Africa, the Fight Against Aids and Doctor Mark Ottenweller’s Idealistic Life

Small children have a way of seeing things from an idealistic point of view. Have you ever taken the time to speak with a small child and asked them what they want to be when they grow up? Unless compelled by an adult to answer differently, it is not unusual to hear a child say that they want to fly into space, be a superhero… or save the starving and hurting people from around the world. That’s not unusual for a child but, as adults, our dreams and values may seem to change. Do adults remain idealistic? Perhaps, international speaker and humanitarian, Doctor Mark Ottenweller, might shed some light on the subject. After all, in many ways, Doctor Ottenweller spent three decades living out some of our child-like dreams.

“If you put people who have good hearts together with a need that they are willing to meet and, if God is in the picture, then that is where the magic happens!”

As I press on in my interview of Doctor Mark Ottenweller, the question is posed, “How did you ever go from living in the U.S. to going over to Africa some thirty years ago in order to serve the poor and needy?” His response, “I always wanted to do something to help others.” It was always there.

It Was Always There

According to Doctor Ottenweller, the part of him that wanted to do something to help people was always there. It didn’t somehow disappear as he got older or somehow get left in the past along with his childhood.

It was the late eighties when Doctor Mark Ottenweller was part of the first Aids clinic planted in Africa. From 1989 to 1994, he served as Director of Centre d’Assistance Sociomedicale (AIDS) in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Later, he served as Director of HOPE worldwide, out of Johannesburg, South Africa from 1994 to 2006 and then as Director for Development from 2006 to 2007. He continued as Global AIDS Coordinator until 2012 and then as Director of Development for Africa & Senior HIV/AIDS Advisor until 2017.

How did this man do this? According to Doctor Ottenweller, a friend, Steve, asked him if he’d be willing to go to the Ivory Coast. Doctor Ottenweller researched it together with his wife. (He was married with three children at the time.) But he also paints a sobering picture, and says that it wasn’t easy at first. He temporarily moved into a two bedroom apartment with another family. He didn’t speak French or any native languages. He continues, “I was the one who sort-of became unglued at first but, I had a lot of support with my wife and friends who encouraged me. And we had God.” His wife had an adventurous spirit so she supported the idea of making a difference while living out a real life adventure. The desire to help others was always there and he just did something. But can that be the same of other people? Apparently, according to Doctor Ottenweller, it is certainly true of other people based on his experience. “If you put people who have good hearts together with a need that they are willing to meet and, if God is in the picture, then that is where the magic happens!” says Doctor Ottenweller.

Your dream to make a difference can be reality. It may seem unrealistic and maybe taking the first few steps towards change will be hard. But, just do something.

We are now in 2019 and where has “doing something” taken this man? Between the Aids clinics, early childhood development centers, travels back and fourth to the USA and meeting with donors, working with large-scale grants, and helping orphans…I guess you might say, it’s taken him pretty far. His cooperative work to make a difference on the world stages have garnered much attention including project features on international news media such as CNN, ABC News, NBC News (USA), Reuters, TF-1 (French), SABC (South Africa), ZDF (German), BNN (Netherlands), CBC (Canada), Boston Globe, LA Times, USA Today, and Vogue Magazine. As a part of the HOPE team that presented President Nelson Mandela with the HOPE Unity Awards, he has been in the presence of many leaders including hosting Bill Clinton, Colin Powell, Madeleine Albright, Oprah Winfrey, Graca Machel, and others in visits to Soweto. But that’s not why he did it. It is only a testament that being idealistic can take you places you weren’t even planning on going to.

Speaking year after year since the late eighties and early nineties and how did this get started? Doctor Mark Ottenweller answered the call and did something. Apparently, for some people, if that desire to help others was there at childhood then it could very well still be in there. It was always there… waiting to answer the right call to make a difference.

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MTV pop star Christian Ray called to sing against communism by Russian President Boris Yeltsin

Some people are so gifted with talent and skill, it seems almost unfair, until you see what they’ve done with it. Award winning media & marketing guru, international pop start, Christian Ray, is a perfect example. He has one parent that’s from Russia and the other is from Chile. He also lived in Mozambique and now he’s in the US but technically, he’s kind of from everywhere. And, wherever he goes, he seems to make an impact. He sings, he writes, he directs, he is a business owner, he is a visionary, he does benevolent work, and more. But, let’s take a few steps back and talk about Russia. How do we connect the dots between a pop star and a president who wants victory over his communist opponent? I guess this was Russia’s version of “rock the vote” against communism.

“It wasn’t like I was very political back then. I was young and it seemed like communism wasn’t a good thing so we went for it. Not to mention, it’s not every day a Russian president is calling on you to do their campaign song.”

Christian Ray brought much of what we were used to in the United States, as it relates to music in the 90’s, to Russia. He was a great success with many hits and of course, that number one hit that became the song used as the people’s theme song against communism. This was quite amazing in a country that is known for ballet, opera, theater, and, well, vodka! But not pop music or, at least, not yet.

Russia’s Version of Rock the Vote against Communism

A young musician with the world at his fingertips might be a dream come true but that is not how the story began for Christian Ray. Christian Ray was born in Moscow, Russia, on March 15, 1969, to a Chilean father and Russian mother. The family moved to Chile when Christian was nine months old. During the 1973 military coup of Augusto Pinochet, Christian’s father, Americo Flores, was arrested along with thousands of others and spent time in one of the infamous concentration camps. His mother Larisa, along with two children, went into hiding under an assumed name and with a fake Argentinian passport.

After Americo’s release, the family spent several months in a refugee camp and was granted asylum in Germany, moving to Munich. After some time in Germany and Russia, Americo and Larisa moved to Mozambique, at the invitation of the government, which was recruiting international professionals after a mass exodus of Portuguese upon the nation’s independence. Christian learned four languages by the age of nine: Russian, Spanish, English, and Portuguese. After his parents’ divorce, Christian returned to Russia with his mother and sister in 1983. Christian got a master’s degree in economics in 1991 from the RUDN University in Moscow.

In 1993, Christian Ray released his first single in Russia, and he became an instant success, playing to large crowds by 1994. Back to back top-ten hits culminated into his number-one single, “Our Generation”– an anthem of freedom and change. It became the official song of Boris Yeltsin’s election campaign. Christian tirelessly campaigned for Yeltsin as part of the Russian version of “Rock the Vote” which is credited to giving Yeltsin the youth vote and victory in the campaign. “It wasn’t like I was very political back then. I was young and it seemed like communism wasn’t a good thing so we went for it. Not to mention, it’s not every day a Russian president is calling on you to do their campaign song.”

Motivational speaker and visionary entrepreneur, Christian Ray, has one very interesting life. Even today, he is a successful businessman in addition to his many other talents and skills. He is a speaker who is familiar with doing what it takes to make a difference, even if it means, well, not just doing it differently but, being the first one to do it.

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The Hanes Brand and Hanes Name from the father and son perspective of John Hanes and John Hanes

Elite Speakers, John Hanes and John Hanes come from a long line of “John Hanes.” To prevent confusion, we will call the younger of the two, John Wesley, which is what his mom and dad often call him anyway. John Wesley (Hanes) and his dad, John Hanes, are truly a great example of what a father and son should be. There is a sense of respect but there’s also laughter, appreciation for their differences, and even friendship. The Hanes family seems to practically breed men who are leaders. Yet, they lead differently and they choose different careers. John Hanes, the dad, is a Princeton graduate and an attorney. His son, is exactly what you’d expect from a successful millennial. He likes to travel and be free and move around wherever he feels he’s making a positive impact.

“Of course we know about The Hanes Brand. People have jokingly called us the Hanes underwear people without ever knowing that it really is our relative, John Hanes, that started the Hanes clothing line. And we knew that his son was a Senior partner at Smith Barney who played a role in helping FDR create the Securities & Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) but, truly…neither of us ever knew that one of our relatives was in a picture getting appointed to office by FDR! When we were asked about the picture of Franklin Delano Roosevelt appointing John Hanes Jr to the office of US Treasury, we were surprised.”

But what is it really like being a John Hanes from a line of men named John Hanes? Truth is, they really are just a couple of regular guys. But John Hanes, the dad, admitted it’s a little weird visiting family in North Carolina and then going to a mall (The Hanes Mall) that’s named after them. “It’s not like we ever tell anyone about any of that stuff. We never felt any pressure to be anything but ourselves. And one thing we like to do in this family is laugh. We never run out of corny jokes.”

The Hanes Reputation

The Hanes reputation seems to have started with good old fashioned hard work. A hard working man, John Hanes, was involved in the tobacco industry as well as in the textile and clothing business. He partnered with his brother after building the Hanes business. Flash forward years later and the company was sold to what was later to become Sara Lee’s clothing line, the iconic Hanes Brand. John Hanes’ son, John Hanes Jr, took a different path as a turnaround specialist in investments with Smith Barney. After speaking with the Hanes’ men about the Hanes Brand, we moved on and ask them about “the picture” and the response, well, is unique and distinctive. It’s the same for both, John Wesley and his dad, John Hanes, “Of course we know about The Hanes Brand. People have jokingly called us the Hanes underwear people without ever knowing that it really is our relative, John Hanes, that started the Hanes clothing line. And we knew that his son was a Senior Partner at Smith Barney who played a role in helping FDR create the Securities & Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) but, truly…neither of us ever knew that one of our relatives was in a picture getting appointed to office by FDR! When we were asked about the picture of Franklin Delano Roosevelt appointing John Hanes Jr to the office of US Treasury, we were surprised.” You see both of these men are experts at being genuinely interested in other people and asking a lot of questions and listening. It’s a little weird when somebody turns the tables on them and starts asking them questions. It is obvious that these guys are actually quite humble, which is a very attractive trait, especially from a leader. They go on to tell of John Hanes Jr’s son, John Hanes, who was a war veteran and who worked for the CIA for around three decades. Sadly, he passed away not very long ago. These men are distinctively different and have exceptionally good character. One can only wonder, will they continue the tradition by calling the next baby boy who comes along a “John Hanes” too? Only time will tell.

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The late President George Bush Sr with Kelvin Bledsoe before Black Hawk Down and the Somali Pirates

Before Black Hack Down and the Somali Pirate attacks, Kelvin Bledsoe remembers the visit from then Commander-in-Chief, President George Bush Sr. As a commander and officer himself, he understood the significance of such a visit. The Commander-in-Chief, sometimes also called supreme commander, is the person that exercises supreme command and control over an armed forces or a military branch. U.S. Army Commander Kelvin Bledsoe had seen the gradual breakdown in relations between the U.S. and the criminal organizations in Somalia. But it didn’t come to critical mass until after President Bush was no longer in office and President Clinton had been appointed. The Bush visit was a good memory in a time when the soldiers needed encouragement.

“As I got closer, I heard a voice from behind me say, ‘Don’t walk behind the president…..you can’t walk behind the president.’ As I turned around, I realized the secret service agent was talking to me! I thought to myself, ‘I guess even commanders in Somalia or other war-torn countries are not excluded from this rule.'”

President George H.W. Bush served as the 41st president of the United States. After the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, he postponed his university and enlisted in the Navy instead on his 18th birthday. He became one of the youngest aviators to serve in the military before his tour ended and later attending Yale University. He became a millionaire by age of 40 after founding his own oil company. Eventually, he was elected president and since foreign policy drove the Bush presidency, he visited Somalia.

Somalia, a Total Breakdown in Civil Order

When Speaker and then Commander, Kelvin Bledsoe, met President Bush Sr in his visit to Somalia, there was a humanitarian disaster. The United Nations had attempted to step in to aid the situation through humanitarian efforts. Mr Bledsoe recalls that the communication was breaking down and the few relations which they had in Somalia were strained and could not be trusted. The supplies being brought in and given to the needy people were often stolen by militants.

Bledsoe remembers walking towards the President. “As I got closer, I heard a voice from behind me say, ‘Don’t walk behind the president…..you can’t walk behind the president.’ As I turned around, I realized the secret service agent was talking to me! I thought to myself, ‘I guess even commanders in Somalia or other war-torn countries are not excluded from this rule.'” Apparently, at that time, it was considered a security risk to have anybody walking behind the president.

Mr Bledsoe tells the story with a hint of humor, considering that not long after that, he had his arm around the President and the president had a genuine smile on his face. The two appeared to be like two close friends and it was a moment of peace that Bledsoe has fond memories of.

Some time later, after President Clinton was in office, one of this centuries most horrific events ensued as an American helicopter was shot down, soldiers were trapped, and bodies were dragged around as if in some nightmarish Hollywood film.

U.S. Army Officer, war veteran, and international public speaker, Kelvin Bledsoe, knows the values of treasuring the good memories because in war, good memories are a treasure.

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