I'm a starter. I love new projects, big ideas and looking to the future.
Going to Africa was at one point a new project, a big idea and it was far off in future.
In 5 weeks I'll be in Kampala, Uganda. -- which seems like a long time, still... but between today and then, I'll be traveling to Texas twice, Colorado and Alabama... moving apartments... and leaving the town I've lived in for 8 years for who knows how long (probably forever...).
That being said, Africa, the new project, the big idea, the thing in the future, is becoming a reality... quickly.
Today, yes today, Sam and I put down the bucks and secured two tickets from Kansas City to Detroit, to Amsterdam, to Etebbe Uganda, to Johannesburg South Africa and back. I'm not nervous about traveling, or being in a foreign country at all... but something is making feel nervous, and I'm not sure what.
Two great things happened today:
1) found enough folks to play in our handbell choir for this coming weekend. And if you don't know what I'm talking, then know this: Ben and I borrowed a four octave set of handbells from Manhattan Christian College... and we're going to add it to our 5 piece rock band... and a string quartet. Making it a... 21 piece band. Chaos.
2) Thursday night Sam came by and we created a tri-fold pamphlet, brochure thing (page1 page2). Tonight we tried to print it. Didn't happen:
Anytime someone who's aspirations lead them in a creative, risking-taking, entrepreneurial direction, people say 'Oh, I'm so happy for you...' /sarcasim. However, when that risk-taking person has a degree in, say, history, or has a teaching certificate, the 'encouraging' person will say, 'Oh, I'm so happy for you... and if it doesn't work out, you've always got something to fall back on.'
Now... I have a degree in Biblical Studies, and I work for a church. Great. But what if that doesn't work out? A degree like mine and a profession like mine isn't exactly risky or anything... so why would I need a fall back? And if I did, what would it be?? agony.
Ok, that being said, I think I've found a wide-open market that I could use as a 'fall back' in case of emergency. The idea is this: I could email all the overseas scammers that write those ridiculous "I have a lot of money that I need to keep in your bank account for a while" letters, and offer to clean them up and make them half-way believable... and in return, I'd like at least 5% of the money they scam. ... think about it.
I looked through my inbox and found two snippets of scam-lit. that could use some attention.
Example 1:
" Just in case you are concerned about how i got to your contact,it
was
through the "American Chamber of Commerce"
for trust worthy individuals.i was also directed on how to make
online
search."
Example 2:
"I got your address from a business directory in Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry. And, I, on behalf of my widowed mother Mrs.MONICA SANKO decided to solicit for your assistance to transfer the sum of US$45.8 Million (Fourty-Five Million Eight Hundred Thousand United States Dollars), which my father deposited in a safe box to a private security company in Johannesburg, South Africa. In fact, my father said, and I quote:My son, I wish to draw your attention to US$45.8 Million (Fourty-five Million Eight Hundred Thousand United States Dollars). I deposited the box containing the fund in a security company in Johannesburg, South Africa as valuables."
You get the point. Don't steal my idea... but if you want to borrow it, make sure you give me at least a 2% cut.
Read this post:
http://ugandascarlettlion.blogspot.com/2008/04/how-not-to-help-malaria-infected-girl.html
This is exactly why I'm going to Africa-- to find out what people really need and how to meet it.