...waiting...

First, many thanks to my friends and family who are reading this. I hope you enjoy following along...

Gaining support for my trip to Africa has not always been easy. People want to know what pushed me to volunteer in a third world country. The answer is: a lot of things. Mostly, it is the simple knowledge that I am alive. As a relief worker in Afghanastian, Marla Ruzicka was killed by a suicide bomb at the age of 29. With third degree burns covering 90% of her body, her last words were, "I am alive." I find them so simple and perfect...poignant. That's all there is to say. Why give my time and energy to love a people I have never known? Because I am alive. Here and now.

Many people I encounter also want to know why I chose Africa. For me, this was not a rational, cerebral choice. I simply gravitated toward that part of the world. I believe at least 90% of our current place in life is what we are born into. Had I been born in India, I would have a different skin color, different religion, different set of cultural norms, etc. All souls are one, all people connected. I simply got lucky. So there is no difference to me in helping a pregnant teen in America and a child in Africa.

So why Africa? Why those people?
Because I am Africa. I am the people.

...and so are you.