A Thankful Voluntour Experience

I knew this would be a special experience.  For months, we had been planning the first ever BLOOM Voluntour, where we would offer the opportunity for people to travel to Lesotho and South Africa with us.  After the applications came in and we had our six volunteers chosen, I just had a feeling that this would be a special group.  Well, I vastly underestimated the sheer awesomeness this group of volunteers would bring to Lesotho, us and to one another.

So to be perfectly honest, I was a bit nervous about how the volunteers would react to our time in Lesotho.  Because we value relationships and communities as an organization, this meant we weren’t heading to Africa to “save” anyone, build for anyone or do for anyone.  Sure, this isn’t what a typical “mission trip” looks like, so I didn’t know what our volunteers would think.

Well, after just a few short days in Lesotho, I think it started to make sense for the group. We were enjoying the beautiful experiences of simply being in community.  We spent a day at Leratong Community Center, which we fund, and didn’t do anything but play games with all the kids there.  After our time at the Center, we hiked up a mountain to see some dinosaur footprints and were accompanied by many of the children we had been with earlier.  The beauty of the landscape and those we were sharing it with was truly unlike anything we’ve experienced before.  This is how we have developed as an organization, by building community first.  As we continue to grow our work at Community Learning Centers, this group of volunteers will know exactly how those foundations were built.

I don’t need to dive into many more details about the trip since you can find the blogs written by our volunteers below.  But I have to say, publicly, how honored I am to have shared this experience with William and 6 others on the Voluntour with me.  As I said in previous blogs, I was most looking forward to seeing how others would react to being in Lesotho for the first time, and seeing their smiles and emotions and reactions.  Well I certainly got my wish and basked in that during the entire 11 day trip.

No one can ever take away the experience we had, made so wonderful because of all of our gracious hosts along the way in Lesotho and South Africa.  I know that Lesotho and BLOOM Africa have 6 new friends, advocates and lifelong supporters.  I also know that I will never forget the special times spent with this group and will forever cherish my time with them.

  

I hope many of you find adventures to embark on, and never shy away from an experience that could possible change your life forever.

Salang hantle,

Andrew

7 Travel Surprises From My Time in Lesotho and South Africa

One of my favorite travel quotes that I always keep with me is the famous words of Mark Twain "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime. “

There is another travel truth he forgets to mention however, it goes ...  no matter how many guidebooks you read, google topics you search, questions you ask your well-traveled BLOOM Africa deputy director brother or preconceived notions (either conscious or unconscious) you pack with you, there will always be travel surprises. And really, aren't the surprises and the unexpected what makes travel so special?

Ok, Twain probably wouldn’t say that but it is something that I believe. Throughout the trip, I kept a list of all the surprises I was lucky enough to experience and learn from during my week in Lesotho and South Africa as a BLOOM Volunteer 2014 trip member. Here are some of my favorites:

The braai.
The first stop of our trip was at BLOOM founder Andrew Steele's host family, the Monama’s , home for a barbecue or as they say in South Africa, a braai. After more than 20 hours of travel, I appreciated the time and care they put in to introduce us to South African cuisine and honored by the way they welcomed us, in true barbecue fashion, as family.

The time we spent that first afternoon together sharing about our backgrounds, learning from the six university students the family so generously provides a home for (who were absolutely remarkable, by the way, in both their dedication to learning and future aspirations), and getting to know each other set the tone for opening our hearts and minds to the experiences ahead of us.

Lumela!
I practiced and practiced but still Sesotho words left my mouth as jumbled noises. To my surprise, no matter how jumbled my hello "lumela" (pronounced ‘du-may-la’) came out I was greeted and welcomed in return graciously. I will forever be humbled by and remember the warm welcomes, smiles, and thumbs up “sharps” the Basotho people gave me.

Tour guides.
Our tour guides came in various and surprising forms. The passion and love for their culture of all our spontaneous tour guides made every step we took together precious and impactful.

From children grabbing our hands and disregarding their bare feet to lead us along the rocky hilltop path of Roma to see dinosaur footprints to leadership from the Thaba Bosiu Youth Sports Development Centre dropping their plans to walk us through Lesotho history on Thaba Bosiu's mountaintops. Our quiet morning with Lerato, the chief’s daughter and manager of the Ramabanta Trading Post Guest Lodge, spent patiently answering questions, sharing traditions and guiding us through her beautiful village and Maicy, Malefa, and Bokang, the endearing members of Team Lesotho, who embedded themselves as an integral part of the trip for 3 days.

Atop Thaba Bosiu

And of course, our outstanding driver, Klaas, who carefully led (and tolerated) us for the entirety of the trip.

To each of our tour guides, I cannot thank you enough for your time and allowing us to become so intimately engaged in your country.  Meeting and building relationships with each of you was hands down the highlight of my time in Lesotho and South Africa.

Fat cakes.
Fat cakes are like a mix between the best bread you've ever eaten combined with the happiest funnel cake you've ever enjoyed; all for the price of a pack of gum. I can't say what I learned from fat cakes, but I can say if you travel to Lesotho for the fat cakes and just the fat cakes, you won't leave disappointed.

Fences.
As we drove throughout South Africa and especially in Johannesburg, I was surprised and shocked by the tall fences and barbed wired that enclosed every home and business. It was a constant and eerie reminder of South Africa's Apartheid past and the barriers that we as people and communities put up to keep each other out. It was also a reminder of the continued work required to fulfill Mandela's dream of a rainbow nation, both in South Africa and here at home.

Lesotho’s beauty.
Yes, I saw pictures. Yes, I heard stories. Yes, I watched videos and read descriptions but there was nothing I could have done to prepare for the breathtaking beauty of Lesotho and its people.  I am happy that pictures, words and videos can’t capture it and that all future visitors will also be surprised by the power of nature’s beauty and how much of it is consolidated within Lesotho’s borders.

The big five.
Our last days of the trip were spent at Kruger National Park, where we found elephants, rhinos and buffalo. Our safari didn't spot any of the big L's - lions or leopards - but at that point we were so filled with love, who cares?  

Giraffe at Kruger Park

For me, the real big five of the trip was Liz, Laura, Sarah, Brigid and Adam, my fellow Voluntours, for joining the trip with such enthusiasm. Whether we were stuck in a ditch on a remote game reserve dirt road, providing shoulders for our exhausted bodies to lean on or listening as we shared the immense emotions we were feeling – I am so glad I had the opportunity to share each and every moment with you.

Through all the surprises, the greatest lesson I learned came to me as no surprise at all: No matter where you are in the world, as humans, we are all the same. Kaofela Rea Tsoana.  

Yes, cultures differ and landscapes change. Language barriers exist and fences might separate us but at the core, a children’s laughter, a smile, the human spirit, unites us as one. 

Thank you, thank you, thank you Lesotho and South Africa for all of your surprises.  And thank you BLOOM Africa for taking me on this adventure.

-Destinee

Destinee Thomas lives in Cincinnati, Ohio and is the sister of BLOOM Deputy Director, William Thomas.  She joined us on the Voluntour and wrote this reflection after her experience.

New Adventures, New Learnings

As Sarah has already filled you in, we have already had the privilege of seeing both community work and the beauty of Lesotho so far on the Voluntour.  But we had just scratched the surface…

The third full day of our unique adventure started with a drive to learn more about a Youth Empowerment Sports group. The president of the organization, Ntate Chaka, spoke to us about their programs, which are empowering youth to find their passion - whether it is sports, drawing, reading, art, etc. – as well as educating them about healthy life choices, avoiding drugs and alcohol, and HIV/AIDS awareness. He spoke with such passion and conviction about the importance of exposing youth to opportunities that we all walked out of there feeling inspired.

From there, we travelled to Thaba Bosiu (“Mountain of the Night”) where King Moshoeshoe defended this village from invasion and the country of Lesotho originated. We were accompanied by Ntate Chaka and several other volunteers from his organization. One of them served as our historian and tour guide up the mountain. Let me tell you, that climb was not easy, but completely worth it.  We saw things that defied logic: a tree that has fallen down but still continues to produce leaves; a ‘beach’ of sand on top of a mountain devoid of a body of water; and also tasted the crisp water of one of the seven fresh water springs atop the mountain (these features allowed for families and villages to survive independently). Every Basotho person can trace their ancestry back to that very mountain. One mountain. All of this, plus the incredible view that cannot be described in words or captured in pictures, made us fully aware that we were experiencing something special.

Our next drive through the winding roads of the mountains brought us to Ramabanta. If there is one place in Lesotho that is a must-see, this place is it. As you take the last turn towards the village through Nkesi’s Pass, The view opens up to valleys and mountains that can only be insufficiently described as perfection. The Trading Post Adventures lodge manager, Lerato Nkesi, is the Chief’s daughter. She is the most down to earth, good-hearted person I have met. She took us around the village on our second day in Ramabanta. We saw the primary school; the clinic where they were dispensing the HIV/AIDS medication and helping mothers with delivery; the care center where women of the village make wool hats and scarves to make their living; and we tried homemade beer made by a village woman. Everyone in the village is so gracious and friendly. We are blessed to have the opportunity to stay here and learn so much about both the way of life and the opportunities to help this community.

The more I experience on this trip, the more I am convinced that BLOOM Africa is taking the right approach in their work. We are not here to come in as outsiders and impose our agenda onto the people of Lesotho. We are not here to come in and build something that will not last and then we disappear. We are not here to bring supplies or outdated books that the community doesn’t need.

We are here to LEARN about the communities of Lesotho. We are here to MEET people in the community doing great work. We are here to work with PASSIONATE people who are telling us what they NEED. We ARE here to build something that will LAST – a groundwork of partnerships WITHIN the community that are actually helping the people of these communities to provide for themselves and their families and give them opportunities to thrive.

I have been humbled by my experiences over the past four days. I have met amazing people, seen amazing things and have been inspired to do more. I thank the BLOOM Africa team as well as the people of Lesotho for sharing their lives with us. I will remember these experiences for the rest of my life and will forever be inspired by the words spoken to us tonight from my new friend Malefa - “we are all born with infinite potential into a world of limitless opportunities”.

Laura

Laura Olson is from Chicago, IL and on the BLOOM Voluntour

A Unique Adventure

Chicago to Amsterdam: 7 Hours

Amsterdam to Johannesburg: 11 Hours

Being welcomed with opened arms by a family in Bloemfontein, South Africa: Priceless.

After many seated hours from Chicago to South Africa on our KLM flights (yep—multiple), and a 4 hour drive from Johannesburg to Bloemfontein (both cities located in South Africa), our group could not have been more humbled and truly grateful for an amazing meal with at least thirty of Andrew’s “family” members. (This was Andrew’s host family during his volunteer year.)  We attended an event called a Braai, which is the South African term for a barbeque (unexpectedly similar to a typical American BBQ). There was singing, dancing, prayer, socialization, and lots of lots of delicious food, all provided by the Monama  family. We quickly made friends with many of the folks there, including some university students studying accounting to mechanical engineering.  I don’t think we could have started our trip out with a more joyful, friendlier or more cultural experience.

After the Braai, we loaded back into the bus and headed to Lesotho. We entered into the Magic Mountain Kingdom without any issues, and then headed to Roma. We arrived late, ate dinner and hit the hay. Man! Traveling really wore us out!

Today, Monday, March 03, 2014 was simply amazing. We began by connecting with a group of Basotho who serve as volunteers for BLOOM Africa by connecting our work in the States to the families and children in Leostho who we serve. Maicy, Ma’Monaheng, Bokang and Malefa make up an integral part in the success of BLOOM Africa’s projects and mission.  We then walked to the Leratong Community Center, and saw all the great aspects of that space. The Leratong Community Center offers a space for children to play after school, while also growing their life skills: Volunteer Basotho women teach young children from the community how to knit and sew. Children also get the opportunity to read, write and build their language, social and emotional skills.  Since BLOOM Africa funds this Center, it was great to get an inside look.

Later in the day we returned to Leratong to enjoy the shiny, smiling faces of the children post-school day. We played Duck, Duck, Goose and also learned a fun game/song combination that Basotho children—Bana, in Sesotho—grow up playing. We played basketball and soccer; we read books; our normal-seeming volunteers became the silliest Tickle Monsters you’ve ever met. The joy and laughter was overwhelming, in a good way.

We ended the day hiking up to the top of a mountain in Roma to see dinosaur footprints—made, they say, by the Lesothosaurus— and a Lesotho sunset. We were accompanied by about 20 kids who were eager to show us the way to the “dinosaur”. It was apparent that they were proud to know the way, and proud to show us around their home. While the dinosaur prints were cool, they were no match for the breathtaking views that were waiting for us at the top of the mountain. Words cannot describe the beauty, peace and joy of the sight.

My name is Sarah Braden, and I am BLOOM Voluntour 2014 teammate and a long-time BLOOM supporter. While I absolutely enjoy reporting about this adventure from the eyes of group as a whole, this blog entry wouldn’t be complete without a personal reflection:

The joy and vitality of the Basotho is something that cannot be explained; only experienced. It is humbling, exciting and restores my faith in the strength and love of humanity. Families support each other with extremely limited resources; kids find joy in silly games; strangers greet you, no matter the color of your skin. The community is filled with a sense of amity, hard work and hope.  The grass is not the greenest, the work is not the easiest, and circumstances are far from ideal. However, joy, hope and acceptance are definitely present; and that makes all the difference in the world.

I speak for my group when I say that this day, well, it ROCKED. And tomorrow we will travel to Ramamabanta to continue this unique adventure.

Sarah

Sarah Braden is from Dallas, Texas and on the BLOOM Voluntour

It's That Time

Nervous. Apprehensive. Excited. All emotions I felt as I waited to
depart on my first flight to Lesotho.

Today, nearly eight years later and for the third year in a row, my
brother and partner, Andrew and I will be embarking on a trip to the
mountain kingdom to continue the work of BLOOM Africa.
But this time feels extra special.

With us, we are joined by six volunteers. I can tell they are all
nervous, apprehensive, and naive - as I was my first trip. And excited
(talking about you, Adam Waxman, Mr. three-calls-a-day and new Lesotho
travel guide extraordinaire.)

Their excitement fills me with pride. As well as gratitude to Profesor
Rosenberg, who first introduced me to me the tremendous spirit and
culture of Lesotho all those years ago and encouraged me to become a
shepherd of the Lesotho culture myself.

Will you join us on this adventure?

Over the next eight days, I will be sharing my love for Lesotho with
our volunteers and here on the blog with you. Visit daily for updates
and please send your comments, questions and good spirits on our
Facebook page.

With excitement,

William

William is BLOOM Africa's Deputy Director and Vice Chair of the Board

Being a Voluntourist in Community

So there is a blog that has gone viral over the last couple of weeks.  The blog, titled 'The problem with little white girls (and boys)" touches on the ever present issue of short-lived 'mission trips' that commonly takes place in less developed nations.  As we at BLOOM Africa gear up for a return visit to Lesotho on Friday, taking with us 6 volunteers for the first time, I felt like it was necessary to reflect and respond.

Many of us on the BLOOM team are on this team because of a short time spent in Lesotho at one time or another.  For me, it was a month in the summer of 2009.  Looking back, I have to admit that as a 22 year old college senior, I didn't yet "get it."  Our trip was focused on building things, which typically fell apart 6 months to a year later.  And unfortunately, it was easy to see some people were there for the wrong reasons.  But that doesn't mean that trip, and all of those before and after, were at a great fault.  Service trips can be done well if the local community is involved.  If there are things being built together, with a local expert leading the way, the extra hands from western volunteers may actually be warmly welcomed.  There is the ability for cultural understanding through working together that could be helpful.  But, sadly, often times this is not how these trips are typically organized.  But, the impact the trip had on my life can't be overlooked.  The experience did something to me that I couldn't explain. It ignited a passion in me that I never knew I had.  Many students, myself included, suddenly were on a path for a life of service.  For that, I am forever thankful.  But I longed for something that was more sustainable.

The trip caused me to pursue service opportunities, which led me to volunteering in Bloemfontein, South Africa for a year after graduation.  The program I served through, called Young Adults in Global Mission, has an unlikely mission.  The mission is 'accompaniment.'  What does that mean!?  Accompaniment basically means to be in community with those you serve.  To walk hand-in-hand with the marginalized and go foar beyond sympathy and empathy.  It is living in true community where understanding and love can occur.  So I have to be thankful for that time spent in Lesotho, although I learned so much more about community development after living in South Africa.

Recently, I was lucky enough to attend a lecture by Dr. Paul Farmer (founder of Partners In Health) and Fr. Gustavo Gutierrez (founder of Liberation Theology) in Chicago.  These two giants in the field of development and fighting poverty have written a book (In the Company of the Poor) where accompaniment is seen as the best way to fight poverty.  Why?  Because until a person breaks the barriers of their privilege and truly feels what their brothers and sisters feel, they will not be able to understand poverty.  Without understanding poverty, how can we ever overcome it?

As we embark on BLOOM Africa's first ever 'Voluntour', accompaniment remains our focus.  As the volunteers going on the Voluntour saw our itinerary, they may have been a bit surprised to not find any cement mixing, building houses or painting projects.  Instead, they found a lot of community conversations, long walks, meetings with village chiefs and time spent with out volunteers.  I believe there is great value in cross-cultural experiences that sometimes come from "mission trips", but the mission has to be right.  If the mission is to travel somewhere less developed than home, throw together a structure and then leave, it is neither sustainable nor beneficial to the community.  But if the mission is to travel somewhere to share in experiences with others, learn a new culture, and create friendships and relationships, it is a sustainable good.

Reuniting with my dear friend, Rose

We believe that BLOOM Africa has positioned itself in a true accompaniment model.  Our team of volunteers and staff in Lesotho are growing every year, and we are empowered by their passion for BLOOM's work.  Our Community Learning Centers are organized and operated by our partners in Lesotho, and we want the programming to stem from community needs and local challenges.

As we count down the hours until we depart for Lesotho, there was an excerpt from the blog that caught my attention, "Before you sign up for a volunteer trip anywhere in the world this summer, consider whether you possess the skill set necessary for that trip to be successful.  If yes, awesome.  If not, it might be a good idea to reconsider your trip.  Sadly, taking part in international aid where you aren't particularly helpful is no benign.  It's detrimental."

Well I think every human has the skill of accompaniment.  We all have the ability to spend time with others, get to know others, and understand others.  We all know how to share a meal, share a laugh and share hope.  I highly encourage you to travel internationally, but keeping in mind how much you have to learn by spending time with others in community...a community that has much to teach us, and not the other way around.

Andrew Steele is the Founder of BLOOM Africa and served as a Young Adult in Global Mission volunteer in 2010-2011

An Exciting Return

It’s that time of year again.  In just 10 short days, I will be heading back to Lesotho with my good friend and BLOOM Deputy Director, William Thomas.  This will be the third year we have gone back to Lesotho to continue building strong, life-long relationships with our friends and partners.  But, this year is different than the last few years in a big way.  We are bringing 6 volunteers with us.

This year is the inaugural BLOOM Voluntour, where 6 volunteers will join us on an amazing journey of self-discovery and transformative experiences.  The volunteers are as diverse as the beautiful mountain ranges in Lesotho.  Three volunteers will join us from Chicago, one from Dallas, one from Cincinnati and one from sunny Santa Monica.  You have already met two of the volunteers on this blog, (Laura and Sarah) and you’ll meet the rest of the gang on this blog and on our social media.  On February 28, we will all depart from Chicago’s O’Hare airport towards our welcoming hosts and friends in Lesotho and South Africa. 

After we settle in for the night after our long flight, we will travel to Lesotho with a stop in Bloemfontein.  We will be having a South African braai with the Monamas, my host family during my time in South Africa, and others in the community.  After our fill, we will head east and cross into Lesotho through the Maseru Bridge border gate. 

We will be spending 5 days in Lesotho, mainly in the Roma and Ramabanta communities.  In Roma, we will volunteer at Leratong Community Centre, meet members of the community and hike to see dinosaur footprints.  We’ll spend a day in Thaba Bosiu, the mountain range where the Lesotho kingdom was born.  There, we will meet with partners who BLOOM Africa has funded, and hike up the famous mountain where King Moshoeshoe defended the Basotho nation against all intruders.  We will then trek high up into the mountains until we reach the tranquil village of Ramabanta.  The volunteers will enjoy an afternoon of pony trekking where they will see cave paintings dating back thousands of years.  We’ll also meet with women in the community who have been making scarves and hats in the Center where BLOOM is expanding its work. 

Ramabanta

After our time in Lesotho, we will head to the world famous Kruger National Park in South Africa, where we will spend 3 days on safari.  There, we will have the chance to spot the big 5 (Elephant, Lion, Rhino, Leopard, Water Buffalo), as well as embark on some exciting activities and adventures.  Our visit will conclude with a visit to the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg, one of the most powerful museum experiences one can endure.  And on March 10, we will return to our homes, changed and transformed forever.

I’ve often been asked what I’m most looking forward to about this upcoming visit.  I honestly have to say that it’s the opportunity to introduce Lesotho and South Africa to 6 fantastic folks.  To see their faces when they see the sun set behind the majestic Maluti Mountains.  To hear their laughter when talking  with the children at the Community Center.  To touch their hands as we walk together with our partners and learn more about Basotho culture.  To taste new foods with them that they have never had.  To see their expressions when they hear their first Lion roar in the distance deep in the bush.

And like last year, we will be blogging our experiences right here.  Follow us on our journey, and I hope you can join us next year!

With great anticipation,

Andrew

Volunteer Spotlight: Sarah Braden

Sarah will be joining us on the BLOOM Voluntour in March.  In preparation for her return to Lesotho, we posed these questions in which she responds below:

Sarah and her dog Lucy

What made you want to go on the Voluntour?

I took my first trip to Lesotho in 2009 with a group of Wittenberg University students, and the 'Magic Mountain Kingdom' totally stole my heart.  While there was great need, the happiness I saw in the children, and the selfless giving of the Basotho was overwhelming.  When our bus arrived in the city, happy children ran alongside us with bright smiles on their faces.  For being a country of immense poverty, it struck me how excited and happy they were.  I was truly moved that first night.  Our group completed many different projects around the city, including planting gardens, digging pit latrines, and painting bedrooms and orphanages.  It is so rewarding to serve.  Our trip lasted for a little under a month, and upon leaving, I knew that I had to go back someday.  I began volunteering for BLOOM Africa the year after I graduated by hosting annual happy hour events in Beaumont and then Dallas, Texas.  When I heard about the Voluntour opportunity, it wasn't even a question of whether or not I wanted to go. I emailed Andrew and said, "Where do I sign up!?"

What are some things you're excited about to experience in Lesotho?

I am most excited to interact with the children and families.  It's a very freeing feeling to work alongside somebody.  I am also excited to grow alongside the other BLOOM volunteers.  A person experiences a lot of emotions when put in a new environment, especially an environment so completely different than where we live.  I think that talking about our experiences together as a group will allow each of us to grow in our own ways.

What makes you want to serve

I've always had a heart for service.  I went on my first service trip in 2007 with Athletes in Action.  We went to LA and served at churches and day cares along skid row.  That's when I truly realized how much I've been blessed in my own life, and it made me want to give time and energy to people who really need it.  Ever since that trip, I've continued to seek out ways to serve.  I believe when you give for no reason other than to just give, you get just as much out of the experience as what you produce.

Sarah lives in Dallas, Texas.

Volunteer Spotlight: Laura Olson

Hello BLOOM supporters! Thank you for supporting such a great organization. I look forward to learning so much more about the country of Lesotho and how we can make a difference! I work in the non-profit world and know that it indeed does 'take a village' to not only raise a child, but also to create change for the better. The mission of BLOOM Africa appeals to me because it is not only supporting the immediate needs of orphans in Lesotho, but it is looking for ways to create ways to sustain that support and improve their way of life.

I believe in giving-back. It was instilled by my parents while growing up, and it continues to drive who I am today. I've been fundraising, volunteering and helping locally in my community since childhood. It has guided me to my current profession in fundraising for one of the largest non-profits in the world. But being in the fundraising world, I am always looking for more opportunities for hands-on work. I also work everyday to improve my immediate community, so the opportunity to branch out and travel internationally to help was very appealing. 

If there weren't these things called bills and student loans in my life, my dream job would be to help build needed infrastructure or help run empowerment programs in Africa. Ever since a very powerful class on Africa in college, I've been continuously learning about the cultures, ways of life and challenges within the continent. Specifically, I am drawn to issue of empowerment of women to take care of their families. Africa may be a long ways-away from our own everyday lives, but I believe it is important understand the world outside of our own bubble and to learn as much as I can about other cultures in order to fully appreciate our own blessings. 

I am so excited to learn more. I want to experience the beauty of Lesotho's landscape and culture. But I also want to learn as much as I can about how they live. How does their economy work? How does the culture vary from one village to another? How do they hope to continue traditions and/or change cultural norms? How do they hope to support the orphans in the country? How can we try to change the number of orphans that need help? Most of all, I want to know how I can help. I am looking forward to learn how I can and thank BLOOM Africa for giving the opportunity to do so - Kea leboha!

Laura Olson

Laura is a Senior Relationship Manager with United Way of Metropolitan Chicago.  She will be 1 of 4 volunteers visiting Lesotho on the inaugural BLOOM Voluntour in Spring 2014.

Lead With Love

It is no real secret, if you know me to any degree, that I really love people. I recently heard a quote by Cory Booker that said, “We need to lead with love”. I could not agree more, nor say it any better. It sounds so much like something I would say, I have wondered if Cory Booker stole the quote from me. He didn’t. I give him full credit for his simple, eloquent statement.

I think there are many salient moments in my formative years that shaped the way I move through this world. However, my two trips to the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho stretched and developed my emotional capacity for love and compassion beyond a limit that even I ever thought I could surpass. Working alongside the Basotho was an incredibly special time in my life and the experience was only heightened by the fact that I had the thrilling privilege to share it with Wittenberg college students. For the first time in my life, I could literally see the capacity for compassion in a person grow before my very own eyes. On more than a dozen occasions I saw a student “figure it out” – what it meant to have compassion and share an emotional experience in empathy with someone they hardly knew but understood why it was important to do so. Amazing. Simply stated.

Often I have wondered how we can enliven the compassionate spirit within others around us that we know could use a good dose of it. I have not created a magic potion, or remedy that I can use, although I will quickly market it if I do. What I have been able to do is recognize ways in which growing compassion in people might be effective. I have observed how my young niece is developing a strong sense of compassion and much of it, I believe, stems from sharing my stories and experiences from traveling to Lesotho. My niece, Zoe Sage, has a mother (my sister, Mickey) that believes in leading with love and has instilled much of that attitude in Zoe. Add this rearing approach to the exposure Zoe has had to my Lesotho stories and we have a loving, sensitive 9-year old that finds a space in her heart for even a piece of trash. That sounds humorous and as if I am exaggerating but I’m not. This young girl has a capacity to find a place for everything in this world and for everything to have a shared community in which it can grow and be loved. Yes, even trash. When Zoe was 7 years old, Africa was the second continent she could clearly point out on a world map, or globe, after indicating where North America was. But my favorite part of Zoe’s big heart is how often she references the children in Africa and Lesotho specifically. When we wrote a letter to Santa two years ago, one of Zoe’s items on her wish list was to provide all the “cheldrin in Afrika with shoos, soks and gud cloths”. That moment was imprinted on my heart so much that I still remember the beautifully expressed – albeit incorrectly spelled – words she used. This past spring when Mickey and Zoe were doing some spring-cleaning, Zoe suggested that they send “some of my old stuffed animals to the children in Lesotho so they have something to play with”. Priceless. Simply stated.

If I was going to experiment with how to build compassion in people, I may use the model of Zoe’s young life as the template as it appears that she has developed the care and understanding about the importance of our global brothers and sisters without much resistance. It proves to me that the ability to have compassion for others is an innate sensibility that we are born with and, if cultivated at an early stage in our childhood years, will be unveiled to the benefit of those who surround us.  To tell the story of my time in Lesotho with family and friends, while feeling futile at times, has proven to generate some shared compassion about a cause that is dear to me, including in my niece, Zoe. That is some rich residual impact of the growth of compassion in my own heart. Fulfilling. Simply stated.

I will continue my pursuit to share the development of compassion and empathy in others around me, whether they are 9, 19 or even 99 years old. As much as I can, after my time in Lesotho, I will always aim to do my best to Lead with Love. Simply stated.

Sarah

Sarah Jurewicz is a founding Board Member and currently resides in Springfield, Ohio.

Team Lesotho Visits Leratong

On Saturday, we went to Leratong Community Learning Center to celebrate the big day of BLOOM Africa.  Irrespective of the distance between our two countries, we are one team.  So as BLOOM Africa was celebrating a re-launch in America, we wanted to volunteer in solidarity.  So when I got to Leratong my with teammates, we were amazed by the number of kids we found there.  On a daily basis a number of +/- 100 children go to Leratong.  They are being tutored by 3  women volunteers from the Roma community.

The children at Leratong CLC & Team Lesotho

One of their projects really had an impact on me.  It touched me to see hats and other items made out of recycled plastic bags.  The children have become very skilled at doing this.

Items made of plastic bags during life skills training

This made me realize that there is great potential at Leratong to make BLOOM's vision a reality.

This can be made possibly by us, Team Lesotho, giving them the support they need.  I believe if we can invest our time and brain power int his CLC, something good will be produced and BLOOM's name will go places,

This can be possible by providing daily supervision, as well as more projects and activities on site.  There is a a real potential in this CLC.

Thank you so much for giving us this opportunity.  You guy's don't only put a smile on the faces of the children who attend the CLC, but also Team Lesotho as well.  We are grateful.

Team Lesotho: Mammeisi, Bokang, Malefa

May the almighty bless you and your efforts.  We love you.

Khotso,

Mammeisi Manyeli
Team Lesotho member
  

A Very Special Re-Launch

Since January I have had the date July 27, 2013 circled in red on my calendar. The date is special to me on a personal level and after our BLOOM Africa quarterly board meeting in January, it become even more special. At the meeting we selected the date of our BLOOM Africa re-launch event – July 27, 2013 – therein commencing the big red mark making on my calendar. By the way, red is my favorite color, so when I use it, it means something special.

Saturday IS a special day – the BLOOM Africa re-launch event. We will be unveiling a new brand, announcing our relocation to Chicago and sharing with attendees the new and exciting steps we are securing to fully fund our new Community Learning Centers (CLC) in Lesotho. Although BLOOM Africa has been working hard completing projects since its first official launch in April 2010, recently we have picked up momentum thanks to three successful golf benefits, two proactive trips by Andrew and William to Lesotho and the support of generous donors. This re-launch event will expand the notion of what a small group of passionate and compassionate individuals can do to make a difference on a global level. I have been amazed at the persistent growth of BLOOM Africa as I have been able to have a special perspective as a founding board member. As an organization run strictly by volunteers – not a single executive or board member is paid a single itty-bitty cent – to be preparing to establish our first CLC after three years of planning, friend-raising, fundraising and promoting, is impressive.

Sometimes it is hard to relate the loving passion for Lesotho that I have – that each of us with BLOOM Africa have – and I understand that for many people without a first-hand experience it’s hard to grasp the importance of our work with the Basotho. However, the growth of BLOOM Africa and the continual story-telling of how we have impacted and can impart growth of the orphaned and vulnerable children there has proven that our hearts can be read and our emotions can be translated. If you haven’t taken a lot of time to understand what BLOOM Africa is doing, now is a terrific time to get informed. Talk to a board member, a team member, a volunteer or our founder and just listen to the loving fire that ignites as you hear about a personal exchange with a Masotho child or a Basotho family. One story into the conversation I am certain you will be convinced that the work BLOOM Africa is doing is genuine, sustainable and meaningful. These stories will be one thing that is NOT new at the re-launch; these are the stories that have stuck in our vivid memories since the moment we interacted with the beautiful people of Lesotho.

BLOOM Africa truly does plant seeds of hope – hope for a better future free of HIV/AIDS, full of empowered and courageous young adults and firmly united in a global sense of sister and brotherhood.

-Sarah Jurewicz

Sarah has been a Board Member at BLOOM Africa since it's founding in 2010 and currently resides in Springfield, Ohio.

Stepping Back

One of the things many of us on the BLOOM Africa team love the most about Lesotho is the fresh perspective it brings to our own lives.  Visiting our friends and the communities we work with at Leratong, in Roma and Ramabanta, often leaves us with a renewed sense of purpose for how to contribute to a community, a greater appreciation for the small things in life, and a realization of what matters-our relationships with each other.  it is the ability to step back and see a big picture that attracts us to our work with the communities in Lesotho.

And it is in that spirit that i am heading off on a new adventure, to serve two years in the Peace Corps in Botswana, Southern Africa.  I will be serving as a local government capacity building volunteer as part of a larger HIV/AIDS Capacity Building Initiative.

In light of my commitment to the Peace Corps, I have decided to take a step back from the BLOOM Africa Board of Directors.  It has been a true pleasure getting to know the members of the BLOOM Africa team and their many supporters.  I will continue to support BLOOM, both here and in Lesotho, as much as possible and look forward to sharing my experiences with everyone!

Ka Khotso,

Erika

Erika has served as a Board of Director since 2012.  She will continue to provide her skills & expertise to BLOOM Africa in an advisory capacity. 

Not Trying To Save Africa

I first traveled to Lesotho in 2005 with Wittenberg University.  As for many, the trip opened my eyes to a different culture, a different way of life and and different definition of community.  The taste of Africa I received on the Lesotho trip led me to return to Africa, to Tanzania in East Africa, and next up, to Botswana in Southern Africa with the Peace Corps.

As I have pursued a career in international development, I am constantly searching for the best approach, being very mindful that we are not here to "save" a country, a people, or certainly not an entire continent.  Africa is rich in resources - with it's greatest asset being its own people.  It is easy to come to a community and impose your own ideas of what and how things should be done.  What I enjoy so much about working with Bloom Africa is that this organization "gets it."  Our job is not to "save" a community, but to empower a community.  We work closely with the people in Roma at Leratong Community Center, and soon hopefully other communities, to listen to how they define their challenges and how they see solutions.

To implement the community learning centers, we will need patience, determination, strong partnerships and support.  The aim is to be local solutions to local problems, and we simple help facilitate and empower those doing the work.  We are not the heroes or the miracle workers - the members of the Leratong community are.   We are not trying to "save or change" the world, but the experience certainly does change us.

Khotso,

Erika Franz

Erika currently serves as a Board Member with Bloom Africa. 

A Request and a Promise

As a medical student, I have learned about the health impact of HIV/AIDS for the individual patient. I have learned about the anticipated disease course, treatment regimens, preventative measures, and support groups for patients and their families. In the United States, an HIV diagnosis has a troubling prognosis but has improved greatly in the last three decades since the disease emerged. The medical research community may be years away from a vaccine or cure, but HIV may be considered a chronic condition in some patients. However, the impact of HIV/AIDS on any individual, regardless of country or wealth is tangible and dramatic.

HIV/AIDS has dramatically changed the landscape and culture of Lesotho. In a country of 1.8 million, there are an estimated 160,000 orphans and vulnerable children. The impact is noticeable in every village, despite improvements in detection and treatment. The need for change and improvement is apparent. The problem-solving (and public health) part of my brain wants to assess communities and villages, design programs in collaboration with the villages, and record results and improvements in the outcomes for these orphans to celebrate their successes. However, my motivation and passion to improve the lives of Basotho children is not driven by the analytical part of my brain. My motivation and passion comes from my heart and a promise to a young mother in Lesotho in 2009.

On my second trip to Lesotho in 2009, a brief conversation with a young mother changed my life forever. We were at the Baylor Pediatric Centre of Excellence, a treatment facility for HIV positive children, to play and interact with the children while they waited for their appointments at the clinic. It was relatively quiet near the water tap and I was taking a moment to enjoy the smiles and laughter around me. The mother approached me with her youngest child on her back, secured by a Basotho blanket. We exchanged greetings and I explained why we were at the clinic. Then she asked me one of the hardest questions I’ve ever had to answer, “Will you take my child back to the United States? I’m HIV positive and I can’t take care of her.” I fumbled over my words and held back tears as I tried to explain that I couldn’t take her child. A laundry list of reasons and excuses ran through my head, but they all seemed insufficient. So in that moment, I did the only thing that seemed to do justice to the young mother’s request. I promised that I would finish my education and work as hard as I could to improve the lives of Basotho orphans and vulnerable children. I could not make an individual promise to the young mother and her children, but I could promise to never forget her children or her country. It wasn’t enough for her that day, but it is the best I could do.

Every morning I am reminded of her face as she made such a challenging request and I work tirelessly to fulfill my promise to her. I have a few more years of medical school ahead of me, but I am able to work on my promise by volunteering with Bloom Africa. Bloom Africa has allowed me to accomplish more than I ever could as an individual, a true example of Ubuntu. “You cannot do all the good the world needs, but the world needs all the good you can do” (Anonymous).

Khotso & Lerato (Peace & Love),

Betty

Betty Cheney currently serves as the  Secretary of the Bloom Africa Board of Directors. She is a medical student at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio.

We Took A Chance

We took a chance. We went.  Because we went, we saw.  Because we saw, we felt.  We felt deep pain and innocent joy.  We questioned with struggles too complex to answer.    We served, we laughed, we cried, we sang, and we danced.  We danced a lot.  But above all, we loved.  And in this love formed the truest bond between two different groups of people from two different counties and two different backgrounds.  We had different skin color and we spoke different languages.  We had different opportunities in life based on the family we were born into.  And yet, we were all the same. 

We are all the same.  So now we talk.  We teach.  We tell.  We find ways to advocate and we embrace in the hope of a another chance.  A chance to make a change in a country that so badly deserves an opportunity.  An opportunity to live.  To be healthy.  And an opportunity to sustainably live in a country devastated by poverty.

So we serve with Bloom.  We write.  We dream.  And we raise funds to support the most vulnerable children of Lesotho.  We communicate.  With the people in our country and the people in their country.  We continue to serve alongside. 

But we cannot do it alone.  

So we ask for your help.  Because you can make a difference.  A small one.  And together our small acts of love will transform.  Into a bigger change.  A greater change.  Centered around the love that was started from a chance. 

Ka Khotso,

Katharine         

Katharine is a senior at Wittenberg University and intern with Bloom Africa.

Savor the World

At the age of nineteen, I encountered the country of Lesotho in a state of wonder. How could such simplicity be so beautiful? How could we provide hope amidst so much brokenness? How did I get to be born into a comfortable lifestyle while other children lacked education, health care, or even an actual pair of shoes to play outdoor games? It was four weeks of an emotional overload of images; there were trees visible because of the outline of stars behind them, there was Scott Hospital in Morija where patient after patient presented symptoms of tuberculosis resulting in a chest x-ray resulting in an HIV test, there were children laughing on a playground while they waited to be called into the Baylor Pediatric AIDS Clinic for their appointment, there were conversations around a fire where college kids tried to make sense of the world they were witnessing each day. 

Almost two years later I still find myself struggling between trying to save the world and trying to savor the world. Every day it seems I pick up lessons that make the work done in Lesotho more worthwhile. The Wittenberg trips led by Dr. Rosenberg, as well as Bloom, truly do service the right way in how they work directly with the Basotho to learn their needs and then build projects that address them rather than having an outside agenda that they to implement on the country. However, recently through a few community service reflections sessions I have been a part of, I’ve begun thinking of our time there in different ways. One professor labeled service as a way of interrupting death; there are people in this world who humanity has written off and declared dead in a sense, but through service sometimes we have the blessing to interrupt that and remind the individual that he or she matters and has a role to play on this earth. Another professor spoke of the importance of viewing service as a healing of loneliness rather than trying to fix something. Lesotho cannot be overwhelmingly changed by one group of Wittenberg students travelling to the country, but we could show love and heal through that, and we could create conversation in ways other than spoken language to remind a child that we are all the same.

I hope every person can get the chance to witness the gentle beauty of the Mountain Kingdom. When I returned home from the trip, a friend from school interviewed me about the trip for a writing assignment for class. After listening to me, he simply entitled his essay, “Magnificence.” It was the best four weeks I’ve had the chance to live. I feel absolutely blessed by the opportunity I was given through Wittenberg, and continually blessed by what Bloom has continued to do in this nation. There is life without love but it is not found in Lesotho, and I have grown to believe it is not found in those who spend time in that country as well.

-Evan Cameron

Evan is studying medicine at Wittenberg University.

The Chance To Be A Child

It is safe to say that I think about my experience in Lesotho every day. Even though it has only been two months since our trip, I feel like it was yesterday that I was living in the beautiful Mountain Kingdom. My experiences, the people I met and the friendships I made will forever be memories that I hold close to my heart. One experience I would like to share with you, is about our morning spent at the Baylor Pediatric AIDS Clinic. It is tradition for the Wittenberg trips to go to Baylor and throw a carnival for the children waiting to be treated. We have tattoos, bubbles, a parachute, bracelet-making and more. My brother, Zac Daniels, went on the Wittenberg trip in the summer of 2011 and told me about how impactful, yet hard the day at Baylor would be. I started off at the bracelet-making station, which is where I met someone very special. A young girl, around 9, came and sat down next to me and started picking out beads for a bracelet. However, her hands and body were shaking so hard that she could not hold the thread steady enough to add beads. I began helping her by holding the thread, but even after completing a bracelet she was still shaking and had not cracked a smile yet. I decided to take her over to the bubbled station to see if I could break her out of her shell. I began by showing her how to blow the bubbles and her face was filled with wonder. I offered the bubble wand to her and as she blew her first bubble, I finally saw her smile. It was one of the most beautiful things I had ever experienced.

We spent the rest of the day playing with bubbles, the parachute and on the playground.  I swear I have never seen a child so happy in my life. The transformation I witnessed from a scared and shaking child to a happy, carefree, exuberant little girl was incredible.   She didn’t speak one word of English, so I never even learned her name, but she became one of the most important people I’ve ever met. This young girl reminded me about what it means to be a child again and how to have fun without a care in the world.

Every day I spent in Lesotho was memorable and life-changing, but my experience at Baylor AIDS Clinic with this little girl will forever be one of the most important days of my life. Leaving her at the end of the afternoon was one of the hardest things I have ever experienced. I think about her all the time and hope that experiences the wonder of bubbles and the enjoyment of being a child every day.

Ka Khostso,

Kenzie Daniels

Kenzie is a student at Wittenberg University

Alongside Community

As I sit here at O.R. Tambo International airport, I am filled with that intense feeling you get when you leave home.  After an amazing ten days in Lesotho and South Africa, it’s time to head back to Chicago.  (And a 60 degree difference in temperature! Ouch!)  So much of the last ten days revived feelings, tendencies and even vocabulary words from my time as a volunteer in South Africa.   My long walks up the steep dirt paths of Lesotho brought me back to a time of enchantment and discovery.  Once again, I felt vibrantly alive.  I was home.

Admittingly, we didn't take as many photos during our trip this year as we usually have.  (Don’t worry, we still captured all of those awesome High 5 photos!)  The main reason for this was because, for the first time really, we were really part of the community.  Instead of being outsiders from America, fascinated by the intricacies surrounding us, we were members of the communities we were in. 

We walked alongside friends as we learned of new villages.  We danced alongside Team Lesotho as we celebrated a newfound friendship and partnership.  We sat alongside members of the community as we held our first pitso, (community conversation) in Roma.  We laughed alongside children who found our goofiness contagious.  We drank tea alongside old friends and family as we caught up on life.  We asked questions alongside those we wish to serve.  We were wholly, fully, in community with those we are serving, and what an incredible realization it was for us.

I cannot wait until the days when we are amongst the Maluti mountains once again.  I firmly believe the seeds of hope have not only been planted by Bloom Africa, but they have now been watered.  Our new and passionate volunteers in Lesotho will help cultivate the empowerment and hope that these seeds will provide.  I cannot be more excited about the possibilities that rest along the horizon of the future. 

Thank you to everyone who joined us in our journey and supported us through reading our blog, following us on Facebook and Twitter, or who simply wished us traveling mercies.  You are our fire and we will continue to strive for an empowered Lesotho together.

Ka Khotso, (In Peace)

Andrew

The Village in the Sky

Our last two and a half days were spent in Ramabanta, a village about 45 kms up into the mountains from Roma.  It’s a village high up in the Malutis, overlooking gorgeous mountain peaks and waterfalls below.  We didn't witness one cloud in the sky the entire time we were there.  Only blue skies at day and crystal clear constellations at night graced our views.  We have been to Ramabanta on a number of occasions in years, past, and we had to go back.  Over time, we have developed a love for this very special place.  It’s as if there is nowhere else on Earth as peaceful and beautiful as this secluded area in Lesotho.

 On Thursday morning, we went with Tsili, an employee at the guest lodge and friend of ours, to his home in Thaba Bosiu.  We wanted to see his newly established piggery, where 14 new piglets were recently born.  It was fascinating to learn how small pig farming can produce some serious profit for a family.  After spending some more time at his home, we headed up to Ramabanta.

Ramabanta is such a peaceful place that it is hard not to take advantage of the natural surrounding beauty.  We spent some time fishing that evening in a nearby river, which we unfortunately did not catch anything.  We also enjoyed the cool mountain breezes as we sipped our 5 Roses tea and breathed the fresh mountain air.  But it wasn't all R&R for us while we were there.

Fishing for trout in Ramabanta

We spent a day in the village, meeting as many peoples as we could.  Our friend, Lerato Nkesi, is the eldest daughter of the village chief.  She walked us through the village and helped us understand the community better.  We visited some small farms, piggeries, library, a primary school and even met with the village chief to explain Bloom Africa’s vision.  We also stopped by the newly built medical clinic, and had time to ask the nurses their questions about the health issues facing the community.  We spent an afternoon with the principal of the local primary school, and discussed some ways the school and a Community Learning Center could work together. 

High 5!

An exciting development is also taking place.  Later this afternoon, Lerato will be meeting with the Principal Chief of Ramabanta, who has political and traditional jurisdiction over a wide span of land.  She will be discussing our organization and vision of empowerment for the community in Ramabanta.  These are some of the initial steps in a very promising partnership in the years to come.

Lerato walking us through her village

We will soon be heading to South Africa, where we will be attending a special church service in the morning, as well as meeting some young adults who are interested in developing their own NGOs.  As always, we’ll keep you posted along our journey.

Thanks for your continued support.

Ka Khotso,

William & Andrew