Today I realized something about myself and this trip that I hadn't thought about before. By coming to Africa, I expected things to be different. I thought my feelings would be different, and everything I thought of Africa would be true. First, I know that no matter where I run, my problems in life will follow me. Coming to Africa, did not give me a sense of happiness that I thought it would . We truly have to choose into that happiness no matter where we are.

Next, I thought that the people, events, situations, pretty much everything would be different. It may be a different culture, but at the root it's so much alike. I look at a person here and think about their struggles, personality, and family. Overall, we are all just human beings moving through life here on earth and we are all so much alike. I thought I would be coming here to help people, but they've been helping me. I see the struggles these people are going through. There is so much hurt and pain in their lives, yet they stay strong in their faith and do not falter. I'll admit when I lost Ashton exactly 11 months from today, I thought my life was over; however, these people have lost probably 3 times as many family members. They live in the most dangerous country in the world. They live in a place where people are dying from diseases and starvation. They live in a slum where they don't have any of the comforts I'm promised! But they still press on and they still keep their eyes on Christ!

I also thought, by ignorance, that I would be coming here and seeing wild animals, never eating fast food, and even seeing native tribes. That's funny thinking about that now. There are cities with the biggest malls I've ever been in. The most wildlife I've seen is a zebra in a gamepark. Africa is not so much different from America as we would think.

I've learned most of all being on this trip that a person can serve anywhere. There are people hurting in America just as much as there are here. There's so many people who are lonely, depressed, and just need one person to change their life. The physical poverty is apparent here in Africa, and I believe that the people here are much more open with their emotional poverty; however, in America we wear masks and hige these emotions. I know I did and do ever since I lost Ashton.

Overall, I learned a tremendous amount in Africa thus far. About my emotions, my faith, my relationships, about what I want to do in this life. This life is but a breath and there's so much more I'm going to accomplish before mine is gone. If I had one piece of advice it would be: Don't take advantage of anything. We are incredibly blessed with so much. This life is short. Even taking advantage of one day seems wrong. Live for today.