My name is Jamal and I am originally from Elyria, Ohio (ah-lee-ree-uh or i-‘lir-e-ǝ for you scholars). Don’t act like you’ve heard of it…you haven’t. But if by chance you have heard of Elyria…I’ll go ahead and answer your next question…”yes, that was Elyria you drove thru on your way to Cedar Point.” If you are ever in Northeast Ohio… stop by! We’re pretty hospitable people and we’re “relatively” close to Cleveland.
Perhaps, I’m similar to many people when I say “my parents made me go to church” even though I didn’t truly understand it. Growing up I felt that my family spent more time at church than at home. It wasn’t until I arrived at college, that I started to really listen to the message. But rather than hear the message God had for me, I decided I would rather be a superhero [true story].
*saving the world*
However, my life took a big turn when things started to blow up in my face. Things were going well but all of a sudden things started to fall apart…and fast! I tried to control the unraveling but it didn’t work. Frustrated, I went in search of advice. A mentor, apparently uninspired by my desire to wear tights and save the world, said in our meeting “You only have one chance at this thing called life. Don’t waste your time doing what other people THINK you should be doing. Make it count! Follow your heart!” In hindsight, perhaps, I took that advice TOO LITERALLY! Who knew by the end of the week I would be on a plane bound for Guatemala without reservations at any hotel, my entire bank account in my pocket ($2000 in cash), an unlikely dream and a Spanish 101 accent strong enough to give anyone a migraine.—> At the time this was a great idea but in hindsight I don’t condone this stupidity. God was definitely with me!!
I’m sure this is not the idea my mentor had in mind but God works in mysterious ways. In the Fall of 2006, my quest to become a Spanish speaking, crime fighting machine was re-directed after various eye-opening experiences in the orphanages and streets of Guatemala. I found myself saying things like…
- “They haven’t eaten since when!? I’m confused…what do you mean?”
- “People REAAALLY live there!? I’m confused…what do you mean?”
- “Cold shower!? Like….there’s no hot water!? I’m confused…what do you mean?”
- “They (pointing to the children) live on the street!? I’m confused…what do you mean?”
- “They don’t have ANY parents…at all!? I’m confused…what do you mean?”
Let me be the first to tell you…things are VERY different outside the U.S. borders and things are VERY different when you venture away from the ‘points of interest’ list Royal Caribbean Cruise Line provided for you during your vacation.
My heart ached. I was unsure what I was going to do but I recognized there was something inside of me that was changed forever and I wanted to help.
In August 2007, I returned to the U.S. and attended the University of Pittsburgh to obtain my Master’s in Public Health (MPH). I focused on health policy and management because of the injustices I had witnessed. I also realized my knees and back weren’t as strong as they were in high school so my ‘jumping off buildings and saving the day’ days were coming to an end. If you’re laughing and haven’t experienced this realization yet…be careful, your day is coming!
After obtaining my masters and spending some time working in corporate America… I found myself daydreaming about my experiences in Guatemala. I had no idea what I was going to do but something had to change. A few days later, a good friend of mine posted a World Race Promotion video on my Facebook wall…and that was it. I was hooked! (the video is attached below)
You’re probably reading this and saying “This cat is crazy! He’s all over the place!” And you’re right…I’m glad we’re getting to know each other! J
Caution: This video has been known to cause tears to appear unexpectedly on your lower eyelids, obscure your vision, and have you quitting your job too! It’s ok…
