Maya Donates Her Birthday

I received the sweetest message and just had to share it with you. 💕

But first, a little bit of backstory…12 years ago, when I was new to Nepal, I met Yamen. Like me, he was working for a local NGO and falling in love with the people and beauty of Nepal.

We became good friends, and even after leaving Kathmandu, he for Poland and me for the United States, we stayed in touch.

Fast forward 5 years, Yamen had a precious baby girl, Maya. To celebrate her birth, I sent a gift––a white baby blanket with her name engraved on it. That beautiful baby girl is now a wonderful, kindhearted 10-year-old. How do I know? Take a look at the message Yamen sent me.

Jehan,

Hope this message finds you well, I wanted to share this story with you…

Some time ago Maya asked me about a white blanket she has with her name on it, she remembered it was always her favorite blanket since she was little.

So I told her a story about my journey to Nepal (once again) but this time in a different context, about an amazing friend I met, who started a non-profit organization and named it Sunsar Maya (which eventually inspired her mother and me when choosing a name for her). I told her that she got that blanket from you 10 years ago, shipped especially from the US.

Time went by and her birthday was coming up, so when we started talking about what presents she'd like to have, she said, "I already have more than I want. For this birthday I want to fundraise for Sunsar Maya and with this, thank Jehan for the blanket and help other girls in Nepal". That has put this moment in my top 10 proudest moments in my parenthood career :)

Long story short, Maya and Lara (they had a joint birthday party) fundraised yesterday $300 for Sunsar Maya that was donated today.

I have a feeling that this is just a start of something bigger to her path on helping others.

Yamen

I admit it, I teared up when I received Yamen’s note. I am so grateful for our friendship that has lasted so many years. I am humbled to know that Sunsar Maya inspired Maya’s name! And I am grateful for Maya’s thoughtfulness and generosity.

As I often say, this community is filled with Rock Stars 🌟—people like Maya and people like you—coming together to make Sunsar Maya’s mission possible.

If you’re interested in “donating your birthday,” head to the ‘Get Involved’ section of Sunsar Maya’s website for a few ideas or just reply to this email. I’m happy to help. 😊