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This is a record of what this small group is getting done day by day. We are starting with the most recent day so that you don't have to scroll down unless you want to go to the beginning:Sunday, July 11, 1999:
Brad is now home with his family again, and we hope to hear more details and see photos soon. Today Dana made a trip to Huntsville to be interviewed again by the Huntsville Times about his time in Skopje. Another donation was made to the church at the time. Dusty is preparing for another major move, destination not yet firmly decided. We might remember from time to time that these three extraordinary people have affected lives and will be remembered for a long, long time.Wednesday, June 23, 1999:
Brad Barth has arrived in Skopje with approximately $9,000 raised by his church. He has met with Avdulla (Michael) Memetaj and plans to go into Kosovo. His wife Leigh has received a short, positive note from him, and we will now begin to post updates again. The webkeeper here has been out of the country for two weeks, but hopefully the site will begin to be more active again by next week, as I am almost home.Congratulations and best of wishes for Brad, Avdulla, and all the people working in Macedonia, Albania, and Kosovo.
Friday, June 4, 1999:
Brad's church has now passed the $3,000 mark on contributions! Another countdown!
Wednesday, June 2, 1999:
Dana really IS back in the U.S. now, as of a few hours ago. A couple of flight delays left him in Cincinatti last night at the Hilton as a guest of Delta, but he is now back at his computer, compiling his notes.
Sunday, May 30, 1999:
The good news tonight is that I just heard from Brad, and his church has passed the 2,000-dollar mark in what they have raised for Brad to take to the Mother Tereza Organization in Skopje. He will be leaving in three weeks!Earlier I talked with Dana (by computer) in Amsterdam, and he will return to Birmingham Tuesday afternoon. Dusty is in Chicago, taking the weekend off to mow the lawn and watch some baseball. Let me remind you to please visit our message board on Raging Bull (you can reach it through our "Links" page).
Saturday, May 29, 1999:
Last night I talked at length with Dana, who was safely in Amsterdam at a loud internet cafe. Later today I heard from Dana again twice, then Dusty, who is in Chicago. Dusty is interested in pursuing the discovery of how little money contributed to large agencies is reaching the refugees in Skopje. Dana's thoughts on his own belief now that a completely free Kosovo is needed are posted elsewhere. In a couple of days, Dana will leave Amsterdam and return to Alabama to record his thoughts and observations. We talk about the possibility of having a book in this.Now it is time to begin to focus on Brad's approaching trip from Maryland to Skopje. Contributions are down to a trickle, but Brad and his wife Leigh are having success through their own church.
Friday, May 28, 1999:
Apologies. We have been so busy with correspondence that we have neglected the "Journal" link here, hoping you have instead checked in on our "Updates." Today, as of 1:14 p.m. we are a bit in the dark, not knowing where Dana and Dusty are. If all went as planned, Dana left Skopje for Amsterdam at 6:30 a.m. Skopje time, which was about 13 hours ago. Dusty planned to leave around the same time for Zurich. Then Dana needed to find out about exchanging his June 6th ticket for an earlier one, and Dusty planned to stay in Zurich and wait for a standby opening to Toronto. No word from anyone yet.Our guys left early for two reasons. One can be surmised from the account of Blace Refugee Camp. The other is that both felt their job was done. There was no need for volunteers for physical work, and their records and photos were enough to return and provide testimony as to what the real situation in Skopje is.
Wednesday, May 19, 1999:
Another thousand donated and being wired right now to Dana as he takes his bags to the car, planning to leave Birmingham at 2:15 this afternoon. Dusty is delayed in Zurich and will meet Dana at the Skopje airport. Now we are beginning to raise money for the needs Dana and Dusty ascertain while they are there so that Brad and/or I can begin to prepare for our trip over.
Sunday, May 16, 1999:
Good to go. Dusty leaves at 11:30 in the morning, bags firmly packed. Dana is finishing up last minute errands in preparation for leaving on Wednesday. And in another 4 weeks, Brad will be back. Donations are still hoped for, as we can wire more funds to Dana and Dusty and will also be starting to work on aid for Brad to take.
Friday, May 13, 1999:
A week has flown by, and we have been so busy that the website updates have suffered. Donations are still coming in, though slowly, but the plans are all in place. Dusty leaves Monday; Dana leaves Wednesday. And we have a firm third volunteer, Brad Barth, a math teacher from Maryland (see "Volunteers" link), who will leave on or around June 20th. More summary when we get Dusty and Dana off. They are almost packed and ready to go. This story was featured on the front page of The Huntsville Times last Monday.
Friday, May 7, 1999:
Getting Dana's ticket turned out to be a monumental job and ended up costing us $1643. Through tickets are not being issued to Macedonia; hence, no really good deals. Anyway, the ticket has been in-hand and has been overnighted to Dana. He changes planes in Amsterdam, after leaving here May 19 and arriving there May 20 (time change). He and Dusty will end up arriving about the same time.Another $300 in donations reached East Texas today. Time draws near.
Thursday, May 6, 1999:
Today was spent trying to find a good airfare for Dana. Dusty has his taken care of. It's difficult to get a seat for a good price to Macedonia right now, and we did have a reservation but it wouldn't issue due to baggage complications. We hope to have one by tomorrow. Generous pledges overcome the obstacle that the ticket will cost more than we planned.More hard-cash contributions arrived. Another $100 reached Dana, and another $285 reached East Texas. We haven't talked with Peggy, but it's likely that the church too received more today.
One of our active workers has arranged to have some cases of children's vitamins donated, and they'll probably be carried by Dusty. Dana's doctor is gathering antibiotic samples, but they may have to be taken by the person who follows Dana. We now feel that there will be others, paying for their own tickets, who will keep this effort ongoing.
Wednesday, May 5, 1999:
Contributions are beginning to arrive. As of tonight we have received our largest contribution of $2500 from a board participant none of us has ever spoken with. The church members have donated $400 so far. MTEI people and friends have sent $60 to Raven's address and $300 to Dana's. Thirty-two hundred and sixty dollars, mostly from people who don't "know" each other. What an amazing place the internet can be.
Saturday, May 1, 1999:
Today we are getting the website up. Letters asking for contributions have now gone out to several hundred people. At the moment we are hopeful that Dusty will be able to leave in just a few days, letting Dana follow about May 18th. We have very much to do and are badly in need of help. Bobbye and her husband are today looking for the laptop that has been our chief contribution.
Friday, April 30, 1999:
Today was historical for our purposes. A participant on the "Ask Anthony" board, impressed with what Anthony and Fane were able to accomplish in Macedonia recently, has offered to donate $2500 to us to purchase TVERA a new laptop computer. Former shareholders of the MTEI, greatly helped in their attempt to get this stock scam to the SEC by Dana, have been contacted and asked for help. Wolff, on Anthony's board, has offered a sound card, a request from Eddie of TVERA.
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