HELP-International Training

     this weekend i had the opportunity to attend the HELP-International training in preparation for my departure to thailand in may. it was all day friday and today (saturday) and it was awesome. i became even more excited about all that i have the opportunity to be a part of and my mind has been continuously turning with ideas as to how i can reach out to the thai people. HELP is such an amazing organization with such great ideas that has already accomplished so much since it was established in 1999, i feel so lucky to be a part of it.

     last year was the first year that HELP went to thailand and in that one summer they accomplished so much. they taught the people about public health, taught english to kids and adults to help create better work opportunities, established a soccer program to keep youth involved and out of trouble, worked in hospitals, worked with human trafficking refugees, etc, etc. 

     what i really admire about HELP is the freedom that they give, and encourage, to volunteer participants. we are given the responsibility to assess the needs of the people and plan projects to help them attain these needs. we are able to work on what we feel is most vital and are able to stay there anywhere for 6-18 weeks. (i will be staying for 14 weeks) i really think that last year's volunteers did such great things and also helped pave a way for our group this year to get back on those projects, improve them, and start on new ones. i feel so strongly about helping those kids and women who have been involved in trafficking and also with those who are at risk of getting into that system. i really hope that i can reach out and find ways to make a difference.

     so, i also wanted to give a quick update on my fundraising. for HELP, each volunteer is responsible to raise a given amount in order to have a solid fund that we are able to directly apply to the projects we will be working on. my goal amount is $4,500. i just want to take a moment to say THANK YOU to all of you who have received my letters and sent in money. i truly cannot express how much i appreciate your support and how helpful it is. your money is going to an amazing cause. i have been working and saving all my money to put towards this program as well. unfortunately, i am still far away from my goal amount. if you were thinking of donating but forgot about it until now, please donate! every dollar makes such a difference. if you know anyone who you think may want donate and be a part of this, please let me know so i can contact them! contributions can be tax deductible . helping others can help you! so, pull out that pre-addressed envelope that i sent you and send in a check! if you lost your instructions on how to donate: checks should be made payable to HELP International with “Jamie Tingey” in the memo line. donations can be mailed directly to HELP International (455 N University Ave Suit #212, Provo UT 84601). you can also pay online through paypal! to the right i've created a link that will take you directly there! see, how easy :]

anyways, thank you again so much for all the love and support! 

if you want to learn more, check out their website! http://help-international.org/

in the making...

i am slowly, but surely, starting my preparation for my summer in thailand-and continuing to get more excited about it each and every day. i am currently coordinating with my school to try and earn internship credit through the psychology department. i have submitted a proposal as an individual internship and am just waiting for it to be approved so that i can start planning. i have also began sending out letters for donations which will go straight to the projects that i will be working on. my goal is to reach $4500 by April 1st. though i am not nearly close to reaching this yet, i'm keeping a positive attitude and continuing to send out letters!i have my training with HELP-International the 25th and 26th of this month and can't wait to get some more information on all that we will be doing abroad. i have recently taken the liberty of purchasing these two books on amazon to start learning more about human trafficking and in hopes that it will spark some ideas as to what i can do to make a difference and help those who are brought into such an unfortunate situation.

when i was home one weekend last month, i had the opportunity to have lunch with a very close family friend who is much like a second dad to me. we talked a little about my trip planned this summer and he expressed some concern with me going over there. he has been to thailand several times for business. his wife has always expressed a desire to vacation there, but he refuses to have thailand be a destination for their travel. he told me how appalled he has been with the way the men treat women in the country. he said that he simply cannot stand the way that the men show such little respect towards women, especially men from america. he told me that many men come and abuse their power, as their dollar is worth much more over there, and take advantage of the sex trafficking that is ever present throughout the country. he told me that it isn't even prevalent, it is everywhere. he told me, however, that he thought i was going for the right reason and that he would support me and was also proud of all that i'm doing. he was also so kind as to make a generous donation to the cause. i really appreciated his words and it also really encouraged me to start working now to prepare for my time that i will spend over there. i know that i won't be able to go over there and make some kind of miraculous change that thwarts human trafficking around the globe, but i am just really anxious to reach out to the individuals that i will be encountering and maybe help to prevent even just one individual from a younger generation from entering into that kind of lifestyle.