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Mandy

A few years back I happened upon a post on Facebook. It had a request to help out a young woman in Africa named Mandy Stein.  She was working at an orphanage and was hoping for some donations to help the kids get a new orphanage building.

Mandy in the middle of the construction

I followed Mandy on FB and paid attention to her.  She was from Texas, was about the same age as my daughter Caitlin, and had gone to Tanzania on a volunteer program a few years before.  She decided that instead of doing the tourist activities the volunteers were free to do in the afternoons she would continue to find ways to serve. One of the people suggested she spend the afternoon helping at the Tuleeni Orphanage.

It was her 20th birthday.  It became the day that changed her life.  You can read the full story here.

Neema International

While she was in Tanzania a young boy gave her the Swahili name Neema (like Emma but with an N).  It became her name and it became the name of the non-profit she set up to facilitate her efforts in helping the Tuleeni Orphanage and surrounding town.

She graduated from University of Texas and moved to Tanzania, where she is still. She lives and works full time at the Orphanage, helping the children in their schooling, leading efforts to build a community center and home, and teaching in a local school.

She is an incredible woman, profoundly dedicated to these children in every way you can imagine.

Happy

But all that is not what impresses me most about her. What impresses me most?  Her happiness.  She does all of this with an incredible joy, a joy that really does overflow through pictures, writing and video from over 10,000 miles away. I can only imagine how infectious and beautiful it is in person. It doesn’t mean she doesn’t have down times, I mean come on, she left everything she ever knew in her whole life and moved to Africa, of course she has times she misses things and people and can feel sad. It’s not about if she ever feels that. It’s about her being happy in spite of those things.

Mandy and Mama Faraji, founder of Tuleeni Orphanage

And why is she so happy? I have a funny feeling she probably has always been a happy person, but maybe not, I don’t know. But I do know that her happiness (as I have seen it) stems from a deep and abiding love for her new world. For the kids, the workers, the town, the country. She loves doing what she does. She loves helping. She is happy doing these things. And as a result? She does them VERY WELL. No reluctance, no hesitation, no second guessing. She is an ‘All-In’ spirit that infuses everything and everyone around her.

The Power of Happiness

When she was a young child, only 5 years old, Mandy determined she would change the world.  And she is. But what she didn’t know then, but does probably know now, is that it was going to be by following her love, joy and happiness that she would do it.

What I always try to remember, and what Mandy shows me in action, is that the pursuit and fulfillment of happiness isn’t a bad thing, it can actually be the best thing, for yourself and for others.

“My Life is Pretty Great” – Mandy

If you would like to help Mandy, I encourage you to donate and follow Neema International. Pay attention to their work and continue to offer support and encouragement as often as you can. Here are the links where you can make it happen.

Neema International website  Click the ‘Donate’ button to help.

Neema International Facebook page

Neema International blog

A View From Above

Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman

Quote by Fyodor Dostoevsky, 1821-1881, Russian Novelist