Making Soap From Scratch

The main thing I will be doing on my mission trip is teaching local people how to make soap.  Sounds easy right?

Hard and Dangerous
It turns out that making soap is hard and dangerous.  This is because you are working with Lye, a very caustic chemical that can burn through your skin, or make you go blind if you get it in your eyes!

Fun and Rewarding
Although it is dangerous, it is also fun and rewarding.  I have learned allot about making soap and really enjoy making it.

Opportunity
When you live off $2 a day, buying your soap is a large part of your budget.  My goal is to teach the local people of Mwanza, Tanzania that they can actually make their own soap from materials they have on hand!  I am very excited about how this will help them to save money or even create a small business.  I hope my helping them will also allow them to reach out and help others in need.

Special Thanks
I would like to thank Debbie Richards for teaching me how to make soap, and Tina Jensen and ShirleyAnn Wellhoefer for the books they gave me to help me learn more about cool soap ideas. 

Don't forget to pray for our trip and the people we will be working with! 

       

When Helping Hurts

The first of three books that we are required to read before this mission trip is called "When Helping Hurts"

For anyone that plans to help the "Poor", this is a good read.  It doesn't matter if you plan to work in your local pantry, soup kitchen, or do overseas missions... I would suggest you read this book.

This book really hits on truths that we do not think about, then brings them to our attention, and gives practical ways around those pitfalls. Well that was a pretty general statement wasn't it?

Mainly this...
1. If those people would get their act together...
2. If they had money, then they could be like us...

My First Inner City Mission Trip
During my first inner city mission trip, I though "I can't wait to spend some time with these guys so I can show them how to get out of the bad life they have"

After a week there, my attitude had changed to "These guys are really stuck here and have no hope of ever getting out of their sucky situation."

So why the change of attitude?

Here is a conversation I had with someone we worked with.
Me: "Why don't you get a job" (thinking he was too lazy or something)
Jon: "I applied to 3 this month, they all turned me down because I do not have a high school education"
Me: "Why don't you go back to school"
Jon: "I am too old for free public school, and I have no money for private school"
Me: "Why don't you leave this inner city"
Jon: "With what money, what transport, and where would I go? Who would take me?"

I learned that every simple thing to me, was answered by an insurmountable obstacle for someone born into that situation. 

You may say I am full of crap, and that guy needs to get his act together.  I guess that is our "god" complex we get from being born into privilege.

You learn that we really were born into privilege, while others were not.

So how does the book help?
The book really highlights some key factors.

First, why people are where they are:

1. There are many factors (systems) that play into each persons circumstances.  
1. Culture (usually controlled by the wealthy and developed over hundreds of years)
2. Race
3. Family
4. Education
5. Country of origin
2. Most of these systems cannot be changed by an individual
3. All of these systems are broken in some way

Second, where are they really?

1. Bleeding? (Then they need Relief)
2. Done Bleeding? (Then they need Rehabilitation)
3. In a constant state? (Then they need Development)

Most good intended deeds fail because we send Relief when we should be developing the people.  For example, if we just send tons of money into a neighborhood that has been that way for generations, all we did was feed the problem.  Instead we need to  spend time developing the people so they can excel (not us excelling for them).

Lastly, What is our goal?

You cannot really help people fully if you do not have the correct goal.  For example, is your goal to save people through Jesus Christ?  Is your goal to get them more financially stable?

So what is a full goal.  "To bring people into a right relationship with Jesus AND the systems around them so they can fulfill their purpose of bringing glory to God through their work, and supporting of their family and those around them" 

Remember Jesus didn't just preach the gospel, he fed the poor and healed the sick on his way.  Likewise, he didn't just give them earthly things without teaching them right stewardship and the way to salvation.

Giving relief help can be easy.  But long term development is hard. Be ready to step out of the spotlight and develop people over the long term.

Charcoal from trash, a sustainable business

Whats the smoke above?  That is my first attempt at making charcoal.

My main focus during my mission trip to Mwanza, Tanzania will be to teach local people how to make charcoal from the organic material they have available.

To prepare myself for the classes I will be teaching, I have spent a couple of weekends so far making charcoal from corn stalks found on my dads farm.   I will say, the results have not been stellar so far, but each time it gets better!  Before I go, I plan to be a pro at making charcoal form things people can find in the trash. 

Why Charcoal? 
As you may know, many locals live on less than $2 per day.  Most of this money is spent on things they cannot make themselves.  The main thing they cannot make themselves is the charcoal they need for cooking their food.

Making charcoal from throw away material such as corn cobs, banana peals, sugar cane husks, etc, will not only help support each person financially, but also the local environment as trees are scarce, and often over harvested for cooking fuel needs.

Once an individual knows how to make charcoal themselves,they will not only have the charcoal, but also a source of income, as well pride in their work, and a higher status in their community, all leading to a better chance at developing who they are and their surroundings.

For more information, here are some good links.

YouTube vid showing how to make it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqI63IEg3MM

A little about the current state of charcoal production from trees: http://www.smallstarter.com/browse-ideas/energy-and-power/how-to-start-a-charcoal-business-in-africa

http://worldagroforestry.org/newsroom/highlights/charcoal-briquetting-nairobi-relieves-poverty-environmental-stresses

Mwanza Tanzania

It's official, we are going on a missions trip to Mwanza, Tanzania!

So why Mwanza?  We did not actually choose where to go.  Instead, we are working with a missions organization, and Mwanza is where they are sending us.

To get to Mwanza, we will take three plane rides lasting 30 hours to Dar Es Salem, Tanzania on the east coast (Nalgis's home town), we will then get right onto another domestic flight and fly all they way to the north west corner of the country (a total cost of $5,000 just in plane tickets)!

I am excited about this trip for many reasons.  But one of the biggest reasons is that it will be Nalgis's first opportunity to "Mission" to others. To put her needs, and even her desire to be with her family aside, and just focus on helping others.

Nalgis is also very excited, as she has been dreaming for many years to get back to Tanzania and start helping the people their.  She really wants to start development projects (churchs, schools, farms, etc) to help the people of her home country. This will be a great first step in her long term dreams and goals.