Africa: If you haven't read my blog yet, please read this.

We are finally here!!!

Two years ago today I arrived in Africa with an organization called Think Humanity.  It was a dream of mine and I had finally realized it.  Why Africa?  I have been asked this many times.  All of the college philosophy courses I took asked the same question, 'if someone is drowning in a pond in the park you are playing in, vs. someone drowning across the city, who would you save?'  It seems pretty simple, you would save the closest person to you.  But what if there were many other people around, they could/would help, and what if there was no one in the other park, the one across the city.  Wouldn't you then try and go help save them?

I have attended four colleges, Indiana University, IUPUI, IPFW and Colorado State University.  It took me over a dozen years to finally finish school.  For those of you who went to high school with me, you might have seen me studying at my locker, or asking a ton of questions in class.  I was a nerd.  So why did it take me so long to finish?  Because I got pregnant, four times, moved, got married, took care of my family.  But in August of 2007 I finally started my first day of class at CSU and went full time until I graduated in December of 2008.  My degree was creative, I had been a science major the majority of my three previous schools so I ended up with a Liberal Arts degree with a science concentration, a history minor and also a concentration in African Studies.  An odd combination, but one that felt right.

I spent hours, days, weeks, months going to class, reading and studying Africa.  I would dream about the people I learned about.  I would lay awake at night and worry about them, wishing I had some way to reach them and help.  Then on earth day 2008 I found Todd from African Bags. I had asked him if he would like to help with my Save Darfur petition.  He said yes and we struck of a conversation and friendship.  It is through him that I became a part of passion Africa and that is where I met one amazing woman and friend, Beth Heckle.  We chatted on line and I think it was a match made in heaven.  She is the one who introduced me to Think Humanity, and ultimately the one who would bring me to Africa.

I spent the next several months learning about Think Humanity and the people that TH helped in a refugee camp in Uganda. 
Think Humanity's Mission Statement: Think Humanity was created to provide relief, support and hope for a promising future to refugees in Africa. Our mission is threefold:

• Joining in the fight against malaria by providing refugees with resources and manpower;
• Providing love, comfort and security to orphaned children; and
• Creating an overall positive change for refugees

http://www.thinkhumanity.org/index.html

My family and I began helping a little boy by the name of Mumbele.  He eventually became an orphan and was my other child who lived across the sea.  Through Beth we were able to send him clothes and supplies.  Before my divorce I had dreams of adopting him.  However Ugandan adoptions are extremely hard and take thousands of dollars, money I didn't/don't have. 

However when I went to Africa with TH we were able to speak with the head of the UN camp and pay to release him from his current living situation and get him baptised and under the care of JP, a wonderful man who has a beautiful family.  His daughter, Lisa is my namesake, and he holds a special place in my heart and in heaven.  Mumbele also was able to stay with us and we gave him his first shower, brought some clothes for him and fed him while we were there.  He was a different little boy when we left.  He is in my heart and prayers everyday. 

JP in the middle, surrounded by his family and Mumbele right in front of him.

Another wonderful thing that happened when I was there is a met a little girl named Dolphin.  We had just arrived in the camp and had gone to a soccer (futbol) game.  Here there are no lawnmowers, only machetes to cut grass.  People walk miles on dirt paths to come watch the games.  It is the highlight of their week.  She was all by herself.  I was worried about her.  I had not become accustomed yet to the sight of small toddlers walking around by themselves.  It was love at first sight.  I just adored the look she gave me.  TH sponsors a school and Lucy, the teacher came up and introduced me to her, and told me that she was one of our students.  I later found out that both of her parents were HIV positive and were not feeling well that night so she was left alone to get home.  Lucy told me that on Wednesday it was hygiene day and she would get a bath, a new outfit and get her hair treated for lice and possibly get a de-wormer.  I spent as much time with her as I could.  She was my little friend and an amazing little person.  I remember watching her play with the cap to a bottle of pop.  To her it was a new toy.  We had treated everyone at our AIDS day event to a pop.  Most had never had it.  Dolphin loved it, but loved the caps just as much.  She is wonderful, full of spunk and so cute with her little friends. 

Each day we had different things that we needed to accomplish.  One day we handed out Malaria nets, soap bars and salt to those with HIV/AIDS.  Most were women, mothers who had been raped and needed these essential items to be healthy.  If something happened to them then there would be no one to care for their children or other family members they might be responsible for.  We also provided them with something to drink as some of them may have traveled over ten miles on foot with babies in order to receive their goodies.  Not to mention it was hot and there is no electricity and they live in huts, no air conditioning in refugee camps. 

One of the first things we did is hand out Malaria nets, dozens of them.  This was a life changing experience for me in itself.  We drove out to a part of the camp where you could look across Lake Albert and see the DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo.)  I had done a whole semester independent study of the Congo and knew of the horrors that had taken place there.  Rape, murder and almost unspeakable atrocities happened to the refugees that fled to our camp.   It is thought that possibly 6 million or more people have been killed during the fighting. 

This is Rita, she was responsible for eight children,
only one of them was her own.







Our mission was to hand out Malaria nets to all the new refugees.  Each net can protect up to four people and last up to five years.  If there are more than five people in a family then they can get two nets.  The whole process quite a while and it was amazing to watch these families, the majority women with small babies on their back, stand in the blazing heat, battling biting flies and wait for hours for a five dollar malaria net.  At the end of the day when all were gone it was sad to see how upset those were who did not get one.  Those that had nets took off and headed home, they did not want to risk losing their net.  To them the nets meant the difference between life and death.  One little girl stood out in my mind.  She was a nine or ten year old orphan and when she saw that there were no more nets, she didn't take any chances and took her net and ran.  I followed her with tears in my eyes, wishing that those who had donated could see what these nets meant to everyone.  Every thirty seconds a child in Sub-Saharan Africa dies of Malaria and we can help prevent these heartbreaking losses, and it is my opinion that we have a responsibility to do so. 

We also went to check on our goats.  One of our projects was to get a sustainable goat farm up and running.  On the day we went to visit them two twin kids had been born.  It was a miracle to them, it was a miracle to us, to see all of the months of fundraising come to fruition.  Goats mean goat milk as well as other income for the refugees to cover food, medicine, ect... Our next goal was to provide them with a bike to make the five mile walk to water a  little easier.

Another fun project was collecting Crocs to give out to the kids.  This was so much fun.  Their poor feet were so sad from walking on the dirt, in mud and from Chiggers.  The ability to give them clean new shoes that could be washed and would provide decent support for them was awesome!  Crocs, as well as my own children's school had helped us collect enough to bring along, we had Crocs shoved in every part of our bags and back packs.  The kids all sat so patiently while we laid them all out.  I was so proud of them, they didn't push or shove, instead they even made an effort to allow the little ones to go first.

Going to Africa changed my perspective on life.  My priorities changed.  "Things" that seemed important before didn't seem to matter that much anymore.  The Africans I met had the most positive outlook on life.  They had no material possessions, yet they were the happiest people I had ever met.  In fact, while I was going through my separation and divorce, they were my inspiration. It was one of those moments when I truly got more than I gave.  My mantra was, "it's just stuff."  My safety and sanity were what mattered.  My ex had come with me to Africa, however the trip back and the first hour home were some of the worst memories in my life, but that is a story for another day...  The bottom line is that no matter what, I will never forget my amazing experience in Africa or allow anything negative to ruin that memory.  My dream is to return someday, hug my friends who I have missed, and start my next chapter of helping those who are across the pond, but still desperately need our help. 

Me and my brother James in Kampala, the capital of Uganda on the day before we flew home.  He and his brother Emmanuel and sister Elizabeth saw the rest of their family murdered, yet their smiles light up a room.  I loved James from the moment I met him.  He sat by me the first night and I felt like we were soul mates.  I miss and love you sweet James.  I miss and love all of you!