Thank you for a wonderful and heartwarming day!
I watched Pania’s eyes tear up when she saw the big pile of donations next to our hoops. I don’t think she expected so much generousity in the park today and I was overwhelmed myself. I’d brought one large box to put everything in. We filled that box up and had another box and about 10 bags more!
You are all quite amazing. In addition to the cooking condiments we collected, we received 20,000 yen in cash donations. Wow! And thanks so much to Sareh who organised the free market and called on her Couchsurfing connections to come out, too.
As we were walking all of the bags and boxes out to the street to find a taxi, Pania told me she knows the people who will be on the Peace Boat cooking team using all of these things. I could see her imagining the scene up north as we loaded the trunk of the taxi with all of the donations – it was filled to the brim. And there were four shiny new Hooplovers hoops riding in the back seat, so not only are we feeding the evacuees in Ishinomaki, but we’re giving them some fun and exercise as well.
Thank you!