Sydney Cranes For Hope

The world stopped and held its breath in horror on March 11, when a 8.9 magnitude earthquake hit off the coast of Japan, starting a 10m high tsunami which cost the lives of over 10,000 people up to date. There are some over 17,500 people missing, and police are estimating that 15,000 people in the Miyagi province alone have died as a result of the disaster.(Huffington Post).

Something that really brought the point home to Lindy and I was when we discovered Japanese crematoriums could not keep up with burning the overwhelming number of dead, and mass graves are being dug in some cases - nearly unthinkable in a country that religiously respects its traditional burial conditions. School gyms have been converted into morgues, with buses carrying grieving people to each morgue, anxious to discover the whereabouts of their loved ones. It sounds utterly horrifying.

But even worse than the people dying are the people still alive, and having to undergo so many hardships I can't even begin to imagine. Coming to terms with a new life without family, friends or basic necessities .... there are so many stories out there of pain and loss.

And perhaps the most terrible thing yet, was the comment of one tortured man who had lost his family. "I have no hope left."

As soon as we heard about the earthquake, Lindy and I knew we had to contribute in some way. Living safe and warm a few hundred kms away, it is easier, so much easier, to drop a gold coin into a bucket with a smile. It is easy, so very easy to skip past evening news on Japan's radiation problems and focus on that night's episode of HIMYM instead.

After all, we're just teenagers. We don't have enough money. We can't do anything, right?

Wrong. We found a way. After some great idea suggestions from friends, we know exactly what we have to do.

So I bring you - Cranes For Hope, a crazy, creative collaboration of James Ruse's SRC, Happiness Equals Bracket, and other high schools and primary schools all over Sydney.

This time, the youth of Sydney will show their support in the worldly arena! Because we want to tell Japan a very simple message:

We are young, but we care. We are here, and we're thinking of you.

So what's the 411? (I've always wanted to use that in a sentence! Excuse me.) Heres the goal:

To make 10,000 cranes symbolic of all the people lost, missing or now with God, alongside with a heartfelt message from every individual youth that wants to express their concern.

There will be fundraisers running towards the hope of sending $10,000 to aid relief efforts. Different hands in different schools and communities will all be folding for the same aim! Can you imagine it?

And although we have no idea if we will reach that goal, in the end, we'll be sending all our messages over to the Red Cross, who will ship it over to Japan for us. And this is something meaningful we can do that's within our abilities for sure.

Join us and show the world just how much young people in Sydney care! Some things you can do in the next few weeks to be a part of this initiative:

=) James Ruse is holding a fundraiser day in the last week of term, so please buy the delicious food and goods available! Not that you need any convincing, puh-lease. It's food.

=) Are you a part of the community in any way? Enthusiastic Taekwondo-er? Act in an acting troupe? Recently I asked my church to contribute, and next week we're planning to have a mass crane-folding day! It's not very difficult, but you have no idea how much a little can add up. If you want to get your community involved, email Happiness Equals Bracket at happinessequalsbracket@gmail.com immediately! Do not hesitate!

=) As this is such high priority, we will be replacing our March AND April project with Cranes For Hope, and are planning a day in the holidays where we'll appeal to the public to put in their best efforts, use those fingers and fold for support! If you'd like to be involved, comment or email us!

Keep reading for more updates :) I do apologise for Lindy and I being MIA the last two weeks, but we were involved in a dangerous mission in Brazil, fighting criminals and seeking justice for- Oh alright. We were pretending to study. But we're back and ready to roll :)

WHO DO YOU CALL?
FROWN BUSTERS!

Always remember, Happiness Equals Bracket =)