My unique adventure to help bring light to the Philippines started a year and a half ago, when I answered a call for volunteers needed to write for a charity named Watts of Love . Since that time, I've written countless social media posts, a few blogs and a magazine article, as well as brainstormed a number of other social media marketing ideas. The ultimate goal in all of my work is always financial. Donations are what bring more light to more people across the globe. Period. However, always present is also the need for one vital element: Awareness. One of Watts of Love's goals and, therefore, my goals is always to expose the masses to the need for the work that this charity is doing. (I like to describe WOL as good people doing good work, because they are that -- very good people.)
Since the beginning, I have wanted to travel with Watts of Love, not only to have better depth and insight into what I write for them, but also to experience the joy and giving first-hand, as well as what I anticipate to be the humility of truly understanding the incredible blessing that is my life. I imagine it to be transformational for the distributors of the lights at least as much as it is for the recipients.
I am honored to be a part of Watts of Love's fifth anniversary trip to where it all started in the islands of the Philippines. From February 9-20, on Oriental Mindoro and Ilin Island, I will help distribute solar lights that so many of you donated and will also help train the recipients. Here, there is no power, just beautiful people.
There are 1.1 billion people in the world without light after the sun goes down. That's more than the amount of people alive when Edison invented the light bulb. Staggering number, right?
So what happens without light? People either live in darkness or live by dim, toxic and expensive kerosene lamps. Because the lamps are toxic, many develop fatal lung disease and, because the lamps are expensive, people stay in poverty simply paying for their kerosene.
These solar lights bring free and safe light to people after dark, but it also brings opportunity and empowerment to raise themselves up out of poverty. They can repair fishing nets, come home safely from the fields at night, do schoolwork, tend to young children or sick family members, and deliver babies at night. With saved money, they can buy goats, chickens, whittle bamboo skewers to sell at market, or any number of other creative and inspired things that people have already done to improve the quality of their lives.
This blog is so I can share my unique journey with the people who have supported Watts of Love through me. Thank you for following along.
Since the beginning, I have wanted to travel with Watts of Love, not only to have better depth and insight into what I write for them, but also to experience the joy and giving first-hand, as well as what I anticipate to be the humility of truly understanding the incredible blessing that is my life. I imagine it to be transformational for the distributors of the lights at least as much as it is for the recipients.
I am honored to be a part of Watts of Love's fifth anniversary trip to where it all started in the islands of the Philippines. From February 9-20, on Oriental Mindoro and Ilin Island, I will help distribute solar lights that so many of you donated and will also help train the recipients. Here, there is no power, just beautiful people.
There are 1.1 billion people in the world without light after the sun goes down. That's more than the amount of people alive when Edison invented the light bulb. Staggering number, right?
So what happens without light? People either live in darkness or live by dim, toxic and expensive kerosene lamps. Because the lamps are toxic, many develop fatal lung disease and, because the lamps are expensive, people stay in poverty simply paying for their kerosene.
These solar lights bring free and safe light to people after dark, but it also brings opportunity and empowerment to raise themselves up out of poverty. They can repair fishing nets, come home safely from the fields at night, do schoolwork, tend to young children or sick family members, and deliver babies at night. With saved money, they can buy goats, chickens, whittle bamboo skewers to sell at market, or any number of other creative and inspired things that people have already done to improve the quality of their lives.
This blog is so I can share my unique journey with the people who have supported Watts of Love through me. Thank you for following along.