The Glory of International Connections| Awakened Connections

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This morning in my email inbox, I had a full course of photos from Tanzania - of the three young women who fled their Maasai villages prior to female circumcision and early marriage to search for a more meaningful choice: education. In their own ways, they all found a school that had been set up through the HumanKind Foundation. This school is for primary and secondary education, an incredible start. What they have been yearning for is a way to go onto university, in order to really make the strongest impact in their home villages. Awakened Connections, alongside the HumanKind Foundation, will now be offering this year's three graduates scholarships to go onto the Teacher College. When asked what they want to study, all three young women said to become teachers. Not in the large city; not in a private school; not abroad; in their home villages. The glory, and wonder, of our abilities, by simply being available in heart, space, and mind, to be of benefit to our global brothers and sisters, sometimes for me is heart-aching. Heart-arching in the way that makes me feel: It is possible...It is possible, to show up, and be together, alive, in the fruits of our breath, to do something meaningful.

P'Pin

This is our HIV/AIDS Education Coordinator in Chiang Rai, Thailand, P'Pin. P'Pin was such an inspiring presence by her passion and commitment, that her 15 year old daughter, Nong Maem, decided to become an Awakened Connections volunteer as well.

Seeds

After 5 years, which included moving, international and domestic, new jobs, changed relationships, chaplaincy training, 3 years volunteering at a penitentiary, the creation of a nonprofit organization, and a wholly changed me, I return to Thailand. I'm sitting at home, with monsoon rain and birds, wild fruits, luscious leaves, and wheat gluten (not wheat-free, not gluten-free) sesame meat taste in my mouth. I am surprised at how familiar everything is to me... and yet I have changed in these 5 years. It is a returning home, although usually it's the other way around.

The communities here that touched me the first time I lived here are what have brought me back in 2010. At that time, I saw the needs of different communities. I felt compelled, I wanted to do something, I felt deeply that change was possible. Whether it was to get a real library at an elementary school, or the garden they were asking for to provide healthy lunches to children, or access to education for those who were not able to afford it, or culturally and linguistically supportive and uplifting schools. For so many years, I thought that I couldn't do anything about these situations because I didn't have the backing of a big organization, or the funding. What I did have were the contacts, the passion, the drive, the cultural and linguistic proficiency...and the love. The love of Thai people. The love that would arise from being offered such generosity and kindness that it would stretch my heart open. These are the seeds of Awakened Connections.