Connor’s Africa Service Trip

Thanks to all of you who have so generously donated to my fundraiser. I will be heading over to Zambia in just seven weeks!

The following is a list of supplies that we are in need of for the various projects and activities that we’ll be doing with all of the kids. If you have any of these items lying around, or feel inclined to go out and buy some of them, I’d love to take them off of your hands! Please let me know if you’re able to help!

Items needed to support our projects and activities:

• Crayons
• Construction paper (both light and dark colored)
• *Glue Sticks
• Stapler and Staples
• Woven Fabric
• *Tapestry (dull) needles
• Yarn
• *Plastic Canvas
• *Balloon Sticks
• *Curling Ribbon
• Paper Plates
• Jump ropes
• Soccer Balls or other recreational balls (one per team member would be awesome)
• Ball pumps
• Stickers to hand out at the medical clinic
• Ibuprofen
• Anti-fungal cream
• Anti-biotic cream
• Lice shampoo
• Drama props (old hats or scarves)
• Ace bandages
• Large gauze bandages
• Stickers to hand out at the medical screenings
• Cough suppressant
• Gauze
• Anti- diarrhea medicine
• calamine lotion
• iodine
• medical scissors
• alcohol swabs
• alcohol prep pads
• cough drops
• ointment
• cotton balls
• anti bacterial hand sanitizer
• deep heat,
• syringes
• deep heat topical ointments syringes
• latex gloves
• Bacitracin zinc ointment
• Neomycin polymyxin cream

My brother Brennan will be in Zambia for three months this summer. He arrived yesterday and will be there through mid July, and will return with me after my three weeks has concluded. Here’s the email he just sent:

I safely arrived in Lusaka… sadly to say, without my luggage. Let’s hope it got on the next flight and will be here by Tuesday… We shall see. I already love it here and dont think I can come back. Sorry! All is very good, and I’m meeting everyone and getting tours around the city.

We had to go get wheelbarrows from the store today and Fred drove Mike, Antony, and I. Me and Antony rode in the back of the truck. It was awesome! We were driving all around and he was pointing everything out and telling me all about Lusaka. My own personal tour guide! Too bad he’s leaving back to charter school and the other dude that was staying here, Darlington, is taking off too. So, no friends but plenty of work to do! Woo!

Just to let you know, I feel 100% mentally physically and spirtually. I truly believe that this is where I’m supposed to be right now. So, thanks!

Brennan is very service-minded and charitable, and will take to Zambia like it was his natural habitat. I look forward to hearing about the lives he will touch, experiences he will have, and construction projects he’ll be working his tail off on.

As you might have noticed, Africa is quickly becoming a family affair. my mother did a service trip in Zambia last year, Brennan will be there for three months (working primarily on construction for the children’s village that Mothers Without Borders is creating), I’ll be doing a three week service trip, and an Aunt of mine will be on my same service trip.

Do you feel the Africa bug biting you? Are you interested in serving these wonderful people as well? If so, let me know!

Yesterday I had to get my shots for the trip to Zambia. Luckily I didn’t have to get that many because several of the ones I needed for my LDS mission in Honduras were still good. An added bonus was that one of the shots, normally $95, only cost me $5 because it was going to expire in a week and so it was “on sale”. Not bad!

But man, my shoulders are sore. That dang tetanus shot was a doozie!

Oh, and the nurse gave me a lollipop. Sweet!