Stories of Hope from China
Oct 13, 2020 9:52:15 AM Sarah Rymer Education, China, Community Development, Children, Hope, IDEAS projects, community
Meet XiaoQin and XiaoHu! These two young adults share their stories of transformation through an IDEAS project that meets long-term holistic needs of rural communities in China by providing clean water, hygiene training, improved agricultural techniques, and a sponsorship program that allows children to graduate school, find good jobs, and give back to ...
Are You a Firehose or an Irrigation System?
Oct 5, 2020 8:10:11 AM Sarah Rymer Community Development, IDEAS projects, community, Crisis
Recently I’ve been thinking about firehoses, irrigation systems, and meeting the needs of the world.
How Waiting Transforms
Sep 28, 2020 8:54:47 AM Sarah Rymer Hope, Life, Love, Relationships, Transformation
I’m in a season of waiting, and my guess is that you are too. Waiting is what we all have in common worldwide. We’re all waiting for something or someone, for grief to subside, a sense of normal, returning to school or work, a new job opportunity, a baby, a child to come home, a spouse, the freedom to visit loved ones, healing for our physical and emotional ...
6 Tips to Live Cross-Culturally from Home
Sep 21, 2020 12:28:14 PM Sarah Rymer Tips, Language, Culture
Did you know that within the United States there are communities of people from every nation in the world? Where I live in Southern California, children from 170 nations are studying in the public schools.
5 Ways We're Growing!
Sep 14, 2020 1:52:35 PM Sarah Rymer IDEAS projects, interesting people, Life, community, Multiple Locations
Who could have anticipated the difficult challenges and surprising changes this year would bring? No one is exempt from the impact of a global pandemic and the losses that have come with it, such as loss of life, loved ones, health, finances, plans, job, and normal. We at IDEAS have felt the weight of these challenges and losses. However, with these new ...
During a Pandemic, Good Is Happening
Aug 31, 2020 12:20:02 PM Sarah Rymer IDEAS projects, interesting people, Life, Lebanon, Hospitality, Culture, community
In the midst of a challenging year for all of us worldwide, we at IDEAS are continually moved by the good God is doing through our Associates, projects, and partners around the world.
How Do You Want to Live Your Life?
Aug 24, 2020 11:14:13 AM Sarah Rymer IDEAS projects, interesting people, Life, Lebanon, Hospitality, Culture, community
I have heard that people near the end of their lives often have regrets. What they regret is what surprises me. Those who are dying don’t nearly regret the things they had done as much as the things they hadn’t done. In spite of regretting their mess-ups in life, they regretted even more the things they never tried.
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Finding New Joy in New Norms
Aug 17, 2020 12:39:41 PM Sarah Rymer Bangladesh, Children, Families, Life, Living Overseas, Culture, community
It turns out that living overseas is the best preparation for a world-wide pandemic a person could ask for (or not ask for).
Facing My Expat Privilege
Aug 10, 2020 9:09:41 AM Sarah Rymer Education, IDEAS projects, Learning, Culture
Even though life abroad has many challenges, there’s a reality we often don’t talk about. I’ve recently been reminded that I benefit from a certain favorable bias or privilege afforded to me as a white, English-speaking foreigner living overseas.
Beirut Explosion: A First-Hand Account
Aug 5, 2020 3:00:15 PM Sarah Rymer IDEAS projects, Lebanon, Crisis
(The following post was written by one of our Associate families living in Beirut, Lebanon. This is their update to their friends and family immediately following the explosions in Beirut on August 4, 2020.)