I’m learning a lot about trust this week. When I look at my new baby boy, Finnegan, born a few days ago on July 10th, I see that he trusts Danielle and I completely. He trusts us to feed him, to protect him and to keep him warm. He trusts that we will be there for him, and that we will love him. He trusts, without even knowing that there is a word for it.
My sister Jennifer Douma is also teaching me about trust.
Jennifer is a public school teacher in Toronto. Last year she chose an unlikely destination for her summer vacation – Teaching teachers how to teach in Malawi, Africa. There she saw what it means to have nothing; thousands of parentless children with no “trust networks” to rely on. Children who will grow up without ever knowing their parents, lost to AIDS and other ailments. Against all the odds, the orphans of Malawi trust everyday that there will be food the next. They trust that an aunt, or grandmother, or a stranger, already stretched beyond comprehension, will stretch further as primary care giver. And these are the lucky ones. For orphans in Malawi, trust is beyond radical, it is survival.
Even with all the good work that charities and NGOs do in this world, sometimes you have to act. That is what Jennifer decided to do.
Three weeks ago, Jennifer returned to Malawi to do some recon for opening an orphanage. Sadly, not all the kids she met on her first trip survived to meet her again. This tragic reality is helping her to overcome her fears and self doubt – further fueling her determination. Jennifer is sporadically blogging her journey (whenever she can get internet access) at itatuorphancare.com and has already posted several entries.
Many of you have offered baby showers and gifts. At a few days old, Finnegan hasn’t a need for much. Please forward any gift you would offer him, to the kids who need it more, there is a “chip-in” jar on her blog. 100% of the money donated will go to this project.
Beyond that, I ask you to use the power of social media to spread the world of Jennifer’s journey. Add itatuorphancare.com to your blog roll, start your own “chip in” jar, become a fan of Itatu on Facebook. Help us spread the word so that when she returns, she will see that she is not alone, and neither are the orphans of Malawi.
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “self-trust is the essence of heroism”. Jennifer is not looking to be a hero, but she looks like a hero to me. I’m proud to be her brother.
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7 Responses to “Radical Trust, My Sister, and Malawi”
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July 26th, 2008 at 11:26 pm
Congratulations on Finnegan. (Almost as good a name as Henry.) Hope all is well chez Douma, and remember you’ll be able to sleep in about fifteen years…
July 28th, 2008 at 6:03 am
Congratulations on your first born.
And your sister is a hero. She does what many of us just talk about during lunch.
I’ve donated $30 to her fund. Hope that helps.
Yoav
July 28th, 2008 at 10:53 am
[...] Worthy Request: Signal of Altruistic Type July 28, 2008 — Michael Cayley Check out this post by Collin please. You should do this because he is a great guy and his sister is doing something [...]
July 28th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Thanks Yoav. It’s amazing how far $30 can go!
As for you Scooter… I admit, Henry is a great name too!
collin
July 28th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
[...] Signal of Altruistic Type and Corporate Motivations July 28, 2008 — Michael Cayley Collin Douma, the real Johnny Cash of social media, started this train of thought rolling with a worthy request. He is a great guy and his sister is doing something cool. Check it out! [...]
September 5th, 2008 at 10:27 pm
[...] out this post by Collin please. You should do this because he is a great guy and his sister is doing something [...]
September 5th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
[...] Collin Douma, the real Johnny Cash of social media, started this train of thought rolling with a worthy request. He is a great guy and his sister is doing something cool. Check it out! [...]