On March 15th I left England, with a team of almost 30 other people to travel to South Africa.
On March 25th I left South Africa, with a team of almost 30 other people to travel to England.
Something profound happened to in me during those 10 short days.
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In South Africa I was changed. I met destiny. I came face to face with purpose. I laughed with many wonderful people, watched as amazing things happened, heard awe-inspiring stories and held back tears. However, out of everything that happened, everything I saw, everything I smelled, everything I touched, and everything I heard, one thing changed me in ways that cannot be imagined.
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Let me introduce to you my youngest brother, and the newest member of my family.
Noah George McCormick.
At just over one year old he doesn’t have a care in the world. He has a family who adores him. He will be given every chance to succeed in life. Good education, good upbringing, good family, good home. Great life.
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Let me introduce to you one of the children I met in South Africa.
Angel.
A few years old. I don’t know her age. She probably doesn’t even know her exact age. No family. Doesn’t have many prospects in life. She is not being given the chance to succeed in life.
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There is something wrong about that. We met many children like this. Children who are not being given a chance. Many have no parents at all, and the rest parents who are suffering with aids. There is an injustice in this. I knew all of this about going to Africa though. I knew that I would be faced with poverty. With situations that would make me question myself, my beliefs, my ethics and my politics. In a way, I was semi-prepared for all of that.
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However, I was not prepared for this.
Listen to the words. Think about them. Children should not have to sing this sort of thing.
These children, from just a few years old are being taught some pretty serious things.
It’s not alright to be beaten.
It’s not alright to be abused.
It’s not alright to be raped.
It’s not alright to be treated like an object.
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This scared me. It made me incredibly uncomfortable. It made me incredibly sad.
If I had to choose one thing form this trip that changed me. This is it.
I want it to continue to make me uncomfortable, I want it to continue to change me.
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Noah will go to school and learn ABC’s. Angel will go to school and learn it’s not OK to be raped.
This changed me. Let it change you. And because it has changed us, let’s change it.
Filed under: Uncategorized , Culture, Hope, Justice, Mission, People, Politics, Social Justice, South Africa





