In life we are presented with various opportunities. These opportunities are the defining moments in our lives. The moments where we must decide who we are and who we want to be. Sometimes these moments are as obvious as a fireworks show on the Fourth of July, but more often than not they are subtle, indistinguishable, moments that don't seem to mean a lot in the grand scheme of things but will end up meaning more than you could ever imagine. I feel like this is one of those moments for me, only for some unforeseeable reason I'm able to distinguish it before it is merely a distant memory of what could have been.
Four days ago Misha Collins announced his Hope to Haiti project. This project, to boil it down to it's basic core, is an ongoing effort by his charity, Random Acts, to provide relief to the city of Jacmel, Haiti after the devastating earthquake last year. On June 20, 2011, Matt Cohen and forty volunteers who are lucky enough to be the first to raise $5000 will embark on the experience of a lifetime, with Misha Collins joining sometime during the six day trip. During this trip they will build a multipurpose community center that will help feed and house the homeless and hungry children of Jacmel, as well as provide and education for them, and various other things, for the full information please visit: http://www.therandomact.org/wordpress/news/hopetohaiti/
I would love nothing more than to be one of those lucky forty who was able to raise such a large sum of money for such an amazing cause. It is going to sound corny, but I'll say it anyway because it is the truth. It's always been my dream to go to another country and volunteer. It's something that I have been itching to do ever since I knew that people did things like that. I have never been outside of the United States and as far as volunteering goes I have not ventured too far beyond my own community, so for me this would honestly be the trip of a lifetime. It would fulfill the dream of a little girl who for some reason felt the first compulsion to help when watching a show called Tour of Duty about the Vietnam War and has since never stopped dreaming about the day she could finally stretch her wings a bit and maybe teach someone else how to soar.
But honestly more so than that, in fact way more so than that, I simply want to raise as much money as possible for this project. Because it isn't about me, it isn't about my dream of helping others, in fact this project is not about me even a little bit, it's about them. The people who are in desperate need of help that only we can provide. The people who simply want the chance to live a life that is as devoid of pain and hardship as is possible. The people who, quite plainly want a chance to live.
So I ask you, whoever you are reading this (and I sincerely hope someone does) please consider giving to this amazing cause that will shape so many lives. Please help me to help them because they are who matter in this equation, and they need our help.
Here is the link to my page for donations: http://www.crowdrise.com/hopetohaiti1/fundraiser/CarmenYoung
