Asking the question.

The time is getting closer for me to leave on the trip, and I can feel the days ticking by one after the other. Sometimes it feels as if the brakes are off and I realize that I have set myself on the path that is open at this point and the future is completely unknown. As many of you know, I have worked for two years on this project  and to spread the word. It has been a difficult road, but I know and realize that it is beginning to happen and soon the dream won’t be just a dream for the children anymore.

The “Where the is Color there is Hope Project” is the air that I breathe and I make sure every day, no matter how long my hours are at work that I answer every email, put up pictures and spread the word, and get up sometimes at 4 am other days at 5 am, so that I do can all the work I need to for this project before starting my regular job. It gives me the biggest joy, the hardest frustration and sometimes tears of despair, but there is nothing I would do differently. But there is one thing I have dreaded, and that is is to ask for financial donations. As you all do know I have never over the years raised funds to pay for my own expenses for the trips. It has all been self-funded, and I have worked many different jobs to get the money together. But this year I need to do what I dread most. And ask for your donations. I will be leaving for 8 months and the cost of the workshops for 8 months, art supplies, living expenses and the flight ticket is too much for me to save in such a short period. The time to leave is getting closer and I realize I need to ask for your help. The reason for planning this trip for such a long time, is that doing the short trips to do the art projects only has a small impact and the teachers and children are so much wanting to learn more. And the only way to do that is to spend longer time at the schools and begin to set up teacher training workshops so that we can reach more teachers and schools.

The cost of my flight ticket is $1700 and I had won $500 from Travel2Change towards my ticket. But that still leaves me to save $1200, visa fees are $40 per month and living expenses is minimum $300 a month. This is the costs without the art supplies and basic things like paper we need, and the supplies we would need to have for the workshops. I am doing everything from my side to save the money, but it is a big mountain to climb, but I have never backed down from the impossible. As you know by know is that the art and teacher training workshops are provided for free to the schools and the communities in the rural areas of Nepal. For these 8 months any teacher or artist joining me is paying for their own expenses and I do not charge them any fees for setting this up.

I know everybody gets so many requests each day asking for donations from all over, but I hope that my character, my work and my heart has shown you what I believe. If you could make a small donation, I would be so grateful and it would mean so much. My paypal as well as my email address is watersfromheaven@gmail.com and I can always send you my home address if needed. Thank you for all your love and support over the years as it has given me the will to continue. Thank you again!