Today I got to meet African children orphaned by HIV. It was honestly the most humbling experience in the world. To know that there are children out there having to work for food at such young ages really makes me count my blessings. I really wanted to hug each one of them but I was shy so I just shook their hands. They're the most amazing people I've met in my life. Despite such a harsh environment, they've managed to not only find strength to get by each day but to also thank God for everything He's done for them or in their own words, "God didn't forget me". If you look at them, they really emit such hope and their joyful countenance shows nothing of the tragic life they used to live. It makes me think if we sometimes take our lives for granted, these kids don't have fresh water to drink on a daily basis, and here I am, being picky insisting on only drinking Evian or Ice Mountain. Or how easily we seem to give up when life's challenges get the better of us, with people committing suicide just cause their lives aren't the way they wanted it to be and these children are struggling every day just to survive. Such a strong juxtaposition. I'm honestly thankful I got to meet these children. They've really made me thank God even more for the life I live (not like I don't already, that's why I said "even more").
I've been wanting to go to South Africa for a while and this has made me want to go even more so I'm intending to take a trip to South Africa sometime in the next year and I think it'll be amazing to visit their orphanage and to really experience first-hand what it's like to be in their position. I think it's gonna be life-changing.
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