My African DREAM!

  Have you ever had a topic to write about that seems too big to tackle that you can’t even begin to write about it?  Well, welcome to my world.  I need to send educational supplies to Africa. I know!  You have so many questions racing through your head right about now.  Let’s just say – all of your questions will be answered in due time.  For now, listen to my heart and my passion. 

 

    My heart for African children and my dream to go to Africa have always been deep within me.  As a life-long sponsor through Compassion International, I have been drawn to Africa when the opportunity to sponsor a child was presented to me.  I cannot explain or qualify why that is - I just know that I know.  I believe God has given me this passion and I will not question it. 

 

With this passion deeply rooted in my life, God is now leading me to a much bigger calling - One that seems impossible in the natural.  The horrific marriage between poverty and illiteracy is undeniable.  It is a cycle that traps people in developing countries to an existence of mere survival.  It is a problem that is much bigger than I am - but I believe in the power of one.  As an advocate for those who have no voice toward their literacy, I am prepared to be the one who is simply the hands and feet of THE ONE who makes true change happen in the world. 

 

That is not to say I can do it alone though.  With the belief in "Knowledge Is Power," I am led to spread the word of my mission and invite others to come alongside me to work together for a greater good - THE CHILDREN.  I know that together WE can make a difference in the literacy of children from developing countries.  

 

From Crayons to Curriculum, we can impower African children with the knowledge and resources they need to become literate in the 21st Century.  Come back to my site often to see what God is doing through me in making this dream a reality.  Your suggestions and help in this endeavor is essential to me.  I am open to any and all help I can find.  Let's see what we can accomplish together!

 

photo from flickr artinallofus.org

Comments

[Drew McLellan]

So....how do we start?

After all, sending one box of crayons is better than not sending any, right?

Welcome to the blogging world. Always remember and stay focused on the passion that brought you here in the first place.

Drew

[Robyn McMaster]

Hi Laura, what a calling you have! I also sense that literacy is tightly connected to poverty. When I see the failure rates in our city high schools and the amount of poverty in the inner cities right here in our own nation, you know it is true as well.

I'll be stopping back to see where this passion takes you and how you go about addressing it.

[Mike Sansone]

Hey Laura. Great dream! Thanks for sharing and inviting us to join and assist your vision and mission. What can we do to help? Stay contagious!

[Laura Hecht]

Drew,
Thanks to you, we have already started. We continually discuss it and bring others together to support a common goal - eradicating illiteracy through awareness and passion. I am always looking for resources, individuals, and groups to support me in advice, materials to send or by financial means. I hit the pavement hard before school started and have been collecting unwanted supplies from schools.
Thanks for your comment and encouragement. Any advice or help - I am happy to receive it.
Laura

[Laura Hecht]

Robyn,
Thanks for the encouragement. I appreciate your comments and support. Please check back regularly as I continually am advocating for the poverty-stricken in my daily work.
Laura

[mrsdurff]

Have you talked to Sharon Peters? I think she talked about her trip on a recent WOW2.0 show, but I don't think they posted the recording yet. She is on twitter as well, @speters i think you should talk to her!

[Laura Hecht]

mrsdurff,
Thanks for the suggestion. I will be looking for the WOW2.0 show as well as twittering her. Working together gets things accomplished - Thanks for my next step toward my dream!

[Drew McLellan]

Laura,

I think it starts with you telling the world what it is you need. Or ask for connections.

For example, I have a friend who is helping his church build an orphanage in Africa. Maybe they'd be a good partner. Or perhaps you want to create a site where you partner with an office supply company and they sell stuff for cost?

I think we need some direction from you. It's your dream -- how do you want it to manifest itself?

Do you want the DSM bloggers to adopt a village? Do you want to organize a group of teachers to make it their class project?

You create the vision and let us help you build to it.

Drew

[rushay]

hi there Laura love the blog good work and i love that photo i try to document everything around me in south africa www.flickr.com/rushay education is so important and alot of kids out here have a inferior education system sending you love from Rushay

[Laura Hecht]

Rushay,
From one who lives with the lack of educational excellence, I can only imagine the frustration you feel on a daily basis. Thanks for the response. It means a lot from someone who lives in Africa!!! I checked out your pictures. Great job yourself.
My best,
Laura