Beautiful Generosity & Departing

I can hardly believe it! The day has nearly come...I am departing, and more importantly I am leaving with warm wishes, prayers, and the knowledge that so many people believe in the work I will be doing with many others at Farm of the Child. When I found out that I was accepted to Farm of the Child, my first thought was "Wow!" My second was, "Oh no, how am I going to raise over $10,000 in 3 months! It is impossible." I was so wrong.

I have fundraised before and have always been told that people need to have a chance to say "No" and that people cannot give unless given the chance. So, I went with these general rules when approaching that daunting number that makes my volunteering possible. My highest goal was to have at least $7,000...$8,000 at best before leaving on Aug. 2nd. I completely underestimated others' generosity.

I have witnessed beautiful generosity over the past few months. From the beginning, donations came when I least expected them. This continued over the months. From large donations coming from Lasallian Communities to friends spending much time (and even money) to help me get together my websites and mailings to stories of similar experinces of service paired with a donation, from my home parish helping me raise nearly $2000.00 to another local church donating because they admire the cause, people have shared so much with me and the Farm. Others found ways to give by helping organize fundraisers, paying for my new glasses before I go, or just simply stopping to inquire about what I am doing. The generosity of others has been incredible and more than I imagined. I am happy to report that I have reached my fundraising goal of $11,000!

Thus, I depart with a slightly nervous but warm and hopeful heart. Thank you so much to everyone for all you have done to support me. So many people tell me that they do not know how I could be doing what I am doing; however, I really could not be doing it without so many people believing in what I am doing. Mucho Gracias.

PS...Though I have reached my fundrasing goal, it does not mean that you should not make a donation if you were planning to. All money that is in my name but I do not use over the next 2.5 years will be donated to Farm of the Child directly. It all goes to this amazing mission. You may also want to consider sending supplies that are always needed. Look at the Farm's website to find out what they need most. (www.farmofthechild.org)

Bitter-Sweet Step Towards Honduras

The past couple of months have been a blur of "Lasallian Lasts." I had my last Lasallian Volunteer Debriefing retreat where I saw many of my fellow LVs for the last time in a long time. I had my last art classes at La Salle Academy, my last days of school there, our first-ever LSA 8th grade graduation, but that included the last time I will see my students. I took a couple of last-minute trips up and down the East coast to NYC and DC, which were so wonderful! Finally, I spent my last days in Philadelphia with my beautiful community. I said good-bye to Philly, my home for the past two years, and hugged and kissed my community members good-bye with a grateful tear in my eye.

Saying good-bye is hard. There really isn't any other way to explain it. On the positive side, I take the difficulty in parting as a sign that my life on the East Coast was a blessed and love-filled experience. I made true friends and inspiring friendships that will stay near and dear to my heart. The people I met have changed me for the better. My experiences at LSA, within the city, and with my community have helped me move closer to the person I want to be. A person I am proud to be! That is a blessing, indeed.

So, I depart Philly with a bitter-sweet feeling in my heart. Bitter because it is sad to leave people I love and a life I enjoyed there, but sweet because I now get to spend a whole month with my family and friends in Illinois and move closer to my departure for Central America!