A few weeks ago I successfully completed the fundraiser I launched in March ’13 to help raise funds to support the Mercy Centre in Bangkok where I’ve been a volunteer for the past 2.5 years. I ran the fundraiser together with Free Skydive Asia, which is all about jumping for a cause. My goal was to raise 60,000 Baht, then Jump for a Cause to help promote the Mercy Centre and their efforts.

The fundraiser brought in a total of 61,750 Baht (about $2,000 USD) which I donated to Fr. Joe at the Mercy Centre on June 6th. They were extremely grateful for the donation and all the funds are going directly to education materials/supplies for the children.

With the fundraiser complete and funds donated it was time to skydive. At 8am yesterday morning I headed east from Bangkok enroute to the Nongkor Airfield in Sri Racha. Leaving the city, the morning skies were cloudy and showed all the signs of tropical monsoon season. By the time we arrived at the airfield a large black raincloud we’d seen in the distance while driving had parked itself directly over the drop-zone.

We played the waiting game until around 12 noon when a small hole in the clouds opened up. We threw on our gear, fired up the plane and loaded into the back, ready to jump. At 8,000 ft the weather turned and we were flying directly into the rain clouds. Thai aviation rules state that if you can’t see the ground from the sky, you’re not allowed to jump from the plane. Since we couldn’t see the ground, we had to make our way back down.

It wasn’t until 2:45pm when the next patch of blue skies appeared in the distance. Like a well trained army, the guys at Thai Sky Adventures mobilized the plane and crew to get us in the air as quickly as possible so we didn’t miss this opportunity. As the plane climbed through the clouds the views of the Gulf of Thailand, Koh Sri Chang Island and the fishing boats in the water were beautiful sights from this vantage point. My heart was pounding and my adrenaline was rushing as we peaked at 10,000 ft. Scooting to the doorway I could feel the wind in my face, see clouds flying by and the ground in the distance below…there was no turning back at this point. Feet dangling in the wind, head tilted back and it was BOMBS AWAY!

Here’s a video of my jump courtesy of Kris from Free Skydive Asia. If you’re interested in raising money for a charity you support and combining that with the thrill of skydiving, then Jump for A Cause is for you!

A big thank you again to all who contributed to the Mercy Centre

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