I've been asked over and over, "Why Flying Kites?" It's tough, we're all faced with GoodCauses day after day and it's so hard to say no to any of them. As soon as you think you've found the one that sings to you, you hear about another one. I've struggled and pondered this question for about 10 years and all I can tell you is... when you know, you know!! Until you know, it's the same as dating or interviewing, you've got to try out different charities to see if they're a good fit for you. For years my passion and what I've loved more than anything in the world is traveling. According to the very cool website, Where I've Been I've visited 10% of the world, and I want to see the other 90%. I've found the only thing more invigorating than visiting a new place is taking someone else to see these amazing places. Originally, that's what attracted me to Flying Kites. They have this amazing fundraising program where you raise money for the kids and then you pick a challenge like Climbing Kilimanjaro, Everest Base Camp, Surfing in Nicaragua. I thought it was cool that the money went to kids at an orphanage BUT what I originally was attracted to was the opportunity to expose young people, friends and family to these wonderful adventures. Taking trips like these are life changing. My first trip out of the country was jarring, but in the best possible way. I traveled to India with a group of friends from St. Andrews, and this trip helped me start setting my life priorities. It made me question who I really was and who I wanted to be. I saw things in a completely different way, I realized that the world was much bigger than my little life in Alpharetta, Georgia. I wanted to help FK Adventure Challenges because I wanted to offer this gift to others.
The thing is... (my nephew Hudson always says, "The thing is Aunt Amy...") I came to Flying Kites for the trips. Funding the lives of orphans was a great bonus, don't get me wrong I was always excited about helping the kids but little did I know the kids and people at Flying Kites were about to change my life forever.
It all started with meeting the founders (August 2010). Two twenty somethings (Leila and Justine) and Toby (my age) decided to turn their passion into their career regardless if that meant working 3 jobs, living in a house with 8 people and giving up many of the things that most 20 year olds take for granted. The encounter was inspiring. I started thinking and it reminded me of what I had listed as my priorities in life when I traveled to India.
And then... I met the kids at the orphanage in Kenya (December 2010). Their spirit is contagious, their appreciation is overwhelming and most of all their kind forgiving souls are a reminder of what trust and support can do to change a child or a person's life. The different ways in which Flying Kites has changed me in less than a year is something that I look forward to sharing through this blog. I can't let the cat out of the bag quite yet, but big things are coming. Stay tuned.
Keep searching, never give up on finding your cause. If you enter into things with an open heart and an open mind I truly believe your cause will find you, you just have to be willing to listen.
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