September 2012 update

Hello!

It's been a LONG time between posts! Life get's so busy, doesn't it? We've kept 'Facebook Land' updated with what's been happening, but thought it was about time we updated this blog...so here goes:

This year we have held 2 "Friday Night Girl's Nights In". At the first one: Easter Fundraiser Girls Night In in we were able to raise $327 to give to our friends in Nepal who house and care for many poor elderly men and women.

On 25th August at our Girls Night In for Burma Nursing School (thanks in part to many fellow nurses from Peninsula Private Hospital where I work...thanks guys!) we raised a whopping $1017 for 'OM Aid and Relief', in particular 'Project: School of Nursing in Myanmar'. They are building a nursing school as well as a medical clinic in Burma, which trains up to 100 underprivileged women of all ages each year.

We leave on our next trip to India and Nepal at the end of November and return in early January. Our aim is to raise the following money for the following places.

$500 to 'Little sisters of the poor' in Coonoor, South India.
$500 to Freedom Firm based in Ooty, South India.
$500 to Hope Trust Orphanage in Nepal.
$500 to a couple we know who house and care for many elderly men and women in Banepa, Nepal. See below for a picture of their new "sick room" for palliative care of these elderly men and women as they near their end of life.
$500 for the local Rotaract group (Rotaract Australia) towards both their upcoming trip to East Timor and to go towards a micro loan (a small loan given to impoverished people to help them become self employed) (Life and Hope Association)

We have decided to try to raise the majority of this $2500 in one night, by turninig our house into "Restaurant at Forsyth Cottage" at 7:30pm on Saturday 3rd November. This night will be fully catered for and the food will be top class! The chefs will be provided by Rotaract and my sister, Janine, who works as a professional pianist for both 'the Australian Ballet School' and 'The College of the Arts, School of Dance' will be providing some beautiful background music. We will also hold a silent auction on the night (which you can also bid for, via Facebook, if you are not there on the night), with some amazing goodies up for grabs! Why not chose "Restaurant at Forsyth Cottage" for a night out, knowing that your money will be going to help many, many underpriveleged people?

Tickets for this night are $40 per person. You can reserve a table of 2, 4, 5 or 6, but first in best dressed as we can only fit a maximum of 40 people! At this stage the best way to book in to our restaurant is by messaging me on FB.

Looking forward to a successful night of fundraising. A big Thank You to everyone for their continued support. This is team work. As cliche as this may sound, the truth is together we CAN make a difference!

Love Nat & co. :)

                     the new "sick room" (for palliative care) for the elderly in Banepa, Nepal

Hello for 2012!

Hello!

Sorry it has been so long since we have updated this blog. So much has happened since the last post. Let me see...

Mark and Rachel went to India and Nepal for a month in November/December and were able to donate the money that many of you helped us raise to the following places:
$600 to Freedom Firm in Ooty, South India
$500 to a girls orphanage called 'Smyrna' in Ooty, South India
$600 to Hope Trust orphanage in Nepal
$700 to a couple we know who house and care for many elderly men and women in Banepa, Nepal.

Mark, Rachel, Michael (Nat's brother) and Suzan (Nat's sister in law) went to Freedom Firm to give them the $600 that was raised. Michael and Suzan work at Hebron School, which is nearby. While they were there they met Greg, who is the founding director. Greg gave them a tour of the small organisation and they met three of the girls who had been previously rescued from child prostitution. They were all very nice, happy and welcoming. Mark reports that the look on Greg's face was priceless when he saw the roll of cash! He didn't see it coming. We had to blur the face of the young girl in the picture (below) as her former "employers" might still be upset that she is no longer working for them. A special thank you to all who helped and purchased items of jewelry during the last "Girl's Night In". I will be contacting them again soon to get some hand made greeting cards sent over for sale at our next "Fri night girl's night in" (in early April)- the rescued girls make them and the proceeds go to helping with the amazing work they do there. Check out http://www.freedom.firm.in/

One of the girls making the hand made jewellery.

The girls at 'Smyrna' have been either abandoned or refused an education by their families. 'Smyrna' assists by feeding, clothing and educating these lovely girls. As a surprise, we decided to give them a flatscreen TV, a DVD player and an internet connection. A very special thank you to Michael Clements, Suzan Clements and the George's (Suzan's parents) who got us connected and helped us to pick the TV. The girls were over the moon and say a big "Thank you" to everyone that helped raise the money for this amazing "luxury" (that we all take for granted over here!) :)

A bunch of very excited girls after receiving their new treats!

What a blessing it was to be able to give the orphanage in Nepal another $600, which will go towards rent, food and education of the beautiful children there. Mark spent a day with the children at the orphanage and, just like last time, was thoroughly blessed by their humility and gratitude. The wonderful children from our home church, Langwarrin Vineyard Christian Church, had hand written personalized cards for each of the children there. Before Mark left, we wrapped up a gift for each of the children and Mark handed them out with the cards to each and every one of the children on the day.

Individual presents with handwritten cards for each child at the orphanage

The children from 'Hope Trust' Orphanage in Nepal :)

Mark spent 4 days staying with Pastor NP & his beautiful wife, Bandana, the couple who house and care for many sick elderly men and women in Banepa, Nepal. We were able to pay for the much needed purchase of 2 wheelchairs. This couple, along with their 2 teenage sons, devote their whole life to caring for others. Last time when we all stayed with them (in early 2010) I was personally strongly convicted to prioritize my "needs and wants" and put many things in my life into perspective. All I can say is....we have way too much that we DON'T need over here...

Pastor NP (in white shirt) and his wife Bandana (on right of NP) with some of the elderly men and women they care for.

I would like to say a big THANK YOU to Jenny Ryder, Shae Stewart and Kath Keating, amongst others, for organizing the donation of medical supplies from Peninsula Private Hospital (where I work) to help with the care of these elderly men and women.

The 2 containers of medical supplies donated by Peninsula Private Hospital

On top of this, just before Christmas, Jenny and Shae organized a "gold coin donation" BBQ at Peninsula Private Hospital to raise money for the children at Hope Trust orphanage...the wonderful doctors, nurses (and the rest!) raised another $305.85, which we will be transferring over to them this week....WOW! Have I told you I love my job?

So....what's in store for 2012? The next "Fri night girl's night in" will be in early April. We will be selling hand made/painted Indian eggs (like the ones in the picture) that you can give to people for Easter, instead of chocolate Easter eggs which just make us feel sick (and guilty!). We will also be selling hand made cards, as mentioned earlier, made by the girls rescued from prostitution by Freedom Firm. Not only are these nights a great way to find out about some amazing aid organizations, but 100% of the money from any sales go to one or more of the organizations we support. Watch this space for a date!

Thank you to EVERYONE who helped us by selling chocolates, coming to the "Fri night girl's nights in" or donating money, and a special thank you to Eugene Quah, from It's Fixed for their generous donation. This is teamwork, guys :)

Much love from Mark and Nat :)

Mark and Rachel in Nepal