Cost to Ship Playground Equipment to Nepal - URGENT NEED

Well, we have the numbers now from BigToys. Our investment in the equipment to get it to Hope for Nepal children's home is:

$3,323.05

The equipment will be picked up by the freight service from the BigToys factory in Washington State, then flown to the airport in Kathmandu, Nepal. A company that partners with the freight company in Nepal at the airport will receive the equipment. Our contacts at the children's home will make arrangements to pick up the equipment and transport it to the home.

Please pray, we have NO money! We need someone to step up and underwrite the cost of getting the equipment to Nepal. I don't want a huge donation from BigToys to be wasted!

"Mr. Playground' (in Nepali)

"Shree Khelmaidan"

(Mr. Playground - in Nepali)

Many of you already know that I am known as "Mr. Playground" in the USA. Some of you know me as "Pan Plac Zabaw" in Poland. Soon I hope to earn the title of "Shree Khelmaidan" in Nepal.

Support Needed for POP - How you can help!

Okay, all you who view this blog. First of all please subscribe so I can see who's out there monitoring what is happening at POP. Thank you, Bryce!

Second, we are now getting towards "crunch time" for our Nepal trip. Therefore, please checkout my SOC website and send 3 cards as my guest. When you enroll into one of the packages for the service, a portion goes directly to my POP expenses. Any excess goes for shipping of the playground equipment.

Here is the website address:

http://www.blogger.com/www.sendoutcards.com/67545

New Equipment Proposal - POP for Nepal 2009

Our good friend, Tim Madeley - President of BigToys, and I discussed the specific equipment for the Hope for Nepal Children's Home. The structure selected looks to be a "win-win" for all parties. Beside ease of shipment and installation, it will be great for the children! Not only is it age-appropriate, it will provide opportunities for social, emotional, intellectual and physical development.

Thank you Tim for recommending and providing such a wonderful piece of playground equipment! Tim and the folks at BigToys certainly have "big hearts." They prove year after year that they care about kids, including those who need opportunities for play the most!

Let's all pray for an affordable shipping cost to Nepal and that our supporters will "step up" and underwrite the cost so we can get the equipment on the boat or plane as soon as possible. We want the equipment to safely arrive long before we do.

Thanks for Attending the June POP Informational Gathering

We had 18 people attend our POP for Nepal & Poland 2010 team and informational gathering last night. Thanks to all of you who attend. It was a great turn out and we generated some real momentum for POP! Thank you Lord! What a great team HE has assembled to help fulfill our mandate from scripture....James 1:27.

I appreciate my good friends and business associates Eric Clemmons and Rickie & Becky Hensley with SOC who attended and gave an excellent presentation on our ongoing FUNd-raising program. The possibilities for underwriting the costs of current and future POP trips through individuals and businesses enrolling into the SOC system is fantastic! Thank you all who are considering being a customer or business associate! Either way, you are helping to "bring the gift of play to children around the world."

Our next Team meeting will be July 14, 2009. More details later, but please invite friends, potential supporters and team members. It will be at the same place and time.

Share a Great Place to Play!

Estimated Cost of the Trip to Nepal

Okay, my best guess right now is between $2,935 and $4,030 including: airfare, VISA document, lodging, food and ground transportation.

Tuesday Night - Informational Gathering & Fund-raising Opportunity

Team Meeting starts at 6 PM.
Presentation on the Nepal trip and Poland 2010 starts at 7 PM.
SendOutCards demonstration - fund-raising for POP.

Please check out the Opportunity presentation and send 3 cards as my guest:

www.sendoutcards.com/67545

Location: Lee's Summit Community Church
Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009

"Kathmandu" by Bob Seger............Lyrics

"I think Im going to katmandu.
Thats really, really where Im going to.
If I ever get out of here,Thats what Im gonna do.
K-k-k-k-k-k katmandu.I think thats really where Im going to.
If I ever get out of here,Im going to katmandu."

POP for Poland 2010: "Cowboy Bible Camp" & Horse Clinic

Above are some photos of one of the two facilities for the 2010 trip to Poland. Besides a playground building project at the "Dom Dziecka" (children's home), we are planning a Bible camp and horse clinic. We need American cowboys and cowgirls to join us and show God's love through working with horses.

Update from Nepal...........via Australia!

I talked to our Missionary contact in Nepal who happens to be in Australia at the moment. Again, Skype is wonderful! Anyway, it appears we are still on track for the trip in October. The main concern right now is the shipping and delivery of the playground equipment from BigToys. As far as our safety is concerned, the areas we are going are secure for now. We need to continue to pray.

Here it is.....Our New Logo!

Thank You POP Supporters!

www.sendoutcards.com/67545

Last night we hosted the unofficial "unveiling" of the new POP logo along with a presentation by my good friend and business associate, Eric Clemmons, an Executive with SendOutCards. Thank you, my closest friends and supporters for attending this special gathering at our home. It was truly a blessing to have you as a key part of the Playgrounds Of Peace team!

For those of you unfamilar with SendOutCards and the wonderful opportunity for individuals and businesses to stay in touch and show appreciate to friends, customers, referrals, etc.; then you need to check it out for yourself! Log onto the the link above and send 3 cards as my guest! You will be amazed how cool this system is and how it can be used. POP is not the only group using SOC for fund-raising. Another SOC Distributor has set it up to raise money for the American Heart Association. Therefore, every time someone sends a card or refers a new user to SOC, the Association receives a nice donation! That is exactly what we want to do with SOC here at POP.

Thanks again for your support.

Please continue to pray for financial support for our team (10 members) and for the shipping cost of the donated equipment from BigToys. The cost of the trip, per team member is about $3,000. We are starting to run out of time, but I am not worried. God is always on time, in HIS timing.

The Bottom Line...........Adoption

Do you have room for one more?

Join POP to "Defend the Cause of the Weak and Fatherless....."

"Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless, maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked." Psalm 82: 3-4

Great Background & Current Information on Nepal from US CIA

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/np.html

Dear Team & POP Supporters,
Please keep praying about the political situation in Nepal.
Thanks,
Mark
"Mr. Playground"

HOPE FOR NEPAL Website

Here is the website for the children's home in Nepal where we will be building a playground:
www.hope.org.np

Playground Equipment Example for Nepal Project

Here is an example of the type of playground composite play structure that we may install in Nepal. Once we get the final details from BigToys, we'll post the playground design along with all the equipment chosen for the project. A big "thank you" to BigToys.

POP for Nepal - Team & Supporter Meeting, June 23rd, 2009

PLAYGROUNDS OF PEACE
“POP for Nepal”
Playground & Relationship Building
Short Term Missions Trip
To
HOPE for NEPAL Children’s Home
Kathmandu Valley, Nepal
October 9 – 18, 2009

TEAM MEETING
Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009
Lee’s Summit Community Church
Room 241-242
1440 SW Jefferson St.
Lee’s Summit, MO 64081

PLEASE RSVP (including your guests) to Mark White at: mwhite.pop@gmail.com



Agenda:


6:00 PM Team Business Meeting & Pizza
Note: Team & prospective team members –only.

7:00 PM Supporter Meeting & Presentations
Note: please invite and bring your trip supporters and
those interested in supporting POP for Nepal and
for future projects.

· Fund-raising: Eric Clemmons, SOCTEAMONE
Note: This is a presentation on Send Out Cards, which
POP-Founder Mark White is using to raise support and
show appreciation to supporters. There is an opportunity
with this service for on-going support of POP using their
unique service.

· Unveiling of the Playgrounds Of Peace Logo

· POP Updates:
1. Overall Ministry Objectives
2. Nepal project 2009
3. Poland project 2010
4. http://mrplayground.blogspot.com

"Love Knows No Language"

"Playgrounds Of Peace"- How Did We Get That Name?

Some may ask how we came up with the name "Playgrounds Of Peace" or "POP" for short. Well, the inspiration for the name came to me as I watched some of our "senior" playground building volunteers from the USA, who were seen working side by side with some Polish teenage orphans. This observation took place during the August 2006 project at Dom Dziecka "Droga" located in the small village of Goscieszyn, Poland. Neither one understood the language but they were working together. Our older gentlemen volunteers were showing their younger Polish counterpart how to work with tools and how to pain. The thought came to my head...."that's what you do with your "Dad" or "Pop" in the backyard." "You work together on a project or play a game together." I also thought of the Lord Jesus Christ....."POP" can also stand for "Prince of Peace." Playgrounds should be a place of peace. A place where kids can be kids. A place where they can remove themselves from the stress and worries of the world.....including the trauma that many of these orphans have and continue to experience. A place where kids can freely play and grow socially, emotionally, physically and intellectually. A "Playground Of Peace."

US Embassy - Kathmandu Nepal

http://nepal.usembassy.gov/index.html

Here is the link for the US Embassy in Kathmandu Nepal. It is important to keep up to date on social and political happenings in this Country as we prepare for POP for Nepal 2009.

POP for Nepal 2009 - TEAM MEETING & Fund-raiser

June 23rd, Tuesday evening, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM at Lee's Summit Community Church.
More details later.

Roadmonkey - Adventure Philanthropy

Several months ago, I hosted a webinar for KaBOOM. In my presentation I used the example of an organization called "Roadmonkey" to show how others are "bringing the gift of play to children around the world" like POP. The unique thing I see about "Roadmonkey" is how they combined adventure and humanitarian work. They call this "Adventure Philantropy." How cool is that?!!! I've always been an "adventure junky" myself and this organization combines two of my favorite things......playgrounds and touring the "real" world....in other words traveling "off the beaten path," and building relationships and community through playground building. My new friend Paul von Zielbauer, founder of "Roadmonkey" and I finally connected on the phone today. I'm looking forward to hopefully working together on future playground projects together.

Check out their website:

http://www.roadmonkey.net/

P.S. The "Twenty Years.." quote by Mark Twain (famous Missourian!) is at the top of the Roadmonkey website. It presents a great perspective on life.

Twenty Years from Now.......?

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor....Explore. Dream. Discover." – Mark Twain

Hope Home
Playground & Relationship Building
SHORT TERM MISSION TRIP
October 9 – 18, 2009
Kathmandu, Nepal

TEAM MEMBER FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Send to:

Lee’s Summit Community Church
1440 S.W. Jefferson
Lee’s Summit, MO 64081
RE: Playgrounds Of Peace
816-524-6786
infor@lscckc.org (email)

EQUIPMENT & BUILDING MATERIAL FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Send to:

Lee’s Summit Community Church
1440 S.W. Jefferson
Lee’s Summit, MO 64081
RE: Playgrounds Of Peace
816-524-6786
infor@lscckc.org (email)
www.lscckc.org (web site)

For More Information:

Playgrounds Of Peace
Attn: Mark C. White, Team Leader
3837 S.W. Windsong Dr.
Lee’s Summit, MO 64082
816-986-2197 (office)
816-986-2454 (fax)
816-537-9343 (home)
mark.white@leesummit.k12.mo.us (email)

NOTE: Please include a brief not with you check to indicate if the financial support is for team member support & which team member or if is building material support or both. Please also put the following account number on the note & in the check memo:
#12032.000

I talked to Uttam again on Skype last night. He happened to be talking to his contacts at the orphanage in Nepal. I got the contact name and address of where the playground equipment will be shipped. This is great news because we'll be able to determine how much we need to raise for shipping. The plan is to get the equipment to Nepal as soon as possible. The folks at the orphanage understand we need concrete, shovels and lots of sand!

Stay tuned for our upcoming POP for Nepal Team meeting and fundraising presentation by SOCTEAMONE on Tuesday, June 23rd.

On to Nepal!

Mr. Playground

http://http//www.nwf.org/beoutthere/

A "remarkable" photo of my friend and POP Supporter Martin. Martin has served as an interpreter with past POP teams in Poland as well as for the adoption of David and Ania in 2007. He is a great "outdoorsman." I appreciate his quest for adventure, mountain climbing and enjoying life! Martin's email address is:

gogone4@yahoo.pl

World-Wide Support Opportunity for POP

Since enrolling in the SendOutCards program in February, I've learned that this efficient and cost effective "relationship and appreciation marketing" tool can not only be used for business to stay in contact with their customers, but help Playgrounds Of Peace fulfill the Biblical mandate of James 1:27. The big test for this system came when I was in Poland in March when I took photos of the playground build site, then went back to my computer and sent a thank you card to those who donated money for the equipment we installed. This was great because the card arrived in their mailbox BEFORE I even got home from the trip!

Now we have an opportunity to expand our network of supporters world-wide by sharing SendOutCards with business and individuals. My good friend Martin from Poland who is currently working in Australia has set up a website that will make it easy for people to enroll and use the system. In turn, a portion of the earnings I recieve will go directly to building playgrounds & relationships around the world! My SendOutCards account is listed as "Playgrounds Of Peace." I'm excited about the possibilities of funding part or eventually ALL of POP activities through this unique communication system.

Therefore, you bloggers out there in the following growing list of Countries can join the POP team by enrolling yourself or business into the SOC program by logging onto the following website:

www.outcards.net

Countries now include: Australia, UK, Canada, USA

On to Nepal!

Mark White
"Mr. Playground"

Here is another POP Hero....

JC Boushh

www.jcboushhconsulting.com

I know JC from hosting webinars for KaBOOM. He is one of the best playground experts in the Country. Check out his website.

JC has been instrumental in encouraging BigToys, Inc. support our Nepal project with playground equipment. Thank you, JC !!!

This is a photo of the POP Team for Poland Project taking in June of 2008. On this trip we used the KaBOOM "Road Map" planning process to build an addition to the Dom Dziecka playground at Goscieszyn, Poland and a Phase One playground at the King David School in Poznan, Poland.

BigToys

7721 New Market Street

Olympia, Washington 98501

866-814-8697

www.bigtoys.com

Our New Hero.....

Mr. Tim Madeley,

President of

BigToys, Inc.

BigToys - Past Humanitarian Efforts to Bring Play to Children Around the World

Photos from Playground Project in Iraq.

I talked to the President of BigToys, Inc. and they are going to donate all the equipment for the Nepal project. All we have to do is raise money for shipping to Kathamandu. Thanks to our teammate JC in California for promoting the project to Tim at BigToys.

http://www.sendoutcards.com/67545

This is a photo of an orphan girl at the Dom Dziecka that touched our hearts during our 2008 and 2009 POP trips to Poland. She is one of the reasons why we keep building playgrounds. One of the key objectives of POP is to help a find loving Christian family to adopt her and the many others we meet. Let me ask you this one question.....do you have room for one more? Consider James 1:27.