Hey world. I’m at training camp getting ready for the season, but I wanted to to tell y’all a little bit about my trip to South Africa for Basketball Without Borders.
It was a life-changing experience for anyone who goes over there. I’ve never been a cocky person, never been a person who cares about material things and for anybody who does, the best thing they could do would be to go to Africa and see how the people there are. They don’t care about material things or money and being rich is not the goal of the people there. They are rich at heart and rich in spirit.
I had a chance to visit with this one lady and her house was about as long as maybe a Cadillac – and there were five people staying in that one house. There were no beds and it just had dirt floors. But not one day that we were there did I hear her complaining about anything that she didn’t have. She was happy and content. That’s how most everybody there was.
You can learn a lot from seeing those kinds of attitudes. A lot of people there didn’t have anything, but they never complained or made any remarks about how hard their lifestyle is. But over here, we complain about little things like not having $5, not being able to go to the movies or stuff like that.
Even the kids, some of them were having to walk two hours just to go to school, and they weren’t complaining. They didn’t complain. They just did it because they loved life and they wanted to make themselves better.
Me and my friends visited a place called The Cotlands and a lot of the kids there are sick with HIV. A lot of them are sick, but don’t know they have HIV. They act just like normal kids and they aren’t complaining. They have a good time and they live their life. I’ve tried to be more like that, happy with my life regardless of what is going on. They taught me so much and I’m so happy that I got the chance to go over there.
Here are some videos I was able to take while I was over there:
Meeting some some South African school children:
Hanging out with one of my lil homies over there:
Walking through a Soweto township:
A Great Performance:
—DWIGHT
Fans: Be sure to check out Dwight on Twitter, Facebook and Superfan
Tags: Basketball Without Borders, Dwight Howard Blog, South Africa, Summer 2009
Man,these little things are there to show us that we are so materialists and mean,in some ways,i cant wait to go to Africa,just for see the world in a different way. You are a amazing person and you have a great heart,keep it up!
it’s good to make someone happy.
follow me “super-man”: http://twitter.com/miguelrosa
lol
More people should b like you. It’s not hard to see who your role model is (Jesus). You are making him proud, cuz the world Realllllyyy needs more people to follow him and this world would be a lil bit better if we all did our parts no matter how small or big they are.
[...] More: Reflecting on South Africa [...]
Thanks for sharing this with us. It really makes one reflect. For me, personally, I realized that I should never again murmur and complain. I should always be thankful just for being graced with another day to have life. Thanks again, Dwight.
Hey Dwight I’m from South Africa and I have had a chance to travel over to the USA.I’m so happy that for once and American realises how blessed you guys are, you don’t realise how lucky you are to just have running water.
Thank you for opening the eyes of the young Americans.
First and foremost i’d like to say how elated I am to hear you visited my country and got first hand experience.I am so proud of my country and pray that someday things will get better,especially health system.I took my kids for a visit ,they were overwhelmed by everything they even wanted to play in the dirt with other kids.Two weeks wasn’t enough time so i promised to take them back next year.They left all their toys,some clothes behind to give to relatives and friends.
I Thank you for visiting and sharing your experience.
Sala hantle.
Your a great man! Thank you 4 sharing ur trip. Keep being a man young black men can look up too.
It is truly an amazing and humbling experience to travel abroad and live amongst people who are considered less fortunate than ourselves. It teaches us the true value of life, and what is really most important. Love, community and family. You have done a great thing for both yourself and those who were able to meet you!
Thanks Dwight for posting this, u r such a wonderful inspiration to so many people including myself. Continue to be a humble man of God in all that u do.
I’ve been to Burundi, Africa and have found the same thing. The people over there know true joy. Their happiness doesn’t depend on their circumstances. Everyone else I know that has gone to Africa has found the exact same thing. We have so much to learn from the people of Africa.
It’s amazing the path that God has you going. I enjoyed reading your experiences and pray that you touch millions of ppl heart. It’s a shame that we care so much about money and status when some ppl don’t even care about those things. Keep being you..a great role model.
The people in South Af are sooo amazing and they have so much heart. thnx for sharing your experience.
it’s great to see a young black man doing great thinks, I enjoyed reading your experiences and i love the way you are with those kids, you are a great role model for all young man love you
It is such a blessing when the true blessings that GOD has bestowed on us are noticed. More people need to realize that the materials that we collect in life will not help us get to heaven, but what we do, give and share that will.
It is such a blessing when the TRUE blessings that GOD has bestowed on us are noticed. More people need to realize that the materials that we collect in life will not help us get to heaven, but what we do, give and share that will.
[...] See the full blog at his official website here. [...]
I really enjoyed following all you did this summer. You’re a fantastic guy, athlete and person to share your life with the fans.
Thanks
I really enjoyed being able to share in your experiences in Africa through your tweets on twitter and your videos. I could really got a sense of the excitement you felt with each new experience. From the time you spent with the people who live there, especially the children. Your Apartheid museum tour. The dancers, that lil boy would have kicked your butt if you had challenged him lol and finally the safari. I learned that a cheetah is not a cat and leopards bark like a dog. A big dog WOOF WOOF WOOF! LOL I’m looking forward to sharing many more experiences with you through your tweets and videos and blogs. Thank YOU for this one. Peace & Love Rachel aka Lois Lane
I just came back like 2 weeks ago from a 3 week vacation in in South Africa, Zambia, and Botswana I was also in Soweto it was an amazing place (my favorite part) the people were incredible. I think I visited a lot of the same places you did and I never got sick of it, I’m actually kind of sad that I’m back in America and already planning my trip back but yeah just wanted to comment on this because it reminds me so much of my trip and it showed me how much I want to go back!
it’s good that you care … i wish everyone did
your amazing !!!!
Hey Dwight. I know you visited the country last year but it’s only now that I downloaded Flashplayer to see the videos. I just wanna thank you so much for coming through. Believe it or not, you changed ALOT of lives.
I hope your season at the Magic is going great for you right now. And I can’t wait to see you in the olympics again in 2012.
God bless