ok, so i think i'm going to africa...what?!!!

Friday 5.21.10

I’m about to leave. Less than one week I will be in Africa! It’s crazy and exciting to imagine. All I really need to do now is pack (ha). I’ve been having so much fun spending time with friends and family before I go, and doing a little journaling and other prep.

Today, I just finished up teaching a short lesson in a few classrooms. I wanted to do the whole “Connected Through Love” thing focusing on classrooms right now. I had the kids point out Kenya and Uganda on a map, and told them a little information about what I am doing. We talked about possible differences from our culture to their culture, brainstormed ideas of topics we could write about in a letter. The kids imagined writing a letter to someone in Africa, what they would want that person to know about about their life here. Some of the kids talked about food, animals, friends, their rooms, class, etc. Then they drew pictures. So, once I give those letters with pictures to people I meet in Africa, we will all be a little more connected. And I know that the people I give the letters to will learn and feel so loved and special that someone in Colorado made it for them!

Classrooms that are involved are: Mrs. Campbell’s kindergarten class (Dunn Elementary, Fort Collins), Mrs. Clark’s 2nd grade class and Mrs. King’s 4th grade class (Wingate Elementary), Mrs. Hanson’s National Junior Honors Society group of 7th and 8th graders (East Middle), Mrs. Ralston’s 3rd grade class and Miss Wagstrom’s 4th grade class (Orchard Avenue), and Mrs. Pitton’s 3rd grade class (Pear Park). Thank you SO much for letting me do this and to the kids who put their personalities into their pictures and writing.

In my Africa-prep, I feel SO loved and supported. I was nervous about the planning, the money, the timing, etc. and everything has worked out MORE THAN perfectly. I’ve prayed about it and trusted GOD/life with all of this, and I am so happy about how everything has fallen into place and worked out (though of course, a lot of it is not how I planned or expected it to go)! Thank you for your love and support. I cannot describe how special this makes me feel and I am SO blessed to have such amazing people in my life. It makes me happy! So THANK YOU!!!!!

I leave Wednesday and I’ll spend a few days in Cairo (cheaper to fly through there, and I’ve always wanted to go!) before heading to Nairobi, Kenya for training and then placement. All of June I will be doing HIV/AIDS work, and hopefully other work as well! I have no clue what to expect or how things will go so I’m just trying not to have expectations and am ‘planning’ on just going with however things happen (organized, disorganized, don’t know where I’m living, etc.) So, this’ll be an adventure!