In April of 2009, Ed Kang embarked on a “Journey of Compassion” to Nicaragua with the humanitarian organization Impact Nations. Along with the birth of Re:LIFE, it was there Ed received the conviction that making an impact both internationally and locally was important. Through this journey, and partnership with Impact Nations, Re:LIFE now operates as a non-profit organization in support of the social movement Project 10,000 Villages. Projects 10,000 Villages is based on the belief that everybody can be a bridge, change a village and impact nations.
- Ed Kang in Nicaragua setting up a medical clinic.
Today, through Impact Nations and other social enterprise partners, dozens are going on Journeys of Compassion and making an impact through financial support to 13 different countries. Here at Re:LIFE, we participate by encouraging everybody to join a Journey of Compassion and participate in local and international Impact Projects. Proceeds from all Re:LIFE book and product sales also go to funding these social Impact projects.
Here is a video demonstrating some of our international social projects through the gift of clean water:
PERSONAL NOTE FROM MEGAN
Hi everyone, I thought I would write a bit about our local impact projects and why they are close to my heart. As some of you have already seen our Re:LIFE village did our first project at the Calgary Drop-In Center on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009. As I prepared for the 20 volunteers to help out, I was challenged with the question of why I chose to help the Calgary’s homeless.
For those of you who know me, I LOVE my dog. She is my kid with fur.
She was a lifeline for me when I was going through some of the toughest times in my life. And looking back at those moments when I couldn’t pull myself out of bed, she would just curl up and sleep with me and I knew that I would get through it. She made me feel loved when I felt the most alone in my life. Why do I tell you this? Because as I was sitting at the Calgary Humane Society’s Violence Prevention booth at PHC (Project Homless Connect) last year, handing out free dog and cat food to homeless pet owners, I thought how easily I could be without a roof over my head and lose her.
The economy was on a downturn, I had a mortgage to pay and debt like so many other Canadians. What would I do? Could I give up something that I loved so much knowing how it would affect my emotional health? I had to face the reality that I could easily end up homeless.
I don’t know how many times I have heard someone say, “Why can’t they just get a job”, “Why are they so lazy” or “Why should I give my hard-earned money to someone who will just waste it on drugs or alcohol”?
I’m not proud of it, but I used to ask the same questions. And then I volunteered at the Calgary Project Homeless Connect. I think everyone can agree that we all have key moments in our lives where something shifts and what we thought we knew about something completely changes. That’s what happened to me.
When I actually had conversations with the homeless, I discovered that many of them had jobs, even careers, and loving families, but just by stroke of luck, they lose their job, couldn’t pay their bills and ended up on the streets. Or in other cases they worked hard but just can’t afford a roof over their head. I realized how easy it is for any one of us to all of a sudden lose our sense of security. Would I want someone to help me? Absolutely.
We all need to decide what’s important to us. For some it will be helping support cancer research because they were unfortunate to lose a family member or close friend to the disease. Others may want to support the arts because it provides them an escape from their day-to-day lives. Neither is better or worse than the other. But what I challenge all of you is to think about what matters most to you. We all just need to look in our hearts and decide what we truly believe in.
I’m sharing this because I think it is really important that we all relate to one another on a basic human level with all walks of life.
And helping the homeless reminds me that we are all interconnected and we are all wired the same way. We may all believe that “it will never happen to me” but if that were true then why is anyone homeless?
I actually don’t do it because it makes me feel good or because I want some “volunteer of the year” award. My motivations are plain and simple, I do it because I can, because I feel like I have a responsibility to this world, that when I leave it and walk through the pearly gates of heaven I will leave it in a better place than when I came into it. Call me an idealist, but I know that if all of us can lend out a helping hand to one another and truly do it out of LOVE, then maybe we can all find some peace in our lives.
~ Megan
