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| Surreal... |
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| Singing our ABC AIDS song |
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| Village children |
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| Rejoice and her friend |
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| Men's group |
Yep, once again, I am headed off the continent and headed to Accra, Ghana for a humanitarian study abroad with 15 other UVU students. Consider yourself warned that here you will only find my deepest emotions and most honest thoughts regarding my experiences in Africa. My greatest joy derives from helping others and I hope to inspire you to do the same :)
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Take me with you
On Monday, we journeyed as a group over to Manya Krobo once again to teach our Overcoming AIDS program to a group of young men. They had been kind enough to set up chairs, clean them off, and use the tree to provide shade for us under the blazing sun. I am always taken aback by the hospitality of Ghanaians. The group we taught seemed to be located in the middle of some primary schools similar to Gray Memorial. As I looked around, I realized how surreal it all was. There I was in West Africa, sitting in a plastic chair with a tribal symbol that means “accept God”, looking around at several black faces of children, babies, and young adults, watching a football roll around in the red dirt that illuminates under the lush green hills and palm trees, listening to Samuel translate a complicated tribal language and goats bleating, educating people about HIV/AIDS. This scene is one that cannot even be replicated on television. It seemed like a dream I once had and I wondered when I would wake up in Utah. My heart was very full to be participating in such an opportunity. As I sat there listening to my fellow students present their lessons, I felt someone playing with my hair. I turned around to find a group of small fascinated girls that began to quietly chat we me. One endearing nine-year-old girl named Rejoice whispered, “take me with you, please”. I asked her where and was surprised when she replied, “to the USA”. She even informed me that she would go tell her parents at once. This short conversation really touched me that this girl had so much hope in me and desired to leave her home to come to mine. I was a complete stranger, yet she had faith that I could assist her in this dream. Honestly, I wish I could bring all these beautiful African children home with me. What I would give to see their faces light up at the opportunities I am accustomed to in the United States. It is interactions such as this one that make me wish I could trade Rejoice lives, just so she could accomplish her dreams. I have to believe that God will eventually allow her to seize those dreams, just as He has allowed me to constantly seize my own.
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