Postcard from Asheville
January 2014
Randy Siegel in Kenya
As you read this, I’m flying somewhere over the ocean on my way to Kenya, Africa. If you had told me last January that in twelve months I’d be going to Kenya to work in a school for three weeks, I would have told you that you’re nuts. Kenya is dangerous; I much prefer the safety and security of somewhere like Florida.
My adventure started last month when high school friend Jene Cates Meece visited me on her way to Atlanta. I hadn’t seen Jene in more than thirty years; we had recently reconnected on Facebook. Jene was one of the cutest girls in high school, and she likes to remind me that we went steady for two whole days in the seventh grade.
Jene now lives on the West Coast and she’s the co-founder and director of a nonprofit organization called Cradle to Career whose mission is “to transform the lives of Kenyan orphans and vulnerable children, from preschool through college through career, by providing for their immediate needs and offering access to the best education possible.”
During Jene’s visit, I introduced her to another friend, Jennifer Pickering, who runs LEAF International, a nonprofit that connects young people to their cultural traditions. Within minutes of their meeting, Jene and Jennifer began to discusscollaborating, and before I knew it,I had agreed to coordinate the new program.
Over the next eight weeks, I updated my will, received a plethora of immunizations, and found a sitter for “Loodle the Poodle.” I’m anxious, but excited. I suspect this trip will change my life.
All this goes to show that we can set goals and make plans, but we never really know where life is going to take us.
Where could you be twelve months from now?
P. S. Are you on Facebook? If so, let’s connect! I’ll be posting pictures while I’m in Africa.
P.S.S. Check out Cradle2Career and LEAF International.
NOTE TO KRISTOFER: PLEASE PUT LINKS WHERE YOU SEE UNDERLINING.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/randy.siegel
Cradle2Career: http://c2ckenya.org
LEAF International: http://www.theleaf.org/index.php/international
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