The Thoughts in My Mind Today

Today I woke and still found myself laughing about this picture. I'm so glad that Ben took it. It has given me a constant reminder that it is important to play and laugh.

This is me swinging from a vine in Gombe National Park. It was very hard to hang onto that vine, but I'm glad I gave it a shot. It was one of those "hang on" moments where I said to myself... "you're in for a ride girl!"

After just two days of helping kids I didn't really think I needed to go "chimpanzee treking". But the people at Soles4Souls knew we would need a break and arranged for us to have some play time. Play is important and I really needed the break from seeing so much devastation in little people.

This picture is me sitting with Brandy and simply taking in all the beauty around me. I was completely covered with clothing to avoid mosquito's and my clothes were drenched from the heat, but I'm so glad that I went.

I loved seeing the shoe truck behind us. Yes those shoe were with us everywhere we went and there were always people there to help us with them.

I also really liked playing soccer with the kids. They were really good at it. Note the bottle of water in hand. Some kids that didn't have a soccer ball used old t-shirts and string and stuff that they had found to make a soccer ball. Regardless, we all took turns running and playing with the kids.

Oh how patient the kids would sit and wait. Lines and lines of them.... so many.

Harriet held this little one for the longest time. Sometimes all we need is a hug. It the human connection factor. When things get crazy all many people want is to simply be loved. This picture captured that for a few moments this child got to know love.

Note the fingernail polish. The kids were fascinated with it. I don't know that they had ever seen it. Something so simple put a smile on faces. I think I speak for the group that none of us thought or were worried about getting aids, malaria, or yellow fever when it came to simply showing acts of kindness on this entire trip.

I'll leave you with a favorite image of mine. It has stayed with me for years.

A simple drop of water.

Water is so valuable in Africa. They teach us in elementary school food, water and shelter are the three things you need in order to survive. I like to take it a step further and say that even a drop of water has a ripple effect. It matters to so many others the simple actions of one individual. One can make a difference. Perhaps that's one of the reasons I life the Soles4Souls motto of "changing the world, one pair at a time".

Hugs,

Rachel