When Words Don't Come Easy
When Words Don't Come Easy
Journey of Love and Compassion: Our Family's Life-Changing Trip to Zambia
Ever wondered how serving in a foreign land could change your perspective on life? Join us on this episode as we share about our trip to Zambia and discuss the experiences that shifted our family's outlook and ignited a remarkable journey of love and compassion.
This week, Tiffany, myself, and our twins, Parker and Presley, share heartwarming moments that left a permanent mark on all of our hearts. Tiffany and the twins unveil a more profound part of their journey, one that taught them more about themselves and left them longing for a return trip to Zambia.
This conversation isn't just about us and our experiences, however. It's about the children we met in Zambia - their resilience, their infectious joy, and the harsh realities they face every day. The small ways we could bring happiness into their lives made a massive impact on ours. If you've ever thought about sponsoring a child but had any doubts, this episode might just encourage you towards making that commitment! So, come join us, and let's make a difference together.
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Welcome back to the when words don't come easy podcast. My name is Andy Howard and I am so glad that you are here today, that you joined us. It's always a blessing for as many people as I can share hope with and share Inspiration with. That's what this whole podcast is about, and today is special. Today I'm joined by my family. I was gonna say my favorite guests, but it's true, I'm joined by my family, tiffany, but not just Tiffany. You're gonna get to meet the twins, parker and Presley, and let me tell you that was not easy getting them to come on here, but they did that for me and well, maybe a slight bribe as well to get them on here, but it's cuz. Actually, they're passionate about what we're doing and we're reflecting back on our trip to Zambia and getting to help the kiddos, and so you're gonna hear it straight from them.
Speaker 1:Right after this, we will actually Actually start off with Parker first. Yes, so stick around to the end. I will even give you a chance to be a part of this great mission. But all that more happens right after this. What's up, everybody? I told you I had some special guests lined up today. Here we go. This is my daughter, parker Howard and I'm gonna go ahead and be honest with you. We're probably gonna laugh a little bit here, cuz she's been laughing this whole time. This is take 39 and I even called her Zumba a minute ago so we had to edit that out. But here we are no more edits. This is live, real and uncut, so hope you like this. So the reason I called you Zumba we're gonna move back show so much that was paying attention. You just finished a production. You were in the Lion King. That's pretty cool, did the Lion King in Dallas? Here, you and your sister, and you were actually Pumba, not Zumba. What was that like? Getting to play, miss mister Pumba?
Speaker 1:It was fun it was fun all that, for it was fun. It was fun. It was fun getting to see you up there. Look, you had a lot of good chemistry with some of your friends on the production and what was your favorite part about just getting to be in a live play and playing a character like that?
Speaker 3:Just meeting a ton of friends.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, it has been a very busy summer for us. The reason why we're here today, I wanted to talk about our trip to Zambia, and I think that's why I called you Zumba Zambia. For those who don't know, zambia is a country in in Africa, and so we wanted to touch on a few of these this Memories to reflect on how awesome it was. It was one of my favorite experiences of my life Just not only getting to go by myself, but getting to experience it with my family, getting to watch your joy and get to watch you overcome some hurdles and fears of your own doing that and leading your own group of kids. It was just really fun to watch. But I do want to ask you what surprised you the most about getting to serve in Zambia?
Speaker 3:It was fun and because I was scared earlier because I had to do boys and I had to do my own group, so that was scary. But once I did it it was fun because I have a ton of little five year olds.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and they're all looked up to you and respected you. And wait, just to let you guys in behind the curtain a little bit. What was going on when we went there? We went as a in our mind, thinking we were a family serving a group of ten. In the night before, as we're getting set up to start the week, they're telling us how it's gonna work and they're like Andy, you'll have your ten, and Tiff you'll have your ten, parker, you'll have your ten. And we were like what? And then not only that, but you were leading a group of boys and you were so nervous, but I was so proud of you and how you overcame that and got all the way to the end. What was your favorite memory of the week?
Speaker 3:So there's a thing called crazy Tuesday. So every Tuesday there's if it's your birthday in the past Like week, you get to throw water. So at the water at somebody. And at the very end our group, it was Emanuel's birthday and we had to throw water at him. But he didn't know it. No, we had like a ton of big buckets of water.
Speaker 1:So you said that is awesome and it is its culture there, for the way they celebrate birthdays is they? I don't know why they down they? I didn't get the meaning behind it. I did pick up on. Every time it was someone's birthday, you would see him walking around wet, so they get dumped the water on. It's just a fun thing. Maybe we should start that here for your birthday. No, okay. Well, I do want you to ask you to share a story about one of the children there that you will never forget.
Speaker 3:So there's this little boy. He's five years old and his name is David and he's just really precious and he's so cute and tiny and I didn't really get to see his mom but because I don't know if he has one or not, but they never really opened up that much to me.
Speaker 1:But In David and it is true, with him being five, but over there, because they are so malnourished, they don't get to eat and sometimes there's no guarantee that they have a meal for the day. So that's why this is so important to us. But because of that, the five-year-olds there look more like, I guess, three-year-olds over here, so they just look so much more tinier and it's just small. Let me ask what did you learn about yourself while serving?
Speaker 3:That we get a lot and over there I never really knew how bad it was until now. It's like they don't have food or water.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and we are blessed, and no matter where you're at here in the States, you are blessed, and it was Something I didn't realize, even Knowing how blessed we all are. But even when you start asking about, well, what's the water situation like in your home? And they're like well, not everyone is guaranteed to even have water. Some of them would have to go get a bucket of water. Hopefully their friend or their neighbor has water, or they had. So it's just we take so many things for granted here, and it is true it was so good.
Speaker 3:What do you want someone who is considering being a sponsor to know that you're guaranteed saving a life, because they get a Fresh hot meal every day and then you get to go to school. And in Zambia it's not like America, because all the kids want to go to school. Yeah, they want to learn, yeah, and not knowing like they won't learn that.
Speaker 1:An opportunity to learn, an opportunity to Opportunity, learn, an opportunity to for all the stuff that comes with education, but also I mean just guaranteeing food, because they're guaranteed to get a nice meal at school and then some of them it's safer at school than being at home, so it's just very dangerous, for they are in their community, so Very cool. Well, thank you for your time here. Part for anything you'd like to share with the people before you leave today. That's all, folks. We'll talk to you soon with another guest here. I All right here.
Speaker 1:Special guest number two it's my other daughter she's not shy, she's very outgoing, she's kind of like her mama in that respect. This is Miss Presley. How are you baby? Well, now she's getting shy. She makes faces, but we want you to eat that microphone. Be nice and loud for me, so tell me this you had a very, very busy summer, so you were in actually two productions. You were in the Aristocats production. Tell me how that went first, because that was your very first production to do. What did you think about that one?
Speaker 3:Well, first I thought it'd be really scary, because I haven't actually like ever been like spotlighted, like having the spotlight and like saying lines in front of like a lot of people, but it was actually like really fun.
Speaker 1:Well, you did so good. And then, to end the summer, you were in the Lion King. You were Nala for those, is that how you say it?
Speaker 3:Nala.
Speaker 1:Nala and dad sucks at this. So you were Nala. I thought you were Nala, but I still loved you anyway. I was like that's my Nala. People kept staring at me Well, that's the girlfriend too. Yeah, so you had a very big role in this thing. It was a big deal. I was proud of you. So what did you think about that?
Speaker 3:I didn't really like what I had to do, but I don't know, it was fun because I got to like I don't know, like I got to scream my head off and like have fun, I guess.
Speaker 1:Well, there was one part where y'all were kind of doing this circle dance thing but your hands were about ten foot apart. I wasn't that close, but I know you were nervous about that just because it was a boy. But don't worry, I'd already gave him the Howard Stair beforehand so he knew not to get any closer. So, anyways, I am so proud of you. We are talking about the trip back to Zambia and it was just an amazing, probably one of the coolest things I've ever got to be a part of. I wanted to hear your perspective on it and just share with us what surprised you most about getting to serve in Zambia.
Speaker 3:What surprised me was definitely how outgoing some of the girls were. Like they like warned me that they weren't gonna like come out if they didn't like know you, I don't know if I like did something or like I don't know. They just all of them pretty much came out and just told us what they needed, prayer for and stuff.
Speaker 1:Well, I think you just have a natural way of making people feel comfortable, and I was watching how you were interacting with the kids and it was just. It was as a dad. It made me just happy to see you like that, and so we are going to kick our live audience up. It's okay, it was. It was Tiffany. I would be honest it was Tiffany. So, anyways, we're moving on to question number two what was your favorite memory?
Speaker 3:Well, every like every morning, when the kids would come off the bus, they would give you the biggest hugs, like it was the first time seeing you in a year. And I don't know, it's just, I don't think I've ever gotten a big hug, or if, like 10 kids coming up and trying to basically push you down, I almost fell down. I'm just gonna say that.
Speaker 1:It was special. They made you feel very special and you're trying to explain to them that. You know we're just normal people, but they were so grateful for you coming over there and so every time you're right. Every morning, when they would pull up off the bus, they would just not just give you a hug, they would run to you and almost knock you over. So cool. Why don't you share a story about one of the kids that you will never forget?
Speaker 3:There was this one girl and her name was Jane and I could tell like all the kids couldn't really pronounce my name. I think it was like the R and they all like, kind of like, were talking to my translator and we're like coming together and I was so confused and I finally asked her what they were doing and they said that it was Jane's idea to rename me in a Zambia name and that was Auntie Chikandi. But they're what's that mean? Auntie Love.
Speaker 1:That's awesome, auntie Love.
Speaker 3:There was this one time and she was yelling at me like Auntie Chikandi, come here, come here. And we bought them Barbie dolls and to play with. When we were there and she came and she was like calling me over and I was so confused like someone got her. But she was like so eager and she just wanted to play with me and like here it was like a Barbie doll and she's 13 years old and here you wouldn't really get. I'm 10, so I'm like three years younger than her and you won't really catch like an older girl if they're not related to you in a way. Playing with somebody. And I was the whole week she wanted to play something and I didn't mind, but I should never have like Parker, there's no way she's gonna want to play with me and anyway.
Speaker 1:We're gonna have to bring Parker back to defend herself later for sure. Well. Well, it was special getting to see the kids react, and in some of those kids I've never seen a Barbie doll before, so that was very fun for them. What did you learn most about yourself while getting to serve?
Speaker 3:I didn't. I didn't really get knowing like I knew I love teaching kids and like hanging around and like teaching them and stuff. But I never really got, until I actually did it, how much fun it is to like do like church camp and dance with the kids and run around. So I never thought that I would love doing this, which is I did.
Speaker 1:You can be honest, because it's just you and me here, but I was the best dancer there. Yeah, sure you're amazing. It's not what you said at the place, but I forgive you but yeah, you was not proud of my dancing.
Speaker 3:I was proud of myself. I tried hard.
Speaker 1:I will ask you the same question that we finished with Parker with, and there are a lot that may be considering sponsoring a kid. What would you tell them that they need to know to help them sponsor a kid? What's the big difference there?
Speaker 3:If you meet the kid in person, if you meet them online, send the messages that kid will never forget you. Anyone never forget that kid.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's very special in that getting to make an impact on these kids. And what was hard was when it was Friday. They call it the day when the Americans cry, and they're right. It's so emotional because you spent that whole week and you're exhausted, but it's a good exhaustion and, anyways, when it's time to say goodbye for the last time, it's hard isn't it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but we'll see them again. We're going back next year and taking some more people with us, so we really want to impact these sweet kiddos and their families. But, presley, thank you so much for your time. Do you have any closing words? You want to leave with the people?
Speaker 3:No, all right, I'll talk to you soon.
Speaker 1:All right, y'all. So we're wrapping up this special trip. Special reflection back to Zambia, brought in the big guns. Now it's miss tiff and she got to hear the kiddos. What do you think about the girls?
Speaker 2:It was great, I will say and we're going to talk about a lot of things, but watching our girls do this was Truly the best experience of our lives. I mean, even if it was just us going, I would have said that, but Seeing our girls like to watch parker and I know she shared when she found out she was getting her own Group I mean she melted into the floor and had this like it was a meltdown the night before.
Speaker 2:And it wasn't that she was. She just was so scared I mean, these were boys and she was so scared and we knew and we prayed and we told her, like god orchestrated this, it was going to be for the best. And I will say that by the end of it, like literally the last two nights, they balled themselves to sleep.
Speaker 1:They didn't want to leave the game so Completely flipped by the end of the week and I was so proud of her as well and she's just a naturally between the two she's naturally a little more shy and, uh, she really did well, so I was so proud of her Overcoming a huge obstacle. So I'm gonna ask you the same questions I asked the girls and just like get your insight on all this. But what surprised you most about getting to serve in it? Zambia?
Speaker 2:Um gosh, that's such a hard question. You know, I knew going it would be life changing. I've done mission trips in Mexico. It's been a long time but I have seen. You know how others live. But I will tell you, going to Zambia, I've never experienced anything like that, like any mission trip I've ever went on the poverty level that we experienced in Africa. Just, it's like you know, these things exist and, honestly, this is why we're doing this podcast, um, because you hear that these things exist. But when you look these children out of eye and you know that they have not eaten some of them, literally the most they get is one meal.
Speaker 1:Sorry, that's my daughter's feet.
Speaker 2:It's feed is done. We will be back.
Speaker 1:We'll be right back on that thought. Anyways, yes, she is. Uh, we got one of our guests still with us live, and so Peyton needed some help. So, hey, this is it's all good. So for me, uh, and I don't know, the it's something I learned from serving there. But what really hit me, the just right off the bat, was the first day. They talked about how these kids will most of wanting to get to eat unless they have lunch here, and so I was excited to, you know, get to serve them lunch and see how their eyes lit up. Well, their eyes did light up, it was all the same, but it was. It was very hard because their lunch there and that's for lots of reasons.
Speaker 1:We could explain that, but we probably should, so they under four pieces of bread, and so these are a lot of kids who aren't used to even getting to eat. So they got four pieces of bread. I had made me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and we ate those every day, and that's just what they served there. It's totally fine, well, and into the kids even they're doing that. You're thinking, oh, I'm having pvej today, and then you see the kids just eating four pieces of bread. I didn't want to eat my pvej in front of them, and so, with that said though, but Most of those kids stomachs can't handle Fats, sugars, all the different protein. They're not ready for it. So, and they do have a drink, though it's a I don't know how you would describe a buttermilk drink and they love it, they love it, yeah, but it was more nutritious for them so and they would have that and the bread.
Speaker 1:but as they get better, that what you are sponsoring, will help them get more Nutritional, nutritional type foods as they get into the school. But just on the first day that really shocked me.
Speaker 2:It was really hard and and they did explain it's not that they only want to give bread. They used to and they started the camp years and years ago they would give them like chicken and rice and these kids would literally end up in like the medic clinic because their bodies could not handle it and because most of these children, the only thing they eat it most of them it's once a day and it's called shima and it's like our grits. I've actually served it to us to try, but it's literally cornmeal and water and there's no flavor and that's all they're they eat. So their bodies can handle anything else. Uh, so that was. That was super hard for sure.
Speaker 1:Well, what was your favorite memory of the week?
Speaker 2:Well, you know my children are only gonna give you one, but I'm gonna give you a lot. You know I talk a lot, but just the entire experience, I think, walking in, even as an adult, the first day we knew the kids, we could see them. The buses were coming in and they were all lined up and we were walking towards them and when they saw us, I mean just not even knowing us yet Like they just latched on and they literally almost knocked me over. Um, because they're so excited and this is like, for them, this is the biggest thing they'll probably ever do in their life. So this is like winning the lottery to get the cup of this camp.
Speaker 2:Um, they know about these camps but they get hand chosen to come based on how bad their family situations are. So we knew that these are the worst of the worst and we actually had one of the poorest communities, the community. We were all very lucky that all of our kids came from the same community, but it was actually it's the harsh crime rate community in the area. These children are scared to sleep and but just to see their excitement and just to see their joy, even in the midst of living In the hardest circumstances, they don't know any different and so to watch them I mean I just pulled up my videos of them and like to see them worship and just to jump and Like we would sit there for teaching and they would just hold our arms, like they were just so happy to play. And when we brought out the little toys we had I mean a ball like it their eyes lit up because they don't have these things. So it was definitely the joy watching them be so happy.
Speaker 1:It. It wasn't very incredible for me and I shared this on another podcast before, so if you Happened to hurt it before, that's where it came from. But there was a song called the freedom song and I'll be honest, I know my girls were giving me a hard time, but you rocked it.
Speaker 1:I was uh Very nervous talk about parker being scared, like the very first day we Went for our meeting I got I don't meet new people, I don't, so I guess that's where parker gets it. But uh, I had to meet our two sponsors partners, that's what they called them. They were the ones that would help translate, because not all the kids speak English most. I'm sorry about 50, 50 do.
Speaker 2:Maybe I'll explain that more in a minute.
Speaker 1:The ones that get to go to school, or have ever been to school before, do learn English, and so some do and some don't. But anyways, with that I had to meet two strangers right away and then they're starting to teach us these like kids dance moves, like if you've ever been the camp, kids camp or anything like that. And I Did not really want to do that, didn't feel comfortable, but I promise these kids that's what I've played through. I was like I'm gonna give them everything I had. So I did. I may not have been the best dancer there, but I tried my best, I would say that and they did. They loved it. And so this song, uh, and it's in the middle of what? It's their winter, but it's still very warm there. I'm very 80s.
Speaker 2:But 80s feel really a lot there.
Speaker 1:So I just felt like it was beating down on you and so, anyways, uh, we are doing this song, I'm giving it everything I have and I almost I was like, if that, if it can just end, if this song does not end, I am gonna pass out. Well, sure enough, the little camp, get the coordinator guys whether like the dream team guys, whatever they're like one more time, one more time, and they did it again, and so we had to do it all over again. But it felt like a little piece of heaven, all these little kids Screaming at the top of their lungs, praising Jesus and celebrating, and that's what I loved the most. But, uh, what's next for you? What? What would you say for someone who might be on the fence on if they should sponsor a kid? Maybe they? This is the first time to hear about sponsoring a kid. What does sponsoring a kid mean? What's it do?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so the ministry that we partnered with Is an incredible I mean, it's an absolutely incredible ministry like I can't even Describe what they do, um, but basically, you know, children in Africa, most of them, have no food, they have no education. For them to go to a government school in Africa it actually costs money, which is insane because these people have no money and as we drove through their community, or they would even explain that some of the people Used their kids to watch other kids.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so these kids might be five or six years old, but they're watching a baby and so they can't afford not to have them home, so they don't want them to go to school either. So there's lots of, lots of reasons that prevent it. But, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we, we took time to. You're so blessed to get to drive through their communities and you would literally see like five year old Girls or boys with babies strapped on their back and Pretty much like. Even in my group I had 10 girls and none of them had a working parent in the home, not one Um. Most of them lived with caregivers, because the majority of these children are orphans or double orphans, meaning they've lost one or both of their parents to HIV and so it is. So it's so bad.
Speaker 2:And the kids that were in the camp, they have checked to make sure that if someone sponsors them, they would be able to go to school. So, yes, there are some that their parents don't want them to go, but these children, they want them to go. And here's the thing, guys, when I we got to do a church service when we invited their guardians to come, and that was probably the best day for me because as I would sit and hold these women's hand and actually three women and our group came to know Jesus that day. But as I hold their hands and say, what can I pray for you? And every single one is that my child would get sponsored, to get fed Every day and to go to school to have a better life. Because in Africa these children do not know English unless they go to school and the only way they can get jobs is to have graduated school and to speak English. So these parents know if my child doesn't go, they will never get a better life. And so, with sponsorship, you're sending a child to school, and the schools that that a family legacy has created are phenomenal. We, we toured two of the schools every there's a school in every community and they're getting incredible education by teachers who truly care. They get fed a really nutritious meal. That it's um, it's packed with protein and carbs and fat, so it's not just bread. They're teaching their bodies how to get more food and then they actually will get to take food home to their other siblings and to their parents, and so they're getting school, they're getting food, they actually get access to medical care. They have medical care for these, these children. They shared a statistic with us, or a stat that kids will die over 50 cents. Like it could be that a parent needs to get their child to a hospital, but over a 50 cent taxi ride the child will die because they don't even have 50 cents, and so they're getting access to medical care.
Speaker 2:And guys like I can't implore you enough, like Until, we saw what we saw until you look in their eyes, and that's why we're doing this soon, because we want you to get a glimpse of what we've seen.
Speaker 2:And when you, these are God's children and as we would sit and do these worship services, oh lord, you would see, these are God's children that he died for, he loves so much and he is allowing us to be their hands and feet. And I want to say this I know so many times people will say yes, but in America there's so many people that are hurting and I believe that and I want to be Jesus hands and feet here. But here's the difference that we noticed, and please hear me we know people are hurting here, but in the united states of america there is access, there are homeless shelters, there is A therapist, and there aren't. There are ways that people can get help. No, it's not perfect, we know that, but in africa there is literally no other option besides us. And so with us, we, we personally, we want to share this. We sponsored every child in all four of our groups. We made the commitment to 40 students, that we will put them through school and then we actually picked up a couple more.
Speaker 1:There was two from the tree of life is what they call it, yeah, I, tree of life.
Speaker 2:So the short version of tree of life is it's it's like an orphanage For children in these communities that have no one. The family legacies desires to keep families together, but a lot of these children are in broken homes. The stories of abuse that we I had to take two of our children To what was considered like africa cps because the stories they were telling me of the homes they were living in. So when their homes like that, where they're very it's not safe, they have a community, an orphanage would. What had to were 500 children in it and we got to go and see these children thriving, eating three meals a day, and we we personally sponsored two of the children from there that we met, um, and so that is an option too to sponsor tree of life kids. They are more expensive because they're getting schooling, lodging three meals.
Speaker 1:Room and board, and just you know all of it. Well, you probably. I don't know if you can pick one, but can you share a story of a moment with one of your favorite kids that you'll never forget?
Speaker 2:It's hard because I look at their little faces and I think three of them came to know Jesus, which was so powerful. But it's hard to pick one because I truly loved all of them. They were all so precious and just. We did something called relation station where we got to take each one of our kids separately and sit down and get to know them and hear their stories and just I can't even begin to tell you, out of my 10 girls, almost all of them had lost, all. None of them had a dad president in their life, whether they lost him to AIDS or he left, because a lot of these dads will abandon their families because they can't take care of them, they don't have jobs and so they'll leave, and so many of them living with caregivers that didn't even really want them but really didn't have a choice.
Speaker 2:I had one little girl who she told me she wanted to go to school because her mom would make her leave every day, because her mom, I think, was mentally not stable and so our mom didn't want her in the home. So she was six years old, y'all, and she would send her away and I would say, where did he go? And she would say I would just go to a friend's house and and kids telling me they were scared in their homes because they lived in the highest crime community. We were driving through the community and the bus was so hot and so we had the doors, like the windows, open and the bus that they called them. The partners, which were our translators, asked us and they stopped at a light and they were freaking out, screaming at us to shut the windows because they said people would literally come through the windows to steal from us. That's how unsafe it is and so just knowing that we can make a difference in that I don't know any other anything that is more like Jesus, like that's what Jesus wants us to be.
Speaker 2:And I don't know why we're all blessed to live in America, like I don't know why, why we're chose to live here and they live there. We're in a fallen world. But as long as we know Jesus and have the resources, how could we not help? For literally around 40 dollars a month, it could radically change a child's life. And I don't know about you, but I spend 40 dollars a month on coffee like I can give up my coffee if I have to.
Speaker 2:And and now in our family, like every time we think of something we want or our kids do. Even our children will go, yeah, but whatever the cost of that is, that could pay for another child in Africa. Yeah, like that's how committed we are. And not only are we imploring you to sponsor, our goal is 100 children sponsor just this year. They even called us yesterday and left a message and they thought they said wow, we didn't know you were going to sponsor a small community, like because we, we didn't tell them. But we came home and said we're going to sponsor all of them and I want to go back next year and get 40 more kids and sponsor them too.
Speaker 1:That's what I wanted to say. There's a chance and just reach out to me. You want some information. If you want to go next year, I can tell you how to get plugged in. It changed our family's life forever. But you can go. You can start sponsoring kids day and they would be in your group next year, so you would actually get to meet them next year.
Speaker 1:It was a powerful, just a powerful week that there's no, you can't put words. It's kind of like taking a picture of a sunset and then trying to explain how beautiful the sunset was to someone who wasn't there. If you're not there, you don't understand. You just don't because you try to, and not that you. There's nothing, it's not your fault. You just can't see the big picture until you're there. It was a powerful, powerful week and these kids moved me. For me, I had went into it Amped up and ready, can? I thought in my own mind's eye picture on being so Just sad and depressed and I thought I'm gonna have to pump these kids up and try to encourage them. But they were so happy and it's because they didn't know what they don't know. They didn't know what they're missing. They were grateful for when they got the bread. Even when I was, I felt bad about giving them four pieces of bread. I'm like this isn't?
Speaker 2:they were Grateful and we're so excited for it and tell them not only the bread, but one thing was every morning they would get an apple and every afternoon they would get an orange and what. They would get so excited over the apple. And I remember one of our little girls dropped it and she didn't care when she picked it and she started eating it dirty and I was like no, let me wash it off. And the partner said you know, they're so excited over that. And I was like no, I mean, I just saw his food and they said do you realize these children never get fruit. The only time kids get fruit in Africa is if they're in the hospital and someone brings it like we would bring flowers. So for them to get fruit, it was like the greatest thing in the world God you know Harden is to get one of us to eat fruit like we can get pretty even time. It was crazy.
Speaker 1:Well, it really was special. In closing, is there anything on your heart that you just want to to end with any memory, any story, or have you? Have you got everything out?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I just Best experience our family's ever had and that and we are committed to going back every year. Like there's that if we can only one trip a year, it would be Africa. Like I, I want to die knowing I made a difference in this world and there's, there's ways to do that for sure, but if we can be God's hands and feet to his own children, and that they can, because the truth is, a lot of these kids Don't know what love is they really. I mean, a lot of these children are double orphaned. They don't know what love is.
Speaker 2:They're being raised by aunts that don't really even care about them, some of them because in some of these answers, they can't feed them, so they don't. They don't know what it's like to have someone wrap their arms around them and to feel loved. And Jesus loves these kids so much. And like we can be that love to them, we can show them Jesus through our giving. And what's great is, when you sponsor a child, not only are you saying them to school and only are you getting food. You actually will get letters from these kids once our kids start school.
Speaker 2:In December we will get letters from all 40 of our kids and then, like Andy said, if you go back you get your same kids in your group, so you get to have relationship with them. It's not just some bass on a card, you know.
Speaker 1:I'll be honest that no pressure here. But I I I told the dude I left that next year we're gonna have like just Howard week and he thought I was joking, which I kind of winked at him. But I am very serious that I would love for all of my friends and Whoever may just be stumbling on this podcast if you're listening you're a friend of mine I would love for us to go and have that whole camp just to Just ourselves, to be able to bless some kids and the poor, poor hearts into them. But thank you guys so much for listening. I hope you'll pray about this and and just know this is good soil.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so I would never tell someone to invest in a person or a project. That's not good. So in fact I have talked to Mario. He's the. I guess he called him the CEO.
Speaker 1:He's over, he created it of a family legacy and he is going to come do a podcast for me, so I'm going to have him on soon so you don't get to hear from him. But uh, this is, this is a good soil. So how do you sponsor? There is going to be a link in this podcast and we will also Post it on my stories on my facebook. There's a link of how to sponsor. If you could tell them If there's a response to say with no, they can email you it.
Speaker 2:What is your email? And then?
Speaker 1:info at andyhowardcom.
Speaker 2:Email us if you sponsor a child, because we really want to track who's sponsoring, because we are determined to get to our goal of 100 children.
Speaker 1:Yes, and again, I had said this in the past if you'd like a signed book, I would more than be more than honored to do that and I was signed a book and send it to you. If you Sponsored a kid or if you talk to someone else in the country, just send it to info at andyhowardcom. And thank you, guys, so much.
Speaker 2:Bye guys.
Speaker 1:Wow, wasn't that so good? And I hope. I hope it came across the way we tried to convey it, the stories, the memories. I hope it was as moving to you the way we experienced it. It's very hard, like I hope you felt the wrongness of Tiffany's tears even six weeks after, since we've been maybe longer than that since we went.
Speaker 1:But we are moved to health, these kids, and it's just so special to us and I pray that you would join the mission with us, that you would join on board with us how you can help, even if you can't. Man, we completely understand. I would never ask anyone to do something that they cannot do and I'm praying for you. If you're not in a spot right now where you're financially able to help, I'm praying for you and I, god understand I get that a lot and it makes me feel bad. When I send out the messages, I do get a lot of requests saying man, I can't even do it. And it's not to make you feel bad. I hope you understand that this is for those who can. There are people out there who can help and that's who I'm praying God will reach and even if you can't help today, maybe one day you will be able to help. So just just hold on to that. But just know that our heart is with helping these kiddos. So if you want to get on board with that and you need more info again, come to info at AndyHowardcom and I will help you with a direct link. The link will also be on the show notes of this podcast.
Speaker 1:But also, let me know if you did choose to adopt the kiddo, because there's no, unfortunately, there's no way on our end and it doesn't matter. Just me personally, I wanted to hit a hundred kids. That's what got laid on my heart. But it doesn't matter as long as they're getting help. But at the same time, it's fun seeing all the people sponsor. So if you did sponsor someone, let me know, shoot me, shoot me an email there at info at AndyHowardcom and I will send you a signed book as well.
Speaker 1:Just cause, just cause. It's small token bit. Hope it will bless you. If you want to find the book and you hadn't got it yet, it's at AndyHowardcom. You can get on Amazon as well. You can get it on Audible or even on Kindle. I thank you guys so much for listening and please share this with somebody who who you feel like it'll be a blessing to God. Bless everybody. Thanks so much for tuning in. If this episode helped you in any way, it would mean the world to me If you would leave a review and share it with somebody else. Thanks so much. I'll catch you next time.