JBFC New Faces: Seth Diemond

Guest Blogger, Seth Diemond, is JBFC's new Campus Director. 

In 2008, after my second year of college, I left for Tanzania on a trip that I thought would be a once in a lifetime experience. It ended up changing the course of my life forever and would ultimately lead me to JBFC four years later.

During that first trip volunteering in Moshi, Tanzania, as well as the many subsequent stays, I was not only incredibly inspired by the people and culture, but most importantly by the determination of the many children I met. Their lives were very similar to those of the kids here at JBFC, before they were taken in by Chris. By most standards, they had little to nothing.

Upon returning to the states after that first trip I knew that Tanzania would not soon be forgotten and that I would soon be back. For the first time in my life I felt inspired and passionate enough about something to dedicate my life to it. I moved to Tanzania the following year with the hopes of living a life of working with disadvantaged youth.
After spending the better part of four years working on various projects in the Kilimanjaro region, I saw an ad for an opening at JBFC posted online. After reading about the amazing work that Chris and his team are doing, I decided to apply. After meeting Chris and spending a week with his staff and children at JBFC, I truly felt as inspired and passionate about working in Tanzania as at any time in the past four years. I am very much looking forward to working with Chris and the JBFC team to continue seeking a better future for the kids here at JBFC. And I want to share our passion for this work with JBFC's many guests and friends and helping them get the most out of their time here in Tanzania. More than anything, I am looking forward to spending time with the kids and helping them continue to develop into the wonderful young adults that they are all destined to be.

JBFC New Faces: Guest Coordinator

Guest Blogger, Amanda Winge, is serving as JBFC's Guest Coordinator for Summer 2013.

I met Chris Gates in the sixth grade at Holland Hall and we have remained close friends ever since. The summer between graduation and the start of college, I was looking for a job and Chris suggested that I work for his grandfather, Ray Batchelor, as he was in need of a secretary for the summer. Ray would always have these fantastic photos of Chris and his grandmother, Janada, in Africa, just as JBFC was taking off. I watched in awe throughout the years as the buildings grew, more and more animals entered the scene, and slowly more smiling faces of young Tanzanian girls were added to the pictures. I'd always had an interest in traveling and learning about other cultures, but opportunities were not always easy to come by for various reasons. I had the chance to study abroad in college, but being nervous to step outside my comfort zone too far, I took the typical college route and went to Europe for a year. 

After graduating from OU in 2009, I decided it was time to really step out of my comfort zone and I moved to Egypt that fall, with absolutely no idea of what to expect. I left Egypt with a certificate to Teach English as a Foreign Language, amazing new friends, and more importantly, the knowledge of knowing that I could step out of my comfort zone and adapt to new situations. The experience changed my life and gave me the courage to tackle the world head on, and I've never looked back.

The opportunity to work at JBFC this summer as the Guest Coordinator could not have come at a better time. Having just spent the past year working as an academic coordinator for international exchange students, I was in search of a meaningful summer position where I could continue working with young people who were traveling and had a real desire to explore the world. The international students I worked with were high schoolers, young but completely courageous in the fact that they were already venturing into the unknown in their own. The Guest Coordinator position at JBFC allows me to continue supervising young volunteers as they too, start their personal journeys to become more culturally aware global citizens. 

I am definitely excited to finally see the JBFC campus in person and meet all of the students, but I am absolutely thrilled to be working closely with the volunteers for the summer. This is a tremendous opportunity that these young volunteers have, and there is no doubt in my mind that the experience will have a long lasting impact on their futures. Whether it's trying a new food, learning a new skill, helping a student with reading, or even stepping outside of their comfort zone for a couple of weeks, the volunteers will walk away from this summer experience with an open mind and an open heart. I am so excited to be able to help the volunteers get the absolute most out of their time at JBFC! 

For more information about volunteering at JBFC, please click here.