Here is a journal entry from my last trip to Nicaragua.  It was originally posted on the Project Nicaragua blog, which was replaced with One Thread’s blog (visit here), so I thought I would repost.  As you will read below, I met a little girl name Ani (pictured above) down in Nicaragua.  She has been blind from birth but they tell me there is some sort of surgery they can do for her.  I am currently following up on her situation to see what can be done.  Once I find out what can be done (if in fact she can be helped), I want to do what I can to help her.  I would like to help Ani and children with similar situations.  If you or if you know of any organizations and/or individuals that organize surgery for children in third-world countries or if you would like to help in any way, please email me here.

As originally posted…

It always amazes me when I visit extreme poverty stricken areas in third-world countries and see people with smiles on their faces.  Such smiles aren’t contingent on circumstances.  They have nothing.  They don’t know when they will eat again.  They definitely don’t have the luxury of want.  They fight each and every day just for their basic needs to survive.  The smiles on their faces are like none I have ever seen. 

Today in Nicaragua wasn’t any different.  We visited one of the poorest areas in the country (probably in the world) called Paradise.  Ironic huh?  It’s not an easy site to see. Plastic and tin used for housing.  Running water and electricity are non-existent.  People starving.  Yet what stood out the most were the smiles one their faces.  As we pulled into the village, children chased after our bus.  When we stepped off the bus, we were immediately ambushed by dozens of children, all reaching out to be held and loved on. 

I met a baby girl named Ani today at the village.  She is so beautiful.  I found out that she has been blind since birth.  Even though she couldn’t see me, she felt my presence and reached out to me. I took her in my arms and immediately my heart went out to her as tears ran down my face.  Even as a write this, I have to fight back the tears.  I felt a strong connection with her that I cannot explain.  She touched my heart.  She touched my life.  It is hard to accept why an innocent child has to go through this.  It’s not easy leaving her and the rest of the village.  Part of my heart is still with these beautiful people.  I will be back.

To be able to provide these children and their families with food, a basic need that I take for granted, continues to change my perspective on life.  What am I doing with my life and resources that I have been blessed with?  Am I doing what I can to take care of those less fortunate, for those who don’t wake up to warm showers, for those who don’t have the option of three meals a day, let alone one, and those who have nothing yet manage to bring a smile to their face?  I am not trying to play the guilt-trip starving children card on you.  But, if we all took it upon ourselves to make sure everyone had at least enough, this world would be a drastically better place. How can we do this?  By doing what we can, where we are, with what we have.  Small or big, let’s start now.  This is the mindset that was reiterated in me today.

One Thread Outfitters was born from a desire Patrick and I had to create a company that sells quality products that in turn help provide basic needs to men, women, and children in impoverished parts of the world, with the ultimate goal as we see it, to help provide spiritual needs.  After OTO’s first drop, Project Nicaragua 2009, our commitment to do just that has been permanently grounded by the experiences we encountered in Nicaragua.  But as we have been saying from the beginning, we are only two guys.  So we need you to join (continue) the fight for enough! 

This is only the beginning.  We are continuing Project Nicaragua, but there is much more work to be done in Nicaragua and other parts of the world.  We aren’t stopping here!

Join the fight,

Mark

To keep up-to-date on One Thread’s social projects, new clothing lines, other news, and join in on the journey, follow us on twitter: http://www.twitter.com/onethread

To purchase a Project Nicaragua shirt that provides 40 meals to a family of four: http://www.onethreadoutfitters.com