Allergies and more!

Today is Ching Ming Festival, the most common English translation for this being "Tomb Sweeping Day." It's a public holiday in HK used to honor your ancestors at grave sites. All I really know is it means I have today off.

I've been battling a cold all week, and my voice finally decided to take a day off today and has not reappeared as yet. So I'm croaking along, trying to talk to Maz, but it just isn't happening. I'm attributing my sickness to allergies from new plants, new pollution, and a new home. Hopefully it will pass soon.

I was going to try to paint today, but I think a much better use of my time in my current state would be to lay down and rest. Although I really do want to get this painting over with ... so we'll see.

This week has been up and down. I said good bye to two friends who went home, but I also grew a little in friendship with a few other people. I've also really enjoyed my work week. We're partnering with another fair trade organisation here and attending a big Earth Day event put on by Ecovision Asia next week. I've become good friends with the guy there who is organising it, because we had to keep calling each other to sort everything out. It's been a good experience for me, learning the ins and outs of these events, since we plan to participate in many similar ones in the future. They're a great way to educate the community on fair trade and the need for fair wages and working conditions in developing countries.

Kate and I also were able to attend a press release seminar on Tuesday in Central. If an international company has a Hong Kong headquarters, it is in Central. Central is big, crowded, and loud. But it's probably the most westernized part of HK, so it's nice to visit once in a while. It was a great seminar, and I made friends with the Communication Director at the Australian Chamber of Commerce who read my mock press release I'd written, and really liked it! Yay! It's nice to have those confidence building moments.

One job I had this week was I was trying to find photos for a powerpoint we had to put together. We ship supplies to charities and ministries in over 65 countries, and with each one we send a disposable camera so we can see how the goods are being used in the communities to which they are sent. I was looking through all these feedback photos, and it was a great reminder of what I'm doing, and why I'm doing it. People were so overwhelmed at the gifts they received. Some had received long awaited wheelchairs, others got desks to put in their classroom, and others had clothing and shoes to provide to women who had previously been abused. That's just the tip of the iceberg. I'm so grateful to be a part of such an impacting, important work.

The MD continues to bless people through the work being done here. I am glad to be on the front lines and to hear stories first-hand. Thanks to all of you who stand with me!