A Whole New World

When I tell you that being exposed to new cultures with a Christ infusion was the boost that I needed. Yes, we left the children in Indiana with Paul’s parents for a once in a lifetime experience. Did I struggle with mommy guilt at first? Yes! Did I quickly get over it, when I understood that I NEEDED to be away to be recharged? YES! I literally was doing the most! Working the dance studio, teaching dance in prison, I mean at a middle school LOL, and coaching dance at a high school. I was drained and felt like I was constantly on a hamster wheel.

So many people ask, “What exactly did you do in South Africa for 1 month?” If I could explain the experience, I would say that we served as advisors to 10 teams of 12 entrepreneurs on each team from 5 countries throughout Africa- Ghana, Botswana, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. Even though we were the American advisors, I learned so much from my team- The Trailblazers! All 12 of my members were millennials, ages 21-35 years old, who were running successful businesses and left everything they knew to pursue this promising experience- The Village Boardroom Experience.

They had to come together to provide real world solutions to businesses over the month that we were there, similar to our version of the Apprentice. They had a weekly boardroom sitting, where they were grilled on their solutions, from a group of highly esteemed celebrity adjudicators and business professionals with years of experience spanning across several industries. Not only did they have to come together as a team, but they were taught Biblical principles and the importance of infusing Christ in business to eradicate poverty across the continent of Africa.

To be immersed in this environment for a month, my faith grew, my mindset shifted, and my relationship with Jesus was deeply impacted with the desire to seek him even more. Check back later this week to hear how my team was disqualified and how I struggled coming back home.