Change of Season: It's hard to believe that August is coming to a close and Fall will soon be upon us. Just as the seasons change IGN is also in its own season of change and we are preparing for some pretty exciting things. We continue to think about ways in which we can serve both our partners internationally as well as those here in the United States and one reoccurring theme is that people matter most. How often do we get so caught up in the work to serve the people that we forget the people we are trying to serve?
Recently I was in church and I sat next to a woman who happened to be a volunteer who helped distribute the communion elements. She sang loudly and passionately during each of the songs, lifted her hand as she prayed and distributed the communion elements with great care and seriousness. When she returned to her seat she elbowed my arm, jostling to position her elbow on the armrest. I had to smile at her determination and glanced over at her apologetically but she was clearly perturbed that I had encroached on the armrest space that she was clearly entitled to and let me know in no uncertain words. I later tried to reconcile things with her but she wanted no part of it and scooted away as quick as she could. She had celebrated the Savior but she forgot the whole point of His purpose and message – Love God and Love Others. How are you doing in regards to these two things?
Leaders from all over the world, including those of us at IGN, gathered on August 4th& 5th 2010 to attend the Willow Creek Association Global Leadership Summit. Bill Hybels taught us how “a leader moves people from here to… there”, while Jim Collins encouraged us to “never ever give up” and Jack Welch spoke about authenticity, candor and energy. We heard from Daniel Pink about what motivates people, and Terri Kelly shared about the lateral management style of W.L. Gore & Associates. Each of the 13 speakers brought new insight, experience and encouragement to all of us through their teaching. The Global Leadership Summit is one of IGN’s favorite training events each year and this year proved exceptionally enlightening and motivating. We are excited to incorporate our new learning’s into the endeavors of IGN. For more information on the Global Leadership Summit go to their website http://www.willowcreek.com/events/leadership/2010
Summerschool in Uganda:This summer we had the privilege to visit Uganda, a country we had not been to before. While there we spent time pondering the questions around leadership and development with our fellow graduate students and professors. We visited the UN where we learned about the IDP’s and Refuges within Uganda and some of the struggles they are faced with, and we visited a USAID feeding program and warehouse where we had the opportunity to tour their facility, observe the hard working guys unloading the trucks and then we spent time learning about several of the programs in place to assist those in Uganda. Before leaving we also had the opportunity to meet several young women attending the African Bible College in Kampala. Their stories rich in experience, struggle, and triumph. Their hope, to attend Eastern University’s Master's program once they complete their undergraduate degrees. Our prayers are with them for support in all their future endeavors and thanks for all they have overcome. Special thanks also to our new Ugandan friends, your hospitality and kindness are appreciated!
April 2010 Newsletter
A Sustainable Faith Conference
Join IGN at the “A Sustainable Faith Conference” on April 23rd- 24th in Saint Petersburg Florida. Our very own Tim Salmonson will be giving a talk entitled: You, me and the global community:
Irrespective of gender, race, creed or color men and women from the very beginning of time have had an inward longing to find significance. Each of us works to achieve something that gives us a sense of significance and ultimately acceptance, but what if we turned this paradigm upside down? We are going to explore our own journey of transformation and identify the ways in which we are all interconnected and how we can work together in practical ways to reflect God’s heart for community and reconciliation.
The overall ovconference theme… "Justice in the Real World" - How to be sustainably committed to justice over the long haul and not become overwhelmed or disenchanted
Half Way to Uganda As a part of our continuing eduation we are returning to Africa this summer. Thanks to the generosity of faithful supporters, we were able to secure air transportation that will get us half way to Uganda! We are asking for your support to get us the rest of the way. We need an additional 60,000 each (120,000 total) air or sky miles from either American Airlines or United. We count it a privelege to be able to learn more so we can serve more. Thank you for your support, it wouldn’t be possible without you.
Rebuilding Haiti As many of you know the devastation in Haiti from the recent earthquake is going to take a long time to recover from. Suffering in Haiti began long before the earthquake but now in the aftermath of the destruction there is a vestige of hope that this could be a new day of rebuilding and the start of a new and better life for the Haitian people. We have been in communication with our partners in both Haiti and the Dominican Republic as to the best ways we can help with the efforts going on in Haiti. Planning has begun for the first IGN Haiti teams which will launch in September 2010. If you are interested in coming alongside IGN and our partners by joining a rebuilding team, or making a financial contribution to support the rebuilding efforts, please contact us at
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Together we can make a difference!
On Tuesday, January 12 one of the biggest disasters to ever hit the Western Hemisphere took place.A magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit close to the capital city, Port au Prince, Haiti causing the loss of life of tens, even hundreds of thousands of lives and billions of dollars worth of damage.Immediately we received a flurry of phone calls asking what IGN's response was going to be to the crisis. Our simple exhortation would be, "Don't go, your resources would serve the people of Haiti much more effectively by donating to a reputable organization that has had a long standing relationship with the people of Haiti." Read more about our response here...
Invision Global Network will be working with our partners in Haiti and the Dominican Republic to see how we might be a part of a long-term strategy to rebuild and restore so many fractured lives. We will keep you informed on how you might also be a part of that process.
We've made some changes to our website that we’d love for you to check out.You can connect with us through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other social networking sites.We also have a new photo menu that helps you navigate easily find the information that you’re looking for and a newsletter subscibe panel. If you do not wish to receive enews updates you can unsubscibe by simply going to the unsubscibe link below. Please let us know how we can improve our site and navigation tools.
IGN's primary goal is to create experiences through which people are inspired to take steps towards living a passionate life of serving others. Each of the core strategies are designed to facilitate a process to help people on a spiritual journey of self discovery, awareness of others, and volunteerism. We offer training programs, seminars, and take groups on International short term serving trips utilizing best practices in empowering others and considering the needs of the whole person.
Short term serving trips provide opportunities for a transformative experience to take place that benefits both the international partner being visited and the volunteer that is serving. IGN approaches serving from a standpoint of relationship building and helping others with something they are already doing.
Seminars and training are approached from a participatory learning style where there is a facilitator overseeing the process and participants are actively engaged in the discussion. Seminars and training serve to generate awareness and inspire reflective personal development.
Seminar & Training topics include: Conflicting World Views, Development vs. Relief, Responding to the Needs in the World, What is Poverty, Discover Your Strengths, My Life Story, A Passionless World, Love Your Neighbor
One of our project proposals are in Thailand. IGN has a relationship with the leadership of the Akha tribal group, originally from Tibet they migrated to Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, China and Vietnam. They are considered foreigners without rights in each of these countries. The Akha people have many struggles, among them extreme poverty, lack of educational opportunities, children are at high risk for human trafficking, and there are few opportunities for employment. When they do find work they are often exploited. One of the villages is in the process of building a school and they have asked us to come alongside them to assist in the process. Your group is invited to join us in investing themselves in helping the Akha people in their pursuit to receive an education, find tools for sustainable living and hope for a better future.
IGN has partners in: South Africa, Kenya, India, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Ecuador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Thailand
If you or someone you know has a passion for serving others, wants to engage in the world, and wants to become more involved in the communities they live in, please contact us. We would love to join you on this journey of transformation! Please contact us HERE.
November 2009 Newsletter
Please Pray:
Speaking Engagements
Mobilizing 2010 Teams
Training Seminars
Travel Expenses to Uganda
Gold's Gym Project
Sustainability
Support and future partnerships
Tim Salmonson: Executive Director of IGN
Thank you! It’s hard to believe that November is coming to an end and the year 2009 will follow close behind. With all the events that transpired this past year and all that we are currently doing I’m struggling to find the time to reflect on what I’ve learned and what we’ve been able to accomplish. I guess that will happen next month. Right now we are finding ourselves gearing up for 2010 teams, booking speaking engagements, planning seminars and events, all in conjunction with our graduate studies, personal pursuits and life challenges. These are certainly exciting times and we are so grateful for the support of friends and family like you who help us keep our vision alive and our hearts full. Thank you! You are greatly appreciated.
Quote of the Month: "It is not enough to be busy. So are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about? Henry David Thoreau
A Journey of Transformation
Current Events:
It has been announced… our 2010 residency program for our Master’s program will be in Kampala, Uganda. We are very excited to be going to Uganda and we are hoping to connect with other organizations in Central Africa but as things stand, there is the big question of how we are getting there! If you are a frequent flyer, would you please consider donating miles towards this trip? I promise you, it is an investment that it would be a very worthy investment!
Sharing our story has also been high on the priority list and this past weekend Tim had the opportunity to share both at the morning serving, evening serving and the youth service at Port Saint Lucie Bible Church. This Wednesday,(Dec. 2nd) he will be sharing at Bay Point Christian Church from 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at their family service. If you would like either Cindie or Tim to come share at your church, club, group or organization please contact us at
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.
Something else that has been in the developmental process are teams designed for small business owners to engage their clients and/or staff in international volunteer service projects. We have a pilot project under way with Gold's Gym of South St. Petersburg. We'll let you know how it goes!
Taking Action We are so excited about the IGN serving 2010 Teams! This coming year we will be working with some old, long term partners and some new ones as well. Each of us have gifts and talents and things to share with the world. How about making it your new years resolution to share those things with the world and your community! We would love to come alongside you and help you in this process of discovery and action! We welcome you to our journey of transformation! Serving Team Experiences include:
Check out our website for more information www.ignonline.org. Also, for those of you with children that might be interested in Family trips, we are working on family friendly trips that can accommodate younger children. If you are interested in taking your family on one of these trips, please contact us at
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.
Sustainability The work we engage in at IGN is rewarding, life impacting, and the benefits of participating in the process of life transformation with others is absolutely priceless. Although the rewards are great, it is also necessary to find ways to create income to sustain our daily lives. Our desire is to have incoming funds re-allocated back into IGN ministry programs. In an effort to find sustainable income for ourselves we have launched several projects. Cindie has been expressing her creative side by designing a selling bracelets and watches. She participated in her first craft show this month and will be offering her wares this coming weekend at another show. Tim has been helping others market themselves by offering his photography services as well as graphic design and web design.
October 2009 Newsletter
Please Pray:
Speaking Engagements
Mobilizing 2010 Teams
Training Seminars
Trip to Uganda 2010
Trip to India 2010
Charitable Contributions
Tim Salmonson: Executive Director of IGN
A Change of Seasons October is for so many means a change in the seasons. The leaves turn color and the air gets cooler as we prepare for yet another season of winter. For some of us, we welcome the change; for others, we grit our teeth and, “hunker down”, preparing ourselves to scrape the ice off of our cars, shovel our driveways and sidewalks and bundle up for cold, cloudy days. Just as the season’s change as a natural progression of the rotation of our planet around the sun, so do season’s change as a natural part of life. IGN is going through a new season of change and we are very excited about it. We have been working with a brilliant artist, designer, marketer and he is helping us on a few fronts, the biggest being our branding. So if you notice a major transformation it will likely be the brain child of Mark Broad – “Make your Mark, make it Broad.”
Quote of the Month: "The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers." M. Scott Peck
A Journey of Transformation
Our Latest Video "Learn to do right. Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow." Isaiah 1:17 Almost half the world lives on less than $2.00 a day. When I gave food to the poor they called me a saint. When I asked why the poor were hungry they called me a Communist. Dom H. Camara Every 6 seconds a child dies due to poverty. These are some of the quotes and statistics that we’ve incorporated into our latest video. Take a minute to learn about many of the challenges that the world is faced with today and when you finish, please share it with your friends, family, church leaders, whoever. One of the first steps to changing the world is educating ourselves on the needs there are around us.
Mission Moments During our travels we have met many remarkable people rich with stories and experiences. We have encountered those with stories of struggle, triumph, some where mistakes were made, and others that just make you laugh. We have found it not only interesting but valuable to listen and learn from the stories and experiences of others. Each of us have stories of our own that IGN would love to hear and share. We invite you to submit your stories of all the amazing, crazy, transforming, even disappointing things that have happened to you while doing your best to serve someone, somehow, somewhere in the world. Check out Daniel Rickett’s story from his experience in Nairobi Kenya… While driving in downtown Nairobi with my teenage daughters, street children approached our car, tapping on the window with one hand and holding up an open palm with the other. Ignoring my warnings, the girls opened the window and began handing out coins. Within seconds… http://mymissionmoments.blogspot.com/
Speaking Engagements IGN is about life transformation and volunteerism. Life transformation occurs when we catch a vision for how God created us and the unique purpose and contribution we have to make in the world. IGN facilitates a process of envisioning, equipping, and engaging. We cast the vision of what a life lived in faith and service is like, equipping volunteers to understand self and others, and creating short term experiences to assist in the process of getting engaged in the world. We share stories and knowledge from those we are serving who are also on this same journey of transformation. One way for us to bring awareness is to share with work groups, churches, neighborhood gatherings, and small groups. We also facilitate seminars for those that want to learn more about topics like, “Taking Action; getting engage in the world”, “Created by Design; Discovering my giftedness”, “Poverty; who are the poor”, and “Understanding Worldview; How to Respond to Needs in the World”. We need your help in this process. We ask that you consider setting up a time when IGN can come share with your small group, church, or neighborhood gathering. We would love to come inspire, encourage and equip you and those in your life to live as God created. Contact us at
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for more information on seminars and speaking engagements. We look forward to serving you.
IGN is also in its own season of change and we are preparing for some pretty exciting things. We continue to think about ways in which we can serve both our partners internationally as well as those here in the United States and one reoccurring theme is that people matter most. How often do we get so caught up in the work to serve the people that we forget the people we are trying to serve?
Leaders from all over the world, including those of us at IGN, gathered on August 4th& 5th 2010 to attend the Willow Creek Association Global Leadership Summit. Bill Hybels taught us how “a leader moves people from here to… there”, while Jim Collins encouraged us to “never ever give up” and Jack Welch spoke about authenticity, candor and energy. We heard from Daniel Pink about what motivates people, and Terri Kelly shared about the lateral management style of W.L. Gore & Associates. Each of the 13 speakers brought new insight, experience and encouragement to all of us through their teaching. The Global Leadership Summit is one of IGN’s favorite training events each year and this year proved exceptionally enlightening and motivating. We are excited to incorporate our new learning’s into the endeavors of IGN. For more information on the Global Leadership Summit go to their website 
