This One's for Africa

"Faith is not something to grasp. It is a state to grow into." -Mohandas Gandhi

"Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world." -Harriet Tubman

Not too long ago I applied for an internship to Ghana. Ghana? Yeah. You know, Africa. I dreamed of helping kids in the orphanages, falling in love with them and wanting to bring them all home, doing valuable research, riding elephants on the weekends, being terrified of the shots I would have to get, always smelling like bug spray, getting to be where it is way to warm for six weeks, not having to be in Provo all summer, bringing home some souvenir that would always remind me of the adventure I went on, and becoming the storyteller rather than the listener. I wanted to tell stories like the one that an anthropologist told after her Africa visit. She put a basket of fruit near a tree and told the children whoever got there first won them. When he told them to run, they held hands and ran together and then sat and enjoyed the fruits. When he asked them why when one could have had all of the fruits for themselves one boy said, "Ubuntu, how can one of us be happy if all the other ones are sad?" Ubuntu means "I am because we are." I was so excited to learn from the people and experience a new culture. I also really wanted to see one of these guys...

I mean, I look like them every day when I wake up... I just really want to see a real one. Like one that hasn't lived its entire life in a cage with people looking at it all of the time. Not going to lie though. I also wanted to see these. 

Well, sometimes our plans are not the Lord's plans. I will not be checking "go to Africa" off of my bucket list. Yet... One day I will. This is a good thing though. Now I only have to pay tuition for one term instead of two, I will be able to focus more on finding a job over the summer, I will be able to keep the commitment I made with the job I have now and stay for a year as well as be able to train the next girl, and I will be able to finish my Utah bucket list before I leave. Blessings in disguise. One day I will go to Africa, hold baby wild cats (which is also on my bucket list), and maybe even ride an elephant. That just won't be this summer. 

 Oh, and always remember...