Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Updates

Hello to all! As you all know I'm still here in Maine pushing forward to get as much accomplished as I can before I head back down to Nicaragua on December 28th. Yes, I've finally bought my tickets and they are set in stone. I fly down on the 28th of December from Portland, hopefully with tons of stuff including clothing and school supplies for the residents of Jiquilillo. I will be staying in Jiquilillo for 6 months with my return flight scheduled for the 9th of July!

My official plans include sponsoring 14 children to attend school, purchasing the vehicle to be used as an ambulance, distributing mosquito nets, commencing the gardening seminars, purchasing some new supplies for the school and the Kids Club program, holding AIDS awareness classes, and ascertaining a teacher for sewing classes. Yes I know this sounds like a lot, but I think I will be able to get it all off and rolling.

As for my recent activity here in Maine I've been working on several fundraising schemes. First, I've had the amazing opportunity to speak at the Foreside Community Church on Route 88 in Falmouth. Thank you Dorothy and Tim Blanchette and the rest of this amazing congregation for allowing me the opportunity to visit, and Thank you Nathan Yue founder of Rancho Esperanza in Jiquilillo, Nicaragua of helping me with the speech and during the coffee hour. I have also just submitted a grant application with the Portland Rotary Club for some financial assistance with the purchase of mosquito nets for the community of Jiquilillo; I'm hoping for some assistance from this great organization. Also just a few days ago thanks to the help of Danielle Haley with Family Health International I've begun to create lesson plans to help educate the residents of Jiquilillo about the AIDS epidemic. Most recently, however, I've begun the task of applying for Tax Exempt status with the help of Toby Burdet a wonderful man and a vast wealth of knowledge.

I have been blessed to have so much assistance with what drives my heart. It is amazing to me to see how everyone wants to help! I thank you all so much.

In the future I am still planning on holding a silent auction and a brief speech/slideshow with appetizers and hopefully a local Portland band. However, I have been struggling to ascertain a location. Perhaps someone out there would be in the know of a place in Portland that could accommodate all this. I'm shooting for the beginning of December.

As for the community of Jiquilillo, everyone is pushing through the rainy season hoping for the sun in sight. Fishing has been poor as usual but hopes are high as always!