It all started so innocently. I saw a news story or little tidbit somewhere online talking about how the movie “About Schmidt” had profoundly impacted a group called Childreach International when it showed Warren writing to Ndugu, a child in Africa.
God knows why, but I checked out the Childreach Web site, and was so profoundly moved by one of the pictures I saw there that I decided to become a sponsor. The girl who stole my heart was Bridget:
I became her sponsor, but soon afterwards got word that her family had vanished from their village in Zimbabwe. I was heartbroken and crushed.
Just having an awareness of Bridget, though, was enough to rivet my attentions toward the plight of kids in Africa. I later went on to get a new sponsor child in Zimbabwe (David) and two other kids (Lorvelie in Haiti and Ana in Guatemala), but I still feel a particular pull from Africa. I saw a special interview of Oprah Winfrey by Diane Sawyer around Christmas time about Oprah’s work with the children of South Africa, and was forever changed by what I saw. The continent is speaking to me, and while I don’t understand why, I know I must go there.
I had recruited myself a South African penpal, a lawyer guy named Paul de Villiers, but have lapsed into silence since the frenetic end of my spring semester. Note to self: Need to write Paul dV. Tout de suite!
You are an amazing person!!