Finally

You may have read in some of my past blogs that I had been diligently looking to do some volunteer work in my local area to no avail. To date I have shown an interest with 3 or 4 local charities with no response. I so miss volunteering and was really getting disheartened about this. Unfortunately, the people I've contacted (1 on 4 different occasions) haven't gotten back to me. Its very frustrating because I come from 3 generations of volunteers and this is a vital part of who I am. It is something I need to do. Heck my grandmother is in her 80's and is currently volunteering weekly at the local college. I'm jealous. In San Diego, maybe because it's a bigger city, the volunteer efforts abound and I had been involved with a Shelter for over a year as well as the local SHARE food bank. I absolutely loved it. I've been back in NJ, my home state, for about 5 years now and have had a lot of trouble finding a volunteer match. One in particular had a rep that was so, so negative I didn't stay. She was concerned I'd have enough time to help out even though I have plenty of time. It was sad because it was helping at the very shelter we got our companion Da Vinci at, and I would be willing to help them in any way I could. People are weird. I had left word at a local children's home, Catholic Charities and a food pantry..nothing. Now come on: I work part time and have a ton of creative energy and administrative skills to offer. The only one who was responsive was the area food bank. Unfortunately, they are a 35 minute drive away at minimum. I may still make the drive, just because I've liked everyone I've met there and they seem way more organized than anyone else I've contacted. Several people have said that the problem is the people taking the messages and following up on them are volunteers who have too much work to do. You'd think they would jump on someone who could help. The aforementioned coupled with problems with a family member has had me in a real funk lately that I desperately need to get out of. It doesn't help that I don't like my job. I refuse to let depression get the best of me. I read and reread the piece I posted late yesterday until it spoke to me. Passion..hmmm. Here's the wonderful journey it guided me through: I was checking Matt's Blog and decided to visit some of the links he had posted to other sites. One in particular looked interesting: Have Fun Do Good so I visited the site. At the bottom was a link to UN Online Volunteers . I visited their site and signed up so I could browse the opportunities available. Well, to my delight, I found a perfect opportunity, applied for it and was accepted. I decided if I can't find something local..heck I'll go virtual. The Massaba Rural Development Organisation needed Basic Web Design for a Crafts Webite. I will do my absolute best to make the site sing. About them: Mission Statement: Massaba Rural Development Organisation(MRDO) is a local NGO that was formed by a group of socially sensitive people with proffessional background and experience and whose motivating factor was their desire to assist in the improvement of the lot of the vulnerable ,marginalised and deprived in society through education and other sustainable rural development programmes.It was registered in 2004 in Kenya under the Non-Governmental Orgainsation Act of 1990 with its head office in Nairobi and Field Office in Kisii that serves the 3 Gusii districts(kisii,Nyamira and Gucha),Nyanza Province, Kenya. I am really excited! My assignment will be, "...assist us come up with a basic web design that will display the pictures of our carvings ,item descriptions and prices.Also he/she will be required to put a system in place of doing purchases online ie PayPal.The project aims at improving livelihoods by increasing wages of artisans and removing the exploitative tendencies of middlemen." Yippee, I can't wait. At this point I am awaiting further instructions. Having seen a small part of Africa first hand and always having had a love for the beauty of the continent I know this is something I will excel at. I have some pieces of art I've purchased from Kenya and know just how wonderful they are. I am eager to build a site that will help them as well as be a creation I can be proud of. I knew there was a reason I revisited my old friend Kahlil Gibran yesterday, and honed in on that particular piece. I had his work as part of my wedding vows and am always amazed by the simple truths his melodic words impart. Your reason and your passion are the rudder and the sails of your seafaring soul. If either your sails or your rudder be broken, you can but toss and drift, or else be held at a standstill in mid-seas.For reason, ruling alone, is a force confining; and passion, unattended, is a flame that burns to its own destruction.Therefore let your soul exalt your reason to the height of passion, that it may sing;And let it direct your passion with reason, that your passion may live through its own daily resurrection, and like the phoenix rise above its own ashes. (you can read the whole piece at Katsanddogz.com here) You see I have been at a standstill in mid seas with a flame burning to its own destruction...how true. Hopefully this project will enable my soul..what makes me..well... me... rise like the phoenix from the ashes. Working on the mind, body and soul lately and I think all need to be nurtured. Body: check, mind (working on the check), soul: check ( I hope)! Getting there slow but steady...that's how you win the race! May your passion live through its daily resurrection!