I first learned about Shana when I did a story on the Oxfam Hunger Banquet at UIS in November. She had put up photos and gave a speech talking a little bit about hunger and mentioning her experience in Kenya in Africa in the summer of 2007.
Personally, I love to travel. I love to see unique places and experience different cultures. I've been to Hawaii, Mexico, most of the southern and some of the eastern parts of the U.S., St. Lucia, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. I even would like to live in Europe one day. But I couldn't imagine going to Africa.
Shana, who planned everything herself - from applying for her visa to receiving the proper vaccinations - said she wasn't scared during her trip, only a little nervous once on the day she arrived and there had been a bombing and some other gang activity in her area.
And she then spent three weeks at an orphanage outside of Nairobi, helping and playing with children who had no parents, no beds of their own and barely enough food. And in some cases, HIV.During our interview, as she was telling me about her trip and her experience, I asked her what made her want to give such service. I've never heard a more simple or selfless answer.
"To speak honestly," she said, "I was always raised in the church and knew about this Jesus character. I finally started taking it seriously and started studying him."
"The thing that caught me off guard the most is how he always hung out with the people that no one else wanted to be around. I decided if this is the person I'm supposed to be following, why am I not around people who are dirty and broken and poor? So I started picking out people I know he'd hang out with."
What an incredible outlook! It's all in the story, but upon returning, Shana started a project called Jump for Joel, in the name of one of her favorite children at the home. She has raised more than $5,000 for the orphanage and also has plans to go back this summer and then study abroad in Africa next semester.
More information on Shana's project can be found here. After checking it out and especially after meeting Shana, I know I want to help. I guess I figure that if I don't have the guts to make that kind of sacrifice, I definitely want to enable the people who do and do anything I can to help.
Sometimes it's really easy to get caught up in what you don't have and forget about all you do have.
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2 comments:
I've known Shana for a couple years now (and have worked with her) and she is such an amazing person and the things she is doing in Kenya are awesome! She's done so much for that little village and I know she will do so much more.
Check out her website jump for joel for more information and to keep updated on her progress. There are also links there to her podcast, facebook, flickr, etc. You can also help Shana make a difference!
Thank you for this!! Jeremy gave me the link to your blog, and I nearly cried as I read your entry.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I just can't say it enough.
Your support means so much to me!
-shana
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