The Journey

                                           We live in a world centered around - US. We litterally get everything handed to us. We get the privalage of being able to take a quick run to the grocery store where everything is already packaged, already cleaned, and sometimes already prepared for us. And you know what happens to alot of that food? It gets thrown out. We don't eat it and it either rots, gets old or the left overs get thrown away. But do you realize.... that right now, there are children digging through garbage looking for something... TO EAT? There are families looking for their daily meal.... AT A DUMP. And most of those people...  LIVE THERE. When I was walking through the Diepsloot squatter camp of South Africa I saw things like this all the tim...

Ever since returning from Africa... I don't think I have ever been the same. No matter how much I tell stories or try to explain to people what I've seen... They will never understand unless they see it for themselves and even then I am not sure how many people would understand. I'm not even sure if I could even explain what happened and still do it justice. I know I have annoyed most people with how much I talk about Africa. The truth is... I'm completely and utterly obsessed. And I can't even begin to tell you how many annoyed remarks I have gotten because of my obsession. I've heard everything from "You're consumed by this Africa thing" to "Your crazy. What happened to you?" and things like "You have a life outside of Africa you know. Just be greatful for what you have in America." But the thing is... I have an Africa shaped heart. I don't think a day goes by that I don't think about the people I met there. I kn...

I haven't really done as much  as I need to do to raise support for my mission trip to South Africa and Zambia this summer. I have planned on going door to door and I'm about to send out more support letters and make about 100 phone calls. But, over all.. It's not much. Despite that, I have already had about 10 people randomly pledge to support me! I had no idea people were so enthusiastic about what God is using me to do in Africa! I can say for sure that I know God wants me to go back! Today at church, an amazing woman I know walked up to my dad and handed him a $100 check towards my trip! I haven't even sent her a letter yet! He didn't really have to inform her, she simply asked if I were going back and was happy to contribute... Just like that! I've had similar situations happen to me in the past few months and I definately know for sure that- God is faithful! More than blessed, Olivia (Thabisa) Cartwright