The phone keeps ringing off the hook.  One call, two call, three calls then it’s ten calls and then I can’t remember how many.  Each caller wants to help.  It is all so exciting.  The program is off the ground and moving on its own. 

This is how I felt after John (our founder) and Narah (the executive director) were on WWL’s morning show talking about the Soldiers of Love and the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliances’s Peer Specialist Training program.  The response was overwhelming and inspiring.  This city is in a mental health crisis and we knew there was a need for programs like this, but we had no idea the interest would be so great!  I felt as though we were all on the brink of something huge, something that could really make a difference, a difference that families could see on an everyday basis and a difference that a person could see in himself and be proud of. 

During the training I got the opportunity to speak with some of the volunteers and they were all extremely grateful for Soldiers of Love for sponsoring this program.  The look of gratitude in their eyes is something I will never forget.  Now the volunteers are being placed in centers and hospitals, and Soldiers of Love’s good work is getting spread into the community person by person, good deed by good deed, and we are a few steps closer to reaching our goal.

                                                     I will try to love and help create a heaven on earth.

                                                                               By Lauren Lagarde

     My first 120 days have been filled with anticipation and activity.  Soldiers of Love’s first activity scheduled just 25 days into my start as SOL’s executive director, and required the recruitment of 30 volunteers! Volunteers were recruited from friends, church members, business people, university students and nonprofit professionals. We came together with one goal in mind: to implement Junior Achievement’s financial literacy basics to children at Lafayette Academy Charter School. The energy and openness of young minds were refreshing, and I received many reports from our volunteers about their personal satisfaction with the children’s interactions.  It was humbling that so many individuals chose to make a difference in a student’s life. We anticipate holding another session in the fall.     Our second activity, 35 days into my tenure, addressed critical mental health problems in the greater New Orleans region. We are all aware of the lack of access to adequate care and supportive follow-up. SOL’s partnership with the Depression and Bi Polar Support Alliance trained 23 individuals as peer support specialists, with techniques which augment but not supplant traditional counseling services. The intensive training covered 40 hours of training, after which trainees were required to pass a written test. All trainees passed! The next phase for these certified peer specialists is placement, either as either volunteers or in a paid positions. SOL has so many requests for certified peer specialists that an additional fall training session is scheduled. We will continue to work closely with local mental health services in the greater New Orleans region and beyond.       All SOL activities demonstrate the concern and dedication of local residents in helping our recovery from the devastating effects of the hurricanes.  As Soldiers of Love, we are at the forefront of this effort in aiding the community to mend the fabric of life by helping the most vulnerable amongst us, our children and mentally ill individuals. Together we can and will change our world—all it takes is for concerned citizens deciding to take that first step. Words cannot adequately express my appreciation to our dedicated volunteers, ranging in age from 19 to 90 I will try to love and create a heaven on earth.

     I believe the good way is God’s way. I firmly believe that world’s religions founded on love for God and other people help point us in the right direction. Religions help us by bringing us together with those of like mind and kindred spirits, improving our endurance and giving us support in troubled times.
     I believe that we are to live life to the fullest. I believe there must be balance in life, balance that allows time and energy for purely recreational things. But life also should have intertwined in it a purpose or purposes, meaning and depth. Your life should count for something, something good, something you consider important.
     Find your own niche. It may not be a glorious niche, but if you are honest, use your talents, live with integrity, and seek to love yourself, your fellow human beings, and God, you will achieve your niche in life and with God., and I believe He will consider you an extraordinary person.
     If you achieve great riches and fame, and love yourself, others and God, I believe God will certainly love you too. And we should all guard against envy toward those who do gain fame and fortune.
     Life is complicated. Some see and understand God’s calling at an early age while others, such as I, even though trained early, do not comprehend or have faith until much later.
     But I believe that there is that still small voice within each of us, that piece of God that gives each of us the opportunity and the means to find God and to have everlasting life. I found that voice or that element through my church, but I believe, as my minister does, that God is too big to be contained within one denomination or one religion. The God in whom I believe is the God of the universe and contains this entire world always, now, in times gone by and in times to come.
     In the beginning God said, “Let there be light.” I believe that, as I do the Bible as a whole. But I have difficulty believing all parts of the Bible literally. I believe now is the time to compare religions throughout the world, to search for the common elements as many have done before. How has God’s love been revealed to us so far? What are the elements of commonality, balance, and idealism in our world today within the religions of the world? How can each religion be improved and purified from the intrusion of man’s outside influence?
     I would envision a broadening in a gradual way of religions to provide for other religions. I would not expect a common religion among six billion persons because we simply think differently, and we have different religious and political histories.
     But acceptance of commonality within multiple religions can allow peace, prosperity and oneness with God. Let the sun of God shine on all of us, providing us with the warmth of love and understanding. There will be cloudy days for sure. God tests our resolve, but if we pass the test our strength increases. And if we don’t pass the test, we must try again, and again, and again.
     They say that love conquers all. I agree, on human and spiritual terms. 
  
                                                            From Deep Within My Heart, by John E. Wade II
  

     Could we survive without shortcuts or labels?  Think of it—the worst labels are the mindless acronyms that pervade everything from government jargon to computer programs.  On second thought, I believe acronyms aren’t the worst labels. The worst are those that refer to other people: Nigger, slut, whacko, dummy and so forth.  These thoughtless designations not only damage, they inflict their damage instantaneously.  
     We must have empathy for our fellow humans, reaching out to them even if they don’t fit our “proper” profile.  Appearances are labels of a sort, whether they are skin color, age, dress, weight or even tattoos.  Life is full of situations where one may have to judge by appearances or labels, but such situations ought to be restricted to personal safety issues or other such practical reasons.  Empathy doesn’t mean, however, that you have to accept as a friend someone you don’t like or respect, for to do so would be superficial and hypocritical.
      If each of us thinks of himself or herself as a citizen of the world, the process of removing artificial labels becomes simpler.  Citizenship implies equality, at least until one proves unworthy of equality, such as in cases of hardened criminals.  My concept of citizenship respects the boundaries of countries, regions and groups in this diverse world of ours.  Pride in oneself and one’s country can be healthy.
      The globalization of the economy, if handled properly, can lower borders through trade and communication.  Labels must be abandoned for all the benefits of free, fair trade.  Abolishing nationalistic labels and name-calling can maximize the benefits of this trade.  Of course, the great hope of the world is that through economic integration we will move gradually to a peaceful world.
      Are we humans locked into a love/hate relationship with our fellow humans?  We must look deep within ourselves for that answer, and to our creator.  Love to within, love to without and love from above are the answers. 
  
                                                        From Deep Within My Heart, by John E. Wade II

On an individual level, one way to lower aggressiveness is to reduce stress. I believe reducing stress levels also can reduce aggression among nations. Doing business together worldwide, in an honest and forthright manner, could reduce that stress level and lead to all sorts of people-to-people interactions.

Peace and stability, nation by nation around the world are desirable, and do not mean the status quo. Look at the United States. It has many resources, including private capital, human capital and natural resources. But I believe that we have the by far world’s foremost economy because of our strong democracy and belief in capitalism.

Why do I mix spiritual, political and economic elements together? Quite frankly, I do so on purpose, for I believe that a heaven on earth will come only after God and humankind unite these essential elements in some fashion.

                                                            Excerpt from recount of trip to Holy Land in Deep With My Heart, by John E. Wade II

           The Soldiers of Love pledge—“I will try to love and help create a heaven on earth”—is simple, yet powerful in its honesty, intent and personal nature.  Nina Kooij, my editor at Pelican Publishing Company for my upcoming book, How to Achieve a Heaven on Earth, called the pledge “profound.”  Each of us can take this pledge, mean it and strive for its fulfillment.

            I believe it was Thomas Edison who said that his inventions were ninety-nine percent perspiration and one percent inspiration, and such was the case with the pledge.  I had spent decades in Sunday school and church, almost 29 years in analysis and follow-up analysis, and much, much thought and prayer, all culminating when the pledge first entered my consciousness.  First came the phrase “I will try to love,” which I immediately wrote down, and then, a moment later, concluded with “… and help create a heaven on earth.”  I believe that if every able person in the world would take this pledge, mean it and abide by it, we could and would change the face of the earth, not just for the better but toward a wonderland of joy and accomplishment.  I further believe that someday, somehow, God’s enduring, steadfast love will empower the kindness within all of us, and a heaven on earth will arrive.

            I know there are many who do not believe in the existence of God, including followers of one of the great religions of the world, Buddhism, as well as adherents of another great religion, Hinduism, who believe in multiple gods.  But this is not the place or time to debate the personal spiritual beliefs or non-beliefs of you or me or the billions of us who inhabit our planet, now or in the past. 

            This is the time for action and commitment to peace, security, freedom, democracies, prosperity, spiritual and racial harmony, ecological soundness, and health, as well as moral purpose and meaning (doing the right thing in word and deed) for the whole world.

            I see tremendous opportunity for compassion, justice, truth and peace in the world, one by one, family by family and nation by nation.  Yet at the same time I see the potential for terrorists, perpetrators of rape and genocide and criminals of all kinds to wreak havoc throughout the world, including the United States itself.

            So what must we do?  Take the pledge and one by one, million by million, billion by billion, we’ll march toward a non-violent victory through character, toughness and love.   Make your life count.  Take the pledge and do your best to abide by it.

I didn’t think I had it in me really. Quite frankly, kids make me a little nervous. I went into the first day apprehensively, not knowing what to expect. Will the kids like me? Will they be interested in what I was teaching? Will I keep their attention for a week? The many questions were accompanied by sweaty palms and a cracking voice.

Walking into Ms. Dzialo’s second grade classroom, my fears were immediately eased by big smiles. The students were not only excited about welcoming a guest speaker, but also to learn something that they haven’t yet focused on – our community. We discussed “community” as a whole, and then broke it into parts – services, jobs, and volunteerism on day one; products and production on day two; government and taxes on day three and so on.

It was day two. I walked into the classroom excited to get started. Today was going to be fun; we were going to learn about production via a donut-making activity and who doesn’t like donuts (I personally prefer donut holes). We broke the classroom into teams. Two of the four teams made donuts using assembly-line production; the other two teams made donuts using unit production. At the end of the activity, we checked each donut for defects (a new word the children learned that day). The next day, we discussed taxes. Using paper money, I paid all of the students (donut makers) for their previous day’s work of making donuts. I paid them each $5, but told them that I needed $2 back. The $2 was the taxes they owed. As I was collecting the money, one little girl, remembering the vocabulary learned from the day before, said “I will tell you what a ‘defect’ is. A defect is having to pay you $2.” It was an ah-ha moment for me. These Lafayette Academy students really were absorbing what I was teaching.  They caught onto the subject matter quickly. They were involved in the discussions. They really wanted to learn. 

The potential is there with these children.  They want to be engaged. As they go through the New Orleans public school system, I hope that they find resources that will help them achieve their goals. I will continue to keep my fingers crossed for the class of 2018.

Is this an experience I hope to take part in again? Absolutely! I appreciate Soldiers of Love, in partnership with Junior Achievement and Lafayette Academy, for giving me this life-changing opportunity.