Spiritual Retreat in Hawaii

Fund Our Dream Spiritual Experience with Bentinho Massaro in Hawaii

About Our Dream

My wife, Nancy, and I have a dream of attending a week-long spiritual retreat in December of this year. I have come to a place in my life where I am learning to find peace and to accept love for myself and for others. I am learning how to be happy. Nancy and I have been through a lot of pain in our pasts, as all of us have, I suppose. Nancy and I were married on July 4th of this year, in representation of our independence from past pains and false beliefs. We are struggling to combine two families financially and create a household that thrives in every way.

We don't have the funds to pay for most of this retreat. It simply is not an option for us regardless of how much we pool together based on what we currently have. But it is still my dream to attend this retreat with a trusted teacher, Bentinho Massaro (www.bentinhomassaro.com), who has been a great inspiration to me in finding peace and happiness. This retreat will be a life-changing experience for us and it is the last retreat he is going to offer for several years, perhaps ever. I wish the retreat was closer, but it isn't. I am willing to do whatever I can to make it. It is very important to me.

 

We Don't Want Just Free Help - We Want to Give Back to You

I am asking for help, because I trust that there is enough goodness to go around for everyone. But I want to give something in return for your donations. I have unique talents in creating things. Currently, I have a passion for creating pastel paintings, as well as collecting sticks from nature and creating unique, high-quality walking sticks that are very artistic. I want to return my talents to those who donate. For each donation that is made, depending on the amount, I will give you something. A smaller donation will give you a gift from something I have already made. For larger donations, I will make something for you that is unique and original. The larger the donation, the more effort and time I will put into making something truly unique. I don't have much funds to spare, but I can donate my time, talents, and heart in return for your money.

 

Dreaming Without Fear

I cannot control whether or not we will be able to make this retreat. But we will contribute whatever finances we can spare to the goal and I will no longer be afraid to ask for help. If it is meant to be, it will. But Bentinho has taught me to create happiness in my life without fear and it would mean so very much to me to be able to meet him in person and gather around other like-minded people for a week.

Thank you to all those who donate. Every good thing we do in this world, regardless of how big or small, makes everything better for all of us.

With much love,

-Christopher Franklin

 

Details for Donation Rewards:

If you donate at least $30: I will send you a print of one of the pastel pieces of art that I have created. Below are pictures of paintings I have made that are available for prints. You can tell me which one you want.

If you donate at least $50: I will make a custom walking stick just for you. They are collected from nature and I sand them, stain them, polyuerethane them, and decorate them in one way or another. Below are pictures of some of the standard custom walking sticks I have made.

If you donate at least $100: I will make a more valuable and intricate walking stick for you. I will put a lot more time and talent into these walking sticks. These intricate sticks will be more unique and worth much more. You can't find ones like these anywhere else. Examples of ones I have made are pictured below.

If you donate at least $200: I will paint a custom pastel piece of art just for you. It will be 9x12 in size, and framed. It will be unique and come from my heart, though it will not be as intricate as the ones that I will put much more time into if you do a $500 donation. Take note that I am not talented at painting people or animals. Examples below:

If you donate at least $500: I will paint a detailed, beautiful pastel piece just for you. It will be 16x20 in size, and framed. These pieces will take much more time for me and will be some type of landscape or abstract piece. Take note that I am not talented at painting people or animals. Examples below: