Aren't they precious?
Yes, they are. Each one of these children are orphaned. They live in an orphanage in Pokhara Nepal.
I've been intensely interested in doing a family volunteer vacation for about 5 years now. I've researched, signed up on websites and spoken with organizations.
Do you know that you have to pay to volunteer?
At first, it didn't make sense to me.
When you volunteer, they are feeding you, housing you......etc.
So there are some expenses.
It takes money.
Something caught my eye yesterday
when I was doing my usual internet "stuff".
The word - "crowdfunding"
came up. I looked it up.
Hmm....now I might be able to do what I want to do on my next "vacation"
VOLUNTEER!
Gofundme.com is a way to raise the funds you need to do what you want.
Well, what I really want to do is volunteer somewhere - help small children and make a difference.
Sophie (my daughter) is 16.
She is excellent with children and very interested in volunteering over our winter vacation.
I've gotten permission from The Love Company Orphanage for her to volunteer as well.
I have long been an advocate for volunteering and philanthropy work.
Even when I was growing up, my mother taught me to give to those less fortunate.
I remember cooking an extra turkey, dressing and dessert and taking it
"across the tracks" when I was a young girl to help out
others who couldn't afford a Thanksgiving dinner.
Lesson learned?
No matter how misfortunate you may
feel at times, there is always someone making do with less.
I passed along what my mother passed
along to me to my daughters.
Before Allie (my oldest) was a year old, her father and I would make sack lunches on Easter Sunday
then drive downtown to lower Wacker Drive where people were living in boxes.
We'd call individuals to our car and I was sitting the backseat with Allie. The sack lunch was in her lap and she would hand it to me to give.
In the past several years while on
road trips with my girls, we would often pay the toll for the car behind us.
I believe that kindness and
compassion is something that can be taught. I make a point to teach my children
to always help the elderly, a child or anyone in need.
Some places have a real sense of
community and it's easier to do.
I recently visited New Orleans and I'm always amazed at their sense of community.
People just start random conversations and it's so nice to connect.
I think that is harder to do in other places in the U.S.
Sometimes in our lives we are
"made" to become more compassionate due to circumstances beyond our
control.
It's easy to pass judgement on
someone when you haven't walked in their shoes.
So, now I am looking forward to
volunteering in Nepal with my Sophie.
It's not easy to see how others live
and not be affected. Sophie has always had a very tender heart.
Even when she was little, other children
gravitated to her for comfort.
I know she will be changed by this experience and so will I.
Please, if you can, help the cause.
:)
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