The Oliveros of Chicago

Fall update and Christmas greeting

2011-12-14T14:36:00.001-06:00

[English translation is posted below the third set of photos]

Querida Familia y amigos:

No hay mayor felicidad para nosotros que escribirles cuando han pasado algunas semanas desde que recibimos a nuestro hermoso hijo Mateo.

Ready for a bath.... ready for the Chicago winter.

El no ha traído mucho gozo y además muchos desafíos! Cada día aprendemos algo nuevo y nos sorprende la rapidez con la que "bebé Teo" se desarrolla.

Personalmente, los dos primeros meses de adaptación no fueron fáciles y la ayuda de mi marido y la de mi mamá (quien nos visitó por seis semanas) fue imprescindible.
Dentro de todo el ajetreo de ser nuevos padres, MBA y comenzando nuestro segundo año de matrimonio, estamos muy agradecidos por el apoyo que muchos de ustedes nos han brindado. Nos sentimos privilegiados de tener una comunidad preciosa que nos acoge y nos regalonea con llamadas, visitas, oraciones y obsequios para nuestro Mateo. GRACIAS!!!

Our new two-bedroom apartment. // Disneyland while Jordan makes a business visit.

Dentro de las novedades para este fin de año, estamos muy contentos de pasar nuestra primera Navidad con Mateo en Chicago, y que mi hermana Michelle y mi sobrina Consuelo viajan desde Chile para acompañarnos! Me emociona la idea, ya que han pasado 18 meses desde que no las veo.

Para concluir, quisiera dar las gracias a nuestro Dios, quien ha sido fiel en todo momento y quien se merece toda la gloria y la honra, en particular en estas fechas donde celebramos Su amor a través de Jesucristo.

Un fuerte abrazo y esperamos que tengan una Navidad plena y que la gracia de Dios este con ustedes el año 2012.

Cider mill near Chicago. // Birthday in Grand Rapids, MI

####

Dear Family and Friends:

Few joys compare with the first several months of parenthood. We thank Godeach day for the privilege to raise our beautiful son Matthew.

Matthew has brought us much joy and also many challenges! Every daywe learn something new and try to keep up with the speed of"baby Teo’s" development (our friends tend to call him “BabyTeo”… which we will let fly until he starts to grow chest hair).

For me, Valeria, the first two months were not easy. The adaptability andsupport of my husband and my mom (who visited us forsix weeks) was necessary. Considering the hustle and bustle ofbeing new parents, finishing the first year of business school, andstarting our second year of marriage, we are gratefulfor the support that many of you have given us. We feelprivileged to have a beautiful community that welcomes uswith calls, visits, prayers, and giftsto our Matthew. THANK YOU!

Among the novelties that come at this time of the year, we are excited tospend our first Christmas with Matthew in here at home in Chicago. My sister Michelleand my niece Consuelo will visit us from Chile! I'mso excited, because it has been 18 months since I have not seen them.
To conclude, I would like to thank our God, who has beenalways faithful to us. He deserves all glory and honor. We hope youwill join us in celebrating His love through Jesus Christ thisseason.
A big hug and hope you havea full Christmas and God's grace be with you in2012.

Welcome home Matthew

2011-08-23T21:41:00.000-05:00

The doctors gave us permission to take Matthew home on Tuesday, Aug. 23. Once we settled, we put on Matthew's school spirit outfit, snapped a photo, and sent it in an announcement to my class at Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University.

Leaving the hospital was a life changing moment for me. I see the world through a different perspective now - one more aware of situations that could harm a vulnerable newborn. Valeria had 9 months to prepare her mind for this day. I had about 30 minutes. It's hard to describe the pride I felt walking into our home for the first time with Matthew in one hand and Valeria in the other. I welcome the extra responsibility and cherish the blessing that it is to care for and nourish this boy that God has entrusted to us for a brief time (~18 years +/-).

Finally, we are grateful for all of the Saint Joseph Hospital staff that served us August 20-23 and for Potbelly for the complimentary dinner that the restaurant provided for Grandma Vega and Jordan on the evening of Matthew's birth.

The day before going home

2011-08-22T23:42:00.002-05:00

Highlights from Day 2

"We prayed for this child and the Lord has granted what we asked of him" (1 Samuel 1:27).

The Olivero Family / La Familia Olivero Ocares... the first family photo

Future member of Chipotle's Farm Team (like Dad)

Sleep is a currency... here making deposits with Matthew. More deposits of sleep = good day for everyone! We can't wait to bring Matthew home. His room is ready!

Matthew's first day birthday

2011-08-21T23:59:00.007-05:00

Highlights from Day 1 (Sunday, Aug 21)

"Every good and perfect gift comes from above" (James 1:17).

"This outfit is so cozy. I feel grrreat!"

Matthew taking a good look at Grandma Vega

Family friends and best friend visit from Wheaton IL, Concepcion Chile, and Washington, D.C. respectively. Pictured L-R: Val, Elizabeth, Hildi, and Geni.

Our view of the Chicago Air and Water Show outside window of the hospital in Lincoln Park (2900 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60657). Favorite moment: F-14 Tomcat fly by (not pictured)

Night time but still not enough motivation to take our eyes off Matthew.

Matthew Eduardo Olivero is born

2011-08-20T17:47:00.004-05:00

Introducing... Matthew Eduardo Olivero

Born: Saturday, August 20, 2011 at 5:47 PM
Term: 37 weeks and 1 day (normal)
Weight: 6 lbs 13.3 ounces (3.1 kilograms)
Length: 19.5" / 49.5 cm
Location: St. Joseph Hospital, Chicago, IL 60657

Mom is relieved, content, and recovering well. Dad is overjoyed and wanted to share several verses from Scripture for this special occasion:

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward" (Psalm 127:3).
"As commanded in God's Law: 'Every male who opens the womb shall be a holy offering to God'" (Luke 2:23).
"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb" (Psalm 139:13).

Maria Jeannette (Grandmother Vega), Valeria, and Jordan after worshiping at The Moody Church in Chicago on Sunday August 14, 2011.

Jordan's first moments with Mateo at 6:15 PM

Valeria's first moments with Mateo at 9:11 PM

Valeria and Jordan's first moments together (9:13 PM)

Baby Shower for Valeria

2011-07-16T22:10:00.002-05:00

My mom hosted a baby shower for Valeria on July 10 in Troy, MI. Her friends Mary Oprea and Carol Galloway helped her. We feel SO blessed to have many resources to welcome our little boy into the world.

brief June update

2011-06-17T12:56:00.002-05:00

A quick June update...

• Joined "The Moody Church" and participating in the young and married couples group
• Served with the IBM team at the Serve-a-thon sponsored by Chicago Cares
• Traveled to Bangalore, Pune, Las Vegas, London, Phoenix, and Washington DC
• Entered third trimester of pregnancy
• Learned that we are having a boy
• Looking forward to a summer-break from Kellogg starting June 24
• Moving to a two-bedroom apartment in July
• Grandma Olivero will host a baby shower in Troy, MI on July 10. Friends are coordinating a baby shower in Chicago for August.
• Enjoying the Chicago weather in contrast to the city's arctic-like winter
• Grateful for our friends and family

World Community Grid

2011-04-19T21:37:00.001-05:00

Most of us have computers with processors that are not used at their fullest potential. Think about all the time your processor is idle, standing by, just waiting for you to make it sweat.

When I heard that I could put my computer's processor to use without a noticeable difference when I want to use it, I thought it was too good to be true. Then, I heard that the work benefits complex problems designed to help humanity. So, I signed up a few weeks ago and enjoy contributing... so much that my work laptop, my family’s laptop, and my family’s iMac all contribute. It’s like three sled dogs, but instead of pulling a sled, they are computing for clean water. You think I’m kidding? Check it out yourself and tell me what you think!

India

2011-03-19T11:01:00.000-05:00

Hace pocos dias cumpli unos de mis suenos de infancia: viajar a la India. Jordan debia viajar por asuntos de negocios y fue possible que lo acompanara en esta travesia.

India ha sido un pais que me ha cautivado por su historia, sus colores, musica, olores e influencia que ha ejercido economicamente en todo el mundo. Pero uno de los motives mas importantes ha sido porque Dios lo puso en mi Corazon desde pequenia y recuerdo en varias ocasiones haber orando por este pais en ese entonces desconcido, pero fascinante.

Arrive el dia Martes 15 de marzo a Bangalore, a las 1:30 am, pero no fue hasta las 3 am que llegue al hotel, puesto que fue una larga espera todo el proceso de maletas, immigracion y transporte.

Para mi sorpresa Jordan me esperaba despierto en el lobby del Hotel, que de primer momento me imnotizo con su arquitectura y decoracion. Fue como si me hubiesen trasnportado al libro de “A Little Princess” (considerando que es uno de los hoteles mas prestigioso y elegante de la ciudad). Jordan me esperaba con su inigualable sonrisa y tenia preparada nuestra habitacion con rosas, chocolates, fruta fresca y sin enterarme le habia enviado unos emails a mi familia y su familia para que me escribieran notas llenas de amor y apoyo en esta aventura.

Desde entonce todo ha sido magico y no dejo de asombrarme cada segundo con la gente oriunda de Bangalore y su hospitalidad.

Soy muy privilegiada al encontrarme en un lugar donde pocos tienen acceso y agradezco a Dios por hacer real el deseo de llegar a estar tierras y aprender de ellas.

-- Valeria

Deactivated Facebook account

2011-03-07T20:18:00.000-06:00

I deactivated my Facebook account for now. Besides working full-time, I am going to school full-time until December 2012. As you could imagine, I am trying to dedicate as much as I can to my top priorities: like my relationship with God and my beautiful bride. The blog will be updated periodically, but for now, the traditional phone or email is the best way to stay in touch.
-Jordan

Announcing Oliverito

2011-01-22T11:24:00.000-06:00

We are proud to share that God has blessed us... we are expecting a baby on September 9, 2011.

At 7 weeks, the little one is 1 centimeter and healthily growing at 150 heart beats per minute. Atta boy/girl!

We are eating healthy and getting exercise. After the first doctor visit, we walked across the street and took at picture of "The Bean" with "the bean."

We want him/her to have the best nutrients possible to grow and develop in to the man or woman God intends him/her to become. We believe God is forming him/her right now. As the Creator, He knew him/her before creation and has entrusted us with him/her to grow into an adult, hopefully one that understands and reflects His glory and unfailing love through Jesus Christ. We feel overjoyed at the news of this marvelous privilege.

With joy,
Jordan and Valeria

Congrats Andy and Jason!

2011-01-18T13:11:00.005-06:00

I wanted to highlight my friends' tremendous accomplishment. Jason Lund and Andrew Good climbed to the summit of the highest mountain in South America, Cerro Aconcagua at 22,841 feet. They were joined by four others from The Last Well on the summit. They met their goal, but the most extraordinary thing is that they raised thousands of dollars to help Liberians access clear, safe water in Jesus' name.

I understand some of the challenges that come with high altitude climbing, which is why I want to commend everyone on the team for giving it their best effort. Your labors are worth every drop of sweat. Congrats to Jason, Andy, and the entire Last Well team! I can't wait to hear the details...

The day before the big day

2010-12-16T11:47:00.011-06:00

Today is the last full day of calm before the storm. After years of pursuing the right MBA program, my first day of class starts tomorrow at Northwestern University in the Kellogg School of Management. Do you remember the day before your first day in First Grade or the day before you arrived as an undergraduate freshmen? I’m feeling nervous, excited, and thankful.

First, I feel nervous. I am the youngest person in my class of 75 students. Self-doubt is creeping in. Did I prepare enough for the first week? How will I be perceived by my classmates? My teammates? Which friendships that I build here will last a lifetime? Which subjects will make me struggle the most? How will I possibly balance work, school, and life? On the other hand, the nervousness is good. It’s provided pressure to reconstruct healthy study habits and start on a solid foundation. Though it is the night before the big day, I feel good about tomorrow.

Next, I feel excited. “The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out; the brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something” (Randy Pausch, 2007). The road to starting at a top-tier MBA program was nothing short of challenging.

Though I wanted to apply to Kellogg, I did not aim for a top-tier program when I prepared my applications to five business schools in 2008. Although I cherished my undergraduate experience, my resume did not boast the pedigree of an Ivy league student. I have never been gifted at taking standardized tests, so I depended on other characteristics to balance my applications. In the end, I interviewed and was accepted to four of the five. Then, the door to Kellogg opened in the most unexpected way. So I forfeited my deposit and within 11-months, I received the acceptance letter from Kellogg. When I read the notice, I ran around the block jumping and pumping my fists in jubilee.

Why was I so excited about Kellogg? A section of one of my application essays summarizes the origin of my interest in Kellogg:

My interest in Kellogg has been refined in the years through interaction with a number of impressive alumni and professors. An inspiring undergraduate professor, Dr. Charles King, MBA, JD, first introduced me to Kellogg in 2001. Dr. King’s analytical rigor, method of leadership, and commitment to ethics provided him with a foundation to launch the successful annual business ethics conference – the Values-Aligned Leadership Summit (VALS) – when I was a sophomore. Since then, Dr. King has become a close mentor and has often spoken of the key role Kellogg played in developing his character and leadership abilities.

A more unexpected influence came through an introduction to Ethos Water © Co-Founder Jon Greenblatt (MBA ’00). We met in DC at a seminar on the global freshwater crisis and discussed my recent trip in East Africa. I was impressed by his frankness, realistic outlook, and aggressive attitude toward tackling challenging global issues. His comments about Kellogg consistently highlighted several key aspects that draw me to the School: Emphasis on teamwork with an impressive group of classmates and a focus on social responsibility.

I did not want any Executive MBA program. I wanted the best. I wanted an experience from no other place but the Kellogg School.

Finally, I feel thankful. I did not get here on my own. The number of people to thank is enormous, but I think a few shout-outs are due: My parents, my bride Valeria, Marc, Mark, Phil, Brent, Elias, Thomas, Jason, Sery, Paul, Kevin, Chuck, Terry, Ray, Emily, Matt, Bethany, Todd, Edward, Marianne, Don, Bob, Jesse, Chip, Daryl, Mark, Robin, and Joel. Some of them probably do not know it, but they were essential figures along my path to this milestone. I am grateful for their coaching support, encouragement, advice, and friendship. I would not be here without them, and I would overlook the most important figure in it all if I did not give props to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Thank you!

Now, as a MBA candidate for graduation in December 2012, I hope to not only contribute to my class but also proudly represent the Kellogg brand to the world. The best is yet to come.

2010-11-27T14:01:00.001-06:00

Jeff (my brother), Valeria, and I spent a few nights with Matt and Elyse Derian in Summit County over the Thanksgiving break. Here is a video showcasing one of our highlights:

Link to Matt & Elyse's blog post:
http://deriandigest.blogspot.com/2010/12/carving-up-colorado-for-thanksgiving.html

Wedding and move to Chicago

2010-11-10T07:32:00.000-06:00

Planning a wedding and honeymoon, moving to Chicago, traveling internationally for work, and submitting immigration paperwork has put an obvious hold on keeping this blog fresh. For a peek into our story, click here.

Life is richer with my bride! I thank God for her everyday.

Trip Report: Clean water for 400 children at primary school in Guatemala

2010-06-27T15:47:00.004-05:00

I would like to convey a report of our trip to Guatemala and thank you for your gift of support. Through you we were able to complete the project – and provide clean water for 400 children at a primary school!

Video highlights of the trip. Available in HD!

We completed our goal: To provide clean water to the community of Escuela Oficial Rural Mixta, Line A-11, Sector Ican Plot The Machine, Cuyotenango Suchitepequez, Guatemala. Say what? A GoogleMap of the site is available here:

View Larger Map

Besides Thomas & Ali Wear, Valeria and I were joined by two men from the west coast – James and Rich. William, a LWI volunteer, led our team as a servant leader - a great personal reminder.

Through we struck water after drilling 40 feet, we continued drilling until we reached a depth of about 90 feet. The earth consisted of mostly volcanic rocks and gravel. The team had the right equipment and experienced drillers to guide us. Due to the size of our team, everyone had a chance to work in each position. Could you imagine Valeria on the drill controls while I add more pipe and get sprayed by mud? Though the 12-hour days on-site were hot and humid, we tried our best to have fun and encourage each other.

Part of the time, each of us helped teach health and hygiene principles. Health Education, though equally time-consuming as drilling, is proportionally more important than clean water. In fact, I was astonished by the habits that children -- without basic supplies like soap -- build over time. Imagine never washing your hands after using the toilet. Imagine if every child in school did the same? Yuk! Now the kids have a make-shift, sustainable sink out of a milk carton. It’s not porcelain, but it is sufficient for the community.

We taught several courses and enjoyed providing useful tools and resources for the care and maintenance of personal hygiene. We were impressed by the hard work that teachers do daily to serve at this school. The principle caught a ride with us one day. Her commute to the school is two-hours --- one-way! (Rom 10:14-15)

Our main mission was to share the message of love through Jesus Christ. We did this with the children in classrooms, with parents that joined us drilling, and with the women that attended the many health and hygiene classes. After the final day of work, we culminated with a presentation of a Bible to each family and shared Biblical stories with the kids. They school produced a three-hour dedication ceremony on the final day to express their gratitude. Their affection touched each of us.

Altogether, we set, drilled, and capped a well in five consecutive days at a public primary school in rural Guatemala. Though we met only a handful of Christians, they encouraged us in our work and rejoiced that we came to share the Gospel of Christ in words AND action. WE rejoice to say that God planted the seed of His word in this region of the world. Now, we wait patiently for it to bear fruit! (Rom 10:17-18)

We want to thank the team who travelled with us and worked by our side until the end: Ali, Thomas, William, James, and Richard. Additionally, we thank the hearts and hands of the Guatemalan Living Water Team: Chris & family, Alvaro, Blanca, Miguelito, Ruben.

Your support made this expedition possible. Thank YOU! (1 Tim 6:12)

With joy,
Jordan

Valeria prepared a summary of our trip in Spanish. It is available at her blog: http://voprisma.blogspot.com

Engaged!

2010-05-23T22:31:00.013-05:00

NOTE: I am writing this during my return flight from Guatemala City to Washington, DC. Previous posts on this blog describe more about our about our mission trip. I will post highlights from the mission trip by next weekend.##

To start, I must highlight one of Valeria's unique contributions to the team. When an arduous, muddy job remained open for more than a few seconds Valeria would pick up the tool required and literally jump in head-high mud holes with her white rubber boots. Even men from the community took a second look in amazement. For them, it was rare to see a woman so willingly and energetically do the work expected of a man.

After five full-days of work, our team rested on Friday and toured Antigua. As the day warmed, Valeria changed into a casual shirt that she made. The front featured a photo of me doing a handstand on a sand dune in Chile. Above the photo read: "Crazy, not lazy." Since the back of the shirt was covered with a light sweater, I didn't bother to ask what was written on the back.

For the afternoon, our host had arranged for our team to make a short visit at a 5-star hotel built around Mayan Ruins and an exquisite outdoor chapel (Hotel Casa Santo Domingo). The rustic, romantic setting was more than epic for the proposal and another photo of a handstand in a foreign land to add to my collection.

I excused myself to the bathroom and tried to fit her custom 4.75-size ring on my pinky toe. Disappointed that it wouldn't fit on the right, I jammed it on my left and walked as normal as possible to the group. I tried not to draw attention to it as her and I grasped hands again, this time with my heart beating as fast as a hummingbird beats its wings.

Next, we approached the magnificent outdoor chapel, blending a rustic Catholic decor with modern design. Since our group stood back, I invited Valeria to look more closely at the empty front stage. We walked hand-in-hand down the center aisle until we were center stage.

With her ring still on my pinky toe, I asked her, "Could you hold my legs when I do a hand stand please?" Without thinking twice, she said, "Just don't kick my face." I smiled, affirmed that the camera was ready, and launched into my signature hand stand with the ring still on my toe.

As soon as she grabbed my ankles, I drew her attention to the toe. She said, "Why? What is it? Oye!" Then silence for two seconds.

That's when I returned to my feet and bent my right knee to the ground. I pulled the ring off my toe, gently held both of her hands, and looking straight into her teary eyes. I told her why I am drawn to her, shared my desire to love her for the rest of my life, and asked for her hand in marriage .

When I asked the question, her eyes grew even wider. Then, she started to take off her sweater and reveal the t-shirt she designed. I was a little confused until she turned around and pointed to the giant "Yes!!!" printed on the back.

I collapsed in shock for a moment exclaiming "No way!" To the applause of our small team taking photos from 30-feet, I rose to hug my beloved Valeria.

We savored the remainder of time together before we departed for our separate countries the next day. We are thankful for our friends that made our engagement possible, especially Thomas and Ali Wear, Chris the in-country host, and my esteemed mentors and Christian brothers that helped me consider one of the most important decisions of my life. She is a Godsend and an answer to many prayers. Valeria Ocares and I are getting married!

With joy,
Jordan

P.S. Photos will be posted on Facebook soon. For Valeria's view of the proposal, watch here.

Drilling a water well in Gautemala

2010-05-14T21:45:00.000-05:00

I probably should have picked a different time write this email. It seems impossible to transition from 100mph to a slower pace with no Internet, email, phone, nada. Just a handful of friends, drill equipment, and a burning desire to serve. We depart from DCA at 6:00 a.m. Saturday, May 15 and return the following Sunday.

I am most excited to change pace, walk slowly, work with my hands, and love on people in Guatemala. Valeria, Ali, Thomas and I have been praying for the people we will meet and we ask you to join us as we serve in Jesus’ name. I plan to upload photos, a video edit, and a couple stories that impacted me most. Thanks again for your support! You are treasured friends. I will be in touch the week of May 24. David Crowder’s lyrics in “How He loves” fits exactly how I feel right now:

And He is jealous from me, loves like a hurricane, I am a tree
Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy
When all of a sudden I am unaware of these afflictions
Eclipsed by glory and I realize just how beautiful You are
And how great Your affections are for me

And oh, how He loves us, oh
Oh, how He loves us, how He loves us all

And we are His portion and He is our prize
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes
If His grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking

And heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss
And my heart turns violently inside my chest
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets
When I think about the way

And oh, how He loves us, oh
Oh, how He loves us, how He loves us all
How He loves

More than enough

2010-04-15T22:08:00.003-05:00

YOU helped us reach our goal before our target deadline. In fact, we're more than $200 over the target! Praise God and THANK YOU!

Fortunately, Living Water International is still accepting donations. If you are still insist, please use www.water.cc.
I like to keep my friends informed. I like to bring donors into the story that they helped shape. From this point forward, you can expect updates right here. I aim to provide a comprehensive report of our team's results immediately following the trip, approximately the last week of May. If there is more you'd like to see, comment below! For now, bookmark this URL and look for bit-size updates as we prepare for a transformational week getting muddy at the well site!

My activities with LWI range from Northern Kenya, to Southern Russia, from remote parts of Rwanda to the Pacific coast of Guatemala --- still one theme remains the same: Water is life and life to the fullest is found in Christ alone.

With Joy,
Jordan =)

to Guatemala with Living Water International

2010-04-11T15:21:00.019-05:00

In this post, I write to give you an opportunity to take action.

God-willing, I depart for Guatemala on May 15 to drill a shallow water well and teach hygiene in a village on the Pacific coast. Will you join me? First, let me take a moment to tell you about the organization, the project, the team, my passion, and finish with simple instructions if you would like to support.

Problem
The poorest people in our world, approximately 1.1 billion, lack the most basic stuff of life: safe drinking water. The water crisis is an unprecedented health threat, costing millions of lives per year. But it’s not only a health issue. Water holds implications for every area of life. Without this essential ingredient, other development initiatives fall flat... [more]

Video I made just for you!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMQj987lHU8

Solution
Living Water International (LWI) is taking action one community at a time, using solutions that are appropriate for each community. They are respected and they work all over the globe. [more]

Project
LWI is actively serving villages near Champerico, Guatemala. In the country, LWI has a full-time missionary family prepared to host groups like us. They cover all the basics like project management, driving, cooking, and hygiene education.

View Larger Map

Itinerary in Guatemala

Saturday: Travel to and train in Antigua
Sunday: Church, pack truck, and travel to the drill site
Monday: Meet village mayor and water committee, prepare drill site, drill a borehole, and take soil samples to determine where the best aquifer of water is. The ladies will help with hygiene and meet with the women of the village.
Tuesday: Drillers drill wider hole, put casing in, flush the well, put in gravel pack, and finish developing. Hygiene team meets with kids in the morning and with the ladies in the afternoon.
Wednesday: Team’s switch morning and afternoon activities: Drillers play with the kids and hygiene team helps with developing, cleaning tools, pipes, rig, etc. In the evening, people of the village get to watch the Jesus film.
Thursday: Pack truck, install the pump head and handle, and host dedication service
Friday: Travel back to Antigua

Team
I will join Thomas Wear, Ali Wear, and Valeria Ocares. All of us will teach hygiene and contribute to the drilling team. Thomas and Ali are very close friends. In fact, Thomas introduced me LWI. Valeria is my dear girlfriend. I’m excited to serve alongside her in this context.

Why I care
Ever since I lived in Denver, I’ve been hooked on water. I drink a lot of it everyday. I don’t know what I was missing. It’s so satisfying! Go figure!

Jesus said, "If anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward" (Mat 10:42).

In short, to whom much is given, much is expected (Luke 12:48). Education is root of empowerment. I want to empower my generation --- one that considers the challenges confronting the developing world as abstract concepts --- to understand the water crisis as a tangible issue that can be solved.

When it all started
In 2006, I noticed the importance of water on a mission trip in Colombia.
In 2007, My friends in Northern Virginia introduced me to the water crisis and LWI. Later in the year, a LWI VP invited me to accompany him on several field visits to Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.
In 2008, I was motivated to get my friends involved. By June, 10 friends and I climbed the highest mountain in Europe, effectively providing 50,000 Liberians access to safe, affordable water through LWI’s work.
In 2009, I broadened my scope of community development when IBM sent me to western China for a short-term leadership project
In 2011 and beyond, I would like to develop a market-driven method to alleviate the crisis.

SO WHAT?!?
To drill a shallow water well that sustains a village of approximately 1,600 people with a clean supply of water costs roughly $5,000.

Will you support us?
All four of us are raising financial support to cover the trip expenses and the cost of the well – a total of approximately $6,800.

Instructions to contribute
Act now so your donation is tax-deductible! We have until Thursday, April 15 to raise the remaining $3,400. [EDITED: We reached our goal in four days!]

If you would like to give to the general fund:

https://www.water.cc/give/

Call 1-877-594-4426

As a financial supporter of a team or team member, you are a part of the mission trip and I thank you for giving of your resources to support the spreading of the gospel to the far ends of the earth. Please know that LWI prayerfully uses each dollar to work towards fulfilling the Great Commission and acts as good stewards of that money. Your donation to Living Water International, a 501(c)(3) organization, is tax-deductible. All money donated in excess of the actual cost of the team trip after completion will be given to the LWI general fund to use where needed most.

Do not hesitate to email me or call me at 1-877-334-1983 if you have any questions. Thank you for taking the time to read and respond!

With joy,
Jordan

Clean water continues to guide my course

2010-03-28T21:05:00.007-05:00

While there are many meaningful events I could have shared with you in the past months, few are as personally meaningful as my renewed desire to provide clean water and share my faith in a context outside my routine.

I raise this subject because last night I committed to serve with three close friends on a Living Water International trip to Gautemala from May 15 to May 22, 2010. I am excited and I know it’s the right thing, even though it may take precious time to prepare, serve, and follow-up. I count the cost of a commitment before taking a decision the majority of the time. I know what it is like to build awareness, fundraise, serve, and then follow-up. I love it though. I can’t think of another activity I would rather spend my time doing.

For a report detailing my first trip to East Africa with Living Water International.

The details about the trip will be posted here when they are relevant. For now, I just wanted to take this opportunity to reflect on the moment after making the commitment because the weeks and months ahead will fly by.

In my job right now, I work with people mostly through a computer screen and telephone. It is alright. But I love working with people and substance. On this trip, we will get dirty digging the well, bruised from playing with kids, and emotionally vulnerable with the people we meet. I can’t wait for those precious moments where the character of Jesus is reflected in a raw context. I want to dive in now. But first, I will prepare my mind, my body, my heart, my soul for another experience serving people in the name of Jesus Christ. Not just to serve for a humanitarian effect but to serve with a purpose that one day, one person would share the same joy I have found in knowing Jesus Christ, my Lord.

What motivates you to serve strangers?

Please return in the coming weeks as I post details and methods for you to join me on the journey.

watching the earthquake in Chile

2010-03-04T20:51:00.002-06:00

The earthquake in Chile shocked me to the core. I thought I lost my dear girlfriend. I wouldn’t ever ask to go through a similar experience; however, it forced me to appreciate her in my life and not take her for granted. Thankfully, her and her family are fine and on the fast road to recovery.

Have you paused for a moment to show gratitude to those you appreciate most?

Thinking of Haiti's chaos from a sterile desk

2010-01-13T07:40:00.008-06:00

As we read articles and watch news stories about Haiti today, join me in praying for the Haitians. Isaiah 40:11.

I’m writing to share the tension within me. I want to be there. I’d rather not work in the office today. If you have traveled in a country like Haiti, you can imagine the desperation. I can almost feel it from my desk here in Arlington, VA.

To add to the pull, I learned that 11 college students from McLean Bible Church are serving in a village near the epicenter right now. Pray for their safe return and a resolve to use every opportunity to demonstrate the love of Christ with everyone they encounter. His peace transcends understanding (Phil 4:7)! I have no doubt that God prepared them for such a time as this. May they serve diligently!

All of us can make a difference: 1) pray for peace amid the chaos, 2) donate to organizations sending supplies and personnel, and/or 3) go in-person to serve. I am praying about going. If you would like to serve in-person within the next three months, contact me.

I have permission to post an email I received this morning from a mentor.

I serve on the Board of Directors for a missions organization in Haiti (Jesus in Haiti Ministries). I actually have tickets in hand to fly to Port-Au-Prince on Thursday for our annual board meeting, which we have had to temporarily put on hold. We have many details already that let us know the carnage from the earthquake on Monday will likely be worse than anything any of us have ever witnessed in the western hemisphere. We know that a vast majority of the capitol city of Port-Au-Prince (population over 2 million) and the surrounding area have essentially been destroyed. Our main ministry areas have been tragically impacted as well.

I just wanted to put this information in your hands, as I know many will want to help, but may not know how. Our ministry is well established and I can guarantee that 100% of any donation will go directly toward aiding the hurting people of Haiti, in the name of Jesus. I spoke with several people on Monday evening who have had interest in finding out how they may be able to contribute to helping the people of Haiti, and I just wanted to let my Christian friends know that this is a safe place to donate.

In order to be able to contribute directly to earthquake relief, there is a PayPal link on the homepage of our website at... http://www.jesusinhaiti.org

Please pass this information along to anyone you feel may have interest.

Please feel free to call or e-mail me with any questions at the number and e-mail address listed below. I would love to be able to help answer any questions.

Mark Hull
Head Men's Golf Coach
Colorado Christian University

Birthday wish

2009-11-24T00:00:00.000-06:00

Facebook is legendary for making birthday people famous on their birthday. While I have your attention, I don't want another day to go by without you knowing what happened to me when I threw out religion in 1998.

I did a lot of the right things to be a likeable guy - conformed to an image for my friends, met scholastic expectations for my family, and served as an alter boy every Sunday morning for God.

God seemed distant, parental, and impersonal. Maybe it was the draw to punk rock music (kicked off by the Reel Big Fish's single in 1997), but I started to think critically about what I believed – and why I believed it.

And that was the beginning of life for me. It wasn't when I first heard about Jesus or met a handful of authentic Christians. It wasn't when I was baptized or when I shared my faith through a punk rock band called Semper-Fi. It wasn't when I decided to dedicate four years after high school to build the foundation of my faith at a Christian University.

Life began when I started to pursue God through Jesus Christ. And you know what, He hasn't let me down – not even once. I don't have all the answers and I can't write a proof of God's saving grace. But, I've trusted in His grace and His transformative power is all I have as proof. As I can't show you the wind, but I can show you the effects of the wind (John 3:8) in my life. I'm certain others could demonstrate it even more effectively than I could.

When I immersed myself in God (John 15:4), He changed my desires continues to until this day. It is true that I still drift toward selfishness and am not the man I want to be. But God is molding me everyday! He's pointing me back to Him and reminding that His grace found no where but in Him through Jesus Christ - whom I believe to be fully-man and fully-God, demonstrated God's grace on the cross; and through His resurrection, my provided the way for anyone to have a real, interactive, eternal relationship with their Creator.

I stopped living for me in 1998. I strive to live for God's glory (John 8:50) in everything I do. I'm far from perfect (John 3:30), but I'm trying my best to live in such a way that draws people to share the intimacy with a God (1 John 4:9-10) who loves you (Romans 6:23) more than the distance of the East from the West (Ephesians 3:18-19). Imagine that!

If you stopped by to wish me Happy Birthday, know that my wish this day is that you would also take a moment to think about what you believe and why you believe it. For me, it was the beginning of life - life to the fullest.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Gobble gobble,
Jordan

Flying west over the Atlantic

2009-10-23T18:40:00.009-05:00

I am home for 18 hours before leaving again. So, before my next trip starts Saturday, I wanted to post an (overdue) update. Many you are asking why I am travelling so much: My job takes me all over the world because my territory is everywhere but the US. So, if you feel like I have been distant, it's because I am rarely home. However, I knew this going into it in July, so I am trying a few different methods to maintain contact.

For example, I like making videos. My brother, Dad, and I have all enjoyed this creative channel. Speaking of channel, I never thought I would do this, but I started a YouTube channel @ youtube.com/pointingup2. I will use it as the venue to post video blogs.

My job is unique. So, I thought I'd do a knock-off of the ole' Carmen San Diego show. Each time I visit a different country for a couple days (whether it is my second or 22nd visit), I will make a short video. Sometimes entertaining, sometimes full of facts, always in JO style.

Lately, I spent two weeks in Chile and another two weeks in France, Lithuania, Switzerland, and Spain. Check out the first two video blogs now and let me know what you think! What do you want to see/hear more? Less? Be honest.

As far as written content, I have four or five stories to share here once I make time to finish the drafts. One features an avalanche in the Andes! Check back every couple weeks or follow my blog by clicking the button the right column.

Next stop? I'll keep you in suspense. See you in the next video blog!

Did you bring a jacket for the chill in Chile?

2009-08-15T11:08:00.004-05:00

I love turbulence. Can I say that? It feels like I’m actually flying, rather than sitting on an air-bus (no pun intended). So, here's a picture out the window right now. I’m flying over the Andes mountains from Buenos Aires to Santiago de Chile. I’m only staying for 36 hours to see the major sites before heading back to the EE.UU, but I’m praying God gives me a chance, if the conditions are right, to fulfill a childhood dream to ski here. Wait, I completely forgot, it's the middle of August. Which means it's winter! Well, I certainly didn't pack for winter. This is going to be interesting... (to be continued)

CCU alum and roommate rides across the US for water

2009-08-10T10:53:00.003-05:00

My college roommate Josh McNeilly was inspired to provide clean water to those that most need it. So, Josh hooked up with the group called RIDE:WELL and rode a bicycle across the United States – from coast to coast. I had a chance to link up with him when he came through Washington DC in mid-August. Josh, I am thoroughly impressed and grateful for friends like you. Take a peek at what other CCU students are doing.

My Chinese foldable 42-dollar bike

2009-08-07T22:26:00.000-05:00

When I arrived in China, I bought a foldable bike for $42 (the story). When it was time to depart, I didn’t want to bring the bike obviously. I asked my new friends, "Who do you know could use it?" Irina, one of our outstanding translators, said her 8-year-old brother walks nearly 3 miles to school everyday. I handed the bike to Irina the day before I left and received this photo and message from her yesterday:

My brother with your bike, and he like it very much!!! He rides it to school everyday, so cool!! Thanks again!

A brother's transformation

2009-07-29T11:05:00.000-05:00

I never expected to appreciate a garden as much as I did when I visited my 24-year-old brother last weekend. To appreciate how much he has changed, know first that he hated vegetables when he was a kid. I can remember countless evenings at the dinner table with our parents when Jeff would whine for more Ketchup to drown the carrots and broccoli so he wouldn’t have to taste them.

In college, Jeff transformed. I don’t know what happened, but he flipped one-eighty. If you’re curious about this part, contact him and ask for the story in his words.

Since his graduation from Calvin College in 2007, Jeff began his teaching career in Colorado Springs, bought a house, and started a backyard garden in 2008. Now, his compose pile and vegetable garden consume more than half of his small backyard (roughly half the size of a basketball court).

I admire his green habits; but what inspired me was this: We harvested broccoli, carrots, and split peas. Immediately we cleaned, washed, and steamed this never-before-tasted freshness. And just when I was amazed at this process, Jeff offered me one of his homemade beers. He brews his own wheat beer and it tastes 10x better than Blue Moon.

I look up to my brother. This realization wasn’t especially clear until Jeff and I - sitting on his deck - crunched through vegetables that had been soaking in nutrients only 30-minutes earlier and washed them town with a cold, homemade brew. I love you man!

Though enthusiastic people are contagious. The most infectious are those who have been transformed.

Marry young. Die old.

2009-07-22T18:14:00.001-05:00

I’m content where I am; however, as a single guy, I’m curious about marriage in the same way my head turns when a see a Suzuki sv1000 blaze by on the street. A lot of people are married or have been married; which is why many people have something to say about it. But no one recently has offered a perspective quiet as thoughtful and unique as this.

From Public to Dynamic – a new role

2009-07-15T22:11:00.002-05:00

On July 1, I moved closer to my dream job. I transferred roles at IBM from management consulting in the Public Sector... to business development in Dynamic Infrastructure – a service area directly linked to our smarter planet strategy. To understand how blessed I feel, it’s important to know that I’ve always wanted to work abroad and develop business on a global scale. That’s exactly what I get to do now! And since I studied Spanish in school, I get to refresh my language skills (a huge plus in more ways than one). I’ll be working in Argentina, Chile, and Mexico before the end of August and in various parts of Europe and Asia in October. I’m extremely thankful for the opportunity to shadow an incredible executive and learn the disciplines of working with a globally dispersed group of colleagues outside North America. I know it sounds cliché but I’m living the dream! And God completely opened the door. His timing is best!

Career vision

2009-07-13T11:07:00.000-05:00

My friend Chris Ficiciello and I were discussing the direction of our careers while I was in China and he was in Mexico. Both of us dream Both of us want to run for public office one day. As we thought about this desire, we shared this observation:
We learn in our 20s. We begin to lead in our 30s. We refine in our 40s. But it isn’t until our 50s when we reach the pinnacle destiny from a career perspective. The data we point to has two exceptions, Clinton and Obama – both in their early 40s. Most recent presidents and CEOs, generals, and government leaders reach their peak in their early 50s.

Lesson: Be patient. Absorb as much as you possibly can from your current role. See everything as preparation for the next phase.

We need young visionary leaders! See article.

IBM feature: The intersection of business and responsibility in China

2009-07-06T12:14:00.008-05:00

Today, IBM released a press release to announce its 2008 Corporate Responsibility Report. The section titled, "Market Profile: The intersection of business and responsibility in China," features the China 1 team on pages 18-20 as well as the cover page.

At the main web site, be sure to check out the box in the right column, Feature: IBM Corporate Service Corps in Sichuan Province. In June, I worked with people at IBM’s headquarters to produce this audio/video slideshow. In it, I share how my Corporate Service Corps team worked with peers in China’s Sichuan province, on ways for the region to grow smarter. IBM's press release on July 6, 2009 also featured the slideshow.

IBM's CEO Sam Palmisano wraps it up: "The issues we are addressing — from clean water, to safe food, to sustainable and vibrant cities, to smarter work, to empowered communities — are not a choice between business strategy and citizenship strategy. They are both." While I realize its imperfections, I am proud of the company I work for and hope to continually give back to it and our global community as a transition into my new role.

fork in the road

2009-06-19T08:40:00.005-05:00

Some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about the unknown, having the change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious ambiguity... - Gilda Radner

The past 11 days have been intense reintegrating to life in DC. Two bachelor parties, one wedding, three states, and many career altering meetings. I am so grateful for the opportunities God has provided; and expectant of His continued provision. He continues to open doors I could never imagine. When the dust settles and the plot is a little clearer, I'll write an update to fill you in on the exciting news.

"I don’t work for American Airlines."

2009-06-08T05:46:00.004-05:00

After two weeks of vacation, I’m eager to return to work today. During an amazing morning, a passage by author Nicky Gumbel, reminded me of my motives behind why I do my work.

I heard about an American pastor called Howard Hendricks. Once, on an American Airlines flight he noticed the man sitting in front of him was behaving very badly. Not only was he rude, obnoxious and loud, he then proceeded to get drunk, and became ruder, louder, and more obnoxious. Hendricks was surprised to notice that not only was the flight attendant incredibly dignified when deal with him, she was also absolutely unflappable. When he was rude, he was polite. When he was loud, she was patient. Hendricks said, ‘I couldn’t believe how dignified she was with this obnoxious man’.

After everybody had been served their meals, he go up and walked to the back to the plane to commend the woman. He said, ‘I noticed how you handled that man. I was amazed how patient you were with such a rude customer. If you’ll tell me your name I would like to write American Airlines, your employer, and commend you for your service.’ She smiled at him and said, ‘Thank you, sir, I don’t work for American Airlines. I work for Jesus Christ.’

Work is worship (Ephesians 6:7). I enjoy working for IBM and my managers. But, this morning, I’m reminded that it’s God whom I serve inside and outside the office. Who do you work for?

Chaotic commute in Bangkok

2009-06-07T22:52:00.003-05:00

I’m apologize for writing about something so trivial as a crazy day in Bangkok, but then again, how often do we rush in and out of Bangkok for an important meeting? Nothing tested my patience today than my limitations to move quickly and nimbly. For weeks, I had lived out of a small backpack with a packed itinerary.

Today, was no different: I had to move fast because I had not built in any time for contingency. Without going through the whole day, I’ll mention my commute to and from an important reception that I had RSVPed to months ago. I had arranged my entire return plans around this one short, yet important reception at 5:00 p.m. June 5.

Once I arrived in Bangkok from Singapore, I hired a taxi to take me to the self-storage building to pick up my suitcase. The driver then takes me to the last hostel I stayed at to pick up a few articles I left there because they didn’t have room in my small backpack. Then, since the hostel was full, I set out to find low-budget hotel to prepare for the meeting and retire later. I had four hours from arrival until the meeting began.

FREE ADVICE: Don’t try to travel anywhere in Bangkok on Friday afternoons. The traffic locks up. So, this put pressure on the time I need to transform from backpacker attire to business casual.

I never felt more disheveled for an important meeting. The packed suitcase wrinkled my suit coat, suit pants, and every dress shirt during the two weeks it sat in storage. Plus, I chose the wrong hotel – neither an iron nor English anything. I learned my lesson: pay a premium to book a nice hotel in a good location. You’ll arrive looking good. When you look good, you feel good. When you feel good, you perform well. I shaved and looked as sharp as possible, but my clothes looked like I had just opened them from being smashed for two weeks. I rushed, but once I ran to pick up a taxi, I noticed, oh mi, the reception starts now. I have to hurry.

But the traffic was not moving. I walk up and down lanes of traffic searching for a taxi, but none are available. I walk about five-minutes before realizing I’m going to have to sacrifice – I’m taking a tuk-tuk (a three-wheeled cart with a motorcycle engine). Not the safest or cleanest option, but the fastest option for now.

The driver said it would take 30-minutes, so I figure I’m in trouble. But, I have to show up – even if I’m late. The people on the streets and in the cars looked at my attire and returned a face of confusion then laughter. I’m sure they thought it was odd that a young, white guy is in a business suit in a tuk-tuk.

I stressed to the driver that I’m in a hurry. No need though. He knew how to drive fast, weaving through streets and traffic dodging kids, dogs, fast motos, puddles, and moving soccer balls. When he pulled into the gas station to fill up, I told him: “Listen, I’ll double the fare if you go as fast as possible… and drive safe.” He didn’t understand, but I think he got my first point.

Then, at a traffic stop, he turned off his engine to save gas. When he couldn’t restart the engine, he opened up the compartment and moved a few lines. That’s when it started to smell like gas. “I have to go and now I smell like gas” I think to myself. So, I take a look into the compartment and see gas spilling all over the engine due to a loose hose – and the engine is still running.

I grab my laptop pack and walk fast away down the street. I briefly looked back – but he was focused on preventing a fire. As much as I would in all other circumstances, I couldn’t help. I had to move on.

I found another tuk-tuk to take me the rest of the way winding through increasingly chaotic streets and traffic. Stuck in traffic, I was helpless. I arrived an hour late, but the meeting had just started 5-minutes before I arrived, so it wasn’t a big deal. The entire event was much more casual than I had expected – thank God.

On the way home, I walked out with one of the VIPs of the event. He said he would show me how travel quicker on the way back to the hotel. Then I asked him, “how do you get home?” “Mototaxi,” he said, “It’s simple, cheap, and fun – if you think risk can be fun.”

He guided me to the mototaxi stand where my driver had just rolled up. When the VIP told the driver where to take me, the driver shoke his head – knowing it would be a long ride, exhilarating ride.

In heavy rush-hour traffic at 8:00 p.m. I hopped on the back of this guy’s 200cc motorbike. He flew without respect to lanes differentiation, cutting off and being cut off by cars, trucks, tuktuks, and buses. He feared nothing and had great confidence in the performance of his bike. But I think he was a bit nuts. I might drive that way alone, but never with a passenger! I haven’t been thoroughly scared in a while – today, I was scared – several times. After stopping to ask several people for directions since he couldn’t read maps, we finally found my low-budget hotel. Ahh, home sweet home. I packed one last time to catch my return flight to DC the next morning; and before I closed my eyes, thanked God one last time for His protection on the streets of Bangkok.

More from Singapore

2009-06-04T21:26:00.000-05:00

Expect the unexpected when you visit here. For me, I didn’t have any unusual expectations for a three-night visit: I hoped to visit a good friend from college – Kelsey Young. When she invited me, I found a $180 round trip ticket from Bangkok and thought, hey, why not? How often do I have an opportunity to hangout with a friend in Singapore?

I’ll first share the extrinsic things that surprised me. For one thing, the Botanical Garden is the best I’ve seen in the world - simply unbelievable. I don’t know where else you will find the grandeur of landscape and diversity of species in the middle of a metropolis. I walked through it alone and stopped twice in remote settings to get some much needed extended time with God. Don’t pass this up if you visit Singapore.

Next, I quickly appreciated the civic engineering feats and systems that govern transportation – nothing is out of place. Every square meter is used. Cleanliness is the norm. Landscaping is crisply maintained and evergreen. The food available here is quite diverse – you can find anything, especially if you like to shop. Men, think twice about taking your wife if she has a shopping problem and you’re trying to live on a budget. After visiting five countries in Southeast Asia in the last six weeks, I still found it difficult to judge who is and who is not a Singaporean. Although it’s not proportionally the same, the ethic diversity in Singapore is comparable to most American cities.

The intrinsic surprise was the instant Christian community that made me feel at home. This came from a group of Christian Singaporeans that meet on Tuesday nights to share and grow in their faith together. Kelsey attends this group of twenty-something’s, so when she picked me up at the airport this past Tuesday evening, we drove directly to the event to join them for dinner. I had the delicious local dish (mainly flour and egg), a drink with my favorite new fruit called lache (sp?), and a great conversation with a famous Singaporean radio DJ. Altogether on June 2, I had breakfast in Laos, lunch in Bangkok, and dinner in Singapore. Not an average day!

Since Tuesday night, the group provided an instant community through Christ. Like adding hot water to a pre-packaged bowl of instant Raman noodles, they were the ingredients and Christ was the hot water. I felt included even though work and a special, unplanned event prevented Kelsey and I from connecting in-person for the majority of the time. Her friends, providing an available mobile phone and public transportation card to accompanying me at the beach, went out of their way --- the way friends do for each other. I was so grateful for them – especially Hannah, Evan, Chienyen, Darius, Donna, and Kelsey’s roommates. Several of them prayed for me; yet I hope I encouraged them as much as they encouraged me in my pursuit of greater intimacy with God. After weeks of dryness, I departed Singapore with a renewed spirit and a heart prepared to reengage all the demands of life in DC.

Singapore has become a special place in my heart. Not necessarily due to the uniqueness of the city, but rather the special community that made it feel more like home than a destination for a tourist. My friends are living proof that God is up to something in Singapore. God is good!

10 day play-by-play

2009-06-02T21:33:00.001-05:00

Day 1- May 24
* Jordan hangs with locals and kills some time with an abusive $9 Thai massage before * Marc arrives in Bangkok
* Go out to chic bangkok disco with the girls on staff at our hostel - neither of us looked chic. Supurb DJs.

Day 2
* We travel to chaing Rai on planes, tuk tuks, Motos and buses
* Eat lunch at a restaurant opened by Thai rejects from "antiques roadshow."
* Abusive Thai massage, again

Day 3
* Guide takes us trekking to village through bamboo. Chop bamboo. Eat bamboo. Sleep in bamboo.
* Play with crazy Akha boy in waterfall while avoiding getting leeches on our bums

Day 4
* We trek from village back to the city and bus up to Myanmar border
* Win prize for world's worst passport photos.
* Sleep in Tacheleik--avoid raw sewage on way to dinner with a Buddist, Muslim, and a Catholic. Pray with a 26yr-old after dinner.

Day 5
* Bus to Kheng tong. Shan state.
* Begin banging our heads against the window after 16th loop of Burmese version of "kissed by a rose" plays during the bus's telenovela marathon
* Get put on myanmar's watch list (unconfirmed) after showing up at police station and arguing with sour government official. Visas issued in DC are apparently of no use in the northwest of this country.
* Local kid shares his unique business model using the Thai-Burmese-Chinese border

Day 6
* Ride on back of motorbikes through countryside--Jordan's weight causes flat tire in middle of nowhere learn how to use stickyrice as a spoon when chopsticks aren't around
* Marvel at wonders of Burmese rice irrigation system
* Bus back to Thailand
* Charter a one-hour Taxi to Lao border- aweeeesommme

Day 7- wake up in cheng kong Thailand
* Crossed the border, the Mekong into Laos
* Boat down mekong all day
* Found hostel and talked for hours more with new friends for dinner and drinks, may have had too much crappy rice whiskey for free from locals
* Met people from allbover the Europe and North America

Day 8
* Boated nine hours, nonstop
* Games views convos
* Arrive in laungphabang Find hostel with new group of friends
* Dinner party dancing in Lao discotech

Day 9
* Rent Moto all day, Drive to waterfalls
* Have a blast on the rope swings, cliff jumping
* Return to shower and dinner with favorites, Stuart and peter
* Discotech in Thai short

Day 10 - June 2
* Rise for bkfast and ride Moto again into villages, offroading
* Pack up eat and head to airport
* Say goodbye at Bangkok airport. Marc to return to DC. Jordan to
continue on to Singapore to visit CCU friend Kelsey.

Day 11 - June 3
* The adventure continues...

Bureaucracy Gone Wild - 48 hours in Northeast Myanmar

2009-05-29T11:11:00.001-05:00

That’s not the name of a new video, but served as the background of our 48-hour trip heading northwest into the Shan state in the Union of Myanmar (Burma). For those who don't know, Myanmar's government is controlled by a military council which keeps a solid grip on its people--and has installed a massive bureaucratic machinery to ensure its control is maintained.

An excerpt written from the bus Thursday:

The road is more sketch now than near the Thai border. And as we climb through the lush, narrow canyons, the road's edge becomes indecipherable from the mud. The first rain since Monday is bittersweet - yielding cooler air but dislodging rocks on the steep hold above which are now crashing on the road in front of us. But the driver presses on, without an expectation that a 61-km trip should take less than 4 hours. See, the border agent told us that the last checkpoint closes at 3pm. It's now 4pm. We are more than halfway but three of the five checkpoints still remain. Nothing but curiosity draws us forward. The scenic views and raw culture inhibited its government make the sweaty 5 hour bus ride bearable.

Entering into the country is as difficult as a Republican being elected for office in 2009. For instance, we arrived at the immigration booth just as the border from northern Thailand was closing, and were told that the official visas we had obtained at the Myanmar embassy in DC were no good (they could only be used if arriving by air, a direct contradiction from what the Consular insisted to us)-- this was a land border, which requires a special visa, another fee, 3 passport photos, and required that we leave our US passports at this immigration booth for "safekeeping" until we return to Thailand through the same border. I want to emphasize our hesitation when the border agent demanded that we temporarily forfeit our passports in exchange for a temporary permit card. Not only that, but we were only allowed to travel to a couple select towns in the Shan state. That’s like telling a Canadian he can only travel in Michigan after he crosses the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit.

After much arguing in broken English, Burmese, and Thai, we faced reality--deal with the rules or go home. After acquiring some discount passport photos with poses that harkened to our 7th grade yearbooks and the glamour shots of Napoleon Dynamite, they finally let us through the border after filling out 4 additional forms, taking our passports, and issuing special "guest" cards. This became a recurring theme everywhere we went--from riding buses to staying in hotels, everybody demanded that we give copies of our documents and/or register with local authorities. Never have I seen a place with more rigid control of its people's movement at all times. And the amount of paperwork required would have made even a Washington bureaucrat nauseous.

Our brief experience in the country was worth dealing with the constant paranoia of government officials. Transport yourself to a place (with the exception of a few satellite dishes) where cars are virtually non-existent (motorbikes and feet are the hip modes of transport), and where we encountered a total of 2 other foreigners our entire 48 hours there (they were given the same run-around). The number of thatched huts and bamboo walls far outpaced blocks of concrete, and spectacular vistas of rice paddies, verdant terraces, and shiny gold temples filled our field of vision at all times.

The most stunning site was also the most random: little Buddhist monk kids, in flowing saffron robes, roller skating in second story rink while dribbling basketballs over ramps. Even Salvador Dali can't paint a picture THAT random.

After deciding to join the motorcycle brigade to look around Kheng Chong, Jordan managed to talk a guy into giving us his motorcycle for 30 minutes for the equivalent of 3 dollars--and no collateral! We managed to find mosquito nets and meet a couple friendly locals. The next day we got a 3 hour tour of the countryside while riding on the back of a motorcycle driven by a wild old man who spoke a blend of Burmese and English while laughing continually. Thankfully Jordan's guide, Lily, was a bit more sane and the two of them brought us out to a rice wine distillery (it tastes like poison), lunch in a farm family's thatched hut, and took us for a ride across a 25 foot bridge made of bamboo tied together with bicycle tires.

The best part was seeing Jordan on the back of the other motorcycle, which was driven by a chick. You could see it in his face: “Ok, you mind if I drive now?”

We made it back to Thailand in enough time this evening to crash and rise tomorrow morning to hire a two-day boat tour down the Mekong River into the heart of Laos.

This is a blast.

Cheers,
Marc and Jordan

Mt. Elbrus climb yields clean water for nearly 50,000 people in West Africa

2009-05-28T20:47:00.000-05:00

If you followed our climb to the peak of Mt. Elbrus, then you might be interested in what we did with the money you donated. Living Water International executed the mission and now 49,645 Liberians have affordable access to clean water! Read more and access the full report on The Last Well Web site.

Thai version of "the hills"

2009-05-27T04:43:00.004-05:00

Introducing a good friend and guest author: Marc Janoff.
"
Chiang Rai, Thailand: How many muscles does an elephant have in his trunk? Who knows--thats something wikipedia can tell you. But Jordan and I quickly found out that there are enough to grab bananas by the bunch--and then consume the banana whole (could you imagine an elephant PEELING a banana?) From full-sized elephants to elephant-sized bugs, our time with the hill tribes of chiang rai exposed us to an environment that proves that bigger is beautiful...

After heading out on our trek to stay overnight with the Akha tribe, our guide (Apai) slashed his way through a couple of bamboo bushes, down slippery mud slopes, and up small jungle trails to get us to our destination. It seemed that jordan and I were in synch--after watching me fall down a steep slope (and caught it on video), he somehow managed to fall in the exact same spot--and valiently was able to save the camera too, which was still recording. While we were both extremely satisfied with the scrapes, falls, and bamboo scars that were evidence of the journey--our later discovery of cars and a dirt road to the village didn't dampen our enthusiasm; we proved again that the more challenging route is always more satisfying, regardless of whether you end up at the same destination!

Hanging with the Akha people was an experience of its own. While communication was a consistent issue (I discovered to my chagrin that spanish isn't the only foreign language in the world and wouldn't be useful here), a few smiles, some polite bows, and a bit of laughter can facilitate a friendly warmth that goes a long way. And the crazy little boy who led us to a spectacular 30 foot waterfall outside the village knew karate, play-fighting, and jumping across dirt mounds better than any kid in suburban Fairfax.

We've decided to help the Akha publish their first international bestseller "1001 Uses For Bamboo," coming soon to your Home Depot checkout aisle. After learning about the biology of bamboo on our journey up the hill (it supposedly grows 30 feet a year), we watched the tribe put it to use building everything from roofs and floors to churches and benches. Since you know neither Jordan or I are satisfied with watching, we quickly joined in the construction process. I can tell you that whittling down the inner rings of a bamboo trunk with an 8 inch machete isn't something my 8th grade woodshop teacher ever taught--but I know he would have been proud. And what to do with the leftovers? Boil it and eat it for dinner. And for all my California friends, you'll be glad that its all-natural, biodegradable, AND organic.

Our journey north continues--this time to the border on a little bus with fans and covered with indecipherable writing. Traveling in low season is awesome--we rarely meet foreigners, and get to practice our "kob koon krub" a lot ("thank you" in thai).

We are stoked because our journey has been epic. We are grateful for a safe overnight trek. But we feel like our next stage is the most unpredictable.
##

hill tribes of Northen Thailand

2009-05-25T23:06:00.003-05:00

Chiang Rai, Thailand: I am sending this update from a boat on the Kok River as Marc and I begin our overnight trek. We left Bangkok early Monday morning and arrived in Chiang Mai by noon. Instead of spending the night there, we decided to grab a quick Thai lunch (spicy the way I like it) and push forward to Chiang Rai so we could save enough daylight to ride motorcycles before sunset. The three-hour bus provided a great view to reconcile our assumptions about Thailand with the reality of life here.

Most people can speak some English, but if you know some Thai it can go a long way. My friend at the hostel taught me a few phrases and the basic numbers. When I tried to negotiate with a tuktuk driver, I named a price 10 baht more than his price. He was confused until I realized I had mixed the numbers for 3 and 4. We had a good laugh on the way to the bus station; and as he was willing to teach me more Thai, my command of counting in Thai improved.

Once we settled into our deserted $5 hostel, we rode our own motorcycles out of town to explore what we could before dusk. Marc did a great job driving on his own - not bad for his first time, especially driving outside the US. We returned to the town to find a trekking guide, eat a northen Thai dinner, and close the day with a legit $9/hr Thai massage.

We took six modes of transportation yesterday- taxi, bus, plane, truck, moto, and tuktuk.

Today is Tuesday. We woke up early to ride our motorcycles for an hour exploring the countryside. After dropping off our bikes, we met the guide and are now heading into the hills to trek through the jungle, riding elephants, visiting waterfalls and native tribes mostly untouched by western influence. We'll stay with a family overnight on their floor - I will love this! - and return Wednesday in time to catch the last bus north via Mae Sai for the next stage.

The weather is perfect. The people are genuine and friendly. We couldn't ask for a more flawless trip. Praise God. I'll try to post once more before we continue on past the Golden Triangle.

transitioning from China to Thailand

2009-05-24T03:57:00.005-05:00

Transferring at the Guangzhou airport during a layover from Chengdu to Bangkok) w/ Kirke -->

So, I'll be as quick a possible. There's never enough time to transition completely. And, because I want to maximize everything, I only left about 6 hours of downtime to prepare for my time following the Corporate Service Corps in Chengdu, China. Before I secure my laptop in storage until June 5, I wanted to post a few photos.

I’ll debrief more thoroughly in writing (the hardcopy kind) from the back of buses and the deck of river boats. I’m bringing my iTouch, so when I have WiFi access I can upload content without wasting time in expat-filled Internet coffee shops.

Marc arrives in Bangkok tonight! We’ll get something to eat, sleep, and then fly the next morning to Chaing Mai.

In front of the title slide of our final workshop about the strategies and opportunities within the financial crisis, Chris, Irina, Joanna and I seize the moment to relax after a 2-hours of presenting and translating for the 75 Chinese executives in the Chengdu IT sector (May 21).

The team stands in front of the Sichuan Opera house for a traditional dinner and special celebration (May 21).

Posing for a photo with an elephant, Chad (Jamaican), Martin (Swiss), and I bond quickly on the streets of Bangkok having met at the hostel only an hour prior to this photo.

24 hours in Bangkok

2009-05-23T13:20:00.002-05:00

hey everyone - I can finally post again since I'm outside of mainland China. I just arrived in Bangkok tonight and will post a healthy update Sunday while I regroup, repack, and reunite with Marc. We fly out to Chaing Mai Monday morning to start the "M&J Adventure." We need to name this trip something catchy. Can you help us think of a good tag line? Comment below. If we pick your tag-line, we'll use it in the video blogs we post from northern Thailand, Burma, and Laos.

Just Another Routine Monday

2009-05-19T13:32:00.003-05:00

T-Wear Publishing Services Incorporated would like to announce the newest contribution by Jordan Olivero to the IBM CSC Blog: "This Monday Feels Strangely Familiar". The original post can be found at the following link (https://www-146.ibm.com/corporateservicecorps/node/3237) or just read below...

Regards,

Management
T-Wear Publishing Services Incorporated

------IBM CSC Blog Entry by Jordan Olivero Quoted Below------

18-May: This Monday feels strangely familiar
Submitted by Jordan Olivero on May 19, 2009 - 5:29am

I’m going to talk about Monday, a day that feels strangely familiar.

Routine. After three weeks, I have a sense of familiarity with peers, client expectations, culture, work schedule, and now have a particular preference for the spicy Sichuan food. I am not complacent, rather I am comfortable. While taxing through the city to visit an SME yesterday, I noticed the feeling of routine and told Tom and Murali: “Is this starting to feel normal?” They agreed. For me, even a social life feels routine, as I have become friends with a few locals outside the team. These genuine relationships provided an even more holistic appreciation for the Chinese culture and Chengdu’s unique local hangouts.

Finishing strong. I typically think of starting the week right on Monday. Since it is our last week, I am trying to focus on sprinting across the finishing line. One way to end well is to review the eight goals I set before I departed my home country. I’ll do that today, and remind myself to emphasize relationships even when the task may seem like the priority. In the end, relationships matter most.

Crunch time. Monday’s typically give me a good perspective of the week’s priorities. And for the final week, it’s our final presentation. So, while the ICT sub-team focus on consulting today, Chris and I are preparing for Thursday’s presentation: Strategies and Opportunities while in Financial Crisis. Nearly 50 executives are attending this three-hour workshop. We were up late last night to make final edits before handing it over to the interpreters (which are incredibly talented).

Can it get any better than this? I love my job! I have to figure out a way to do this all the time. Ok, speaking of crunch time - time to get back to work.

ब्लॉगर डाउन

2009-05-18T12:53:00.002-05:00

The Peoples Republic of China has blocked all access from within China to Blogger... so until Jordan comes up with a workaround for posting new blogs, his updates will be temporarily postponed. Expect an update in the next few days as he works to resolve a method for publishing. Thanks for supporting Jordan and following his travels!

Sincerely,

The Management
T-Wear Publishing Services Incorporated

week 4 preview and a week 3 review

2009-05-14T20:42:00.005-05:00

This should be called a blog blast because I am going to preview and review many subjects before Lotus Notes finishes replicating through my slow Internet connection.

A preview of what’s coming up this next week:

We visit a local middle school today. I’m going to teach the kids a children’s song that’s popular in the US – which one should I sing? Then, I’ll teach them my favorite game - the “look down look up” game! Many of my friends already know this one.

I’ll eat two meals with IBM executives today. Looking forward to each!

I’ll upload a new video to my Facebook profile on Saturday (May 16). It will summarize the events between May 2 and May 9 – Week 2. I posted the two part Week 1 video last Saturday.

We’re going to visit the giant buddha tomorrow.

An IBM manager that I met yesterday asked me to visit his client project to review the progress of their Lean Six Sigma project. I love this stuff! I’ll spend the afternoon with his team next Wednesday.

Chris and I are preparing to facilitate a workshop on the topic “Thriving in the Global Financial Crisis” on May 21 for 50 executives through the Chengdu Chamber of Commerce. My bandwidth is consumed to prepare well for this complex subject, 3-hour discussion, and unique audience.

A review of what’s happened this past week:

The ICT sub-team and I wrapped up our “Week 2” deliverables by consulting MaesInfo and facilitating a “Global IT Outsourcing” workshop for the Chengdu IT community.

In the evenings before dinner, I ride my bike through small streets near our hotel – the contrast between the shopping district and the ancient neighborhoods is tremendous and provides a dose of reality while we work in the posh business environment.

where opportunity and preparation meet

2009-05-14T10:08:00.003-05:00

Murali, Tom and I (the CSC ICT sub-team) were invited to share advice with 30 Cisco interns last week. The photos capture the event quite well. The interns (nearly my age) were attentive for 90-min in a warm room. I know I couldn’t sit still that long! The Software Engineering and English students of Sichuan University asked us to tell them what to do to prepare for a career considering the current global challenges.

When it was my turn to address the students, I used a little Chinese to make them laugh and presented 10 tips to start well after college. Basically, I tweaked and reused the same presentation I prepared for a group of MGT201 students at Colorado Christian University (CCU) in January 2007. Email me if you want the PDF.

The sharp interns asked questions like: What are the character traits desired in a job candidate? How can I differentiate myself among an enormous pool of peer graduates?

Did you know that only 27% of last years graduates have jobs today? China’s intellectual capital is growing but the domestic demand isn’t keeping the same pace. The world will be surprised when the young Chinese population realizes their potential. I haven’t meet so many people with their intensity of ambition.

Why Cisco interns? Cisco donated $450M of IT equipment to rebuild education and public health in the earthquake zone and partnered with Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT) to implement the TeachUp training program - helping teachers and students adopt modern IT into the education process.

Taoist temples, ancient irrigation system, and effects of the 8.0 quake in Dujianyang

2009-05-10T05:15:00.011-05:00

I posted another entry to the IBM team blog this evening. Check it out on IBM.com. I also copied and pasted it below.

--

I’m writing this entry Sunday afternoon while sitting 10 meters from a statue in the middle of Chengdu’s shopping district (see photo of Murali and me this past Thursday night). Crowds of shoppers surround me. People are everywhere. Without respect to diversity, it’s not a far walk to be reminded of NYC since our hotel is in the district. When I look up from my screen every few minutes, I catch a dozen curious eyes. In fact, in this moment, three cameras are snapping pictures while I type this sentence in this plaza (I sat down five minutes ago). With 11 Million people and only 10,000 foreigners, their interest is easy to understand.

Though, it doesn’t take long to feel completely removed from the sounds, smells, and crowds of the city. Saturday (9-May), we took a break from Chengdu and explored Dujianyang (China’s top tourist city) visiting the effects of the earthquake, the famous irrigation system, a restaurant in the country, and a series of ancient Taoist temples.

Chengdu is positioned like Denver is to the Rocky Mountains. Within an hour drive, you can feel like you are on an entire different planet. We woke up early to board the DOT-arranged bus (or as our Irishman Tom has coined, “beus”) and drove directly to the site where hundreds of schoolchildren died when their building collapsed during the 8.0 magnitude earthquake last May 12. The reconstruction efforts, especially in this area, are impressive. Within a year, many NGOs and foreign governments have donated to help relief efforts - we visited the project rebuilding the children's school. The government has built housing for millions of the displaced people, but still the majority of projects are unfinished and those who lost their homes live in government-provided temporary housing. It’s uncomfortable to imagine loosing everything and starting over; however, from business owners to farmers, much of the Dujianyang citizens have been forced to do just that. To contribute to the relief efforts, consider starting your search here.

After a short visit, we went directly to the fascinating Dujianyang Irrigation system. It’s fascinating because construction began in the 3rd century BC (over 2,250 years ago) and is still used to control the waters of the huge Minjiang river to distribute water to the fertile farmland of the Chengdu plains. Thanks to the irrigation system’s victory over floods, the region followed with rapid economic development and strong comprehensive state power. It’s is impressive that the designers developed a sustainable system and that the builders committed to its construction for nearly 100 years. Harnessing the Minjiang is no easy task, and their persistence, even with limited tools, is impressive.

Then, after a delicious, fresh Sichuan lunch in the countryside, we boarded the bus again to trek around Mount Qingcheng. Our two-hour window limited how much we could explore, but we were still able to appreciate the series of ancient Taoist temples along the path. Tom, Kirke, Chris and I tried to see how far up we could get before having to turn around. This was my highlight of the day. We passed through clouds, rain, forests, steep crevasses, and many Taoist temples. During our approach, the crowds diminished until it was only us on the intricate path of brick and stone steps. Once we reached the final temple, we were alone and seized the moment to be still and reflect on the peaceful environment the temples create. Although the temples are designed for the gods of Taoism, I used the moment to close my eyes and pray silently to my God.

We were all so exhausted that the return trip to Chengdu was a quite one. The time provided me a moment to reflect on one of the key opportunities of this experience: to polish my skills and ability to work in and learn from a cross-cultural team. Each day, I am learning to monitor and enhance my communications skills and extend myself to learn and practice the protocols of everyone’s country.

This is an incredible experience and so grateful for it. But I think it’s time to wrap up and get some food before I go explore more of Chengdu on the bike I bought last weekend.

With joy,
Jordan

In the Chinese media

2009-05-07T09:24:00.003-05:00

The Chinese media published five articles about our team last week. See Alexandra's blog for the full-articles translated into English.

"IBM Corporate Service Corps Project Kicks off in Sichuan" | Chengdu Daily, 2009-04-28

"IBM CSC Give Suggestion for Chengdu’s Economy" | Chengdu Daily, 2009-04-28

"9 IBM Volunteers Support Chengdu" | 成都商报, 2009-4-28

"IBM Corporate Service Corps Project Kicks off in Sichuan" | China Business Times, 2009-04-28

"New Opportunities Come after Disaster Technology Helps Sichuanese to rebuild Their Homeland" | People.COM, 2009-04-29

Finding a new sport and experiencing authentic Chengdu ($42)

2009-05-05T11:00:00.005-05:00

I think I found a new sport to enjoy while I wait for next season’s snow. The gear costs $42. Here are the rules:

You buy a normal bike, you have to use a folding bike whose integrity is nearly compromised by cheap materials and shotty components (the $42 price tag ensures this constraint). You have to get from point A to point B and back to point A without crashing. You don’t have a map or directions. You can only use landmarks. To complete the task, you dodge pedestrians, animals, and oncoming traffic while paying attention to contours of the road and the hundreds of bikers around you - some talk on the phones while others carry wood, trash, umbrellas, or livestock. Sound fun yet?

So far, I’ve completed two trips. Each trip felt much like extreme skiing, which is why I had so much fun. But the major difference is the location. As I ride through the busy streets of Chengdu, I’m able to soak in a more realistic perspective of reality for the Chinese. From the hotel, I see a rich China. From the bike, I see a rich-and-poor-and everything-in-between China.

For example, I made two stops today. The first stop was at a park where I had chance to watch about 50 middle-aged Chinese dance to upbeat, traditional music. I had a good laugh when I could imagined myself doing the same dance moves in my 50s. Oh dear.

I stopped again when I made an intentional turn down a more “gritty” street. I passed a barber shop and decided I could use a trim around the back of the neck. So, I walked up and said, “Ni hao!” And for the next hour, I got to know the family who owns and operates the store. They work and eat in the same small storefront. While the father cut my hair, the mother and 23-year-old son ate their meal (spicy Sichuan style of course) from five feet away. Once the father finished my hair, he offered me a shot of what looked like rubbing alcohol and a cigarette. I passed on both, but assured him that I would return to visit soon.

But before I return, I need to learn more Chinese! It’s embarrassing when I resort to grunts and naturally respond in Spanish (the only other language I know). I’m getting by with the bare minimum and overuse the words I know which are: Hello! I’m good, your good, that’s good, that’s very good, and thank you.

I rode my bike today not because I had somewhere to go but because I needed a break after work. Murali, Tom and I crushed out a 18-page deliverable today and we’ll present it to the client tomorrow morning. You know I have high expectations of myself; so, it was intense from 9AM to 6PM. I love it though; just wish that time wasn’t a constraint. In the next post, I’ll talk about what we’re doing. For now, check out the activity on the IBM Team blog.

It's May 5. I suppose the Chinese don’t celebrate today like we do in the US. So, happy Cinco de Mayo!

a photo is worth more than a thousand words

2009-05-03T10:12:00.005-05:00

So, why type words when a photo will do? Once I figure out a way to upload more of my photos, I'll post a link. For now, I posted a few from our visit of the Panda's Saturday morning. Browse these links for the team's best of the best:

The Team's Photo Album

Alexandra's blog (quite thorough)

Giant panda and cute Chinese girl

Bamboo forest!

The secret sauce

2009-05-01T09:53:00.000-05:00

“The greatest problem with communication is the illusion that it has been accomplished.”
- George Bernard Shaw

I posted to the IBM team blog this evening. Check it out on the IBM Web site. I also copied and pasted it below.
---

"After reading the previous posts, you might see why I feel out of my league: each team member is truly outstanding. But even with the most explicit coordination, the best companies, and the brightest minds, we are learning from mistakes to communicate effectively in a completely different culture. Today, for the first time, we separated into our sub-teams of three for the entire day - a day of new challenges.

My teammates have provided day-to-day details in this blog. I’m going to shift a bit and dive into a topic that has drawn more attention today than has any other day thus far: Communication, communication, communication.

I picked three reasons for the redundancy. First, we are setting expectations this week – one of four weeks – and as our partner has stressed daily, this week is all about building relationships. Once first impressions are set, expectations follow. As my peers mentioned, we have been in meetings all day for three straight days. This is why we eagerly want to start “work” because our time is limited. To emphasize further, we are accustomed to producing visible results at the end of the day. So, when I’m in relationship-building meetings all day, it’s difficult to feel productive. However, this patience-maturing stage not only builds trust but also clarifies expectations; thus changing plans and aligning objectives for all stakeholders.

Next, the language and cultural aspects present acute filters. For one thing, our interpreter must translator my question into Chinese. When the ICT team and I met with a high-ranking official in his office this morning; I posed a slightly technical question, which may have changed 20% of the original meaning after translation. Second, the official may or may not know the answer to the question. So, to maintain authority and credibility, it’s possible that his response was more political than comprehensive thus subtracting approximately 30% from the answer. Third, the interpreter must translate again, this time from Chinese to English. This may change 20% of the original meaning. And if you do the math, you will understand why half of the answers may not be what you anticipated.

Finally, feedback is necessary to measure effectiveness. Specifically in this context, we are learning to over-exaggerate the feedback loop to ensure that all parties understand. The emphasis on this task is foreign to most of us and thus intensifies meetings. Fortunately, humor is universal and diffuses most misunderstandings. We know how to keep it light. But to ensure success in multi-cultural settings; we know that consistent clear feedback will ensure effective communication both with each other as well as the people we are serving here in Chengdu.

In short, we are learning the secret sauce: clear expectations, minimal filters, and frequent feedback. With time and practice, we are learning what contributes most to the success of international teams: communication, communication, communication.

Speaking of sauce: My favorite spicy American restaurant is Chipotle. But Chipotle’s hot sauce doesn’t compare with the zest of Sichuan cuisine. I love it!
###

should I shake or should I hug?

2009-04-29T10:08:00.004-05:00

Did you know 11 Million people live here? Chengdu’s population is four (4) times that of Chicago!

The best part of today was the most unplanned. To give it perspective, it’s important to know that our team has toured Chengdu non-stop 12-hours a day like a convoy of diplomats, which I’ll describe in detail when I have dedicated time to write and upload photos.

The president of Chengdu's largest furniture company (Freeri) was ready to greet us as we arrived at our fourth meeting, the second of the afternoon. Since I had lifted in the gym during the last several mornings, I was sore and needed a good stretch. When I departed the bus, I opened my arms to the side (stretching). In the same moment, the president had planned to shake my hand, but when he noticed my unusual stretch he thought I was going to hug him as a greeting.

As a polite response to my gesture, he opened his arms – preparing to give me a hug (remember, I never met the Chinese executive). That’s when I realized what was about to happen. I could either pull back and give him a respectful handshake or… shoot, why not just give him a hug?!? So that’s what I did. I hugged him.

The rest of the team followed the handshaking protocol and a few thought to themselves, “Huh? How does Jordan know that guy already?”

So, that’s the light moment of the day that I wanted to share before crashing tonight. In reality, I want to share a mouton, like having tea with the highest-ranking Chengdu government official Monday --- and the next day, waking up to a colleague showing you your photo in the party’s paper. I also heard that we made it on the evening television news. Each day is full. And I mean full. We are busy from 8am until 8pm so it’s difficult to get alone time. And when I do, I just want to workout, relax, and recharge by spending time in the Scripture and prayer. Each day is full of surprises, meetings, and experiences that are truly out of my league. I am so so so blessed to be right here, right now.

Thursday will be our final day in meet-n-greet settings before the real work begins.

??? If you know of a free/cheap video editor application that can handle large .mov files, please let me know.

Part 2: Overnight layover in Beijing

2009-04-26T02:21:00.006-05:00

When your travel itinerary is packed, you never really run out of things to share with friends back home. I am forcing myself to spend no more than a few minutes updating my blog each day so I can maximize my time soaking in the culture and meeting new people.

Today’s Sunday - a relaxed day to prepare for the busy week ahead. In 15 minutes, we will meet the rest of the team, the interpreters, and the General Manager of IBM China at Chengdu’s infamous Tea House.

Since I last wrote, I’ll take a moment to write short blast updates. Once I get in a routine, I’ll dive deeper into specific topics. Here we go:

Jin Sung, the 21-year-old college student who hosted me in Beijing, asked about my faith Saturday morning. We prayed together after he gave me...

... my Chinese name! I didn’t know I had more than one name?!? At the dinner table Friday night, his friends and him decided to call me “Wang Cong.” Wang means the king. Cong means clever. So together, my name is “The King of Clever” - Wang Cong. Ha ha! But, I don’t think that one will stick, because later Saturday, I was given another name by our partner, Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT) – “Jiang Dan”. Supposedly, “dan” translates roughly to “wisdom.”

After a two-hour flight west from Beijing, I arrived in Chengdu, a city of approximately 11 Million people. I was astonished by how much the city feels like a cross between a major Europe city and NYC.

DOT did a fine job welcoming us to Chengdu and showing us the amenities of the hotel. Bluntly, we are staying in a fantastic hotel in an ideal location. If they intended to treat us like royalty, I feel sure feel like it!

In the evening, my IBM colleagues and I walked to dinner near our hotel. Seven of the nine of us had arrived; the remaining two arrive today. Once we all meet again tonight, I’ll discuss more about the team. They all seem like suburb individuals, each with a unique background professionally and culturally. I love it!!!

I can barely type I’m so amped up right now. This morning, I went to a registered church nearby to worship. Of 500 people, I could easily spot the only other non-Chinese, who happened to be Americans from Samaritan’s Purse. I talked with JoaWe confirmed that the world is small, as we know several of the same people through Colorado Christian University, my alma mater. They have arranged the distribution of 65,000 shoeboxes as gifts to the children affected by the earthquake just northwest of Chengdu. Learn more about Samaritan’s Purse here

Overnight layover in Beijing (part 1)

2009-04-24T09:44:00.004-05:00

I've stayed awake for 30 hours so I could synchronize with the 12-hour time change. I’m healthy, safe and enjoying the first 8 hours in China! I need to sleep, so I’ll upload a few highlights from Thursday afternoon. Culture shock is coming on strong!

Flying over the North Pole while enjoying a bowl of noodles - not your average flight!

Visiting my new friend Jin Xiou (thanks for the introduction Shutao) at the Beijing Technology and Business University

Eating duck for dinner (delicious!) with Jin’s six dorm mates (an average American college would place two to a dorm)

Hours from take-off

2009-04-23T02:11:00.000-05:00

In 8 hours, I’ll sit down in a seat and not move for 15 hours. Washington DC to Beijing is going to be one long flight on Thursday. But I’m looking forward to it. The excitement has been building since my manager gave me the news November 17, 2008.

Friday, I plan to find my way from the Beijing airport to the Beijing University of Technology to meet Shutao’s friend and stay at the hotel on campus. I’ll write again then.

Today (Wednesday) was a mix of stress and joy. Three highlights. Count ‘em.

First, the Myanmar Embassy granted me a visa in 45 minutes. Yay! Myanmar is part of my post-China trip.

Second, IBM sent out a press release about my trip to newspapers in Detroit (hometown), Denver (collegetown), and DC. So far, one paper has picked up the story, The Oakland Press – the same paper that wrote an article about the company I started when I was 15 (Surmount Sites). Now, a decade later, the paper will publish follow-up article. Look for it April 23 and let me know what you think!

Third, the small group guys prayed for me. Normally, we’ll end small group by praying for each other’s specific requests. But, since I’ll be out for six weeks, they gathered around, laid hands, and prayed that our Father’s love would shine through me during the trip (Matthew 18:19). I am eager to share just as much as I am eager to learn from the cultures in Southeast Asia and China. I am so thankful for the brothers in my life (Proverbs 27:17)!

Tuesday night, 15 close friends stopped by my place for wine and ice cream cake to celebrate Sery’s 30th birthday. We also enjoyed Sichuan food from the best Chengdu-style restaurant in Northern Virginia. Happy Birthday Sery! Isn’t it great to be around people you care about? Friends, you refresh my soul. Thank you for the special bon voyage. I’ll quote Grandma Olivero’s classic toast, "May the hinges of friendship never rust."

About the last shot here: Marianne and Kim decided to sneak into my house and surprise me. I don't know how, but they snapped a photo at the right moment to capture me tossing my iPod headphones while grabbing my knee which I had just banged against the wall.

How I hope to return changed from the experience

2009-04-22T19:15:00.000-05:00

This question hits me close this week, because in a meeting, I didn’t naturally act the way I would have hoped. I am not the "polished, outstanding leader" that I want to be. I’m not perfect. I have jagged edges, some of which I hope this trip will soften.

I want to return to the US with:
1) A few memories to add to the top ten best of my life
2) Crushed presuppositions of what transnational teams can accomplish in four short-weeks
3) One characteristic noted in most global business leaders
4) Satisfaction knowing that, in someway, the team and I made an impact that mattered
5) A greater emphasis on relationship over productivity, the person over the task
6) A clearer perspective of life and career direction having engaged a broad range of individuals, corporations, industries, disciplines, and cultures
7) Less than I brought with me
8) No regrets

Closing the gap of perception and reality

2009-04-18T12:42:00.004-05:00

T-minus five days until I board a 747 and fly 14 hours straight from Washington DC across the Pacific Ocean to China! I can’t contain my excitement, part of which is the reason why I couldn’t sit down long enough to write blog entry this past week.

So, on this beautiful 76 degree sunny day in DC, I’m forcing myself to write out my thought on how things will go in Chengdu. When I get there, I’ll write about how things actually are on-site. Comparing expectations to reality could be intriguing for me and for you the reader.

Let’s start with China in general. I feel like I know what to expect in the Latin American and Spanish culture, but my perception of China is based purely upon Chinese friends, the Olympics, Chinatown in San Francisco, and of course, Chinese food. Yum. My passion for reading the Economist weekly often enables me to breeze through a few articles about the economy and political scene. Although, I have a surface level understanding at best. I don’t know how to say much more than “Hello” and “Good” in Mandarin. This could be a blessing, but most likely it’ll be a frustration. Tangent: When I traveled in Russia last summer, I became annoyed with the backwards Rs, Ps, Ns, and Ls. I could get by because I have already learned Spanish. But Chinese symbols? Let’s be honest: I will only be as effective as my interpreter.

I’m going to pull out the worldview card again. In fact, I’ll do it a lot on this blog because it’s personal and not a corporate representation. I see China from the eyes of a curious, yet largely ignorant American consultant: a business revenue stream and important supply chain node; an capitalist’ opportunity and a political threat to democracy. Some of this is based on truth, the majority on false perception. However, the more a learn, the wider my eyes grow and the more sensitive I become as a citizen of America as well as a citizen of the globe. I’m eager to close the gap between reality and perception.

The Chinese approach interpersonal relationships differently than I do. I’m the direct opposite in some regards, and thus, I can imagine that I will cause some conflict as a result. Our team will not achieve as much as we anticipate. That’s life, but it will be intensified as an international team. Cultural barriers must be overcome for effectiveness. I expect this to be the root of most conflict in expectations as well as communications. My goal is to prepare to surmount any barriers through reading, asking questions, and thinking before speaking. I’ll be sensitive of my body language but expect to make a mistake in the first few days as I become accustomed to the culture. Hopefully, it’ll be something we can laugh about later.

I expect the hotel to have a strange faucet, toilet, and lampshades. I mean, Europe loves strange designs. When I lived in Spain, I was amazed by how much I appreciated the little design differences. I expect China will have a few unique designs up their sleeve too. Now, the bed might be a tad smaller. The Internet connection might be half as slow as I am accustomed. And the people might be twice as respectful, friendly, and eager to smile.

I am looking forward to meeting Chinese people the most -- not Chinese people from Beijing, Shanghai, or Hong Kong. I’m talking about Chinese people from central China, free from heavy foreign influence; raw and undeterred by social norms of the West. Will I find the originality that I expect? Unlikely. But I hope that the rural setting of Chengdu will smash my expectations of China – who it was, who it is, and who it is becoming. Altogether, I expect my gap of perception and reality to close quickly in the weeks ahead.

Introduction to the Corporate Service Corps

2009-04-16T20:28:00.001-05:00

Last year, IBM selected me for a special project called the Corporate Service Corps (CSC). Google it and you'll pull up plenty of media coverage. Of this group, eight IBMers and I will arrive in Chengdu - the Sichuan province- on the 25th of April. As the first CSC team in China, we will spend one month working in this region devastated by earthquakes in May 2008.

IBM has partnered with an NGO to serve the members of the Chengdu Chamber of Commerce in three areas: strategic planning, smart logistics, and high-tech strategy. Our professional backgrounds are as diverse as our native countries: Australia, India (2), US (2), Malaysia, Netherlands, Ireland & Germany. Although we’re not all business strategy consultants, we’ll assess their approach, propose best practices, and facilitate workshops.

Though I’m the youngest in the CSC, I’m facilitating the sub-team advising members of Chengdu’s High-Tech Zone. The topics of our workshops are:
• Building a Successful Software Outsourcing Firm (May 7)
• Investing in People: IT Talent Development (May 14)
• How IT Companies Can Thrive in the Global Financial Crisis (May 21)

Honestly, I feel a little inadequate to deliver to the expectations set, so I’m asking for your support. Send me anything you think might help (i.e. an article, a slide-deck, an introduction to a friend, etc). It’s my hope that you will play a role in the success of our team, as we will set the strategy for the multiple teams that follow. If the least you can do is pray, please pray (James 5:16). I’ve never been paid to have as much fun as this, which is probably why I’m working on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon.

This is a unique opportunity for so many stakeholders: you, me, the team, IBM, the emerging market in Central China, and the future prosperity of Chinese citizens in the region near Chengdu.

I feel enormously privileged to participate in this program!

Visit our team blog at https://www-146.ibm.com/corporateservicecorps/node/2895

Reviving the blog

2009-04-10T18:39:00.008-05:00

After a little pep talk from Kacie Linegar, another IBMer in the Corporate Service Corps, I am committing to update this blog once every other day during my adventures through western China, Thailand, Laos, and Tibet. I don't expect to have Internet access everyday, but when I do, I'll log on and write something – even just a short note, quote, conviction, or humorous anecdote.

You know that I'm on the computer M-F already, so I'm not looking forward to spending more time. But I see the value in sharing experiences with you – the faceless, nameless Internet surfer.

What's the value? My hope is that your worldview will expand. See, I have a lens through which I view the world; we all do. Although I'll try to be transparent and clear, my perspective is not objective. I am a born-again Christian with a Biblical worldview. I have a slightly conservative political preference, one unassociated with a political party. I like to uncover the root motives of human behavior. I don't think capitalism is the economic model God prefers, but I think it's the best among alternatives. You may agree or disagree with what I post. Either way, I plan to write transparently and authentically and engage all replies.

If my posts expand your worldview and motivate changes in the way you live, then I will consider this blog worthwhile.

I raise my glass to you, the visitor. Thanks for stopping by.

Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run

2009-04-06T06:15:00.000-05:00

Running in the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Race, April 5, 2009 with Elyse Derian. She keep me chasing her so I could run by personal best: I placed in the top 12% with a 1:11:38 finish and a 7:10/mi pace. It was a gorgeous day.

Sangria is back

2009-03-15T17:05:00.003-05:00

Back by popular demand... kick off the Spring in Dupont with friends and a delicious cup of the famous sangria.
E-card.

What will the new president need to understand about water?

2008-10-27T06:15:00.000-05:00

This article, sent by co-worker, takes a look at the water issues the next president will face. In it, Peter Gleick, president and cofounder of the Pacific Institute, an Oakland, California-based environmental think tank, briefs eight slides.

"Nearly 1 billion people worldwide lack access to safe drinking water...
Proposal: Fund clean-water, sanitation, and hygiene projects in the developing world."

Considering the material I have read, this is the most comprehensive, visual illustration of the dilemma. It is worth a glance if you are a visual learner.

Fit & Healthy

2008-10-26T22:03:00.003-05:00

My mom wrote an article for her church’s newspaper. This month, she mentioned The Last Well Movement and our team’s success in a couple short paragraphs. Thanks for your support Mom. Check out her bi-weekly blog, "Fit & Healthy," for women who want encouragement to continue to eat healthy and get fit.

What is GOOD?

2008-10-16T22:13:00.002-05:00

When I met Jonathan Greenblatt, co-founder of EthosWater, at a CSIS event in DC, I expected to prod him about the marginal 2.5 cents per bottle donated to clean water initiatives. It seemed too trivial (I won’t get into the story here). I talked with him and left the event with his business card that read, “CEO. Good, Inc.”

GOOD is a collaboration of individuals, businesses, and nonprofits pushing the world forward. Since 2006 they’ve been making a magazine, videos, and events for people who really care. Their website, http://www.good.is/, is an ongoing exploration of what GOOD is and what it can be. Check it out yourself. As for me, I appreciate the unique, fresh articles of social entrepreneurs pushing the envelope of what can be done when “helps” and “profit” intersect. What’s the coolest part? It’s basically free. When you subscribe, they donate 100% of your membership fee to the organization you choose. Now that’s innovative.

Sangria | The Olivero Portion

2008-10-15T13:04:00.005-05:00

How do you make enough sangria for 45-75 people? I didn’t know how, but I did it Oct. 10 and it worked. Here’s how you can too. Depending on the size of your party, set aside a couple hours to prepare. To make a smaller portion (highly recommended), just divide each quantity in the “Quantity” column. I would divide by six (6) if I was to make enough for 12-15 people. Import the table into Excel if you want to get it just right.

I spent nearly $260 to buy the ingredients above to make enough for my party. You don’t have to, but quality is always your best value.

You are already using natural sugars, so don’t add sugar unless you want to ruin the authentic taste. Cut the strawberries in halves. Don’t slice the apples too small. For best results, prepare everything (except the apples) 24 hours before serving. This allows the fruit to marinate, as it should, with the delicious concoction. Keep refrigerated. Serve chilled, but don’t dilute with ice. Drink responsibly and have fun!

Que aproveche!

media from Mt. Elbrus trip

2008-08-12T11:42:00.004-05:00

Top 30 Photos. Who wants to scroll through hundreds of photos of someone else? So I picked the best 30 I could collect, added a caption, and posted them here for you.
Video 1. Includes highlights using the limited shots I took with Marc's camera. It's about 4:00 minutes and 25 Mbs. Check it out on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWFWTH315Rg
Video 2. I will share this by REQUEST ONLY. If you'd like to see it, just reply, "send me the video." This may be the most interesting update as my trip to the summit of Elbrus was threatened before I arrived at its base. In this seven-minute video, I describe God's provision in the midst of my precarious situation separated from the team and my quest to reunite at the base of Mount Elbrus –1500 miles away.

j-Mo's top 7 Christian hip-hop DJs/artists

2008-07-22T14:51:00.006-05:00

I love hip-hop music, especially freestyling over hot tracks. Ok, so "J-Mo & Crew" only produced two tracks, but on the real, I've listened to and followed the Christian hip-hop industry since 1998. Here are some of my favorite artists that made the top 7:

www.datruth.net/

http://www.theambassadoronline.com/

http://www.lasymphony.com/

www.myspace.com/jj4reel

http://www.djmaj.com/

www.myspace.com/othello

http://www.kj52.com/

I provided links so you could quickly find their most recent, free music. Do you agree/disagree with the list? Who are your favorite?

Five-minutes on the summit of Elbrus

2008-07-15T21:36:00.005-05:00

That's all the time we had as a snowstorm rolled in and one of the climbers deteriorated with cerebral edema. Fortunately, we are all safe and healthy, although some of us are still regaining 100% feeling in our fingers and toes.

My apologies! As I reintegrate into life in DC, I am working each day to deliver you an email update - all at one time - including a video blog during the trip to recount the times when God showed up in a big way. For frequent blog updates from the team, visit http://www.thelastwell.com/blog-content.

Here is a photo of us (8 of the 11 guys) at the summit. I am sitting (come on, I was tired!) second, from the left. For more photos from the trip, Ryan Wheaton (one of the climbers) posted several albums:

http://picasaweb.google.com/rswheaton/Elbrus2008

http://picasaweb.google.com/rswheaton/Moscow2008

humbled, grateful, and submitted to God's will – Elbrus or bust!

2008-06-29T09:56:00.000-05:00

Terskol, RUSSIA. I am so glad to be with the team! Yeeeehaaa! We spent all day on a glacier at 8000 feet, learning how to walk and climb with crampons.

Tomorrow morning, we leave for Elbrus, but we’ll actually make the summit push early Wednesday morning – depending on the weather. For more extensive reports of our trip check out Todd Phillips’ blogs at www.thelastwell.org. We will not have access to any communication tools until we return Friday.

As some of you know, Thursday and Friday were crazy days… much like a roller coaster as I made progress and encountered setbacks along my quest to reunite with the team. In short, you need a visa to stay, travel in, and leave Russia. If you loose your passport (like I did), you also loose your visa. Fortunately, I made a copy of my passport, but did not copy my visa. On top of it all, I was pickpocketed on the street in Moscow right after I left the Embassy with my new passport.

For the record, I lost my passport because I did a handstand and it slipped out of my pocket. For a brief 15 minutes, I switched my pants (secure for my passport) with my friends shorts (not secure) so he could go into the church to visit (you must wear pants to enter). So, while I was waiting, I did a handstand for a picture and didn’t realize it came of the pocket. Sad, but true. When I returned two hours later, it was gone. We were scheduled to leave in 12 hours.

I can’t go into the detail of all the events that had to come together to get me to the base of Elbrus. But, I did record moments of progress in short video clips. Besides the team, I was astonished to actually arrive at the lodge yesterday afternoon – only to miss one hike. Only thirty-six hours ago, I was waving good-bye to the team, hoping for the 5% chance I would be able to return to them and make the attempt at the summit.

So, all this to say, prayer works. God is faithful and we CAN trust Him. Even when crap hits the fan, we can remain positive by acknowledging the true source of joy and use our circumstances for God’s glory.

I look forward to sharing the story with all of you, but for now, I must go eat dinner with the guys.

Shout outs go to: Andrew Good’s BlackBerry, Arielle and Jensina (txt msgs of encouragement), Marc Janoff (connection to Raisa), Raisa (for the accommodations), the team at Top Sport Travel, Travel Protectors, Phil Ershler, Igor, Oleg, and countless others that prayed throughout the day. Your prayers made all the difference.

We had an amazing day today on the glacier using our ice axes and climbing nearly vertical 20’ walls of ice at 8000 feet. All along the trail, I kept thanking God for allowing me to experience this once-in-a-lifetime trip that almost fell through my hands. I am humbled, grateful, and submitted to His will – Elbrus or bust!

trip photos to-date

2008-06-27T14:07:00.000-05:00

From Frankfurt, to Moscow, to Terskol...

Frankfurt is expensive, but fun.

Moscow is more expensive, but less fun.

Can't pass the gate without a passport/visa. Left with only my carry on and a GSM phone, I am here waving goodbye to the team, hoping to meet them at the base Elbrus the next day (should God will it). Story to come... God performed miracles to return me to the team.

Spreading the vision of the Last Well at a Russian language center.

Finishing a day training on a glacier at 8000 ft.

frankfurt and moscow are similar in that...

2008-06-23T01:17:00.001-05:00

... rarely does the average citizen smile!

Pitts and I had a great time in Frankfurt for a few days during our
layover. We stayed with his friend, toured castles, and watched a
couple matches of the EuroCup downtown.

We met up with the rest of the group at the Hostel in Moscow, learning
quickly how difficult it is to navigate w/o English! It took Pitts and
I about four hours to make it from the airport to our hostel - with
five bags!

Now that we are bunking with nine other guys, it reminds me more of
summer camp than anything. We're heading out to explore Moscow today.

Arlington send off

2008-06-19T13:28:00.000-05:00

thank you.

A fresh perspective from a friend

2008-06-08T16:20:00.000-05:00

Lucus sent this email to his friends and family Thursday. I appreciate his heart and ability to paint a word-picture.

###

Will you partner with me in asking for the Lord's blessing on this initiative? The Last Well Movement and LWI's operations all over the world really are doing the Lord's work. LWI operates at the highest level of efficiency in delivering Integrated Water Solutions in areas of need. It brings me so much pleasure to think about:

Jordan, Zach, Todd Phillips, and our other friends climbing that mountain, snow whipping all around them.
Time spent together in the tents at night as they reflect on the expedition and read the Word together.
The feeling of achievement when they stand at the summit, looking at an indescribable scene.

Wow! -The children of Liberia (and in so many other areas) dancing in a freshly connected well as it spews clean water into the air, dancing and giving thanks! (Kids that have spent every day of their life walking miles a day, carrying jugs of polluted water.)

What fantastic scenes! Haha. And the members of every drill team spending time in the communities, building relationships, serving, sharing Christ's love. We are already a part of helping these scenes to be reality. What a gift. God bless, Lucas

You can follow along with the Mt. Elbrus team as they ascend the highest peak in Europe on http://www.thelastwell.org/

###

Local event: Commissioning of the Elbrus Expedition Team

2008-06-01T19:30:00.000-05:00

When: Sunday June 8, 2008, 5:30 p.m.
Where: Frontline at McLean Bible Church, Virginia
List of Climbers: Click here

This is our official "send-off." If you can make it, we would certainly appreciate it, but if not, please pray for us - it's just as important as we prepare during the final weeks. If you're not in the DC region, you can visit our Internet Campus for a live video feed.

Training on Old Rag w/ packs

2008-06-01T19:12:00.000-05:00

Zach Casper, Tom Heffernan, Andrew Pitts (part of the Elbrus Expedition) and I finished a grueling hike Saturday. On a gorgeous day, we trekked nearly 12 miles (portions using the same boots we'll use on Mt. Elbrus) and climbed almost 4,000 vertical feet with packs ranging from 40-70 pounds. By the end of the day, we were exhausted. However, we know we have to keep the vision in sight. Elbrus is not about us. It’s about the Liberians who desperately need clean water. Praying before we started our climb focused our climb and motivated us during the times we need to persevere.

Along the trail, we encountered a black bear, a boy-scout troop, and many groups of hikers. We eagerly shared our mission with most groups. The Last Well Movement is contagious!

After a downpour during our second climb up Old Rag, we posed for a photo with a hiker.

Gala Attracts Record Crowd

2008-04-09T20:57:00.000-05:00

For a report, see the article posted by Living Water International

Supporting the evening, IBM and Cliff and Chris Olivero (my parents) hosted two tables for 22 IBMers and friends.

Todd Phillips recognized the entire Elbrus Expedition

Talking with the Founder of the Last Well Movement Todd Phillips

Living Water Int'l DC Gala

2008-04-03T23:04:00.000-05:00

This is important to me because, as this blog describes, I spent three weeks in November to serve Kenyans and Rwandans clean water with Living Water International (http://www.water.cc/). This respectable organization has provided clean water to more than 7 million people in over 25 countries! Upon my return from East Africa, my renewed passion ignited discussions with a mentor that finally led to the concept of a movement to literally end the water-crisis. We will launch The Last Well Movement (http://www.thelastwell.org/) during the keynote address by Todd Phillips. He will also introduce me and a team of 10 other guys that have volunteered to climb the world's highest peaks to advocate and raise funds for completely ending the water crisis in Liberia by 2013.

Plus, my parents, Cliff and Chris Olivero, and IBM are hosting two tables of ten people each. You can't ask for better support than that!

When: Tuesday, April 8. Reception starts at 6 p.m. Dinner commences at 7 p.m.
Where: Hilton Washington Dulles Airport, 13869 Park Center Rd, Herndon, VA.
Attire: Business formal.
Plate: $50
To register, call 281-207-7800.

We expect 670 people this year! That's more than double the number of the inaugural attendance (300) last year.

social entrepreneurship [EthosWater] to help people gain access to clean water

2008-03-17T21:38:00.000-05:00

CSIS hosted Jonathan Greenblatt, Founder of Ethos Water and former vice president for Starbucks Coffee Company, for a discussion on social entrepreneurship and the role of the private sector in enhancing U.S. global leadership. Launched in 2003, Ethos Water has raised over $6 million to help children in Central America, Africa, and Asia gain access to clean water. Erik Peterson, Director of the Global Strategy Institute, introduced Mr. Greenblatt. This event is one of a series related to the CSIS Commission on Smart Power, a high-level bipartisan group that recently released the Smart Power Commission final report, "A Smarter, More Secure America."

I asked Jonathan Greenblatt a question at 1 hr 22 min [more] about how to motivate the generation older than 40 to care about the water crisis. I botched up my question, but that's besides the point. I have tremendous respect for Greenblatt and the humility that is evident in his personality.

"out of pocket" until April 8

2008-03-16T21:11:00.000-05:00

I have been “out of pocket” largely due to a career commitment which will conclude on April 7. I'm looking forward to focusing more of my attention to honoring God with water, microfinance, and Mt. Elbrus. For now, check out the updates at: www.thelastwell.com.

As our community prepares for the DC Living Water Int'l Gala on April 8, I am confident that people will stand in the gaps to get the job done. I expect a great turnout at the Second Annual Gala and hope to see you there! I’m eagerly looking forward to it. For more, check out www.water.cc.

Ugandan govt., LRA sign "permanent ceasefire,"

2008-02-26T18:58:00.000-06:00

Friends, notice that the first thing displaced communities need to return home is WATER.

Article link...
http://www.resolveuganda.org/node/556
published February 24th, 2008

how to get people to enjoy giving you money

2008-01-29T18:58:00.000-06:00

Love what you do so much that you enjoy doing it for free. Now, do it so well, people enjoy paying you to do it.

Another random thought, I am gradually learning the difference between good decisions and wise decisions. It's making all the difference.

one laptop per child

2007-12-21T10:41:00.000-06:00

www.laptop.org

It's a great idea, but it needs real support to get it off the ground. I know what's like to hand over four of them in Uganda. It surprised me that a medium-sized business did not know how to use the "=" sign to enable simple math and financial formulas in Excel. Can you believe it?

Has anyone thought about the sustainability of this? For example, a village receives 1000 laptops. It's two years later and half need repair. What do you think?

trip review brunch creates connections

2007-12-10T17:12:00.000-06:00

Gathering your friends = $100 to prepare delicious (free) food

Friends connecting with other friends to address challenges in the world = priceless

Saturday, December 8, 2007.

Thank you for hosting Sery and Paul. We took this photo after I shared for an hour using a 30-slide PowerPoint and photos. If you would like a soft copy of the presentation, let me know. I would be glad to email it to you.

Video summary from East Africa

2007-12-09T23:44:00.000-06:00

come alive

2007-12-09T22:17:00.000-06:00

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." - Howard Thurman

an interview with Aime

2007-12-05T00:27:00.000-06:00

[This was a draft post from Nov. 14]
Meet my friend Aime - an orphan from the '94 genocide. He is the night security guard at the place I stayed in Kigali, Rwanda so I couldn't help but get to know him and relay his story to you. Aime was one of many strong, gentle people I met along my journey that relies on God's promises in Jeremiah 29:11. Can you spare two minutes?

trip review

2007-12-02T17:14:00.000-06:00

Trip Review and Next Steps
Saturday, December 8, 2007
10:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Washington DC (Location TBD)

A lioness, four leopards, a family of ostriches, two water buffalo, 300 chickens, and a camel with a bad castration. What do they all have in common?

Find out. Come have brunch and hear the stories that did not make it to the blog: Shooting photos of the Gabra warriors for USAID along the Ethiopian border; rapping in front of hundreds of children; being a part of the transformation of 30 teens; drilling and rehabilitating wells to provide fresh water for thousands in Rwanda; providing business systems consulting for microfinance institutions; facilitating the creation of new community bank for woman farmers; sharpening a ministry's strategy, fiscal position, and organizational structure; and refreshing the marriage of Ugandan couple.

My journey introduced me to experiences that led me to a greater understanding of the political, economic, social, and spiritual conditions of the bottom billion that live on nearly one dollar a day and the traps that keep them there. The most valuable part of the hour will be a discussion of "next steps" designed so you can walk away and make a difference today – even here in the community of DC. [Photo in Kigali, L to R: Bruce Whitmire, VP of Operations for LWI Africa; Justin Hughen, Business Manager for LWI Rwanda]

Eat. Listen. Interact. Pray. Be a catalyst for change.

reintegrating

2007-11-27T06:32:00.000-06:00

I had two chances to visit an Internet cafe during my stay in Gulu, Uganda - so, I am way behind. There is so much to share! By the way, I arrived at Dulles Sunday night without my bags, I still made it to work on time Monday. The adventure does not stop when I return. It begins.

Reintegrating into daily life is the priority right now, but I still have a lot to process. There are many insights gained and stories that must be shared! Plus, I have about 12 ideas for projects (related to both service and advocacy) but they require a team effort. I'll host a meal the weekend of Dec 7 to share and discuss next steps.

My second day on the ground in Gulu meeting with the village leaders and Acholi people... they were more than "stoked" to realize that this was their laptop (thanks to supporters like you)!

American concrete

2007-11-25T22:04:00.001-06:00

"Just when I think it's as good as it can get, this crazy life says 'you haven't seen anything yet'" - Brad Paisley "It did"

I'm back on American soil and it feels great! Thomas and Shutao picked me up from Dulles - thanks guys. However, I left my luggage in London. Actually, British Airways did. They say it's "missing." No big deal. It will show up tomorrow on the next flight.

I am safe, healthy, refreshed, renewed, and ready to show up at the office bright and early Monday morning. There is no better way to spend three weeks in November.

new friends

2007-11-24T21:49:00.000-06:00

my last post before leaving Africa, so here are some photos from yesterday:

...with my new friend on the bus from Gulu to Kampala, Uganda
... with my other new friend Leona from South Africa... she was a part of the adventure in Uganda and a tremendous blessing!

ok, I don't have enough bandwidth or time to upload any more photos... I'm off to the Nairobi airport to spend the next 20 hours in the air! Yeee haaa!

traveling on my 25th

2007-11-24T14:01:00.000-06:00

Afoyo! "hello" in Acholi and Happy Belated Thanksgiving! Fortunately, I was able to feast and celebrate with 14 other Americans from the Invisible Children headquarters. It was a blast!

Traveling across Africa today with Leona was definitely a memorable way enjoy my 25th birthday (Nov 24). Some highlights: I held a chicken on the bus, stopped the taxi to take a dip in Lake Victoria in my shorts, and attempted (not really) to give the Queen of England a high-five as she made her way to the Entebbe airport (CHOGM was hosted in Kampala this weekend - a big deal for Uganda).

I have so much to rewrite to post to this blog (most of what I want to update is in my journal and on a memory stick that will not connect to the computer here in Kenya).

Anyway, I don't really want to leave, but the time has come... and so I go. God is so faithful... 'nuff said.

Nairobi --> London --> DC arrival at 8:30 PM EST Sunday

four laptops and a first aid kit

2007-11-23T05:51:00.000-06:00

... were celebrated by 22 boys from the youth football leauge in Gulu, Uganda. Earlier, twenty of these boys made a decision about eternity which was later celebrated with plenty of Coke and Fanta.

photos

2007-11-20T12:49:00.000-06:00

as much as i can upload with the low bandwidth and limited access in Gulu...

drilled and found H2O for 57K but distribution limited by gov't

2007-11-14T15:12:00.000-06:00

I wish I had the time to share the stories that developed yesterday and today as we drilled bore holes and rehabilitated wells near Kigali. I'll develop this post when I have downtime the next few days as I travel to Gulu, but for now get this:

We drilled a bore hole outside Kigali Tuesday. It produces 800 liters per minute (lpm). What does 800 lpm mean to you? Now, I understand it may be difficult to imagine until I post photos, but this metric should help you grasp the impact. The World Health Organization has a standard that states the average person requires 20 liters per day for drinking, cooking, and washing. When you do the calculations, we struck gold. Our hole has the capacity to provide enough water for 57,600 people!

In another post, I'll explain why we have to install a low capacity hand pump. Basically, when a government condones a monopoly, it really agitates me. More to come on this.

I want to share more but I must pack and get some rest. Tomorrow is a busy day as I fly with a new friend to Entebbe to meet with Aloysius from Sports Outreach Institute. I’m eager to be in Uganda, but I'll certainly miss Rwanda.

don't let it happen again

2007-11-13T00:05:00.000-06:00

Paraphrased, one of the quotes at the Genocide memorial stuck with me: I would not describe the Genocide of 94 as the mass murder of nearly one million. Rather, it was a million acts of murder against one ethnic group.

You could spend an entire day at this memorial. Unfortunately, I was limited to only two hours to slowly make my way through the displays. This was not my first time. I visited Dachau (Holocaust site near Munich) for a day in the fall of 2003. It’s been four years since I was reminded, in an up-close and personal way, of the consequences of genocide. Darfur is in the news. It’s happening as you read this post, but it’s not history, there isn’t a museum or memorial for it yet.

I know it’s obvious, but wake up, the Rwandan genocide happened in our lifetime! This is not an atrocity that is relative to an older generation like this list of genocides in the 20th Century:

The Hereros, 1904-1905
Armenia, 1915-1918
Holocaust, 1939-1945
Cambodia, 1975-1979
The Balkans, 1990s
Rwanda, 1994

The violence was not quick and swift. It was intended to eradicate the Tutsis by torture, rape, public humiliation, and finally, extermination. The effects of this world disaster (I believe the UN and the US are held responsible besides France and Belgium) still perpetuate today. In Kigali, there is not one person (older than 18) that I have met that has not been affected.

However, I am optimistic for the youth. They are determined to refer to themselves as Rwandans, not by tribe. It is apparent to me that God is at work in this city, restoring family members and friends that at one time divided to the point of death. I know this because my God is the source of true forgiveness – the beginning of reconciliation. The general consensus is that Rwanda is relatively safe. The Rwandans trust each other more here than nearly anywhere else in Africa. What an outcome of a torn nation! Where love abounds, there is no fear. I pray that God would continue to repair the broken.

From your seat, you can make a difference too. First, know what happened in Rwanda (link to Wikipedia article). Then, start paying more attention to the Darfur headlines. Let's not be silent this time!

where in the world...

2007-11-11T13:34:00.000-06:00

View Larger Map

my first encounter with the results of genocide

2007-11-09T08:13:00.000-06:00

Imagine with me: You are 17-years-old and have two parents, two sisters, and five brothers. All of a sudden, genocide breaks out in your city – your country's capital. Because you belong to a certain tribe, everyone in your family is murdered.

I met Martin this afternoon while running in the hills of Kigali. He is now 29-years-old. Here is another: her name is Jeanne. We met on the flight from Nairobi to Kigali today. She, like Martin, lost her entire family except her sister in the genocide.

I have been here for three hours and met two Rwandans, both were affected by the genocide and both are Christians that know God beyond a religious-sense. They know without a doubt that God had His hand over them. And it's true. I know there stories. I don't have time to tell them here, but they exist. They are not headlines on microfiche. Locals to Kigali, these individuals, created in the image of God, told me that they are strengthened daily by their faith in Jesus Christ. What a testimony!

Before we parted ways, Martin and I prayed together (he in Kinyarwandan and me in English) for God's provision of various necessities in his life - all of which we take for granted.

I'm sure you realize I have ten more stories to share from the last week. But when you consider the time it takes to process it and then find a computer and write about it, well, I just can't get to it all. Now, I’m in a home where I will be able to post photos and updates more frequently until I leave for Gulu, Uganda on the 16th.

Psalm 41:1-3

ever heard of a bgan?

2007-11-06T10:41:00.000-06:00

It's the only Internet connection in 300 miles. If you can look up the town, I'm in Marsabit – it’s in northern Kenya, about 60 miles from the Ethiopian border. I’m traveling with a rep from USAID in his Land Cruiser across some pretty rough terrain. It took us about nine-hours to get to Marsabit Lodge last night. This lodge is built on the side of a crater in the center of a national park filled with all the wild animals you would expect in Africa. He was kind enough to let me use his laptop, connected to a microwave dish (the bgan), to update you.

Ok, enough about how remote we are and how we got here.

As I see the water collection sites, talk in the truck with USAID, and read a book called “The Bottom Billion,” (thanks Mark and Elias) I realize that service must be connected to advocacy. More on that in another post.

So, highlights: I know London. A young man named Jabutu has my John Deere hat. I raced a young man today and lost, twice, and almost biffed it both times as I was forced to jump bushes (we’re in the desert). I rapped for a group of nomadic Gabras (a tribe). I saw four leopards this morning, all within 10 feet. And, a wild buffalo was hanging around my cabin door last night. I think he smelled me… after three days without a shower, I’m pretty sure I smell like roses.

We’re about to have dinner – probably goat and head to bed so we can get up early and head back to Nairobi. I’m digesting a lot and can’t wait to share how God is moving in this forgotten part of the world.