“Whatever you think you can do or believe you can do, begin it. Action has magic, grace, and power in it.” – Johann Wolfgang Van Goethe

“Are you serious? You plan to raise $7800 in 4 weeks?” my friend hid her expression of disbelief as she fiddled with the zipper on her raincoat and slid into her patterned gumboots. I had just confided that I had officially paid a $300 deposit and committed to starting my Cross Cultural Solutions volunteer trip on April 16th.

“Yes” I mumbled as butterflies rammed up against my ribcage. The doubt in her voice needled at my heart and I stretched my lips into a tight, plastic smile.

I watched her brow scrunch in concentration and could only imagine the calculations going on beneath it. Could I possibly find 780 people to donate $10 each; 390 people to donate $20 each; or 78 people to donate $100 each? She dug through her purse and shook it until her keys bounced out of their hiding place. (more…)