TO SPREAD KINDNESS...

One of my dreams was to start a charity and in 1999, I began doing research.  I spoke to attorneys and other individuals who had some expertise in the field of philanthropy.  I was immediately discouraged because I was told it would be difficult, very expensive and I would probably fail within a year.  On that note, I closed the book on my dream and moved on.

In November of 2000, I led a habitat team to Nepal and had a life changing experience.  I met an Iranian medical doctor who had started a charity in Kathmandu.  He had been doing this for about 3 years and was not getting paid.  He relied solely on the generosity of friends, family and strangers.  His primary work involved sponsoring health camps in rural areas of Nepal.  He served as the attending physician and gave medical check-ups to both children and adults.  When possible, he would get the help of visiting doctors, nurses and other volunteers who just wanted to help.  I came across this fine doctor one day because one of my friends had hurt her ankle and needed medical attention.  We went to see him and one week later, we cancelled our trip to India and spent a week volunteering with him in the Chitwan area of Nepal.  It was an experience I will never forget.

My dreams of starting my own charity re-surfaced.  So, the following year I invited 2 good friends, Liz Haworth and Charlotte Bell to help me distribute medication, food, clothing and school supplies in the Chitwan area of Nepal.  We then went to Calcutta and volunteered at the Shishu Bhavan, a Mother Teresa orphanage.  We worked with young children who were very sick.  Some were physically handicapped and others were just malnourished.  This trip was the deciding factor in my desire to create a charity.

When I look back now, I see how fortunate we were in all that transpired.  All three of us had nearly missed our flight connection to India.  Charlotte was almost sent back to the U.S. because she did not have a Visa for India and I almost had a near fatal accident just outside my hotel in Delhi.  And at that moment epiphany struck.  I had to start a charity based on helping children and women and I had to do it NOW.  I returned to the U.S. sometime in May 2001 and by November of that year, I had incorporated Random Acts of Kindness, Inc., now known as KINDNESS IN ACTION, INC.  Since then, I’ve been pursuing my dreams.

And now I ask you the following: Was this divine intervention making a point?  I’d like to think so.  At any rate, the message was very clear.  Live your dreams and live in the present. - Rachael Blair