Thank You!!

P.S. (Pre-Script, in my world) This is a long one. So you get the main ideas before I bore you to death, here's a summary:

• Still in America, but I've learned a lot already
  
• People = kind and generous
• Money = important
• Dreaming = good
• Realizing a Dream = Amazing
  
• Everyone needs hope
  
• HUGE thank you to everyone in my life - you all have been listeners, maybe unwilling, to my rambling, dreaming, ranting, and unending excitement
  

My journey to Tanzania is a long (and fortunately so) and exciting one. I have yet to leave California, but feel that I have learned so much from this experience already. From Day 1, I knew this would be a great challenge for myself, part because of the preparation and part because of the trip itself. And it is because of the challenge, that I strived to accomplish something new.

Days 1-5 upon acceptance were ones full of excitement, frustration, joy, and disappointment. Maybe I expected too much of my first-generation parents, but let me tell you, they were not happy. When I was home a few weeks prior, I told my dad of my application to One Heart Source and he was very supportive (maybe naively so). I thought my acceptance into the volunteer program would be similarly received. I was naive, too. My mom, who was not home during my visit, was shocked. Every phone call that week started calm and ended in tears. I thought, "This is it. Every kid has their pivotal argument with their parents and here is mine. Things will never be the same." It wasn't a fun week, but I was not about to give up this chance.

The people from OHS I had met at the introductory meeting weeks before blew my mind! They were truly inspirational. I loved their goals, their dreams, and saw myself working beside them. Almost two years into my college career, I was thrilled to meet a group of people I felt at home with. Don't get me wrong, I made good friends before this, but this felt too good to be true. I wasn't going to let it go.

Days 6-20 I rarely called home, in fear that a conversation about Africa would only yield to more argument and more dismay. The arguments had become repetitive, time consuming, and unproductive.

As the Calming Period came to an end, other goals surfaced. I had, for the time being, given up on convincing my parents that I was doing something good in this world, not ruining my life. Money was the next hurdle. Where was I, a full-time student and part-time tutor and shuttle driver, going to get $4500?

Then, there was the facebook event. And then countless messages, e-mails, and phone calls.

And somewhere out of this mess, you showed me great amounts of generosity. The monetary amount is not what surprised me. Almost FOURTY donors contributed to my Tanzania fund. Many more of you have helped in many other ways. Probing questions, insightful suggestions, worrisome cautions and lots and lots of encouragement and expressions of support have greatly helped me realize my dream. Thank you.

The journey from Point A (wanting to go to Africa) to Point B (going to TZ in just 24 days) has been a great one. Although there is a long and exciting journey ahead of me, the one so far has been amazing. I have surpassed my own expectations and am so excited to keep moving forward.

Planning for this trip has been my largest challenge yet. Playing tuba was tough, so was playing and then quitting rugby. This, tops it all. I wanted it more and it required more work than ever before. Hope, love, and lots of dedication has made this possible. Everyone needs hope. I believe we can bring hope to some of the orphaned children in Tanzania. I believe we will.



Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for all of your help.

I can't wait to tell you more.

In 29 days

After a slow, long week with little work to do, my mind has had lots of time to wander.

In my hours of Internet surfdom, I've found blogs of some of our volunteers. Joe and Stephen are recent grads of UCLA and are a part of the OHS Fall Group. Their blogs are beautifully done complete with photos and thoughts. In the weeks before we join up with them and even when Michael and I are in TZ, visit their sites for more thorough and very likely more eloquent updates.

I'm nervous, scared even. I'm excited, more than anything.

Our reasons, our purposes, their lives

Hey guys it's Michael,

If you had asked me 3 months ago the first things that came to my mind when I heard or saw the word "Tanzania", I probably would have thought of the following things:
1. Africa
2. AIDS
3. Ethnic Cleansing
4. Leonardo DiCaprio in Blood Diamond (hey, it's a good movie)

3 months later, the things that now come to my head when I hear "Tanzania" are much different. I, like many around me, have been somewhat ignorant to the problems that plague the African continent. Today, I am much more educated in the problems that plague the specific nation of Tanzania. Looking back at my old list, number one of my list still works. Tanzania is most definitely in Africa, Sub-Sahara Africa to be specific. Numbers 3,4 on the other hand..ehhh..not so much. There is, however, currently violence in neighboring Kenya, but Tanzania has not been the breeding ground for many racial wars. Blood Diamond was definitely set in Africa, but more than 1000 miles away from Tanzania. Set in Seirra Leone, Blood Diamond has nothing to do with Tanzania.

Number 2 on the list..a totally different story. AIDS is a huge problem in Tanzania and I'd like to post some numbers from the OHS site just to show how big and how devasting of a problem HIV/AIDS has been in the nation of Tanzania and inform you guys a little about why I am going to Tanzania.

-In Tanzania alone, there are currently 2.4 million orphans, with 1.1 million of them orphaned by HIV/AIDS. Tanzania is the country with the second highest number of orphans due to the epidemic worldwide. It is projected that by 2010 there will be 2.9 million orphans, and increasing numbers for at least the next decade.

-6.5% of the population between 15-49 is HIV positive.

-Currently there are 52 orphanages caring for 3000 children in Tanzania. NONE are community-based programs that foster academic and practical education, life skills, and community leadership development.60% of females will turn to prostitution, and 80% of males become incarcerated at least once within three years.

-On the streets of Arusha, Tanzania, with every square mile there are more than 1,200 orphaned street kids.

-Mother-to-child transmission of HIV accounts for 18% of newly infected in Tanzania.

This is their lives and my reason and my purpose for being a part with OHS.

[sidenote]

Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony was crazy cool.

I believe in angels