We on the World Next Door team are excited to announce that we are officially hiring our next full-time position: Communications Coordinator.

This person will become the Senior Editor of our online magazine, they’ll help us significantly increase our readership and they’ll take over a lot of our general day-to-day communications.

Our team is growing!

We need someone who is super creative and passionate about social justice, but also diligent, organized and awesome at writing and editing. He/she won’t need to travel internationally very much, but will need to live in Indianapolis.

All the details are at www.worldnextdoor.org/jobs.

If you or someone you know would be perfect for that job, please don’t hesitate to get in touch!  Please send all inquiries and resumes to jobs@worldnextdoor.org.

“This is going to be an awesome year.”

As Laura, Stephen and I looked down at the calendar we had just marked up, I couldn’t help but be excited.  “Ok, so Laura, you’ll be embedded on the U.S./Mexico border, then Stephen will take off for India… And then, cool! In April all three of us will be writing!”

The excitement that I felt during that planning meeting is becoming routine these days.  This is an unprecedented time for World Next Door.  With three full-time writers and an ever-growing team of committed volunteers, we are growing in ways that were never possible before.

And so, in the midst of all this excitement, I thought it would be cool to give you a look ahead.  A glimpse at what is on the horizon for World Next Door.  At the end, I’ll share a few ways that you can get engaged with what we are doing.

I can’t wait to have you along for the ride!

Upcoming Trips

One of the things I am most excited about right now is the diverse range of organizations we’ll be writing about over the next 12 months.  As always, very little is set in stone, but our upcoming trips are really starting to come together.

World Next Door is returning to India!

Starting this week, Laura (our newest year-long journalism fellow) will begin posting articles from her time with the Indianapolis branch of Safe Families, a fantastic organization dedicated to helping families in moments of crisis. After that, I’ll be adding a few posts about my short trip to Nairobi, Kenya, where I will be taking a group of young businessmen to the slums for their first experience in the developing world.

As the fall turns into winter, Stephen will be writing about another U.S. organization, possibly focusing on rural poverty in the Appalachian Mountains.  Around the same time, Laura will take off for the Middle East and Senegal.  In January, Stephen will be posting articles from India and Laura will be reporting from the U.S./Mexico border.

And that only takes us to the beginning of 2012.  Many more adventures are sure to follow.  Like I said, it’s going to be an awesome year!

Events you DON’T want to miss

Along with our writing and traveling, we also have a few great events you might want to stick on your calendar.

Fellowship Kick-Off Party – On October 20, 2011, you’re are invited to join us for a fun night of desserts, live music and storytelling.  This is your chance to meet Laura and Stephen in person and hear them talk about their dreams for the upcoming year.  To RSVP or get more information, check out the event on Facebook or Evite.

Grace Community Church Weekend of Service – On November 5/6 weekend, GCC closes its doors and goes out into the city to serve.  If you’re part of the Grace community and want to hear more information about spending the day volunteering as a World Next Door journalist, send an email to Jim Meacham (jimm@worldnextdoor.org).

WND Third Anniversary Celebration and Fundraiser – On January 26, 2011 from 7pm-9pm we will be having our third annual event to celebrate what God has been doing through our ministry. No details to give you yet, but I have no doubt that it will be another unique and memorable night!

How to stay connected

As we continue to write articles and explore how God’s kingdom is breaking into this world, there are several ways you can stay connected to World Next Door.  Check ‘em out!

Follow us on Twitter. This is a great way to hear the latest news
about what’s happening with our ministry.

“Like” our Facebook page and have WND content
show up right in your news feed.  Another awesome
way to interact with our ministry!

Want to stay in the loop behind the scenes? Consider signing up
for our newsletter or joining our prayer team!

Make sure you don’t miss an article.  Subscribe to
our posts by email or subscribe to our RSS feed.

Finally, if you’d like prints of our photography, check out
Barry Rodriguez Photography. 100% of the proceeds from
WND prints come straight back to World Next Door!

As always, if you have any questions on how to get plugged in, shoot us an email at info@worldnextdoor.org.  We’d love to connect!

——

Well, that’s it for now.  I should probably get back to work… There’s a lot to do these days!!!

Wow.  It has been an incredible summer so far.  The interns have been amazing, Stephen (our first year-long journalism fellow) is doing a fantastic job, and all six of us have had experience after experience that will undoubtedly shape and influence us for years to come.

So far, we’ve all gotten sick at least once (except Molly. Hmmm…), but nothing has been bad enough to knock us off our feet for more than a couple of days.  And although there have been several inevitable ups and downs with our host ministries and host families, we have all really started to fit in and connect with the Kenyans we’re working with.

Anyway, since we’re roughly halfway through the summer right now, I thought it would be worthwhile to catch you up on a bit of what we’ve been experiencing… Enjoy!

Stephen

Stephen Crane, WND’s first year-long journalism fellow, has been working with Tumaini Clinic in Korogocho, one of Nairobi’s most dangerous slums.  However, instead of dealing with knife and gunshot wounds, which you’d expect, Stephen has spent most of his time working with something quite different… babies!

Stephen, you’ve got to deliver a baby. You can do it! We believe in you!

The rest of us are all hoping and praying that Stephen gets to help deliver a baby while he’s at Tumaini, but he doesn’t seem quite so eager.  “I don’t want to see that stuff until it’s my own baby,” he told us, “and maybe not even then!”

Bridgette, who now has a real love for “Boda bodas” (motorcycle taxis).

If you haven’t had a chance to read his articles, I’d highly recommend that you take a look.  His article “A Dirty Indictment” was particularly moving to me, and I can’t wait to see what he has for us next.

Keep it up, Stephen!

Bridgette

Bridgette Tilyou has been working with Karura Community Chapel up on the far north side of Nairobi.  Working in slums, helping to organize medical camps, participating in feeding programs… Bridgette has definitely had a unique experience this summer.

She’s even ridden on the back of a motorcycle taxi halfway across the city!  (oops, I hope she’s already told her parents about that one…)

Her articles so far have been great, but “Anything but Alone” is a must-read.  It’s the story of a young man she met and his determination to get an education, despite the obstacles in his way.  So powerful!

You’re doing great, Bridgette!

Jocelyn, not missing “Berto” a bit.

Jocelyn

Jocelyn Post has been embedded with Tanari International, working primarily with their Young Entrepreneurs program in Mathare and Kawangware slums.

So far, Jocelyn has gotten the sickest of anyone on the team (on our mid-trip safari, no less!), but was able to bravely defeat “Berto the Bacteria” (as he became known), with several doses of courage, humor and endurance.  Oh, and a powerful wide spectrum antibiotic. 

All of Jocelyn’s articles have been great, but you should definitely read “Modest is Hottest” if you haven’t already.  It’s a great discussion about how Jocelyn’s desire to rebel against the prevailing culture has clashed with Kenya’s strict dress code… a fascinating perspective!

Keep ‘em coming, Jocelyn!

Laura

Laura, who built a replica of Notre Dame Cathedral out of toothpicks and chewing gum the other morning before her host family got out of bed (kidding… but I wouldn’t have been surprised!).

Laura Stump has been working with Zana Africa in Kibera Slum.  Spending time in primary schools, learning about the issues facing teenagers here, helping Zana put together a photo book… Laura’s been busy!

Now, Laura is one of those remarkably creative people who wakes up super early and has already made four flower garlands, written an opera and befriended a host of woodland creatures before the rest of us have even had our coffee, so this shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise, but Laura’s really a natural at photography!

It’s hard to believe that she had never really used a DSLR camera before this summer when you see her photo gallery, “Girl Power in Kibera.”  And lest I forget, her other articles have been great as well!

Can’t wait to see what’s next, Laura!

Molly, who has not yet said “yes” to any of her Kenyan suitors.

Molly

Molly Meyer has been working with Beacon of Hope, a ministry in Ongata Rongai, a small town southwest of Nairobi.  Medical camps, preschool, home visits, even trips to rural Kenya… Molly has had her hands full this summer, to say the least.

Oh, and being the only tall white girl in town has its perks as well.  If Molly ever wanted to marry a Kenyan man, it could happen in about 10 seconds flat.  She’s already had more marriage proposals than she can count, including an elderly Massai man with six other wives…

Of course, through it all, Molly has been able to write some really gripping articles.   Her article, “The Exceptions,” really spoke to me.  It’s a story that asks the difficult question, “What do you do with the ones you can’t help?”  Wow.

Looking forward to reading more, Molly!

Me

Finally, there’s me.  I’ve been living in Kibera Slum with my dear friend Pastor Fred Ogutu and his family.

It’s been an awesome experience, as always, but I’m discovering that taking care of a bunch of interns, coordinating their articles, planning retreats and keeping a non-profit organization running in a country with spotty internet and agonizingly slow public transportation is more than a full-time job.  Writing my own articles has been a bit tough!

Me, surrounded by kids in Kibera. A pretty standard sight around here. Don’t worry. A new photo gallery is coming soon!

Nevertheless, I have had a few adventures of my own, including having my phone stolen right out of my pocket by a pair of very talented thieves (an account of which is on my personal blog, here).

If you want to read any of my WND articles, you’re welcome to.  But definitely check out “A Loss for Words,” to hear the unbelievable story I heard on one of my recent home visits in Kibera.

Stay Tuned

Well, that’s it for now.  A whole bunch of amazing and powerful articles will be coming your way this week, so be sure to stay tuned!

And don’t forget, you can always follow the WND Twitter feed, subscribe to our posts via email, sign up for our monthly newsletter or join the WND prayer team if you’d like to stay even more in the loop.

Have an awesome July!

Well, I did it to them again.

Within 12 hours of landing in Kenya, I had taken my summer interns into the slums.  By the end of our first day, before our jet-lagged bodies had even a clue about what was going on, we had already visited three of our partner ministries in Nairobi.

And now, less than a week after getting on the plane, the team is spread out across the city, living in Kenyan host homes, eating local foods and trying to figure out the chaotic public transportation system of this bustling city.

But despite throwing them in head first, despite the long days and busy schedules, the team has handled it like pros.

This, more than anything else, has me super excited about the summer.  I can’t wait to see what God has in store for this amazing team…

———-

Some of the team getting a tour of Beacon of Hope on Monday.

As you may have already guessed, we have just kicked off our third annual summer internship.  Each year, 3-5 interns from around the U.S. are chosen to join the World Next Door team for the summer.  They each “embed” with a partner ministry and write for our online magazine.

Bridgette Tilyou

For the next two months, this year’s team of interns (and our brand new year-long journalism fellow) will be writing articles about five Kenyan organizations that are doing some incredible things for the kingdom of God.

Each one brings a unique set of skills and gifts to the table, and will undoubtedly take us to new places as a ministry.  But before we jump into our articles and photo galleries for the summer, I think it would be helpful for you to meet the team!

Bridgette

Bridgette Tilyou, an Indianapolis local with journalism training and experience working in the corporate world, will spend the summer writing about Karura Community Chapel on the north side of Nairobi.  Bridgette’s honesty, passion and gift with words are just what are needed to tell the story of Karura.

Laura Stump

Karura, one of World Next Door’s earliest partner ministries, has an incredible social justice ministry.  Food distribution, free medical camps and even a sports program for boys at risk of joining one of the world’s most violent gangs…

It’s an awesome ministry and I can’t wait to see what Bridgette will discover this summer!

Laura

Laura Stump, another of our amazing interns, has a bit of a unique background.  Trained in animal sciences and Spanish at the University of Arizona, Tucson, you might not expect her to sign up for a journalism internship like this.

But Laura’s passion for women’s rights, her incredible ability to build relationships across cultural barriers and her gift of writing make her a perfect fit for our partner ministry Zana Africa.

Zana, which works primarily in Kibera slum, empowers teenage girls to break the cycle of poverty.  Wading into the often taboo topics of puberty and sexuality, Zana is the only ministry of its kind that I have ever seen… and it is making a huge impact.

Molly Meyer

I have a feeling that Laura’s articles will inspire and challenge us all.

Molly

Molly Meyer, a senior journalism major at Indiana Wesleyan University, will be embedded with our brand new partner organization, Beacon of Hope.  Molly is the youngest of our interns, but she brings a ton of journalism experience and creativity to the table and has a true learner’s heart… just what is needed to tell the story of Beacon!

Beacon of Hope, which began as a tiny ministry to women infected and affected by HIV/AIDS in a community southwest of Nairobi, has blossomed into a huge and influential organization that touches the lives of thousands.

Job skills training, a medical clinic, kindergarten classes, youth programs, agricultural education, and even a new micro-finance initiative… Let’s just say that Molly will have her hands full for the next two months!

Jocelyn Post

Jocelyn

Jocelyn Post, a recent graduate of Concordia University in Irvine, California, will be embedded with Tanari International.  Tanari has recently begun partnering with a new initiative called Technoserve which gives business skills training to high-school age girls in Mathare and Kawangware slums.

Jocelyn, whose background is in Christian education leadership and youth ministry, is a perfect fit for Tanari.  She has a huge passion for youth and refreshing originality which will undoubtedly draw us all into the story of that ministry!

I can’t wait to read about her experiences this summer…

Stephen Crane

Stephen

Stephen Crane is World Next Door’s first year-long journalism fellow.  Trained in religious studies at Calvin College, he went on to earn a master’s degree in journalism from Indiana University.  This summer Stephen will be tackling one of our most challenging assignments: Tumaini Clinic in Korogocho Slum.

Tumaini puts a lot of energy into prenatal and neonatal care and has made a huge difference in one of Nairobi’s roughest areas.  Stephen, who has had a lot of intense cross-cultural experiences in the past, is perfectly suited to tell the stories of the men, women and children he meets there.

I don’t know about you, but I am excited to have my eyes opened to the challenges and hope that exist in Korogocho!

Me

Finally, I will also be contributing articles throughout the summer.  As I did two summers ago, I will be living in Kibera Slum with my dear friends at Tumaini Church.

I can’t wait to see what God has in store!

Kibera, the largest slum in East Africa, is an incredible place.  In the midst of poverty, there is hope.  In the midst of despair, there is determination.  By living in the slum, I will get a unique and fascinating perspective on what life is really like and how God is moving there…

Stay Tuned

As I mentioned above, we are all still getting settled here in Nairobi, but you can expect our first articles to go live in just a few more days.

I invite you to join us this summer as we journey deep into the heart of what God is doing in Kenya.  I don’t know just what to expect from our time in Nairobi, but I do know one thing…

…we will not return the same!

This is it!  The winners of our best of 2010 contest have been selected!

In case you forgot, here are the prizes:

Third place: A World Next Door 2011 Calendar!

Second Place: Hope: Portraits from the Rubble of Port-au-Prince

First Place: The Children of World Next Door

To see who the winners are, check out the video below!

As we gear up for another fantastic year, it’s time to look back at some of our best content from 2010.  Over the next 10 days, we will be counting down the top 10 articles from last year!

However, instead of just picking a few of my favorite articles, I decided to go a bit more scientific.  That’s why I created an algorithm to figure out which articles really were the best… T = P(c/2)*β^1.3

To calculate the top articles (T), I took number of pageviews (P), multiplied it by half the number of comments (c), finally multiplying it by the “Barry factor” (β) to the power of 1.3 (the “Barry factor” is just a number between 1 and 5 based on how much I personally liked the article). 

Haha… There is absolutely no reason why I needed to tell you that.

Win Free Stuff!

Anyway, apart from simply giving you a chance to read great content from last year, we want this “Best of 2010!” series to encourage you to spread the word about World Next Door to your friends, family, and co-workers.

So, to shamelessly entice you to participate, we will be giving away a copy of our Children of World Next Door photo book, a copy of our Hope photo book and one of our hot new 2011 calendars to three people drawn randomly from a hat!

There are three ways to enter:

1.       Read and then leave a comment at the end of a top 10 article

2.       Post a link to a top 10 article on your Twitter feed with the hash tag #bestofWND

3.       Share a link to a top 10 article on your Facebook wall and mention World Next Door’s fan page (become a fan here, then simply type “@World Next Door, Inc” while posting)

Important Note! You can do all three (Comment, Twitter and Facebook) for each of the 10 articles, so technically you can enter yourself in the drawing up to 30 times!

Oh, and this article doesn’t count.    The contest begins tomorrow.

Most of All

Most of all, I just hope that you enjoy this chance to look back on some of the incredible places God took us last year, and I hope it excites you to think that a brand new year lies ahead!

Enjoy!  And good luck!

Hey All!

Don’t worry.  We’re going to get back to our regular content soon.  I just want to take this chance to remind everyone that the 2011 WND Summer Internship applications are due on February 1… a week from tomorrow!

If you or someone you know loves to write and wants to have an unforgettable and life-changing experience in Nairobi, Kenya this summer, look no further.

Chris, Krystallin and Lauren, our 2010 Summer Internship team.

You can find lots of info on our internships page (click here), but here are a few highlights our interns can look forward to:

• Living with wonderful Kenyan host families
• Trying all sorts of amazing (and some not so amazing) new foods
• Working with influential Kenyan social justice organizations
• An incredible safari retreat (we’re talking zebras and lions here, guys)
• Encountering visceral injustices firsthand
• Witnessing powerful evidences of the kingdom of God
• Mangoes!!!
• Worshiping alongside passionate Kenyan Christ followers
• Hands-on experience writing meaningful content for a receptive readership
• A beach-side end-of-summer retreat on the Indian Ocean!

I could go on and on and on…

But I won’t.  I’ll just say APPLY!  You definitely won’t regret it.

Click the button to the right and scroll to the bottom of the page.  Remember, applications are due February 1!

I’m looking forward to reading your application!

Wow. What else can I say? Our second annual Celebration and Fundraiser last Friday was a huge success!

Everyone that I talked to had a great time and I got the sense that the event gave World Next Door a huge boost in momentum as we head into 2011.

If you weren’t able to make it, you missed out on a great time. We had an amazing soup bar with everything from tomato basil to white chicken chili. Mmmmmm….

Me sharing about the history of World Next Door (photo by Jack Jones).

In the background was a kickin’ jazz quartet that played while people browsed copies of of our new photo books and bought raffle tickets (there were some pretty sweet prizes too!).

World Next Door's new office. You should swing by sometime!

My amazing sister Lucy, the M.C. for the event, welcomed everyone.  Then, I got up front and had a chance to share about the things God did through WND in 2010.  Haiti, New York, Ukraine, India, Cambodia… it was quite a year!

I talked about what is in store for WND in 2011 and gave people the opportunity to partner with us by becoming “ambassadors” (spreading the word about WND to friends and coworkers), by joining us in serious prayer and by becoming financial sponsors.

Throughout it all we shared many “success stories” of readers who have become more involved in social justice issues directly because of our articles.

After it was over, we all headed over to World Next Door’s new office for an open house.  The house is super cool, and everyone had a great time hanging out.

All in all, the event was just awesome, and I left feeling incredibly humbled by what God is doing through this ministry…

Our Next Event

Well, now that our big annual event is over, it’s time to look ahead to what’s coming up.

Next on the calendar is a free photography seminar that I am teaching at Grace Community Church in Noblesville, Indiana on Saturday, January 29th.

The theme of the seminar is ‘Taking Pictures That Tell a Story.”  I’ll be sharing some of the techniques that I’ve picked up while traveling for WND as well as plenty of funny and heart-breaking stories throughout.

If you have any interest in photography, or just want to learn a bit more about what goes on behind the scenes here, feel free to attend!

All you have to do is go to www.gracecc.org/photography to register (or just click the button to the right).

I hope to see you there!

—

Ok then.  2011, here we come!

In October I told you about an incredible family about to set out on a wild new adventure (click here to read that article).  The Elliotts, a suburban family from my home town of Indianapolis, were preparing for a year-long stay in Haiti.

As I mentioned in that article, we will be checking in with the family regularly throughout the year to see what they are doing, what they are learning and how their dog Kofe is coping with such a drastic change in environments. 

The Elliott kids Isabel, Sydney and Sitota.

Although I don’t have much new to tell you about them, I do have one exciting announcement: on Saturday, December 4, the Elliotts got on a plane and headed for Port-au-Prince.  Now the real adventure begins!

I encourage you to subscribe to their blog (haitielliotts.blogspot.com) and email them if you’d like to be a part of their prayer support team (haitielliotts@gmail.com).

Stay tuned to World Next Door over the next few months as we follow the Elliotts on “The Path of Yes…”

Good luck, guys!

Have you heard of the Millennium Development Goals?

The Eight Millennium Development Goals

In 2001, all 192 member states of the United Nations agreed to a list of 8 goals for international development.  Poverty eradication, fighting disease, reducing infant mortality… If these goals are met by 2015, this world will be a different place.

Unfortunately, many participant countries (yes, including the U.S.) have fallen far short of the changes needed of them.

But in the midst of such shortcomings, there are many who are standing up to show their support of the MDGs and to spur their governments toward action.

Individuals and organizations around the world have dedicated September 17-19 as a weekend of mobilization called “Stand Against Poverty.”

In Hamburg, in Nairobi, in Los Angeles… people are gathering to stand.

You Are Invited

Come join with other hoosiers to show your support of the MDGs!

But this is not just happening in far off lands.  There is an event right in our backyard!

Stand Against Poverty Indianapolis is happening on September 17, 2010 from 5:30-8:30pm at The Village Experience (6055 N College Ave).  Six local organizations, including World Next Door, are hosting the event.  And we want to see you there!

There will be free food provided by the Egyptian Cafe.  There will be multiple local and international organizations for you to connect with.

Oh, and there will be a panel discussion on poverty which will include yours truly, literally hours after getting off the plane from Haiti.  I have a feeling I’ll be pretty worked up!

Mark your calendars.  September 17th at 5:30pm.  You can even RSVP on Facebook.  If you have questions, please email Kristin Clements-Effner from Oxfam Action Corps Indianapolis, who is helping to organize the event.

Now, let’s stop sitting on our hands and wishing things would get better.  Let’s collaborate, learn and spur each other on.  You’ll never bring an end to global injustice yourself.  But with the world united as one?

I think we might have a chance…

—–

If you would like more information, please watch the video below.  Then, head over to standagainstpoverty.org to see how this event is spreading around the world!