I can't describe the love I have for Africa and I can't really explain why I have it. All I know is that is was something that I was born with. I remember being no older than 12 years old and talking to couples who couldn't have kids, telling them to adopt some from Africa because that's what I wanted to do. As I grew older my love grew stronger. I went on an LDS mission to Washington DC where I taught African's from nearly every country: Morocco, Algeria, Mali, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Chad, Nigeria, Mali, Sierra Leone, Equatorial Guinea, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Zambia, Ghana, Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Mozambique, Liberia, Senegal, Batswana.... I found the African people to be some of the most spiritually in-tune people I have ever met. My love grew.After returning home from my mission I was studying English at Utah State University. During classes I would doodle and make lists of dreams I had or things I wanted to do. Traveling came up alot. Africa came up alot. After making the same list countless times I thought to myself, "You are writing the same list over and over! Do you want to keep doing this and dreaming or do you want to make it happen?" I realized that I couldn't keep waiting for the perfect moment to come for my dreams to come true but that I needed to start taking action and help them come true! I started researching organizations dealing with orphanages in Africa and soon found one at my very school, Engineers Without Borders (EWB). I was pretty quick to make contact after I had rsearched their group and was hoping to go over Christmas of 2007. It didn't work out as perfectly as I had hoped for that trip but the next trip Summer of 2008 was the perfect time for me to go; it all worked out! I have been twice now to Africa and if I can save up money again I will go as many times as the opportunity arises.
The feelings of being in a third world country volunteering alongside the natives (especially the children) is indescribable. For those of you who have read my previous posts on Africa hopefully understand the deep humility and great sense of thanksgiving that we should feel just for being born on American soil. We have so many more opportunities and privileges just being born in America than they will receive saving their whole lives.
I have been wanting to post pictures of orphans or people in Africa with their stories for a while now, to let you meet some of the people that I fell in love with. This being the season of Thanksgiving and soon to be followed by the season of Giving, I will try to publish one story & picture each day for you but also for me as I reflect upon my love of Africa and also upon my love of our Savior. I know that He is aware of these people and His spirit is in their hearts.
Included are some pictures I found on the Mothers Without Borders Website. I saw a documentary about the trip after the April 2009 LDS General Conference and have been so interested in the pictures and the stories. They are from renowned Christian artist, Liz Lemon Swindle. I hope you love them as much as I do!
