Wait... not without an over the shoulder shot
Okay... we're set. Thank you all so much and please stay tuned, stay attentive to the current events and be active and aware! God bless!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Kwaheri
That's Swahili for "Goodbye" to you all!! :) Today is the big day and I am off to the airport in just a few minutes. Chicago -- Amsterdam -- Kilimanjaro. I've showered with hunter's unscented soap, shampoo and conditioner to prevent the bugs from eating me alive when I step off that plane and no... I am not hunting... if the animals weren't inclined to take a bite out of my face, I'd hug every single one of 'em ;) I am ecstatic and shockingly at ease. Perhaps it is because my family has been so supportive and so have you! I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your kind words, your prayers and your contributions -- they are going to mean SO MUCH to these people. Truly. I will do my best to update while I am there, but if I am unable, then I will, of course, share everything with you upon my return. Together, we are making a difference. Thank you for being a part of this -- your time and attention are very important to me and very much appreciated. God bless. Have a safe and happy new year!! 2010!!! I'll arrive in Tanzania just in time to welcome the new year. Of course, it will be 8 hours ahead for you Chicagoans, 9 for you Clevelanders (everyone else, you do the math ;) I've got plenty of cameras, journals, etc. so there will be much to share and learn. In the meantime, you can enjoy a photo I took over Christmas of the most handsome cat around.
Wait... not without an over the shoulder shot
Okay... we're set. Thank you all so much and please stay tuned, stay attentive to the current events and be active and aware! God bless!
Wait... not without an over the shoulder shot
Okay... we're set. Thank you all so much and please stay tuned, stay attentive to the current events and be active and aware! God bless!
Monday, December 14, 2009
Coming Together
It's all finally coming together and I am just 15 days away from leaving. FIFTEEN? It has come so fast and I can hardly wait, but there is still SO much to be done. However, I must admit, it is certainly "coming together" in more ways than one. The vaccinations are done, my passport is set, multiple visas have been granted and returned, but what is "coming together" now is what means the most to me.
People are coming together.
I wrote a letter to family, friends and co-workers kindly seeking donations for the school supplies for the children in Tanzania; also for the every day supplies and funds toward medicine for families... the response I received has blown. me. away. I cannot express my gratitude for all of you who contributed to make a difference for those in need. I cannot express the honor I feel to be the one to pass on the gifts which YOU have given. Thank you so much for having faith in me and this cause, and more importantly, thank you for furthering my own faith that there are wonderful people everywhere and that we are capable of such great things when we put forth this kind of compassion. I've seen immense beauty in the support of friends and family, and my heart is racing with the joy of understanding the critical importance of what we are about to hand off to those in need. Thank you. Together we are changing lives and I cannot WAIT to show you what we've done. Thank you for being a part of this.
I've been ambitiously contacting the volunteer staff and past volunteers to get a better understanding of what exactly is needed there and how best to pass it on. "I imagine only 50% of supplies sent from out of the country will actually reach their intended destination," I've been told. HALF? These people need us more than ever. Due to issues of corruption, this statistic is likely to be true. Corruption can be a real problem. "There are no more volunteers placed at the orphanage I was working at because of corruption issues with the owner," a past volunteer explained to me. And I've been told frustrating stories of airport security in other countries holding supplies hostage until you hand over cash. Nice. The smartest, safest and most beneficial plan is for me, personally, to purchase the needed supplies upon my arrival. This way I can and will ensure they are receiving them directly. I will most likely be required to take several trips from cities to rural areas, but it is absolutely worth it and, most importantly, it will help their local economy. In some areas, the official accepted curriculum is the British curriculum so it will make sense for me to track down the appropriate materials once I'm there. Of course, I will take over as many basic supplies as I can (pens, pencils, erasers, pencil sharpeners - they sharpen their pencils with razors). The materials are also less expensive there, hence, with the donations I've received, I will be able to purchase even more of what is so desperately needed. Fantastic!
As I learn more each day, I can't help but to feel drenched in gratitude for all we have. It's funny the things we take for granted every day... such as... a single textbook? How many have you wished you could just toss in the garbage over the years? Or just shove away under your bed or in your closet? In some areas, it is not uncommon for there to be only ONE textbook per class. And these classes are not that small. In the "better" areas, they have at least 5 or 6 students to a book. And I have learned that the orphanages are even worse off with supplies. There is much to be done, but I am eager to work myself to the bone. They will not be let down and neither will you.
A very special thank you to the following. Your support has meant so much:
My family - Mom, Dad, Tara, Ashley and Michael
Gino Pennacchio
Sheldon Patinkin
Steven G.M. Stein
Steve Tomashefsky
Sterling Paul Shand
Char and Michael Seminatore
Shomshon Moskowitz
Stephen Ray
Robert Harris
Mary Decker
Doris Solis-Feliciano
Carol and Tony Tricomi
Beth and Steve Toth
Franci Berg
Nick Tozzi
John Marino
William Saar
Jean Gallo
Lisa and Tom Furnas
David Choma
Nasreen Bhai
Thank you all for visiting. Stay tuned - I will have much to share these next few months. Thank you for your support and interest. Together we can do anything!
People are coming together.
I wrote a letter to family, friends and co-workers kindly seeking donations for the school supplies for the children in Tanzania; also for the every day supplies and funds toward medicine for families... the response I received has blown. me. away. I cannot express my gratitude for all of you who contributed to make a difference for those in need. I cannot express the honor I feel to be the one to pass on the gifts which YOU have given. Thank you so much for having faith in me and this cause, and more importantly, thank you for furthering my own faith that there are wonderful people everywhere and that we are capable of such great things when we put forth this kind of compassion. I've seen immense beauty in the support of friends and family, and my heart is racing with the joy of understanding the critical importance of what we are about to hand off to those in need. Thank you. Together we are changing lives and I cannot WAIT to show you what we've done. Thank you for being a part of this. I've been ambitiously contacting the volunteer staff and past volunteers to get a better understanding of what exactly is needed there and how best to pass it on. "I imagine only 50% of supplies sent from out of the country will actually reach their intended destination," I've been told. HALF? These people need us more than ever. Due to issues of corruption, this statistic is likely to be true. Corruption can be a real problem. "There are no more volunteers placed at the orphanage I was working at because of corruption issues with the owner," a past volunteer explained to me. And I've been told frustrating stories of airport security in other countries holding supplies hostage until you hand over cash. Nice. The smartest, safest and most beneficial plan is for me, personally, to purchase the needed supplies upon my arrival. This way I can and will ensure they are receiving them directly. I will most likely be required to take several trips from cities to rural areas, but it is absolutely worth it and, most importantly, it will help their local economy. In some areas, the official accepted curriculum is the British curriculum so it will make sense for me to track down the appropriate materials once I'm there. Of course, I will take over as many basic supplies as I can (pens, pencils, erasers, pencil sharpeners - they sharpen their pencils with razors). The materials are also less expensive there, hence, with the donations I've received, I will be able to purchase even more of what is so desperately needed. Fantastic!
As I learn more each day, I can't help but to feel drenched in gratitude for all we have. It's funny the things we take for granted every day... such as... a single textbook? How many have you wished you could just toss in the garbage over the years? Or just shove away under your bed or in your closet? In some areas, it is not uncommon for there to be only ONE textbook per class. And these classes are not that small. In the "better" areas, they have at least 5 or 6 students to a book. And I have learned that the orphanages are even worse off with supplies. There is much to be done, but I am eager to work myself to the bone. They will not be let down and neither will you.
A very special thank you to the following. Your support has meant so much:
My family - Mom, Dad, Tara, Ashley and Michael
Gino Pennacchio
Sheldon Patinkin
Steven G.M. Stein
Steve Tomashefsky
Sterling Paul Shand
Char and Michael Seminatore
Shomshon Moskowitz
Stephen Ray
Robert Harris
Mary Decker
Doris Solis-Feliciano
Carol and Tony Tricomi
Beth and Steve Toth
Franci Berg
Nick Tozzi
John Marino
William Saar
Jean Gallo
Lisa and Tom Furnas
David Choma
Nasreen Bhai
Thank you all for visiting. Stay tuned - I will have much to share these next few months. Thank you for your support and interest. Together we can do anything!
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