2004 Night of Inspiration!
Posted on February 29, 2004 in events.
"Simply watching the dish-washing on Sunday night showed me the spirit of CharityFocus. It was like poetry," Sandy told me. One person does about 50 dishes, another spontaneously takes over, Vijay Uncle refuses to leave, and before you know it, yet another person is in. And it all just flows naturally -- because everyone cares, everyone wants to serve.
Sunday's Night of Inspiration was in the home of two CF volunteers, with homemade food, hand-washed dishes, heartfelt offerings, and music that moves the spirit. It was not a black-tie event, nor a fundraiser, nor a CharityFocus infomercial, nor a manipulated pitch to impress; it simply was an _expression of service and an experience of kindness, in a space of thankfulness.
Thank you for making it happen and touching so many hearts.
Following Jim Santi Owen's off-the-hook music, Rev. Heng Sure opened with some words of wisdom -- "The Inner-net should always lead the Internet." Guri then presented interviews with random volunteers: why do you volunteer for CF? What does service mean to you? What are your favorite words of wisdom? The magic of CharityFocus became obvious. Mark and Ragu demoed the amazing vision of ServiceSpace, as Jayesh told us how a serial entreprenuer like him was blown away by an organization fully run on compassion capital! After dinner, we watched Infinite Vision, Pavi's stunning documentary that moved many to tears. Then Neerav and Taz gave us a taste of an anonymous "smile" project that's shakin' up the world. And when it was time to close, Rev. Heng Sure led the "dedication of merit" on his guitar: "May all beings become compassionate and wise."
At the end of the evening, Jayesh said, "I would fund any project that had a team like CharityFocus." Ironically, there's only one way to fund something like this; in the words of Gandhi: be the change.
Thank you for coming, for being partners in service, and for creating a space of sincere expressions. And most importantly, thank you for the present of your presence!
Few frequently asked questions, after the show:
- Who was that man in orange robes?
Rev. Heng Sure is unbelievable. To learn about him, his 3-step-1-bow pilgrimage, or to email him, read his profile.
- How can I help with CharityFocus?
CharityFocus can't be described (or understood :)) in any one evening. Check out our one-pager of programs. To join hands in service, email us anytime!
- Wow. Who made that movie on Dr. V?
Dr. V is an amazing individual and Pavi is keeping his flame alive. If you want to hold your own showing or want to share some comments with Pavi, check out Pavi's page.
- Smile cards. Where can I get 'em?
It's taking the world by a storm! Anonymous acts of kindness. Last month, 5000 cards were spoken for. To get your cards or learn more: helpothers.org
- Who can I thank?
If only we knew. :) Yaniv produced the event, Trishna led the team of chefs, and nothing CF seems to happen without Viral's selfless service. Dozens of others helped out. To reach all event coordinators, email noi@charityfocus.org. To reach all others, simply do an anonymous act of kindness for the world. :)
The real record for what happened last night is what lies in our hearts. We hope the evening energizes your journey of service in some way; surely, we feel fortunate to be instruments in hosting such powerful gatherings.
To end with a Ram Dass quote from last Sunday: "In India, when we meet and part we often say, "Namaste," which means I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides, I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace. I honor the place within you where if you are in that place in you and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us."
Namaste, on behalf of everyone,
Nipun Mehta
www.charityfocus.org
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photos from previous NOI