What is your Legacy?

"What is your legacy? Find it out, Don't Wait too Long" 

Finding a Legacy: 

So I wanted to share this little piece of my past with all of you. I think it's amazing how belief in one small idea can turn into a lifetime adventure. With a little watering, and hope that the Sunlight is shining on that little seed of an idea - a dream will grow...

This week I was digging through a drawer looking for a book and I found a journal from a few years ago. I was skimming the pages and saw random sketches, lyrics, and ideas that I had scribbled down over the year. I flipped towards the back and found the pages from the Summer of 2010 that had my initial thoughts and written out plan to go to Uganda and work with children of war doing storytelling therapy.  Excitedly I ran to show the journal to my Dad, in disbelief with tears forming in my eyes saying -- "DAD. Look at this. Two years ago, I wrote I wanted to work with former child soldiers doing art therapy and helping them find healing and in TWO WEEKS I will be in northern uganda doing just that"  My Dad simply said "It is your Destiny. Your Legacy"

Legacy was a word that defined 2010 for me.  I even wrote a song called "Legacy" with my good friend Cameron Ernst (an inspiring singer-songwriter/activist in Dallas) in order to support Invisible Children's spring campaign for child soliders that year called The Legacy.  Thankful we got to work together for this cause. 

Here are some lyrics from the song:  What is your legacy, Sing it out,  Play your song. What is your legacy, Find it out, Don't wait to long. What is your legacy. No one will stop you. So leave your legacy. So leave your Legacy. 

Well that year, that chorus replayed over and over in my mind - What is my legacy? Will I go and do something that matters? or will I just sit here wanting to do something and never doing it. Do I even know what I want to do? So many questions. So little time.



Plans and Passions: 

It was Summer 2010, summer right before my senior year at USC  and I was starting to realize what I was truly passionate about. I realized I had a lot of different interests... whole myriad of different things...  so I wrote them all down.  -- storytelling, music, justice and injustice, compassion, children, theatre, design, child soldiers, 3rd world countries, technology, advertising, acting,  film, art, singing, journalism, marketing, supporting musicians, songwriting, encouraging dreams, non-profits, drama therapy, healing, loving the broken, the Gospel, Jesus, being a servant to the poor, finding creative solutions to poverty, advocating for the voiceless...  among many other things... 

I sat there staring at a list of all these unique passions particular to me, trying to find a way to combine them all and make them fit together in a neat little package. It seemed impossible. Which one am I most passionate about? How can I tell a story that represents who I am? How do I leave a legacy -- before I leave USC? What if I graduate college and don't know what I want to do. Why is the world telling me I need to find a job and one career, when I have a giant list of things I like doing and I just want to pursue all of them!! How can I do what I love and make it my career, my lifestyle and my focus? (Sound familiar?) Being overwhelmed, I remember sitting at our family's beach house in the paradise of San Diego, and I just put my head down and prayed and asked the Lord "show what you want me to do, because I need direction and have nooo idea what to do. Guide me. Be my Director" 

But like most of the time when we sit and think about the Hows, or the What Ifs - I was just procrastinating and not acting. Out of fear I wasn't moving and I was saying the impossible was impossible before actually trying it out to see if that's true. I wasn't listening for direction, I was actually fearing it. So I chose to ACT.  After all I went to college to study to be an actor and storyteller. And how was I living out my faith and trusting God's plan if I was too afraid to live out the passions I had been given personally? 

So I took the first step.

Actions:

1. First I took a few deep breaths and took leap of faith. 

2. I wrote down what I wanted. [see journal below]

3. I applied for a scholarship to work in Uganda

title: "Storytelling and Drama Therapy for Children of War"

4. I researched organizations that aligned with my passions

5. I explored options for potential jobs or careers 

6. I talked to friends and family about my true passions and asked

 them for advice of what they saw me doing. ( Accountability ) 

7. I volunteered with a non-profits and causes I believed in. 

8. I started serving friends in the different areas I was passionate about

9. I read the Bible and books to gain knowledge and wisdom about the topic

10. ...and I waited.. (Waiting is an action too!) 

Now I can see. It was worth the wait. 

But all of those actions, lead me to this EPIC journey to Uganda. 

It's going to look different for you, but all I can say is START ACTING.

I reeeally am struggling to keep this concise haha so I'm going to try to sum up the rest to explain this photo below -  

Since you probably can't read what I wrote (I barely could...) here are some of the quotes typed out:  

" I will be helping children use therapy to overcome their painful pasts and revealing the need

for rehabilitation programs. Straight from the mouths of the victims, we will hear the stories and view their Road to Recovery. My role will be to help assist, facilitate and build a platform for the children to voice their stories. " - Page 1

"I want to broadcast the development of my progress and the children's progress with art therapy. That way people can fund and tangibly support the cause even while I'm still in Uganda." - Page 1 

"This scholarship will only be a start to a larger mission of using media, our unique talent and our voices to provide encouragement and support nations in need worldwide. I am excited to break ground use my education and passion to motivate people to share their stories that matter. So it is with great hope that I present this idea to you. To use storytelling + therapy + healing a war"  - Page 2

So two years ago I decided I was going to go to Northern Uganda, work with Children of War and use art therapy as encouragement and create a platform to help tell their stories. Now in two weeks, I'm going with Exile International (a non-profit dedicated to doing just that) to work at Children of Peace Uganda and advocate for the voiceless children of war. I am just in awe. Dreams do come true! 

Encouragement:

 My legacy and YOUR LEGACY - is an in-progress story. We don't know what is in store for us, or how it's all going to work out, or why we have this or that passion, but we do know that pursuing what we love brings us joy. Makes us feel ALIVE. We do know that there are dreams inside of us that are aching to be acted out. There is purpose for our life, and if we choose to love ourselves and believe in ourselves instead of fearing we're doing life wrong, then we can enjoy our days! We can be fulfilled knowing we were honest in our pursuit of our identity. It takes faith the size of a mustard seed to move a mountain. It takes one step to start a journey, you don't have to see the whole staircase, but you have to take the first step. What is preventing us from loving ourselves and pursuing what we love? Think about it and ask yourself if you're finding time to pour into your passions. Little by little we will see how it all fits together and makes us who -  we  -  are.  And that is beautiful. 

I  beg of you and encourage you to write out all your CrAzY ideas and far-fetched dreams somewhere. Write it in a notebook or in your phone or email yourself --- you never know how writing out your dreams will encourage you to start living them out. 

What is your legacy? Find it out. Don't wait too long :)

Devon

One Month Away!!

If you want to donate to this cause, here's the link -- Donate to PayPal - Devon Feldmeth

ONE MONTH UNTIL I LEAVE FOR UGANDA!!!!!!! I cannot even begin to express how excited I am and how thankful I am for this opportunity to serve at Children of Peace Uganda. 

This is a huge adventure ahead and I want you all to be a part of it with me! I've been realizing more and more that it's not even about being the 'storyteller' anymore, but my role is helping equip and encourage these children to become the next generation of artists and storytellers. It starts with THEIR STORIES.  All I want to do is place the paintbrush, the megaphone, the blank canvas in their small hands and empower these children to use their voices to add some color and hope to the world. By seeing and hearing their words and their art, I know that our hearts will change. These children have overcome darkness and are teaching us how to find the light. 

 Are you ready to hear their stories? 31 days in counting....

all funds through paypal support the work of Children of Peace Uganda, supporting the rehabilitation work I'll be doing in the community!

Thank you for being my amazing support team!!!!!!!!

with Hope,
Devon

A Shot of Realization

 6 Shots for Uganda!

 Gearing up for my trip to Uganda and this week I got my vaccinations so I will be safe from the major infectious diseases. Even though these vaccinations are very costly..  > $500 - yikes! - it's worth it so I don't have to worry about getting Malaria, Yellow Fever, Typhoid, Meningitis, Tetanus, and Polio.

Seriously. I am so thankful that these vaccines are so easily accessible and I can afford them so that I will be protected during my time in Uganda!  We are SOOO blessed to be able to have medical care and kind doctors, that make you laugh when getting shots, to relieve the pain.

I hope that someday soon vaccines will be available globally for all women, children and families that need them! My heart breaks over the thought of children losing their lives because they couldn't afford or receive the medical attention they need.

Think about how much poverty would decrease, if people all over the world didn't have to worry about contracting Malaria, Cholera, Polio, and other infectious diseases. This is why I am dedicating my life (mark my words) to seeing the end of Polio, the end of Malaria, and the END of extreme poverty.

---------

A Shot of Realization -- This all really hit home for me when I received my Polio shot, of how passionate I am about helping our world find ways that we can all work together to end extreme poverty. Even after spending the whole year working on a campaign for Polio, I never really took the time to imagine what it would be like if I had Polio, and I knew there was a vaccine out there that could cure me of this crippling disease.

Now having the opportunity to be safe from contracting Polio for the rest of my life, I am determined to see to it that every child has this same opportunity.


This spring I designed this info-graphic for the Global Poverty Project, an organization I am blessed to work with, that is catalyzing the movement to end extreme poverty in our generation.

Are we seeing these numbers? Polio has reduced by 99% in the last 25 years!! That is something we can celebrate!! After working on The End of Polio campaign for a year now (head of branding and design), I have seen the progress of the complete eradication of Polio and I am so excited to lend my voice to the cause.

I even wrote a book review about the History of Polio in Sept! 

"The world story of polio isn’t finished; fortunately there is just ONE percent to go to eradicate the disease. There is an opportunity for us all--celebrities, musicians, Rotarian volunteers, and the everyday man and woman--to come together and raise awareness and bring attention to the End of Polio. It all started with a dime donation and a committed group of compassionate individuals and now we have tools of technology to help this story spread."

My tool of choice is DESIGN. I love to design with graphics because I think design allows stories to be told in a way that allow us to see the possibility of what's in front of us. It acts as an encouragement to believe in - what we imagine in our minds to be "impossible".  There is always a need to simplify and concretize an idea and design takes a thought that would have been just an idea, and makes this idea tangible, visual and easier to absorb. It's been amazing to see how just a few designs I designed for The End of Polio campaign are inspiring people to donate and support the cause...

We raised 118 Million dollars = 118 million vaccines for children, with the campaign this fall! A few hours on Illustrator and Photoshop for me, means saving lives in Nigeria, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. HOW AMAZING IS THAT?! I always try to focus on the bigger purpose of the design when designing - What story am I helping tell? How can this message inspire people to serve? Am I helping motivate people to see the progress we are making to end poverty? I love my job :) 

Below are more designs and photos from the End of Polio campaign. Sign the petition if you haven't already! www.theendofpolio.com 

Design has allowed me to be a creative storyteller for Justice and I want to challenge you, YES YOU, that you have a tool, a unique gift and talent that will help the change the world if you start using it for good. Find out how to use your voice to make a difference, I promise it will be one of the most rewarding moments of your life -- it has been for me! Look for it, it's there, and it's never too late to start changing the world :D

With HOPE 

-- devon

A New Heart

The Heart. The place where love and sorrow meet  - where the breaking of the painful past, can be restored by the rebuilding of a hopeful future. The place where brokenness can be made beautiful.

These children above, are praying for new hearts. They are invested in deep prayer and asking for their hearts of stone to melt, and that their new restored hearts, will beat again.  They are praying for forgiveness, seeking grace, and finding that they are loved in this desolate and broken place.

This photo, taken by Exile International during one of their art therapy sessions, is an example of the healing that comes when these former Children of War ask for God redeem their hearts in order to become Children of Peace. The children literally place this cut out red paper heart against their chest, and ask for a new heart.

Amazing Grace. 

My own heart weakens at the sight of this, but at the same time I motivated to LOVE. I want to listen to their stories, to hold them in my arms and tell them that they are forgiven and so loved. I want to tell these precious angels of God that they are safe and sound forevermore. I tremble with awe at the thought that I will have the opportunity to be in the presence of these Children of Peace this summer.

By His love, Jesus removes their hearts of stone and gives these children new hearts, fully alive and overflowing with dreams, passions, potential and PURPOSE. By His love, these children are healed.

and now I ask...
What brokenness can we overcome, when we read and hear the stories of these children? If they can overcome a war, what wars can we overcome in our life? How can we let their stories of redemption change us?

I know that this story, of Children of War becoming Children of Peace, challenges me to love better every day. It challenges me, in the depths of my soul to cultivate a compassion that is changing how I view the world.

These Children are the ones who are teaching me how to be a Child of Peace. I cannot wait to hold their little hands in less than two months and tell them how thankful I am, that they helped me see this new beauty in the world.

-- devon


"A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh." - Ezekiel 36: 26

At a Crossroads

             
               "Crossroads" - was a piece I designed earlier this month to mimic a bullet holster 

     wrapping around Africa and crossing at the heart of Uganda, little did I know a few weeks

     later I would be on these tracks heading to Africa this summer; arriving where these roads meet...
             

I'm at a CROSSROADS. A turning point, a place, where my passion is colliding with my plan and producing an impact greater than I could have known. Reality is meeting face-to-face with dreams I had planted years ago.  I could write a book about it, I might someday but for now, I will just say - I am LIVING in Joy. I wake up every day excited and hopeful for this new adventure! I can barely express it in words, but I feel it in my heart, mind and soul that this is the right time to go to Uganda.

My heart is being prepared for a lifetime of work of dwelling in suffering along the side of people who are hurting, in order to help them find healing.  It is about recognizing we're all ONE status, we're all human, and we're all capable of forgiveness and love. I am passionate about people and my plan is to pour out my life in order to help others find their passions. You see? My passion, is my plan. Through helping people find their passions and dreams, especially these former child soldiers, war orphans and women I will be working with - I am achieving my own dream.

I want people around the world to know you can do what you love. You can marry your passion, career, dreams and the beauty of it is we don't have to worry about how all of it will come together...that's not our role. It's a journey, not a destination. Just keep pursuing what you love.... and somewhere down the road, you will be able to see why things had to happen the way they did, and it will be worth it. So so worth it. 

I'm at a crossroads. Passions, dreams, desires, career, plans, are all colliding, but I know I'm safe while I'm on this track. I'm following my heart wherever it takes me and I'm not looking back!! 

-- devon

Flight to Uganda booked!!!

MY FLIGHT IS BOOKED! Oh my goodness, sigh of relief and also a wave of COMPLETE JOY!!!!

This has been a looooong journey, but well worth the wait.
55 days until I start working in Uganda!!!

Please pray for me in this time of preparation!!
Also pray for protection over the country and thanks for being my amazing support team :]

Thankful for you all.
   - Dev

Mission Minded

Note from my iPhone: 663 days ago  -  June 28, 2010 at 2:09 am... Isn't it crazy how our heart knows what we desire, before we do??

A prayer for the Child Soldiers

My heart aches for Africa. I want to send and ship all the love I can to the nations there. I want my eyes to be focused on God and my mind to be set on only things above. I want to leave the distractions of daily living and view the life of an impoverished child.

I want to see children fall to their knees in thankfulness and realize their broken lives will be healed. I want to view the hope that hangs in the savannah air and my words and actions to be worthy of the manner of the gospel.I don't want attention but to glorify god.  I don't want to seek the approval of others, I want to LOVE others.

I am praying for a peace that binds nations and people alike. I believe that good can overtake our world and love is capable in even  the most evil hearts. God holds the world in his hands and I know his goodness is in all.