Original Donation Letter

Please feel free to disregard this email.
This is an if you can, then that is great, if you can't that is great also, situation.
To some I may have sent a hard copy already, if so, I apologize for the redundancy. I cast a wide net here in this email.
Maybe you know a friend who is interested, if so, I do not discriminate!!
And if you are debating whether to give to me or someone else, debate no longer, give it to someone else.
Thanks,
Stephen

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Dear

I'm writing to inform you about my return trip to the country of Zimbabwe. I will be there for one month, from March 14 until April 15. Accompanying me on this trip will be my dad (Stephen Bozzo Sr.) from March 14 to March 31; and then my friend Patrick Jones will meet up with me on the second leg of my trip, from March 31 to April 15.

It's a very deliberate decision to pack up and head off to southern Africa. It's obviously not some nonchalant, thoughtless trip, especially when considering the current political climate of Zimbabwe. But it is something that is so tremendously important to me, and I'm very excited that it is all finally coming together again.

I mentioned the current climate. Zimbabwe has been experiencing extra-ordinary government mismanagement and interference. President Robert Mugabe was voted out of office in March '07 only to refuse to leave his seat to the democratically elected Morgan Tsvangari. This is a seat that Mugabe has held since 1980, as dictator, and he has run the once prosperous land into absolute decrepitude. A run-off election was reluctantly agreed upon but only saw Tsvangari drop out, as Mugabe led rampant killings of innocent civilians to try and sway the vote in his favor. It is a sad state of affairs, and Zimbabwe specifically has a sordid national history that is filled with such affairs. This is only a fraction of Zimbabwe'a struggles. The tumultuous government only leads to a crippled infrastructure, which in turn spills into tributaries of pain spreading to the Zimbabwean people.

You may know that I visited Zimbabwe in May and June of 2006. Since then, I have been very anxious to return, because when I was there I felt as if I stumbled upon this amazing truth: this beautiful way of living at the center of complete madness. This beauty was so evidently expressed in the wonderful people that I befriended. And it all left me astounded, as I contrasted their beauty amidst the tumult with my own selfishness amidst prosperity.

My first two weeks with Dad will be focused on assisting and encouraging. We are going to travel around the country in a rented car and give aid however and whenever we can. Our goal is to very literally be like Christ to these people. Specifically we will be visiting AIDS orphanages, rural homesteads, hospitals, and throughout helping to fix wells, build houses, and very generally – but no less important – be there to support the people of Zimbabwe during this trying time. I was struck by how touched many of the Zimbabwean people were by the mere fact that I would take time out of my life to come and just be with them. So, if nothing else, my dad and I plan on just being there, to be loving, to be supportive, and to show them that they are not alone.

My second two weeks with Pat will be focused on all the aforementioned, but more specifically our days will be spent shooting a short film. I'm very excited about getting behind the camera and telling some of these stories.

Personally, it is hard for me to send this to you and ask for money. Though I recognize that my trip is altruistic in motivation, the struggle is to justify asking for money for something when so many people in Zimbabwe are without, when so many Americans are without (specifically now with this economy), and when the person on the corner of my street is without. With that in mind, I hope to use my resources with maturity and respect.

Therefore, any donations and support you can give is greatly appreciated. Purchasing a ticket to Zimbabwe is not like flying to another state, or even London for that matter, so it is quite pricey. Furthermore, once we are on the ground we will need to rent cars, and hopefully survive on as little as possible. And the other ancillary expense is trying to offset the cost of film equipment.
The best and easiest way to donate would be by check. My home address is:

Stephen Bozzo Jr.
1338 18th Street, Apt. 3
Santa Monica, CA 90404

If you would like, you can also utilize my paypal account if that is convenient: sjbozzo@gmail.com.
Whether you are to give $1 or $1,000 it is much appreciated. If this is not a good time, I fully understand.

Thank you very much,
Stephen