Thailand Journey
Donation protected
Thailand Journey
Hello and thanks for stopping by. Although I am not Buddhist, my neighbors are monks who rely on community for all their needs and so I am following their example and reaching out.
Throughout my life I've always been a healthy and happy sort but a health issue hit me and it has been up and down since 2007 when we started testing to see what was wrong. Since I orginally posted this campaign, we finally discovered the cause of the debilitating health crisis--mold exposure.
There wasn't any smell or overt visible sign initially but flooding in the winter of 2005/2006 and leaks (or a spring) under the house I leased created a toxic environment that was slowly killing me.
So, my original trip has been postponed numerous times but now I am recovering. When I left the toxic environment my body immediately dropped 10 pounds of edema, which was the first time it hit me how bad things were.
But let me give you some background on my story leading me to ask for help, why this journey will be different and the unique aspects of it.
The Challenges
Having health difficulties are a nightmare because when you are self-employed it means you cannot work. That adds stress preventing further healing and the bills keep coming in. Today, I am a solopreneur on the road to recovery who had to change my lifetime career of passion because of those health issues.
A series of miracles have happened where people (both those who knew me and complete strangers) stepped up to help. Today I am better but it is still slower than I'd like, and truth be told, nobody really knows how long it will take.
It was late July of 2013 when they found mold under the house I was living in. Fortunately it was not the black mold but eight types of spores seriously caused issues and when I found mold a few months AFTER the remediation, well--I moved. The property owner was abusive and a jerk but no agency will police it to prevent others from being exposed.
The first inkling we had was when we began environmental tests around that time when an immunoglobulin E (IgE) test indicated something was wrong.
IgE is one of the five subclasses of antibodies. There antibodies are proteins made by the immune system that attack antigens, such as bacteria, viruses, and allergens. The normal level is under 100 and mine was almost in the mid 500 range. Mold is a fungus and some, along with the mycotoxins they produce, are highly toxic.
So, instead of celebrating the holidays or going to Thailand, I packed and got rid of almost all my belongings, including a specialty library of over 600 books--most out of print. Today everything I kept is in a 10x10 space.
Needless to say, my trip has been delayed over and over again but I still hope to travel soon and that the journey will help me on both the spiritual and physical levels.
Invitation To Thailand
In the midst of all this, there are bright spots. The most recent is that I was invited to embark on a journey to Thailand by a neighbor. My neighbor happens to be a Thai Buddhist who has spearheaded the project of building a temple here in the small rustic, mountain town where I lived.
Having neighbors who are monks has been an interesting experience. I moved here just after the building on their site burned down, and watched the temple rise from the ashes. Although I am not Buddhist, I am invited to all ceremonies and was even invited to participate in one.
My community service has been to blog about the local happenings and news in my small community, since my friendship with the monks has been a strong one, I unwittingly became the documentarian and community liaison--sort of a cultural ambassador between them and the community.
Recently, the meditation center was consecrated as a Buddhist temple and they allowed me to photograph and video this unusual event. They also allowed me into the sacred ceremony for the ordination of the new monks.
Over time, I have met people from all over Thailand. This means that I have been asked to go visit them again and again--at least five or six times--and I hope I can.
My neighbor who spearheaded the temple project, has the notoriety of being the only woman who has been successful in getting a temple built. She has asked me to meet her in Bangkok where we will be the guests of monks around Thailand and the latest Abbott informed me that I will actually be the guest of the monks, stay in the different temples and visit different places.
This invitation is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Three Rs
Like the temple rising from the ashes, my expectation is that this trip will help me to rise from the ashes as well. I'd love to tour and also meet the elephants, creatures I worked with professionally and hope to assist further.
The nun, monks and others who have invited me over and over again believe that my healing will be further facilitated by meditation and prayer during the trip.
Church groups, friends and complete strangers have been sending prayers and healing energy and, like so many other offers of healing help, I would like to try this travel adventure as well.
I believe that this trip would be a renewal of spirit after such a long, difficult few years.
Departure Date & Needs
My friend is my senior by 30 years and although I've not been able to travel until recently, I believe I will be up for this journey within the next six months. It will be helpful on multiple levels --for body, mind and spirit.
I have my passport and trips under 30 days do not need a visa. The trip itself will last 14-28 days. We will arrive in Bangkok and travel north, staying at different temples along the way.
Once there, many of our needs will be covered but I have to come up with enough to
"¢ get the funds for the air travel ($1500), and
"¢ ground transport ($500),
"¢ cover food & incidentals ($300-$500)
"¢ pay for a few trip items (sleeping bag, back pack $200-300)
"¢ help with expenses here while I am gone.
Intention Upon Return
Although I have already begun working on a book about mold recovery, when I return, I hope to get it distributed to help others facing the same challenges.
Will You Help? If you and my friends, family, readers and associates donated even a little, it would be possible for me to embark on this adventure into exploring additional healing.
It would be helpful to my friend and facilitate connections from our little town temple all over Thailand. It will be uplifting as well as healing.
Please donate if this speaks to you and feel free to share with your friends in your social networks or by email. Please feel free to also include me in any prayers for healing.
Thanks in advance for any help, for sharing, and reading about this challenge and opportunity.
Hello and thanks for stopping by. Although I am not Buddhist, my neighbors are monks who rely on community for all their needs and so I am following their example and reaching out.
Throughout my life I've always been a healthy and happy sort but a health issue hit me and it has been up and down since 2007 when we started testing to see what was wrong. Since I orginally posted this campaign, we finally discovered the cause of the debilitating health crisis--mold exposure.
There wasn't any smell or overt visible sign initially but flooding in the winter of 2005/2006 and leaks (or a spring) under the house I leased created a toxic environment that was slowly killing me.
So, my original trip has been postponed numerous times but now I am recovering. When I left the toxic environment my body immediately dropped 10 pounds of edema, which was the first time it hit me how bad things were.
But let me give you some background on my story leading me to ask for help, why this journey will be different and the unique aspects of it.
The Challenges
Having health difficulties are a nightmare because when you are self-employed it means you cannot work. That adds stress preventing further healing and the bills keep coming in. Today, I am a solopreneur on the road to recovery who had to change my lifetime career of passion because of those health issues.
A series of miracles have happened where people (both those who knew me and complete strangers) stepped up to help. Today I am better but it is still slower than I'd like, and truth be told, nobody really knows how long it will take.
It was late July of 2013 when they found mold under the house I was living in. Fortunately it was not the black mold but eight types of spores seriously caused issues and when I found mold a few months AFTER the remediation, well--I moved. The property owner was abusive and a jerk but no agency will police it to prevent others from being exposed.
The first inkling we had was when we began environmental tests around that time when an immunoglobulin E (IgE) test indicated something was wrong.
IgE is one of the five subclasses of antibodies. There antibodies are proteins made by the immune system that attack antigens, such as bacteria, viruses, and allergens. The normal level is under 100 and mine was almost in the mid 500 range. Mold is a fungus and some, along with the mycotoxins they produce, are highly toxic.
So, instead of celebrating the holidays or going to Thailand, I packed and got rid of almost all my belongings, including a specialty library of over 600 books--most out of print. Today everything I kept is in a 10x10 space.
Needless to say, my trip has been delayed over and over again but I still hope to travel soon and that the journey will help me on both the spiritual and physical levels.
Invitation To Thailand
In the midst of all this, there are bright spots. The most recent is that I was invited to embark on a journey to Thailand by a neighbor. My neighbor happens to be a Thai Buddhist who has spearheaded the project of building a temple here in the small rustic, mountain town where I lived.
Having neighbors who are monks has been an interesting experience. I moved here just after the building on their site burned down, and watched the temple rise from the ashes. Although I am not Buddhist, I am invited to all ceremonies and was even invited to participate in one.
My community service has been to blog about the local happenings and news in my small community, since my friendship with the monks has been a strong one, I unwittingly became the documentarian and community liaison--sort of a cultural ambassador between them and the community.
Recently, the meditation center was consecrated as a Buddhist temple and they allowed me to photograph and video this unusual event. They also allowed me into the sacred ceremony for the ordination of the new monks.
Over time, I have met people from all over Thailand. This means that I have been asked to go visit them again and again--at least five or six times--and I hope I can.
My neighbor who spearheaded the temple project, has the notoriety of being the only woman who has been successful in getting a temple built. She has asked me to meet her in Bangkok where we will be the guests of monks around Thailand and the latest Abbott informed me that I will actually be the guest of the monks, stay in the different temples and visit different places.
This invitation is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Three Rs
Like the temple rising from the ashes, my expectation is that this trip will help me to rise from the ashes as well. I'd love to tour and also meet the elephants, creatures I worked with professionally and hope to assist further.
The nun, monks and others who have invited me over and over again believe that my healing will be further facilitated by meditation and prayer during the trip.
Church groups, friends and complete strangers have been sending prayers and healing energy and, like so many other offers of healing help, I would like to try this travel adventure as well.
I believe that this trip would be a renewal of spirit after such a long, difficult few years.
Departure Date & Needs
My friend is my senior by 30 years and although I've not been able to travel until recently, I believe I will be up for this journey within the next six months. It will be helpful on multiple levels --for body, mind and spirit.
I have my passport and trips under 30 days do not need a visa. The trip itself will last 14-28 days. We will arrive in Bangkok and travel north, staying at different temples along the way.
Once there, many of our needs will be covered but I have to come up with enough to
"¢ get the funds for the air travel ($1500), and
"¢ ground transport ($500),
"¢ cover food & incidentals ($300-$500)
"¢ pay for a few trip items (sleeping bag, back pack $200-300)
"¢ help with expenses here while I am gone.
Intention Upon Return
Although I have already begun working on a book about mold recovery, when I return, I hope to get it distributed to help others facing the same challenges.
Will You Help? If you and my friends, family, readers and associates donated even a little, it would be possible for me to embark on this adventure into exploring additional healing.
It would be helpful to my friend and facilitate connections from our little town temple all over Thailand. It will be uplifting as well as healing.
Please donate if this speaks to you and feel free to share with your friends in your social networks or by email. Please feel free to also include me in any prayers for healing.
Thanks in advance for any help, for sharing, and reading about this challenge and opportunity.
Organizer
Diana L Guerrero
Organizer
Big Bear Lake, CA
