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First Week of 2018!
This week has seen a flurry of activity in the ASAH office! In less than two weeks Deb will be leaving for Uganda with Paul Fields and Randy Schatz, and the packing has begun in earnest. Along with personal effects required for any international travel, we are packing supplies for the girls and others at refugee camps. We will be bringing over 600 new pairs of panties and 80 reusable maxi pads for the girls to distribute at the camps. Generous supporters have also provided four microscopes for our girls to use at school, and we are excited and thankful for the opportunity. We will also be taking medical supplies donated through the HERO program to Uganda. We are so appreciative for our sponsors for thinking of their sponsored child and allowing us to bring gifts and letters with us to their student.
On Wednesday, Deb and I were invited by the impact foundation to film a short video for their Giving Hearts Day campaign. We were excited as we met Scott Thuen and Amanda Sayre from the Impact Foundation at Thuen studios and saw all the wonderful filming equipment and relaxing environment. It was also great that we were able to wear our Giving Hearts Day shirts a month in advance! Our footage will be compiled with others participating in Giving Hearts Day and we look forward to sharing it with you on our social media platforms.
Wednesday also was a wonderful day to connect with the ASAH girls as we were able to talk with them on the phone. They had arrived at child voice for January skills training safely. Many of the girls mentioned how much they loved the environment there as it resembled a village life and community more than their current boarding school. They felt right at home. When they talked to Deb on speaker phone their voices were filled with happiness and anticipation of her arrival. I was introduced to a few of them and was so blessed to be able to put voices to names.
Friday morning brought a visit to the HERO warehouse and we were able to receive medical supplies from their program. We will be taking basic wound care kits and suture supplies to help the refugee camps with some of their needs. Mixed in with those are other supplies such as ace bandages, irrigation supplies, and sutures. It was a great time for me because I used to work with the operating rooms at Sanford and knew the supplies and instruments needed to put together some suture kits. It was interesting to see all the medical supplies and knowing that they will be going to those in desperate need.
As we are beginning 2018 in earnest, we are so grateful for all of those who have donated last year!
About the Author
Deb Dawson is a writer, photographer, filmmaker, businesswoman, teacher, humanitarian, and philanthropist. She holds a B.S. Ed. in Education and English, and an MFA in Creative Writing. Her role as mother to biological, step, and internationally adopted children led her to write When Love is Not Enough, a memoir about the way mothers and daughters forge relationships in the face of tremendous obstacles.
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