It’s hard to believe that we are in the middle of the holiday season. No snow on the ground. Carols rolling around in my head and we are already watching a few of the seasonal classics. The Grinch is without a doubt one of my favourites – he’s such a lovable villain. He kind of reminds me of Alan Rickman in Die Hard. Ok, so maybe not that much of a villain.

SoChange has had such a busy year, filled with involvement in some amazing work. It’s hard to know where to begin a year end reflection. Long flights and plenty of time wandering through airports – a literacy project in Mongolia, capacity building in Thailand and health education in Cambodia. I watched others eat deep fried tarantulas and have stood on the edge of the Laos/Cambodia border –incredible people, stimulating conversations, and a number of great events. 2009 has seen SoChange effecting positive, sustainable change in partnerships around the world. We’re working with UNICEF and the Mosquitoes Suck Tour was launched. We have partnered with Make Poverty History on At the Table, a G8/20 major advocacy and awareness raising campaign for 2010. Watch for it – more details are coming soon.

Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t take the time to reflect on Why Everything Must Change (WEMC) 2009. This is a reflection I’ve wanted to post numerous times; however the latter part of this year was so busy I’ve found myself looking forward instead of back.

WEMC welcomed over 200 like-minded participants to discuss current issues of social justice and international development. The two day conference welcomed a wide-array of speakers, including, though not limited to, Paul Young, Baxter Kruger, Julia Moulden, Ian Smillie and Fatmire Feka. Greg Boyd, a keynote and breakout speaker at the event commented about his involvement in WEMC on his blog, saying “This was a marvellous conference…I felt honoured to be a part of this and came in contact with some amazing people and engaged in some marvellous ministries that confront justice.”

At the close of the weekend, participants and speakers shared stories of feeling challenged and compelled to live lives that would create positive, sustainable change. And while the door of WEMC 2009 was closed, the doors for WEMC 2010 in Hong Kong and 2011 in Nigeria and Vancouver have been opened. Ychange Global has been born. Stay tuned: Things are building. It seems the world is ready to stop complaining about our current state, and that global citizens desire to be encouraged, empowered and equipped to become agents of change.

With all this talk about change and active engagement, I have to ask – what’s next for you? Perhaps it’s walking versus driving, drinking fair trade coffee, or even giving up bottled water. Consider the impact a firm, resonant hand shake might have at your next meeting. Simple words of encouragement can go a long way.

Heading into the close of the year, then, I challenge each of you to think about what you can do. Sometimes it really is the little things. Consider the possibilities.