Todays note comes from Gordon McNeill, Educator, A friend from home. A great travel guy. I loved what he says and want to be clear it is those who make up GIBTK that makes up GIBTK!
He is so correct in his words about girl's lives, yes the present but probably generations to come, transformed! Here's Gordon's note;
"As I walked around Angkor Wat today, I was struck by so many things all at once. You can look in so many directions and see the temple roll out in front of you and watch the tourists wander in myriad directions trying to take the vastness in.
In contrast, you can also walk up close to each wall and discover the intricate details and craftsmanship that went into each stone, realizing someone may have spent years making sure each piece was exactly right. Of course, you can also see and feel the strong foundation still doing its job 900 years after being built. You can also see how new life has grown from these foundations via the roots and tress growing out of walls and cracks yet mixing with the original foundation and finding its own stability and beauty.
As I sat reflecting on these things, I also couldn't help but think of my friend Robert and the foundation he has been laying down in Cambodia with his work here supporting young girls on their life journey. I had the pleasure of visiting two homes, sitting side by side, in a small city in Cambodia, that have been carefully transformed into a place of love and hope.
While these homes were not vast in terms of space, like Angkor Wat, they were very vast in terms of the opportunities they provided for the girls who reside within them. Robert, and his team from Giving it Back to Kids (#GIBTK), have done a remarkable job in laying down a solid foundation that will last for years to come. As young girls come into the program and are given opportunities they would never have dreamed of while in their small villages, they begin to grow roots of hope through education, healthcare, safety, and most importantly, love.
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| Gordon wife, Ann Marie asking what your dream... |
One of the most touching moments for me occurred when each the girls stood up and told us what they wanted to be when they grew up. To hear young girls, who, at one time could only dream of a life of farming in poverty, talk about being doctors and teachers told me everything I needed to know. GIBTK was the real deal.
As I said my goodbyes, I could not help but have a feeling of deep gratitude for Robert and GIBTK. To see hopelessness turned into hope, right before my very eyes, is not something I will soon forget."
