RetroRadio – Ada’s Story

RetroRadio is a series of posts of radio segments from my time working at 98five Sonshine FM covering everything from issues of spirituality to chats with visiting musicians and celebrities.

Hopefully, the segments spark a few memories and a few thoughts.

This Thursday, 98five is running Sponsor a Village, seeking to see a hundred children from the Philippines sponsored through Compassion Australia. I do hope that you’ll get involved and sponsor a child.

We hear a lot about ‘reality television’ these days but I still reckon radio is a great way to convey real stories. You don’t need a full production crew with cameras everywhere to capture reality for radio. A small audio recording device is a lot less intrusive than a camera or three and so people can tend to open up a lot more. Of course, having worked in radio for over 25 years I’m probably biased.

In 2008 when I was working for 98five, hosting the morning program, I saw the work of Compassion for the first time when I was invited to travel to Haiti and Dominican Republic.

DominicanRepublic

With Sponsor a Village coming up this week I’m remembering that very first trip where I was gathering stories about Compassion to be used on radio.

Today I want to highlight just one of the stories that came out of the trip in 2008.

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 that stands high above the others it is the opportunity to tell Ada’s story.

Ada’s Story

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 was a remarkable young girl.

Back then, 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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Where Have You Been?

Where Have You Been?

This year is almost at an end and as with most years it’s had it’s ups and downs. One of the big ‘ups’ is that I had my first ever overseas holiday. Together with my family I visited Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia.

I’ve been overseas a number of times in the past but it’s always been for work or for some other cause. This time it was all about enjoyment. That’s not to say that I haven’t enjoyed all my other trips but there’s something different about travelling purely for enjoyment and especially travelling with people you love.

Including my home country of Australia, I’ve actually been in 17 countries so far. I’ve been able to spend significant time in some countries with others only visited while in transit or for a very short time. The places I’ve been include Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, USA, Canada, India, Haiti, Dominican Republic, PNG, Bangladesh, Indonesia, South Africa, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Thailand, Myanmar and Hong Kong. You can see them all plotted out on the map below.


I wonder how many countries you’ve visited? Let me know your favourite (and maybe not so favourite) places in this wonderful world of ours.

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An Incredible Year

rwanda

On this day last year I began a new chapter in the journey of my life. I began working at Compassion Australia so that I could do more to see children released from poverty in Jesus’ name. It’s a move I’m so glad I made and I’m looking forward to what the year ahead and hopefully many others ahead will bring.

In the past twelve months I’ve spoken to hundreds of people about Compassion’s work and the huge difference it is making in 26 nations around our world. I’ve sat in the homes of people who are living in extreme poverty. I’ve prayed with them, heard their stories and discovered the changes that Compassion has been able to bring through partnership with their local church.

In February I visited Indonesia. In July I traveled to Ethiopia and Rwanda. Back in 2008 I visited Compassion’s work in Haiti and Dominican Republic. Each of the places I visited in those countries revealed a different kind of poverty. Each was bursting with the hope of a brighter future.

The following is something I’ve said before and is just as true today as it was when I began working for Compassion on this day in 2013.

I don’t work for Compassion because it’s a job. I work for Compassion because I am convinced that there is no more effective organisation serving the world’s poor. I have seen no other method of working with those in poverty that even comes close to the way that Compassion is working.

If you’d like to help me celebrate my one year work anniversary please consider sponsoring a child through Compassion today. I can absolutely assure you it will make all the difference for a child as you help release them from poverty in Jesus’ name.

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Pedalling Hope

Hope

Every year since 2009 I’ve travelled between Albany and Perth, a distance of over 500 kilometres, by bicycle. I’ve taken on the challenge to raise funds for some very worthy causes but this year I’m looking forward to the ride even more as I support what I consider to be the best cause of all.

Back in the saddle

This October I’ll once again be taking part in the Ride for Hope. The ride will involve more than 30 cyclists, our biggest group ever, riding over 500 kilometres from Albany to Perth. As part of the event this year I’m raising money for Compassion.

If you’ve been following my blog for any time you’ll know that I work for Compassion, but I’m not supporting Compassion simply because it’s my job to do so.

I work for Compassion because I am convinced that there is no more effective organisation serving the world’s poor. I have seen no other method of working with those in poverty that even comes close to the way that Compassion is working.

I’ve seen Compassion’s work first hand in Haiti, Dominican Republic, Indonesia, Ethiopia and Rwanda. Every time I visit another church that is partnering with Compassion I am amazed at the change it is making in the lives of the most vulnerable members of our world, children.

My fund raising target is $2000. To reach that goal I need 20 people who are prepared to donate $100. Can you please consider being one of those people?

Of course I understand that not everyone can afford to be so generous so please consider giving whatever you can. The need is desperate and any donation of $2 or more is tax deductible in Australia. (Donations are still welcome from anywhere in the world.)

If you’d like to make a difference in the lives of children who desperately need your support, simply visit my fundraising page.

I can assure you that your money will be well spent in releasing children from poverty in Jesus’ name.

For the 13th consecutive year, Compassion International has earned the highest rating for U.S. charities from Charity Navigator—the nation’s largest charity evaluator. The 4-out-of-4 stars rating places Compassion International in the top one-percent of non-profits reviewed by Charity Navigator. – PR Web

Let me thank you in anticipation of your support for children in poverty.

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Will you act?

Tony

How do you tell a child that they’re not the one to blame for their family’s poverty? How do you explain to a young boy that he’s not the reason that his family have no food to put on the table?

Tony Beltran grew up in Dominican Republic and from a young age he was full of guilt because he thought that he was the reason that his family struggled with extreme poverty. He thought that if he wasn’t around his family would be better off and wouldn’t have to live that way.

I met Tony yesterday in Melbourne. That’s us in the grainy iPhone photo above. He’s visiting Australia to let people know about the one act that turned his life around. It wasn’t an immediate change but just one act made all the difference. Child sponsorship through Compassion changed everything for Tony and it continues to change everything for hundreds of thousands of children in developing nations.

It was an honour to meet Tony and to hear him tell his story. In the video below he tells some of that story. Along with some other former sponsored children, Tony talks about dramatic change and how hope can shine brightly into some very dark places. Please watch the video and find out more about the one act that changed Tony’s life and is currently transforming the lives of around 1.6 million children across the world.

Will you act?

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