Before I die

There is a sign on the wall at the kwoon that says "Before I die I want to change a life". I know I often walk past it and it's part of the background but with Pandamonium on my mind I've been thinking a lot about how relevant that sign is to what we are trying to accomplish.

When we talk to students and maybe family and friends about the charities we support it is easy for them to end up with this amorphous hazy idea of neediness that want our help by way of money. People tend to phase out when you give them your rundown of who we support. I feel that the answer to this problem is by making people realize that they themselves can change a life. It can be hard to feel a connection when we don't come face to face with those we help, but it is possible. The kids at the kwoon especially need to know that they CAN change the life of a girl who lives halfway around the world- they have that power. They can save a dog from death and starvation, they can feed a homeless hungry man, they can change another child's life! They need to know THAT is what Pandamonium is, and I think most of them don't. When you are dreading trying to find people to donate or dreading the conversation, please try to remember what you're doing. Please lets try to put other people in those shoes. It's easy to say no to that faceless group who wants money- It's impossible to walk away from an individual in need. How cool is it that the students of Silent River are feeding the hungry, helping the discriminated- we are CHANGING LIVES!

Andrea Prince
andnowlikeyoumeanit.blogspot.ca