Dominican Republic

A Super Fast Start to 2012

Can we slow things down a little? I don’t know about you but I reckon this year has started way too fast. My head is spinning with all that’s going on. So much is happening and in less than two weeks I’ll be cycling the Great Ocean Road in Victoria to release children from poverty.

If you want to find out more about my big adventure just watch the video below. In it I tell the story of escaping Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, as rioting escalated and smoke from burning barricades filled the air.

Having seen first hand, both in Haiti and Dominican Republic, how effective Compassion’s work is, I am determined to do more to help. That’s why from the 12th to the 14th of February I’ll be taking part in the 25000 Spins Great Ocean Road Challenge.

I’ll be riding 290 kilometres in three days and I need your support. By sponsoring my efforts on the challenge you’ll be releasing children from poverty. You’ll be giving children a real chance at life. Please visit my fundraising page and make a contribution. Maybe you can afford to sponsor me for a dollar a kilometre, maybe 50 cents a kilometre, or perhaps you’d just like to donate $10, $20, $50 or any other amount.

The other thing I’d ask you to do is to spread the video as far and as wide as you can so that it make the biggest impact in releasing children from poverty. Please put it on your blog, share it on Facebook, use the sharing buttons below and do whatever else you can do to help raise much needed funding to support the work of Compassion.

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Cycling to Release Children from Poverty

Jan 2nd, 2012

by Rodney Olsen.

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Please take the time to watch the video above. In it I tell the story of escaping Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, as rioting escalated and smoke from burning barricades filled the air.

Having seen first hand, both in Haiti and Dominican Republic, how effective Compassion’s work is, I am determined to do more to help. That’s why from the 12th to the 14th of February 2012 I’ll be taking part in the 25000 Spins Great Ocean Road Challenge.

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Pedalling Compassion

Dec 20th, 2011

by Rodney Olsen.

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In April 2008 I escaped Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, as rioting escalated and smoke from burning barricades filled the air. I was part of a media team travelling with Compassion Australia, there to see their aid work in one of the world’s very poorest nations. We were meant to be there for about a week but were evacuated within 48 hours of arriving due to the rapidly changing situation. Some Haitians had died and many more had been injured. We had been far too close to some of the rioting for comfort.

We had a very difficult journey to the airport and at times we were in very real danger. We finally hooked up with some armed police who escorted us to the airport. We were to fly to Dominican Republic but the flight was cancelled. The airline was not prepared to fly into Haiti. Later that day we finally made it out with another airline.

Haitians were rioting because they had nothing to eat and were unable to provide food for their families. That’s the kind of place that Compassion works.

It Gets Worse

On Tuesday the 12th of January last year a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti, killing around 220 000, injuring more than 300 000 and affecting 3.5 million people. Even before the quake, 86% of people in Port au Prince were living in slum conditions. Compassion was there and continues to work with the people of Haiti.

Something Must Be Done

Haiti is just one country where Compassion is working. All over the world, often in difficult circumstances, Compassion is working to release children from poverty. They can only do their job if we’re prepared to get involved. Since that trip to Haiti our family has sponsored a boy from Haiti through Compassion. It’s a small contribution but we know we’re making a difference.

Let’s Ride

Having seen first hand, both in Haiti and Dominican Republic, how effective Compassion’s work is, I am determined to do more to help. That’s why from the 12th to the 14th of February 2012 I’ll be taking part in the 25000 Spins Great Ocean Road Challenge.

When I think of all the opportunities I provide for my own children, I can’t sit back without offering the most basic of opportunities to someone else’s child. My parent’s heart won’t allow me to do nothing.

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Give it away

Nov 13th, 2009

by Rodney Olsen.

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What are you prepared to give away? I guess that depends on what you truly value – not what you say you value – but what you really do value.

An Australian academic has just made a pledge to give away half of his lifetime earnings. Dr Toby Ord reckons that his days as a student weren’t too bad so he’s going to continue living like a student so that his money can help make the world a better place.

Dr Toby Ord, a 30-year-old ethics researcher with the Future of Humanity Institute, has agreed to give up 10 per cent of his annual salary, plus any yearly earnings above £20,000 (AUD $35,631).

Dr Ord says if he lives like a student, he should be able to give away around £1 million (AUD $1.78 million).

“My student years were not extravagant, but were immensely enjoyable, with the chief enjoyments such as reading beautiful books and spending time with my wife and friends costing almost nothing,” Dr Ord said. – News.com.au

That’s a tough act to follow but it really does raise the question for each of us of what we are seeking in life. Are we seeking better relationships and simple pleasures or do we still run after material goods? We might say that money doesn’t buy happiness but do our lives back that up?

I love the fact that Dr Ord has picked up on the fact that the things that give him the most pleasure and give life greater meaning are not things that money can buy. I do wonder why so many of us keep chasing things that we know will never make us happy when the opportunity to enhance our lives and the lives of those we love are already within our grasp.

I need to be honest and say that I couldn’t give away half my yearly earnings. I’m not on an academic’s wage. In fact, my wage looks very much closer to the amount that Dr Ord has agreed to restrict himself to using each year. Out of that money our family supports a number of worthwhile causes yet I have to keep asking myself, should I be doing more? Our standard of living is still extremely extravagant compared to those I’ve seen in places like India, Haiti and Dominican Republic.

The good news is Dr Ord doesn’t expect us all to cut our earnings in half. He’s launching a site called Giving What We Can, encouraging us all to examine what we can be doing to alleviate the suffering of others in our world.

One of the great things about giving money away is the freedom that it gives. It says that my money doesn’t control me – I control my money.

If you do decide that you need to use the resources you’ve been given to create a better life for others there are many organisations doing great work around the world. Let me encourage you to check out Compassion. I’ve seen their work first hand and I seen the proof that the money donors give makes a world of difference. You can visit Compassion Australia or the Compassion International site.

So what do you really value? Think about what truly matters to you, examine the way you’re living, and see if the two match. It’s a challenge we all need to face.

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Compassion Bloggers in India

Apr 25th, 2009

by Rodney Olsen.

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OK … I admit it … I’m jealous.

A bunch of bloggers is getting to combine two things that I’m passionate about – India and Compassion.

From tomorrow until the 2nd of May a group of five bloggers will leave their comfortable lives behind to witness firsthand the ministry of Compassion International to the poor of East India. I imagine that the trip will be similar to the one that I took just over a year ago to Haiti and Dominican Republic where we saw how Compassion is making a difference in the lives of those who live in desperate poverty.

I was travelling with Compassion Australia, part of the worldwide Compassion family. What I saw absolutely convinced me that not only can we make a difference, but that Compassion is an organisation that can use our money wisely to see the greatest benefit delivered to each child in their projects. Working alongside the local churches in the areas they serve, Compassion can absolutely guarantee that they won’t use a one size fits all solution. The partnership with the local church ensures that Compassion is dealing with specific local issues and tackling problems in the best possible way for the local people of any area.

As well as loving the work that Compassion does, I have a real love of India.

I’ve been to India twice, once in 2003 and once in 2005. Both times I was there to serve the local Bible Society through Bike for Bibles. I’d jump on a plane tomorrow if I was given the opportunity to visit India again. It’s a country that assaults all of your senses from the moment you step off the plane. It’s full of colour, smells, tastes and incredible experiences. It’s also a place where many are living desperate lives. My visit to one of the slums near Delhi will stay with me forever. I’ll never forget the pride on the face of the man who was showing us around as he pointed out his home to us. It was just metres away from a wide open sewer. The stench was disgusting. He was so pleased that we could see his home.

If you want to follow the Compassion Bloggers over the coming days either click the banner in this post or click here. One of the bloggers I read regularly is Anne Jackson of Flower Dust. She’s one of the bloggers on the tour and you can follow her account of the trip by clicking here.

You may never have the opportunity or the desire to visit a developing country but I beg you to follow these bloggers and try to put yourself in their shoes in the coming days. Let your heart break with the things that break their hearts and let your heart rise as they discover the hope that Compassion is offering in desperate situations.

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