Impact Christmas

The beginning of this year’s Christmas season has given the program staff of International Teams Canada a new reason to celebrate:  the launch of the Christmas Catalogue, a brand new initiative designed to provide an opportunity for ITCA supporters and weary Christmas shoppers to purchase more meaningful Christmas gifts.

Neil Ostrander, CEO of International Teams Canada, says that the story of how Sharon's family transformed their Christmas traditions really touched the hearts of staff at the national office.  “Her personal testimony of what it means to give a more meaningful gift – including doing the research and finding that perfect charitable cause that connects with each family member – helped inspire us to do likewise. I'm following Sharon's lead this Christmas and I encourage everyone else to do so as well.”

The catalogue, officially launched in the middle of November, contains over 100 unique items specially selected by program leaders to make a lasting impact by providing education, healthcare, food, clean water, or vocational opportunities to widows, orphans, and refugees around the globe.  Gifts are available from each of the twelve Impact programs, and include everything from ice cream for street kids in Iraq and sewing training for widows in the Philippines, to milk and bread for orphans in Kenya-Nyahururu, medical insurance for refugees in Rwanda, and Bibles for pastors in Sudan.

Marcee Groen, the Co-Director of International Programs, believes the magic in the Christmas Catalogue is the insight it provides into what is really happening around the world.  “It shows the practical, hands-on activity that is taking place and will increase understanding of what International Teams is doing.  With increased support, program leaderss will be able to keep their projects and initiatives strong and consistent.  The items I really love are the ones that build micro-enterprises or supplement the incomes of workers in the countries.  By purchasing a sewing machine and materials for a woman, we increase their income and their dignity.  Providing food and nutrition for students is fantastic too.  It's such a simple way to increase a child's chances at academic success while promoting good health at the same time.”

Brett Ostrander, Host Country Program Leader in the Philippines, says the variety of items and the wide range of price points will allow people to engage specifically with their passions this Christmas.  “People can pick items closest to what’s in their hearts, or to the heart of the person receiving the gift.  The whole idea is very simple, yet very powerful!  Small regular donations to something like the catalogue are a really great way to engage with a program’s key focus, opening doors that might otherwise remain closed.”

To make a purchase from the catalogue, visit www.iteams.ca/catalogue or click the link below.  Simply add one or more items to your cart, click checkout, and check your inbox for a confirmation email and the opportunity to send a Christmas e-card to friends and family.

Check out the Christmas Catalogue!

David Livermore: My 1 hour interrogation at U.S. Customs

David Livermore

My friend and Cultural Intelligence Guru, Dave Livermore, joined my leadership team and mission leaders for a day-long training session in Hamilton, ON, Canada. His experience the following day highlights the challenges but injustice of "screening" at border crossings!

He writes:

Yesterday I was traveling by car from Toronto to New York to visit my family. Driving across one of the bridges between the U.S. and Canada is something I’ve been doing my entire life. My parents moved to the U.S. shortly before I was born and several times a year, we traveled back to visit family in Canada. The most I’ve ever been asked to do at these inspection points is open the trunk or one time, they even asked to see under the hood of my car. But the longest delays are usually just waiting for other cars to get through the line. As a kid, I always wondered what happened over in those stark, cement customs buildings where a few lone travelers were sent while the rest of us went on our way across the bridge.

This week I found out. The questioning at my car went on for several minutes. Then the officer put my passport in a red leather bag and directed me to drive my car over to the inspection area where I would be further questioned. I was taken into the customs hall and I looked with dread upon how full the room was of other detained travelers.

Of about 40 other travelers in the room, I was the only fair skinned one there. I knew this wasn’t going to go fast. And I noticed how this situation immediately put me on the defensive. I don’t have time for this. I’m no threat here. In fact, I just spent time with the Department of Justice and Homeland Security teaching some of them about cultural intelligence. Can’t I just go on my way?

My name was called and I was interrogated about all kinds of things: Where do you live? Who owns the car you’re driving? Why do you travel so much? How much money do you have with you? What exactly do you do when you travel to these places? Where’s your family? Can they ask me all these things? I wondered. Meanwhile, I see an officer take my car keys and head toward my vehicle. I wasn’t invited!

I was trying to use my cultural intelligence in how I responded to the questions. I looked them in the eye. I tried to disguise my defensive feelings. I answered as directly and to the point as possible. And as much as I wanted to lighten up the conversation with some humor and personal conversation, I didn’t think that would bode well for me.

About an hour later, I was on my way. Before leaving, I asked my primary interrogator, “Might I ask—Was this just a random stop?” He said, “Yes. Totally random. Most of these are.”

I’m not even sure mine really was but it was really hard to imagine that most of the people in the room were just randomly stopped. Being an effective customs official is harder than ever. They need to keep our nations secure and look for suspicious activity. I’m sure many people are detained for suspicious activity or for outright violations. But how do the assumptions of a customs officials—especially if they aren’t aware of them—impact which people they randomly check? Biases based upon people’s appearances are inevitable for all of us. But acting upon those biases is something we can control. Food for thought…

But the real lesson learned: While impatiently waiting in the line of cars waiting to go through, I noticed a new inspection lane opened up. So I darted out of my line into that one. Assuming my delay was “truly” random, it looks like my “no delay” line cost me an hour. But my family will be the first to tell you, I’ll probably never stop waging bets on which line is moving fast and inevitably make us wait longer because of my efficient way of keeping us moving!

Celebrating a New Kind of Christmas

For Sharon Wallace, International Teams Canada’s new Director of Organizational Development, a new family tradition began when she realized she was struggling to find meaningful gifts for her family. Christmas shopping had become a frustrating and exhausting experience.  “Just going to the mall and choosing something for which the recipient has no real need, seemed a bit empty. Why buy more for people when we were all trying to live more simply and declutter our homes? So I thought that doing something where I match a gift to my family member’s values and interests, while also blessing someone in need, would truly make Christmas more special for all.”
Challenged and inspired by the number of charitable requests she received each year at Christmas time, Sharon spoke with her family to get a sense of their willingness to change how they celebrate Christmas. She suggested that they draw names and set a spending limit, half of which would go toward a book or magazine, with the other half going to a charity.

After just one year of this new kind of Christmas, Sharon’s entire family was on board for making this a tradition in their family. “Everybody loved it. It has changed the tone of our celebration – it is much calmer, more reflective. The book or magazine is wrapped, so there’s still something to unwrap, and people are very creative with the other part, even writing poems to explain why they’ve chosen that particular charity!”

Sharon believes – and thinks her extended family would agree – that the thoughtfulness and meaning behind the gifts is often the most touching part of the gift exchange. “I was a little bit surprised by how it felt. I guess I thought it would feel good because it was the right thing to do, but now I would not give up doing this for the world. It is so meaningful and is really bonding our family together in a lasting way.”

This year, Sharon expects she will do the majority of her shopping from the newly launched International Teams Christmas Catalogue (Click here for the full story).“I looked at the items in the catalogue and could see something for everyone in my family, like glasses for widows at a sewing school on behalf of my mom, who recently had cataract surgery, or soccer balls for refugee children on behalf of my sports-loving dad. And my daughter never goes without breakfast and a hug from her parents, so I will likely give a gift of fresh fruit for orphans in her name. I get to have the fun of picking out unique gifts without having to negotiate crowds and lineups!”

Sharon’s only regret is that she wishes she had thought of this idea years ago. “God has entrusted us with abundance and to be able to share it in a meaningful way is a real gift. I can’t imagine doing Christmas any other way. We haven’t lost anything by this – we have only gained.”<

Check out the Christmas Catalogue!

Hate (to Hope)

Hate: by Julie Slagter

Where’s the love? I’m beginning to wonder where the love has gone in the country which I live. Everytime I flip on the TV lately, I see hate… I hear hate on the radio and read about it in the news… I witness hate in face-to-face conversations and in public areas….

Hate is all around… government candidates are running hourly ads about how evil their opponent is, talk shows and people in the coffee shop are enraged about the potential of a mosque going up near ground zero, journalists and celebrities are slurring racist comments, people are being bullied, relationships are being torn apart by hurtful words and actions, and the list goes on and on…

I don’t want to live in a culture of hate. I want to live in a culture that listens to each others opinions… respects each other and extends grace. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not looking for a fantasy world and I’m well aware that life isn’t roses all the time. But let’s stop this culture of hate, this extreme dislike of one another.

Consider Jesus Christ, he didn’t give into a culture of hate. He lived a counter-cultural life. In John 4:1-29, Jesus, a Jew, meets a Samaritan woman at a well while traveling through her village. Samaritans and Jews disliked each other, a culture of hate existed between them. This makes it very odd that Jesus would engage the Samaritan woman in any kind of humane conversation. Besides her Samaritan label, she also has a shady reputation. She’s had several husbands in the past and wasn’t married to her current lover. And it’s obvious her own village gossips about her because she was at the well at a non-rush hour time of day.

Despite all these factors and perceptions, Jesus talked to her AND listened to her. In addition, Jesus offered her everlasting life! And then he goes further to break down her stereotypes of worship. He conveys to her that God can’t be confined to a place. He tells her it doesn’t matter where she worships or what she’s called. Economic status, denomination, race, age, political party… doesn’t matter. What matters is ones relationship with Jesus Christ and how one lives his/her life.

And one more thing – the Samaritan woman goes back to tell the village about Christ. She tells them that he knows us all inside and out. God simply wants us to be in relationship with him and for us to trust him, love him, and repent. By grace alone he forgives.

I don’t want to give in to a culture of hate. I want to strive daily to live counter-culturally like Christ. I hope you will too.