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.