Thursday, February 3, 2011

Blog privacy

I am keeping this blog open and not making it private.  I am doing this in hopes that I will spread a wider net and hopefully raise more money with my fundraiser!  With that being said though, you will notice that I will be sharing no details about my travel dates or times or any details about my trip to Kinshasa.  I do have a private blog which has more of my personal and family information but will not approve anyone that I don't know.  If you are interested in following that, please contact me.  

Congo is a country that unfortunately has a very sad and corrupt history.  With that being said, bribery, even at an orphanage, hospital or airport is common and I wouldn't want to compromise anything!  I hope you understand that my lack of detail isn't because I'm not a cool chick because actually if you knew me you'd probably tell me I say TOO much, but because of my safety and the safety of my travel partners and the children we are helping!

Some things I will see and experience in Kinshasa

I've never been to Kinshasa before and I hope that this won't be my only trip there.  I have been spending a lot of time thinking about the things I will likely see and experience while I'm there.
  • Some of the most beautiful people in the world
  • Some of the greatest music in the world
  • Someone trying to steal my stuff
  • Someone asking for a bribe
  • A child dying from starvation
  • A child dying from malaria
  • Holding a child that is dying
  • Helping a child that is dying
  • Looking in the eyes of the many children I can't take home or help
  • Wondering why I am the lucky one
  • Making friendships that will last a lifetime
  • Seeing pure joy in the eyes of a child when I give them something so simple, like a ball
  • Asking "why" a million times
  • Sweating profusely and wanting nothing more then a bath, then picking up a child covered in feces and holding them tight and suddenly not caring at all
  • Crying
I know these things, good and bad, are going to happen.  That is why I want to do everything in my power NOW to raise money for these children so that when these things are happening I am not mad at myself for not doing more.