It was no coincidence that the RESULTS International Conference to end global poverty was held at the same time as the AIDS 2012 Conference. It was a huge event and opportunity for over 400 RESULTS Activists to learn about the latest breakthroughs in HIV/AIDS treatments and the impact this devastating disease has had on the world, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa where it is rampant, having 22.9 million of the 34 million adults and children living with HIV/AIDS.
For centuries, the color purple has played a significant role in the Christian religion during Holy Week surrounding Easter. The color purple along with red, black, white and gold, has an important symbolic meaning as the color of royalty and suffering. It’s significance is not a coincidence given the expense and difficulty in creating the color purple in early times. Furthermore, the color has often symbolized the suffering of Jesus Christ during the crucifixion.
I had the pleasure of witnessing the power of purple during a recent visit to Guatemala a week before Semana Santa (“Holy Week”).
I recently spent five days in our nation’s capital, Washington DC for a conference, and had the interesting experience of staying in nearby Crystal City an “urban village” as it is called on Wikipedia that is located south of Washington DC in Arlington, Virginia.
I had spent some time there at a week-long conference years ago and that trip did not leave me with good impressions of the urban-suburban-feeling place. In fact, I hated it. Fast-forward ten years and I could not believe how much it has changed.
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” ~Martin Luther King, Jr.
I want to give all my readers a huge thank you for all the wonderful, supportive comments I received after my post The Color of Guatemala was Freshly Pressed. I could not have been more humbled by the beautiful, encouraging comments I received from fellow readers and bloggers. It was a big pleasure to read each comment and I’m in the process of responding to each and every one. So thank you, everyone! You are why I keep blogging!
What could not be more ironic, however, is the timing of my Freshly Pressed post. I wrote it hurriedly last Friday morning as I was desperately trying to get in one last post done before I left to our nation’s capital to the Results International conference on ending global poverty.
Today I did something I never dreamed possible. As a representative of the world’s poorest of the poor, I lobbied on Capital Hill. If you asked me two years ago if I would ever find myself here as an advocate for global and human rights, I would have laughed it all away saying “you’re dreaming”. Yet, here I am. Today I did it. I gave a voice to the millions of voiceless people dying and suffering around the world.
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I’m here safe and sound in Washington DC and just had an amazing 12-hour day of conferences. I am here attending the RESULTS International Conference (a grassroots advocacy group focused on ending global poverty and hunger) on behalf of my advocacy work for the UN Foundation’s Shot@Life campaign (an initiative to provide life-saving vaccines in poor countries).
Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky. – Rabindranath Tagore
There is no place on earth that has as vibrant of colors as Guatemala. From the brightly painted buildings in hues of a brilliant rainbow to the intense, magical colors of the Mayan clothing and textiles, I’ve found no place quite like Guatemala.
Here are some of my favorite photos from my trip that burst off the page with color and imagination. Since I’ve already written quite a lot about Guatemala, there will be no descriptions of these photos and it will only be a journey of colors. Hope you enjoy!
“May I never miss a sunset or rainbow because I am looking down”. –Sara June Parker
One thing I’ve learned is there is nothing like a gorgeous, undisturbed, peaceful sunset. Sunset has always been a celebrated, magical event. For who doesn’t love a beautiful sunset?
I believe, to witness a sunset in a place where no one else is around makes it even better. To indulge in the beauty of our planet and its inexplicable wonder never ceases to stir a wondering soul.
A few weeks ago, we had the pleasure of spending the weekend at one of our friend’s cabins in northern Minnesota on lovely Rabbit Lake. Minnesota, land of over 10,000 lakes, is known for its cabin life, a common way many lucky Minnesotans spend their summers. Many cabins are passed down from generation to generation while some are being torn down and rebuilt into obnoxious “McMansions” on some of the larger, more popular lakes. Our friends were fortunate to find a “fixer-uper” on a nice-sized low occupancy lake awash with loons, birds and a mini island for exploration. I couldn’t think of a better place to spend my summer days!
White powderpuff clouds glide effortlessly above us on Rabbit Lake.
Only a hop, skip and a jump from the Canadian border lies kitschy, whimsical Grand Marais, a small, historical town in northeastern Minnesota along a double harbor on Lake Superior. Over the years the town has been used for many things yet recently has become a destination in itself with shopping, art, a few fancy restaurants and hotels and of course, as the jumping off point to the Boundary Waters Wilderness and Canoe area (a remote 1,090,000 acre/4400 km2 wilderness area within the Superior National Forest of northeastern Minnesota).
One of many kitchy shops that can be easily found in Grand Marais.
Nostalgic view of historic Grand View Lodge which was built in 1919 along lovely Gull Lake in Nisswa, MN.
It is our last morning at historic Grand View Lodge and it is time to pack up and leave for home. It has been another stellar vacation here and I feel so relaxed that I’ve moved on to my restless nature. It is time to leave.
Last night, we had perhaps the most beautiful, colorful sunset of our trip here. The heavy storm clouds that had been tormenting us for the last three nights finally began to lift while the setting sun cast hues of pinks, purples and oranges across the pastel blue lake. In the distance, I heard the calling wail of a loon, the Minnesota State bird. It was utterly unbelievable and quite a send off. I will be sharing those photos soon.
In the meantime, I thought I’d send some pictures of the beautiful summer flowers that dot the landscape around the Grand View Lodge. This year they are spectacular and the best I’ve seen since coming here three years ago. Enjoy!
