Hey there friends and family.
I just wanna give a great big "THANK YOU" shout-out to those who have contributed to our vision so far! My worst possible fears are slowly becoming quelled while, at the same time, God is moving and some POWERFUL media is emerging from the small studio where I am laboring. "Powerful media?" you ask. "What does that even mean?"
Let me explain what the vision is, in no uncertain terms.
Within the next year, we are planning to expand our work in Haiti by opening the doors to "The Caribbean Institute of Media Technologies", a first-of-its-kind media training program to be based in Haiti. This school will give Haitians the much-needed skills with which to raise their voice and tell their stories to the world. In a country with an illiteracy rate between 60%-88%, imagine what storytelling skills could accomplish! Things that cannot be learned through the traditional methods of reading and writing can now be taught to Haitians
by Haitians, using a wide rage of media technology. Radio, Television, Photography, Audio recording, Print, and Web are but some of the tools available for educated Haitians to transcend the stifling challenges of illiteracy and further the cause of the 6 million people who are bound in unthinkable poverty. I'm serious when I say that these storytelling skills can unlock a new hope for the people of Haiti, like nothing that has come before.
An educated society is a better society.
To achieve this goal, a LOT of money needs to be raised. Far more than the $4,100 that we are needing from you. At present, anywhere between $100,000 and $250,000 is needed for the upstart of this school. And that's where this month of intensive labor comes in.
All month long, we are creating several,
key pieces of media (a music video, a television program, web content, etc.) that will then be played to the masses (via television networks, the internet, iTunes, etc.). With these pieces of media, we will reach a very large audience with the vision that I have just shared with you and will make an appeal for the funds needed to launch this vision into orbit.
I BELIEVE THIS CAN HAPPEN!
So far, through your faithful assistance and God's great provision, we have raised $1,661.00! That means that only $2,439.00 remain in order to fully finance the creation of these CRITICAL MESSAGES. Do you understand what that means? For a remaining $2,439.00, we will have primed the pump and created a number of powerful pieces of audio, video, and print that will CARRY THIS VISION TO THE MASSES. It is through your SEED MONEY that we will plant a message in the heart of MILLIONS of potential viewers. For those of you who are in media already, you know as well as I do what that can turn into.
THIS SCHOOL CAN BECOME A REALITY!!!
As I was walking out of WAL-MART the other day (before this triathlon began), I saw this fellow wearing a rather "churchy" looking shirt. I'll spare you the details; let's just say, it lacked the benefit of a graphic designer. Anyway, on the back, Ecclesiastes 4 was printed in Times New Roman (one of the most original font choices). The printed section of that chapter was intriguing and so I returned to it several days later (yesterday) whilst contemplating how fine the line is between my total insanity and my [eh hem] great faithfulness. I have to say, it caught me right between the eyes.
For starters, the verses that had made it to the shirt were 9 & 10:
9 Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their work:
10 If one falls down,
his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up!
How true! It is no stretch to say that YOU are creating this powerful content WITH US. YOU are a PART OF THIS in
every possible way. Quite literally, those of you who are supporting us this month are the "Executive Producers" of this content. It's not that your assistance is HELPFUL... it's that your
ASSISTANCE IS NECESSARY.
But I was also particularly moved by the first part of the chapter:
1 Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun:
I saw the tears of the oppressed—
and they have no comforter;
power was on the side of their oppressors—
and they have no comforter.
2 And I declared that the dead,
who had already died,
are happier than the living,
who are still alive.
3 But better than both
is he who has not yet been,
who has not seen the evil
that is done under the sun.
My next post will likely be about a profound experience that I had on my recent trip to Haiti. What I will say for now is that I have just returned from places where the dead are happier and where it is better to have never been born at all, than to live in such hell. Can you even
imagine such a place?!
Haiti NEEDS this school. I stake my LIFE on it.
Keep praying with us as we labor through this month. THANK YOU for your prayers and THANK YOU to those of you who have been so generous with your money. We are praying that more like you will come forward and help us to make this vision a reality.
At this point, we have hung it all out there. We are working the month away, with or without your assistance.
With your assistance, this month will end with a joyous cheer.
Without your assistance, good things will be done and bad things will be waiting for us [cue cheesy horror music].
9 Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their work:
10 If one falls down,
his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up!
We don't want your pity. We want your help!
For more information on how YOU CAN HELP, look at the bottom of
this post.
Thanks for everything you guys!
Luke and Adrian
Today was a great day as we were able to connect with Réginald A. Chevalier, an experienced Haitian filmmaker and prolific voice among the artistic community, both in Haiti and abroad.
