No Judgment

       I've been gone about 12 days now and remembering why I am so in love with Africa comes easily. South Africa is hands down one of the most amazing places I've ever been in my entire life. My roots lie within and I can feel my  blood belonging. But with beauty and a sense of belonging also comes hard times. South Africa, I believe, still has a long way to go with issues of race. Color matters in South Africa, and I can't wrap my head around it. Its instilled from a young age  generation after generation and thus I can not hold judgment. But I feel something must be done or this country will turn on itself.  

         I leave for Kenya on Tuesday with extreme caution, as the anniversary of Osama Bin Laden's death approaches raising the threat of terrorist attacks in Kenya. My eyes are open once again and my  heart is filled with nothing but love. I'm back. 

with a little piece of my heart,

Julia

Today I will continue following my dream of working in Africa. First stop a 26 hour flight to South Africa. Here's to living!

with a little piece of my heart,

Julia

 http://www.majimazuri.org/


To donate click the above link. In the right corner you will see a DONATE button!

Raising Money!

 Seeing pictures and thinking about my home and the hard times Kenya is going through has sparked my motivation to fundraise for Maji Mazuriagain! I already have someone who will match $500 dollars once I raise 500 which means a whopping $1,000 will be going straight to Kenya!!!!!!! PLEASE help me help my friends by donating!! $20 goes along way! write a check payable to Maji Mazuri USA (a tax deduction!) and send it to me at 4256 Vicasa Drive Calabasas CA 91302! Once I reach 500 Ill get the match and send $1,000 to KENYA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! please share this!


with a little piece of my heart,


Julia

missing Kenya

Just going through pictures and my blogs I shared with all of you and am feeling overcome with emotion. Kenya I miss you. I miss everything about you. I miss my kids, I miss William, I miss the simple beautiful life I lived there. I have spoken with many of my close friends there and I know the wheelchairs are going to be delivered next week! I wish I was there to see my beautiful kids finally get what they deserve. It is hard being back and I am struggling to find as much meaning here as I did there, but I know life can be beautiful wherever you are, it's up to you to decide how to live. Just thought I'd share an update with you and my feelings!

with a little piece of my heart,

Julia

california in a new light

Leaving Kenya was one of the hardest things I've ever gone through. I was crying so hard I couldn't catch my breath. The taxi driver at one point said "okay. calm down." hahaha. So after about 30 hours of flying, I made it to my California home, where I was greeted by my whole family :) I'll tell you it was nice getting into a car and not a matatu! But everything is different now, although nothings really changed except for me. America is so beautiful and its not hard to get back into the swing of things when you live in luxury. We take so much for granted, including streets with no pot-holes, trash cans on the side of the streets, walking out in the night and not fearing for your life, and just about everything in between. Life is easy here and although I know we all face struggles and sometimes downright tragedies, we are the lucky ones, we are the select few that do not live on less than a dollar a day, and at the end of it all we are Americans. Just because my time in Kenya has come to an end, it does not mean my work is done. The hardest part for me is that no matter how many stories I share or how many pictures I show, you can not see what I saw, thus the urge and hunger to help may not be as passionate as mine, but I promise you the world need us. It needs people who care and want to make a difference and if we all come together we can change it for the better. But please I beg of you do not turn a blind eye, to do nothing and know it exists is unacceptable and inhumane. It is our duty as human beings to lend a helping hand. Please visit the majimazuri.org website to find out ways on how to help. Also feel free to email me at juliafingleson@gmail.com with questions, comments, or anything else! Thank you again for sharing my journey with me and continue to check in for updates on Maji Mazuri and what I am doing here to help!

with a little piece of my heart,

Julia

Wheelchairs all thanks to YOUR donations! VERY happy children :)

saying goodbye

saying goodbye is not easy. especially when you have become so close to the people around you. I leave tomorrow night and every hour gets harder for me. Tomorrow I will see 3 of the 9 wheelchairs be delivered  and I couldn't ask for a better goodbye. The other 6 will be delivered next week and with the money that was raised I was also able to buy an amazing sewing machine that will be used for vocational training. Tomorrow will be bitter sweet. I'll write again when I am home (my American home ;) ). Thank you to everyone for supporting me in my journey and coming along with me through following my blog. I had my ups and my downs, and all in all I'm leaving a new person ready to keep on helping.

with AN ENORMOUS piece of my heart,

Julia