Every Little Helps

Our team has been working hard all semester to gather supplies and raise money-- it’s so exciting to think that in ONE WEEK we’ll be on our way-- to the other side of the world!!

I would just like to say thank you to all of the people supporting our trip: family, friends, classmates, faculty…and everyone in between! We've held bake sales, and silent auctions, sent out letters, gathered supplies on campus and have been overwhelmed by the generosity we've received. We have raised more than $10,000 in financial donations and more medical supplies than we know what to do with! The money will be used to purchase mosquito nets, which cost about $10 dollars each- divided by $10,000-- that's a thousand nets-- which can protect an entire family (guestimate 6 people per family)-- that's 6,000 people protected from malaria!  On behalf of  Team Cameroon, I would like to thank everyone who has contributed in any way, shape or form. This would not have been possible with out you. 

Thank you!!

From Team Cameroon

Making a list and checking it twice

The semester has now come to a close- finals are done, grades are in, the holidays are quickly approaching and I still have a long to-do list in order to be ready for my trip!!!  I’ve been gathering things here and there—but now it’s time to get down to business!

Shots and medications are in order. Passport/visa are in hand. My skirt collection has grown exponentially. Sunscreen and mosquito repellant are ready for action. Things are coming together!! In the whirlwind of exams, papers and clinical hours Christmas has snuck up on me. So as I sing carols, wrap gifts and decorate the tree I am going over my packing list for the 400^th time. “Well I need about 800+ crayons, props for “malaria tag”- so we know who’s "it" (playing the role of an anopheles mosquito) and who’s the medical-type person (giving “medicine” to those who have been tagged so they can get well… and un-frozen). 

Then there’s a whole list of personal things: camera batteries, outlet converter, some inexpensive sunglasses (that I will surely lose or break during the first week)…and so on. Overall it’s just little sorts of things, which consequently are the easiest types of things to forget. Which is why I’m making a list…and checking it more than twice.

I wish everyone the most joyous of holidays!!

If your spirt dances your body will follow

         This evening I had the opportunity to go to a concert unlike any other I'd attended. The Asante Children's Choir is a group of 24 boys and girls between the ages of eight and fifteen from Rwanda. The group has been touring around the states to raise money in order to provide education and health care for more than a thousand children in Rwanda.
        The tour's title, "The Sound Of Hope" fits perfectly. These children have experienced more hardship in their young lives than I could ever dream of and yet, here they are, singing and dancing about the sincere joy and love they have to share.
        Now as you may know, I love dance and to watch these tiny humans... I can only be describe it as a complete joy; a bubbling excitement in my spirit of the possibility of hope. These beautiful children were exuding an indescribable, infectious energy from every pore- every smile- every voice. Bad things have happened to these kids but you would never know that by seeing them perform. Watching them was truly a privilege.

The performance was truly inspiring-- and if I wasn't going to Africa in twenty-three days, I would be figuring out a way to get there.

The Countdown

I don’t know where the time has gone, but our departure date is quickly approaching:  today is the official “one month” mark! That's right folks: only thirty-one more nights of sleep and I'll be on a plane traveling across land and sea to a new adventure!

Granted I have a lot to do in the 31-day period before my departure, but I still find myself anxiously awaiting January 3rd.

 Time is the longest distance between two places.  ~Tennessee Williams