It has been more than a year since we have travelled to Vietnam and we are eagerly anticipating our next trip in February, 2019. Only a few more months before we again fly to SE Asia to be reunited with our family in Hoi An and to renew our relationships with the organizations with which we have worked for the past 12 years.
This past year has been an exciting one. We have become more closely associated with the Go Philanthropic Foundation, joining their Founder's Circle, attending Hub meetings in January in both Santa Fe and Denver as speakers on the subject of child trafficking, joining the annual community building event once again in Santa Fe and hosting a session here on Salt Spring Island with Linda DeWolf, a Go Phil founder. We introduced Go Phil and attendees were engaged in a lively discussion about responsible travel. Bruce has been appointed to their Board of Directors.
Journeys of the Heart has, over the years, been able, thanks to the generous donations of so many family members and friends to make a difference in the lives of disadvantaged people, especially girls and women, the disabled and victims of Agent Orange and to fight child trafficking. Along the way we met two of the founders of Go Phil and realized that our purposes overlapped to some degree. Most importantly we knew that our own values aligned with those of Go Phil.
From the Go Phil website: www.gophilanthropic.org.
Our core values define our philanthropic strategy.
Our Guiding Principles
- Those closest to the problems know the issues more deeply— we don’t have the answers, but we can assist in their discovery
- "Capturing humanity and celebrating dignity” is our motto when visiting and sharing the powerful stories of people’s strength and courage
- We respect and honor the importance of different cultures, traditions, philosophies and beliefs
- Impact is not made in isolation–In order to combat the most difficult social issues of our time, we must actively work and learn together
- ‘Listening and Learning’ is more effective than ‘Serving and Solving’
- Philanthropy is not a one way transaction but instead a process by which people learn from one another, share resources and develop pathways to uncover their greatest potential
- People are at their best when they do for themselves
We met in July with the Founders, Board and Ambassadors of Go Phil and realized that we had a strong desire for deeper involvement. We also knew that our efforts when aligned with Go Phil would have greater impact and that we had much to learn about ethical, effective giving.
In addition, Journeys of the Heart, through our partneship with Go Phil will be able to continue and strengthen our work with Childrens Eduaction Foundation: http://www.childrenseducationfoundation.org.au/ (supporting girls from poor families to stay in school and grow to be women with choices) and with Blue Dragon Childrens Foundation: https://www.bluedragon.org/ ( preventing child trafficking and rescuing victims). As you are probably aware all of the proceeds from the sale of Bruce's two books (Finding Lien and As the Lotus Blooms) are donated to Blue Dragon.
So what does this mean for our faithful supporters of and donors to Journeys of the Heart? We hope that you will come along with us on our new journey of exploring, listening, learning and giving. The Go Phil website is a treasure chest of information not only of their current programs and travel opportunities but also videos and recommended reading references.
We hope that you will continue to or begin to support our work.
- You can make donations to Children's Education Foundation and Blue Dragon on-line through the Go Phil website https://gophilanthropic.org/how-to-take-action/make-a-donation/ and recieve a receipt. Please mention your connection to and friendship with Journeys of the Heart.
- You can send a cheque to Journeys of the Heart to support the disabled or victims of Agent Orange (as we are unregistered there are no tax receipts).
Journeys of the Heart
#10-115 Upper Ganges Road
Salt Spring Island, BC
V8K 2Y3
Canada
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