My cat usually knows what to do with cardboard boxes but she and I are just sitting here in awe of how many supplies Murchison Middle School, Ms. Pydyn, Michelle and Anne, National junior honor society of Murchison that all the parents and kids have donated. Its amazing just staring at all this help for Nepal earthquake victims. Thank you all!
Now comes the challenge of organizing and packing and getting fully prepared to fly! Its been quite an experience for me, a rollercoaster of emotions, panic, laughter, tears, making a fool of myself asking the silliest questions to cover all basis and more. But then there is the encouragement, support,and love from all here in the US and directly from Nepal. At times overwhelmed, adrenaline rushing from how huge the support has been, highs and lows and then getting up and taking charge and marching forward, because I don’t think I come close to the strength of the Nepali people who are enduring everything they have been to this day. I gain more strength and more drive from them each day. Thank goodness for my NGO contact in Nepal as well as my grass roots contacts! They have been in constant touch with me in helping me prepare for this trip, guiding me, answering all my questions despite me showing naivete on occasion, they never judge, they just help and to these 4 friends I am grateful. They are survivors of the 2 earthquakes themselves but they still manage to get up each day, laugh and smile and go to work and stay in touch with me on a daily basis! I am thankful that they make time to answer all my questions.
Why is it such a big deal for me?
After 9/11 this is the biggest tragedy that has truly impacted me straight to the heart and so close to home!
I have always donated to causes mostly here in the US in 25 years living here: Cancer, MS, Austin Animal Center (fostered 11 kittens, 2 nursing kittens and mama, got them adopted, adopted 5 dogs and 1 cat total ourselves), Project Nepal orphans, Animal Nepal, Tony Hawk Foundation, Andy Roddick foundation, Davis Elementary, Unicef, Laurel Mountain Auction fundraiser, Austin Childrens choir, Davis Disco silent auction, CHOC Walk in the park, Castleman’s disease, NFCC International-Against Gender Discrimination in Nepal, donated 2 big hand painted murals to Davis Elementary middle school, Austin, TX, which I enjoyed creating which took 4 weeks to complete. All causes I have loved being part of!
But, never have I done fundraising nor have I taken an initiative this big forming my Non Profit Corporation in such a short time. What started out in panic mode as a desperate means to help me cope, now has turned into something very dear to my heart. Now I am in a place with my teams support to just march ahead and march on strong! It is a very good feeling! I am inspired by all the people around me, they have done more than I have and I am very thankful to them for uplifting me and cheering me on to keep going strong!
I have zero regrets and I have already learned a lot! I am looking forward to educating myself even more starting next week in Nepal through my NGO and grass roots organization contacts. They will be my teachers, they will be my guides, they will take us to orphanages, schools, old people’s home, and villages where we will distribute all your kind donations directly.
We may have started small and fast but we will follow through! We may have fewer funds but we have a lot of supplies. All the funds came from my neighbors and close friends and friends of friends, who know me very well personally, and some who barely can afford it but they still supported in any small way they could. Many of my tennis students reached out right away, and my son’s school came through right away. Some TX small businesses donated as well, thank you! The money we’ve raised so far is very very special because it all came from a community of friends and neighbors here in TX and worldwide, which makes it even more personal for me because they believed in me and they trusted me right off the bat with zero hesitation. This is how it all starts! I am thankful and grateful to each and everyone for being a part of something so small but will make a big impact in touching lives of Nepal earthquake victims. I am ready to take your generous donations and distribute it directly to the Nepali people in need because all the help has come from very special people!
We are ready! Well, almost, just need to figure out the packing and all the details that go with it! Thank you all for your support!
You can still donate! The more funds we have before we leave next week, the better it will be to meet our immediate goals in distributing aid! Please continue to donate while we are in Nepal, where we will finalize our initiative to provide sustainable long term support!