Redeeming Dreams From Brothels

I recently read on a mission blog, a quote of Ralph Winter: “You can’t make “a business” out of rescuing child prostitutes in Thailand, or by setting up medical clinics in the midst of extreme poverty around the world.”

...I wonder. Recently, I watched the movie, Born Into Brothels, in which a development worker, who worked with prostitutes in the red-light district of Calcutta, was drawn to reach out to their children. She was also a photographer and she had the idea of giving each of the kids inexpensive cameras and asking them to interpret their world through that medium. It worked wonders not only in creating deep relationships but the end of the story was this: she got many of them into higher education and out of the brothels by showcasing their photography... and assisting them in selling prints of their own work…which completely funded their empowerment. You've no doubt heard other stories of similar kinds of highly-creative approaches.

I wonder what is possible if we reimagined problems with a little more spirit-led creativity. Entrepreneurs focus on hidden value opportunities. As spiritual entrepreneurs, those value opportunities are the God-given treasures of identity, dreams, and purpose contained within. Our part of this empowerment opportunity might be to provide the marketing and distribution channels for those “products” of our Father’s dreams. Could this self-fund community development and mercy missions?

Rent the documentary. Check out their website: kids-with-cameras ... Get inspired. ... Watch this clip...

Easter in the era of "whatever"

In a recent brainstorm with some 20-30 year olds, we sought to rethink a familiar challenge, one that usually goes like this... When Easter rolls around the churches in America face a major dilemma: One one hand, Easter is probably the most effective time of the year to raise their profile (fishing when the fishing is good). On the other hand, the US population who still have favorable memories or understand the meaning of Easter is a diminishing audience. Though it remains one of the best times of the year to build awareness (and attendance) we searched for a way that also speaks with relevance to this growing sector. We had these goals for it: 1) it had to connect to an authentic felt need, and 2) do it in a clear and simple way, and 3) be seen as coming from real, unpretentious, caring people.

This led to the development of the Don't Change A Thing campaign.
Here are a few examples (the rest can be found on the Breakthrough site). I will be posting more ads and photos here and would love your feedback on them.


Headline:
Don't Change A Thing. ... If It Changes Who You Really Are.
... and some suggested reverse side text:

Everyday we encounter pressures to conform, to approach life-change as an outside-in acquisition of principles and social norms, rather than an inside-out process of becoming our true selves. The Bible contrasts a life of conforming with a life that's transforming. It speaks of regeneration, renewal of our minds, and being reborn. But the fact is, it's far easier to cave in to expectations. It takes courage to live out of your true heart and follow the dreams you were meant to fulfill. If you're looking for people who will treasure the real you and support you in your journey, we'd like to be that people. A new day is dawning, and we can begin this Easter to resurrect the life we were meant to live... lives not meant to conform to the world, but transform it!

I've posted a few of these in the: Portfolio, but ideas for other target audiences (by way of their photo representation on the cover) could go in many interesting directions. Where would you want to go?

Idea Starters

I'm working on some new campaign ideas...sure love to get some advance feedback (here or by email). These pieces are part of an ongoing development for use in engaging a community (families, kids, youth) to awaken God-given dreams and begin conversations and dream-coaching relationships. Do they spark ideas in you?

A Community Dreams Campaign

Here's a sneak peak at a local community project we're working on (in our own backyard). The idea is to facilitate people's dream discovery-nurture-act (DNA) process through a community / church sponsored web site. A full media campaign would promote it and drive traffic to the web site where there would be online helps to guide someone (specifically children and youth) into writing and posting their dreams.



My hopes is that this would be a forerunner of a complete Dream Center (dream coaching, life coaching, career and business incubator, mentoring, after-school programs, and community arts programs). ...stay tuned.