The logistics involved with getting to an area such as Sri Lanka makes volunteering for such a project understandably impractical for a lot of people, but even if you want to go it isn't cheap.  For private citizens such as myself who would like to do more cannot just join the disaster professionals with the Red Cross or other relief organizations.  Instead, we must join privately organized groups in order to be a part of a specific reconstruction project.

The organization I am joining is Global Crossroad and they have been busy. Busy qualifying volunteers, coordinating their placements in Sri Lanka with transportation, food, shelter, and of course having an in-country project leader assessing needs and putting together those projects and the materials required.

In order to join the Global Crossroad effort each volunteer must pay a $999 fee.  Sound like a lot to volunteer?  Here's how it breaks down:
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$400 -  Donation towards the actual construction materials needed for the project.

$599 - This fee covers the Global Crossroad administrative costs(support for US/Sri Lanka staffs and related expenses).The cost of airport reception and pickup, travel insurance, room (rented house/host family), food (local food 3 times a day), transportation (airport receive/transfer), and other logistical supports during our 14 days in the field. Program fee does not cover soft drink, mineral water, or any other personal expenses before or after the 14 days.
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$999 - total fee

You'll notice there's no mention of airfare above.  A round-trip ticket to Colombo, Sri Lanka is about $1,500.  The above fee plus airfare brings the total to $2,499.  These are the bare minimum costs and I'm sure it will be hundreds more by the time I return, but worth every penny.

As I'm sure many of you have already donated to one of the relief efforts already in place, I would like to offer you the opportunity to donate to our specific project in Sri Lanka and follow our progress through my blog and photo updates on the site. Your donation will in effect be directly sending me to Sri Lanka and I'll do my best to represent all of you in spirit.

Though I am self-employed I'm far from rich.  $2,500 is a lot of money to me and I'm sure to you as well.  If, by any chance it appears there will be money left-over I hope to be able to persuade a helping hand or two to join me.  If not, I'll do my best to contribute the extra donations to our project and it's surrounding community.

The idea for me to ask for donations was a complete afterthought to this project.  Being a self-employed webmaster, once I decided volunteering in Sri Lanka was for me, creating a blog site was a natural next step.  I'm excited to be able to share this experience with those I know would love nothing more than to dig in themselves and lend a hand, but simply cannot.

Thank you to those who are able to help.

-Chris