I remember being a kid and watching television late at night. In the wee hours of the morning certain stations would show underprivileged kids in Africa and abused kids in the U.S. It was hard for me to believe that kids lived this way, and whenever I ate dinner my parents would encourage me not to be wasteful. “There are starving children in Africa,” they would say. I used to wish that I could give them my food or my nice parents who really tried their best to provide for me and love me. It wasn’t until years later when I realized that I could do that for them myself.

It began with sponsoring a little girl from Kenya named Wanjiku Lucy through one of those help agencies. I sent money for her every month, so she could be fed and educated. Somehow that didn’t seem to have the type of impact I was looking for. Then in 2004 I got involved with the AIM Organization, and I was afforded the opportunity to actually go to Africa. Since that time, I have been to Ghana, West Africa on three separate occasions. My most recent trip, August 2007, was really memorable.

I guess what sticks out to me the most was that through my efforts and the other team members, we made a difference in the lives of children. We fed them; we educated them. We lived with them; we sang with them; we laughed with them. We learned their names, and they came to know us by name. I gave them food, and I taught them. Simple things like what a swimming pool is and the fact that there are other places in this world besides what they know and have heard of, will stay with them forever. My life has changed because I touched theirs. And although I know that poverty exists all over the world, there is nothing like taking responsibility and trying to do something about it in your own way. Through AIM, I have been able to do that.

By Patrice R. Troutman