Dear friends and family, we are running our first half marathon for All Hands Volunteers! This is a fantastic charity that jumps to the aid of victims of natural disasters across the world.  We were fortunate enough to spend 6 weeks on Project Cagayan de Oro in the Philippines in 2012.  For us, the experience  was over in 6 weeks, but for the tens of thousands of Filipino’s affected by Typhoons (23 on average each year),  the damage is enduring.  Unfortunately, the aid world moves on all too quickly. 

As a volunteer, a typical day started at 6am woken up by the pool of sweat in our beds. Yes, it was already 40 degrees and there was no AC in the volunteer house (there were also no showers, but that’s another story).  We were on the project site from 7am-4pm each day, painting houses, digging holes (for septic tanks), shifting gravel or laying cement   Our best days however, were spent with the families whose homes we helped revive by removing mud and debris, occasionally unearthing a family treasure they thought was lost in the devastation.  It was messy and physically exhausting work, but the smiles and hugs we received every day made it worth it.

All Hands has been working tirelessly in the Philippines for the past 3 years, not just re-building homes, but lives.  We can attest that all the money they raise goes directly to the projects.  As a former volunteer, to say our dwellings were BASIC is an understatement - bucket showers, bucket toilets (ask us later if you’re curious) and family-style meals consisting of carbs and more carbs.  Your money will be well spent!

Thank you so much for your support.