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The SOLD Project

Belize, PathLight, Random Thoughts, The SOLD Project,

Holy Week Reflections – Pigeon Monday

What did Jesus have against pigeons? Or more specifically, against pigeon traders? To kick off Holy Week, I though I’d share an idea.

On the Monday of Easter week Jesus entered the temple grounds and tore the place up. It was always one of my favorite Bible stories when I was a kid. The vision of the Messiah overturning tables, driving people out, blocking people from bringing anything through the temple … it was all so exciting compared to the meek and mild stuff I was told about Jesus in most Sunday School lessons. This was a God who would …

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Book Reviews, The SOLD Project,

Modern Abolitionists: What Can We Learn From Lincoln?

What can we learn from President Lincoln about combating modern slavery?

I just finished The Fiery Trial by Eric Foner. The book explores how President Lincoln’s ideas about slavery evolved. It’s a good book if you want to go deep on the topic, but it’s narrowly focused. As such, it will not be a popular book. It can get a bit thick at times.

Even though the book is hard to recommend, it triggered some questions that I want to explore because it covered the idea of public opinion shaping the conversation about slavery.

This April will be the 150th …

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Random Thoughts, The SOLD Project,

The Other Half of the Sky

If you peruse the various organizations that combat sex trafficking, you will usually find a consistent narrative that the women and children are victims.  The men are evil.

Hard to argue with that.

But … here’s where I’m going to get into trouble.  If we’re really going to solve the issue, we need to understand the motivations behind the perpetrators.  What drives these sick, depraved men?

I’m not smart enough to answer that question.  But I do think we need to ask it more often.  An understanding of the issue shouldn’t stop with the simplistic narrative that we’re given by …

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The SOLD Project,

Three Things You Can Do

Thailand was an incredible learning experience. I saw the significant need to combat human trafficking and met dedicated people who are doing all they can to stop this evil. My understanding of the issue was relatively good because my own daughter is one of those dedicated people. But after the trip, my appreciation for the need to do something is much stronger.

There are three things I want you to consider doing. Each is unique in it’s own way, and you might want to do more than just one of them. But I’ll let you decide.

First, before my daughter …

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Family, The SOLD Project,

Blessings

I begin my journey home this afternoon with a flight to Bangkok.  In a few hours I will be saying my goodbyes.  Not very excited about that.  But over the last week I’ve had some great times.  Incredible food, magical conversations, and hilarious moments.

Over dinner last night my daughter asked what my single biggest impression was from the trip.  I immediately said that seeing the The SOLD Project Resource Center in use was the highlight. Kids arrive here after school every day, riding their bikes down the dusty road that connects the school with the village, bringing a contagious …

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Family, The SOLD Project, Wine Reviews,

English Classes in Thailand

The last few days have been my favorite here in Thailand. We left Chiang Mai yesterday, picked up Berkeley (my grand dog) from the kennel, and headed to Chiang Rai.

Along the way we stopped at the Chiang Rai Winery, a fascinating place off the main highway. I’ll write more about it some other time, but it was really fun to sip wines made from various fruits (no grapes in this wine). I had such low expectations, and I guess they were met, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be. In fact, I bought a …

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