School Equals More Opportunities

I was raised in a home that believes that education is very important. If I wanted to go further in life, then I had to seek higher education for better opportunities. In Chad, not everyone is given that privilege. There are homes where they make equivalent to $1 daily, which has to go to food in order to survive. This means in some homes education is not what is most important at the time. I saw families that were being raised in a single parent or grandparent household. The parent worked hard to give their child/children a brighter future, but money did not always add up. In other cases, when there were multiple kids only a few of them were able to go to school. Lastly, girls do not always continue until high school for various reasons. According to UNICEF, there are about one in five children that are not able to go to primary school. For those that do go to school, only one in three of them finishes primary education (2015).

Two years ago I asked anyone willing to donate money towards some kids in Bere, Chad. There was an overwhelming response from people to donate. All the money went towards their schooling, supplies, and uniforms. There were more than 30 kids that were given the opportunity to continue on with their education!! One of the individuals was a girl that wanted to finish up high school. Her mother was going blind and her brother did not want to help pay for schooling anymore. He said that she would probably get married soon, so there would be no reason. Because of someone's donation, she was able to beat the system that says girls do not need education.

This year, once again I am asking for your help in any way. There are some kids this school year that need money in order to attend school. Some of the kids in need are being raised by a single mother, Giselle. Her husband died earlier this year from a heart attack. Her husband was a well known respectable nurse that worked at the local hospital. He left behind four kids to a mother who does not make a lot of money. The ages of her kids are about 12, 9, and 6 years old. The price for school is about 10,000 CFA each which is roughly $17 and uniforms are 6,000 CFA each, which is $10.

Another family has a mother that collects branches in the woods, then walks miles to come home to make charcoal. After hours of making charcoal, she brings them to the market to sell. She has three children that are in need of attending school this year. The ones that need sponsors are 10 and 7 years old. For each child it's $17 for school and $10 for uniform. An extra $5 will give them money for their books and school supplies. A child that is in higher level of education has to pay 25,000 CFA which is about $42.

Please help these kids attend school at Bere Adventist School in Chad, Africa. Even if you only can give $17, that will give money for one child to attend school. Any amount of money will make a difference. The more that is given, the more that can be done. Thanks in advance for making your contribution!!

Here is a picture of some of the kids that showed their appreciation to donors two years ago.

~ The small things you do for someone else can make lifetime impressions on them. ~

Birthday giving

Birthdays are always a fun thing for me. For anyone who reaally knows me, they know it's a big deal. Weeks, even months before I am thinking of things to do. For the last two years, I spent my joyous days in Chad. For 2014, I had a party where all my friends were invited. We had food, games and fun. I invited some of my friends from Chad to join and they learned the three legged race, water balloon toss and limbo. Last year, I had more people from village come and I had a joint birthday with a missionary (but it was really for me haha). We had food, dancing and games. It was so much fun to dance with my girls and some of the ladies that I didn't normally joke with in that way. I am all about having fun with everyone. This year I will be having my activities in Florida, which is very far from Chad. I still miss the people, culture, language and food. My heart still feels a sharp pain when I think of those that I can't see. I wish I was rich, then I would send money to create more avenues for the hospital and community to thrive.

This year, I want to give back. I want to raise funds during the month of March for people in Béré area. I want to give back to those who gave me so much. I want to give to those who help others. Since I can't be there to celebrate, this is my gift to them :-). I want to raise money for Project 21, nutrition center, Michellen (lady who helps handicapped kids and elderly) and needy fund. Instead of this birthday being all about me, let's make it about others.

Help me make this a Great 30th birthday by donating money towards great causes. You can also by purses, shirts, skirts or woven platters from Project 21, which helps it to continue. Please pass this along to others! Thanks for celebrating with me!
I will update blog with my information, but till then just head to my donation button and make a contribution.

Do unto the least of these

 As I have already announced to you call I will be leaving Chad very soon. It took a while for me to inform everyone, because I was coming to grips with the idea as well. There are only two weeks left till I say farewell to my home and friends in Chad. I have done a few things here and there for people, but I do not want that to stop just because I have left. I would like to raise money for certain people then for general people. I want to raise as much as I can before I leave, so that I can hand the gift or money to them before I depart. If you are still interested in giving something to someone after I leave feel free to give. All giving can be done through my Paypal on this blog. You can indicate which person you want to give it to, or just give it with no attached note. Below I will give a short background on the people that I want to help.

 Blinded

Her name is Naomi and she lives in the far edge of Bere tucked behind some trees. She lives with her daughter and grandchildren in a round mud brick hut with straw for the roof. I met her after one of the missionaries that would help her went back home. Every time she comes looking for food her granddaughter who is about 8 years old guides her through the twists and turns of the journey of a couple of miles to the hospital. When one speaks to Naomi you have to get uncomfortably close in order to yell into her ear. Not only is she blind, but also partially deaf. When she knows it is you who is talking her smile widens to showcase all of her teeth. Then she claps your hands as she raises them to the sky while calling out a blessing and thanking God. She could say something like Kouma kora, which means God is good in the local Nanjere language. With the help of donations in the past, I have been able to provide her with food here and there. I have also given her money and bought her charcoal to help her start her own business. I would like to buy her a goat to replace the one that died. I want to give her a pregnant goat that will bring her many more goats that she can sell to get money. A price for a goat can range between $40-70.

 Well of life

Our translator Naomi is someone that I have come to hold dear. She is always so full of love, joy, laughter and energy. She learned English when she was living in Nigeria for part of her life. She is a single mother of six children, five boys and a girl who is her niece. She is always willing to work hard, so that she can provide food, shelter, and schooling for her children. Even though she is our employee I have gotten to know her to be my friend. One thing that would make her life easier is if she could have her own well. People in the past have attempted to dig a well for her, but the ground was just too solid. We would like to give her a gift of a well, which will be dug up by men who do that as their job. We are estimating this will be about $300.

 Giving all

The last individual is Michelene, whom I have addressed in a recent post. In short, she works at a rehabilitation center for children, while raising at least eight other children on her own. Any given day you may hear her talking on the radio about the rights of women and children. She fights for the equality of those who are most forgotten in Chad. She works so hard for others, so I want to bless her and the center with a donation. She pays for many of the kids schooling, buys medicine for those in need, and takes in those who are orphans. Someone recently stole many of her things a couple of weeks ago (I will be posting a blog that explains all that was stolen and how). Any form of a gift would be a complete blessing to her. You can make two separate donations for her and the center or combined.

 Needy

I am also asking donations for those in general. There are those moms that I will help pay for their child’s hospital bill. Other times it is one of my grandma friends that needs to get some medicine. There are different people that come through asking for help and if there is funding for them then that will help those in Chad to be able to help more people. Since I live next to the hospital a lot of the people are coming asking for hospital bills to be paid, food for a day, clothes, or a job.

If you know me then you know that I am not someone that goes begging others for money, not even my parents. I am asking for help at this time because I want to be able to help just a few more people before I leave. I am also hoping that the donations will keep on coming through when I am home, so that I can still make a difference even though I am on the other side of the world. Thanks for your help and God blessings!

~ Giving does more for the giver than the person receiving ~

Farewell for now..

One of the hardest things for me to do in life is say goodbye to those that I care deeply about. Many times I just try to ignore the fact that I have to leave, just so that I do not have to feel the pain. As you can probably guess by now I will be leaving Chad…Just writing that sentence makes my heart pound faster and begin to try to run away. I have been trying to hide from this fact for a while. I went back and forth in my heart and mind on which is the next path to take in life. One path seems good and the other seems better. This is one of those points in life where I wish that I could have it all. The other week this is what I wrote:

     If I just keep it inside will it still hurt as much? If I just seal my lips will it allow me to escape reality? If I don't face the music will it just pass by? That is how I think things work sometimes. It is just easier to not deal with it cause the pain is just too great. If I just hold off a little longer maybe things will turn around then I wont have to deal with the pain. I don't want to admit that I am leaving Chad. I do not want to tell those I am closest to because it hurts to just mention it. When the words escape my lips and they ask me why I scrunch up my eyes to hold in the tears that are eager to fall. So instead I just ignore it and fight within if this is the right thing to do.
 
The raw pain that I feel inside is very much real. Honestly, there were times when I would cry at the thought of me leaving. People back home are eager for me to come back to their lives living in America. They think that it is the best thing and most logical thing for me to do. Some think that this place is just so full of hardship and pain that I would surely be running back home. When I have gone home in the past for a break there are people who are so excited because they think that I am home for good. When I inform them that I am going back they look at me in such disbelief..why would I ever want to go back! Why wouldn't I want to go back? Chad has become my home. I have friends, family, a home, and work. When I walk down the street sometimes I feel like the theme song for the TV Show Cheers “I want to go to a place where everybody knows my name.” The place where everybody knows my name is Bere, Chad. I have oddly fallen in love with this village that is on the other side of the world tucked between a few bushes.

I will not tell you that life in Chad is easy. I won’t lie and say that there are beautiful sceneries everywhere. I will not say that all the food is just great. I won’t say that I see lions, giraffes, and monkeys walking around. I will not say that everyone is full of love and wants to get to know you. What I will tell you that you can find beauty within the things that do not seem as nice. You can find people that capture your heart and soul. You will find those people that make you realize that you aren’t as giving as you thought, because they are poor yet give so much away. You will find those people who smile and wave at you like you are their best friend. You will find those babies that tug at your heart strings and make you want to take them home. You find peace when you look into the night sky without light pollution and be able to see the milky way clearer than ever. You can find those people that are eager to help if you are lost, broken down, or in need of help. You will find those people that sing songs of gladness just because you gave them a ride to their destination. You will see people from various tribes with rich cultures. What I have found in Bere is beauty.. Beauty in the people. Beauty in the places I have gone. Beauty in the simplicity of life. Beauty in the actions of some people. Not too often do you go somewhere and find such beauty.

Now can you understand why it is so much harder for me to leave this place! Don’t get me wrong, I do have those days when my rose tinted glasses are taken off and all I see is the darkness. It can be easier to just look at the things that get you so frustrated and annoyed with a place. You will find those that hurt you rather than bless you. I have those sick days where I just want to leave, because I know I won’t have to deal with the pain anymore. I just want to eat good food from home and chat with my family some days. I have those days when I just want to have a family member or friend give me a hug. What the challenge is, is finding the joy, peace, love, trust, and thankfulness through the hurt, pain, suffering, heartache, and loneliness. You know that you really do like a place when at the end of the day, in spite of all the negative things, you still would rather stay there than any other place.

??? After all of this you are probably confused on why I am leaving when I feel so connected to this place.  ???

I felt like Jacob wrestling God and waiting impatiently for His answer for His will for my life. After much prayer, talking to others, and God telling me numerous times to be still, I finally stopped fighting. I stopped fighting the fear of leaving this place. Truthfully, I am more worried about leaving because I don't know if I will ever make it back to my other home again. It is not like Chad is a vacation destination and an easy place to get to. When I looked within myself I saw that mixed in with the pain of leaving here was the longing to be back home. I miss family and friends dearly, which is expected. I am missing out on my niece and nephew growing up, I think that is what hurts me the most. I also feel deep within that this chapter of my life is finished, no matter how painful it is to turn the page I still have to do it. I think that it is time to find another job and see what God has planned for me next. With a very heavy heart with tears streaming within my heart and on the outside I came to the decision that this is the end of my experience here. Deep inside I do hope that I can come back and be able to see the same smiling faces that have taken a place within my heart. I do want to continue to help those in need here even though I will be an ocean away. This journey that I am going to embark upon is not going to be an easy one, but I know that God is still holding my hand. I will leave behind a lot of wonderful people and experiences, but all of these things will still be within my heart.
The place that I was so afraid to come to is now the place that I am so afraid to leave..its crazy how the story changes. What my experiences here have taught me is that no matter how crazy of an idea it may seem God is asking of you when you do it you will see that it is the best thing you could have ever done. I have only a few weeks left in Chad before I embark on my journey back to America. What is next? I still do not know, but that is what makes the journey more interesting. Pray for whatever is next for me, that I will face it with great courage and hope.

 
~ Sometimes the pages you have to turn in life are very difficult, but it is the most important thing you can do so you can see what the next chapter has written for your life. ~

 

Burdened to serve

 

While growing up I read and heard stories of different people in history that did great things for their people and country. Some people fought hard for human rights, but never lived to see how much of an impact they really made. When I think of those people in history that were pioneers and fighters I wish that I could have marched alongside them. I wish I could have been one of the people in the crowd that marched to the sound of their words as they echoed into people’s hearts. I wish I could have been there when Martin Luther King did his famous dream speech. I wish I could have been there when Harriet Tubman brought people through the underground railroad. I wish I could have been at an event where Corrie Ten Boom gave her life story. I live in times where things are not as they used to be and it seems as though those prominent heroes are far in-between. But, is that really the case? Are there less people raising their voices against injustice? Are people being silenced from speaking up for those that are never heard or seen? Maybe there are people that are still doing it, but we just never realized. Living in Tchad has made me want to be one of those women marching in the streets declaring that women are people also. I have heard of people that are here fighting for the injustice of children and woman, while others are trying to silence them. I wanted to meet some of these women that fight against what society calls normal. 

I have had the privilege of meeting one of those dynamic women. I heard many great stories about Michelene Tchungli through word of mouth and the internet. After I heard so much about her I knew that I had to meet this lady. Upon meeting her I was honored just to be able to sit in her home and speak with her. She has a very humble and gentle spirit that transpires through her eyes. She is the person that will always greet you on the street and invite you in if you have nothing to eat. She is the one who works hard to provide for her family and many other children who are not even her own. She is a woman that has rose from the ashes of despair to the mountain of victory. She has come so far, but she is still reaching for the highest mountain top.  Michelene lives in a city fifteen minutes away called Laï. She has been the director for the rehabilitation center for children for over a decade. She lives in a comfortable home with her kids and orphans that she has accepted as her own along the way. If you had met her more than fifteen years ago you would have seen her in a totally different state. She was married to a man that decided that he wanted her for his own, so he had his friends capture her for himself. When she was sick for over 6 months he just ignored her and took away for things. She was having one child after the next and running to the safety of her parents home in between her second and third child. One day you may have seen her lying down beaten and left to die in the streets by the same man who claimed to be her husband. If it weren’t for some neighbors who rescued her from the streets and provided nutrients for her till she awoke, she might not be here today. After fighting so hard for the injustice her husband brought upon her she was finally able to get divorced from him. He took all that was hers and left her to defend for herself. One of the priests at the local Catholic Church heard of how much she helped woman in the area, so he requested for her to get training to work with the handicapped children. Ever since that day she has worked at the Talità Kum Center in Laï. The center helps those who have polio or are handicapped for other reasons. There are some girls that are there because they were so badly raped that they are unable to walk normal anymore. The center teaches them how to become more independent, cook, crochet, garden, and sew clothing. On the weekend they take the items that they made and sell them at the local market. The center is also a safe haven for these kids because they live there till they are old enough to go out on their own. The children attend classes in the daytime at a local school and have trainings at the center in the evening. At this time there are about fifteen boys and girls that are living there in dorm style rooms. Michelene has a rice field that she works in all summer in order to get earn extra money from the rice she sells to pay for the children to go to school and their hospital bills. She also helps people in the community that need medicine or hospital bills to be paid.

 Helping the elderly, women, and children is the burden that she feels that she needs to fill. She speaks out on the radio regularly about the rights of these undermined populations. In the past she organized a march for girls that were raped and needed justice. At times she will call the police to arrest a man that has abused a girl. When I speak with her I am in just complete awe in all of the things that she does. She is always willing to give all that she has because she knows that God will provide for her tomorrow. If I could be just half of the woman that she is then I know that I have done a lot for society. Meeting people like her creates a fire within to surge and thirst to go out and create a movement or change in people’s lives. I don’t want to be just another person that looks at others to be the leaders, but I would rather be the one in the front leading the way. I don't know what activism I will lead one day, whether it be woman’s rights, trafficking, abuse, or poverty, but I know one day I will be out there with people like Michelene. We don’t have to wait for a big march to occur, we can look around our neighborhoods for people that need care. We can volunteer at a center or help at a foster care. There are many voices crying out for love, attention, and care and we can be the very answer to their cries. 

Michelene is someone that I have given a couple of small donations to in the past to help with the work that she is doing. I would love to help her even more, but that requires help from people like you. I want to give her money to help with school fees, hospital bills, and whatever things she finds necessary. If you are interested in helping with a few to possibly hundreds of dollars please don’t hesitate to donate through my Paypal. If you want money to go to the center specifically then indicate that with your transaction. Anything can help and will make a difference. 

 

“What God gives me in my mind to think of to do for people, I will do.”

Michelene Tchungli

Never forgotten

Living in a different country is always exciting within itself. The new air, tastes, sights, sounds,  and unique things within your grasp. All of your senses are exposed to a new experience. I have not seen even a quarter of the world, but I have still gotten around. So far I have been to South Korea, Thailand, China, Jamaica, Honduras, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Chad. Every place has given me unique adventures and memories that I will carry with me forever.
A couple of Thursday evenings ago, I had one of those epic moments that aren't the biggest deal, but still leave a touch in your memory. If I were to be direct and not whatsoever poetic I would say that I went to a different village, helped with mobile clinic, ate dinner there then came back home. By saying it that way it gives no justice to what I truly experienced. Many times people want to just get down to the meat of a story, but to me the small details are what make the experience real to the other person. Sooo I will have to give you the details of my impressionable day.
That day started like many days, me waking up to see that I accidently fell asleep for longer than normal..oh maybe those aren't the details you care about ,let me skip to the more interesting part. In the afternoon we left to go to a nearby village with four nurses, one doctor, two medical students, two project 21 workers, and two translators..we squished most into the suv and the rest went by moto. After riding quite close squished between two people on a moto, we finally ended our bumpy route. We set up shop after being greeted by eager kids that were waiting for our arrival. Kids were instructed to go into one line to get their health checked and receive a pill for worms. The adults and pregnant women were asked to go into other lines. Young, newborns, grandparents, and all between came to get their health checked for free.
It was amazing to see a baby move around in a mothers belly, which we watched on a small portable synogram the size of an Ipad. The mothers would look at the screen and smile from being able to see such a miraculous wonder.
More than halfway into the day one of the nurses, who is a missionary here, was asked to asses a woman who delivered a baby that morning. The husband walked briskly in front of us, guiding us down the different dirt paths that led to his small compound. As we walked up to the round, mud brick hut that she was in, I felt like I was stepping into one of those documentaries that you see on TV where you are deep in the bush of Africa, but in reality I wasn't. She was laying down on a straw woven mat placed on top of bricks. You could see the fatigue that was behind her weak eyes. She handed over her new God given baby boy over to Kim. The boy was chunky and seemed to be completely fine. Kim and Naomi massaged her stomach to see if there were signs that her uterus wasn't contracting. Kim also made sure she wasn't hemorraging. After consulting the mother on exculsive breastfeeding and what to do if the pain didn't subside, we walked back to the clinic.
I took pictures of the surrounding area and kids periodically. The kids loved to gather around and look at their faces on the screen. Soon they began to ask if I would take another and another photo. They would point at the photo saying that's me, that's me.. Having a camera around kids here brings such joy to their day. Later on I was talking to a nurse that is just visiting for three weeks, she found a little girl to hold. The girl extended out her little arm signaling that she wanted me to hold her. As I held her in my arms I noticed that she became more and more relaxed. Soon she was fast asleep resting her head on my arm. I sat on a mat while rocking her off to deep sleep. To hold a small child in your arms as they relax into sleep is one of the most touching things about kids. For me, it is as though the child is saying that they trust you and find you comforting as well.
We stayed out in the village longer than expected, thus I was ready to head back and get some food in my stomach. The pastor informed us that they were in the midst of preparing food for us. What a pleasant surprise! I have experienced many times when we go out into the different villages, that they put it upon themselves to prepare us tea or dinner. These acts of kindness warms my heart, because they go out of their way to show their kindness when they truly do not need to. Zach, Miki, and I waited under the stars for the food to be finished, while the rest of the crew had to head back home. We ate our famous Chadian dish of boulle with sauce. (Boulle is rice that has been pounded down into flour then boiled. Afterwards it is placed into a bowl, which gives it it's shape). We ate as much as we possibly could then mounted the bike heading back to Bere. I sat in the middle again, but this time I was more willing because the night air was already chilly. We bounced up and down the dirt road, while shivering and wishing we had brought jackets. After riding along the sandy path through the rice fields we approached our destination of the hospital compound.
Though not much happened that day, it is the small things that I will remember. There are not many times I will probably experience going to do a mobile clinic, assessing a woman after delivered in her hut, or riding under the stars on a moto with three passengers. Since I won't always have these days, I will have to cherish them. People say to live each day in the present and enjoy it, instead of rushing for tomorrow. Those moments as simple as a kid reaching for your hand, seeing a magnificent sunset, swimming in a river, or giving something to someone in need are ones we are to hold onto. We should also go out and try to make memories, instead of living a mundane life. Life is to be lived, it doesn't need to be in a foreign country, it could be just down the street. Life is what you make of it, so take a walk through the woods, sleep under the stars, learn a new hobby, teach a kid a game, or simply sit by the beach. Whatever you choose to do, just take the time to live in the moment.

~ Cherish those moments that tug at your heart. Make memories for others as you make them for yourself. ~

Bon Année!!

Happy New Year! Another year has fallen upon us. Another year has slipped into the back of our memories. These can be memories of joyous occassions, laughter, triumph, trials, and/or growth. Whatever your past year may have looked like doesn't matter as much now. We are in a new year, with experiences for us to capture. This past year for me was full of ups, downs, laughter, tears, trials, sickness, connectedness, lonliness, growth, and rolling backwards. I have learned a lot this past year about myself, people, and God. Though I had trials and down times, these were the times I saw God's face. When I felt all alone amongst others, I knew God was there and my true friend. When I had no one to reach out to, He streched His arms to hold me and carry me through. When I wasn't sure how a task would come about, He brought it to be even better than I imagined. When my body grew tired from sickness, He showed me his healing power. When I thought I couldn't go on, He gave me His strength. When I wasn't sure what to do, He opened my eyes to a new way. This past year for me has been God. God has been there every step and turn I took this past year. It is good to just sit back in solitude and think of what occured in the past year and how much you overcame.

This past year for Project 21 involved many leaps of joy. Our project doesn't always seem to get recognized, but that all changed. Loma Linda School of Public Health decided that they wanted to be apart of the movements of Project 21. They said that they want to provide us with a stipend, practicum student, and other resources. We weren't sure what would happen next, so this was a pleasent surprise. Accompanied with this new change was us being heads over the nutrition center for malnourished kids. This past summer we helped out with the program by giving lectures and making a weeks supply of fattening milk based supplement. Working with the mothers and kids was such a rewarding time for me, so I was eager to be able to work with such a great intiative again.

Another change in our program was us expanding our borders to other villages. We finished giving lectures to all 21 quartiers (communities) in Bere earlier in the year, but we couldn't possibly stop there. We began to go to the villages that are oulining Bere, but still within in county. We have not finished this task, but are just barely begining since we want to reach 22 villages in all. The people in other villages are further from the hospital and may not have a clinic nearby. They are more likely to wait longer to get help and may not have as much knowledge about the danger of certain things. I love going out to these villages, because I feel like they need to hear our lectures the most. Too often there are people from far away villages that wait till the last minute to seek care and it ends up being too late.

Not everything that I do is related to Project 21. This past year I started to help out a couple of people here and there. The main person who helps people in need, Tammy, was gone on vacation, but that didn't mean that helping people would have to end. You all know I helped a mother and baby earlier in the year, but her baby still ended up dying. I tried to help her more with her other child, but she was afraid that her other child would die also. I haven't seen her since the day she refused to get care for her malaria, edemic, fatigued boy... Later in the year, I meet this lady named Naomi, because she was seeking for help from Tammy. Naomi is blind and mostly death, thus a little girl leads her around with a cane. I would give her food and soap until she came back the next month. I got money from a friend that I could use toward whatever, so I designated some for people I help. I gave Naomi a large sack of charcoal and some money that she would use to start a business. I also did the same for a grandma I know that is poor and lost the grandboy she was raising. Her house fell down due to the heavy rains from the summer, so she lives in neighbors house. Just seeing the joy in their eyes, hearing their thankfulness, and knowing this would make a difference to them made it all worth it.
One other thing that I did this past year was raise money for kids needing help to pay tuition and uniforms at the local SDA school. I decided to just announce the need of assistance on FB, but never thought that it would get much attention. As always, God exceeds your expectations. I expected to raise a couple hundred dollars..that would help some kids. But instead I raised $1,500!! That was enough to pay for all 31 needy students to go to school, plus give some of them uniforms and supplies. The willingness of others truly touched my heart. The last thing that I got myself involved into was writing a book. I felt impressed to make a photo coffee book and/or book on the stories of women from Chad that have overcome. Thus far, I only got to interview one person, Michelene. She lives in nearby city where she is a voice for women, orphans, and handicapped girls. I plan on meeting other women who share her passion for making Chad a better place for women.

As you can see there have been a lot of different things that have happened in my life this past year. I only gave you a glance into all that I was involed in, because there is too much to say. I am eager to see what all God has planned for me this year. I am now back In Chad, getting back into the swing of things. There are still many things that I would like to accomplish with the project or individually. As this year continues on please keep all of my plans and visions in prayer. I want this to not be a year of regrets, but a year of going beyond my wildest dreams. Will you come on this journey with me??
~ Look towards the future with hope, faith, and love ~