My trip is getting so close!! I have been getting a variety of different reactions when people find out my plans for the summer. But it is hardest when people bring up my safety and what all could go wrong in a trip like this... it brings out fears I have of my own. I try not to worry... because what's going to happen is going to happen and God knows every step I will take. I would never give up this trip for anything. The more researching I do and the more people I talk to who have been... gets me more and more excited. I feel like a kid who is waiting on Christmas but Christmas is still a little over two months away! But I know time will fly by! It feels like just yesterday that I was googling different volunteer organizations and made up my mind to go and that was in August. Back then it didn't seem read! But, as the days get closer and I find out what family I will be living with, what order my placements will be in, what I need to bring, etc, it will become even more real. Below is one of the videos I have found of someone else's experience with IVHQ who travelled to Arusha. It shows a couple different schools and orphanages. You also get a view of the town and what life is like there. Hard to fathom.
A video done by a volunteer who worked in Arusha, Tanzania with IVHQ
On a different note... one of the orphanages I could have volunteered to work at is called Cradle
of Love. It is the only orphanage in the Arusha area that accepts HIV positive infants. As a senior at Lakeview College of Nursing we chose Cradle of Love to support for our Legacy Project. Our goal is to raise $1000 for the orphanage and we are already half way there! I know we can surpass it! The money will go towards adding on a "sick room" to their building. All of the babies sleep together in one large nursery and this way if one of them catches an infection they can be separated to decrease the risk of exposing it to the other babies. Babies with HIV are highly susceptible to becoming sick. We are talking to different businesses, churches, organizations, family and friends, if anyone donates $50 their name will be put on the back of our awareness T-shirts. Our goal is to sell 150 t-shirts. Here is a view of the t-shirts! We are selling them in v-neck womens sizes XS-2XL and also in regular fitted unisex t-shirts (same sizes). If you would like to donate to have your name on the back or to buy a t-shirt for $12 just email me! ablankenship@lakeviewcol.edu. Feel free to check out their website at cradleoflove.com for more information! I will actually get to visit the home and the babies while I am in Arusha. :)
Again I just want to say thank you to everyone. I love you all and would not be able to experience this trip if it weren't for your help!
