Medicines Global Inspires Travelers to Help Remote Communities

While traveling through Nepal on a photographic project, Janice Belson came across children with blindness and missing fingertips, a nutritional problem that she learned was caused by vitamin A deficiency. In her eagerness to help these children and other less fortunate people around the world, she came up with a creative but wonderful idea of inspiring travelers to give back to the communities they visit. Medicines Global, a unique, non-profit organization, was thus established. Headed by Ms. Belson as executive director, the organization has sponsored several expeditions delivering much-needed medicine and food to faraway places across the globe since 1999.

During a recent delivery of medical supplies to remote villages in the Himalayas, participants discovered that glaciers had receded rapidly since their previous visit, a change that they associated with global warming. A kindred spirit who wants to preserve the beautiful Earth, Ms. Belson attended the 2008 Hollywood Climate Change Conference and was so highly impressed with the event’s message that she became fully vegetarian.

Receipt and thank you letter from Ms. Belson for the US$20,000 contributed by Master

On December 12, 2008, she was among the special guests invited to the launch of Master’s newest book, Celestial Art, in Fountain Valley, California. As a professional photographer, Ms. Belson was deeply touched by the balance and perfection in all of Master’s works. She graciously accepted an interview by Supreme Master Television, sharing the noble ideals of Medicines Global as well as stories of her worldwide travels to offer compassionate aid to people from the cold of Siberia to the warmth of Ecuador. She was delighted to receive a letter and a number of inspirational gifts from Master. A few weeks later, Ms Belson received US$20,000 from Supreme Master Ching Hai to further her work in bringing medicine to children in remote parts of the world.

Following is a letter from Ms. Belson thanking Master for recognizing the endeavors of love and benevolence undertaken by Medicines Global over the past decade.

Dear Supreme Master Ching Hai,

My life has been profoundly influenced by learning about your life changing work through my association with some of your wise followers. A phone call a few weeks back with the words that Supreme Master had some gifts for me accompanied with a request for my continued participation in the preparation of the SMTV interview on Medicines Global…those words made me feel as if I were in a swirling cloud. I floated through a week of trying to get needed photos to the SMTV team which turned into the blessed program on Good People, Good Works.

Then your Association member arrived with your treasures. I am deeply honored and humbled by your recognition of Medicines Global’s work with adventure travelers and also your recognition of the Medicines Global Outdoor Youth Ambassador (MGOYA) program. Your generosity focusing upon Medicines Global is the much needed support we need to push our ideas forward as I continue into our 10th anniversary year. Your kindness and compassion is so needed everywhere in these challenging times and I am grateful that you chose to acknowledge Medicines Global.

Last week, we instituted MGOYA 3 in the newly formed Global Studies Program at Fairfax High School… While all this was materializing, I was blessed to be absorbing the DVDs you sent… replaying them all 3-4 times… reading the 2 books you sent me, reviewed several times the exquisite Celestial Art book…. So as your energy is flowing so strongly here… I still feel inadequate to express the immense joy you have given by honoring Medicines Global. I feel a strong spiritual tie to you in my humble way as a working humanitarian, artist and educator.

We continue to influence travelers on ways to give back to countries they visit (answering dozens of information email requests a month). We will continue our yearly expeditions with youths and adults, delivering medical supplies. We will continue climate change education, create strong alliances…and so much of this because of the powerful SOS Conference, July 26, 2008, leading to the Medicines Global SMTV production that will be the highlight of our inaugural e-newsletter celebrating 10 years of Medicines Global.

Thank you for helping us celebrate 10 working years of Medicines Global’s efforts to protect and help preserve our precious earth and its children.

I hope to sit with you in the not too distant future.

In great gratitude,

Janice Belson

Executive Director

Medicines Global