Learn the Pattern

by Dr. James W. Jackson

Founder, Project C.U.R.E.
Author, The Happiest Man in the World: Life Lessons from a Cultural Economist

It’s hoped that your accumulated education would enhance your cultural value.

The hierarchy of education seems to be (1) expose yourself to vast amounts of facts and knowledge, (2) process that knowledge into some level of understanding, and (3) endeavor to transform that knowledge and understanding into practical wisdom before you die.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once observed, “By nature all people are alike, but by education become different.” Except for DNA, and a handful of other abstruse factors, he’s no doubt right. Never before have we had the ease of access to such a vast accumulation of information. Many colleges and universities have far more enrolled in their adult education and extended education programs than in their regular on-campus classes. And one of the reasons most often given by the students is the fact that unless they enhance their formal education, they are stuck in the “lower salary box.” They are made painfully aware of the presumption that your level of education enhances your cultural value.

In the last decade I have spent considerable time in Asia and along the old Silk Road. On one of my trips to Pakistan and Afghanistan I was hosted by a medical doctor named Malik Kasi, who lived in the border town of Quetta. Dr. Kasi was in charge of the large Pediatrics Department of the main hospital, and a major professor at the Bolan Medical School. He invited me to his historic home to have dinner and meet other leaders of the Baluchistan tribes.

A fireplace was smoldering in the reception area, taking the chill from the old building. All the floors were covered with gorgeous Persian carpets, and the room walls were lined with pillows constructed from small woven Persian rugs about 36 inches by 20 inches, sewn together and stuffed with raw cotton. Tea and condiments were quickly served on the floor, and each man of the welcoming families took a pillow and pulled it up close to the fire. Some, including me, sat on the pillows, and some sat on the carpets and leaned back against the pillows.

As we were all getting acquainted, I commented to Dr. Kasi about the spectacular oriental carpets. Some looked like they had gold fibers woven into the fabric. He was very pleased that I had asked. I explained that I would consider it a great honor if he would teach me how to assess the value of Persian carpets. That led to a complete tour of the home, and a university education on how to buy Persian carpets. Some of his carpets dated back to the 1500’s. He said I could determine value by the number and quality of knots on the reverse side, the designs, styles, weights, quality of either the silk or the wool, and by the different geographical areas where the carpet had been woven. He then asked if I would like to go with him to one of the rural villages were the family made carpets.

At the village home there was a large horizontal loom set up off the floor about eight inches. When the family understood that Dr. Kasi had brought me to see them do a little carpet weaving, one of the daughters jumped right over to the apparatus. She pushed the shuttle mechanism forward and began stringing, through the lateral base strings, woolen threads that had been wrapped around sticks of wood.. She was very confident and quick. Then, with some wooden tools she beat the new strings compactly into place before she pulled the shuttle handles back to align everything. It would take months for the completion of one carpet.

“Dr. Kasi,” I said, as I watched the daughter work, “I see her work so fast and so confidently, but I do not see anywhere a pattern from which she is working. The design in the carpet is very complex and intricate. How does she know what she is doing?”

“Good question, Dr. Jackson,” Dr. Kasi replied. “There is no written down design. The pattern has to be memorized. The instructions are handed down from generation to generation. You see, the grandmother and the mother choose a particular girl in the family, and that girl is allowed to memorize the design and instructions. Because she has been chosen and the secrets have been shared with her, she is considered very valuable, and is honored and respected within the tribe with the assurance that she will marry well. There is a great incentive for her to learn and perform well.”

We are admonished, “If given the opportunity . . . learn the pattern. What you know increases your intrinsic worth, so determine within yourself to become an aggressive ‘Life-long Learner.’” 

Dr. James W. Jackson often describes himself as "The Happiest Man in the World." A successful businessman, award-winning author and humanitarian, Jackson is also a renowned Cultural Economist and international consultant, helping organizations and governments to apply sound economic principals to the transformation of culture so that everyone is "better off."

As the founder of Project C.U.R.E., Dr. Jackson traveled to more than one hundred fifty countries assessing healthcare facilities, meeting with government leaders and "delivering health and hope" in the form of medical supplies and equipment to the world's most needy people. Literally thousands of people are alive today as a direct result of the tireless efforts of Project C.U.R.E.'s staff, volunteers and Dr. Jackson. 

To contact Dr. Jackson, or to book him for an interview or speaking engagement: press@winstoncrown.com

The Sun Was Shining in Beijing

by Dr. James W. Jackson

Founder, Project C.U.R.E.
Author, The Happiest Man in the World: Life Lessons from a Cultural Economist

“Man who says it can’t be done should not interrupt man doing it.”

Project C.U.R.E.’s first donations of medical equipment and supplies had entered China in 1989, and even though Project C.U.R.E. wanted to cooperate and send even more medical goods into China, the government had introduced new restrictions that blocked our efforts. China did not have any law or written policies regarding outside humanitarian groups wanting to enter their country. They simply said, “No.”

Traveling with me on my trip from Denver to Beijing was Joshua Zhong, founder of Chinese Children Adoption International and a native of Fushun, China. He had made contact with a very high government official in Beijing, named Yan Ming Fu. Mr. Yan had recently been appointed to Minister of Civil Affairs and head of China Charity Federation. Everyone had advised me that our attempt to travel to Beijing and receive any concessions would be absolutely futile. No one was receiving permission to work in China.

The Federation had been established in 1994 with the sole purpose of being in total control of all humanitarian efforts throughout the country. They were in charge of all disaster relief, social relief, poverty issues and any other charitable functions. If Project C.U.R.E. would ever hope to find favor within China for their humanitarian work, that favor would have to come through that one man. I realized that all of Project C.U.R.E.’s involvement in China in the future was dependent on finding a way to be accepted by the Federation and given special favor and recognition.

Friday morning was very cold and stormy in Beijing. Our small taxi took us through the rain to a large government office building not too far from Tiananmen Square and “Forbidden City,” where we were to meet with Mr. Yan. I felt the excitement of the occasion as I walked into the room. This meeting would determine Project C.U.R.E.’s effectiveness, or even existence, in China. The time had come.

I thanked the officials deeply for the meeting and began to share with them about Project C.U.R.E. and our work around the world. I told them that I had visited many of the Chinese hospitals and had performed “Needs Assessment Studies.” I showed Mr. Yan many pictures of their own needy hospitals. I had seen their healthcare system with my own eyes. Mr. Yan jumped right in and began asking me many questions. I showed him pictures of our warehouses and volunteers in the United States. Finally, I felt the time was right and went for the main point.

“Mr. Yan, I have fallen in love with your country and your people, and I want to be a friend and come along side you. But it is too difficult to work with you. Everyone has told me that I am foolish to come directly to you, but I sincerely want to help. The problem is that your system does not allow me to be successful. I cannot ship my donations into China like I can the other nearly 100 countries around the world. That makes me very sad. So, I have come all the way to Beijing to ask you to help me.”

Mr. Yan looked at me and with a quick wink said, “So, they tell you that you are foolish to come and talk to me directly because I will say, ‘No’. Well, in our country we have an old Chinese proverb, ‘Man who says it can’t be done should not interrupt man who is doing it!’”

“Who has given you the trouble?” Mr. Yan rumbled, “Because you and I are going to work together in China for a long time in the future.” “I don’t believe that it is any ‘person’,” I answered, “it is just that your laws do not allow for it. I need your help to guide me around that problem,”

“Well,” Mr. Yan said emphatically, “you have come to the right place. I am the right man to help you. From this day forward you will not again have a problem getting any of your shipments or programs into China, and they will be tax-exempted. I will see to it personally. As you have shown me, our big city hospitals are functioning quite well, but our smaller hospitals and our rural areas in China need everything. We must work together for a long time. Dr. Jackson, do you want to sign an agreement to guarantee your status?”

“Yes,” I answered emphatically, “I would like that!” I was astounded at the complete acceptance. When the proper paperwork was completed, Mr. Yan entered the room again and came to the table and sat down beside me. He took out his pen and we both signed the agreements as the flashing lights from the cameras lighted up the room. It was done. Everything I could have hoped for was on an official document and signed by one of the most influential men in all China. I stepped outside the big gray concrete government building. The rain had stopped and the sun was shining in Beijing.

Dr. James W. Jackson often describes himself as "The Happiest Man in the World." A successful businessman, award-winning author and humanitarian, Jackson is also a renowned Cultural Economist and international consultant, helping organizations and governments to apply sound economic principals to the transformation of culture so that everyone is "better off."

As the founder of Project C.U.R.E., Dr. Jackson traveled to more than one hundred fifty countries assessing healthcare facilities, meeting with government leaders and "delivering health and hope" in the form of medical supplies and equipment to the world's most needy people. Literally thousands of people are alive today as a direct result of the tireless efforts of Project C.U.R.E.'s staff, volunteers and Dr. Jackson. 

To contact Dr. Jackson, or to book him for an interview or speaking engagement: press@winstoncrown.com

Miracles

by Dr. James W. Jackson

Founder, Project C.U.R.E.
Author, The Happiest Man in the World: Life Lessons from a Cultural Economist

“Difficulty is a miracle in the first stage. If it is to be a great miracle, the condition is not difficulty, but impossibility.”
S.D. Gordon

Since its inception, Project C.U.R.E. has been characterized by a culture of consecutive miracles. There has grown up around the organization an expectation that the difficulties that face us on a regular basis are there as challenges, and those challenges are interpreted as opportunities for God to show his mighty faithfulness through our consistent endeavors. 

Many times we have faced the “impossible” and others around us were certain that the time had come for us to quietly fold our tents and sneak off into the dark shadows of defeat and mediocrity. But, those times of “impossibility” have simply become occasions for God to not just work a miracle, but, rather, to perform a “great miracle” before our eyes. It seems to me that our very existence, after 25 years of delivering health and hope to a needy world, is proof certain that God is still in the “great miracle” business.

I loved to return to Denver from my international trips and sense the excitement of our volunteers and staff at Project C.U.R.E. They would line up at my office door or catch me out in the warehouse. In almost breathless recitation they would tell me of the most recent miracles that had taken place while I had been away. In fact, many would tell me, “I come to work at Project C.U.R.E. every day because I know if I miss a day of being here I will miss out on one of the miracles.”

One such report came to me from one of our Denver warehouse directors, named Justin. While I had been in Nagorno Karabakh I had witnessed the sad devastation of the country and the maiming and crippling of many of the victims. The constant bombing and the hidden land mines had left so many of the victims without arms or legs. Many others needed physical rehabilitation in order to be restored to health. I had promised the doctors and nurses, as well as Baroness Caroline Cox, that Project C.U.R.E. would help them in establishing a physical rehabilitation facility to be located in the city of Stepanakert.

When I returned to Denver from Nagorno Karabakh, I had found out that we had sent all the rehabilitation equipment that we had collected in our warehouse inventory to a hospital in Turkey. What would we do? The time was quickly approaching when we had to ship the ocean going cargo container into Yerevan, Armenia to be transported by land to Stepanakert. Justin and his crew began to pray for the people in Nagorno Karabakh, and that a miracle would take place allowing us to receive the needed rehabilitation equipment and prosthesis pieces. They kept the list of needed things for Karabakh right on their desk in the warehouse.

Then, one day our warehouse was notified that a large truck would soon be arriving at our docks. The truck was loaded with medical goods that had been donated to Project C.U.R.E. by a prominent medical company. But, Justin did not know what would be on the arriving truck. When the truck backed into the dock space, the driver hopped out and handed to Justin a manifest of all the donated contents in the truck.

“Jim, it was a miracle, an absolute miracle,” Justin said to me with tears welling up in his expressive eyes. “Jerry and I stood there, and I had the manifest of the new load from the truck that had just arrived in one hand and the list of needed equipment and prosthesis pieces for the Nagorno Karabakh load in my other hand. The two lists were almost identical. Jim, it was a miracle,” he told me. “When we arrived at the warehouse that morning we didn’t have what we needed. Then within the next hour we had everything we needed to send. Now they will have almost everything they requested to complete the rehabilitation center, plus lots and lots more medical supplies than they even expected! We have just been a part of a miracle.”

When was the last time you were directly involved in a “great miracle?” Or, have you ever experienced such a thing in your life? I dare you, today, to look at the difficulties that are facing you right now and view them not as impediments or enemies. See them as “miracles in the first stage.” And remember, if your situation is going to require a great miracle, the condition will probably not just be difficult, but impossible!

Dr. James W. Jackson often describes himself as "The Happiest Man in the World." A successful businessman, award-winning author and humanitarian, Jackson is also a renowned Cultural Economist and international consultant, helping organizations and governments to apply sound economic principals to the transformation of culture so that everyone is "better off."

As the founder of Project C.U.R.E., Dr. Jackson traveled to more than one hundred fifty countries assessing healthcare facilities, meeting with government leaders and "delivering health and hope" in the form of medical supplies and equipment to the world's most needy people. Literally thousands of people are alive today as a direct result of the tireless efforts of Project C.U.R.E.'s staff, volunteers and Dr. Jackson. 

To contact Dr. Jackson, or to book him for an interview or speaking engagement: press@winstoncrown.com

Compassion in Vietnam

by Dr. James W. Jackson

Founder, Project C.U.R.E.
Author, The Happiest Man in the World: Life Lessons from a Cultural Economist

We define ourselves by our own response to human need. We become engaged through the perception of our own obligation and opportunity.

War didn’t call me into Vietnam . . . but human need did! My first trip into Saigon was in early 1996. As a result of that trip I was introduced to a precious lady named Binh Rybacki. Binh was a native of Vietnam and was one of the last to be plucked off the roof of the American Embassy by helicopter in Saigon as the Americans were in hot retreat from the city in 1975. She and her family had tied their wrists together so that none could be left behind.

Binh’s father was a professor at the prestigious University of Saigon and the family was well off financially. Binh was a student. Vietnam was just coming out of one war and was presently engaged in a vicious civil war with the Communists from the North. One day the students found a large notice posted on the bulletin board. It stated that all the students of the English Department would be killed very soon. They all laughed at the incredulous impossibility. But the officials of the school told them that the notice was serious and that they needed to go away to find their own protection. The priest of the school even gave them their last rites just in case he would not be around to do it later. The Communists entered Saigon and began randomly killing the students at the University, as well as thousands in the city. Binh and her friend escaped from an upstairs window and onto a roof and down into a dumpster, thinking that the killing would stop and the Communists would leave. But they didn’t.

Binh’s sister worked for the US Embassy in Saigon, so their whole family was targeted for death by the Communists. As the Embassy loudspeakers played Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas,” the last helicopter lifted from the Embassy roof and Binh and her family were on that chopper! They were flown to Fort Chafee, Arkansas, and eventually resettled with a host family in Loveland, Colorado. Binh started her career with Hewlett Packard, married her husband, Jack, and together they had three boys. When her mother died in America, Binh felt compelled to return to Vietnam for the first time to find her Mother’s closest friend, a nun, and inform her of the death.

Binh eventually found the friend hiding in the countryside, illegally harboring 27 orphaned children. Binh discovered that the set of circumstances in which you find yourself will determine where you can start, but will not determine where you can go in order to change things. She made a vow to get involved. She told me, “The message was very clear even if the way was not!”

By 1998, the orphanage that started with 27 hidden children grew under the leadership of Binh to four remarkable orphanages with 1600 abandoned kids.. Binh and her husband, Jack, pledged Binh’s entire salary from Hewlett Packard to personally underwrite the orphanage work. With her traveling back and forth from USA to Vietnam, the orphanage project experienced remarkable blessing and grew rapidly.

Project C.U.R.E. was privileged to get involved with Binh’s venture and deliver over $2 million worth of donated medical goods to the Children of Peace organization and surrounding hospitals in Vietnam. The Vietnamese children were “better off,” the Children of Peace organization was “better off,” but, undeniably, Project C.U.R.E. experienced the greatest benefit, from being associated with such a great lady as Binh Rybacki. We became first-hand witnesses of a miracle that took place in the heart and life of a lady who defined her own life by her response to human need. She became engaged through the perception of her own obligation and a ready opportunity.

Dr. James W. Jackson often describes himself as "The Happiest Man in the World." A successful businessman, award-winning author and humanitarian, Jackson is also a renowned Cultural Economist and international consultant, helping organizations and governments to apply sound economic principals to the transformation of culture so that everyone is "better off."

As the founder of Project C.U.R.E., Dr. Jackson traveled to more than one hundred fifty countries assessing healthcare facilities, meeting with government leaders and "delivering health and hope" in the form of medical supplies and equipment to the world's most needy people. Literally thousands of people are alive today as a direct result of the tireless efforts of Project C.U.R.E.'s staff, volunteers and Dr. Jackson. 

To contact Dr. Jackson, or to book him for an interview or speaking engagement: press@winstoncrown.com

Stolen Goods

by Dr. James W. Jackson

Founder, Project C.U.R.E.
Author, The Happiest Man in the World: Life Lessons from a Cultural Economist

Martin Luther once quipped that, “If our goods are not available to the community, they are stolen goods.” 

This past Christmas our family had the exquisite opportunity to open our Colorado mountain home and our hearts to a lovely family we had met in our travels to Brazil. The husband and wife are each medical doctors, and at one time or another four members of our immediate family had been guests in their Brazilian home. They brought with them their three sons, plus another Brazilian teen- aged boy. In addition to our two sons and their kiddos, our younger son brought his new wife and their two teen-aged sons. And that, indeed, made a houseful!

As the festivities of the Christmas day rolled on, I found a quiet spot by the blazing fireplace and for a few moments I became an observer, rather than an engaged participant. I watched the mingling of the families and the love that flowed through their conversations, jokes and hugs. I allowed my mind to revisit the country of Brazil and the dramatic needs there and the rampant poverty of the favelas. I was at peace knowing that we, as a family, not only were concerned on a daily basis with the hurts, trauma and destitution of the needy people around the world, but that in the simplicity of our own home we were willing to open up ourselves and share with others those goods that had been allowed to us. The goods that we had were not being hoarded but, rather, they were being made available to others of the community. They were not “stolen goods.”

Somewhere along the line we had been allowed to discover that our greatest fulfillment in living was being realized through our giving of ourselves and the things we possessed. The things that we would hoard in life would only be left and fought over by others, but the things that we would share with others around us would continue to keep on giving forever.

The culture around us has drummed into our heads that we must accumulate for ourselves and ardently hold fast to those collected things with the tenacious belief that if we fail in hanging on we will always somehow be without quite enough. The sad result of that thinking is an anxiety about today and a fear of not having quite enough for tomorrow. It squelches the simple belief that God is in control and is eager to graciously supply all that is needed to those who resist dealing in stolen goods. That simplicity of life escapes those who refuse to relinquish and share with those in need that which has been given to them in the first place.

While sitting by the warm hearth and glowing fire, I reaffirmed that I enjoy the simple life of love and sharing. I want my family to see and also enjoy that kind of life. I desire a personal life free of anxiety and determine to cling to the belief that all of my needs will continue to be met as I make certain that enough of those people around me are being made “better off.”

Dr. James W. Jackson often describes himself as "The Happiest Man in the World." A successful businessman, award-winning author and humanitarian, Jackson is also a renowned Cultural Economist and international consultant, helping organizations and governments to apply sound economic principals to the transformation of culture so that everyone is "better off."

As the founder of Project C.U.R.E., Dr. Jackson traveled to more than one hundred fifty countries assessing healthcare facilities, meeting with government leaders and "delivering health and hope" in the form of medical supplies and equipment to the world's most needy people. Literally thousands of people are alive today as a direct result of the tireless efforts of Project C.U.R.E.'s staff, volunteers and Dr. Jackson.

To contact Dr. Jackson, or to book him for an interview or speaking engagement: press@winstoncrown.com



photos: myinteriordesign.us and Jimmy Dozer