Right now it is 0 degrees out. These are the coldest days on record in our life. It is interesting. Just thought I would say hello to all of our friends in the soulth enjoying those 50 degree temperatures. Enjoy them!
So the magazine people made an astute choice to put my wife in the upcoming March / April issue. See below for a sneak preview for our friends and family:
Please click on each photo to view larger photo in separate window. You might need to zoom in for best results:
I am so proud of Briana for doing this.
While it is not uncommon for The Institute to use residents for photo shoots, I obviously think that she is very beautiful. I also know that just mere months ago that Briana would not have had the courage to participate in something this public.
I think that the next step will be public speaking!
Get ready Briana, the future is going to be so different!
I love you.
-Matt D
Please click on the photo to be taken to the article online:
This article was on the front page of the January 18-24, 2007 edition of The River Reporter.
The interview was a great experience. I learned a lot about what to say, when to say it, how to say it, and what not to say.
This article is a very brief, nearly accurate detail of what this is all about. I have been doing a great deal of public speaking on this topic, and it is all starting to become more and more natural. Tonight I am addressing a rotary club in Newfoundland, PA. I hope to spread the word to a neighboring city as well as raise more local sponsorship of the pending project in Cameroon.
I hope that you enjoy the article!
From a Panera Bread somewhere near the Wisconson, Illinois atate line...
We have had a long 6 days. A lot of traveling, thinking, talking, calling, and meeting has gone on. We have a van full of small goods ranging from a generator to slightly used shoes. The trip went very well, and it looks like we will have another shot of goods sent from the midwest the first week of January once all of the business owners that we did not get a chance to see return from their holiday vacations.
We did manage to secure the Van from Chicago, as well as another small SUV (2003 Saturn VUE). Both of them are nearly new. It will be a proud moment to see these cars in Cameroon on our next visit.
If you are interested in looking at our online needs lists for the Cameroonian projects, please follow the following links and instructions. Please give to your capacity as this honestly is a noble, well thought out cause.
To address one item that popped up on our trip. "What if these people do not want help?"
While I can understand this question in a way, it is so far from my mind as after being on the ground in Kumbo just recently and constantly being told "you are welcome" "thank you for coming" so many times, from so many levels of the social structure, it is abundantly clear that these projects are in no way imposing. They are much needed and welcomed.
Below are the rough instructions for my online friends and family, we will be cleaning up the language a bit tomorrow.:
TARGET
At this on-line site you will find many of the items we classify as “household”, such as pillows and bedding, sheets and towels. The majority of items needed to set-up a kitchen equipped to serve at least 30 people are also located on this gift registry. To access it from the internet, log on to www.target.com.
Click on “wishlist” from the top menu bar.
From the side bar select: Find a wish list.
Type in Himalayan Institute and leave “location state” as “unknown”.
A results page will return, with Himalayan Institute listed.
Select this and the list will appear.
HOME DEPOT
At this on-line site you will find cleaning and janitorial items as well as gardening and hardware needs. Most importantly, we have some very special requests under the category: “Power Tools”. We appreciate your generosity. From the internet, log on to www.homedepot.com.
On the top menu bar, move your pointer to “Gift Center”.
From the pull-down menu, select “Online Gift Registry”.
To find the registry, type Himalayan Institute as the last name.
Select Himalayan Institute from the listing.
SEARS
We didn’t want to make this too complicated, however, Sears had a wonderful selection of the majority of the agricultural and other tools we will need. They also had some basic cleaning supplies. Log on to www.sears.com, then:
Scroll down to the end of their home page.
Under “Other Services” select “Gift Registry.
On the next page, select “Buy Gifts”.
Select “special occasion” as the event type from the pull down menu.
Type Himalayan as the first name
And Institute as the last name.
Please give, give, give! We need YOUR help!
Much love,
Matt D
The world has been a busy place for us lately. I have not really had an opportunity to shake the jet lag from the trip to Africa yet, because we have been working full tilt to get prepared for the next trip in late March 2007. I know that March seems like a long ways off, but if we are going to ship items over and have them to port, cleared through customs, and licensed properly for use in Cameroon, the container needs to leave for port no later than 10 January 2007.
So that has been the main focus of my days and nights. I am becoming quite the proffesional begger: "Hey mister, can you spare a used shovel?", "a few hundred dollars?", "or how about your 2004 Chevy cargo van?" The list goes on... I actually raised $500 by playing the piano and singing the other night! (fyi, I have no idea how to play the piano!) - no kidding.
So the answer to all of the above questions has been a resounding YES!
People recognize the great potential of the project, and they want to help in any way that they can. So Briana and I are flying to Chicago tomorrow to pick up a cargo van with 25,000 miles on it. We will then drive about 20 minutes west to receive some general business machines (fax, xerox, printers, computers, etc.). After that we will find a place to stay for the night. The next day we will be off to Milwakee, WI to pick up a trailer full of general construction tools, a generator, air compressor, and air tools. After we leave Milwakke we are off to Fredonia, WI where we are to make home base at a friends home. We will spend Christams in Fredonia where I am hoping to bump into my good friends Travis and Michelle on Christmas day.
On the 26th it is on to Madison, WI for several meetings with all sorts of business owners where the questions will be less than shy:
after all of the meetings we will drive back to PA. Since what we will come back with is in the air we have other drivers lined up. We could come back with more than expected.
So, Life is different. It lacks a lack of purpose. It lacks a lack of excitement. It lacks a lack of flexibility and fluidity. Life is good.
I will have a cell phone on this trip, and I will take my laptop, so email will be checked. If you need to know the mobile number, please email me and I will call you with it.
Now to answer a very commom question I have been receiving about what we want for Christmas. The answer is simple. Do not give us anything. We are blessed beyond our wildest dreams. If you want to give a gift, donate money to the project. Email me for details or click on the donate button off to the left hand side. 100% of the money that is donated will go directly to the projects. I will use it to purchase items from the list of needs that will be sent in mid January. No amount is too small, everything is appreciated.
I know that I still need to leave a few thoughts about the trip. I will do that once this container is off to sea. I should have a moment to breathe. Then I will have a few stories to tell.
Until then, please have the most wonderful holiday season with your friends and family. Briana and I wish you all the best.
xoxo
After 38 hours of continuous travel, we arrived in Honesddale at 4:00 pm yesterday. The trip to Cameroon was enlightening. What we are taught about this place is misguided and far from reality. I will go into more details at a later date. I am so pleased to have been given the opportunity to be involved with this program. Right now, there is nothing that I would rather be doing.
Here is one of hundreds of photos that I took of the countryside. There is something very interesting about htis photo. Can you see it?
Before this blog came into existance I had another blog that I had forgotten gompletely about. I found it a few months ago and noticed that it was posted on Thanksgiving day 2005, so I made a note to write about it today. I just re-read my post, and it is fun to note the amount of changes that can occur in a years time. It is not that I fundamentally disagree with anything that was written a year ago at all. I just think that I feel a little less jugemental this year than last. That makes me happy. To accept all and exclude none is a big focal point of my daily practice right now.
Link to old blog -> http://lifeisadrivethru.blogspot.com/
Anyway, I do hope that everyone has a fruitful Thanksgiving celebration with their loved ones.
all the best,
Matt D
In July we passed the 500 visitor mark, and now 5 months later we have somehow managed to find 500 more readers. I wonder how many people actually read the site and come back, or how many just stumble across the site while traveling across Blogger. Anyway, it is amazing to think that we have had a voice that could reach 1,000 people since May. I sure hope that it has been educational, and at the very least entertaining.
We will fly out of Newark airport for Paris on Saturday evening at about 7:10pm. The flight will last 7.15 hours. I plan to sleep as much of this as possible, but I will also bring the video Ipod along with some movies in case I cannot sleep. I think we will also have several chances to discuss the mission of the trip as well, but since the majority of the first leg of the trip will take place during normal Pennsylvania sleeping hours, the majority of the meetings will occur the following day.
Once we arrive in Paris there will be a 2 hour and 20 minute layover. We will leave for Douala from Degaulle airport at 10:30am and will fly south for about 6.35 hours expected to arrive in Cameroon at 5:10pm (UTC +1) on November 26th. (that will be 10:10 am CST)
Once we are there it will be a marathon of meetings, and travel within the country. The days will be long, but I know that they will be exciting. I will be sure to journal a good bit and share some of the journal on the blog when I get back. I will also bring my camera along and will post some video and photos to the blog as well. I am not planning to take my laptop along as it will not really be very useful to me and not worth the risk of loss and or damage from dusty conditions. Also there sill be no internet access where we will be (or so I am told), so it would not be a very viable tool of communication. Actually I am not certain how much contact I will have with home on this trip. Of course Briana will receive word that we landed safely, but I do not know if I will have a chance to speak with her for the 10 days that we are away, or if I will be going quiet for a while. If we do not speak, It will be one of no more than 5 days in the past 15+ years that we have not spoken to one another. That will be a new experience.
In case you have not noticed, the name of this blog has changed to something a little more appropriate. In the past 5 months I have been shown that fear can manifest itself in so many skins. To even try to say that all fears are gone would be a fraud. The path of selfless service however is very much our home right now. So the next time you see a person holding a sign that says 'will work for food', think of Briana and I, and by all means offer them something to eat.
Much love to everyone!
Matt D
Our trip to NYC was very nice. Since we have been living in an extremely rural environment for the past 5 months it was at times overwhelming, but for the most part the change was fun.
The city itself is amazing. I have never seen a city move with more fluidity in my life. The people, cars, busses, and bicycles all move as one giant unit. It appeared to me that the entire city is in a constant state of near collision, but those collisions never occurred. Driving in Manhattan was a true life experience. I have no idea why there are lines on the streets, because not a soul stays within the lines. People merely drive wherever they feel like driving, and they are so bold when it comes to merging. I am now certain that I have seen enough of New York City for my entire life. I am not saying that I do not enjoy the city, it is just a bit much to handle and call it recreation.
We are heading to NYC this morning, and we will be back early Thursday morning. The trip is 1/2 business, 1/2 pleasure, as both Briana and I have meetings in the city on Tuesday, but Wednesday is going to be devoted to feeling 'urban' again. I plan on snapping a few photos even though it seems that the weather will be a bit on the wet side, but this is the 3rd trip in a year to the big city with no proof but the memories.
When we get back I will post an update of all of the newest. Some of this stuff is WAY COOL!
Wow, what a great day!
We helped our good friends move into their home today in Honesdale (7 min away)! Welcome home Luke, Kourtney, Prakash, & Mangala! It has been a long year without you.
I had some great conversation about becoming more involved in the overseas projects today as well, I know things do not seem to be moving quite rapidly enough for this fast food society, but trust me that due dilligence is occuring, and we will begin to save humanity soon! ;-)
We received word today that another dear friend and mentor will be moving to town toward the end of the month, so we are so excited! We feel rich in family. Now if only a couple more people would come home things would be so near perfect!
Now, it is snowing to cap it all off. Really nice snow, and this time it seems to be sticking to the ground. If it sticks around in the morning hours, I will amend this post with photos. Right now it is way too dark out.
That is about all there is. Such a busy day, such a wonderful day. So much happened that I forgot to mention that the month of October was a tremendous success for my professional responsibility here at the Instittue! It would be improper to brag about specifics, but just know that all is VERY well for us!
Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and well wishes, they mean a great deal.
Matt & Briana
I suppose that to appreciate good health one must meet illness every once in a while. I have met illness, and we are agreeing to disagree at this point.
After being ill for three and one half weeks, I am very happy to report that I am whole again. Thank you to everyone who sent their positive intentions and prayers, thanks to those that provided the great treatment and medical care, and thanks most of all to Briana for putting up with me during my mucus marathon. My wife is a true saint. She never once complained or kicked me while I was whining. I am a blessed man.
On the day that I began to feel human again, we jumped in the car and headed out on a 15 hour trip to Davenport, IA for the wedding of our friends Michelle and Travis. It was a lovely time. We started out by driving through the entire state of Pennsylvania (which is very beautiful by the way, fall color was in full effect), then into Ohio, Indiana (we saw Amish people riding in buggys!), Illinois, and then finally we arrived, exhausted, in Iowa for a good night's sleep. It was nice to see Travis that night. It had been 4 months since we had shared one another's company, and I really enjoyed our traditional back and forth. We stayed up late just kidding around as if no time had separated us.
The next morning, was the 20th of October. The 5th anniversary of Briana and my wedding. We had originally planned on spending the day together doing a little bit of shopping, and catching a nice lunch on the riverfront, but unfortunately Briana was not feeling well at all, so we just rested the majority of the morning and then found a vegetarian friendly Vietnamese restaurant across the border in Illinois to have our anniversary lunch. The food was ok, but the company made up for what the food lacked. Even though Briana was not feeling 100% it was nice to have some alone time with her. We have had a great life together, and I look forward to celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary together in 2051. Of course since we dated 10 years before were were married it will actually be our 65th anniversary, but by then, who is counting right? Anyway, Briana, I love you, thank you for your friendship, love, and patience these past 15 years. I am blessed to have the woman that I need, and the woman that I want in the same person. I am not sure that most people can say that with sincerity.
The evening of our wedding anniversary was filled with a wedding rehearsal, and a rehearsal dinner / celebration honoring our friend and Travis's bride to be Michelle for graduating with honors as a Chiropractor! Congratulations Michelle, all of that hard work and dedication has paid off. It will be cool to see where this life of service will take you. For what it is worth, we are very proud of you, welcome to our crazy extended family.
So on October 21, 2006 there was a wedding, and it was very nice. We were very happy to have been apart of it. If anyone has photos of the wedding, please forward them to me so that I can post them.
The next day we all departed for home, but I needed to make one stop. Chicago for some deep dish! It was so yummy, after lunch Briana and I drove around Chicago so that she could get a feel for the city. I think that she liked it. It is a very nice place, but the traffic is out of control. It took us nearly 2 hours to leave the city, so we did not get nearly as far as we had hoped before we stopped for the night in some very small town in Indiana.
The next day was filled with about 11 hours of driving through some pretty good snow. Thankfully it was not freezing on the ground, so it was melting immediately. It will be interesting to see what driving in the snow will be like in the weeks to come. It has been snowing here on and off, but nothing has stuck yet. It is getting colder by the day, so soon there will be some photos of snow to post.
So now we are back, and getting caught back up on work. The international projects are all over the charts with their progress. Just like any thing new, getting the ball rolling is the hardest part. Once momentum sets in it gets easier and easier. I am happy to be involved in the beginnings of the project. It has a real feeling of discovery that I have never felt before. It feels like the future is without limits!
