New ways to combat human trafficking.

Major U.S airlines are joining the fight to stop the trafficking of human beings. Link

You are a human being. 

You have rights inherent in that reality. 

You have dignity and worth that exists prior to law.

Lyn Beth Neylon

A Quick Update

I'm in Germany and the leaves, that I celebrated growing on the trees after a long winter, have turned into a riot of colour and are floating to the ground. After a fairly nightmarish 32 hours of travel I got to Herrnhut and got settled into my room. It really is amazing to be back here and surrounded by passionate creative people. Most of last week was spent catching up on what is happening in the projects and with Pick a Pocket in general.

The Hamburg Not For Sale Conference is really coming together. As yet, the 150 person Marriage of the Arts DTS has nowhere to stay, so we are waiting on a miracle!

We expect 4 members of Pick a Pocket to get back from Ethiopia today. They have spent most of their trip in the tribes of southern Ethiopia, but have also checked in on the projects and our long term members serving in Addis Abbaba.

This coming week I will be working on the much neglected Pick a Pocket blog and working on creating and distributing information to promote our book which raises money for projects around the world. Pick a Pocket really wants to be a part of a larger network of humanitarian organisations, so I will also be working to facilitate those connections as well.

Thank you all so much for your prayers and support!

Another Time, Another Place.

As we were leaving a tiny village in the mountains of Tajikistan, I saw this baby donkey by the side of the road and had to pick it up for a photo. It is so ridiculously cute!

A Pick a Pocket Project- Garbage City Ethiopia.

Generally in the West we live in such a sterile environment. 

We clean it with anti-bacterial, germ killing, disease fighting chemicals. 

Dirt is the enemy and cleanliness is next to godliness. 

The above video is about children whose lives revolve around what is thrown away. 

People who exist on food scraped off plates at the Hilton. 

Whose special treat are salvaged packets of sugar from airlines. 

Whose highlight of the day is when the dump truck arrives. 

Because what we see as rubbish, they see as dinner. 

They live in unimaginable filth. 

Dead and rotting animals.

Medical waste.

Should we continue to treat these children as we treat our rubbish?

Smelly.

Dirty.

Worthless.

Or should we treat them as who they are?

Precious.

Wanted.

Beloved.

 There are currently Pick a Pocket members working in Addis. The whole project could use your prayer!

Click to see portraits by Jan Schlegel.

The book is beautiful and is available to buy online.

Another Time, Another Place.

Earlier this year, in Afghanistan,  we were invited to take photos at a school run by an NGO. It was Children's Day and all of the children were beautiful in their national dress. These two couldn't stop giggling and I hear them every time I look at the photos I took of them.

Someone Else Once Said...

One day, someone showed me a glass of water that was half full.  And he said, "Is it half full or half empty?"  So I drank the water.  No more problem.  ~Alejandro Jodorowsky

Goodbye/Hello.

Saying goodbye. 


To say I hate saying it is like saying I hate mold or waiting in line. Losing things. Holes in socks. Natural disasters.


It's just one of those things that no one likes.


I’m so sick of saying it. After a lifetime of practice you would think I would be used to it. Not so. I still very much cry my eyes out.  



Some good news is, the countdown until I go back to Germany (7 sleeps) starts. At least this time 'hellos' will outnumber 'goodbyes' as I head to a community of friends in Herrnhut.

Does God Believe in Human Rights?