And The Weekly Blog Begins…

by | Mar 2, 2011 | * Making A Difference!!

Jackson simply said, “Shouldn’t we be trying to make a difference in the world”.  Now he’s learning that words and ideas are powerful things.  Not every idea sees the light of day, but this one had a certain spark that caught, and now we stand watching in amazement as it unfolds.  It’s really thrilling.  I have to say, I’m really proud of the fact that I have two sons who actually care about the world around them.

The planning process continues to be overwhelming at times.  I can’t begin to tell you how many days I can hardly get out of bed because the task just seems too daunting and frightful.  That’s when the belief your children have in you, is bigger than your own belief in yourself.  See, my kids continue to believe I can do great things…  they haven’t quite figured out I’m just a scared kid like them, who’s acting like a grown up because that’s my job.  I guess sometimes you just have to fake it ’til you make it… for the boys.

So let’s see… What’s been going on?  Well, besides meeting with Esther Benjamin of The Peace Corps who gave me great advice on planning this trip… To the wonderful guidance and support of Robert Shapiro, former principal economic adviser to Bill Clinton… To the support and friendship of Peter Cipkowski at Scholastic… I’ve just signed with a great literary agent, Steve Ross, who published Obama’s book – “The Audacity of Hope”.

We have received a grant from Wells Fargo/Wachovia Foundation. We have managed to meet with His Excellency Ambassador Joseph of Haiti, met with The Australian Embassy, had a beautiful e-mail from Yoko Ono, been interviewed by a number of magazines including Creative Loafing in Charlotte, been invited to appear on Fox News Rising, we’re being featured in The Whole Life Times in Los Angeles, yesterday had a phone meeting with the Foreign Policy Dept at The Clinton Foundation,  and just got off the phone with Janet and Fritz in Haiti at Dessaix-Baptiste Music School in Jacmel, where we will be staying and working in June of 2012.

Over the last few months we have organized an incredible group of friends who have worked tirelessly to help put this project together.  And I need to mention them…My dearest Kristina Haddad, Bo Henderson, R.A. Buck, Tony Lydgate, Robert Shapiro, David Kirkpatrick, Duncan Tucker, Bert Woodard, the wise and wonderful Lisa MacLeish, Rachel Woodhouse, Linda Britt, Lindsey Moser, Liz Branca, Jennifer Taylor, Mary & Mike Gutowski, Patrice D. Evans, Paige Hauff, Rebecca Thomason, Kathy Abernathy, Drew Grey, Michael Lightweaver, Francine Popkin, Sue Sandford, Wheelock Whitney… and that’s just to name a few.

Thanks for joining us on this extraordinary journey.  I’m so honored to be able to be part of this grassroots effort.  I know somehow we are going to make a difference.  Perhaps we’ll discover what it means to be a citizen of the world and a member of the human race… not separated by borders, belief systems, skin color, or political doctrine.  The possibilities are endless, don’t you think?

And the Journey Begins…

by | Feb 10, 2011 | * Making A Difference!!

This is our first blog written on Thanksgiving Day, 2010.   My boys and I agreed that we wanted to make a difference in the world, so we came up with the idea of “Twelve in Twelve.”  We will travel to 12 countries in 12 months doing humanitarian work.  In addition, we will shoot a documentary of our travels with the intention of inspiring others to make similar trips.  Our itinerary is as follows:  Russia, India, China, Cambodia, Senegal, Rwanda, Tanzania, Australia, South Georgia Island, Paraguay, Peru, and finishing up our tour in Haiti.  After that, we will live in Mississippi for a month to document the poverty in our own country.

With the help of so many people and the generous contributions of individuals and corporations, we will make this trip a reality.  My goal is to encourage others to do their part in making a difference in the world.  We all know that there are huge global issues facing our planet, but so few of us are aware of how we, as individuals, can actually help.  With our documentary, I hope to shed some light on the pressing needs in different areas of the world and how someone wishing to help, could actually make a difference.

Ultimately, the goal of our project is to set up “The Twelve in Twelve Network.”   We will establish a resource to help guide and assist people who are interested in doing global relief work.  Our organization will serve as a “One-Stop” resource, for everything to do with humanitarian relief work.   We will help plan travel for individuals and families, in terms of their time commitment, low cost travel options, areas of greatest need, kinds of work the traveler wishes to perform, safety and medical concerns aboard, and setting up accommodation and/or host family situations.

I’m excited to go out and see first hand what my boys and I can do to make the world a better place.  I know it won’t be an easy trip, but I want to teach my sons to be the men the world needs. I want to teach them that sometimes you just have to stand up and take some action.  To make a difference is to live a life fully, and that is our intention.

Please join us as the Lewis boys travel all seven continents, from country to country.  We will be posting video and written blogs along the way with what we have learned, discovered, experienced, and how we are attempting to make a difference.