& it happens

A girlfriend recently commented, on a Marco Polo, that I had this amazing nature about me. It was as if: “Miel just says, hey, what about this cool thing? & it happens.” – Roberta Suzette This delightfully reminded me of our father, Wally Jones. His closest and best of friends was Lowell Rose–after whom my…

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Asylum Seeker

Last night, I had a special guest stay at my house: an international guest. I didn’t find her on Airbnb or couch surfing. She was an asylum seeker from Central America, and she had come to Portland with a friend of mine who is working with asylum seekers in the Latino Community in Oregon.

I can’t give her name or country for safety reasons, but she was young, kind, and offered to pay for everything from the dinner she we gave her when she arrived, to her breakfast this morning. She’s here because Portland is the regional seat for the so-called, “Immigration Court” where she will have her preliminary hearing to set a court date with the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) to allow her case to be heard. Without a car, and without fluency in English, nonetheless, if she misses this first date, she can be subject to immediate deportation.

My friend began this work with her first “case”, a woman who she met through volunteering. The woman’s husband was threatened and extorted by local gangs until one day he was knifed, shot, and left in a gutter to die. He lied there for 36 hours before he was able to get to safety, and eventually, recover. Later, to protect his family, he escaped to the US, saved money, and brought her up. My friend helped her get asylum, and later, they were able to get her husband papers on her successful petition.

Word got out to the community that my friend helped her, and soon, she started hearing all kinds of stories. It’s important here to distinguish between “illegal immigrant” and “asylum seeker.” Illegal immigrants typically come for economic opportunity. But, these asylum seekers are not looking for jobs: they had jobs back home. They are fleeing for their lives, or to protect the lives of their children or families.

Violent drug gangs have turned many parts of Latin America into a War Zone that rivals ISIS-occupied Syria for savagery and lawlessness. Failed anti-drug policy, the deportation of violent drug offenders en masse from high-security prisons in the 80’s and 90’s (which were like training camps for viciousness), and a deterioration of social order and the strength of institutions generally in these countries has left families and women (in particular) vulnerable.

My friend says, “If the gangs find out there is a family member in the US, they will target the families left behind. They break in, and steal what they want. And the women are there by themselves with children. That’s when rapes happen. There’s impunity, the prosecution rate against the perpetrators is basically zero.”

Additionally, this insecurity in the culture has led to an increase in domestic violence. Fortunately, Asylum law changed a few years ago and now, my friend tells me, “Women who are victims of domestic violence and who cannot otherwise be safe, are recognized asylum seekers.”

This case, however, is a classic case: with nowhere to seek shelter or safety from the gangs, and as a risk to any family member or friend who would take her, this woman had no choice but to seek asylum for her survival.

Sadly, no law firm in Oregon is big enough to absorb all of these cases pro bono, and so it is left to people like my friend, whose work at the food bank led her to help in her first asylum-seeking case. You don’t need to be a lawyer (though it helps): just someone with an open heart, some extra time, and a desire to see mothers, young women, and children refugees resettled and safe, and able to live in dignity.

Sometimes being a Vicarious Nomad is about sharing the stories of other travelers, and as in all journeys, finding our a common humanity. I am glad that my home is a safe stopover, with a warm bed and breakfast for travelers on journeys like these.

Buenas suerte,

Miel

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Clean Cooking Form 2015

Ghana-Social-Media_Kofi_AnnanGoing back to Ghana feels like the stars have aligned to have me meet so many incredible Africans at once. Not only will I be going back to Ghana, but I will also be doing so in both professional and personal capacities. I will be attending the Clean Cooking Forum 2015 next week. I will be meeting many individuals who I have encountered remotely but have never met. I will share with you as I meet them, hopefully. I’ve never been as excited for an actual conference and who the attendees would be.

When the Black Stars played in the South Africa World Cup in 2010, I remember thinking that Ghana was a small enough place, that I was likely to meet Stephen Appiah. Low and behold, he will be attending the Forum.

We will also be meeting with Wanjira Mathai, Wangari Maathai’s daughter, and head of the Wangari Maathai Foundation. Wangari won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for the founding of the Greenbelt Movement and I heard her speak that year in DC. Wangari also wrote The Challenge for Africa, which I found to be one of my very favorites in a long line of African literature. Clark loves the children’s book written about her work as well. I’m glad to have the opportunity to have Clark meet such people.

The gathering will feature more than 400 leaders from 28 countries who are working to build a global market for clean and efficient cookstoves and fuels. The Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves is hosting the global Clean Cooking Forum 2015 in Accra, Ghana – the first time it has been held in West Africa. We will come together to share strategies for accelerating growth of the clean and efficient cookstoves and fuels markets around the world.

I look forward to representing InStove, as the cleanest, safest, most efficient stove on earth. I am enjoying thinking of the potential opportunities there might be for an InStove in my village. It would also be cool to get an InStove to be a part of a Peace Corps project in Ghana. We’ll keep you posted on progress. If you know of any opportunities for us to collaborate with anyone while we are in Ghana, please let us know.

Regards,

Miel (& Adam)
Ghana-Social-Media_Rocky_Dawuni

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Jeepneys

Introducing the incredible Jeepney! These awesome small buses were one of the first things I noticed on my ride from the airport. With the hustle and bustle of Manila, they are one of parts of the city I’ve enjoyed the most. Sorry the picture sizing isn’t what I’d like it to be, trying to work…

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Thanksgiving Abroad

It seems that racking up holidays abroad is part of the nomadic lifestyle of an aid worker.  This is my sixth Thanksgiving abroad.  They have varied tremendously in where in the world I was, including Finland, Ghana, Macedonia, Afghanistan, and now the Philippines.  I realize as well that my husband and I have now spent…

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International Rotary Family

One of the things the I love about Rotary is that you can step into a room and feel like you are coming home. Last night I had a miss, arriving well past the sunset time listed for all clubs in Bujumbura, only to find no one had arrived eat. I was glad to try…

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Food for Thought

This picture was taken in the cafeteria of Kabul Education University. A colleague passed it on with a note that said, “Food for Thought.” It brings me back to a conversation I had with my guard and driver yesterday about demonstrations that have taken place at KEU over the past couple of days. From the…

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Bush Market

I thought today I’d share a tidbit to know that American tax dollars are hard at work. More commonly known as the black market, here in Afghanistan it is called the Bush Market, yes, named after our beloved George W Bush. At the Bush Market you can find an odd, yet plentiful, supply of American…

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Sugarcane Traffic Cop

One of the wonderful things about living in a place like Kabul: you never quite know what you’ll see next. My favorite chuckle for the day was seeing the traffic cop using a stick of sugar cane to direct traffic. In a place like Kabul you might expect something a little more forceful from the…

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Shopping with Osama

So with Eid starting yesterday the normal grocery store that we go to, Hamadi’s, was closed. Just down the road was another shop, Chelsea Market, that has lots of the same good but a bit on the dustier side. We went in and did our shopping and all was good. Today however, I went back…

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