Cafe Conversations with Jarrod McKenna

June 19, 2012
by Rodney Olsen
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One of the great privileges I have each month is to sit down in front of an audience and have a relaxed conversation with someone from our community. I get to find out more about them and the journey that life has handed them. Cafe Conversations has been a regular fixture on the last Sunday evening of the month throughout this year.

I’ll be in conversation with Jarrod McKenna at Thornlie Church of Christ this Sunday evening. I’ve interviewed Jarrod on radio a number of times in the past so I’m looking forward to hearing his story in a little more depth this weekend.

From slums in India to packed stadiums in America, prison inmates to university students, Greenpeace trainings to Mega-church meetings, nationally and internationally, Jarrod McKenna is a sought after social change facilitator, social commentator, activist trainer and speaker.

Last year alone he spoke to over 15,000 people, a little over 8,000 of which were students being trained through his award winning nonviolence program “EPYC!”.

He is the youngest person to be named a Donald Groom Peace Fellow and at the invitation of Tim Costello was recently appointed National Adviser on Youth, Faith and Activism for World Vision Australia.

Let me invite you to be part of an entertaining and insightful evening, within a relaxed environment, 6:30 this Sunday evening at Thornlie Church of Christ, 319 Spencer Road, Thornlie.



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58: The Film

May 28, 2012
by Rodney Olsen
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I saw an amazing movie last week. I had the honour of being at a screening of 58: The Film.

It’s a powerful movie that challenges us to believe that we can end extreme poverty. Over the past few decades we’ve seen dramatic changes to the numbers of people touched by poverty but there’s still a massive job ahead of us. The startling thing is, we have all we need to end poverty. We simply need the will to do something. We need to start taking poverty personally.

58: The Film tells the inspiring true story of the global Church in action, from the slums of Kenya and the quarries of India to the streets of New York. It’s a journey that confronts the brutality of extreme poverty and introduces those who are already living out the true fast of Isaiah 58.

To: 58: The Film is confronting, inspiring and eye-opening—but 58: is so much more. It is our hope that everyone who sees the film will be moved to take action. There are some clear ways for you to get involved with Compassion and 58: partners Micah Challenge and Stop the Traffik.

By visiting the 58: The Film website you can find out how you can be part of a movement to see poverty end in our generation. It’s very easy to run your own screening of the movie which will help mobilise and equip people to do something about the injustices our world is facing.

Today on my Morning Cafe radio program I spoke to Matt Darvas of Compassion Australia about the film and the impact it can have as we play our part in bringing justice to more people around the world.

Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke? —Isaiah 58:6



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Australia’s Commitment to Foreign Aid

May 3, 2012
by Rodney Olsen
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Both major political parties in Australia have promised to help lift more people, particularly children, out of poverty by increasing Australia’s foreign aid program to 0.5 per cent of Gross National Income by 2015. At the moment it’s just 0.35 per cent.

However, over the last few weeks, various statements by Prime Minister Gillard and news reports have suggested that this commitment may be postponed. With over a billion people still living in poverty and 21,000 children still dying every day, Compassion Australia is just one of the aid agencies calling on the government to keep their promise. Their Executive Director of Advocacy, DJ Konz, joined me on my Morning Cafe radio program to discuss the issue this week.

We all know that when we have to tighten our financial belts at home we have to decide what’s essential and what extras we can live without. The Australian government’s in a similar position as they try to bring the budget back in to surplus. I asked DJ why it’s essential for Australia that we keep sending money overseas.



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Great Ocean Road Challenge 2013

March 22, 2012
by Rodney Olsen
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It’s now over a month since I cycled in the 25000Spins Great Ocean Road Challenge for Compassion Australia. I’m already thinking of taking part next year and hoping that you might join me.

Check out the video above, which was released today, to get a better idea of what’s involved. If you’re a cyclist looking for an amazing adventure while you help release children from poverty, sign up now for the 2013 ride. You will not be disappointed.

I am so thankful for all those who contributed so generously towards my fundraising goal of $3000. I fell just $180 short. Of course, the fundraising page is still open for a short while so I’m still hopeful that a couple more people will chip in to get me over the line.



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World Water Day

March 22, 2012
by Rodney Olsen
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Did you know that today is World Water Day?

Water is the most important ingredient to life — we’re dependent on it for everything — so it makes sense to take one day a year to focus on the importance of fresh water and advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.

While there are still more than 780 million people around the world who lack access to improved water sources, there’s some good news. It seems that the clean drinking water target of Millennium Development Goal seven has been recently achieved.

Adopted by world leaders in 2000 with a 15-year timeline, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are concrete, numerical benchmarks for tackling extreme poverty in its many dimensions. MDG 7 is to halve by 2015 (from 1990 levels) the proportion of the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. And we’ve done it.
In 1990, only 76 per cent of the world’s population had access to clean drinking water facilities. By 2010, this had increased to 89 per cent. This means that over two billion people gained access to improved water sources from 1990 to 2010. At this rate, there will be universal access to clean drinking water by 2027.

So with a major Millennium Development Goal now being met is the job of providing safe, clean water for everyone on the planet in reach? This morning on my radio program, the Morning Cafe, I spoke to DJ Konz – Executive Director – Advocacy with Compassion Australia.

Compassion’s child development programs place access to clean, safe water at a priority. Through a program called Critical Interventions, Compassion tackles issues like clean water (wells and water purification systems), toilets and hygiene to provide solutions that enhance and improve living conditions for children in Compassion programs.

If you want to hear our conversation and find out what you can do to help provide clean water for more people on our planet, just click the play button of the audio player below.

[audio:http://mpegmedia.sonshinefm.ws/feeds/MOR220312_0953.mp3]

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