Two years in Africa may sound unfeasible to most of us who are used to keeping our feet planted firmly on Canadian soil, but it sure is an exciting prospect for two local young women set on sharing stories and making a difference.
![Twila Erb and Samara Seiling are now fundraising for a two-year missionary trek through Africa as interns with the Youth for Christ organization. [elena maystruk / the observer]](https://www.observerxtra.com/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Post_AfroDash.jpg)
First they found each other, now they are looking for some funds as they prepare Afro-Dash, a “fun run” scheduled for the fall that will help them with travel costs and donations to the African communities they will visit.
Twila Erb and Samara Seiling met just a couple of months ago, brought together by a common dream to travel Africa. Later this year the twosome will set off to traverse 11 countries on the continent as interns with Youth for Christ Canada, a non-profit that works with young people around the world, ministering in more than 100 countries. Unlike most interns who have a relative idea of what their jobs will entail, the two are going in blind – and that’s exactly how they like it.
“As far as what we are actually specifically doing, we don’t know and we actually want it that way. Most people go to Africa with an agenda of how they want to fix everything and it’s not realistic at all,” Erb said this week.
She leaves for Africa in January 2014 and Seiling joins her in June. Before then they need to collect enough funds to cover some travelling expenses and as many donations as possible to leave behind in Africa (the two will be living among locals during their stay).
This is a first trip for Seiling, who hopes to continue such trips and efforts for the rest of her life.
“I’ve wanted to go to Africa since I was two years old. I’ve just wanted to be a missionary. Growing up, it’s all I’ve wanted to do, so here it is,” she said.
If there’s one thing they do know it’s that 11 countries with diverse cultures and varying programs will present them with a multitude of tasks – on her last trip, Erb helped out at a daycare for AIDS orphans – with, hopefully, a common element:
“We’re hoping to take out stories and hopefully inspire other people to believe that they have their own stories because I really believe that everybody has one – we’re so impacted by stories both positively and negatively,” Erb said.
The girls have an impressive itinerary in Africa, starting with Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya followed by work in Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland, Madagascar, Mauritius and east of that Rodrigues, a tiny autonomous region located in the Indian Ocean.
The funds – Erb and Seiling hope to raise about $5,000 – will help keep the girls in Africa for the two years they will be helping out with the organization.
“We do want to leave as much of a gift as possible at the different places that we are staying at for having us and to go towards whatever is happening,” Erb said.
Afro-Dash is scheduled for September 28, and registration is now open. The event will feature a 5- or 2.2-kilometre walk or run with an African theme. Participation is open to people of all ages. For registration and more information visit www.yfcprojectserve.com/afrikanran5k or call 226-791-4337.
