I Believe in Zero.

I saw one facet of UNICEF's new campaign yesterday, a 60 second commercial on national TV. Several film and tv actors, as well as musicians were some of the people teaming up together to let us know that they "believe in zero." The facts are this: everyday 25,000 kids die from preventable causes. We believe this number should be zero. We believe this number could be zero. You can head over to Unicef's site to find out more (you can click on the handy-dandy button at the top of this post). They also have it set up on the site that you can send an e-mail to President Obama if this is something that's on your radar and you want it to be on his and his administration's. UNICEF -- being an integral part of the United Nations -- obtains the majority of its funding through governments around the world, so it's always important to have the chance to have a voice in this.

We're not usually quite so serious on here -- the 10.10 blogosphere is for the most part a genuinely affable sort of place that's here to bring you information and ideas among other things -- but I was struck by something yesterday that I just needed to share. I had rushed through the workday and not taken time to eat lunch (something that happens about once a week or so).

Right after work, I am driving to the grocery store to pick up some groceries for my dinner. I had that sort of hunger that comes from not eating all day, and thought: good thing I'm going to the store so I can get some food! Then, I immediately remembered the UNICEF campaign ad I had seen earlier. This beginning feeling of hunger that I had in my stomach is something that (no joke) millions of kids feel every.single.day and to a much greater degree than what I was feeling. And just as easily as I can go to a building that has rows and rows and rows of all sorts of food to choose from, they, more often than not, have no other option than to just remain hungry.

I can't fully say what God was telling me right then (I'm still working through it and I admittedly suffer from self-selected hearing at times), but something just suddenly seemed so....odd....and heartbreaking...and poignant to me at that moment -- that I should be here in this situation, while someone else is in a completely different situation. Moments like these are what fuel my belief that not only do I believe in zero, but that I have no other choice to believe. I have to believe in the possiblity of zero in the middle of this sometimes mixed-up, upside down planet we call our home, otherwise I'd live in a hopeless place. And not only do I have to believe, I have to do something with that belief.

Like we said, we don't usually break it down to so seriously on here. I think of an honest line from another blogger I read, Eugene Cho, as he was introducing a recent post on homelessness:

"Let’s be honest. There are some posts you naturally want to read and there are others that just don’t interest you at all. "

These are tough topics, there's no doubt. These are serious topics, there's no doubt. But we have to ask ourselves, do we have enough love and compassion to tackle them? I think we do.

God Speaks.

Do we listen?

Do you ever run into this thing where when you first learn a concept or a new word, it starts to pop up everywhere? Like you'd never heard of The Melting Pot, and then all of a sudden, everyone and their bro is talking about fondue? Whether it's legit or your sense of awareness is just heightened to picking up on it, I dunno.

I think there's some spiritual significance to this sort of thing, though. Stay with me here -- I'm not relating God and fondue, that's another blog post :) -- but just recently, we've been thinking about this idea of God speaking to us and how he speaks to us. And ever since we've started this conversation, it seems as if God is coming through loud and clear with all sorts of things from all sorts of places.

Ever since The Idea Camp (I swear that's not all we'll post about!), this concept of seamless communication and just communication in general has seemed to be key. One of the speakers was talking about online and offline communication and how do we not just "use technology for technology's sake" but rather use it as a way for profound and purposeful communication. If you have a chance, watch the short video about technology and innovation. This, I think, will be key as we continue the conversation about the 1010 Project.


The Idea Camp - Dave Gibbons from The Idea Camp on Vimeo.

It's such a good feeling to know you're alive; It's such a happy feeling...

Ok, ok, enough Mr. Roger's Neighborhood, but seriously, do you ever have days where you just feel energized or excited to be here? That's the feeling coming off the (previously posted) Idea Camp. There was so much good information to be heard, but more than that, an over-arching feeling that we can make a difference.

I think I was most impacted by the message of Scott Harrison and charity: water. Listening to him talk about his passion to bring clean water to poverty-stricken people (did you know 1 in 6 people don't have access to clean water?), I realized my naivete was not just embarassing, but kind of shameful.

I'm so used to walking over to the tap and, voila, clean water comes out, but the reality for 1.1 billion people is the exact opposite. Not to say that charity: water was into guilting people into feeling bad about this. No, actually just the opposite -- they really just had an extraordinary vision to allow people to realize their good fortune in access to proper sanitation and then move that energy into helping someone without that access.

There's so much more to be said about The Idea Camp and all the things that came out of it. If you listened in to any or all, what did you get out of it? Love to hear.

In the meantime, check out Harrison and charity: water. You won't regret it.

The Idea Camp

Irvine, CA - and really all over the world - is host to some pretty amazing things yesterday and today. A group of people have gotten together to create "a free hybrid conference for idea makers." You can check on their group on ning (http://theideacamp.ning.com/) or just go straight over today and get in on the action: http://www.theideacamplive.com/. It is a gathering of artists, social justice leaders, musicians and really anyone interested in this idea of taking ideas and putting them into motion through God and His help.

Pretty cool stuff going over there with meebo rooms for all, live streaming video and real-time blogging and twittering. I strongly encourage you to check it out today if you have a chance.

Today in the morning session, we're going to hear from Zach Hunter (http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=2951434&page=1) a 15-year old modern-day abolitionist. Yes, you heard that right. Hunter has a heart for seeing people released from the bonds of modern-day slavery and has written two books about the ways he has already been working to combat it -- including collecting loose change from people and inspiring them to "Be the Change."

What are you waiting for - check it out! http://www.theideacamplive.com/

International Justice Mission

Last year, we attended an annual event called The Leadership Summit. It's a chance to hear talks from all sorts of dynamite leaders in different industries and within different organizations. Gary Haugen was one of the first speakers as President and CEO of the International Justice Mission. It's a non-profit organization that seeks to provide justice world-wide in severe cases of human-rights violations - including sex trafficking and forced slavery.

His talk really spoke to people. His need, not just desire but outright need, for justice was inspiring to all of us, I think. IJM is based out of Washington DC (http://www.ijm.org/) and they really do tireless work around the globe. IJM and Haugen recently appeared in a fantastic 13-page spread in The New Yorker and you can keep updated on them and their work through Twitter. (@IJMHQ on Twitter). If you haven't heard of them before, I encourage you to check 'em out. Just one more group of people working toward this idea of social justice for all and not just some.

End poverty.

Sounds straightforward, right? Or "make poverty history" is another phrase becoming a part of the common American vernacular as of late. Well, for such a complicated issue as global poverty, it is going to take a lot of hard work and determination to make it happen in our lifetimes. But I do earnestly believe it can happen.

In that vein, Sojourners -- who have already been working since the mid-90s on the problem of poverty (and beyond that in just their overall mission hearkening back to the 70s) -- is hosting a national event in DC this April called Mobilization to End Poverty http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=events.m2ep&item=m2ep-home. We plan on being there to meet with thousands of other people who earnestly believe in this same vision -- that poverty can be removed from our world -- but with the understanding that it will take a mobilizing of a multitude of efforts from all sorts of people and institutions at all levels. Drop us a comment if you plan on being there, too. Or let us know if you want to go with us. Nothing like a road trip to bring people together, right?

Really, though, the task might seem daunting, but don't let it be -- we can do this. And we can do it TOGETHER.

Um, we took the long way back. ;)

Well, call us the prodigal blog, because we've returned. General busy-ness has kept us away, but we're back and hopefully, without such a long hiatus next time.

Thinking about the 10.10 Project this year and have some things on the plate, but as always, keeping mindful of different things that catch our interest and how they fit in with the heart and purpose of the 10.10 Project.

One such thing that caught our eye was a social justice movie that we showed a few weeks ago at the NECC offices in Norwalk: The Ordinary Radicals. http://www.theordinaryradicals.com/ It was an interesting take on a group of people striving to do "small things with great love." The documentary chronicled a group of 20 and 30-somethings as they travelled the US trying to spread this extraordinary message.

There was definitely some food for thought in this flick and led to a great discussion afterward. What's a good movie without a talk-back to follow, right? If you can get your mitts on a copy, I'd recommend giving it a watch and then letting us know what you think.