A Humanitarian Project: Supporting Refugees in the Middle East
on volunteering in Jordan, supporting refugees and spreading some holiday love
Are you looking for a positive way to contribute to something of impact in the middle east? Do you find it hard to imagine a way to “do something” that will make a difference in the lives of the people living there? I know I have felt that way and I am excited to share that I feel so blessed to have found just such an opportunity — the Collateral Repair Project (CRP). I am so excited to announce that my son, Colton, and I will be traveling to Jordan for the month of February to volunteer with this amazing grass roots organization.
And, in the spirit of community, we would like to invite you to be a part of the impact we are hoping to make. As the holidays approach, our hope is that others will feel the call to channel some of the resources that would normally put toward gifts under the tree into helping refugees in Jordan! Whether you are able to give financial support or just put some time and energy into sharing this opportunity far and wide, know that your contribution will go toward our hearts and our hands being of service to those in need.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
There are two ways you can help. Donate to our travel or donate your time and energy sharing this with others!
The funds we raise will go to support our travel expenses ($2,000 airfare) and the financial impact of a month off of work ($3,000 for loss of income while volunteering). The balance of any money raised above the $5,000 mark will go directly to the CRP organization themselves. Our hope is that we can raise just as much for CRP as we can to support our journey there! No fees donation available through PayPal or through crowdfunding account on *spotfund!
ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION
Collateral Repair Project is located in Amman, Jordan and serves hundreds of thousands of refugees from many countries. “We believe in people coming together to create inclusive, empowered, vibrant communities. And when we say people, we mean all people. The CRP community welcomes refugees from countries such as Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen, together with vulnerable Jordanians. We believe that diversity is a strength and an opportunity.”
To learn more about the organization visit their website or socials.
Please Note: If you feel called to just donate on the CRP website without going through us as a bridge for funds, please do so HERE! We are not about just raising money for our trip, we want as many people as possible to learn about and support this beautiful organization. If you want to donate to our trip separately, you can do so through PayPal and donate to the organization on their website.
THE BACKSTORY
In spring of this year I met a wonderful woman, Amanda Lane, at a weekend retreat here in my home state of Washington. She was a former Seattleite, a mother of young adults and a humanitarian. I immediately felt a connection with her as we discussed trauma, helping others, and supporting our children into adulthood. She shared how she came to be running a non-profit for refugees in Amman, Jordan called the Collateral Repair Project (CRP). I was intrigued and excited as I learned about the community, the opportunities and the care she is helping to provide for a broad swath of people impacted by war and turmoil.
I think we had only known each other for a few hours when she made the warm and generous offer for me to come stay with her and her Jordanian husband and to volunteer. My mind immediately went to a conversation I had with my son, Colton, just two weeks prior. We had been talking about what is happening in the middle east and how hard it is to know if the information we are getting is even accurate. He shared that he was feeling called to go there and to have a first hand experience that is not filtered through the eyes of the media who controls the narrative. So as Amanda made this invitation, the pieces clicked together and a plan began to percolate to volunteer in Jordan.
It has been six months since the idea was first proposed and at the end of January, my son and I are officially going to volunteer for a month with the CRP. I have since learned so much more about the valuable and powerful work that this organization is doing and I feel called to invite others to be a part of our journey. We hope you will join us on this humanitarian adventure!