Great Pride

[Colin]

This is completely off topic, but I wanted to say to a large crowd how proud I am of a good friend of mine.

He and his wife and two other Canadians are heading to Swaziland in Africa to volunteer in a hospital and an orphange for a month. To this point they have collected over 300 lbs of supplies (including sandals, toothbrushes, games, puzzles, etc) for the kids and a large donation of cash and medical supplies to take with them.

My friend has never failed to amaze me with his generousity and his caring, and I am filled with pride to call him a friend. This is something very important and it should remind all of us just how lucky we all our (despite our own problems). This is a giant step to helping his fellow man.

Here is what was sent to me:

As you may, or may not know, Jenn and I are traveling to Swaziland, Africa at the end of the month to volunteer in a hospital in the small town of Manzini for a month. What prompted this??… I’m trying to off-set my carbon-credits with good-Karma-juju credits, thereby allowing me to continue my current global-carbon-polluting ways.

Seriously - I have recently been in contact via email with someone at the hospital, as well as someone at an orphanage nearby. And they are in need of supplies. I am attempting to get donations from VGH ( through the Vancouver General Hospital / UBC Hospital Foundation) for simple items such as diagnostic pen-lights, bone and pleural biopsy needles, and N95 masks ( the masks are for the opportunistic infections coinciding with HIV/AIDS … eg: TB ( see: drug resistant TB on the rise ) Swaziland has the worlds highest HIV/AIDS infection rate (38.8%) life expectancy : male: 31.84 years female: 32.62 years.

70% of the country earns less than $1 American per day (wikipedia)

I am also organizing donations for the orphanage nearby. these kids are orphaned due to the loss of their entire families from HIV/AIDS. they have no family to take them in, and the fortunate ones end up in the orphanage.

Please join me in wishing this group of 4 a great voyage and safe return.

This is not aplea for donations, nor should anyone think of it that way. I simply want to show my pride in the actions of a very good friend and wishing a safe journey.

If anyone is interested, they can read about the trip here http://swaziland-journal.blogspot.com/

[Alan H]

He sounds like an outstanding person, and I'd be proud to be his friend, too.

[Dirk Skene]

I have done some traveling, but I can't imagine spending a month in the conditions he will be in. My hat's off to such a one.

[David Dalglish]

Well done to your friend, hope everything go's well for him

[GMan]

I salute him for a job well done.

[gangreenfootball]

I commend and applaud them on their compassion for their fellow man and keep them in my prayers

[Panache]

They all sound like extraordinary people. My best wishes for this undertaking.

Cheers

Jamie

[McMurdo]

I wish them all a safe journey indeed, and I would also be glad to call him my friend.
Examples like this help to renew my faith in mankind, thanks for passing along the news to us.