Amazing Friends
Proud.
I’m quite proud of my friends.
Not proud as if to say I did something to make them. More like you’d talk about being proud of your Grandpa who served in the war.
I spent most of my morning worried about how I was feeling. Wishing I wasn’t feeling anything – especially hurt, a touch of anger, and wanting to be right.
Then I got an email from a friend.
Paul Hardy just spent a night at Hotel Des Mille Collines (aka Hotel Rwanda.) Yes, the now infamous Hotel Rwanda -another poppy in a field too full of memories – “lest we forget” a genocide that wiped out roughly the population of Calgary in just four months.
And why was he there? -to set up a system whereby women can make clothes for his new clothing line that will provide a sustainable income for them and their children.
It doesn’t take my mind long to connect that I have other friends who are doing things in Africa.
Shannon is launching a charitable foundation, Musikiva Canada, to provide music therapy to at risk youth in Calgary and in Kenya.
Ralph is spearheading the good efforts of Hopetheopia – a project to develop long-term sustainable developments in Ethiopia.
Glenda and Charles are professional counselors conducting free counseling in Rwanda. Trying to help people deal with war trauma that most of us would never understand.
Harry, an established Calgary Plumber, is establishing “Plumbers Without Borders” after going to Africa and seeing the need for clean water.
Wow! It’s too amazing. What incredible people they all are. And this doesn’t even touch what some of my other friends are up to in Asia, South America etc. And these are just people I am in contact with on a, at least, monthly basis. I wonder how many other super amazing people are out there doing amazing things?
I probably have some issues to deal with. Some Feelings to sort through and purge, but people like this help me to get focused on what’s really important. They make me think it is possible. We can make a difference. And in the process, I think we will all be changed.
