Send Me On My Way

So I'm off, after months and months of fundraising and waiting I'm finally at the stage where I can return and gift everything I've been working so hard towards. As you can see from the photo, not only was I collecting money for the village but I was taking in donations too! I've had a wonderful response with donations as well as funding. I will be purchasing a vehicle for the village upon my arrival. My trusted friend Nathan Yue, owner and operator of Rancho Esperanza, where I'm staying, has found a Toyota Hilux in good shape and all we have left to do is get it to our friend and trusted mechanic Moises. Keep your fingers crossed it will pass his test. Otherwise it's back to square one, yuck. As for the children thanks to everyones help I've been able to raise enough money to sponsor 15 kids!!! Within this week I will be meeting with the teachers at the school to find out which children need the most financial assistance. I also had a great response in donations for the children including everything from clothing to school supplies, so this will be donated to other children who also need some financial help! The only tricky part I think I will encounter is how to carry 5 checked bags each weighing between 60 to 90 pounds, one carry on, and a bongo drum. Any suggestions? Otherwise wish me luck, and I'll be back to the city of Chinandega, Nicaragua to use the Internet and provide updates!! Thanks to all one more time, without you this would never be possible. So please take the time to pat yourselves on the back, you've done wonderful things!!!!!!

Getting Ready to Go

So my time in Maine is winding down. I will be leaving on May 23rd, and I am sooo excited. I will be working this next week trying to get all the loose ends tied up at the houses that I have been cleaning and organizing. For my last full week in Maine I will be purchasing gifts for my some of my closest friends, with the cold hard cash I have been earning from my jobs. I will also be packing up all my goodies (clothing, GPS tracking devices, crafts, and toys for the kids). I have so much stuff and have recently learned that I need to limit myself to 5 checked bags. It is amazing how quickly the donation piles built up. I am hoping that I can fit it all in. Otherwise who knows maybe I'll have to make another trip in quicker than I originally thought.

As for the fundraising I have been working on I am trying to get everything organized and figure if a vehicle is still possible. As of today, I have raised just over $5,500. This amount is amazing and I can't believe I did it, however, it is also not as much as I was hoping for. In order to sponsor 15 children and purchase the vehicle I was hoping for $12,500. I am hoping the article that ran in this weeks Forecaster will help a little more. Only time will tell but I've got my fingers crossed till then.