Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘Sudan’

Day 22 – Theresa

Posted in Donation, tagged , , , , , , on January 6, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Today’s giving experience will not disappoint.  I promise.

 On Tuesday’s I meet with a group of recently laid off professionals.  We openly discuss our career situation and try to leverage one another’s experience, ideas, and contacts to help one another out.  I left our meeting around 4pm and ran some errands.  On my way home I saw two women in front of a Starbucks asking passersby for a few minutes of their time.  This was interesting because lately it has been me asking strangers to stop and talk to me.

Interested and excited to see how this goes from the other side of the table, I stop and meet Theresa.  She is a 24-year-old Maryland transplant from Wisconsin.  It is bitter cold out and she says that her Wisconsin heritage prepared her well for just such a day.

She explains to me that she is working for Save the Children, an “independent organization creating lasting change in the lives of children in need in the United States and around the world,” according to their website.  She typically works nine-hour days, 5 of which are spent directly engaging with potential donors.  With an educational background in International Studies and a one year stint with AmeriCorps, she is well poised to be working in this field.

In only 22 days I have had some interesting encounters.  So I figured with her experience engaging citizens face to face to help the organizations that she has worked for, she probably has had some experiences that stand out.  She recalls one day that she was working for Amnesty International and asked a woman to become a donor.  The woman explained that she was a survivor of the Darfur genocide and in a witness protection program and therefore could not divulge her name or be put on any type of mailing list (personally, if I was on such a list, I think rule number one would be not to divulge that to anyone).  Another time she met one of the lost boys of Sudan who had actually been a recipient of Save the Children aid when he was a child.  He received soup and vitamin supplements from the organization.  He was a student when Theresa met him and not able to become a monthly donor, but he gave her $10 (sounds like I have a copy cat J).

So, speaking of that $10.  I asked her what she was going to do with the money.  Part of me was curious if someone who pleads with strangers all day, everyday to donate to a cause would give their own money as well to the cause when given the chance.  She didn’t hesitate at all and said she was going to donate it to Save the Children.

Theresa is a very energetic individual with a talent for her field of work.  I think I need to connect Jenny (Day 13) and Theresa somehow.  Theresa said she was going to check in with the blog…so if she does, I will connect the dots.

Read Full Post »

Day 20 – Peter and Ayalew

Posted in Food & Beverage, Refusals, tagged , , , , , on January 3, 2010| 6 Comments »

Today was bitter cold and windy.  The temperatures will approach 0 Fahrenheit over night with the wind-chill factor.  I went out around 9pm to look for a recipient of today’s $10.  With the weather so cold, I thought I would look for someone who was spending the night out in the cold.  They could probably use the $10 and I could let them know about the shelters.

From a distance, I saw Peter very methodically laying some blankets down on a wooden bench.  As I got closer, I could see that he was well prepared for the cold.  He had on several layers and I could only see from his eyes to the tip of his nose, the rest was protected from the frigid air.  The eyes, ivory with dark pupils, contrasted against the rich dark skin of his face.  Peter and I talked for a while. 

Originally from Sudan, I wondered how he could manage outside on a night like tonight, but he said he would be fine.  This was his first night he said in the cold, the other nights he had been staying in the shelters but he said people were bothering him there so he decided to sleep outside.  I urged him to consider going to a shelter, but he resisted. 

Peter never fully understood what I was doing.  And I never fully understood why he refused to take my $10, but he did.  We continued to talk and he finally conceded that if he and I were to meet again, then he would accept my $10.  I asked where he was during the day or if he would be back there to sleep again, but didn’t get a solid answer.  I went on my way to look for someone else.  All the while thinking about the conversation I just had.  I will keep my eyes open for Peter in the coming days.  After all, he and I made a promise.

Not far away, I saw someone in a cove-like area off of one of Washington’s many traffic circles.  They appeared to be settling in as well.  They had on so much clothing that I could not tell if it was a man or a woman until I got closer.  When I got about 15 feet away, I saw that there was another person sleeping nearby, completely covered by a gray blanket. 

Ayalew had his back to me, so I approached with caution as to not startle him.  I called out a friendly greeting and he looked over his left shoulder.  He too was very well covered.  His head was almost lost in the three layers of colorful hats and hoods he had on.  The 52-year-old said he has been here in DC for about a year.  He is a gentle man with a warm smile.  His soft words hide behind his beard.  I asked him where he was from originally as I detected an accent and experienced some minor challenges understanding one another.  “I am American”, he said.  I would have guessed he was from the Middle East.  A quick Google of the name Ayalew lead me to believe he is Ethiopian. 

I speak softly so that we don’t disturb the person sleeping a few feet away.  I ask my new friend if he would consider going to a shelter tonight to avoid potential frostbite.  He smiles and says that he is fine.  “I have so much clothes and personal items, that I prefer not to go to the shelter because I can not look after my things” he adds. 

I explain the Year of Giving and ask him if he will accept my $10.  He readily accepts and I hand him over two five dollar bills.  He says he will use the money to buy some breakfast tomorrow morning and some more food later this week. 

I am not quite ready to leave despite the pain I feel in my almost numb fingers.  I am somewhat intrigued by Ayalew.  Our conversation is comfortable, going back and forth like calm ocean waves reaching the shore.  He tells me a little about his family and that several family members, including his mother, are living in Texas and will be coming to DC soon.  He and his family hope to get a job some place in exchange for the rent of a room.  In the mean time, he says he spends most of his time reading and studying. 

As I started to leave, I told him about Adam’s Place, the emergency shelter that I had heard of yesterday.  He smiled, but said nothing.  I shook his hand and wished him a safe and warm night.

My walk home took about 10 minutes.  Despite my multiple layers of clothing, my body was cold and stiff.  I covered my face and picked up the pace.  I am so fortunate for what I have.  I take for granted the roof over my head and the “endless” supply of heat that keeps me warm inside.  When I am hungry, I need only to open the refrigerator or the cupboard and I am greeted by a myriad of delicious options.  Meeting and talking to Peter and Ayalew made me appreciate this.  They gave me something far more valuable than $10.

Read Full Post »