Go Kart and Ice Cream, that's how you end a campaign!

It came to an end. The BC Touring Team Campaign finished today (Sunday, September 1st). It has been an amazing time in which I got to make new friends (my teammates) and inspire many people to become sponsors for the children we had at the different booths along the four cities we visited: Kamloops, Chilliwack, Penticton and Kelowna.

Through this blog I have shared many stories of incredible people who opened their hearts to help a child in need. But this time I want to share my thoughts about my teammates. All of them are passionate people, with a burning desire to inspire others to help, with the perseverance of a climber trying to reach the top of a mountain, with the thrive of of a bodybuilder that keeps pushing to achieve his/her objectives, with a huge heart and smile able to soften anyone who stopped at our booth. I have said it before, and I will always say it, I was given a team of stars to run this campaign, and they all shined as lanterns in the sky!

For our last team event we thought of going to laser-tag, but when we got there they informed us that the place had been booked for the night. We were sad since we have been planing this for a few days already. The manager of the place told us that if we still wanted to have fun he could sneak us into the go-karts! We all said yes, and I think it was even better than laster-tag! We had a lot of fun and our competitive spirits were boosted for a total of six laps around the track! Later that night, we went for Ice Cream and a walk along the lake.

It is nice to go back home after a long time travelling, but its even better to have made new friends. Friends I get to keep working with!

Also, I don't want to miss the opportunity to thank all the Donorworx staff who made this trip such an awesome experience for all of us! To Sarah and Shelly who kept up with our journey through the blog and inspired us through their generosity, encouraging words and positive energy. To Nicole Phillips, our logistics coordinator, for working so hard to make sure we were comfortable, safe and had everything we needed. To Cora, our account manager, for giving us encouraging words and for helping us dealing with a few bumps we had along the way; to Kate for making sure we had everything we needed at our booth and for the messages on the sticky notes she sent along with the packages, her words where inspiring! To Anum, our Payroll Administrator, for her invaluable support and guidance! To our Data Processing team (Roozbeh, Dustin and Jacob), for their incredible patience whenever we made a mistake and for helping us solving it. To our Digital Community Manager for sharing our blog on the Donorworx website and Facebook page, and giving us inspiration through the things being shared over the donorworx social media network! And last, but not least, to our former Regional Manager (Tamara Fosty) for giving us all her support, guidance and inspiring words along the way.

What I am trying to say is that behind us there is a full team of people who I consider are super stars! We couldn't have done it without all of them. Thank you donorworx staff for your hard work, support and for making us feel appreciated! We know that a "thank you" is not enough so: THANK YOU! -a huge "thank you"-

We finished with a total of 232 children sponsored!

The Lantern Project
-Javier Cuellar-

Oh yeah, we did it!

This is a very special entry at our blog. All the previous have stories of amazing people we have meat throughout our campaign, but this one is to celebrate our team; a group of five people who decided to believe that anything is possible and set out, almost three months ago, to inspire as many people as we could to take a step in order to create a better world for many needed children.

When we started the campaign we had a goal set for our team, a total of 209 sponsored children by the end of our journey. Today, with two weeks left in our campaign we reached a total of 211 sponsors. Yes, today we reached our target, but we also exceeded it. This was only possible through the people who decided to become sponsors, but also through the hard work of the BC Touring Team. We have faced many challenges (traveling it self for almost three months is a challenge), a couple of setbacks (mall complaints), some of us have gotten sick and still decided to make it to our shifts (just a cold, nothing big); we have taken endless "no's" but kept fighting for all the "yes's", we have made many promises to children at our booths that we will get them a sponsor, we have seen the goodness in people and we have been able to be part of a huge and amazing change in a total of 211 children lives.

This last mall has been particularly a bit more challenging than any other. We where going to reach our target, I had no doubt on that, but it was going to require hard work and keeping our spirits up all the time. That is exactly why I am saying that reaching our target is directly related to the attitude, hard work, commitment and passion of each member in the team. We have all contributed to reach our goal, and among us (BC Touring Team) there is no one better than the other; we function together as a machine, we need all the parts to do their job in order to reach our goal. Our motto has been "We can totally do it!"

I signed a sponsor at 10:30am this morning, just half hour after opening the booth (a little unusual for our current mall). And

Melinda and Keiryn holding their sponsored child, Bayan!
They are our 209th sponsor!

from that moment, I knew today was going to be the day in which we reached our target. Three more sponsors came our way later and even a fifth one (a total of 5 sponsors, our mall top record at Kelowna!). Among those sponsors, a mom and daughter stopped at our booth. We started talking and Melinda (the mom) asked a couple of questions regarding the children and the program. I shared with them my pictures and letters I have gotten from Fatima (my sponsored girl) and after that they opened up their hearts and decided to sponsor Bayan, a little boy from Ethiopia. In our conversation I found out that Keiryn (the daughter) have been wanting to sponsor a child for a long time, and also that she will be helping her mom to sponsor Bayan. Wow, what an awesome duo!

We will continue our fight to get as many sponsors until the end of our campaign (as we usually do), but we are happy that today, we reached and beat our target! Thanks to all the amazing people who have taken the step to sponsor a child at our booth, thanks to the BC Touring Team for being so passionate and never (ever) giving up despite the challenges!

PS. I have to admit that Fatima, my sponsored girl, is like part of our team. Her pictures and the letters she has sent to me have moved the hearts of many people! -Thank you Fatima, I love you with all my heart and I will be there for you, always.

Javier Cuellar
-The Lantern Project-

Beach picnic! :)

So, we decided that we have many reasons to celebrate and hang out together! First, we celebrate that, despite the challenges, we have been able to secure sponsors everyday since we got to Kelowna! Also, Katrina turned 19 this Monday! And, we really just needed an excuse to go have fun at the beach.

It turned out to be an afternoon filled with laugh, sun, treats (healthy: fruits and veggies) and music. We got the chance to celebrate the life of Katrina (for her birthday) and the team also had something special for me! I was very moved by their kind gesture! They gave me a "care package" filled with very silly and cool presents such as bubbles, toys, markers and so forth. But there where two things inside the bag that are very special. One, they gave me a Backstreet Boys CD (The Very Best of Backstreet Boys)... lol!! I have to admit that listening to that boy-band is one of my guilty pleasures, I really enjoy their music! And also, number two, they gave me a notebook to use as a journal. While in Penticton, Mel and I had a very nice conversation one day in which she told me "you should get a journal and start to write in it all the good things that happens to you everyday, it will make you look things on a different way!" I thought it was a great idea but I never got around to buy it. Now, I have it! One of the first things I will write in it is: Today, I had a blast with my friends at the beach, they made me feel really special and appreciated.

Our touring campaign is coming to an end. We have a week and half to go before we go back to our homes. It has been very awesome, I've made new friends (not just coworkers) and I (we) have been part of changing so many lives. I (we) have inspired so many people to help, I (we) have been able to be part of a team that is writing history for Donorworx as the first BC Touring team; I (we) have been able to experience partnership and hard work at its fullest. And for all of that, I am grateful.

Thanks to John, Melissa, Katrina and Sean for making this touring team one of the best working experiences of my life so far. Go BC Touring Team!!

The Lantern Project
-Javier Cuellar-

A first week with 14 sponsors!

I am sure that, if you read my blog, you realize we had a complaint in the first day of our campaign in Kelowna. It turns we actually have to wait for people to stop at our booth. Yes it has been hard, but I have an incredible team full of energy, positive attitude and high expectations!

Greg and Lynn after sponsoring their child

During our second day we had an amazing gentleman stoping at our booth. Melissa and Katrina talked to him about the sponsorship program and the importance of helping the children we have at our booth. Greg, the nice gentleman, promised both of them that he was going to come back with his wife later during the day and sponsor a child. Indeed, he fulfilled his promise. I was fortunate to be there and meet Greg and his wife, Lynn. It was a heart warming experience to talk to such a nice couple; they really want to make a difference on their sponsor child's life. Greg and Lynn ended up requesting to sponsor a girl from the Dominican Republic, thinking of visiting their sponsor girl in the future.

When I worked for World Vision El Salvador I was responsible for leading groups of canadian sponsors into the rural communities of El Salvador to visit their sponsor children. I got to be part of so many special gatherings. Some of them filled with tears, others with laugh, others with complete amazement from both sides (the child and the sponsor). For a child and their family, meeting their sponsor is a life time experience, something that will stay with them forever. To finally have in front of you the person (or people) that has believed in you in such a way that are willing to support your dreams and hopes is a breathtaking experience.

We will continue this week on the fight, believing there is awesome people like Greg and Lynn (and the other 13 people who sponsored this week) who will stop at our booth and let their hearts be moved by the needs of so many children. We will be there everyday with our hopes and heads held high, waiting for the next person who will make a decision to change a child's life.

The Lantern Project.
-Javier Cuellar-

Up for the challenge!!

Katrina during her first shift!!

Today we started our campaign at Kelowna mall. It is a very busy mall, which is awesome! It was also Katrina's first shift. So, we where all set for a very special day! We started early, setting up the booth and, when people started showing we begun fundraising. It took us maybe two hours to get our first sponsor, a very nice lady named Tara who has thought about sponsoring for a long time. Today was her day, she sponsored a cute little girl who's favourite subject is drawing. "I am an artist also! I have to sponsor her" Tara said. Being a musician myself I love to see other artists giving children the opportunity to pursue their passion through the sponsorship program. The day started very well.

Mel with her incentive! (she had highest SPH at Cherry Lane!!)

Later during the morning we had someone from the mall staff approaching us with a complaint. I was very surprised about it to be honest; but in situations like that there is not much you can say. It turns out that we can only smile to people, we cannot say "hi", even less try to stop them. Mall staff was very nice to us, and I am sure that, like us, they are only doing their job.

I believe that in such a situation there is only one thing you (specially as a leader) can do: turn the plate around! Everything is about attitude! Yes, we had a complaint, and this mall is going to be more challenging; but that is it! It is not the end of the world! It does not mean we cannot get sponsors! It doesn't mean we cannot have fun! And it definitely doesn't mean we have to stop believing!

Katrina and myself set out to keep pushing for sponsors using our smiles instead of stopping people (the usual way) and we never stopped believing. The second sponsor came an hour later, and before Katrina  finished her shift she got a sponsor!! We finished the morning  helping three children!

When you face a challenge and all the odds are against you is the perfect time to push through and keep believing. Think about bodybuilders, if they don't push their muscles don't grow! Yes, we will keep pushing to reach our target for this mall (with our smiles); everyday we will show up to the booth believing that we can do it, that every child is worth and that the battle is not over! We have something that no one can take away from us: our HUGE smiles and champion attitude! We are the BC Touring team and we will succeed!


The Lantern Project
-Javier Cuellar-

Left Penticton, hello Kelowna!

Fire, music and friends at the beach (Penticton)

So, we left Penticton today. I have to admit that, so far, that is the most beautiful city we have visited during our tour (at least the one I like the most). It is small, people are awesome and friendly, the sun is out everyday (even during winter, I heard) and the beach is right there. I don't want to jump into conclusions, but I see myself living in such a city; in a way it reminded me to El Salvador (hot, beach, awesome people, small).

Kelowna seems like a very nice city and we are all excited about being here. We also had to say goodbye to Sean (our former Team Captain) since he had to attend personal business, but we got to say "hi" to Katrina Hart for the first time, or new Fundraiser! She seems really nice, with an awesome personality and very aware of the importance of what we will be doing here in Kelowna.

In this entry I am sharing some of the photos we didn't got to share from Penticton. Hope you enjoy!

Double sponsor!

Bike ride, on my way to the mall (Pecticton)

Sean's last day!

Penticton!

Last picture of the Decadent Duo!

Celebration and farewell dinner (for Sean)!

Sean and his farewell present.. lol

Since the beginning of the campaign we all knew that Sean, our Team Captain, was going to leave the campaign earlier than expected, before the end. However, we didn't know that time was going to fly so fast! This Sunday will be Sean's last day with us and he will be missed. He has been an awesome mentor for Mel and John, and a huge support for me; and more than that, we have made a new good friend.

So far, our campaign has been very successful, and part of it is the passion and thrive we all have to succeed and exceed our targets. I am positive that, even though we constantly talk about how to beat our targets, for us is more than just numbers; we are aware that we are dealing with human lives, that we hold the power to inspire others, that we are being part of a change, that we are the voice of many children, that no child should ever be for sale.

Yesterday night we had dinner together to celebrate the 174 children we have been able to get sponsored so far; but also to say a farewell to our incredible Team Captain, Sean Lafortune. I wont lie, we all have bonded in this campaign. I mean, we spent pretty much everyday together either at the booth or just hanging out (watching movies, chatting, having food together, wine, etc). At this point, as we were talking during dinner yesterday, it feels more like hanging out with friends instead of working, you know? Just to give you an idea, we have watched movies together (World War Z, Man of Steel and Pacific Rim -everyone loved this last one, I thought it was "ok"...lol-); we have barbecued together and found out that John is an incredible cook and can manage to eat a lot;

BC Touring Team after farewell dinner!

we went hiking together and almost fell flat on our faces while trying to go down a very slippery hill; we went to karaoke together and had a blast cheering each other up while singing very out of tune; we celebrated Canada Day together and watched fireworks; we went kayaking together (Sean and I) and had a very hard time making back to the shore due to the wind and a couple of kayaks full of water (lol... unexperienced kayakers for sure);  and most of all, we have laughed really hard together.

We (Mel, John and I) are off to Kelowna on Tuesday while Sean goes back home to take care of family business. We will miss Sean but we also know that we will be hanging out together really soon anyway. So, adios amigo, hasta pronto!! We will meet soon.

The Lantern Project
-Javier Cuellar-

What an amazing young girl!

A couple of days ago a young girl stopped at our booth, her name is Kristina. She started asking me a lot of questions regarding the sponsorship program and about the children we have at the booth. We also talked about the No Child For Sale campaign and how the sponsorship program provides a solution to such an awful reality for many children around the world. She said to me that she has had a huge desire to sponsor a child for a long time and she was going to bring his dad so they could start sponsoring! She and her dad showed up ten minutes later and after listening for a while Kristina's dad told her that "tomorrow you will come back with your mother and do it."As promised by her dad, Kristina and her mom came to our booth the next day and decided to sponsor a child. They were both really excited.

A couple of days later Kristina showed up at the booth again and told us that she wanted to sponsor another child but her parents had encouraged her to get a part time job so she could contribute to the new sponsorship. That day she told us that she has been dropping resumes in some places. She asked if she could look at the videos of the children we have at the booth to what we gladly said "yes".

Yesterday Kristina dropped by our booth to say hi and give us the news that she has been called for an interview at the David's Tea inside the mall we are at. She was really excited about it and so where we. Kristina told us of the huge passion she has to help other children around the world and how aware she is of the great things we have in Canada and the many things we take for granted. She asked once again if she could take a look at the videos of the children we have at our booth to what we gladly said "yes" After that, she left.

Kristina's letter for us.

A few minutes later Kristina shows up again with a card in her hands and said "This is for you guys, you have inspired me very much. Thank you for what you do." I was left out of words, I couldn't say anything but "thank you, thank you, thank you." This is the type of stories that make our work worth even more than what already is. Being able to inspire people and let ourselves be inspired by such a wonderful young little girl is priceless.

Thank you Kristina, you have inspired me so much and your words and thoughts will go with each of us everywhere we go. You are an amazing person!!

The Lantern Project
-Javier Cuellar-

They came back to sponsor another child!

Jayna and Cat sponsoring their first child

A few days ago a very nice lady stopped at the booth and started inquiring about our campaign. We started talking about the sponsorship program and all the amazing benefits that brings to the children and their communities. A few minutes into our conversation her daughter joined inn and started listening really careful. They both seemed really interested in sponsoring a child and the first one to say "yes" was Jeyna (the daughter). There are two things I will always remember from Jayna: one, how excited she was when she made the decision to sponsor her child and, second, a sentence that came out of her mouth: "Right now I don't know how I am going to rearrange my budget to sponsor this child, but I will make it happen." That is so true! Whenever you set your heart into something we find a way to make it happen! Cat, Jayna's mom, kept looking at the video folder of Jose Luis, a child from Peru. She really wanted to take the step but didn't think she could make it.

Jayna and Cat sponsoring their second child!

Today, while working,  all of a sudden I hear a friendly "hi!", it was Jayna and Cat. They stopped at our booth to talk to us and give us some words of encouragement. While having the conversation Cat's eyes focused on Jose Luis video folder again, she looked at his video, read his story and said "This child needs help right away, I can see it in his eyes." Melissa told her about the six weeks grace period we are allowed to give sponsors at the booth, and after reading Jose Luis' story a couple of times she said "I will do it! He needs help and I am here to help him!" Cat had a huge smile on her face and left the booth with Jose Luis. Both of them, Jayna and Cat, have taken a step to make a difference in someones life, regardless of their own challenges and struggles. They made a decision to invest in a child, a human being.

I always learn from people like Jayna and Cat. People that are willing to "find a way" to help, people that are aware of the importance of helping children and their families around the world; people who are open to be world changers.

I am really glad I got to be part of inspiring these amazing women.

The Lantern Project.
-Javier Cuellar-

In memory of...

Melissa and Sean

So I have been informed over and over again by my lovely and amazing cohorts on this journey, that our blog is being read and enjoyed by many souls. So under mild peer pressure I thought I better add my two or three cents about this amazing life affirming journey we have all gathered on. It also helps that I am the only female with this band of amigos so a women’s voice should be heard, we are after all ment to roar.

The main reason for adding my voice to the collection is the amazing things and people I have met that need to be shared with others. This opportunity to work with a diverse group of men has been eye opening and heart expanding for me. I have had a great and wonderful gift given by donorworx to work with such amazing people and to do such amazing work. The amount of generous souls opening their hearts to help out children affirms the greatness of humanity in my eyes every day. I have had the pleasure of helping so many people sponsor children changing their lives and the children’s lives.

I think this morning was my favorite story to have shared with me. It’s about the sponsor ship of a little girl from Armenia named Lily. Lily has the pleasure of having her life changed by an amazing couple from Penticton. This couple lost their daughter to a tragic shooting that has been in the news a lot over the past two years. They have been fighting for justice since the shooting happened and it has been a battle with the government, the assailant and their health. Their daughter was shot in the head by her common law husband who was an ex-police man in the area. He had tried to justify it by making it look as though she had attacked him with a knife, only failing to remember she was left handed not right and that after rigamortice sets in you can’t curl a hand around a knife. The death of their daughter was over the patience of money. Yesterday they finally won the court case and justice was served; if you want more details about the case please feel free to Google the Kelowna news. But what got me is how amazing these people were, they were just having a nice morning stroll in the mall to cool off (it has been freeking and awesome hot here, thank the gods for the lake and thank you for booking are wonderfully camp room so close to it, you are a god in my eyes). They spotted the booth and started to have a chat with me, and during the conversation decided as a celebration to the verdict to sponsor lily. They specifically asked for a little girl, and told me the story of their daughter as I dug through the children we had at the booth. When the wife left the booth I asked if I could give her a hug, during the hug she thanked me and said that lily would be the replacement for the death of their youngest daughter and remind them that life goes on! People are truly amazing!

There are so many amazing things about this job, I love the fact that it’s a worthwhile cause, that I feel

Mel Lockhart

like I am contributing to the betterment of society and the world, the fact that I get to work with three of the most amazing men I have ever come across, but mostly I love the stories that have changed my life and the fact that it has changed there life to share them with me. Normally I am a far wittier and charming writer, perhaps if pressured again I may have to let that wonder onto the page. Today I am humbled by this opportunity to help a little girl in Armenia named Lily get sponsored by two of the most caring, forgiving and giving people. Penticton rocks (insert crazy image of 80’s metal band of choice). Oh and sorry for the lack of photo of the couple, Javier and his crazy picture taking quirk were not at hand. Enjoy the ride and the read!

The Lantern Project
-Mel Lockhart-

We meet the most amazing people in this job...

This entry is to tell you about something that happened today that actually started three days ago, having a conversation at the booth. On Monday, while working, I stopped Jamey and his family. I started talking to them about the sponsorship program and how much of a difference we can make when we take the step to sponsor a child. Our conversation finished with a sincere "We will do this, but we need more time to think about it." We meet a lot of people who say that but I could tell that Jamey was being honest and truthful about it. Besides, we had a great conversation and they all (him and his family) really seemed they want to help a child.

Wednesday I was walking back from the mall after my shift and all of a sudden someone honked at me. I looked over, a little concerned about it, and then the guy driving said "I know you! I talked to you about sponsoring the other day." It was Jamey. He kindly offered me a raid home which I accepted since I was getting a little tired already. While in the car he told me how moved he and his family were after our conversation and that they have agreed to sponsor two children next year. I was really happy. In our conversation I asked Jamey if he knew of a place that sells used bikes since I was thinking of getting one to move easier here in Penticton. He mentioned something, but I honestly don't remember.

Today, when I went in the mall I bumped into Jamey and his family. He

Jamey and I

said to me "Hey! I was thinking; we have a bike we are not using and it is seating in the storage. Me and my wife thought you could use it. Do you want it?" My answer? "Of course!" I was so grateful for Jamey's gesture. As promised, later today he brought the bike to the mall. It is a brand new bike, just so you know.

I think this is something a lot of us have lost, helping someone just because. Jamey clearly hasn't lost that at all; and is a lesson that is being passed down to his children. We get tons of rejections, tons of people saying no, people not stoping at our booth; but we also have incredible opportunities to meet the most amazing people, like I did with Jamey and his family. I mean, who is willing to help a stranger giving him an almost brand new bike? I don't know that many people who does that.

Thanks to Jamey and his family I now have a better way to move myself around in Penticton.

We meet the most amazing people in this job.

The Lantern Project
-Javier Cuellar-

John Kim (AKA Big John) shares his thoughts!

I asked John to write some words about his experience in the campaign so far and this is what he had to say:


Getting rejected is what we do best. 

John Kim

What a ride this campaign has been. When we first got to Kamloops I was so nervous because I didn’t know what to expect and I wanted to perform well so that I could help as many children as possible. After the first day I believe the nervousness disappeared, and instead a heightened sense of awareness appeared. This awareness consisted of learning the true goodness of people who are stopped randomly by a large smiling guy and willing to donate their hard earned money so that they could really make a difference to children thousands of kilometers away. I was able to learn that in this cynical world, people really do want to and will make a difference if given that chance.

I’m not saying it was all peachy though. It was difficult and at times incredibly frustrating to try and get sponsors for these kids because people really can be busy and it is not the right time for them to donate. I always think of positive memories before I work because I feel that it fires me up and if people see that passion I believe they feel it too because this energy is contagious.

One inspiring thought I like to think about is my neighbor back in Surrey who is currently building a home. My neighbor is a taxi driver who came to Canada from India many years ago and he finally began to build his dream home after saving up for several decades.

One night at around 2 AM, while I was getting some writing done in my dad’s office I looked outside the window and I saw him pull up in his taxi, get out, and just stare at the house under construction. He stared at this wonderful place which I later learned cost him between 12-16 hours of work a day. I later learned that he would do this after every shift. He was literally watching his dream come alive. My neighbor is in his 70s and it took him a long time to reach his dream but it is slowly but now very surely becoming true.

My dream is that even if a single child is able to make his dream come true like my neighbor then we have succeeded. I often tell people that we are so lucky in Canada that we can succeed but maybe if we sponsor these kids they too will have a shot at a better life. To have fun as a child, make mistakes, and learn as they grow in an environment where they aren’t persecuted for being born poor.

Our targets from World Vision were placed as an expectation of how well we would do with the amount of traffic a typical mall would get on certain dates. But a magical thing happened when four incredibly passionate people came together to share a dream of saving lives with the help of four incredible communities (Kamloops, Chilliwack, Penticton and Kelowna). When passion meets opportunity there is no other option but success and I am so happy our sponsorship numbers reflect that.

I want to finish off by letting you know that in every city we have smashed our goals by tremendous
amounts because of specific people on my team. Sean (decadent duo partner, former roommate and our Team Captain) was integral in teaching us the friendly side of the sponsorship program. Whenever any of us worked with Sean we could not help but smile and give it our all. Sean has been an incredible mentor and friend to me. Mel has just been awesome. She is hilarious and she is just one of those people who you can talk about anything with. I have had many fun and intriguing conversations with her and I truly believe that she brings out the gentle and best aspects of our team.

John, Sean and Mel

And then we have our Campaign Manager Javier. Javier is one of the most hardworking and disciplined people I have ever met. While Javier has been a great leader to us, he has been an even greater mentor and friend. His positive energy is the glue which holds our team together and he helps us to always look for the best in every situation. His determination to help these incredible children is something that many people, including me, are in awe of whenever he describes the wonderful experience of sponsorship. Javier has mentored me in so many ways and I truly believe that because of his infectious energy and unwavering faith in our team, we are as successful as we are today.

To everyone who is reading this, I wish you the best and please do not be afraid of rejection. The law of averages dictates that we will be successful; it is simply in the numbers. Ask everyone and anyone and do not assume anything. Keep fighting the good fight. Passion is infectious.

The Lantern Project
-John Kim-

Amazing people at Cherry Lane!... -Penticton-

Me, first day at Cherry Lane

Yes, today was our first day at Cherry Lane and we got 6 sponsors! Let me tell you how the day went by. Sean and I got to the booth around 30 minutes before the mall opened, just to make sure everything was ok (typical routine for the first day at a mall). We started working at 10:00am and we quickly realized that this mall is very different from the ones in Kamloops and Chilliwack. It seems that everyone here is on vacation! I don't blame them, Penticton is beautiful and with the sun out -like it is here right now- you would definitely want to be outside!

Sean and I set our goal for the day: 4 sponsors. We started working like crazy, stopping all the people we could, taking rejections and all. We finally got one, we had to tag team. Then came the second one, we also had to tag team; and then the third sponsor came (we also had to tag team). It was funny, this tag teaming thing reminded me of a funny video I showed at our training session back in Vancouver, when we where getting ready to start our campaign and learning abut tag teaming. I am attaching the video to the end of this entry in case you want to check it out! Sean and I where certain we where going to win, but we needed to tag team! (watch the video and you'll understand).

Krista, Tyler and their baby Eli after sponsoring Washington

Then, Mel came to take over Sean and had an amazing shift! She got three sponsors on her own! I listen to some of her conversations and it was amazing the way she was handling objections and how she kept asking people to sponsor; and they did. We found some amazing people at the mall today. Mel inspire a family to sponsor a little boy named Washington who was abandoned by both of his parents and was not in school. This incredible family opened up their hearts and embraced Washington as one of their own. They left the booth happy, with one new member to their crew. There is no doubt that Washington is in great hands now. We finished the day with 6 sponsors.

The beach (lake), two minutes away
from where we are staying!

Penticton is beautiful. I have few words to describe it, literally: sun, beach (lake), heat. What else can you ask for?! On top of that, having to spend my time with these guys (Mel, Sean and John -the decadent duo-)  makes it even greater. It is awesome to work and have fun at the same time; even more when we have such a meaningful and rewarding job. To think that we are being part of so many lives changed is amazing.

PS. I think I could live in Penticton... lol


The Lantern Project
-Javier Cuellar-

Goodbye Chilliwack, Hello Penticton!

Family sponsoring a boy on our last day!

We had an amazing end of the campaign at Chilliwack. On our last day we had a total of 11 sponsors! Our highest number of sponsors achieved in a day so far. The greatest part about it is that most of the job was done by Mel and John, the got the highest number of sponsors that day. That makes me really proud of them. They have improved so much since their first day, they are putting all their efforts into the campaign and their passion is infectious.

BC Touring team celebrating with sushi!

Our goal for Chilliwack was a total of 45 sponsors in two weeks, we where able to achieve a total of 70. It is amazing to think of all the people that opened up their hearts in such a short period of time. It is also amazing how you can almost double your target if you really put your heart and passion into it. We knew we wanted to get more sponsors than what we got in Kamloops, but we didn't expect to achieve 70. We pushed, we talked like crazy, we took rejections, we kept believing until we got what we where looking for: change as many children's lives as we could!

Big John and Me

We had to celebrate our achievement, and we did when we got to Penticton, we when out for a sushi night after visiting the lake. Sushi taste awesome, but if we add the fact that we are celebrating that we helped 70 children to find sponsors, it even tastes better! Penticton looks very promising but even if it didn't, we all believe (and want) we can achieve and surpass our goal.

BC Touring Team stepping up their game!

We finished another strong day with a total of 7 sponsors. I cant believe we have a total of 59 children sponsored in less than two weeks and we still have one more day to go! As usual, I always have stories about some of the sponsors we get to meet at the mall; but today, I have the story of my teammates. Both, Mel and John decided to become sponsors! I was so proud of them and so happy at the same time for the children they chose. I always believe that, if your passion if big enough, sooner than later you will make the decision to sponsor a child; you can't help it! I mean, we know their stories, we fight for them, we inspire others to help them, it is only a matter of days before you sponsor one (unless you are sponsoring already!!)

I wish I had a picture of Mel holding her sponsor girl, but she left while I was talking to someone at the booth. However, I got a picture of big John holding his sponsored boy. As funny as it sounds the name of his sponsored child is Javier and he lives in El Salvador! I was so happy John decided to sponsor Javier! Mel got to sponsor a beautiful girl from Mongolia who loves drawing!

I am sure that both children are in great hands, they have committed and passionate sponsors who will keep on fighting to sponsor many more children.

Thanks Mel and John for letting your hearts be moved today!

The Lantern Project
-Javier Cuellar-

Young ones making a difference!!..

The day started slow at the mall, not to many people walking by our booth. It seemed that the little rain that fell over Chilliwack made people stayed at home or just away from the mall. Sean and I where working together in the morning and on a couple of occasions we found ourselves talking to no one, since we had no one walking by. However, we both kept telling each other that it was going to be a great day, we set the goal for six sponsors during and yes, we did it; we found six sponsors!

Earlier in the day, before Sean left, I stopped two girls and started talking to them about the challenging life of the children we have at the booth. They both seemed really interested in helping but also looked extremely young. Early in the conversation I told them "you guys look very young, just so you know you do have to be over 18 to sponsor a child." "we are!" they said. So we kept the conversation going and at the end, when I asked them to sponsor one of them told me that even though she really really wanted to do it, she could't since she did not have a job; the other girl didn't say anything but I could see in her eyes that she really wanted to do it also. I let them go.

Hallie, holding Nadege picture folder

Maybe an hour after they left the booth, they came back! The girl that didn't say anything was so moved that she decided to sponsor a child, that girl's name is Hallie. Hallie decided to sponsor Nadege, a girl from Chad. We talked about the sponsorship program and how it brings such a powerful and meaningful change to the children that get sponsor. I am always amazed when such young people, like Hallie, are so aware of the challenges that poverty brings to children, but I am more impressed when someone so young is willing to go out their way and help a child. It only shows the huge heart this young girl has.

Thanks Halllie for making such a huge difference on Nadege life, she and her family will thank you forever.

The Lantern Project
-Javier Cuellar-

Reached the target and a double sponsor!!!!!!....

John, Sean and Mel after reaching our target!!

Today, we reached our target at Cottonwood mall (Chilliwack, BC). It was, with no doubt, a very satisfying day. At the moment we have a total of 47 children sponsored (our goal was 45) and we still have 3 days to go. It has been a challenging campaign here at Chilliwack, but we surely have found amazing people with huge hearts, willing to help children who's lives are being affected by poverty and lack of opportunities.

Part of our success comes from the all the kind people we have been able to inspire, but the rest comes from the awesome team I have. The truth of the matter is that, the most important asset we (donorworx) have, as Sarah Shaw very well describes it, is the people in our teams. In the last few weeks I've been able to get to know Sean, Melissa and John and I am really glad they all made it to the BC touring team. They are all passionate about changing the lives of the children we are fighting for, and their enthusiasm and commitment is contagious. Sean has such a warm and gentle soul that is really hard for whoever he approaches not to stop. Melissa has such a friendly and inviting personality that people are drawn to her very easily. John has such an incredible amount of positive energy that is contagious for his teammates but also the people he stops.

Mel with her two sponsors!!..

Today, Mel finished her shift with a family that decided to sponsor two children! There is no doubt that
her hard work and passion is inspiring others to take the step of helping children at our booth!  We ended up with four sponsors and we are determined to reach a new goal of 60 sponsors before we are off to Penticton.

The Lantern Project
-Javier Cuellar-

Ready, set, talk!!!

Sunday was my first day in the Chilliwack campaign in which I had zero sponsors, it was one of those days I really don't like. I left the mall with that familiar sensation of "man! what happened today?!"

Today, Monday, I went into my shift ready to get sponsors; I was not going home with another zero. John and Sean had been working all morning, I arrived at 1:30pm for my shift thinking that it was going to be a great day. I got ready, I set my goal (three for the day) and I started talking to everybody! Sean stopped a lady and all of a sudden he invited me into his conversation. Between the both we secured a sponsor for a beautiful girl. 

I kept talking to everybody and had to go through a lot of people before I stopped Colin, a nice guy

Colin holding his two sponsored children!

who was walking in the mall with a big suitcase (probably getting ready to travel somewhere). We started talking about the sponsorship program and how important and urgent it is for us to take action against Child Labour. Colin told me that he is already making many donations through his church but also that the sponsorship idea had crossed his mind in the past. I shared with him my experience as Fatima's sponsor and how incredible I find that, now, through my sponsorship she is going to school. I then presented him to the oldest boy we had at the booth; 13 of age, from Niger. Suddenly Colin shared with me that he is all about fighting against sex slavery and that his heart is moved to the Eastern Europe and East Asia regions for that specific reason. He went around the booth and chose a girl from Romania and I said: "Would you like to sponsor that little girl?" to what he replied: "If I am going to sponsor, I want to sponsor two" I went crazy inside my head!! 

To make the story short, Colin opened up his heart to a girl from Romania and that boy from Niger we talked about earlier in our conversation. He patiently waited for me to fill both forms in the tablet and after all, right at the end, when we where shaking hands he said "thank you for stoping me, I have thought about this and I am glad I did it."

I dont get too many people thanking me for stoping them, but this was an awesome guy with a huge heart and indeed, I am glad that I stopped him. 

The Lantern Project

-Javier Cuellar-

Friday left us with 8 sponsors!! -Our mall record for Chilliwack-

Bangladeshi children on a canoe, Dhaka. 

We had an amazing day almost from the minute the mall opened on Friday. John managed to secure his first sponsor within 20 minutes. I began my shift around 10:30 and I was so pleasantly surprised to see that after only 3 conversations John had already helped a child to have a brighter future.

It quickly became apparent as to why he had already attracted a sponsor to the booth. John always has a high level of positive energy that draws people in, but it was especially on display that day. John had a couple of friends coming down for the weekend to visit and he had both Saturday and Sunday off. It showed that he was looking forward to a fun weekend and wanted to pour everything he had into helping these children before he enjoyed a couple of days with friends.

 One sponsor quickly turned into two not long after I arrived. I was impressed with John’s attitude. He literally said hello and attempted to stop every single person in the mall. John’s enthusiasm drew people in and his conviction about how they could transform the life of a child convinced them to take a chance and open up their hearts to a child who desperately needs a help up.

After seeing John sponsor two children I knew it was going to be a great day. I read some of the children’s stories at the booth like I usually do and chose to focus on helping a young boy named Rakib from Bangladesh who had been sitting at the booth for a few days.

His story reminded me of Jonaki who I read about in our success stories folder. Jonaki had once worked in a tobacco factory in Bangladesh from dawn to dusk without a chance to go to school. She was 9 years old and completely illiterate. But because of the compassion of people around the world who support World Vision she was able to go to school and now dreams of being a doctor when she grows up. Her story is inspiring to me. Without World Vision and generous, big hearted donors she would still be slaving away in a cigarette factory to earn just enough to survive another day. But now she will be a doctor and help herself, her family, and her community. The differences we can make in the world with just a small donation are incredible.

Whenever I read about a child from Bangladesh I now like to share Jonaki’s story. This boy I was trying to help become sponsored was 8 years old and his father is a day labourer who often finds it difficult to secure work. Due to their extreme poverty this boy was at risk of falling into child slavery. 

After only a few conversations I met an incredibly kind hearted woman who was amazed to see the transformation she could help to make in the life of a child simply by sending a small donation each month. When she heard the story of Jonaki she told me she wanted to sponsor Rakib.

Each time I am able to help a child to enter the sponsorship program I have the same feeling. It is a mix of excitement and joy for the child and gratitude towards the sponsor. I know coming up with $39 a month is not always easy, but when someone begins to understand what a difference that they can make in the world and in the life of a child they are eager to help.

It was a great start to the day and by the time we left we had managed to help eight children to have the opportunity for a brighter future!

I am always excited to go to the booth each shift and help a child. But days like Friday are especially rewarding. I had stood for 8 hours and talked almost non-stop. You might think I would be exhausted, but instead I was energized and full of positive energy. I was able to work with John and Mel, two incredibly committed and compassionate people, and meet 5 kindhearted sponsors who were willing to take a chance on transforming the life of a child who is living in extreme poverty.

It was an amazing day. Thank you so much to all the people who took a moment to stop at our booth and especially to those who were willing to take a stand against child poverty.

The Lantern Project
-Sean Lafortune-

I am a squash wall!!...

I started my shift at 11:00am, John was there already (he started at 9:30am). It was 1:00pm and we had only signed one sponsor during the entire day. We were working really hard and for some reason, getting a huge tons of "no's"; I was getting a little frustrated and I think John was able to see that. All of a sudden John said "Javier, you are a squash wall!" I had no idea what he meant, I was like "...uh.... ok?" And then I asked why? John said "You just have to keep bouncing off the 'nos' and soon they will say yes!" I laughed so hard, and then John started laughing also...

A few seconds after laughing I realized he was right. We have to get through the "no's" before we get  someone to say yes. I mean, that is something I know already, but the way John painted the picture was so refreshing and funny that we both kept saying to each other throughout the day "you are a squash wall!" (and laugh).

Kyle, proudly holding his two sponsored children!

Funny enough, an hour later I stopped Kyle, a very nice gentleman who was surprised when I told him that not too many people stop at our booth. "That's crazy, I would think a lot of people would stop for something like this!" Kyle and I talked about the 115 million children that are under child labour and how the sponsorship program is a way of preventing more children from becoming part of such a dark reality. His heart was moved and he decided to sponsor one. "I don't know who to choose so you help me", he said. I told him about how girls are exposed to so many dramatic things such as sex slavery, but also how boys are exposed to endless hours of dangerous jobs. I told him that, if he wanted, he could sponsor a boy and a girl. To my surprise, he said "I think I will do that". This is one of those moments that stays in your mind and heart for a long, long time. There he was, Kyle, a gentleman who probably (most likely) did not go to Cottonwood mall to sponsor a child but when the opportunity was given to him he sponsored, not one but two children. What an HUGE heart of this man. A boy from Ghana and a Girl from Bangladesh now have an incredible future ahead, thanks to Kyle.

To all World Vision fund raisers out there, remember: WE ARE SQUASH WALLS!..

The Lantern Project
-Javier Cuellar-

A day full of energy, passion and Hope!

Today we had a lot of fun working at Cottonwood mall. Sean and I started the morning, trying to stop a lot of people, but no one seemed interested in talking to us. by 12:00pm we have had a couple of good conversations but no "yes" still. Sean and I satrted talking about it and made a decision that today was going to be a fantastic day. Sean said something interesting: we are getting read of all the 'no' so we can get to the 'yes'..." Funny enough, a couple of minutes later we signed our first sponsor. We tagged teamed and we inspire a very nice lady into sponsor a beautiful girl. Not long after, the second sponsor came, we also tagged teamed. The hard work started paying off.

It was about 12:45pm when I stopped a nice couple and started talking to them about the campaign we are running. The lady said to me "I've thought about doing this for a long time but I've heard that World Vision gives only %40 of my donation to the child." I listened to her and I gave her the correct information. I also shared my experience as a sponsor and how Fatima (my sponsored girl) is now going to school thanks to my sponsorship. We talked a little more about the child labour situation in our world and how these children (the ones at the booth) are at risk of becoming part of that awful reality unless someone helps them. She started crying and it didn't take too long before she decided to take the step of sponsoring a child. "I feel bad choosing one so, if you let me I'll close my eyes shuffle the video folders and I'll randomly choose one." I was so impressed to see the huge heart of this woman and how eager she was to help. She ended up sponsoring Miguel, a little boy from Peru. I was filling the form in the tablet when I realized that the name of this lovely lady is Hope. Hope brought a new life to Miguel and his family, hope of a better future thanks to her huge and kid heart.

Later that day John came inn for his shift. This guy has crazy energy and is so much fun to work with him. He kept saying through out his shift that he was going to get at least two sponsors today. Within an hour of his shift he signed his first one and within less than two hours he signed his second sponsor! We inspired five people today to become sponsors. We will continue fighting for the boys and girls at the booth, we will keep inviting people to take a stand against child labour.

The Lantern Project
-Javier Cuellar-

A monday with 4 sponsors!

Today (Monday) it was the morning of the "Decadent Duo!" to start the shift (and the week). Sean and John arrived at the booth, as usual, pumped up and ready to find angels within the mall. I have to admit that I love John's attitude when he shows at the booth. He brings and transmits positive energy to whoever is working with him. I remember one day I was working in the morning when John showed up, he walked to the booth and with a serious face (very serious) he asked me "do you smell that?" I was like... "Uh, .. smell what?" John said "I smell sponsors man, they are right here!" We both laughed really hard. Today, when I got to the booth for my shift, Sean had already signed a sponsor and John had signed two! I really like working with my team, they are the best and are really passionate.

It was my turn now to find someone who was going to make a decision to save a child today. I started stopping people, many of them just said "no thank you, I have no time" or "not interested" or "I'll be back." I kept going until I stopped a lovely lady and her mom. I had a very nice conversation with them and then Sarah (the daughter) started asking a lot of great questions about the program on how it helps the children and how you would communicate with the children. I love finding people whose heart is in tune with the cause and are genuinely interested in helping a child. After a few minutes within our conversation Sarah decided to sponsor Irene, from Uganda. A girl who's dad passed away and her mom is finding difficult to provide for her; definitely a situation that needs immediate intervention. Sarah decided to sponsor through the her bank so we called the bank. Oh boy, the bank took ages to answer the call, but they waited patiently! 

They didn't go to the mall to sponsor a child, but during our conversation Sarah said something interesting. "The other day I saw an ad on TV, I don't remember if it was World Vision, but I wrote down the number because I wanted to help. It is very interesting that a week after I find you guys in the mall." To all the people that are thinking or think that we are sales people, let me tell you we are not. I believe with all my heart that instead of selling, we are providing people an opportunity to help, just like we did with Sarah today; she was there, we were at the mall, the opportunity was given and I am really glad Sarah took it. Irene's life will never be the same thanks to Sarah!

The Lantern Project

-Javier Cuellar- 

We arrived to Chilliwack!.. an awesome start for our campaign!

On our first day of the Chilliwack campaign (July the 5th), I decided to walk to the mall, it was a 40 minutes walk (not too bad). While on my way I kept thinking what was it going to be like. Whenever you are starting a campaign you always ask yourself so many questions, especially at a mall that we have never been to. Questions like "are we going to find nice staff members at the mall?" or "is the location of our booth a good one?" or "are we going to find sponsors today?" Well, we did find sponsors, we did find awesome mall staff members and the location of our booth is great. Win!

During our first weekend at the mall we were able to inspire nine people to become sponsors! One of them was a very nice lady with her son and daughter. I stopped them and they listened very carefully to what I said. I told them about Milena, a girl from Armenia who's situation was putting her in danger of quitting school, something that if is taken from you, it never comes back. They decided to sponsor her. I am always happy to see families that are willing to take the step together, and are aware of the struggles these children live in.

We are expecting to have an awesome campaign at Cottonwood mall in Chiliwack. We hope to save all the children that were assigned to us for that mall. We are determined to keep finding angels that are willing to help others (children and their families) with no regrets and a joyful heart. Thank you Chilliwack for an awesome start to the campaign!

Sincerely
Javier Cuellar
-The Lantern Project-

Last day in Kamloops! -lots of sponsors, celebrations and a goodbye to an awesome new friend-

Yesterday was our last day in Kamloops and we went all out. All of us were fundraising with such an urgency and passion that I have almost never seen before. We talked to lots of great people and many of them (a total of six!) took the step of becoming a sponsor, like Robert and his daughter (shown on the left)!

I tried to stop Robert and before even saying anything he said "I have to do something but I promise I will be back!" He continued his walk. Some time later, Robert came back with his daughter, I was just in the middle of finishing to sign a sponsor so Sean started talking to them and then I joined the conversation. It didn't take too long to see that Robert was a very giving person, with a huge heart. He talked about his family and also about the things he is doing for his community. After a little while in our conversation he said "We'll be back in a sec, please choose a child you guys want to sponsor." Sean and I were really excited since, at that time, we only had four children left at the booth (from all the Video Folders we originally received). We chose a little boy from Peru. As promised, Robert and his daughter came back and sponsored the boy. They left the booth happy and left me with that awesome, almost surreal, feeling of meeting people with such a huge heart!

Later that day we all went out to celebrate our success for the campaign. We ate dinner together and had a blast! It is amazing, our goal for Kamloops was to get 45 children sponsored and we managed to get 62! There are awesome people in Kamloops, with huge hearts and an understanding of the needs that many children around the world are having to go through.

Sean and John (better known as "Decadent Duo!"), Mel and I... |:)

Also, we had to say goodbye to our friend Lizz. We met Lizz at the mall, Mel talked to her and then she decided to sponsor a child. She became our friend, we would often find ourselves hanging out with her after work, during the weekends, during our days off, etc. We had so much fun and we are already missing her.

We are now in Chilliwak, getting ready to keep fighting against Child Labour. So far, this has been one of the best experiences I have had with Donorworx. Every time I see my team, I am grateful they accepted the job offer, without them this would not be the same, not even close.

-The Lantern Project-
Javier Cuellar

Oh Canada... Heat, Barbecue, and lots of sponsors!

This was a long weekend that I will remember for a long time. It was awesome! Between Friday and Monday we were able to get a total of 15 children sponsored! The sun is out in the city and the heat is extreme. It reminds me of El Salvador, where everyday is around 32 degrees!

Today I heard a story I really enjoyed. William, a nice young gentleman, stopped at our booth after I said "hi." We started talking about the children we had on display and how their social, economic and family situations puts them in great danger of becoming one more number to the 115 million children already living under exploitation and labour conditions. I told him about Hrant, a young boy from Armenia that we had at the booth. William was moved by his story and decided to sponsor him. He wanted to do it through the bank but there was no one answering the phone when we gave them a call (don't you just hate when that happens?!). William said to me: "It seems this is going to take a while so, I promise I will come back today, I have to go to the bank anyway and I'll bring my information." After a few hours William came back to sponsor Hrant. The reason he needed to go to the bank was to take some money to buy his girlfriend a wedding ring! He showed up at the booth with the wedding ring packed nicely and left the booth with the ring and Hrant. It was such a nice moment.


During the weekend we had a Barbecue. Everybody brought something and I have to admit that hanging out with these guys is extremely fun. We didn't stop laughing all night and we were all having a great time together. One of the sponsors that Mel signed up actually joined us; Liz happens to work at the mall and she has become part of our crew. We are going to miss Liz, we all wish we could take her with us! Big props to John who turns out to be an amazing cook! It was like having a barbecue expert cooking for us! Sunday night we all went bowling and had a lot of fun. I think we laughed more than actually participating in the bowling!

Tonight, as proud canadians, we celebrated Canada day at the lake watching fireworks and had a blast together. Today (Canada day) is a great opportunity to remember that our lives are blessed with so much and that we live in a country that offers the opportunity to meet our basic needs. We are so fortunate to live in abundance and that we have the opportunity to work for a great cause.

Canada is a great land, with a lot of kind hearted people that are willing to help, we (fundraisers) just have to ask them.

The Lantern Project
-Javier Cuellar-