After the short stay at the YMCA in Dar es Salaam, I was introduced to my home for the next two and half weeks. I had mentioned before that they didn't have any running water and the facilities were ... um... different from those that I have been accustom to in the states. The water had to be pulled from a well, which was shared by a few families around the area. It was lifted out of the twelve-foot hole with a bucket on a rope (which can be seen on my youtube video www.youtube.com/omovision). Once the water was taken from the well they had dozens of buckets to use for various things. A bucket by the sink to wash your hands, one for a shower, one to flush the toilet which was at ground level and opened directly to the septic tank, another few buckets were used in the kitchen. Water to drink or to brush teeth was boiled to kill all the bacteria. The use of water was one of the biggest things I had to get used to. It was as if I was camping, which I have done before so it wasn't that challenging. Another challenge was the mosquitoes. Coming from a very wet area in Indiana I know what it's like to have mosquitoes as a constant nuisance after sunset, however there is a high percent of the Tanzania mosquitoes that carry the malaria virus. Because of this my evening scent became, 100% deet. A few sprays of deet, a long sleeve shirt and a pair of pants, both of which stuck to me due to the humidity, I was mostly protected from the mosquitoes... or mozzies as they call them here in Australia.
The home was always full with three daughters two sons, the house girl, two grandkids, and various other guests who would pop in periodically. Privacy was not part of my vocabulary during my stay in Africa. The most bathrooms had stalls which would close but the restroom itself was open or beside an open shower. This was never an issue just something that I am accustomed to and normally take for granted in the US or Australia. The windows had only screens and protective bars to keep the outside out. With the houses closely packed together noise was always an issue. Especially since a bars were littered amongst the homes every few blocks with music pounding until midnight or sometimes later. We slept under mosquito nets and without AC or fans would usually sleep without any form of blanket or sheet. Outside my screen covered window was a bat, which sent out a high-pitched beep from about 10:30pm until 3 or 4am. It wasn't until the third night that I realized the earplugs from the plane would muffle this sound enough to allow me to sleep. However the morning came loud and fast with the crows, chickens, roosters and rush of people queuing up for the dala dala (bus) ride into town... first come first serve.
The school consisted of a dirt courtyard, and half a dozen classrooms. A nursery school meets five days a week and the older kids start at 8am and go until 9pm. With this lengthy schedule I was given 8 hrs of class work a day. 5 hrs of computer classes and 2 hrs of English classes. The computer lab looked more like a computer junkyard. Piles of old computers lined the sidewall with a mismatch of five or six stations that were functioning. PCs from the nineties which in computer time is ages ago were chugging along to pull up word, excel, publisher, typing tutors and one powerhouse of a machine was connected via a 28.8K modem to a mobile phone line in an attempt to bring internet to these kids. It was frustrating to try and explain what the Internet was about when most of the time was spent loading or crashing. The kids were very eager to learn everything they could from me. They wanted to know all about computers and I was surprised to see just how computer savvy they were. Unfortunately the technology wasn't available to them. Hopefully future donations and advancements in technology will give them the tools they need to tap into the vast amount of information on the Internet. If anyone reading this has connections/access to companies or individuals willing to donate up to date technology or at least technology a few years old they would benefit greatly by it. Please contact me, omovision@yahoo.com....
The kids quickly tested me with my knowledge of computers and English. They were really sharp and kept me after class numerous times with their questions. I wish I could have given more. It's sad because these are kids that don't have the money to pay for their education. They have the potential and the desire but not the opportunity. Ezra ministries does it's best to give this opportunity at a lower and sometimes free cost. The most disheartening thing is that the one year of school which they can't afford is under $1000 American. Some of them only have two or three years to complete and they will have gotten their diploma. For the cost of a laptop, a big screen TV, a washer and dryer you could send a kid to school for a year if not longer. How amazing would it be if those of us that have the extra money for the big screen, or state of the art laptop, or a better washer/dryer, or whatever the material thing it is, decided to channel it instead to these kids and sponsor them through school allowing them to get there diploma and be armed with a solid education allowing doors to open for them and one by one step out of the limited poverty ridden life they were born into? I'm not saying or asking for anyone to do this... but think about it... every little bit helps. There are many organizations bringing education to places like Gmboto... (here's one...http://www.justlikemychild.com/ ..... and another.... http://www.sos-usa.org/ ... I'm sure there are many more google it.... :)
what are you doing to help?
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Tanzania Volunteer Project Beginning
I have just returned from a 2 week volunteer project in Tanzania. I spent the time teaching English and Computers to kids at the Ezra Ministries in Gongo la mboto a small village outside Dar Es Salaam. Unfortunately I was not able to update the blogs along the way since the interenet was hard to find and when it was found it was usually extremely slow... so... I'll use my journal to update my blogs.
I arrived in Dar es Salaam on August 31st. I didn't have a visa and was told by the immigration security to pay $50 US. Since I had been in Australia for the last 2 months I didn't have American money. To this they allowed me to duck the ropes to security, pass baggage claim and exit the airport to get cash. I then returned and they stamped my passport. Needless to say not the tightest of securities I have encountered. The first night was spent in the city centre under the YMCA's roof. If there was a star rating for this place it would most likely fall somewhere around one or two points of one star. However, this concrete floor, foam mattress, humid, screen covered window, rusted cold shower, mosquito ridden place would actually turn out to be quite luxurious compared to my host families home. Well at least as far as facilities, but definitely not in comparison to the love and laughter found every moment in my host faimlies house.
The next morning we had a brief orientation learning about safety while in Dar. Supposedly the night is very dangerous to travel alone for a Muzungu (white person). I was then taken to Ezra Ministries where I met Pastor Chi who gave me the details about my assignment. I was to be teaching computers, English and math to kids 14 years and older. Being that my math skills had been frozen in the back of my brain since college 12 years ago, my computer knowledge left in the cubical I worked in 5 years ago and my English.. well if you've read this far enough said, I was a bit worried at how I was going to teach these kids.
I arrived in Dar es Salaam on August 31st. I didn't have a visa and was told by the immigration security to pay $50 US. Since I had been in Australia for the last 2 months I didn't have American money. To this they allowed me to duck the ropes to security, pass baggage claim and exit the airport to get cash. I then returned and they stamped my passport. Needless to say not the tightest of securities I have encountered. The first night was spent in the city centre under the YMCA's roof. If there was a star rating for this place it would most likely fall somewhere around one or two points of one star. However, this concrete floor, foam mattress, humid, screen covered window, rusted cold shower, mosquito ridden place would actually turn out to be quite luxurious compared to my host families home. Well at least as far as facilities, but definitely not in comparison to the love and laughter found every moment in my host faimlies house.
The next morning we had a brief orientation learning about safety while in Dar. Supposedly the night is very dangerous to travel alone for a Muzungu (white person). I was then taken to Ezra Ministries where I met Pastor Chi who gave me the details about my assignment. I was to be teaching computers, English and math to kids 14 years and older. Being that my math skills had been frozen in the back of my brain since college 12 years ago, my computer knowledge left in the cubical I worked in 5 years ago and my English.. well if you've read this far enough said, I was a bit worried at how I was going to teach these kids.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
From Immigration to Terrorism to World Peace
I am currently in Sydney Australia with my girlfriend and slamming into the immigration laws. Being an old fart of 34, I am too old for a temporary work visa, available to anyone 18 to 30. I have a BS in Computer Engineering and a MA in Spiritual Psychology, not to mention 6 years massage therapist experience and 3 years management experience. The MA doesn't help with visa requirements at all. The Computer Engineering would have allowed me to obtain work rights if I was in the industry, but as my winding road of a life has taken me, I spent the last five years doing massage and management, which simply means my computer background is obsolete for visa purposes or simply the BS is just that BS. Bottom line, my work visa opportunities in Australia are confined to a student, employer sponsored, or spousal visa.
Let's start with the student... Even if I wanted to go back to school, I would have to come up with the extra money for the classes and be limited to part-time work of 20 hrs a week. I would however, have full time privileges during the holidays. Considering I will most likely head home to family over the holidays, full time work is not an option. I will end up spending the money I make at my part time work on the classes and still be holding a full load of school at the same time. Not a very viable option either.
This leads me to the employer sponsored visa option. Can you say catch twenty-two? Employers simply don't want to hire someone for work they can fill with any average Aussie bloke. This is completely understandable. Based on a resume and a few references on the other side of the world, the employer has no idea if this crazy American will hop on a plane next week to go home or not or even be able to perform to the level needed in the job. Why would they take a chance on that and spend the thousands of $$ to sponsor a foreigner? Umm, realistically they just won't. I actually had a recruiter hand back one of my resumes simply because I didn't have a work visa. He won't even consider spending time to find sponsorship for me. I can handle rejection, but five recruiters in a row did the exact same thing. I am healthy, willing and able to work yet can't because I don't have sponsorship.
Finally, the third option a spousal visa. I could pay the buck-toothed, ugh boot wearing, townie, ten grand to marry me, but I think I would get tired of britos by the barby everyday. Yes, I am here with my girlfriend, but do we want to rush a marriage just to get a visa after only 8 months? Talk about adding pressure to a relationship, as if the distance and culture shock isn't enough already. There is an option under the spousal visa called the de-facto that allows me to get a visa if I can prove we have been together for more than a year. Well, if I was able to live here for a year without working, sure no problem. But my savings aren’t opening that door very far.
Without a viable option before me, I kick back as big brother Australia comes to an end and ponder how ridiculous it is that I am unable to work in a country where millions of people watch these kids living in a house doing silly stunts all day. It seems the immigration is much easier if you are a hasty, uneducated kid than it is for someone with experience, education, maturity, and patience.
I can understand the reason for immigration laws being in place and greatly respect that, but I wonder what the world would be like if the separations of countries were to fall away. What if we could legally work in any country or travel to any country without limitation? The first thing that pops into my head is terrorism. Funny how that is at the forefront of my mind? Five to Ten years ago it would have only been used in a passing headline on the evening news. Now, not a day goes by that it doesn’t come up three or four times in various contexts.
It may be a bit far-fetched and possibly extreme, but I feel that there is a correlation between immigration laws and terrorism. Are not immigration laws results of separate governments? Are they not self-imposed boundaries? Am I the only one who thinks that it’s odd that I can work on one side of the planet without an issue, but can’t on the other side? Of course that doesn’t make me want to go crash planes into the Sydney Harbor Bridge or Opera House for that matter, but what if it wasn’t just my work privileges that were being restricted.
What if it was my freedom to travel, or my freedom to worship spirit, or my freedom to love, or any freedom a human being should be granted? Would that push me to lash out at the imposed boundaries and societies that create them? Perhaps.
What if these boundaries and laws created harsh living conditions and brought death and destruction at my doorstep? What if I was a child trying to survive in these wars of divided sides? Would that push me to rebel? I would say most definitely. I was one to rebel against my parents and my school, would I not be one to rebel against governments imposing boundaries and laws? Of course I would.
Is that not what a terrorist is doing? Are they not fighting for what they believe and so divided that they forget how we are all one race, one society of human beings? And who created that perception? You may argue they did, it was there choice. Of course it was, but was it not the conditions they were raised, or perhaps the environment they were taught that helped formulate the mind set of terrorism? Is it not the division, the separations, and the differences that are creating the boundaries? Is it not the very structure we hold on to for control, order and justice that creates separation?
So what should we do? I believe our world needs a restructuring. I believe our world is an obsolete model of imposed segregation inherited from fear-based beliefs held in the past. I believe we need to look at how technology is evolving and model our world after it… That’s right model a new world around the Internet.
Does it have borders? Does it have judgments about what sites are allowed and what aren’t? Does it discriminate or segregate? No, it is all just blips of data streaming together. Are there wars on the Internet? Is there terrorism on the Internet? It may be utilized by terrorism, but the human imposes that, living in the border filled world… not the Internet itself.
Well. I do believe I have segued a bit too far from my original subject. So… while I sit here searching for a way to make some money without my an Australian work visa, perhaps I will delve into this terrorist/immigration correlation and find way to create peace on earth… yeah right…
Let's start with the student... Even if I wanted to go back to school, I would have to come up with the extra money for the classes and be limited to part-time work of 20 hrs a week. I would however, have full time privileges during the holidays. Considering I will most likely head home to family over the holidays, full time work is not an option. I will end up spending the money I make at my part time work on the classes and still be holding a full load of school at the same time. Not a very viable option either.
This leads me to the employer sponsored visa option. Can you say catch twenty-two? Employers simply don't want to hire someone for work they can fill with any average Aussie bloke. This is completely understandable. Based on a resume and a few references on the other side of the world, the employer has no idea if this crazy American will hop on a plane next week to go home or not or even be able to perform to the level needed in the job. Why would they take a chance on that and spend the thousands of $$ to sponsor a foreigner? Umm, realistically they just won't. I actually had a recruiter hand back one of my resumes simply because I didn't have a work visa. He won't even consider spending time to find sponsorship for me. I can handle rejection, but five recruiters in a row did the exact same thing. I am healthy, willing and able to work yet can't because I don't have sponsorship.
Finally, the third option a spousal visa. I could pay the buck-toothed, ugh boot wearing, townie, ten grand to marry me, but I think I would get tired of britos by the barby everyday. Yes, I am here with my girlfriend, but do we want to rush a marriage just to get a visa after only 8 months? Talk about adding pressure to a relationship, as if the distance and culture shock isn't enough already. There is an option under the spousal visa called the de-facto that allows me to get a visa if I can prove we have been together for more than a year. Well, if I was able to live here for a year without working, sure no problem. But my savings aren’t opening that door very far.
Without a viable option before me, I kick back as big brother Australia comes to an end and ponder how ridiculous it is that I am unable to work in a country where millions of people watch these kids living in a house doing silly stunts all day. It seems the immigration is much easier if you are a hasty, uneducated kid than it is for someone with experience, education, maturity, and patience.
I can understand the reason for immigration laws being in place and greatly respect that, but I wonder what the world would be like if the separations of countries were to fall away. What if we could legally work in any country or travel to any country without limitation? The first thing that pops into my head is terrorism. Funny how that is at the forefront of my mind? Five to Ten years ago it would have only been used in a passing headline on the evening news. Now, not a day goes by that it doesn’t come up three or four times in various contexts.
It may be a bit far-fetched and possibly extreme, but I feel that there is a correlation between immigration laws and terrorism. Are not immigration laws results of separate governments? Are they not self-imposed boundaries? Am I the only one who thinks that it’s odd that I can work on one side of the planet without an issue, but can’t on the other side? Of course that doesn’t make me want to go crash planes into the Sydney Harbor Bridge or Opera House for that matter, but what if it wasn’t just my work privileges that were being restricted.
What if it was my freedom to travel, or my freedom to worship spirit, or my freedom to love, or any freedom a human being should be granted? Would that push me to lash out at the imposed boundaries and societies that create them? Perhaps.
What if these boundaries and laws created harsh living conditions and brought death and destruction at my doorstep? What if I was a child trying to survive in these wars of divided sides? Would that push me to rebel? I would say most definitely. I was one to rebel against my parents and my school, would I not be one to rebel against governments imposing boundaries and laws? Of course I would.
Is that not what a terrorist is doing? Are they not fighting for what they believe and so divided that they forget how we are all one race, one society of human beings? And who created that perception? You may argue they did, it was there choice. Of course it was, but was it not the conditions they were raised, or perhaps the environment they were taught that helped formulate the mind set of terrorism? Is it not the division, the separations, and the differences that are creating the boundaries? Is it not the very structure we hold on to for control, order and justice that creates separation?
So what should we do? I believe our world needs a restructuring. I believe our world is an obsolete model of imposed segregation inherited from fear-based beliefs held in the past. I believe we need to look at how technology is evolving and model our world after it… That’s right model a new world around the Internet.
Does it have borders? Does it have judgments about what sites are allowed and what aren’t? Does it discriminate or segregate? No, it is all just blips of data streaming together. Are there wars on the Internet? Is there terrorism on the Internet? It may be utilized by terrorism, but the human imposes that, living in the border filled world… not the Internet itself.
Well. I do believe I have segued a bit too far from my original subject. So… while I sit here searching for a way to make some money without my an Australian work visa, perhaps I will delve into this terrorist/immigration correlation and find way to create peace on earth… yeah right…
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Adaptation Leading to Acceptance (week 2)
The second week was very similar to the first week. We worked around the project knocking down corn, moving roof tiles, bleeding the irrigation lines for the strawberries and whatever else needed to be done around the property in the mornings. The afternoons were spent developing plans for the things we would teach the kids and then of course the 2 hr classes. This week I was mostly in charge of the English classes. For the younger kids we did fruits, animals, and colors on monday, tuesday was using those words in simple sentences, and wednesday we did a word puzzle first translating from Spanish to English then finding the English words in the puzzle. For the older kids we did simple sentences on Monday, then Days of the week on Tuesday then a word puzzle using common verbs.. from Spanish to English. Thursday was Sports day, much of this day can be found on my Kids of Cai Cay video. http://www.youtube.com/omovision And Friday my last day was movie day. The kids all watched Happy Feet in Spanish. Which by the way is not the best of movies.
As I finished out the week, I noticed how routine things got. The little things didn't bother me as much as the first week. I was able to sleep better in my unsupportive bed, partially due to extra blankets I stuffed in the middle. Although Thursday I was up most of the night with stomach issues and a major case of diarrhea, every hour I was running out the door, literally. The meals became tasty and I found the little positives about eating the same thing for two weeks. Going to bed early and getting up early became customary. Laundry by hand wasn't such a chore. The dirt under my nails wasn't so uncomfortable it just was the way things were. The dusty taste in my mouth from the dirt roads and adobe houses wasn't something I focused on. The open shower and camping towel felt soothing instead of cold and miserable. It was amazing to me how quickly I was able to adapt to the environment.
I discovered what I had first perceived as a struggle and below standard living conditions was actually just another way to live. It became more about embracing the environment instead of imposing my American standard upon the way of life in Cai Cay. Who's to say what is the "right" way to live? I believe choice is important and with a better education as well as the improved economics of the area we live, the amount of choice we have is increased. We all have choice some more than others, but more important is acceptance of what is. I'm not saying that the people of Cai Cay, especially the kids would choose to live in the conditions they are living if they had all the resources available to change. All I am saying is that from my Americanized way or my American-eyes I felt sorry for the people in Cai Cay when I first arrived. By the end I still empathized with the way they lived but also understood it wasn't wrong or bad so to speak it was just the way things were. I'm not saying don't help these people or that these people don't need support and help. What I"m saying is be aware of what kind of help we are giving. Are we giving from a place of sympathy or are we giving from a place of love. Do you see the difference? For me sympathy is about one way being better than another and love is about meeting another human being heart to heart.. eye to eye... hand in hand.
Perhaps the separations we see around the world are due to our limitation of thought and nothing more.... what would the world look like if we took those biases, judgements, and boundaries we impose on others out of our consciousness? Is that even possible? Perhaps just having an awareness of that would be the first step to creating a world in which we are all united?
As I finished out the week, I noticed how routine things got. The little things didn't bother me as much as the first week. I was able to sleep better in my unsupportive bed, partially due to extra blankets I stuffed in the middle. Although Thursday I was up most of the night with stomach issues and a major case of diarrhea, every hour I was running out the door, literally. The meals became tasty and I found the little positives about eating the same thing for two weeks. Going to bed early and getting up early became customary. Laundry by hand wasn't such a chore. The dirt under my nails wasn't so uncomfortable it just was the way things were. The dusty taste in my mouth from the dirt roads and adobe houses wasn't something I focused on. The open shower and camping towel felt soothing instead of cold and miserable. It was amazing to me how quickly I was able to adapt to the environment.
I discovered what I had first perceived as a struggle and below standard living conditions was actually just another way to live. It became more about embracing the environment instead of imposing my American standard upon the way of life in Cai Cay. Who's to say what is the "right" way to live? I believe choice is important and with a better education as well as the improved economics of the area we live, the amount of choice we have is increased. We all have choice some more than others, but more important is acceptance of what is. I'm not saying that the people of Cai Cay, especially the kids would choose to live in the conditions they are living if they had all the resources available to change. All I am saying is that from my Americanized way or my American-eyes I felt sorry for the people in Cai Cay when I first arrived. By the end I still empathized with the way they lived but also understood it wasn't wrong or bad so to speak it was just the way things were. I'm not saying don't help these people or that these people don't need support and help. What I"m saying is be aware of what kind of help we are giving. Are we giving from a place of sympathy or are we giving from a place of love. Do you see the difference? For me sympathy is about one way being better than another and love is about meeting another human being heart to heart.. eye to eye... hand in hand.
Perhaps the separations we see around the world are due to our limitation of thought and nothing more.... what would the world look like if we took those biases, judgements, and boundaries we impose on others out of our consciousness? Is that even possible? Perhaps just having an awareness of that would be the first step to creating a world in which we are all united?
Monday, May 14, 2007
Are we really helping the kids?
I have an hour before I head back to Cai Cay and wanted to throw out a few thoughts about what we´re doing with the kids. Over the last week I have been tossing around the question; am I really helping the kids?
It wasn´t until Thursday that I finally came to an answer that I agree with. At first the school and what we were doing seemed very unorganized. As I said before four of us patch together a class plan for the day which is translated through 3 languages before being presented to the children. If that doesn´t feed chaos, how about throwing in the 30 to 40 kids of different ages and different skill levels to teach in two rooms that are only divided by an open archway, creating even more distratction. Needless to say maybe they repeat, How are you or find the dog in the map of the city or can count to 10 in english or spanish for that matter with the younger kids. Is that really what they need?
As I walk down the cobblestone street dodging the cow pies and avoiding the squirely dogs, passing the similing villagers with loads of corn or potatoes on their backs larger and heavier than I am, I wonder is the bits of english or the reading and writing of any language helping these children. Do they even need help?
Jimme the guy from Holland whom I have been volunteering with dubbed us Volunteer Tourists... since we take photos of the children of the landscape of the village and have an out. We will be there for two weeks and we are gone. Just tourists passing through a village buried in poverty. We come in and feed our egos by helping out and resolving whatever guilt we have for living a life of excess with our cars, televisions, computers, and whatever luxury you can imagine. But does it really help? Are we making a difference? Would it be better if we werent there?
Here´s what I came to on Thursday... it´s not the language, it´s not the education although those things will make it easier for the children to step out of that village and opens how much choice they have in their lives. Our little school with 2 hrs to help them each day isn´t enough. It barely scratches the surface of educating the children properly. But it does give them something more and it does offer the world something more. You see, I can look back on each day and my mind is filled with smiles, laughter, and good times. The kids have fun with us... for example the last 3 days I took charge of the children washing their hands before coming into the school. ( they get really dirty in the dusty village and it ruins the books, and supplies if they get dirt on everything..)... so they wash in a large bucket and I towel dry their hands. To make this fun, I have been grabbing their hands with the towel and shaking them dry, sometimes with sound effects and sometimes with a dab on the nose or a wipe on the mouth. They laugh and laugh and one little boy has now made that his greating to me. He puts his hands out in front like in prayer fingers pointing out and slides his hands together with a shooting sound and a smile. I do it in return and we connect. A few of the other boys call me juan encino or something like that from a movie smackdown? I´m not really clear what they are saying but they claim I'm a movie star or something because they have seen an american movie in which I resemble one of the characters..again we connect. A final example or moment was when the kids were working on mother´s day presents... Mario the boy I mentioned who lives in the shed with the guinea pigs was having trouble. I was pulled to sit down with him and help him and the boys at his table. What came out of that time together was that his mom had died. I showed him my angel tattoo on my leg of my mom who had also died and we connected as did many other kids...
So before I babble on for pages... the key to what we are doing is in the moments that we share. The glimpses of connection... the space between the knowledge and teaching when all time stops and we see each other for people for human beings having a physical experience together. We aren´t there to teach english, we aren´t there to teach reading, writing, etc... that is an excuse to open our hearts to different cultures. To see beyond the boundaries of money, education, language, location and know we are changing the world... for every moment we connect with one and other we create a peace and understanding. If these moments were had by each person in the world every day.... I believe we would start to see a difference in our personal lives which would radiate into the world around us for we are all connected by far greater bonds they we chose to acknowledge in our day to day lives...
And finally the ability for me to share this in this blog I hope will inspire everyone who reads this to step through their day with a little more awareness, a little more gratitude and a little more acceptance of those around us... the choice of a better world is in our hands... and while I´m on the subject... check out this amazing organization I stumbled unto yesterday... this guy Yuri... is embodying what I¨m less than gracefully trying to illustrate in my writing... www.aldeayanapay.org
is his website that speaks about his amazing social projects... enjoy...
I´ll be adding more next weekend when I return form another week in Cai Cay...
It wasn´t until Thursday that I finally came to an answer that I agree with. At first the school and what we were doing seemed very unorganized. As I said before four of us patch together a class plan for the day which is translated through 3 languages before being presented to the children. If that doesn´t feed chaos, how about throwing in the 30 to 40 kids of different ages and different skill levels to teach in two rooms that are only divided by an open archway, creating even more distratction. Needless to say maybe they repeat, How are you or find the dog in the map of the city or can count to 10 in english or spanish for that matter with the younger kids. Is that really what they need?
As I walk down the cobblestone street dodging the cow pies and avoiding the squirely dogs, passing the similing villagers with loads of corn or potatoes on their backs larger and heavier than I am, I wonder is the bits of english or the reading and writing of any language helping these children. Do they even need help?
Jimme the guy from Holland whom I have been volunteering with dubbed us Volunteer Tourists... since we take photos of the children of the landscape of the village and have an out. We will be there for two weeks and we are gone. Just tourists passing through a village buried in poverty. We come in and feed our egos by helping out and resolving whatever guilt we have for living a life of excess with our cars, televisions, computers, and whatever luxury you can imagine. But does it really help? Are we making a difference? Would it be better if we werent there?
Here´s what I came to on Thursday... it´s not the language, it´s not the education although those things will make it easier for the children to step out of that village and opens how much choice they have in their lives. Our little school with 2 hrs to help them each day isn´t enough. It barely scratches the surface of educating the children properly. But it does give them something more and it does offer the world something more. You see, I can look back on each day and my mind is filled with smiles, laughter, and good times. The kids have fun with us... for example the last 3 days I took charge of the children washing their hands before coming into the school. ( they get really dirty in the dusty village and it ruins the books, and supplies if they get dirt on everything..)... so they wash in a large bucket and I towel dry their hands. To make this fun, I have been grabbing their hands with the towel and shaking them dry, sometimes with sound effects and sometimes with a dab on the nose or a wipe on the mouth. They laugh and laugh and one little boy has now made that his greating to me. He puts his hands out in front like in prayer fingers pointing out and slides his hands together with a shooting sound and a smile. I do it in return and we connect. A few of the other boys call me juan encino or something like that from a movie smackdown? I´m not really clear what they are saying but they claim I'm a movie star or something because they have seen an american movie in which I resemble one of the characters..again we connect. A final example or moment was when the kids were working on mother´s day presents... Mario the boy I mentioned who lives in the shed with the guinea pigs was having trouble. I was pulled to sit down with him and help him and the boys at his table. What came out of that time together was that his mom had died. I showed him my angel tattoo on my leg of my mom who had also died and we connected as did many other kids...
So before I babble on for pages... the key to what we are doing is in the moments that we share. The glimpses of connection... the space between the knowledge and teaching when all time stops and we see each other for people for human beings having a physical experience together. We aren´t there to teach english, we aren´t there to teach reading, writing, etc... that is an excuse to open our hearts to different cultures. To see beyond the boundaries of money, education, language, location and know we are changing the world... for every moment we connect with one and other we create a peace and understanding. If these moments were had by each person in the world every day.... I believe we would start to see a difference in our personal lives which would radiate into the world around us for we are all connected by far greater bonds they we chose to acknowledge in our day to day lives...
And finally the ability for me to share this in this blog I hope will inspire everyone who reads this to step through their day with a little more awareness, a little more gratitude and a little more acceptance of those around us... the choice of a better world is in our hands... and while I´m on the subject... check out this amazing organization I stumbled unto yesterday... this guy Yuri... is embodying what I¨m less than gracefully trying to illustrate in my writing... www.aldeayanapay.org
is his website that speaks about his amazing social projects... enjoy...
I´ll be adding more next weekend when I return form another week in Cai Cay...
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Cai Cay... week one the basics
I came back to Cuzco for the weekend with the other volunteers. The village of Cai Cay is a challenging place to live (at least for a Los Angelean)... It is a beautiful little village nestled in the mountains of Peru, however you feel as if you are cut off from all civilation. The village consists of one main street, cobblestone, and dirt paths branching off this main road. The homes are made of mud bricks with cermanic tiled roofs, some straw. The floors are either cement or dirt. Dogs, pigs, chickens, donkeys, llamas, alpaca and cows roam free around the streets and just outside the village. It has no place to eat and only four shops, which are basically rooms of peoples homes that are stocked with, water, beer, bread, vegetables, and a few basic necessities. Spanish is the second language, Quecha being the first. Walking down the street everyone greets you with a smile and a buenos dias (tarde, noche..etc.).
I have been staying at the school. Attached to the classroom is a kitchen, of which would flunk any american standard of cleanliness with one glance, a bathroom consisting of a shower head (it does have hot water which is accomplished through an electric coil in the shower head... the hose slips off.. but don´t try and put it back on while the water is running unless you want to be zapped awake.. yes I´ve done it... ), not enclosed, with a toilet, sink and steps leading up to one of the bedrooms for the volutneers. Beyond the bedroom with two small beds is another larger bed and now.. thanks to my education... a computer. Setting this up was my first task. The man who established the school, Ernesto, gave me the nickname Padrino de Computadora... The Godfather of the computer, and thought it was the funniest thing in the world. I think its funny how much it entertains him to call me that. Outside the main building for the school is a small manmade pond, courtyard and construction, since they are building a larger edition to the school which will house a downstairs classroom full of six computers and an upstairs dorm for volunteers. They are finishing the roof right now, which we are helping with by hauling the cermaic tiles via a wheelbarrel...(more on this later). Next to the new edition is a small barn/house where guinea pigs are kept and one of the neighbor kids Mario lives since his home is too small with all the brothers and sisters. He was taken in by the neighbors because both his parents died. I believe he has two brothers and the people who took him in have 3 or 4 kids. So Ernesto has taken Mario (13 years old) under his wing and allows him to stay at the school. From Mario´s room you descend a small incline where strawberries, pear trees, corn, and varous herbs are growing. At the bottom of the incline you find another small building that holds two twin beds and not much else... This is where I have been staying for the last week. The bed is sloped in the middle. I use the word slope because I swear by the amount the middle sags you require at least a tow rope to pull yourself out, a chairlift would be better. Needless to say the sleep has been less than sufficient. Perhaps this is part of the reason I now have a cold, the germs the kids haul in being the other part.
Okay enough about the conditions... what the hell have I been doing all week right?
Monday I arrived and set up the computer as I mentioned earlier. All morning I spent with Christina a German woman who speaks some Spanish and no English. It was very difficult to communicate. Then about 2pm Martje and Jimme arrived. They are from Holland and to my relief speak fluent English. Jimme speaks less Spanish than I do and Martje a bit more than I. They can also understand some German since it´s similar to Dutch. Between the four of us we manage to communicate and decipher the things Ernesto asks of us in Spanish. From 3pm to 5pm we teach the kids, about 35 of them depending on the day. The challenge has been how to keep it organized. The children range in age from 4 to 13 and are of various levels. Most speak Spanish, some can write and read spanish and some can speak english with very few writing and reading english. The four of us plan the classes and do the best we can. Christina is educated as a teacher so that helps. The rest of us wing it. Day one I taught the older kids how to say and answer "where is the blank" "can you find the blank" with a dozen things labeled on a drawing of the city. (streelights, benches, trees, dogs, cats, etc..) it went well they seemed to enjoy it. The second day we were able to split the groups more so we have the younger kids come at 3 for an hour and mostly do puzzles, games, learn the alphabet, etc... then the older kids come at 4pm til 5pm to do more advanced things in english. This was great since the first day the older kids were distracted by the younger kids playing. Again tuesday I taught more english and did a few puzzles with the younger kids. On Wednesday we had all the kids make cards, paint plastic vases ( cut from the bottom of water bottles), and make tissue paper flowers for their mothers, on mothers day. This was great and very easy to keep then entertained. Thursday was sports day.. so we walked to a soccer field used by the secondary school where the older kids go and played soccer, frisbe, caballo caballo burro.. (or duck duck goose as it is know in america) as well as twister. Let me just it was the longest most exhausting two hours of my life. 35 kids running around a field screaming Señor Señor and chucking balls, frisbees and whatever else at your head is enough to drive anyone crazy. I have found a greater respect for all the teachers in the world. This brings us to Friday in which we had a small presentation lead by Ernesto where the kids sang, and honored their moms and the mother of the school, Ernesto´s wife Dina. It was a great time and very touching. Plus this was the last day for Jimme he leaves for Boliva this weekend. The kids all ran up and gave him hugs and thanked him for the time he spent with them. It´s hard to believe in two weeks how attached you can get with the kids. Already after one week, I have my favorites and have little fun things I do with some of them to connect. Even though they are a challenge they are great kids and grow on you really fast.
So that´s two hours a day right... what the heck else do we do. Well the garden on the school grounds can be argued to be a small farm. There are chickens, bees for honey, guniea pigs, corn, stawberries, and other crops to be tended. Plus the building of the edition requires all the help we can give. We have been working hard in the morning before the kids come and when we don´t have chores to do we are off hiking the amazing trails around town. After the kids leave, we clean up and have dinner... it´s about 7pm and time for bed. However Martje, Jimme and I have entertained ourselves a couple nights with cards since we aren´t completely exhausted until about 9pm or 10...
That´s it in a nutshell. I´ll elborate more later... Right now I´m off to the market in search of a guitar so the kids can have sing alongs and fun musical activities when volunteers come who can play the guitar.
I have been staying at the school. Attached to the classroom is a kitchen, of which would flunk any american standard of cleanliness with one glance, a bathroom consisting of a shower head (it does have hot water which is accomplished through an electric coil in the shower head... the hose slips off.. but don´t try and put it back on while the water is running unless you want to be zapped awake.. yes I´ve done it... ), not enclosed, with a toilet, sink and steps leading up to one of the bedrooms for the volutneers. Beyond the bedroom with two small beds is another larger bed and now.. thanks to my education... a computer. Setting this up was my first task. The man who established the school, Ernesto, gave me the nickname Padrino de Computadora... The Godfather of the computer, and thought it was the funniest thing in the world. I think its funny how much it entertains him to call me that. Outside the main building for the school is a small manmade pond, courtyard and construction, since they are building a larger edition to the school which will house a downstairs classroom full of six computers and an upstairs dorm for volunteers. They are finishing the roof right now, which we are helping with by hauling the cermaic tiles via a wheelbarrel...(more on this later). Next to the new edition is a small barn/house where guinea pigs are kept and one of the neighbor kids Mario lives since his home is too small with all the brothers and sisters. He was taken in by the neighbors because both his parents died. I believe he has two brothers and the people who took him in have 3 or 4 kids. So Ernesto has taken Mario (13 years old) under his wing and allows him to stay at the school. From Mario´s room you descend a small incline where strawberries, pear trees, corn, and varous herbs are growing. At the bottom of the incline you find another small building that holds two twin beds and not much else... This is where I have been staying for the last week. The bed is sloped in the middle. I use the word slope because I swear by the amount the middle sags you require at least a tow rope to pull yourself out, a chairlift would be better. Needless to say the sleep has been less than sufficient. Perhaps this is part of the reason I now have a cold, the germs the kids haul in being the other part.
Okay enough about the conditions... what the hell have I been doing all week right?
Monday I arrived and set up the computer as I mentioned earlier. All morning I spent with Christina a German woman who speaks some Spanish and no English. It was very difficult to communicate. Then about 2pm Martje and Jimme arrived. They are from Holland and to my relief speak fluent English. Jimme speaks less Spanish than I do and Martje a bit more than I. They can also understand some German since it´s similar to Dutch. Between the four of us we manage to communicate and decipher the things Ernesto asks of us in Spanish. From 3pm to 5pm we teach the kids, about 35 of them depending on the day. The challenge has been how to keep it organized. The children range in age from 4 to 13 and are of various levels. Most speak Spanish, some can write and read spanish and some can speak english with very few writing and reading english. The four of us plan the classes and do the best we can. Christina is educated as a teacher so that helps. The rest of us wing it. Day one I taught the older kids how to say and answer "where is the blank" "can you find the blank" with a dozen things labeled on a drawing of the city. (streelights, benches, trees, dogs, cats, etc..) it went well they seemed to enjoy it. The second day we were able to split the groups more so we have the younger kids come at 3 for an hour and mostly do puzzles, games, learn the alphabet, etc... then the older kids come at 4pm til 5pm to do more advanced things in english. This was great since the first day the older kids were distracted by the younger kids playing. Again tuesday I taught more english and did a few puzzles with the younger kids. On Wednesday we had all the kids make cards, paint plastic vases ( cut from the bottom of water bottles), and make tissue paper flowers for their mothers, on mothers day. This was great and very easy to keep then entertained. Thursday was sports day.. so we walked to a soccer field used by the secondary school where the older kids go and played soccer, frisbe, caballo caballo burro.. (or duck duck goose as it is know in america) as well as twister. Let me just it was the longest most exhausting two hours of my life. 35 kids running around a field screaming Señor Señor and chucking balls, frisbees and whatever else at your head is enough to drive anyone crazy. I have found a greater respect for all the teachers in the world. This brings us to Friday in which we had a small presentation lead by Ernesto where the kids sang, and honored their moms and the mother of the school, Ernesto´s wife Dina. It was a great time and very touching. Plus this was the last day for Jimme he leaves for Boliva this weekend. The kids all ran up and gave him hugs and thanked him for the time he spent with them. It´s hard to believe in two weeks how attached you can get with the kids. Already after one week, I have my favorites and have little fun things I do with some of them to connect. Even though they are a challenge they are great kids and grow on you really fast.
So that´s two hours a day right... what the heck else do we do. Well the garden on the school grounds can be argued to be a small farm. There are chickens, bees for honey, guniea pigs, corn, stawberries, and other crops to be tended. Plus the building of the edition requires all the help we can give. We have been working hard in the morning before the kids come and when we don´t have chores to do we are off hiking the amazing trails around town. After the kids leave, we clean up and have dinner... it´s about 7pm and time for bed. However Martje, Jimme and I have entertained ourselves a couple nights with cards since we aren´t completely exhausted until about 9pm or 10...
That´s it in a nutshell. I´ll elborate more later... Right now I´m off to the market in search of a guitar so the kids can have sing alongs and fun musical activities when volunteers come who can play the guitar.
Saturday, May 5, 2007
Cuzco no bueno... por que un poco infermo
Well... I am sicko (altitude and pushed myself too hard)... the stress and pushing it the last week was too much... I passed out in the restroom on the plane... no bueno... it wasn´t bad just scarey... it took 24 hrs to get to Cuzco.. my plane had to turn around from mexico city to lima.... cost us about 5 hrs.... then I got right on a plane to cuzco from lima and at the school 24 hrs after I left LAX.... . the altitude is kicking my butt... I needed to get more sleep before throwing myself on this adventure.... well today I got to relax and play with Manfred´s two year old daughter Emmy... I am here until Monday when I go with two other volunteers to Cai Cay.... where there is only one phone in the whole village and no internet... I´m shaking already.... yikes... no technology... I´ll be there until the 18th working with the primary school kids.. they are laughing at me beacause most people spend 4 weeks learning spanish here at Manfreds school San Blas.. then go to Cai Cay... I packed everything into less than 3 weeks... and mi espanol is muy malo.. but I´m practicing .... don´t have much of a choice, for two weeks it´s either Spanish or Quecha... no ingles para mi...
I´ll write more later but have to meet the coordinator of the school in Cai cay tonight for a welcome/information dinner. I´ll update the blog and everything else later... don´t have much time now... might get one more entry before hitting Cai Cay... then 2 weeks and no computadora
I´ll write more later but have to meet the coordinator of the school in Cai cay tonight for a welcome/information dinner. I´ll update the blog and everything else later... don´t have much time now... might get one more entry before hitting Cai Cay... then 2 weeks and no computadora
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Ready, Set, Go
Six hours until I take off for Peru, the first leg of my journey. I will spend the next couple weeks working with a group of 45 orphans in Kindergarten and First Grade. After bouncing from LAX to Mexico City to Lima and to Cusco... I will journey an hour and half to Cai Cay. I'm not sure how much internet access I will have in this small village so this may be the last blog for awhile. I am completely exhausted and I haven't even left yet. It's amazing how quickly things pick up when the date of departure approaches. It was 8 months ago and each week was dreadfully long. Then I slid into two months before departure and things picked up. It was all about getting rid of my junk, saying good bye (which was much harder than expected), purchasing the necessary things for my trip and before I knew it one month, then two weeks, then three days then, what? 6 hours.. geez...
My entire life is now packed into 3 bags. This hit me last night when I opened the door to my apartment and the keys on my key chain were three keys lighter, since I had left work earlier that day and turned in the keys. Then this morning I moved out and bam another three keys lighter. I'm down to car keys which I just handed off to Tony who is watching my Jeep while I travel. So, no keys, no phone, and no place to call home. Yikes. I don't have the words. It's exciting, yet very uncomfortable to be sitting in the guest room of my friends house knowing that tomorrow I step into something I have never experienced before. I step into the unknown. I can't do anything else about it. It's coming and I have to enjoy the ride, which I voluntarily placed myself upon with a smile on my face. A long sigh and I feel my mind quiet and my feet touch the ground. I'm here right now. Please keep your hands inside the car at all times.. ready... set... go... and oh...Enjoy the ride.
My entire life is now packed into 3 bags. This hit me last night when I opened the door to my apartment and the keys on my key chain were three keys lighter, since I had left work earlier that day and turned in the keys. Then this morning I moved out and bam another three keys lighter. I'm down to car keys which I just handed off to Tony who is watching my Jeep while I travel. So, no keys, no phone, and no place to call home. Yikes. I don't have the words. It's exciting, yet very uncomfortable to be sitting in the guest room of my friends house knowing that tomorrow I step into something I have never experienced before. I step into the unknown. I can't do anything else about it. It's coming and I have to enjoy the ride, which I voluntarily placed myself upon with a smile on my face. A long sigh and I feel my mind quiet and my feet touch the ground. I'm here right now. Please keep your hands inside the car at all times.. ready... set... go... and oh...Enjoy the ride.
Saturday, April 7, 2007
The Gifts of Fundraising
I found this amazing quote from Khalil Gibran (below) which speaks to many of the things I have found during my fundraising.
Over the last six months I have managed to raise over $5000 for United Planet (www.unitedplanet.org) This was in support of my volunteer projects. What I found was that this in itself was a journey.
At first I was struggling with the fundraising. A few people donated off the bat mostly in support of me and what I'm doing. I sent emails and posted on my yahoo groups and presumptuously expected people to be as excited and enrolled in my quest as I was. This was not the case. I was very angry about people not jumping at my request. I sat with this for a few weeks and decided that my anger was first of all not justified and secondly how could they be enrolled if they didn't know the heart behind my mission? From this I created a website that outlined the basics, (why, when, how, where etc..) Made things a bit more personal and enrolled a few more people, but still not to the level I had hoped.
I thought the next best thing would be to create a huge fundraising event and bridge the gap between people here and the people I wanted to help. This became a huge endeavor of which I didn't have the energy or time to create. Bringing me to my next idea, offering a discounted massage to many people in exchange for contributions. I knew this would bring some donations since I was a successful massage therapist in the past. What I didn't know was the breakthrough I would have.
I worked on my first client in exchange for a donation a week later. Fifteen minutes into the massage I was moved and almost brought to tears as I realized that I was giving by nurturing him to give to me so I can in turn give to many others. It came full circle. It really wasn't about me. It wasn't about me reaching my goal. It was about being an instrument. My intention was to give back to help those in challenging situations around the world. Through this intention a way was made for me to give back, a way greater than I could have imagined; giving to receive to give. I stood over the massage client and found myself in the center of giving and receiving. It was all happening simultaneously. I was able to see first hand how giving and receiving are indeed different sides of the same coin. One cannot exist without the other.
Once I had this breakthrough the rest of the fundraising was easier. I got out of the way and allowed the money to come in. Through my massage work and emails I stepped closer and closer to the goal.
The final breakthrough came in my last email. In it I did two things. One I was very grateful for the amount that I had raised (about $2800 at that point) I was very clear as to what still needed to be raised and the deadline to meeting this goal was defined. Within 24hrs I had over 30 responses to this email and over $2000 in contributions. I was amazed.
It came down to three things: Gratitude, Clarity and Surrender. I remember being happy with the amount I had raised up to that point. Although I wanted to meet the goal I was truly grateful for the contributions I had gotten. Then I was very clear. This is what I need to do and this is when I need it. And finally I hit send. It wasn’t a send and in the back of my mind hoping that I’ll raise money. It was a send and this is it. I did all that I can do. I’m done regardless of what comes out of this, I surrendered. I suppose you could say I asked, let go of my ego, got the hell out of the way and the universe raced in with a huge reply. Granted that’s the metaphysical aspect. The physical manifestation was the support of many loving friends and family.
I look now over the entries in my fundraising page and am inspired at how powerful we can be when we join together. Each person gave with a loving intention to help, to give back, to support creating the result of over $5000 raised for what I believe to be a good cause. In support of an organization with the intention to bring the world closer together, to help us embrace our differences instead of fight about them. To ultimately bring more love to a world that has in the past been blinded by anger, fear, and greed. We are changing that by focusing on the love lies beneath and bringing it to the surface through our service and giving.
Thank you everyone who has been supportive (not only financially) as I embark upon my journey. Each one of you has touched me deeply and given me the courage to keep going despite my perceived obstacles and fears. THANK YOU….
******************
KHALIL GIBRAN QUOTE:
You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.
For what are your possessions but things you keep and guard for fear you may need them tomorrow? And tomorrow, what shall tomorrow bring to the over prudent dog burying bones in the trackless sand as he follows the pilgrims to the holy city?
And what is fear of need but need itself? Is not dread of thirst when your well is full thirst that is unquenchable?
There are those who give little of the much which they have - and they give it for recognition and their hidden desire makes their gifts unwholesome.
And there are those who have little and give it all. These are the believers in life and the bounty of life, and their coffer is never empty.
There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward. And there are those who give with pain, and that pain is there baptism.
And there are those who give and know not pain in giving, nor do they seek joy, nor give with mindfulness of virtue; They give as in yonder valley the myrtle breathes its fragrance into space. Through the hands of such as these God speaks, and from behind their eyes He smiles upon the earth.
It is well to give when asked, but it is better to give unasked, through understanding. And to the open-handed the search for one who shall receive is joy greater than giving.
And is there aught you would withhold? All you have shall some day be given; therefore give now, that the season of giving may be yours and not your inheritors'.
You often say, "I would give, but only to the deserving." The trees in your orchard say not so, nor the flocks in your pasture. They give that they may live, for to withhold is to perish.
Surely he who is worthy to receive his days and his nights is worthy of all else from you. And he who has deserved to drink from the ocean of life deserves to fill his cup from your little stream. And what desert greater shall there be than that which lies in the courage and the confidence, nay the charity, or receiving?
And who are you that men should rend their bosom and unveil their pride, that you may see their worth naked and their pride unabashed?
See first that you yourself deserve to be a giver, and an instrument of giving. For in truth it is life that gives unto life - while you, who deem yourself a giver, are but a witness.
And you receivers - and you are all receivers - assume no weight of gratitude, lest you lay a yoke upon yourself and upon him who gives. Rather rise together with the giver on his gifts as on wings; For to be over mindful of your debt, is to doubt his generosity who has the freehearted earth for mother, and God for father.
****
Over the last six months I have managed to raise over $5000 for United Planet (www.unitedplanet.org) This was in support of my volunteer projects. What I found was that this in itself was a journey.
At first I was struggling with the fundraising. A few people donated off the bat mostly in support of me and what I'm doing. I sent emails and posted on my yahoo groups and presumptuously expected people to be as excited and enrolled in my quest as I was. This was not the case. I was very angry about people not jumping at my request. I sat with this for a few weeks and decided that my anger was first of all not justified and secondly how could they be enrolled if they didn't know the heart behind my mission? From this I created a website that outlined the basics, (why, when, how, where etc..) Made things a bit more personal and enrolled a few more people, but still not to the level I had hoped.
I thought the next best thing would be to create a huge fundraising event and bridge the gap between people here and the people I wanted to help. This became a huge endeavor of which I didn't have the energy or time to create. Bringing me to my next idea, offering a discounted massage to many people in exchange for contributions. I knew this would bring some donations since I was a successful massage therapist in the past. What I didn't know was the breakthrough I would have.
I worked on my first client in exchange for a donation a week later. Fifteen minutes into the massage I was moved and almost brought to tears as I realized that I was giving by nurturing him to give to me so I can in turn give to many others. It came full circle. It really wasn't about me. It wasn't about me reaching my goal. It was about being an instrument. My intention was to give back to help those in challenging situations around the world. Through this intention a way was made for me to give back, a way greater than I could have imagined; giving to receive to give. I stood over the massage client and found myself in the center of giving and receiving. It was all happening simultaneously. I was able to see first hand how giving and receiving are indeed different sides of the same coin. One cannot exist without the other.
Once I had this breakthrough the rest of the fundraising was easier. I got out of the way and allowed the money to come in. Through my massage work and emails I stepped closer and closer to the goal.
The final breakthrough came in my last email. In it I did two things. One I was very grateful for the amount that I had raised (about $2800 at that point) I was very clear as to what still needed to be raised and the deadline to meeting this goal was defined. Within 24hrs I had over 30 responses to this email and over $2000 in contributions. I was amazed.
It came down to three things: Gratitude, Clarity and Surrender. I remember being happy with the amount I had raised up to that point. Although I wanted to meet the goal I was truly grateful for the contributions I had gotten. Then I was very clear. This is what I need to do and this is when I need it. And finally I hit send. It wasn’t a send and in the back of my mind hoping that I’ll raise money. It was a send and this is it. I did all that I can do. I’m done regardless of what comes out of this, I surrendered. I suppose you could say I asked, let go of my ego, got the hell out of the way and the universe raced in with a huge reply. Granted that’s the metaphysical aspect. The physical manifestation was the support of many loving friends and family.
I look now over the entries in my fundraising page and am inspired at how powerful we can be when we join together. Each person gave with a loving intention to help, to give back, to support creating the result of over $5000 raised for what I believe to be a good cause. In support of an organization with the intention to bring the world closer together, to help us embrace our differences instead of fight about them. To ultimately bring more love to a world that has in the past been blinded by anger, fear, and greed. We are changing that by focusing on the love lies beneath and bringing it to the surface through our service and giving.
Thank you everyone who has been supportive (not only financially) as I embark upon my journey. Each one of you has touched me deeply and given me the courage to keep going despite my perceived obstacles and fears. THANK YOU….
******************
KHALIL GIBRAN QUOTE:
You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.
For what are your possessions but things you keep and guard for fear you may need them tomorrow? And tomorrow, what shall tomorrow bring to the over prudent dog burying bones in the trackless sand as he follows the pilgrims to the holy city?
And what is fear of need but need itself? Is not dread of thirst when your well is full thirst that is unquenchable?
There are those who give little of the much which they have - and they give it for recognition and their hidden desire makes their gifts unwholesome.
And there are those who have little and give it all. These are the believers in life and the bounty of life, and their coffer is never empty.
There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward. And there are those who give with pain, and that pain is there baptism.
And there are those who give and know not pain in giving, nor do they seek joy, nor give with mindfulness of virtue; They give as in yonder valley the myrtle breathes its fragrance into space. Through the hands of such as these God speaks, and from behind their eyes He smiles upon the earth.
It is well to give when asked, but it is better to give unasked, through understanding. And to the open-handed the search for one who shall receive is joy greater than giving.
And is there aught you would withhold? All you have shall some day be given; therefore give now, that the season of giving may be yours and not your inheritors'.
You often say, "I would give, but only to the deserving." The trees in your orchard say not so, nor the flocks in your pasture. They give that they may live, for to withhold is to perish.
Surely he who is worthy to receive his days and his nights is worthy of all else from you. And he who has deserved to drink from the ocean of life deserves to fill his cup from your little stream. And what desert greater shall there be than that which lies in the courage and the confidence, nay the charity, or receiving?
And who are you that men should rend their bosom and unveil their pride, that you may see their worth naked and their pride unabashed?
See first that you yourself deserve to be a giver, and an instrument of giving. For in truth it is life that gives unto life - while you, who deem yourself a giver, are but a witness.
And you receivers - and you are all receivers - assume no weight of gratitude, lest you lay a yoke upon yourself and upon him who gives. Rather rise together with the giver on his gifts as on wings; For to be over mindful of your debt, is to doubt his generosity who has the freehearted earth for mother, and God for father.
****
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Omo Steps into Google Blog
Hello Google world... This is the first post to my google blog. I was using a blog facade on my website, which wasn't interactive. From now on I will be adding blogs to my google account. My journey starts in 34 days. First Stop Peru. Stay tuned for more info....
Omo out...
Omo out...
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