Slippers of Aloha

Thanks to all of you that opened your hearts and donated towards the Slippers of Aloha project. 

     We came together. 
                                    We touched lives.
                                                                  We made a difference. 

It all began with the recognition of the similarities between life here on the Big Island of Hawaii and life in the little town of Moshi in Tanzania, Africa. 

An email was sent. A simple request from the heart, let’s help these kids.  Let’s spread our aloha half way around the world. 

Hearts opened and donations were received from as far away as Louisiana. 

All of the people that received your donations were filled with so much appreciation and gratitude.  There were many tears of happiness, moments when I could feel the weight being lifted off of the shoulders of young, single mothers.  Orphans beamed with joy as they received their new pair of slippers.  Grown men had tears in their eyes when they realized that halfway around the world there are strangers that care.  There were lots of smiles and hugs and words of thanks. I will never forget these moments. 

I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to represent you.  Every time I shared a donation, you were with me.  I want you to imagine how good it would feel to hand a child their very own book.  Something they have never had before.  Feel it. That is what we did, many times over. 

We had an amazing journey and as promised, I have put together a very detailed story of our adventure with lots of pictures.  Click the "Full Story" Button to read about our adventure.  Click on any picture and you will be taken to my web album with all the pictures on the website and more.

For those of you that want the short version, here it is.  Your generosity amounted to almost $1,600 in cash.  Several people donated clothes and books and many people shared their knowledge and words of kindness.  Thanks to each and every one of you. 

• We brought two very large and overweight suitcases full of books and school supplies and slippers and T-shirts that were donated by my son-in-law’s company, K Swiss, to Africa with us.  

• We delivered over seventy pairs of slippers and T-shirts to an orphanage that is in dire need of assistance. 

• We paid tuition for 10 orphaned children to attend school for a year.

• We paid for a six-month course of English Lessons for a very dedicated and loyal nursery school teacher named Teacher Leah.

• We purchased a new chalkboard for Wazazi Nursery School whose existing one was so old and rough and faded that it was practically unusable. 

• We purchased tools for a sustainable urban garden project that will donate 15% of their crops to local schools and orphanages.

• We brought the aloha spirit halfway around the world.