Four Generations

       Communication, collaboration, and creation. Today, I was instructed to blog about the aspect of these three words. Robert Thompson's video,  "4 Generations", is a prime example of how, when these words are used together, great accomplishments can be the result.
       First came "communication". When Robert Thompson was living China, he came across Philip Greenspun's blog. The blog was discussing how a charity claimed that, for $250, you could give a water buffalo to a poor family in Asia for Christmas. Except, when Philip read the fine print, he discovered that there would not actually be a water buffalo given to a family, and that it was just an example as to how that money could be used. In reality, the charity was just taking in money to use for unspecified causes.
       Robert talked to local farmers, and discovered that being given a water buffalo would be "the best gift ever" for poor Chinese farmers. To buy a water buffalo, it is about a year's salary for the farmers, and if butchered, could feed a family for half of a year. Without a water buffalo, the farmers must turn up the land themselves, and this is very strenuous work. Robert relayed this information to Philip, and Philip asked him if he and his business partner could send Robert money to purchase a water buffalo. Robert agreed; this was "collaboration".
       Once Robert and the other people helping him in his quest found the right buffalo to purchase, he began asking around to find a family to give it to. He was told about the Su family: a four generation family with only four people in it. They had been through tragic, hard times, and a water buffalo would help their situation immensely.
       When Robert and his crew delivered the water buffalo to the family, the grandmother, Supe Lun, was so happy that she cried; she was shocked by the enormity of the gift. Imagine being told that strangers from a different country gave you the best, biggest, most useful present you had ever received - better than anything you had ever gotten from a family member.
      This, giving a family of four generations hope, is the "creation". This true story is an excellent example of how when the concept of "communication, collaberation, creation" is put to use, great achievements can be had.
      

http://www.t2.com/waterbuffalo/watch/water_buffalo_flash_hi.html