Wow, I had no idea that this many people would watch this video. The other day it screened twice in front of about 2,000 people at the Snoqualmie Casino, WA. What an addictive feeling it was, seeing people teared up and moved.
Honestly, this video is pretty light weight, because it doesn't truly exemplify the issues that we can prevent. I didn't choose to talk about the starving fly children that you always see on TV and then ignore, or their irrigation problems, wells, or how they burn their fields just so they can fertilize the soil and plant new agriculture.
This video is about happiness.
It's now been 6 months since I have been to Africa. I miss it very much, because as the days count, I continually forget the impact it has in my life. When I plan my vacations to Hawaii, when I am upset because Urban Outfitters doesn't have a size Medium and I have to go to another store that's 15 minutes away, when my skis need waxing, when a season of Dexter or Entourage is over, when my bread from Trader Joes goes bad after 4 days I have to go exchange it... the frustrations we face aren't equatable, and are no where near as life threatening as what the people I met faced.
One could argue, we aren't less happy, but I think we are more frustrated.
I made this video so I could remember, and so others who have no idea what it feels like may be able to empathize, and smile at the same time.
Special Thanks to:
World Vision for funding my trip and guiding me around non-nonchalantly. They are a heart-filled organization, and they continue to find ways to help people around the world.
My dad and his radio show: bobrivers.com
My wife Leanne Rivers
The intelligent, experienced, and comforting friends who traveled alongside us: Arik and Monique Korman, and Sanjay Sowal
facebook.com/keithriversfilms
twitter.com/riversfilms
Music:
Catherine Feeny "Jacaranda" (catherinefeeny.com)
Noah and the Whale "The First Days of Spring" (noahandthewhale.com)
The Avett Brothers "Paranoid" (theavettbrothers.com)