Note: be sure to click on the blog link to see all the photos.
It was ten years ago today that I left to participate on a 17-day mission trip to Africa. (I have no idea why or how I remembered that this morning, just in time for Throwback Thursday, but I did).
It was a life changing trip and if nothing else, I came away with the understanding that it is important to be appreciative of what you have. It is easy to see others with more and focus on what we don’t have, as opposed to seeing how much we have compared to some and being thankful for that.
Most of the people we interacted with had so little by our standards, but they seemed much happier thank most Americans. . . Joy without complexity.
At one point, we lost electricty for almost an entire day and no one seem to notice because it happens so often that they don’t depend on it.
Most of us do not realize how fortunate we really are.
A few photos. . .
Our group, inside a church near Arusha Tanzania.
How they weigh baby’s at St. Elizabeth Hospital (that’s outside, BTW)
It was early in the morning, a bit foggy and this ol’ boy was about as big as our SUV. We came around the corner and were only about 20′ from him.
This was from when we began our trip in South Africa. Toys up in razor wire around an orphanage. That was a tough neighborhood.
Just like you see on TV… thousands of Wildebeasts
That young Maasai boy is responsible for protecting the herd from attack. He will take on a lion with that stick and win.
Downtown Arusha
A funeral procession coming our way
Looking down into Ngorongoro Crater, before we made the trip down.
Driver, follow that truck.
A Simple, Village Undertaker 
The thing we take for granted more than anything else is water. “Cool, clear water.”
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Loved this post! You are so right that we take so much for granted. About 10 years ago my youngest son was able to go on a medical mission trip down the Amazon. He came back also with a great appreciation for the simple things in life. The thing he really struggled with was visiting with the “street boys” in Lima, Peru. They are regarded as lower than rats in that city and get shot at by those in authority. My son could not imagine growing up in such an environment and came home incredibly grateful for family.
Your pictures are so neat to see …..does it make you want to go back?
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