...you can't stop me now!

I know, I just talked about my trip to Malawi in my last post but an amazing friend of mine just sent this poem to me and it just HAD to be shared.. enjoy my friends!


We travelled to Malawi on a trip not long ago
And became a group of friends that will miss each other so!
I wanted to remember this long journey with a rhyme,
So her it goes, just give me a short moment of your time!

Now Paula, she's the crazy one, and always laughs out loud.
She not like any other and she stands out in the crowd.
But Paula has a problem, every time she tries to squat;
Urine soaks her panties, more than just a little dot!
Safaris are another minor problem Paula has;
When elephants come near her, our poor Paula has a spaz!

Danielle's a little different, and she doesn't always talk;
But when it's time for a team meeting, to the shower she will walk! But she sure is a beauty, even Mali boys would say,
That chances are Danielle will be Miss Canada someday!

Kristen is the the tallest one and her jokes are kind of lame,
But if she wasn't on this trip, it wouldn't be the same.
Her laugh and smile light up a room and make each person smile
And forget about our problems for at least a little while.

Ashley can be often found with a camera on her neck,
Or a Journal and a pen sitting on the pool deck.
She's friendly and outgoing and will talk to anyone
And she lives her nutella spread out on an open bun.

Katrina bought almost every souvenir she saw
And when we need some kwacha, she just pulls it from her bra. It's normal to be scared of heights or giant spiders maybe,
But Katrina's terrified of a small gecko and a baby!

Brittany doesn't travel well and always gets air sick,
But the song she wrote 'bout nsima is Malawi newest hit!
She always sits right at the front with Issa in the van
And despite her occupation doesn't have a farmers tan!

Jacqui likes to sing out loud, wherever she might be
But its impossible to wake her when she's catching cherished "z's"
She's by far the slowest eater and likes to take her time
But Jacqui would be there for you at the drop of a dime.

Elle is strong and caring but she doesn't like to touch
But happy you will see her when she gets the blitz in Dutch.
She's pretty level headed and deals well with strife
But made it clear that Africa is somehow not real life

Sarah's always smiling and playing the guitar,
Her passion and her talent with surely take her far!
Her giggles and her chatter may have kept you up at night
But Sarah helps to make the day of everyone more bright

Samara likes adventure and doing things outdoors,
But had to see the doctor about her open sores
She's passionate to touch the lives of people everywhere
But we all hope she'll stop and take the time to wash her hair.

Alanna claims she doesn't like to hug one little bit
But secretly we know she does, her snuggles never quit!
She also felt the need to somehow break the only rule
And wanted to get off in Rome when we touched down for fuel

Allison is awesome and her voice is oh so pretty
Her passion and her talents will surely change her city.
The prize for awkward puking is a prize that she would win
As she puked right at security in the plastic airport bin

Kim starts every meeting with "so girls, how was your day"
And thinks we're over budget every time we have to pay.
But she is proud of every single member of this team
And couldn't be more thrilled that you have been part of her dream.

There's lots of other memories that I could still bring up
Like dishes for Adziwa so each kid had a cup
Or the large amounts of nsima that made us all feel sick
Or "Paula likes this" posted on Appy's profile pic

Or how about the time that number five went somehow missing
Or when gift ate issa's poop after your face he had been kissing!
Or what about the countless nights that you spent with "a-net"
Our two weeks in Malawi is a time we won't forget!

Thanks to every one of you for such an awesome time!
And that concludes our journey girls! This trip has been sublime!

Written with more love than I ever thought I could have for 12 girls,
Kim Moran

Maybe it's a slow wagon...

Alright, alright..I said I was all into this blogging thing...but I have found that ever since I returned home from a recent trip to Malawi this past summer, I don't enjoy sitting in front of computer screens that much anymore.

I can look back and see the countless number of hours I have spent on my laptop, in front of a tv, or busy texting someone on my cellphone... and it bothers me. It bothers me that that is how I chose to spend my time. I believe that time is a gift. We humans are not promised tomorrow on earth...so each moment that we get to spend on earth should be cherished, and counted as a blessing, and I think most importantly...used for good.

Is it possible to do good on all our fancy technological devices? Of course it is. Chances are, if I am thinking about someone and want to send them a quick encouragement, my immediate response would be to grab my purse and dig out my phone amongst all the junk in there and send the person a text. It's just another way we communicate now. But if I am going to be honest here, I could ask myself...'Allison, were you really doing good by staying up late watching the third season Grey's Anatomy online last night?' I can only answer 'no' to that question.

Spending two weeks in Malawi with very little communication to my friends and family back home allowed me to see life from a different perspective. It allowed me to see just the basics. The basics of pouring out love into people, and in return having love back into me. Lots and lots of love. A love that was not sent with a quick text, a love that was not passed on with a 'poke' over facebook, a love that was not communicated quickly during commercial breaks of my favourite tv show... no. It was a love from taking the time to teach a little boy how to make a paper airplane and decorate it with stickers. It was a love from spending time worshipping in God's presence with house mom's from an orphanage. It was a love from playing tag with a little girl who had been abandoned by her family just weeks ago. It was a love from children who very rarely are blessed with the opportunity to receive love.

That's what broke my heart during in Malawi. Not the sad stories of the orphaned children. Not the lack of food in their families. Not the lack of education. Not the social injustice. It was the love. The endless amounts of love that they poured into my life. I went there to share love, but somehow, I think I came home with more love than I could have possibly ever given to them.

All this to say, I see things differently now. I try to somehow, someway, share that incredible love with someone else. I try to spend  waste less time doing things that please me like browsing through the latest styles that dynamite has on sale, and cherish more time going out of my way, and out of my usual routine to make a difference in someones life.