On love that stretches over oceans

The last 3 weeks feel like a dream. I started three Sundays ago by making 20 meals and feeding 20 kids by myself (with a little help from Chetri unexpectedly) and yesterday I fed 50, with the help of my co-workers. But this particular entry isn't about those of us here in Guwahati at all. 

This is about the unbelievable love that has stretched from Corona, California all the way to Guwahati, India. One week ago I received an e-mail from a long time friend Natalie. We've known each other for what feels like forever via mutual friends and growing up going to shows. I've never known her very well, but one thing that has always shone through her is her heart. She is a big supporter of organizations such as Invisible Children and clearly cares for kids in under developed countries. She has helped set-up many benefit art shows and I am certain she has done much more than I even know of. 

I had to read her initial e-mail 3 times over, it was so unexpected. The love and support that poured out of it hit me hard. She said she wanted to give a donation to be used towards feeding the kids and/or sponsoring the slum girls day. It is so wild to me that someone so far away is moved to help here, to help feed the bellies of kids they have never met. Her intent to give so selflessly from over 7,000 miles away moved me to tears. She said she needed a few days to get it together and get the funds to me. In the interest of honesty I was expecting 10 or 20 dollars (which is enough to feed about 40-90 kids alone would be a significant donation.) so imagine my even bigger surprise when she mailed me on Thursday saying she had raised $184 for the kids here!!!!! There are absolutely no words to describe what I was feeling when I found this out. Here is the reality of that donation: 

$184 can:

-Feed 736 mouths

-Sponsor 37 girls

-Or any combination there of ($84 dollars to the weekly meals which will last over 7 weeks and $100 to the girls days which will sponsor 20 girls)

As it turns out, she set up a bake sale at her office and in one day they raised this! I am told they played some fun Hindi music (in honor of Diwali and feeding Indian kids) and she spread the word about my life here. If any of you guys who bought a yummy treat are reading this, I want to thank you! I wish you could each be here to see just how far this will go, to witness personally the undeniable joy that you are helping us to spread. It means more to me than I could ever express. As I handed out each meal, I saw the face of Love in them. A face I could see because of the warmth and support you have shown me from all the way across the ocean. 

Thank you so much. 

Here is how our day went: