Ada Broke My Heart

January 11, 2012
by Rodney Olsen
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SantoDomingo.jpgNext month I’ll be cycling to release children from poverty. Today I want to share part of the reason why I’m taking on that challenge.

I’ve interviewed dozens of famous singers, authors, personalities, politicians and celebrities over the years but if I had the chance to choose one moment from my radio career so far that stands high above the others it is the opportunity to tell Ada’s story. I’ll tell you more about that story in a few moments.

Over the past couple of months I’ve been looking back at my visit to Haiti and Dominican Republic with Compassion Australia in April 2008. That visit is the main reason I’m passionate about taking park in the 25000 Spins Great Ocean Road Challenge. Next month 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.

Ada’s Story

As I mentioned before, telling Ada’s story was a real highlight for me. The story of this young girl will break your heart then give you renewed hope in the difference that each one of us can make in the lives of others.

I beg you to take just fourteen minutes to listen to Ada’s story. I know that for many, setting aside fourteen minutes is too much to ask. If you’re one of the few who takes the time, I guarantee it’ll be worth it.

If you want to hear something to lift your spirits just click play on the audio player at the bottom of this post.

The whole story is worth hearing but I’ll warn you now that it will really start to touch your heart around half way through.

Ada is a girl I met and interviewed in Dominican Republic. She was a beautiful twelve year old with a bright future. I wish I could show you the picture I had taken with the two of us but I prefer to keep her identity somewhat private. You’ll understand why as you listen.

I talked to Ada, I visited her home and talked to her parents. I’m sure that all of us that visited her home on that day will remember the warm hug she gave each one of us as we left. She is a remarkable young girl.

I managed to track down her sponsor in Australia and shared Ada’s story with her. Lisa’s reaction to hearing her sponsored child’s voice is priceless. Hearing Lisa describe how she feels when she hears just how much of an impact she has had on Ada’s life is inspiring.

I don’t know what else I can say but to again beg that you take the time to hear this amazing story. If you do take the time, please let me know.



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Cycling to Release Children from Poverty

January 2, 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.

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.

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.

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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Taking the Challenge

December 20, 2011
by Rodney Olsen
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In my previous post I told you about joining the 25000 Spins Great Ocean Road Challenge to raise funds for Compassion.

I’ll be riding around 290 kilometres over three days to release children from poverty. I’ve seen Compassion’s work first hand in Haiti and Dominican Republic so I know it makes a real difference.

One of the other riders on the challenge is Andrew Streat, Marketing Director for Compassion Australia. Andrew’s based in New South Wales, on the other side of Australia, so I won’t get to ride with him until the event in February but I’m looking forward to meetin him and the others who are riding for a great cause.

Prior to joining Compassion, Andrew worked in a number of different fields and areas, including spending a decade in the Air Force travelling through Asia and Australia, picking up a managerial position in a Health and Fitness Centre, working with mentally disabled adults as a Diversional Therapist for Hunter Mission, and giving 15 years to various marketing and managerial roles with Pfizer Pharmaceuticals.

Joining Compassion in 2010, Andrew now heads up the marketing team by taking the common vision of seeing children released from poverty in Jesus’ name, and sharing this vision with supporters and child advocates throughout Australia. Andrew’s favourite quote, “stand for something or fall for anything” infiltrates all his actions as Marketing Director, as he seeks to show the Australian people why Compassion stands for children living in poverty, and how they can help advocate against this injustice.

Andrew is also a man of many hidden talents: he enjoys painting artworks, learning the violin, drinking good coffee and spending quality time surfing with his wife, Kim.

Today on my Morning Café radio program I spoke to Andrew about the challenge and how the money raised would be used to release children from poverty. You can click the play button on the audio player below to listen to our conversation.

[audio:http://mpegmedia.sonshinefm.ws/feeds/MOR201211_1125.mp3]

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Pedalling Compassion

December 20, 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.

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.

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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Do you need a pig?

December 19, 2011
by Rodney Olsen
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You might not have a lot of use for a pig but for a rural family in a developing country the simple gift of a pig could be just what they need to break free from poverty.

So where do you buy a pig and how do you get it to someone who needs it? Compassion Australia’s Gifts of Compassion is open and ready for business. Their gifts help people who are battling desperate poverty. They can take your money and turn it into a very real solution to poverty.

You can buy everything from mosquito nets to a mechanic workshop with lots more in between including chickens, cows, sewing machines and a kit to help new mums.

I know that it’s wonderful to receive gifts at Christmas but most of us already have more than enough ‘stuff’, so why not do something different this year and let your friends and family know that you’d like them to choose something from Gifts of Compassion for your Christmas gift this year?

Go on … you’ve thought about it before but unless you let your loved ones know now it’ll never happen.



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