A few days ago, my mom and I were out shopping for sewing supplies to make skirts for the girls in Ethiopia. We found a great deal on fabric, so we had yards and yards in all sorts of patterns and colors stacked in the cart. The saleswoman asked about our project, wondering aloud if we were making a quilt (which might have been the ugliest quilt on earth if we actually tried to use all of the fabrics together). My mom quickly jumped in, and explained our latest EOR project. She also mentioned that I was just back from my trip to Portland, where we (as and ALL VOLUNTEER group–my mom’s caps, not mine) managed to raise more than $95,000 in a single night. The saleswoman was impressed, and asked more about EOR, seemingly pleased when I pressed my business card into her hand.
And just like that, our base grows bigger! My mom, who is always a fan of everything I do (’cause she’s my mama!) feels a stronger commitment to EOR now that she’s a more active donor, and the woman in fabric shop might become a fan, or even a supporter who is willing to sew for us. That’s how our base of supporters grows.
When I think about all of my personal contacts who have become supporters of EOR, it’s a diverse group of people I know. Rarely seen cousins, friends from college, other Ethiopian adoptive parents, and the parents of Elliott and Astrid Meklit’s friends–all sorts of terrific people have invested in EOR. At first, I was embarrassed to talk about the work I am so passionate about, but no longer. The more I share about the work that we’ve done (built playgrounds, stocked clinics and libraries, created feeding programs, provided clean water and bathrooms…) and the work that we’re eager to do, the more I find that people are interested and willing to take part as well.
The board of EOR will continue to inform about the work we’re doing, we’ll continue to invest in new ideas to benefit the orphans of Ethiopia, and we’ll continue to imagine a world where all children feel safe, secure, and loved. We hope that you will continue inviting your friends to join EOR by linking to our blog, by forwarding our newsletters, or by inviting them to become friends of ours on facebook. As an added incentive, the EOR supporter who invites the most new friends to join EOR on facebook will win a fabulous prize from me!
No one can meet the needs of Ethiopia’s orphans alone, but together, we can accomplish much. Please ask your friends to join us. As our base continues to grow, so do our dreams for what we can accomplish for the children of Ethiopia.
Paige
Ethiopian Orphan Relief's Blog 