Ezi was honored to be selected at his school, NMH, to give the opening benediction for the school assembly this past Monday on Martin Luther King day. I think Ezi captured the spirit, if not the cadence, of MLK's voice, aspirations and persuasion. I only wish I'd been a church mouse in the NMH chapel so that I could have heard my son deliver his remarks, with MLK's, to the assembly. No doubt, I would have been touched, as I am when I read these honest words from the heart & soul of a sixteen year old discovering his American roots... KDL
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Let Us Be Silent
Two score and six years ago, my brother and my sisters, One Man stood in front of a nation, One Man stood in front of a world, One Man stood in front of an institution and made his voice echo from the cityscape of Washington D.C. to the ears of the American people, made his voice ring from the hills of America to the mountains of the world, made his voice heard from the steps of Lincoln Memorial to the halls of the White House — that institution was the institution of injustice, the injustice of segregation — that man was Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who stood and said to the world, “I have a dream!”
Today, my friends, we celebrate this man—for life works in mysterious ways and five years after his famous march on Washington Martin Luther King was assassinated. Hatred is a curious thing for at times its power to destroy seems to be so much greater than love’s power to create. At times its power to gnaw and bite at goodness seems to be stronger than love’s power to heal and mend, but don’t let it fool you for it is love that carried Dr. King to the steps of Lincoln Memorial, not hatred, it is love that brought Abraham Lincoln to declare the Emancipation Proclamation, not hatred, it is love that kept generations of slaves strong and united, not hatred, and it is love that brings us here together on this day, not hatred.
Sadly hate is an epidemic that seems to be intent on destroying as much as it can and even today we are surrounded by hatred. Not a day passes where someone is not a target of hatred—whether it is because of the color of their skin, their beliefs, their sexual orientation, or their nationality, hatred is an enemy which we fight every day; and often times this hatred comes from preconceived notions. But we, just as Dr. King, have a chance to make a change in the way we live our lives because if there was ever anyone who showed the world that one man could make a difference it was Dr. King.
In the large spectrum of the world each of us as individuals has only the power to control ourselves and for that reason I implore each of us to, in the spirit of Dr. King, be ‘the change you see in the world.’
I am not here to tell everyone what they should do, I neither know nor deserve to tell people what they should do, I merely wish to commemorate a hero of mine, Dr. King for showing all of us that a single grain of rice can tip the scale.
As we prepare to usher in Barack Obama to the White House tomorrow I ask us all to think back to twenty-six years ago when another man ushered in a time of change for the world — the symbolism is extraordinary. This isn’t about being black or white; this is about celebrating our diversity, recognizing it and together with our hands clasped tightly together making this world a better place. This week, as we commemorate the legacy of this man, I ask you all to immerse yourself in the events that have been prepared and begin our path to creating a better future.
To quote Martin Luther King Jr.,
“Let freedom ring. And when this happens, and when we allow freedom to ring — when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children — black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics—will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”
Let us be silent.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
The New Year News from Kathmandu
The new year has whisked by so effortlessly that I never sent e-cards to our loved ones & dear friends... Alas, this blogette will have to serve as that essential thread which maintains our humanity this year.
Although I should find a way to post some photos, as well, since I'd love to share some of those, as well - especially as the kids have grown (and grown and grown...).
For the latest new year news: Ezi went snowboarding for the first time last w/end after a tough first week back at school (with pre-calc and ap biology, it should be demanding...). He's seems to love his daytime escape from campus life and the freedom on the wintry Berkshires on Wednesdays & Saturdays -- although he says it's a bit embarrassing when seven year olds leap over you on the slopes asking if you're ok after you've fallen down...
While Josh, after spending all of six days in the States a week ago, got on a jet again last Sunday to fly back to Asia, Hong Kong this time, to lead his school for a model United Nations. Oy, such a jet-setter! He just called computer to computer on Skype and seems to have had a great time for the first time exploring a global city on his own sans his parents. The experience sounds like it's just deepened his current interest in an international business career.
Then, Ms. Leah had her second art class today w/ her friends, Arya and Choyang, with Neera, a lovely Nepali woman artist and gallery owner. She'll take a class a week for 2.5 hours for ten weeks. When I told her it was for ten weeks, she said, 'only ten??' with this long look like she hadn't gotten enough porridge. After all, this is a girl who has said that she wants to be an 'artist' since she was five years old!
Me, I'm enjoying my latest UN work supporting work on the new Nepali constitution as the Sr. Consultant/Advisor on the civil society outreach for submissions to the Constituent Assembly. UNDP extended my contract through March, but they may need me longer, given the scale and complexity of the work...; we'll see...
A week ago, we had 240 folks attend briefing sessions on UNDP's new small grant program for the historically marginalized communities (Dalit, Madhesi and Indigenous, mostly). However, we were only expecting 40-50 NGOs to attend, so we had to do the powerpoint and Q&A presentation three times in a row to a SRO room! The Project isn't offering huge money for these local NGO federations or associations -- but it's quite valuable for a specific and time-bound purpose, i.e. creating recommendations and submissions for the drafting of the new constitution.
Just as we were leaving the office on Friday, couriers were carting in over 150 proposals that had come in from around the country for these grants. It'll be hard to select among them, but, even after all these years, it was a thrill to see the response that we had to his opportunity to more actively participate in the future of Nepal by so many local communities from around the country.
En challah, if all goes well, the donors will provide even more civil society outreach resources in the coming months, so we can reach disadvantaged communities around the country for them to provide submissions to the MPs and Constituent Assembly now starting to draft a new constitution.
Fun schtuff, although one always wonders how much impact one's work will have -- but it feels good to give these often sidelined and disadvantaged communities a 'voice' in the expanding Nepali political life of the oft-promised 'New Nepal'.
While Shaku is touring Nepal for the first time as a political activist trying to wake up her compatriots who have been sleeping for a hundred years of solitude... She's totally enjoying her time among the Tharu and other groups in Nepal with whom she is aligning and spreading the good news of a civl rights movement for the people of this challenged land. It's really exciting to see how much she is growing and stimulated by this new vocation.
Oh, yes, we also now only have eight hours a day of electricity b/c the political elite and government snoozed through the 20th century and, oops!, forgot that if you don't build new hydro projects, then the growth in demand will some day catch up and overpass your supply. Such is the state of modern Nepal. So, alas, we'll rest in darkness even longer in the years to come.
Ahh, the romance in the developing world... ;-)
Although, personally, I've been rather overwhelmed by getting out Joshua's financial aid forms this month. The first were due by January 15th with the others swarming in by February 1st. Without our 2008 tax returns complete, it means going through the serious tax math to estimate responses. As a guy who had depended on the kindness of my father (and his accountant...) for decades, this is a seriously mature and demanding avocation.
Fortunately, I spent 3 days in November at M&D's doing the CSS format already (based on 2007 returns), but I still needed to do the FAFSA with our 2008 information, plus redo the CSS with the 2008 figures. That has been this weekend's major occupation which I finished, to my delight, this morning and sent off both Joshua's CSS and FAFSA forms to his colleges.
Now, like the rest of you with college-bound kids, we wait patiently to see the results come March/April... God bless the child, as Billie Holiday sang...
Now, at least on the weekend mornings, I can go back and meander in the garden dreaming of new delights while waiting for three dozen types of bamboo grow again in the spring, imaging what our botanical backyard will look like in another 2-3 years...
Ahh, nature, the solace of our human world...
Although I should find a way to post some photos, as well, since I'd love to share some of those, as well - especially as the kids have grown (and grown and grown...).
For the latest new year news: Ezi went snowboarding for the first time last w/end after a tough first week back at school (with pre-calc and ap biology, it should be demanding...). He's seems to love his daytime escape from campus life and the freedom on the wintry Berkshires on Wednesdays & Saturdays -- although he says it's a bit embarrassing when seven year olds leap over you on the slopes asking if you're ok after you've fallen down...
While Josh, after spending all of six days in the States a week ago, got on a jet again last Sunday to fly back to Asia, Hong Kong this time, to lead his school for a model United Nations. Oy, such a jet-setter! He just called computer to computer on Skype and seems to have had a great time for the first time exploring a global city on his own sans his parents. The experience sounds like it's just deepened his current interest in an international business career.
Then, Ms. Leah had her second art class today w/ her friends, Arya and Choyang, with Neera, a lovely Nepali woman artist and gallery owner. She'll take a class a week for 2.5 hours for ten weeks. When I told her it was for ten weeks, she said, 'only ten??' with this long look like she hadn't gotten enough porridge. After all, this is a girl who has said that she wants to be an 'artist' since she was five years old!
Me, I'm enjoying my latest UN work supporting work on the new Nepali constitution as the Sr. Consultant/Advisor on the civil society outreach for submissions to the Constituent Assembly. UNDP extended my contract through March, but they may need me longer, given the scale and complexity of the work...; we'll see...
A week ago, we had 240 folks attend briefing sessions on UNDP's new small grant program for the historically marginalized communities (Dalit, Madhesi and Indigenous, mostly). However, we were only expecting 40-50 NGOs to attend, so we had to do the powerpoint and Q&A presentation three times in a row to a SRO room! The Project isn't offering huge money for these local NGO federations or associations -- but it's quite valuable for a specific and time-bound purpose, i.e. creating recommendations and submissions for the drafting of the new constitution.
Just as we were leaving the office on Friday, couriers were carting in over 150 proposals that had come in from around the country for these grants. It'll be hard to select among them, but, even after all these years, it was a thrill to see the response that we had to his opportunity to more actively participate in the future of Nepal by so many local communities from around the country.
En challah, if all goes well, the donors will provide even more civil society outreach resources in the coming months, so we can reach disadvantaged communities around the country for them to provide submissions to the MPs and Constituent Assembly now starting to draft a new constitution.
Fun schtuff, although one always wonders how much impact one's work will have -- but it feels good to give these often sidelined and disadvantaged communities a 'voice' in the expanding Nepali political life of the oft-promised 'New Nepal'.
While Shaku is touring Nepal for the first time as a political activist trying to wake up her compatriots who have been sleeping for a hundred years of solitude... She's totally enjoying her time among the Tharu and other groups in Nepal with whom she is aligning and spreading the good news of a civl rights movement for the people of this challenged land. It's really exciting to see how much she is growing and stimulated by this new vocation.
Oh, yes, we also now only have eight hours a day of electricity b/c the political elite and government snoozed through the 20th century and, oops!, forgot that if you don't build new hydro projects, then the growth in demand will some day catch up and overpass your supply. Such is the state of modern Nepal. So, alas, we'll rest in darkness even longer in the years to come.
Ahh, the romance in the developing world... ;-)
Although, personally, I've been rather overwhelmed by getting out Joshua's financial aid forms this month. The first were due by January 15th with the others swarming in by February 1st. Without our 2008 tax returns complete, it means going through the serious tax math to estimate responses. As a guy who had depended on the kindness of my father (and his accountant...) for decades, this is a seriously mature and demanding avocation.
Fortunately, I spent 3 days in November at M&D's doing the CSS format already (based on 2007 returns), but I still needed to do the FAFSA with our 2008 information, plus redo the CSS with the 2008 figures. That has been this weekend's major occupation which I finished, to my delight, this morning and sent off both Joshua's CSS and FAFSA forms to his colleges.
Now, like the rest of you with college-bound kids, we wait patiently to see the results come March/April... God bless the child, as Billie Holiday sang...
Now, at least on the weekend mornings, I can go back and meander in the garden dreaming of new delights while waiting for three dozen types of bamboo grow again in the spring, imaging what our botanical backyard will look like in another 2-3 years...
Ahh, nature, the solace of our human world...
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