Tuesday, June 16, 2009
How The Journey Began
Fund Raising Journey 2008 / 2009 Hi My Name is Fiona,I am ‘FEEBS’ Paua flowers & Flowers For Cambodia NZ ’In August 2007 after reading an article in the Readers Digest NZ I created and followed a great opportunity to visit Project Wat Opot in the Takeo Provence Cambodia.Whilst there I was so inspired by what they were trying achieving there I knew I had to return to help with what skills I had, and to share them with them.To my knowledge Project Wat Opot up until January 2007 was an orphanage for children, some of whom were dying from the HIV virus. For 8 years prior to 2007 Wat Opot saw many of the children and some of their parents succumb to the virus.January 2007 brought a new trail medication which then gave an opportunity for for the children to have prolonged life. Project Wat Opot was faced with a new challenge with the children that were HIV positive, it was impossible for them to return to a normal community. Discrimination and Stigma.They have now changed their status as an orphanage to a ‘Community’ with a vision to be completely self sufficient.They are doing this by welcoming the learning of any trades that can offer them the potential to bring money and to learn a trade that can help support their community.The Trade that I can teach them is jewellery making for the commercial market of which I have a vast range of experience in this field.What I am aiming to achieve in my time there in July 2009 is not only to teach them techniques of the jewellery trade but to look at their own resources and help develop some products that can make and will be sellable to the rapidly growing tourist trade.I now have another passionate person joining me in going to Project Wat Opot . Marijke Lups is an Arts and Crafts teacher in Chirstchurch New Zealand and is completely and utterly inspired about what is happening at Wat Opot as I was when I first read about Wat Opot.We fly out for Cambodia from New Zealand on the 13th July 2009 and will be at the project for about 5 weeks. While there we will be teaching our skills of Art and crafts and how to be creativily resourceful with what resources they have to make some stunning jewelly and Craft products.Follow my journey with Wat Opot ...read the posts I have added below to keep you updated.Check out their Wat Opot's new website and be inspired yourselfhttp://www.watopot.org/
THE INSPIRATION 2# Chhang's message on a bottle
Some people say be careful for what you ask for....... I say
"Ask the questions of your heart but be prepared for the True Answer.
Grab that answer with all your faith and follow its guiding light !"
After I came back from my short visit to Wat Opot Cambodia I was inspired by the energy I experienced there. Wayne Matthysse was very welcoming and provided me with some wonderful stories to the questions I asked of Wat Opot. I knew my visit of one day being with and Teaching the children some Macrame' was not enough, as when I was getting into the car to go back to Phnom Penh I had an overwhelming urge to say "blow" to the rest of my travel plans and stay at Wat Opot for awhile. But interlect got in the way of my heart and I left Wat Opot with a teary feeling that I was going against fete.
Only two weeks after being back in my wee haven of Diamond Harbour New Zealand, I just couldn't get Wat Opot off my mind.....recalling every detail of my short visit there with with extreme awe of .........." Was I really there ?"
Then I asked the first question.........
"Divine God and Universe, can you show me, guided me to what it is I can do for Wat Opot.
Two days later I then was given thoughts of re designing my craft of Paua flower brooches into Paua flower stems and inspired to make the stems as a way of fund raising monies to help Wat Opot ....a way for me to give to them and give them my time which will create some sort of regular donation of money.
Great! I thought, thats just what I will do................
................................................ but the strong feeling of Wat Opot was still embracing me... like it still was not the end of my answer to my question. There was still more.................
So I went for a long purposeful walk around the cliff tracks of home and embraced the moment asked the next question.
" Is this energetic connection I am feeling with Wat Opot a guiding sign to say I need to go back to Wat Opot, and if this is so...then Show Me Today A Clear Sign that will leave no doubt in my mind this is what I am supposed to be doing."
About 15 minutes later I was walking back to through the domain Car Park when my eyes made their way to a piece of rubbish laying on the ground. Being concerned person for doing my bit in helping keep our beautiful New Zealand clean....I went to pick up the discarded plastic Fizzy drink bottle............... and low and behold as I bent down to pick up the bottle I saw it had the name Chhang written in big marker pen on it.
My sign had arrived and yes it was very clear to me.
You see when I was being taken around Wat Opot by Wayne Matthysse, one of the stories he had told me about was of a special little boy Mr Chhang and the story of his passing and his legacy at Wat Opot since.
It was a story that touched me for various reasons and this was a name that I associated very much with Wat Opot.
So here I am 23 months later after asking The Question and months of fund raising and making/ selling over 250 Paua Flowers, I am getting ready to be back at Wat Opot on the 17th July 2009.
Following the guidance I had asked for.
Like I was saying at the begining of this post.
"Ask The Question and go with the answer (even if it does not make sense in your every day life) with full faith and full heart and see where that journey takes you..................
Love Peace And Many Prosperous Mung Beans
"Ask the questions of your heart but be prepared for the True Answer.
Grab that answer with all your faith and follow its guiding light !"
After I came back from my short visit to Wat Opot Cambodia I was inspired by the energy I experienced there. Wayne Matthysse was very welcoming and provided me with some wonderful stories to the questions I asked of Wat Opot. I knew my visit of one day being with and Teaching the children some Macrame' was not enough, as when I was getting into the car to go back to Phnom Penh I had an overwhelming urge to say "blow" to the rest of my travel plans and stay at Wat Opot for awhile. But interlect got in the way of my heart and I left Wat Opot with a teary feeling that I was going against fete.
Only two weeks after being back in my wee haven of Diamond Harbour New Zealand, I just couldn't get Wat Opot off my mind.....recalling every detail of my short visit there with with extreme awe of .........." Was I really there ?"
Then I asked the first question.........
"Divine God and Universe, can you show me, guided me to what it is I can do for Wat Opot.
Two days later I then was given thoughts of re designing my craft of Paua flower brooches into Paua flower stems and inspired to make the stems as a way of fund raising monies to help Wat Opot ....a way for me to give to them and give them my time which will create some sort of regular donation of money.
Great! I thought, thats just what I will do................
................................................ but the strong feeling of Wat Opot was still embracing me... like it still was not the end of my answer to my question. There was still more.................
So I went for a long purposeful walk around the cliff tracks of home and embraced the moment asked the next question.
" Is this energetic connection I am feeling with Wat Opot a guiding sign to say I need to go back to Wat Opot, and if this is so...then Show Me Today A Clear Sign that will leave no doubt in my mind this is what I am supposed to be doing."
About 15 minutes later I was walking back to through the domain Car Park when my eyes made their way to a piece of rubbish laying on the ground. Being concerned person for doing my bit in helping keep our beautiful New Zealand clean....I went to pick up the discarded plastic Fizzy drink bottle............... and low and behold as I bent down to pick up the bottle I saw it had the name Chhang written in big marker pen on it.
My sign had arrived and yes it was very clear to me.
You see when I was being taken around Wat Opot by Wayne Matthysse, one of the stories he had told me about was of a special little boy Mr Chhang and the story of his passing and his legacy at Wat Opot since.
It was a story that touched me for various reasons and this was a name that I associated very much with Wat Opot.
So here I am 23 months later after asking The Question and months of fund raising and making/ selling over 250 Paua Flowers, I am getting ready to be back at Wat Opot on the 17th July 2009.
Following the guidance I had asked for.
Like I was saying at the begining of this post.
"Ask The Question and go with the answer (even if it does not make sense in your every day life) with full faith and full heart and see where that journey takes you..................
Love Peace And Many Prosperous Mung Beans
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Travel Agent Veronica Nz
We booked our flights through the Flight Centre, Hereford St, Christchurch. Our Agent was Veronica Gonzalez. She was Fabulous to deal with ...Bright breezy and cheerful. Ten Stars for you Veronica, as she was able to secure us the cheapest deal with Singapore Airlines. $1700 return to Phnom Penh Cambodia from Christchurch. And on top of that she helped us apply and obtain an total extra 24 kilos of excess luggage free!! Donated by Singapore Airlines for our worthy cause.
Then....... "yes there is more"........she also advised us of a great deal a few weeks after booking our flights which was cheaper accomodation in our lay overs in Singapore. So now Marijke and I can have a revitalising defrag/consolidation stop for a day and a night in Singapore for just $55 dollars nz each (transfers included) .....Staying at the Miramar....nice!
So our over all experince with Veronica at Flight Centre Hereford st was just Awesome!!
Email her : veronica.gonzalez.nz@flightcentre.co.nz
Phone: 03 3651440
Then....... "yes there is more"........she also advised us of a great deal a few weeks after booking our flights which was cheaper accomodation in our lay overs in Singapore. So now Marijke and I can have a revitalising defrag/consolidation stop for a day and a night in Singapore for just $55 dollars nz each (transfers included) .....Staying at the Miramar....nice!
So our over all experince with Veronica at Flight Centre Hereford st was just Awesome!!
Email her : veronica.gonzalez.nz@flightcentre.co.nz
Phone: 03 3651440
Rotary - Womans Inner Wheel
This cause created some great response from two of the Rotary Inner Wheel groups.
I would like to thank Jillian Crossen from The Avonhead Christchurch sector of Womans Inner Wheel, who invited me to speak to them in March on the impending visit and teaching at Wat Opot. The ladies were so generous and donated a Cheque for $110 dollars towards this cause. I also received from some of the ladies, beads to add to my stock pile of supplies to take to them.
Thank you Ladies it was a pleasure to come to speak to you..
Also a big thank you to Jean Osborne of the Rangiora sector of womans Inner Wheel who through her group donated a goog couple of bags of old beaded necklaces that can be cut up and recycled for new creative uses at Wat Opot Cambodia.
Many thanks to groups of support like this ...............
I would like to thank Jillian Crossen from The Avonhead Christchurch sector of Womans Inner Wheel, who invited me to speak to them in March on the impending visit and teaching at Wat Opot. The ladies were so generous and donated a Cheque for $110 dollars towards this cause. I also received from some of the ladies, beads to add to my stock pile of supplies to take to them.
Thank you Ladies it was a pleasure to come to speak to you..
Also a big thank you to Jean Osborne of the Rangiora sector of womans Inner Wheel who through her group donated a goog couple of bags of old beaded necklaces that can be cut up and recycled for new creative uses at Wat Opot Cambodia.
Many thanks to groups of support like this ...............
Womans Inner Wheel
This cause created some great response from two of the Rotary Inner Wheel groups.
I would like to thank Jillian Crossen from The Avonhead Christchurch sector of Womans Inner Wheel, who invited me to speak to them in March on the impending visit and teaching at Wat Opot. The ladies were so generous and donated a Cheque for $110 dollars towards this cause. I also received from some of the ladies, beads to add to my stock pile of supplies to take to them.
Thank you Ladies it was a pleasure to come to speak to you..
Also a big thank you to Jean Osborne of the Rangiora sector of womans Inner Wheel who through her group donated a goog couple of bags of old beaded necklaces that can be cut up and recycled for new creative uses at Wat Opot Cambodia.
Many thanks to groups of support like this ...............
I would like to thank Jillian Crossen from The Avonhead Christchurch sector of Womans Inner Wheel, who invited me to speak to them in March on the impending visit and teaching at Wat Opot. The ladies were so generous and donated a Cheque for $110 dollars towards this cause. I also received from some of the ladies, beads to add to my stock pile of supplies to take to them.
Thank you Ladies it was a pleasure to come to speak to you..
Also a big thank you to Jean Osborne of the Rangiora sector of womans Inner Wheel who through her group donated a goog couple of bags of old beaded necklaces that can be cut up and recycled for new creative uses at Wat Opot Cambodia.
Many thanks to groups of support like this ...............
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