Fall 08
Fall
09

“A raging war has been going on in Uganda longer than you have been alive.” This shocking sentence was the inspiration that changed my heart. This experience started at Milo
Adventist Academy when the 30-hour famine was announced during chapel. The school invited staff members of the Invisible Children Association, called the “roadies," as guest speakers for the weekend. Christina Hack, our Assistant Chaplain, also said we were going to spend the night at the gym in our sleeping bags to get a grasp of what displacement means in the life of thousands of people in Africa. There was excitement among the students in the room, but some of them were already getting hungry. It was truly a challenge for a few people. I thought it was a great idea, but inside of me there was no passion for it. I just simply dragged my sleeping bag to the gym and waited curiously for the Invisible Children video clip to start.
Before long, tears began running down my cheeks. I turned around and saw I was not the only one in the same situation. Watching how so many people are living in deplorable conditions impacted me greatly. Sometimes they run out of food for days and usually small children do not make it to their fourth or fifth birthday. However, what struck me the most were the genuine smiles of the kids. Despite their crisis, they danced and laughed with the other children. How many times have you complained about a problem with a smile?
The 30-hour famine during that weekend definitely left a big impression upon my heart.
The life stories of many kids from Darfur still remain fresh in my mind, urging me to make a difference. Now, I am part of the Portland Adventist School where I have been given the opportunity to put into action what first inspired me through the 30-hour famine experience.
This Spring Break of 2009, I will have the privilege to go to Ethiopia, Africa. I feel confident that this mission trip will enable me to look at people in need through “eyes of compassion.” During this life-changing venture we will build and open an Adult Learning Center in Hawasa where women and men can learn basic literacy and math skills. Also, free medical services will be offered to the poor from the surrounding villages.
To take a step further, I also gave a presentation in my Philosophy and Ethics class where I didactically showed my peers the effects of a neglected war. I was amazed by the positive feedback I received from my classmates. They were impacted by the hungry children trying to cling to their lives, and the need of urgent education to improve the economy and the living conditions of Africa’s population.
I know I will not change Uganda’s society by simply going on a mission trip. However, I firmly believe that “big changes” start as small as a seed and grow deep in your heart, spreading to those around you and eventually changing the world and inspire peace.
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