FROM SOUTH EAST ASIA TO SOUTH AMERICA

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OK, as you are all I'm surely aware, a devastating earthquake hit
southwestern Peru a few weeks ago, and without going into the the
disaster details here, I wanted you all to know I have made the
decision to go and volunteer with the most amazing and my personal
favorite diaster-relief organization in the world, Hands On Disaster
Response.

The only thing keeping me from jumping on the bandwagon quicker (the
decison to deloy was only made final 2 days ago) is financial reasons.
I am traveling the world, yes, but to live in and stay in South East
Asia for as long as I have thus far (nearly 11 months now) is
affordable and worthwhile to me. To travel to the other side of the
world changes things dramatically.

Since I have been thinking non-stop about Peru ever since the
earthquake in mid-August, I decided to stop THINKING and start DOING.
I will book a ticket in the next few days. I'll deal with the
financial aspect of the ticket cost later. Ug. The people there need
help. Badly. Houses were destroyed and people's lives shattered and
displaced.

I urge any and all of you who are able to consider taking a few days,
weeks, months (we'll be there for three to four months I'm sure) to go
down and help volunteer. At the very least, if you can't volunteer in
person, perhaps a small donation to this caring organization would be
in the cards. By reading the website (and check out the photos!), you
can understand what "we" are all about, how we help and what we do.
Donations are strongly encouraged and keep up afloat, doing what we do
to help those in need.

The website is www.hodr.org -- make sure you keep checking the site
for current updates!

As I get ready to leave Indonesia behind, and the rest of South East
Asia to follow within the next few weeks, a new adventure awaits. I
will try really hard to keep in better contact via email once I am in
Peru, in between working, of course.

C U in the Southern Hemisphere!

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