Every year we gather together to celebrate what God has done through World Next Door and to dream about where he might take us next.  We call it our Annual Celebration and Fundraiser.

But that name is sort of dry.  It’s better to think about it as a birthday party!

On January 26, we had our third birthday party and it was a blast!  Live music, amazing soups and breads, a really cool photo gallery and, for the first time, live social media engagement.

But I know that a lot of our friends weren’t able to make it last Thursday, so I’ve put together a photo gallery of the event by one of our amazing volunteers, Jeremy VanAndal (you can check out his work at www.jeremyvanandelphoto.com).

And be sure to check out the great video by Mike “Mighty” Chandler below!

This is the second part of a two-part culture guide. To read Part I, click here.

The Senegalese village of Ethiolo may only have 500 residents, but the unique lifestyle and customs of the Bassari people here could take years to understand. Continue to learn a little about life in Ethiolo from these images…

Day in and day out, week in and week out, Sanctuary is providing a variety of programs and activities focused on the heart of their mission…community. But it’s not just any community. Its essence is found in those overlooked by most. Many of its community members, those “friends from the street,” are living in the margins of society more often than not.

But the staff members at Sanctuary don’t take an “us-and-them” approach. It’s not arms-length, but rather arm-in-arm. In obvious ways and in subtle, they do all they can to foster both community and relationships with all who walk through the doors.

Many of those intentional efforts are focused on providing a place where folks can experience a sense of normalcy, where inherent dignity is valued, where abilities are nurtured and where people can come to experience reprieve from the normal stresses that may dominate their lives.

Community defines the dynamic at Sanctuary, and the place truly serves as a refuge for the folks who call it home.

Global Hope Network works in Jordan for rural development, but when other opportunities arise, they are quick to mobilize their connections and make things happen. This past week in Amman, I witnessed this firsthand.

GHNI partnered with Joni and Friends, a U.S.-based organization, to bring badly needed wheelchairs to people throughout Jordan. Physical and mental disabilities are historically very shameful in this part of the world. Although times are changing and the stigma is diminishing, the infrastructure for caring for, educating and integrating disabled people is lacking.

Wheelchairs are in short supply in Jordan. Upon accepting the donation of wheelchairs from Joni and Friends, GHNI worked through their regional partners to find over 150 people in need of a wheelchair.

Last week, these people showed up in Amman where a team from the U.S. worked alongside GHNI to fit and reconstruct old donated wheelchairs for each patient. Have a look at the process…

Unchained Ministries was started in the ‘80s by a man whose heart went out to the forgotten. It has now multiplied into an extensive ministry throughout the Midwest of the United States, and even into Ireland!

While jail and prison ministry is at the heart of their work, they do far more. They participate in charity rides. They attend motorcycle trade shows, and they camp out at “boogies” (motorcycle rallies). They provide counseling programs and Bible studies.

It’s a true community of believers bringing change to the world around them. They don’t simply sit around and talk about their faith. They get out and act on it! They have earned a reputation within the prison system and the biker community, and they are respected by both.

It’s been a privilege to spend time with them in recent weeks and to experience a small taste of the ongoing work they do. Here’s your chance to experience it too!

Admittedly, I love goats. Being an Animal Sciences major affords me this quirk. But I think anyone would love goats after seeing them through the eyes of the residents of Mafraq and Gilead here in Jordan.

These days I’m learning about Global Hope Network, an organization that believes everyone deserves adequate food, clean water, wellness, education and a means to generate income. These necessities are scarce in some villages in Jordan.

The people of GHNI partnered with people from impoverished rural areas to answer one questions: what will help?

The response? Goats.

It sounds simple. But these animals are making a big impact by providing nutrition and income to families in rural Jordan. Have a look!

Every year, Grace Community Church in Noblesville, Indiana shuts its doors, cancels its services and sends its congregation out to do service projects all over the city.  This year, World Next Door sent a team of volunteer journalists from Grace’s congregation to tell some of the stories from the weekend.

This is one of those stories.

To read all of the Weekend of Service articles from 2011, click here.

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By Lexi McClure

One organization is bringing hope and joy with pizza… From one to another.

I recently took five American businessmen to Kenya for a week of learning and discovery (click here to read about that trip).   It was a fantastic opportunity to see what life is really like in the slums of Nairobi.

However, I wanted the team to see that Kenya is not just a place of poverty and squalor, but a place of great beauty and stunning wildlife as well.  That’s why, at the end of our trip, we went on a short safari to Maasai Mara to do our trip debrief.

It was a great time of connecting and prayer as a team.  Oh, and we saw some UNBELIEVABLE animals as well!

Here is a quick glimpse into what we saw. 

p.s. You can buy prints of most of these here. Shoot me an email (barry@worldnextdoor.org) if you’d like any of the others.

Safe Families for Children is diving into caring for families in communities across the nation, including families like Tabetha and her girls. Tabby wants all the best for her children, but she struggles to parent them since a hit and run accident left her wheelchair-bound. Now, her two youngest daughters are safely at home with Safe Families volunteers while Tabby works to recover (Read more about Tabby’s story here).

In my walk with Safe Families and Tabby, I see that this organization works with a mission more powerful than housing children in crisis—they work to restore community where God’s love and hospitality reigns.

See the journey of Safe Families and Tabby…

The Korogocho slum holds around 150,000 people living in an area less than one-square mile. At every turn, they struggle against the destitution that plagues the slum. Crime rates are high. Food is often scarce. Indoor plumbing is non-existent, and sewage systems are poor at best.

Despite these realities, the people of “Koch” often find solace in the network of friends, family and neighbors that surround them. While bellies may not always be full, people find help through that interdependence. I hope this photo gallery gives you a glimpse into their lives, both good and bad.