I was blessed to spend three weeks in Africa this summer and while I was there I met many wonderful people. Two women however, will forever be etched in my memory. I want to tell you about them and for their privacy, I will call them Ghati and Robi. I was visiting homes with my friend Suzie and our Maasai translator when we met these…
I was traipsing up the mountain through a cane field in Kenya because its owner wanted me to see the vastness of sugar cane field. On most days, this would have been a welcomed endeavor, but it was the end of the rainy season in Africa, and with each step I seeped deeper and deeper into the mud. Trying my best to keep the bottom…
Those of you that know me know that I absolutely LOVE the Olympics! I know this sounds cheesy but there’s just something that pulls at my heartstrings when I see all the different nations coming together for this grand event. In 2000, I was blessed to work at the Sydney Olympics and ever since, it’s like the Olympics are somehow in my blood. I was…
Last night, I gripped my daughter’s hand amidst the blood curdling screams. I couldn’t bring myself to open my eyes for fear that the screams might be hers. In a matter of seconds (that seemed like an eternity), my heartbeat slowed and I gradually opened my eyes to steal a glance at Jorjanne. What I saw delighted my heart! She was grinning from ear to…
Last week, a women in our SOS (Survivors of Suicide) support group shared how she cringes each time she hears someone say, “Oh if that happened, I’d kill myself,” or “I could just shoot myself.” Phrases such as these have become second nature for many and unfortunately, the speaker rarely thinks about the implications of what is being said. Rarely is the speaker actually contemplating…
I spent the last several weeks in Kenya and Tanzania — two countries that are very near and dear to my heart. I thought I’d share a few photos from my hotel room in Tanzania along with thoughts from my journal regarding the view. 6/30/12 Journal Entry I feel like I am dreaming. I look over the balcony and see a young boy sitting on…