~~okieOLIO~~

for the past eight weeks i have been glued to a new show on NBC called The Philanthropist. it caught my interest because the title character is played by james purefoy who i enjoyed as marc antony on the HBO series Rome. i was hooked by the second episode, which centered around the turmoil in myanmar (or burma) where many of the refugees in okc are from. i’m very impressed with this international drama, which was filmed everywhere from south africa to mozambique to prague. each installment is exciting and engaging, with its spectacular location footage, high action, sensationalistic characters, and emotionally charged circumstances, but the story lines are based on very real conditions in the countries it features. once you’re drawn in by the allure of the good-looking billionaire playboy Teddy Rist and his vigilante heroics, and the heart-tugging people he encounters, the show offers practical ways to make a difference. pretty sneaky…glamorize outreach with a hollywood polish then give people easy ways to jump in while they’re motivated. i love it.

while Teddy’s impulsive actions, impossible connections, and affinity for throwing around huge wads of money are hardly realistic, much less feasible for the average volunteer, anything that promotes awareness to people who are not usually exposed to the reality of global unrest is good in my opinion. the eight-part series is complete now, and i don’t believe there are plans to air any new episodes, but you can watch all of the previously aired shows here.

if you’d like ideas for simple ways to get involved on a variety of levels, check out the links in the “do some good” section of my WHERE I BROWSE page.

*interestingly, the drama is inspired by real life entrepreneur-turned-full-time philanthropist Bobby Sager.

i have been privileged to work with a variety of outreach organizations from local ministries to global missionaries through an awesome previous job, as well as volunteering and community involvement. but oddly enough, until recently i’d never interacted closely with  group of people that represent a large percentage of the population in many cities, including okc: refugees. these strong & resilient people have experienced horrors i cannot fathom, and often relocate to our nation after being forcibly removed from their homes. most have lived in a refugee camp for many years before their move here, and have lost some, if not many, family members to violence. they arrive in hope of a fresh start, and truly need assistance to make the best of the opportunity they have been given. language barriers, cultural differences, and a lack of financial resources are among a few of the challenges they face.

i previously mentioned an organization i am proud to be involved with that is doing a lot of good locally and globally. one of the main programs sponsored by the spero project is called spero: voice. the mission of this program is to be a voice for those in need, offering them the hope of Jesus in practical ways. this is accomplished by partnering the resources of the local church with the needs of the refugee community, specifically through education, job training, social networking, spiritual growth, and advocacy.

this weekend wraps up a week of awareness in the UK sponsored by the british red cross, aiming to overcome prejudice and help refugees restore their sense of identity and belonging. even though i’m late in spreading the word, it’s not too late to visit lookbeyondthelabel.org and learn more about the struggles of these people. check out the video below, and if you feel inclined, read a little about the terrible injustices and violence occurring in the congo, burma, sudan, and afghanistan. these are just a few of the places those in the refugee community of okc have lived. it is difficult to read these stories without being moved by the hope these survivors represent.