Welcoming Youth And Their Advisors from 149 other countries to the USA for the 24th World Scout Jamboree in WV!

While the news I heard in CT on television was that we've had 15 days over 90 degrees so far in the North East, I imagine they've topped that in the South. I met about 30 Scouts from England in Grand Central who had just arrived on Saturday, July 20th, 2019 for a couple days of touring before heading down to West Virginia...to be part of this exciting 24th World Scout Jamboree.

So I am posting a welcoming hello to them and the other 45,470 folks attending (possibly more with day guests welcome with advance tickets on most days through July 31st. I am actually rather interested in checking it out, but it's a bit of hike from CT.

I have a friend venturing that way but with her dog and such it wasn't ideal to take me along even though I thought 'two are better than one" and learning to care for a dog who needed meds and such would actually be a way to earn a badge (or two, helping navigate and so on.) Truth is I hardly ever go on long car trips. Usually I go along with someone every few years... and I've blogged about them.

I know folks who are on the go as much as they are staying put in my own circles. In Brooklyn I meet people from Africa and Australia on their walkabouts or doing business (or sending money and goods back to their countries) and switching careers from journalism to computers (I'm guessing but the point for him was to Learn English I think after knowing French.)

Could I really imagine 'trading places' and going to a different country (though parts of this country seem plenty foreign and of course, there are quite a few gaps between city and country living.)

I heard on the radio that Amtrak will be helping Pittsfield MA area (I think that's the plan or at least Great Barrington MA) have a connection to ol' NYC. That's something for this local explorer to look into. Of course in  Big News, Boris Johnson will not bore us in becoming the next Prime Minister of England..but the reports were not glowing, more of a scare in ways. He will meet the Brexit deadline by Halloween, Oct. 31st, 2019 is what I recall or at least try hard to do that.

  The exiting Prime Minister Theresa May was thanked by him in a speech publicly and briefly the news reported. In the US, Robert Mueller will be testifying 'within stated perameters' tomorrow. Likely as many people who will be tuning into the CT's Mohegan Sun's Miss America Contest later in the fall will be watching the testimony, but then again, maybe not as many as 4 million

. Many people are at work and will have to catch it on the fly and on the net. While the nightly news said there is evidence there was a systemic effort by Russia to influence the POTUS elections of 2016, Trump was not recommended to be indicted. However there were ten aspects of 'obstructing justice' that may put Trump in a poor if not legally challenging light.

Another news report shared that China is the biggest threat to national security and intellectual and business property. That country may be stealing work and using tactics to undermine business and people's works in secretive..and maybe not-so-secretive ways.

Now with that quick summary or a bit of what I heard the 'take away' would be to tune in occassionally or more as you can to see what America hears on the radio and sees on TV. Unfortunately the sad stories on Dr. Oz likely were hard for many to hear but were important safety reminders to 'not trust someone who says they are there for you, understand your problems and want to help.'

Particularly if that person is 'cheating with you', is male and not wanting to be a father (again.) That's the kind of 'set up' that left a young woman who was married vulnerable to being with a man she trusted and had thankfully told a friend about, but who unfortunately 'got rid or her to get rid of his baby she was carrying.'

Without clear evidence it likely wasn't appropriate to indicate that that man's wife may be implicated as a co-conspirator. The type of 'control and game-playing' this one man had over at least two women (could there have been more before or in addition to the one whose life he took so shamelessly) needs more attention from many parts of  society.

He happened to have been a Marine, as was her husband. Unfortunately he was looked at as a suspect as well and they did not have any children. He did go on to marry and have a child with another woman however. The woman's mother shared her insights on television, offering the idea that her daughter had some depression and had likely been feeling this man 'understood her and would be there for her.' Unfortunately she believed him when he said he wanted to 'spend the whole day with her' knowing she was pregnant.

Supposedly they had talked of names for the baby, but clearly that was all a ploy for him to keep her in his control. He admitted to many details that led to a confession of taking her life by surprise, but that he could have stopped during a five minute time of strangling her in a planned manner. He tried to plead that it was in a fit of passion, but the jury did not believe that. He is serving a life sentence. His legal wife is in touch with him.

Ideally this kind of difficult tragedy which cut the victim's life short and that of her unborn child as well would shed a lot of light on the importance of people having support, particularly in relationships, in the early years or even as people get older. The reasons can be vast and vary, and can be elusive even to one or both people in a relationship.

But a willingness to check in with one or more other trusted people who could be clear about safety and reasonable options would be a big step in the right direction. We cannot force people to love or think in certain ways.

Likely ideas formed in the earliest years of life play out in very significant ways again often beyond what any one person can necessarily comprehend. Just like we can't 'see ourselves' until we look in a mirror, it may not be obvious what feelings and motivations, expectations and abilities life 'just beneath the surface.'

Maybe more scouting and youth programs in general could speak to that. Dr. Oz also had two different women on his show who revealed that they had each been a victim of sexual assault by a minister, one younger and one older. The bravery and fortitude of these women was impressive. It could still be a problem to share so publicly however since many more people would 'know their story and their identity.'

With statistics looming and many people not recalling what may have happened to them, the numbers are likely quite larger than anyone tallies. Still the ideas of sharing 'those kinds of secrets' with supportive capable counselors, as each of these women had done over the years, is important for healing.

The idea that the abusers would apologize in writing or email, a phone message or video or actualy conversation (with enough safety precautions and actual back up if that is even deemed safe and appropriate) is something else that needs much more light shed on these kinds of situations.

Maybe victims need help in considering the need to have distance or at least supervision if the person had been a 'trusted' friend or family member. It makes sense for more people to have a clear idea about what is recommended and what typically can happen, or worse, what can tragically richochet or unfold once 'secrets' are revealed. Being clear about stages of 'grooming and isolating' a victim over time or all of the sudden could all be part of a code and guide for people to 'have the  codes if not the words to desribe difficult things.' That said, we don't want to walk smack dab into a rattlesnake den completely clueless.

Just knowing there are 'supposedly safe and reasonable people watching youth' is not enough. The history and protocol for safey need to be known and practiced. Unfortunately as one youth who was taken away from others in a car, just past the youth's home, shared, adults knew the youth pastor was breaking the rule of not being alone with kids, and did not say anything. Twenty years later, while this minister at first apologized he then resigned to address his issues.

Still his mega church had applauded his current apology 'about a past action'. While it may be past the statute of limitations (but again may not be, depending on the state such as CT has until age 48, 30 years after someone is 18 for crimes committed when the person was under 18,) Hopefully today's scouts and youth group members at churches, and other faith groups, are all fully informed and supported by adults in their communities. Now here's for the update about the scouts...with much of the practical stuff inspired by getting the basic post up, so thanks for that. Happy hiking and healing, reading and advocating whichever path you choose!

SUBJECT: Day Visitors at the 24th World Scout Jamboree The 24th World Scout Jamboree will be held from 22 July to 2 August 2019 at the following location: Boy Scouts of America Summit Bechtel Reserve 2550 Jack Furst Drive Glen Jean, West Virginia 25846 UNITED STATES 45,000 Scouts and Scouters from 150 countries will gather to participate in the 24th World Scout Jamboree as part of National Scout Organization (NSO) contingents comprised of youth (Scouts) and adults (Scouters). The 24th World Scout Jamboree will also welcome individuals and groups to join the joy, adventure, and fellowship of the Jamboree as day visitors. The day visitor schedule follows, and visitors will pay a fee to enter the site each day.