VisionQuest’s Inspired Actions

An integral part of every VisionQuest is that our travelers commit to taking a second bag of 50 pounds of donation cargo to local non-profits; these organizations share their wish lists with VisionQuest staff which is then sent to “questers.”

Here are some brief, inspiring ways of how the Bali donation cargo was gathered:

• Kindergarten teacher Judy C. organized her class to create “Zip Locs of Love” with hand-drawn pictures of their Florida lives who then filled the bags with school supplies…
• ESOL teacher and St. Petersburg College Professor Charlotte P. asked for the five dozen unclaimed hoodies in the “lost and found” at the end of the school year…
• and consultant and facilitator Ingrid B. sent emails requesting medical supplies from her friends and medical clients.

Here are the Inspired Actions From VisionQuest to Bali, July 4-14, 2009

In July the 16 “Bali Girls” of the VisionQuest to Bali delivered 800 pounds of donation cargo split between the Carry for Kids orphanage in Ubud and the Bali Crisis Care Clinic in Lovina.

Bali Crisis Care Center~ Mama Gloria who founded the clinic recently emailed this: ”Only a few days ago, we had a man who was seriously ill and needed to go to hospital for treatment for gangrene. He suffers from arteriosclerosis and has had two strokes already. To cut a long story short, he needed specialist treatment and an operation to amputate one toe but the family, being very poor could not afford the cost of the operation. We were able to step in with “goods for the hospital” (your suture sets, catheters, cotton wool etc.) to cut the cost of his treatment. Thank you so much, you all helped to save this mans life!”

Ingrid Bredenberg, Judy Clements, Lore Raymond, and Mauri Barnes unpacking medical supplies and medicines.

Mauri Barnes, nurse from the Bali Crisis Care Clinic, and Lore Raymond inside the clinic with more donations.

Cathy Currier, Jen Casatelli, Kari LaRocca and Mandy Krumnow continue unpacking.

This was a small clinic in a very rural area and our driver, Parma, safely drove our small bus down dirt lanes and very tight corners!

Bali Kids/Carry for Kids ~

An email from Brenton Whittaker, Director

“We took the donations you brought the next day and gave them to two very poor orphanages in Singaraja at Dana Puna and Miftahul. They were really thrilled and I told them the donations were from the USA and yourselves.

We greatly appreciate your visit and your kindness to help our kids here in Bali. It’s rare that any tourists ever actually stop at the orphanage. The kids are getting new bikes soonand are so very excited. The clinic has been full. One boy just off chemo forcancer, an infected leg, scabies, fever, ear infection and badcolds/flu. We even had to put kids on the dining room table for a few days as we were out of beds. Take good care. It was an honour to meet such amazing women such as yourselves!”

Service to others is one of the three integral parts of every VisionQuest: Travel That Opens Hearts and Inspires Action. The other two aspects that are blended together for this life-changing experience include spirituality and sightseeing.

Click here to read The Tampa Tribune’s article, VisionQuest offers flights of faith.