarkable commitments and sacrifices to see that the wholistic gifts GK brings to communities are spread as far as possible. Each day I am being humbled by the genuine love that is exuded in each interaction. Last night we met a number of newly elected and young mayors from cities through out the country. They had taken a class on effective governance and at the end had asked Tito Tony Meloto to speak with them about GK. I was so impressed and moved by their desire to understand how to bring GK to the people they serve. I was able to speak to one mayor more in depth and was inspired by his yearning to learn as much as he could from the wisdom of others and the work being done in other places so that he could develop sustainable programs within his own city. I found myself wishing that their were more like him all over the world willing to recognize they do not have all the answers and that it is not to serve themselves that they hold the positions they hold. It was a blessed day.

Don't Ask, Inspire

Hey all, Gawad Kalinga which describes itself as Radical Service with a mission to serve the poorest of the poor. I visited the Philippines last summer with GK, and I have been excited to return to work here because GK is just that, a radical take on service to the poor. As you can probably tell, I am pretty excited to be working with Gawad Kalinga and unfortunately it is not all for selfless reasons. I believe strongly that GK lives love in action and I have never seen a group live this love in such a selfless so holistically to such a great extent. Living in community this past year and in prayer through self reflection has helped me realize some of the many ways that I can embrace the mission of service to others more fully. So, I wanted to join GK with the hope of learning how to love all over again. It didn't take long to get my first lesson. As a member of the first batch of GKBuilders Corps Volunteers, I have been lucky enough to spend time with Tony Meloto who is the visionary behind GK. In our first interaction with him, he was explaining the importance of spreading the good news but instead of preaching he said, "Don't ask, Inspire." These words have taken me over as I look at how I work with others. How do I inspire? How do I not ask? What am I supposed to be doing? I've heard these words before. Ghandi's "Be the change you wish to see in the world" and St. Francis's "Preach the Gospel, use words if necessary" but with GK, I am also getting an example. There are many hundreds of people working in the movement of GK all making extremely simple salaries (some only make enough to go home once a year within the Philippines) but they live with the spirit of GK within them and that spirit inspires others and myself to also embrace that mission. I am excited to begin to start living this trinket of wisdom. I feel incredibly blessed to be here now with GK, and I look forward to sharing this movement, this work, this experience, these people with you.

Waiting

So, we do a lot of that here. But it should be considered a nice contrast to the busy-ness of navigating traffic, or running from meeting to meeting. Later today we will travel to the GK sites that are partnered with Ateneo University. Last week we saw sites in Baseco(urban metro-Manila) and Calamba (in the Laguna Province). The houses and communities are beautiful, and there is a general spirit of joy that pervades everything- a stark contrast to the usual gloom of poverty. We are also being inundated with success stories of people who have found their motivation for life after being touched by GK. The houses in the Philips village in Laguna were so beautiful that I was taking notes for decorating my own home some day. Tito Tony always talks about having 1st world expectations, and building 1st world communities - not settling for "3rd world" or developing country standards. This is the mark of GK, and they are taking the Philippines- and others around the world by storm. .... We are also working on getting more pictures into the photo album, so have a bit of patience, and hopefully we can share with you an adventure in pictures soon! (The photo albums are linked in the link list).

Basic beginning ramblings

We're here as has already been said. It's been amazing, but also overwhelming. The generosity of everyone we've met, and especially our host families has been astounding. We haven't had much immersion yet as we are still in our orientation phase. However, one of the full time workers reminded us to remember when we are going to the sites, we aren't just tourists. We need to look at the villages with the eyes and hearts of people actively figuring out where God is calling us and how God is calling us to serve. Today our schedule includes several village visits and then late night advocacy with a Full Time worker and also one of our hosts - Greg. While mostly we've just been observing things, Greg warned us he may call on us to share our stories of why we came to volunteer. We also have been given our assignments 'officially'. I'm still with the values formation process which is awesome, but definitely overwhelming. I'm really excited to dig in to the work set before me, but have to have patience as we continue our orientation as well. There are plenty of lessons to be learned here in all sorts of ways. I just have to keep praying that I'm open and aware of the multitude of lessons that God brings before me. This is not about expectations but experiences and finding the values of it all. The cliches to be used are many, but they are also true. Now though, as this is about experiences, I want to get back to the people here at the GK office at Ateneo (Jesuit University in Manila playing orientation leaders this week). Thank you all for sharing in our journeys in all the ways you are. Know you are loved. God Bless

"Welcome to Manila...

(pic 1 - Layover in Taipei; Pic 2 Heather and Beth leaving the Manila airport) ...the current outside tempurature is 30 degress celcius, and the weather is mild rain. On behalf of Philippine Air and this flight crew, we'd like to wish you a wonderful stay here in Manila. Mabuhay!" _____________ Yup, we've landed. And then some. Actually, it took our plane two tries to land, probably because there was something on the runway or a miscommunication in the holding pattern the first time. But we made it, and without any hang ups!!!! Praise God! Even as I went through the customs desk at the Manila Airport, the office (a young woman) stopped me, told me that she had been looking for ways to volunteer with GK, and then asked me who she could contact to get involved! There is a new revolution happening here - a new hope is growing in the Philippines - people of every class, every generation, and every skill and ability are uniting to eliminate poverty in this country, and to shine a light for the elimination of poverty worldwide. Don't be fooled - 6 months is a very short time in such a grand scheme, but it is very exciting to be even a small part of such a powerful movement of love. Even as we are still ironing out what we will be doing here, there is already talk of how to continue the mission after we leave. But I am jumping ahead. It wouldn't be right to lose you in a world of dreams without sharing the stark realities of Jeepnee-crowded streets, overflowing generosity, and early morning roosters! The couple we are staying with for the first few nights is amazing. Their house is simple, but beautiful. They said to us that they were happy to have us in return for the generosity they always receive whenever they travel to the States. I was glad to know that a non-American received such generosity, in sharp contrast to the regular negative image that we so often here of abroad. The van ride that took us from the airport to the GK headquarters, and then from the GK headquaters to tita Corky's house was the adventure of a lifetime. For those of you who tire of Chicago driving, or simply hate Chicago drivers for their agressive style, let me assure you, you ain't seen nothin' yet! Perhaps you can be a little more forgiving to know that when they stay between the lines and only cut you off with a four-foot clearance, they are being very restrained for what you might experience in metro-Manila. A three lane road here has traffic five vehicles across, and mopeds in every crack! I am tempted at times to reach out the window and grab a Pepsi bottle off the back of the passing delivery truck. The double yellow line in the middle - if it exists at all - is merely a suggestion for which side you should consider driving on, and playing chicken with on-coming traffic is a regular sport! And that doesn't even get into pedestrians! Wow! So, driving here is not going to happen in the city any time soon! At the GK headquarters, we were immediately greeted again by tito Tony Meloto, founder of GK, and several other full-time workers, who repeatedly reminded us that they have been waiting anxiously for the arrival of the "first batch" of Builders Corps (that's us!). After a short meeting with tito Tony we were ushered to our host's house, tita Corky. She offered us dinner, but we graciously declined, and the four of us were asleep by 8pm! Two days of traveling (three on the calendar) will wear you out, and our hosts were very understanding. We have to go the mall now to exchange our money and take care of some other business. Please keep on praying, and know that things are moving quickly here. More updates are coming soon! And again, my thanks to you all for your endless prayers and support. God is doing great things here! See you soon! (Hopefully.)

WE ARE HERE

Hello Friends and Family! After 20 hours of travel, three in flight movies, and a five hour layover in Tai Pai, we have arrived in Manila. The welcome has been incredible and the people we are surrounded by have embraced us with open arms. It has been such a comfort. There has been so much to take in these last 48 hours that I haven't even really begun to process. From the moment we stepped off the airport grounds I realized that things are much different from home and much more different than I was able to imagine. First of all, driving in the Philippines is nuts, but somehow it works. Driving laws are actually suggestions and rarely accepted. The poverty is widespread and more visible than I had anticipated. It is a dose of reality. At the same time I have experienced incredible hospitality, generosity, hope, and have seen the fruits of labor being done to restore dignity to the poor. There is plenty to do while we are here. I am more excited than ever to be here and I am looking forward to sharing our experience with you. Please continue to keep us in your prayers. We are in for the experience of a lifetime. God Bless.

We're Outta Here!

In a few short minutes Heather and I will be headed to the LA Airport where we'll meet up with Beth and Jonathon, and then board an early-morning red-eye flight to to Manila. This is it. We're outta here. Needless to say, there's a bit of surreallism. For those of you that have checked in on this blog over the summer, you're probably feeling a bit of the build up too. All I have to say now is thank you so much for your prayers that have got us this far, and know that we will miss you as we are carried by your prayers for the next several months. You can look forward to colorful pictures, crazy stories, and hopefully great testimonies of God's love in people in the Philippines. Yup, we're excited, and nervous, yes- but mostly just excited. Now all we have to do is get there . . . HERE WE GO!!!!!!!!!!

Where to Begin

Tomorrow we leave and begin our arrivals to an entirely new and unknown part of our lives. So much goes through my mind when I think about all the possibilities and probabilities - those of you who know me probably understand this. But this past week I've been blessed to continue a traditional family vacation (dad's been going for about 35 years). It reminded me a lot about what I value and ultimately speaks to the reasons I'm leaving on this journey. All my life my family has gone to a place called Pennellwood in Michigan. This year I've learned that it's one of the last of its kind - an American Family Resort. In past decades these places were HUGE attractions - families and friends came together and grew together one week every year. They ate together, played together, laughed together. When I was little and even now, I would rather go to our week at Pennellwood then almost anywhere else for vacation. Yet things change, and Pennellwood, unfortunately, is no exception. I think about these changes and believe it signifies a change in how too many of us see our families and how we prioritize our lives. Yet I don't want to give up to these changes in family dynamics, and certainly not family values that places like Pennellwood can foster. And despite needing to change certain things Pennellwood seems to want to continue to foster as long as possible. Pennellwood is only one of the many examples of being raised with communities and strong family connections. It is through these communities that I have recently and repeatedly been shown how blessed I am. People's generosity in prayer, support and love has been tremendous and so freely given that I am amazed and awed. I thank each one of you, and wish to remind you that whether you've touched my life directly or that of any of my family - I am who I am today because of the people in my life. So as I go forth to face the many unknowns, the challenges, the joys and graces that await me, know I take pieces of each of you with me, confident in the knowledge that I am never alone. Again Thank You. God Bless

GKBC Blessings...

Hi yall! I know your all waiting in anticipation for tha GK adventure.... don't worry its right around the corner and before you know it you'll all be here! I'm really excited to finally be together in the Philippines!!! I pray that you all arrive here safely and in good spirits! May the Lord's angels watch over you and guide you... may they guide us all for an amazing, inspiring, productive, and unforgettable journey, building divine realationships and building a nation!!! Can you believe it??! We're nation builder's! Pack, pray, and meditate in pride and joy that you are travling where no man has gone before! ...haha just kidding. But seriously, we are doing some thing very spiritual and deep, and I know the Lord is smiling over us. I am honored to build with yall and I know its gonna be Great!! ok I gotta go now! Love & blessings, Dianne

WOOHOO

I just wanted to share with everyone that I am officially a NURSE! The day I arrived home in San Diego my mom checked the mail and found a large envelope from the California Board of Nursing...she screamed and dropped all the mail. At home we opened it to find my license! WooHOo! Thank you for your prayers and encouragement. Now all there is to wait for is this whole crazy Philippines thing...

Finally . . . a sit down

driving - packing - driving - moving - driving- packing - driving - driving - unpacking - STOP. Finally. Did you notice a theme here? As Heather and I drove from Chicago to Cleveland she announced that we are now homeless (nothing personal, mom & dad). There is a striking reality, though when you realize that everything you own is packed into the back of a van and you are driving to a place where you will not stay. And we are called again to trust, that in leaving everything behind, God will provide for us the things we need. For me, I have still been in denial. This will be the longest duration I've been out of Chicago since 2001, and without any real knowledge of where I'm going other than "It's Beautiful" & "It's Dangerous," I have had little to actually look forward to. Sure, my head is full of great ideas and my heart believes in this mission, but honestly, I have no idea what is on the other side of the jetway. Now, we are less than two weeks away- work has completed; swimming is almost completed; I am moved out of my apartment; the only thing left to do is pack one more time, and head out. I am beside myself with anticipation. Tired of waiting and not yet ready to leave. Ok God- here we go!