The story of A Thousand Planes

Once upon a time there was a mother, who many years ago gave birth to a bright-eyed beautiful baby boy. When she first held him in her arms all she could see was his beauty. Her heart grew a 1000 sizes that day to make room for all the love she had for him. She was shocked when the doctors told her there was something wrong with him, because she could see him only through a mother’s eye. And through a mother's eyes every baby is perfectly beautiful. Ryan she was told had been born with a common birth defect called Cleft Lip and Palate, there would be many challenges he would face, first with feeding, speech may be difficult, there would be many hospital stays and surgeries. ..

Though she knew they faced a difficult journey Ryan’s mother was not scared. She knew faith would carry them. They were not on this journey alone, and with every step they took they met people that were further along than they were. These people included doctors, nurses, therapists, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and other children born with facial differences. As Ryan got further along in his journey he and his mother often looked backed with encouragement cheering on those children that were following in his footsteps.

Though the days of hospital stays and surgeries are now behind them, they have never forgotten all they learned along that journey and all the smiling faces that brightened those stressful and uncertain days.

Throughout the years Ryan’s mom’s heart kept on growing to make room for all the children that had touched them. The children they shared hospital rooms with, that keep them company in orthodontic doctor and dentist waiting rooms. She never forgot any of these children and kept for them a special place in her heart.

When she stumbled across the Leap for Faith challenge in support of Camp Trailblazers she jumped in heart first believing wholeheartedly in the healing powers of such a place.

Remembering a story about a young Japanese girl that used the ancient art of origami to promote peace and bring about awareness of the tragedies of war. She decided to borrow from this idea and use the not so ancient art of paper airplanes to bring awareness to the many challenges facing children with facial difference and raise support for Camp Trailblazers.

She quickly set out to purchase the most brightly coloured paper imaginable then returned home to start folding. Her sister stopped in for coffee one day and curiously asked about all the airplanes. Christine explained what she was doing and her sister responded with
‘I want to help you’ Christine handed her a pile of paper and they began folding together.
‘ I want to hold your hand’ said Janice, ‘jump with you, for Ryan, and all the other children’
Christine stopped and stared at her sister, ‘okay’ she said as she hugged her, ‘I’m glad your in’.

Soon paper planes were being spotted everywhere, in parks, on beaches, even in shopping malls and donut shops .Word spread about the Leap of Faith they were taking and friends, family and even strangers were there to support them, with words of encouragement, help with the folding, and donations.

One friend Michele got so caught up in the spirit and excitement this Leap of Faith was creating that she put her heart on the line and joined in. Now there were three. Three Ladies Leaping. Three crazy ladies with parachutes,who committed themselves to jumping out of an airplane because they knew faith would carry them on the wings of love.

Sometimes you just have to take the leap

and build your wings on the way down.
Kobi Yamada