Date: 2015-04-30
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Today is my 52 birthday. This is my trail journal to capture the moments in this amazing journey. I want to share a large part of the reason I am hikeing and I'll indulge myself this shameless plug as a gift to myself. Read more about my organization at www.bigbigworld.org. We are a 5013c non profit. To make a donation- visit www.bigbigwalk.com. Have a great day!Why I walkIn 2008, I visited an orphange in a small coastal town in Vietnam. I had been invited by life long friends who were there to adopt their son and my role was that of a support person. I had spent my youth growing up in developing countries all over the world as a state department brat and was very comfortable in that environment.When we drove through rusting gates into the courtyard of the orhanage, we were greeted immediatly by a throng of small children, nannies holding babies, and a handful of older children, We immediatly brought out our Beanie Babies and small toys, art supplies and anything else to break the ice so that we could play with the kids. Some were shy, some were gregarious-just like children in every corner of our planet. At some point, I noticed a teenaged girl peeking around the corner of one of the paint starved buildings. Her eyes were big and she watched with no expression as we adored the younger children. I walked over to greet her and she quickly walked away. I followed. Behind the building was a covered outdoor kitchen. In that kitchen were over a dozen teenagers. They were surprised to see me, but after a moment of silence they returned to their cooking, eating, and homework. We had brought with us a suitcase full of clothing for older children and teenagers, so I went to get my friend Cynthia and together we distrubuted the clothing. It seemed as though they were surprised by this attention and I wondered at the time what it must feel like to stay out of sight while the younger children enjoyed the gifts and affections of the american strangers. What must it feel like to watch the babies being chosen, being taken to a wonderful life somewhere with people who loved them.I learned later that the kids in the kitchen were too old to be adopted. Whether they were told to stay in the back or just chose to I never knew. This was their home until they finished school or dropped out of school. When children age out of the orphanage, they have no family, no money, no advocates. They are perfect victims for human trafficking and other sad realities, and a large percentage of them do meet those fates. Cynthia and I made the decision to spend a lot of time with them on this trip. We wanted to know them.After a couple of weeks of laughing and talking with them, I saw my own children looking back at me when I looked into their eyes. I knew I could not look away. Thus began an incredible journey of friendship, love, and parenting children on the other side of the world. Over the years my respect for their strength, their kindness, and their ability to thrive and love in spite of their circumsatnces has grown beyond measure. I am truly humbled by them. My friend Cynthia and I pledged to go back the next year, and we did. And we have been back each year since then. We created a non-profit, Big Big World Project to support our vision of putting each and every child through college or trade school so that they can have a shot at a productive and happy life.Every child deserves that much- at least a shot.A Kid's Place is a similar organization here in the Tampa Bay Area. This wonderful facility is lead by caring and compassionate staff and many volunteers. The children who reside in this center come here immediatly after being removed from their homes. This is an extremely traumatic experience, and the threat of being separated from siblings is very real. A Kids Place works to keep sibling sets together in a cheerful complex of small homes. Each home has house parents. They strive to keep the children not only fed and housed, but thriving and learning as well. I became involved with them several years ago when my art studio donated art lessons and crafts regularly to the children.Children without parents are vulnerable, no matter where they live. Love and focused attention are what helps them realize that they are important.I am hiking the AT for adventure, to follow my own dreams, and to raise money for these two groups of children. They are important. Please help us help them realize their full potential by making a donation. 100% of what I raise on my hike will be split evenly between the two groups, and not a nickel goes to anything else.Thank you!Bonnie Hedberg KaretBonBon