Lovato Images blog: Mission IS Possible - Team Introduction

It only seems appropriate that I begin the documentation here on our recent travels to Africa by introducing the team.

First of all, we're back. No glitches during the journey, and after about 35-40 hours of travel (for those beyond the soCal area), we're all home safe and sound. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers during these past few weeks.

There were 18 of us Americans on the team. There were countless translators and helpers who offered to work with us in Tanzania who we could never thank enough, but this post is about the team of 18.

I have never met a more diligent, hard working, compassionate, easy going, pure and loving group of people in my life. Though there were several I met for the first time at the London airport, each person quickly became close friends and then family.

We ate weird food, we lost sleep, we got bitten, we got sick, burned, cut and bruised, we had to squat over a hole to pee, we hugged, we cried, we laughed, we sang, we loved...and we had fun!

No one complained, no one squabbled...we were all there to work hard and work together and help and help each other. 'You are your brother's keeper,' Dr. Curley, our medical director, had told us at the orientation back in December, and beyond the hundreds of Tanzanians we helped and kept, my team kept me and I kept them.

No one takes on this trip without a heart of gold inside, and I am indeed a greatly rich young lady, for I have gained 17 friends far greater than 17 karat.

our leader, Alex