It was 10 years ago this month, in Belarus.
A government official invited me to a tour of a summer camp.
“Planet CAMP!” was designed especially for children from the south of Belarus. There, radiation effects after Chernobyl still leave children vulnerable to medical issues. (It helps a radiation-exposed child enormously to get away from radiated areas even for a few weeks.) The camp needed help. Improved facilities. Even just the basics. The question was, Could we help? Friends of New Thing (starting with a very small group of key friends; you know who you are) said YES. Our commitment to Belarus has been challenged many times, in many ways, over this difficult decade. Challenged in even more serious ways in recent days. But our commitment has not wavered. So I say “Thank you” to every person who has followed New Thing all this time... And a special “Thank you” to those who have joined us on the journey along the way. My personal motto has become: More adventures to come! Much love, Doug Brendel P.S. The photo is my own lame phone photo; our brilliant and beloved photographer Oleg was not with us that day.)