King Me

Have you ever felt like you are on the verge of a massive breakthrough but you have no idea how or when it's going to happen? I've been feeling this ever increasing anxiousness for the past few days. Like I'm about to explode with all that we want Open Hand to be and accomplish but we aren't quite there yet. I've had a dream of a specific person giving us $10,000 to be used for micro loans in Haiti.

Yes, I realize I may not have spoken about Haiti but there is an opportunity for OH to partner with a well known, well established non profit in Haiti and be the micro loan portion of their establishment. Right now, we don't have the funds to even go and check it out to see if it's something we want to be involved in. But in the midst of not having the money and not having our determination letter YET is a hope that keeps wanting to grow and grow inside my heart that we are going to do this thing. The past day or two has brought more and more world changers into my line of vision and I so want to be one. It gets me excited to see people changing the world and I know they once started out just like we did. At the same time I am not very good at waiting. Oh, who am I kidding, I suck at waiting. I'd be Veruca from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, "I want it now... I want the world, I want the whole world.... "

I've often said I feel like our lives are a giant chess game and things get lined up and jumps get made to put us in position to hear, "King Me".  I hope to hear those words very soon for Open Hand.

Small steps forward, one giant step back

I have to admit, I'm discouraged, bummed and any other adjective that may come to mind when it comes to being discouraged and bummed. Ha! OH (Open Hand) has been approached by a very well known, established non profit that wants us to head up their micro loan system in a different country. The fact that they would consider us is ridiculous enough b.c honestly, we haven't proven ourselves yet and there are many other organizations they can turn to, but they want us. I feel like David amongst Goliath but the good thing is, we all know how that story turned out!

Our awesome board met on Sunday night and voted as to whether or not we should take a fact finding trip to this unnamed country and see if we felt we'd be a benefit to them and vice versa - it was unanimous - our board said go for it! Alisha has been in contact with key players, phone conferences etc... and has said that OH would like to provide 300 loans. The cool thing about this country is that it is much more manageable in regards to the loan amount. I know, I'm talking in code but it kinda needs to be that way until we really work all the logistics out.  A normal person would read what I've written so far and think, "OK.... so why are you discouraged, bummed, etc.." and the answer would be because I called the IRS on Monday, figured I would use my ability to be an annoying squeaky wheel and see what I could find out about the status of our 501 (c)(3). Poor Darryl from the IRS (no, that wasn't really his name but I can't remember it so we'll go with Darryl). He had the unfortunate job of telling me the IRS is backlogged into March 2012. 2012. At which point I say, "I was under the impression we'd be hearing something back within 90 days from our application being accepted" and poor Darryl says, "we've been asking them to take that off the form letter. We are so understaffed we are processing claims from March 2012." And myself, in my utter disbelief spouts, "but those are the applications that have problems right? " I bet Darryl was cringing as he answered, "No. That is all claims." to which I start crying. Yep, crying to the IRS man, but I bet that isn't the first time he's heard the sobs coming from the other end of the phone line.

So now you know why I'm discouraged, bummed and any other word you can think of. Because we need a miracle. We have opportunities that have been thrown at us but we need the resources to make it happen, and the resources will come when we have the status from the government. See the vicious cycle? So I promised you a behind the scene look at starting a non profit and this is it. Discouragement. So many things are within reach and yet they aren't.

One Month "in business"

and I have to give a major shout out to what has been accomplished so far - We have raised over $3000 and 153 pairs of Crocs. In our first month in business. Now that's impressive.