Hello everyone!
We hope everyone has been able to take time with family and friends over these past lazy summer days.

DirectAbundance is still working hard to support our current projects and pursuing new and exciting opportunities. We recently have been contacted by GoVolunteering who wants to partner with us in developing and implementing opportunities for all of you to participate in. We are working together to build volunteer holiday packages in Belize. We are hoping offer everyone a balance between volunteering and a vacation so you can experience the best of both worlds. It is guaranteed to change the way you holiday! Cathy is working hard to have this ready to offer you in 2011!

I am preparing to return to Belize to meet with a Waste Water Garden representative from the Planatary Coral Reef Foundation in the end of August. We are hoping that he will offer the experience and knowledge to begin the development and building of the WWG at Holy Cross School. This is the first step of many to build a healthier community in San Mateo. This garden will then be used to grow fruits and vegetable for the food program, as well as offer an outdoor education opportunity for learning about the importance of the preservation of the environment.

We just finished a ‘Loonies for Learning’ Fund-Raising Campaign to send grade 8 students attending Holy Cross to High School. We believe the way to break the cycle of poverty is through education and we are excited to continue to offer High School Scholarships to children living in extreme poverty. We hope you will take the time to donate to such a worth cause.

Joanne is continuing her dedication to the families suffering from domestic violence. She has taken the information she has learned from the front line workers at her conference and began to fight for what they need to provide better services. She is working at compiling a national service directory that will be given out at the next conference n January. She is passionate about helping those who lives with their lives in danger and the hands of the ones they love. If you feel you can be of assistance, please feel free to contact Joanne. She would love to hear from you.

Again, to all of you, we thank you for your endless support and taking the interest in what we are trying to do for the people with the quietest voice.

I hope you have all enjoyed our wonderful weather lately! A definate sign the warmer weather is on its way!

 A thank you to University of Toronto for inviting us to represent DirectAbundance at the Health and Human Rights Conference. This was a wonderful opportunity to meet volunteers face to face and discuss our goals and vision and meet other wonderful people who are working endlessly to speak up for those with the quietest voice. My hat’s off to everyone.

Again many thanks and keep spreading the word of what we do.

Let me start by saying I hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday season and great health and happiness in 2010. Joanne and I look forward to another year where DirectAbundance will continue to grow and expand, helping more children and communities living in poverty in Belize.
DirectAbundance is off to a great start as our co-founder Joanne has put together a 2 day conference for training counsellors who work with abused women. This is the begining of the work DirectAbundance will be pursuing to support women. It is our hope one day to raise enough funds to build a much needed womans shelter for women wanting to excape abuse.

Our donation drives were a great success! After contacting Childrens Homes in Belmopan, we were able to provide every child at Kings Childrens Home with a Christmas gift. We feel very excited about delivering toys and school supplies to 50 children at KCH and more donation of toys and school supplies going to Marlas Children Home.

We wish Joanne a safe trip as she embarks on a two month journey in Belize, reaching out to schools and communities in need. I know it will be a wonderful learning opportunity for DirectAbundance as she learns in more detail about the communities and their needs and where DirectAbundances help is needed most.

I will be joining Joanne for a much shorter time, taking and delivering donations, helping in needy schools and assisting in the 2 day conference.

Again, a super big THANK YOU to everyone who has helped in this journey and supported impoverished communities in Belize. We can all join and celebrate our successes together, because we would not have been able to do this work without your help and encouragement!

All the very best for 2010!
Heather and Joanne

Onced again I am back in Canada, after a rushed weekend to San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize. I headed down with 4 big bags of donations, and was a little disappointed that we were unable to get a shipping/excess weight discount from our chosen airline. So we paid 307 USD, to have the extra baggage shipped. Upon my arrival to Belize I was shocked to find out that they had misplaced the donations, and that they would be arriving on a later flight. I flew over to the island and checked into my hotel, Caribbean Villas, for the next few nights.

The people at Maya Island Air were very helpful to me, and tried to get customs to release the bags so I would not have to return to the International Airport, but customs was adamant on seeing me. I reluctantly returned to the mainland to face my fate. I was grateful for the generosity and compassion customs had for me.

When I was there the customs people were friendly and helpful. They released all the donations for Holy Cross, Poly Clinic, and Ocean Academy. The only things that they withheld were the medications for the animals at SAGA.

On Monday it was an early start. Our first stop was Saga to drop off some of the collections of IV supplies, and canine medicine from the Community Animal Allies of Niagara. Next it was off to Caye Caulker to visit with Joni Miller, co-founder of Ocean Academy. Ocean Academy is a high school that is fairly young and will have its first graduate class in 2011. We are excited to be trying to assist the school in its vocational expansion as well as taking supplies over. I will be volunteering there, and with Holy Cross during the winter, on a three month sabbatical. We also rented the house that we will be staying in over the winter while we volunteer between the two schools.

After lunch, we headed back over to the island of Ambergris Caye. A stop at the Poly Clinic, to drop off surgical supplies and IV`s for the sick and a quick golf cart ride up to Holy Cross Anglican School to take another load of donations. I took one of the students shopping for his backpack and school shoes, with a generous donation made by DreamMakers, in Toronto, Canada. After that it was back to the hotel to prepare for the next day.

I rented a car and drove west, all the way across Belize to a place called Clarissa Falls, only 4 miles from the border of Guatamala. I was in awe at the beauty of the land, and shocked at the condition of the schools. They were run down, some with only outhouses, and children walking miles to earn their education. I was able to see the need that exists in all parts of Belize.

I stayed at Clarissa Falls, in a small cabin, which was very rustic. I ate a traditional Belizian dinner outside, amongst the mosquitos and moths. I met with Dr. Martel who is on a medical mission there, and also with Keith Fromm, who is the Founder of For the World. We discussed different charities and some of the difficulties within the education system.

The following day, it was back through the country side with a stop in Belmopan, and back to the airport to return to Canada. It is always difficult to return, but I know that much work awaits. Without the support of those in the `first worlds`our missions could never be completed.

It is soon time to hop on board the plane to La Isla Bonita. We are thrilled, once again, to be taking down another load of donations for Holy Cross, that includes some HOT WHEELS CARS, for the boys Christmas presents. To my surprise, I am now delivering medicine and surgical supplies, a donation from Community Animal Allies of Niagra to SAGA, just showing that kindness to animals can also be extended internationally.

In addition, we have been invited by Joni Miller, the founder of Ocean Academy, on Caye Caulker. We look forward to visiting, meeting the staff and students and extending a hand anyway we can to help this school prosper. We are interested in seeing how Ms. Miller was able to establish a school in just seven short months, one of our own long term goals.

Joanne will make her first visit to the mainland, to meet with Dr. Martel, of Green Solutions, and Keith Froom, of 4 the World Belize at Clarissafalls. It is exciting to be networking with so many wonderful people at once, all working toward one goal…..making the world a better place.