On my way…

June 24th, 2009 by Elizabeth

Only 2 days left until my departure… 12 hours to Tokyo, 6.5 hour flight to Ho Chi Minh; a quick nap, followed by a 16 hour train ride to travel 600 miles north to DaNang. For some reason, the days of travel are creating the most anxiety…

Thanks to many generous donations from friends and family, my suitcases are VERY heavy and FULL of supplies for the children. It was a task, but everything has fit so far: baby wipes, bottles, clothing, toys, FLOAM, crayons, teaching supplies (thanks Kate!), books, STICKERS, toothpaste, vitamins, desitin, hand sanitizer, etc etc etc. The list goes on and on… I am so grateful to everyone who contributed items or monetary donations. The generosity is overwhelming and greatly appreciated.

Bring on the children! I am so psyched to meet them! I can’t possibly prepare myself enough for the HUGE culture shock I will experience. My goal is to go teach/care for/help these small children, many of whom have serious disabilities and need extensive 24/7 care. But, I have a feeling that I will be the one learning and transforming throughout this trip. Alot can happen in 5 weeks…

Last summer I came across a poem that has helped inspire and encourage me to commit to this Vietnam excursion. After reading it, I was convinced that a trip abroad would be in the works: It’s called the “Think Different” poem:

“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify and vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as crazy, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

The greatest leaders and most inspirational people in our world did not conform to society; rather, they led lives of change, inspiring others to be charitable and positive. Some were rich, some were poor; all were noble and all were catalysts for change.
Their intent: put others’ needs before your own, and most of all, spread a message of Peace and Love.
I will never be one of these great world-renowned leaders (like Mahatma Ghandi, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, Jesus Christ, Martin Luther King Jr, Dalai Lama, just to name a few); but I can admire them, aspire to live like them, and share in their mission to help those less fortunate than myself.

My goal for my trip to Vietnam is simple: leave the orphans healthier and happier, than when I arrived. Maybe a little too ambitious, I know, but I do well under pressure Realistically, any small change I can help orchestrate, is progress. Any child that is fed, clothed, and loved while I am there, is a success. After all, it took Mother Teresa 65 years to feed the poor.