Hannah Kidwell

By Christie Sparrow

Hannah Kidwell, 19, sophomore, Dallas, went on a mission trip to Johannesburg, South Africa when she was 15 yrs old. She remembers very little from her two and a half weeklong trip, but a few things from her experience are unforgettable.

Kidwell explained what she learned during her time there, “I was pretty young so it just showed me how different the culture was from here and there and just how much we have here and how little they have there, little freedom and little everything.” She said.

Kidwell and nine other people stayed at a church and participated in a lot of charity work. She made many of visits to abused homes and orphanages. Kidwell spent much of her time talking to people in the area. She said she was too young to participate in much, so she spent a lot of time playing with the kids. She also ate local food. Kidwell said, “Every meal was porridge and it wasn’t that bad as far a food goes”. For fun she and the group went on safaris and saw the wild life. Kidwell said it was pretty cool to see all the animals roaming around after seeing pictures from her childhood.

Kidwell played with the kids at the orphanages and cooking meals for people in the shelters. Kidwell also remembers meeting an American family who took in 16 children. Kidwell and her group helped out this family by bringing in food and playing with the kids.

“I feel like 60 percent of people there have Aids.” She said. Kidwell explained how Johannesburg was a lot like Dallas, just more ghetto and sketchy, but as soon as she drove just 10 minutes out of the city it was all poverty.

Kidwell said she loved bonding with the children and if she could go back she would. She also enjoyed the experience and learned a lot. During her time there it was very eye-opening, but her favorite part was the time she spent with the people.