Amazing! National Geographic-style. Thanks to Talia!
Back in my San Francisco life, I am involved as a “young leader” in an organization called the American Jewish Committee. This is one of America’s first civil rights groups - established in 1906 to promote pluralistic and democratic societies where all minorities are protected. AJC is an international think tank and advocacy organization that attempts to identify trends and problems early - and take action.
Back in November while I was finishing my 10-day silent Buddhist meditation experience in north India, I received an invitation to join 14 young AJC ambassadors on a political, cultural and educational trip to Ethiopia. I accepted.
We spent 10 days together traveling around the country and meeting with various representatives including the US Ambassador, the Israeli Ambassador, the Ethiopian Minister of European Affairs and several NGO’s including the International Rescue Committee and the Clinton Foundation. We visited poverty-stricken schools in Addis (and helped paint them), and various medical and health-oriented institutions.
We got to travel with Dr. Rick Hodes to Gonder where we visited northern tribes to give iodine tablets (prevents blindness) and de-worming pills to every child and pregnant women that we saw.
Forcing life-altering medicine down a poor African child’s throat will change you. Forever.
