It's Not All About Africa...

Well, I haven't blogged for a ridiculously long time... been trying to put into words what has been on my heart... 

I have decided on a new answer to the classic "it's not all about Africa" comment that usually comes up... or even the "why Africa?"...

The truth of the matter is.... Yes it is all about Africa and the why is... If I didn't have Africa who would I be? If you would have asked me 2 years ago where I thought I would be in my life... The last thing I would have said would be an advocate for orphans in Sierra Leone... Actually I doubt I would have even known where it was..... 

Sierra Leone is in West Africa, seen in red above.

You see... There is this God... He is a pretty amazing God who has these plans for us... Plans that were made even before we were... And He knows where we are going, why, and how...

 About this time last year after my first trip I remember thinking, "I HAVE to get back to that country" ...I had no idea how and I don't even really think I can say I knew why... I just knew that a huge chunk of my heart would forever be there... With all the kids, but especially Foday...(shout out to Melissa, I've never met you but I am so excited you're his Forever Mom!) I had no idea how I was going to be able to go back and see him and the other kids and the country and well, all of it... But God provided....

Foday and me on my first trip in May 2011

At the beach on my trip in May of this year. 

So it's that time of year again for me... And I think I am going to have a lot of these times... Wondering when I will go back, how on earth I will be able to save/raise enough money to go...and what God will have in store for me on the next trip... But this year is a little different for me... Mom, Dad, and I just went to San Antonio, TX for a family vacation... And I guess you could say I had a lot of what I like to call... brick wall moments... Most people would say that when an idea hits you it's a light bulb moment.. Well when something relating to Africa hits me... It comes with the strength of a brick wall... No light bulbs for this girl...

It all started on the plane ride to TX... Our flight attendant, Sharon, she was one of those angels God sends you at the most random times to re-energize the fire He lit in your heart.... Well Sharon and I got into a conversation about Sierra Leone and how I got involved and what we do when we are there.... And let me tell you, that woman got it! Her heart was truly hurt by what I was telling her and she understood how I felt... Those of you who have been to SL or other trips like it will know what I mean... Not many people truly get it... They nod their heads and move on with their normal lives... Well guess what... For those of us who have gone to Sierra Leone and fallen in love with a child, who have seen indescribable poverty, who have held a child inches from death... We don't have normal lives any more... 

Holding baby Zainab (5 months old) at the children's hospital.
It took us what seemed like forever to find a pulse,
and it was barely there when we did find it.

From there it was the little things... Wearing one of my TRS shirts that says "part of my heart lives in Africa" into a restaurant and one of the workers saying " I like your shirt, that's really cool".... Reading updates about how TRS is helping save innocent lives and what teams on the ground are doing... Sitting in an airport waiting to fly home from a vacation and getting an answered prayer in a Facebook message from Sara about being part of a fundraising committee.... Getting an email from a Central communications staff member interviewing me about my experience and giving me the opportunity to share my stories.... You see... My life is no longer normal... 

I have had people tell me a trip like this would be too hard... well yes its hard, it's been the hardest thing I have ever done... But this life is not mine, it's His... And who am I to tell the  King of Kings.... "you know what? I think I'm ok... I'll just chill out here in my comfort zone and live my fairy tale life..." I can't do that... My life has been gloriously ruined... For this country  that has the brightest stars shining in the midst of the darkness... 

So yes, now it is all about Africa... That is where God sent me... That is what He called me to... We are ALL part of His kingdom... It's not just America... It's not just Africa... It's all of it.... He calls each of us to different parts ... To do different things...  So for me, right now... It's all about Africa because that's where I have been called.... What's yours? Where is God calling you? Sierra Leone? Romania? Guatemala? Down the street? Next door? ....If you look... There are people in need everywhere... And you and I are His hands and feet.... So what are you waiting for?

May 2011 Team

May 2012 Team

To those of you who have been gloriously ruined along with me... Don't let the fire in your fight die... Recognize the people in your life like Sharon the flight attendant who re-energize you... And keep fighting for His kingdom... We will win.

This has been on my mind lately...

I will be traveling to Sierra Leone again this May... As we are approaching the trip and I have been thinking about all of the stress, money, time, that goes into a trip like this and then I remember it is nothing compared to what the people we see while we are there go through every day... it is nothing compared to the things God does for us... it is simply life... and while I'm living it... I want the ride to be worth it...

 So I'm hoping on the life roller coaster that has big loops, hills, and rides really fast... because coasting on a flat track would just not be what God has asked of  me...                                                   

"I will not leave you as orphans..." John 14:18

Wondering how you can help the kiddos at The Covering?  There are so many ways you can make a difference in their lives! How about sponsoring a child for education, clothing, medicine, or all of them together?

Picking Violets is an up and coming country duo.  Not only do they have beautiful voices but they also have beautiful hearts...  Join PV as they fight to save the orphans.

Check out the video at this link below to see how $7 a month can help these, and many other, smiling faces!!

Learn about The TRIBE!
(use code IA3)

If you have any questions feel free to email me at wilsonh1@central.edu

Thanks for your support!

Across the ocean...

Well... it's been a while since I have had a chance to finish the stories of my trip! I've been a bit busy since we got back! So here is how the rest of my week went:

We arrived in Accra, Ghana early in the morning. When we got off the plane the African heat and humidity was like a wall.  I immediately had the feeling that I was not actually there walking into an African airport and hearing other languages and knowing that "no Toto... we are not anywhere near Kansas anymore."

While we were in Ghana we had the amazing opportunity to meet the mother and sister of a student that my professor, Jen, is hosting through a basketball program!

The next few hours are really quite comical as I look back on the experience.  We ended up being forced to purchase transit visas because we were in the country 5 hours and like 40 minutes and you have to buy one if you are there longer than 5 hours and 30 minutes so that was an interesting 20 minutes in a big Ghanaian security officer's office with an oscillating fan in the corner... THEN... after finally getting to our plane I found my seat and it was between two of the biggest, smelliest German men I have ever met in my life.  Little did I know that the body odor I was smelling was simply something I needed to get used to ... and fast!  The German men were very nice and teased me about going to Sierra Leone for 'holiday' but I finally figured out how to explain a mission trip to them so that they would understand what it was.  

In the end we made it to Sierra Leone and got off the plane... and that's when it hit me.  I thought to myself "Holy cow Hanna, what in the world have you gotten yourself into this time!" 

As soon as we set foot inside the airport it was mass chaos... people moving everywhere, talking, and yelling.  I grabbed Sara's backpack and just held on and followed her and the rest of our team through what I presume was customs but it was nothing like the US.  Then we went to our luggage and got carts and started pulling all of our suitcases. We wheeled outside and some Sierra Leonean men took our bags, tagged them, and put them in the back of the van.  Jen and I got in the van and proceeded to ride over to the Pelican Boat dock (it's a water taxi that takes you over to Freetown). 

I quickly learned that if I was at all nervous at any point in the trip, I didn't have time to think about it I just had to keep moving.  When I realized this was when we were getting ready to get onto the boat... the dock was moving and the boat was moving, but not together... the water was going onto the dock and I began to think "I'm not even going to make it to Freetown!" But my feet kept moving and before I knew it I was sitting in the boat with a life jacket on heading towards Freetown.  

After a long journey we finally made it to the city where we met Osseh and Cari! Then we got in cars and drove through the city to the guest house! Below are some quick snaps I got of Freetown.

Selling candies.

This is a typical house in Freetown.

This is essentially where you buy things.

After arriving in Freetown we went to the guest house and got settled in.  Sara met Musa for the first time! (This is the little boy her family sponsors, you can see a picture below) We had our first fabulous supper cooked by Auntie Marie.  Sierra Leone style spaghetti! After that we went over to the orphanage, it's called The Covering, for evening prayers and worship. This was the first time we saw the kids and let me tell you were they happy to see you! I have never had so many kids hug me at once.  These kids brought a whole new meaning to the words hug, pray, and love! I have never sweat so much in my entire life! All the kids are hugging you and the little ones want to be held and it was pitch black in one of the rooms so you had no idea who was around you.  This was also the first time we all met sweet Lucy Loo! Below are some pictures from the evening!

Sara with Musa.

Jen with Lucy.

Evening worship...

Jen and Lucy again. 

This was my first day in Africa... more to come soon! 

Butterflies...

My trip began by heading to Des Moines on Sunday May 15.  My mom and I had gotten a hotel room to stay in so that we wouldn't have to wake up ridiculously early.

I have to say that I have the most amazing support system out there! Some of my friends from Central met my mom and I Sunday night and we went out to eat. It was one of those things that calmed my nerves and allowed me to focus on what was important. It was nice to be reminded that I was going to help people and more importantly to spread the word of God.

After an amazing dinner Mom and I went back to the hotel and chillaxed. I knew that my quality of sleep that night would be important so that is where my Sunday ended.

We woke up and headed over to the airport bright and early Sunday.  When we walked into the front door I met the people who I would experience a life changing week with for the first time.  I had known Jen for almost a year and Zach for less than a week.  This was the first time I had seen Joel and Sara. There really wasn't much time to think about anything... we checked in (all bags were under the weight limit!!) and said our good-byes. We walked through security and that was it. The next thing I knew we were in the air and I would not see Iowa for another week. I had never truly had 'butterflies' in my stomach until that Monday.

As our trip went on we flew to Washington D.C. and then to NYC.  During our lay over in NYC we played cards and talked and met Tina, who is one of the co-founders of The Raining Season.  This is where we ran into some bumps in the road :) Tina told us that some of the kids at the center had mumps so we all frantically called home to see if we had our vaccines for it! Little did we know that trivial things  like that would not matter when we were in the center with amazing children around us.

I boarded my first international flight and headed for Africa...

"I once was blind but now... I see."

Well Ladies and Gents... the trip I have been waiting for is now over.  I am sorry I have not been updating but we decided to keep a hush hush on when we were leaving for safety purposes with recent world events.

The trip was utterly amazing. More than I EVER imagined it would be.  I'm sure many of you, if not all of you, have heard "Amazing Grace" before.  This trip truly exemplifies one of the lines in the song.  I once was blind to the pain, suffering, and hope that happens in Sierra Leone, but now I see.  I now know a small group of Sierra Leoneans and I have a family in Africa.

Words cannot describe how life changing it was... but I'll do my best. :)

Lucy came home with us on a medical visa... what a blessing that is! She is in Pella with the Diers family and big things are coming her way!

In the days to come I will summarize our trip for you all! We did so much and were touched in so many ways by the people of Sierra Leone.  Below are my favorite pictures from the trip after I have edited them.  I will be framing all of these and hanging them in a collage in my dorm room this coming school year.  It will be hard to have a bad day with all the wonderful memories looking back at me!

The first time I saw the ocean on our first day while we were waiting for the boat to take us to Freetown.

Dock to the Pelican Boat that took us to Freetown.

Some of the boys singing to us in the Welcome Ceremony. 

Some of the girls singing at the Welcome Ceremony. 

This is a group of brothers.  Sufian, Abduraman, and Foday. I got very close with Foday and it was terribly hard to say good-bye to him. 

Little Moses. I also got very close to this little bundle of love. :) He is such a cuddle bug!

Little Zainab and her BIG smile!

Foday again. :)

Sara (team member) holding Esther's (one of the girls at the Center) hand.

Huts at the most beautiful beach in the world.  So thankful I was able to go!

Abduraman and I.

Jen with some of the kiddos at the guest house.

Happy Easter!

Today is that day when we all eat too much candy, hunt for eggs, and praise Jesus :).  Today after eating brunch with my family we dyed Easter eggs and then I got into a picture taking mood. Below are quite a few of the results :)

I hope you all are having a wonderful Easter! 

P.S. We leave in 22 days!!!!