Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion.- hebbel

Dear whoever may be reading this,

I don't know you or maybe I do. Maybe you live oceans away from me. Maybe your life is completely different from mine. I am about to tell you my story and I would love to hear yours in return.

Here is my story: I am 18 years old and 3 years ago my life was forever changed. I saw the documentary Invisible Children. It focused on the plight of the children in northern Uganda. It showed a hidden war where children were abducted and forced to fight. I saw people starving for the most basic necessities but filled with the purest love. I knew at that moment that I had found it. Some people spend there whole lives searching for it. There's a moment in every one's life when they realize there passion and there purpose for living. At only 15 I had found my passion and I felt it in my heart that this would take me on many wild adventures. Already it has!

After seeing the movie I became very involved in Invisible Children fundraising and efforts to help end Africa's longest running war. Then at my school I joined a club called STAND (Students Taking Action Now Darfur)- they work with Save Darfur to help end one of the worst genocides since the Holocaust. Although this was in a different part of Africa my passion continued leading me all over the African continent. A year later I was on my way to Ethiopia, Africa with the Cunningham Foundation. this foundation works to help educate, feed and clothe the children at a place called Project Mercy. Through a video project I received the chance a long with 3 other high school students to visit Project Mercy and see where are fundraising was going. I had been a part of a club at school called 4 quarters 4 kids that first got me involved with the Cunningham Foundation. The club has done various fundraiser to raise money for the organization. We are the first 4q4k club in the world and are inspiring other schools to join this growing movement. Thanks to the support of my friends and family I have been able to raise a-lot of money for various charities and I feel I have accomplish a-lot. But be warned my work is not over yet and my passion for the beautiful people of Africa will never end.

Next year I will be attending Mesa State College. This will be a new chapter of my life and another adventure for me to partake in. I am going to this college and hoping to eventually earn my teaching certificate, I know in my heart I will return to Africa. I plan on going back and teaching.

So that is my story and as I mentioned before I would love to hear yours so please share it.

With Love in my heart,
As the Ethiopians say Ahmesugenalew (Thank you)


Websites for the mentioned charities:
Invisible Children- http://www.invisiblechildren.com/
Invisible Children- http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=logo#/group.php?gid=2365284904&ref=ts
STAND- http://www.savedarfur.org/
Cunningham Foundation- http://www.cunninghamfoundation.org/