When I started this effort it was with the fear that I would one day simply lose interest; Just another American do-gooder caught up in the short-term emotion of yet another human tragedy. Over the long term, would I slide back into becoming totally absorbed with my own personal vicissitudes, forgetting this particular struggle that is 12 time zones away? True, it’s not been easy to keep focused, what with my new marriage, businesses and book, etc (all the usual excuses…). There’s also been very real political trauma in Pakistan which has made planning to go there a big-stakes game of musical chairs. 
But, this has endured for me: The faces of those kids in the back country of Northern Pakistan and Azad Kashmir. My Pakistani and Kashmiri friends stay in touch. I love that place, and my earnestness about our project runs deep. So, forgive my small self-absorption for a moment: I am in this for the long-term.
Thanks to Charles Cusack and Karl Mandry for their steady support of our organization over the past year. These are two good hearted, generous guys, and I hope they know what their generosity has meant to the children. Thanks guys.
We are a 501c3 non-profit organization now. THAT was a long-time coming, a nightmare of paper-pushing. But, it is interesting that the application went through with no knocks on the door by any curious governmental agencies…in truth, the government has never hassled me about my Pakistani connections.
Great news: Kashmir Family Aid has hired a local man, 25 year old Christopher Stollar, who will assume boots-on-the-ground management and fund raising. He begins full-time on May 1st, just after Linda and I return to Bend. Chris feels strongly that he should tour the schools we support, so we’ll be flying there in May or June for a couple or three weeks (presuming the politics-of-the-moment permit travel). Thanks Chris! And welcome!
-sam c
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I can relate completely with your opening paragraph Sam.
I must learn more about this project in general.
I’ve been in the search mode for the past few months..that I know because I’ve already been there once…back in 1996 when I officially retired from the company I had founded 20 years earlier. Over the next couple years I realized that I had really retired a couple years earlier because I had just been going thru the paces since then…realizing that my work was no longer giving me purpose. Fortunately during those couple years I was blessed to discover what I was passionate about…it was philanthopy as you now seem to be discovering.
Anyway, I’m just now starting to drill down thru your web site and look forward to learning much more about what obviously makes you are your Linda’s heart sing.
Best Sam….will talk in the near future.
G-man, out!