Maria Pando: “The world is a better place because of friends and family like you. Thank you!”

Maria Pando, born in El Paso (Texas), is a teacher of History that decided to spend three months in the Mission of the Augustinian Recollects in Kamabai (Sierra Leone). During that time she has been working in the training of school’s teachers. She has been next to them every day and she has shared a lot of time inside the classrooms, visiting the schools and giving an important example about the good pedagogic attitudes and manners.

Maria was sending weekly an email to their friends explaining her worries, hopes, experiences, happiness and sad moments. Her last email is an emotional thanksgiving for all those days, the support of her friends and family and, specially, for all the things she has learnt and have changed her life.

This will be my last weekly email to all of you about my experience in Africa but this one I will also send to my facebook friends. It makes me feel good, that so many of you see a need to bring awareness to African hardships. It is wonderful to know that just as myself, many others feel that as one race, we can try to end the suffering so many in our human family live with by just doing our part.

Leaving Africa for me was very difficult because there are so many stories I will never know the endings too. My hope is that all the stories will end on a happy note, but I know that most will not. I am pleased to be home because I have missed my friends and family more than words can express. But, I also know I leave behind part of my family in Africa. Not only the people I lived with for 3 months but the family of people that I will never know their names or their stories, but they are linked to me just the same. I pray and hope for a world where a better life is not just a distant dream that can never be realized by them.

I will forever keep them in my heart and in my thoughts; when I wake up and watch my son play, when baby Gabriel crosses my mind and I recall the thoughts and feelings of having been blessed and had the chance to of loved this precious little angel so much; The thoughts of the children at school with a slim chance to just live a “normal” life as we know it. I will remember them when I sit in traffic and grow impatient with waiting, keeping in mind the children just sitting outside the Mission on the outside of the fence, trying to get mangos off the trees with a great big smile on their faces yelling “Grandpa” and picturing the people walking all day carrying heavy bundles on their heads in the hot sun.

With all the wonderful people I’ve met, whom I now call my family, whose courage and strength captured my heart, Africa will forever be a part of me. But more importantly, are all of you who have joined me on my journey and maybe, for just a minute, were able to see through my eyes a life that is completely different from our own. I have received so much from sharing my experience with all the people I love though photos and emails. And thanks for being so patience with me… I know sometimes I would not post photos or emails right away…

Thanks to my friends that would take the time to listen to me vent my frustrations when I felt change was impossible but would quickly realize that individuals like Jose Luis deal with this reality on a daily basis. How he is able to do it? I just don’t know. Especially for 6 years, this is just remarkable to me, but I thank God everyday that there are people like him in this world… That I have been so blessed to have had such a wonderful person cross my path. He has made such a great impact in my life and I have learned so much from him.

I am truly grateful for this journey, for all the ups and downs, it has made me just a little less egotistical and more aware of the people I love and who love me unconditionally. Thank you for taking this journey with me. I want to thank Father Jose Luis, Father Juan and Russell for putting up with my craziness, for their patience when I felt helpless at the school, and for their understanding that this was a process of learning for me. You are all dear friends. I am grateful beyond words for having had this opportunity to have shared this with you…

This Serenity prayer is what got me through much pain and heartache when I needed guidance and felt I would lose my way: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference”.

I love each and every one of you.

Maria Pando