{"id":6214,"date":"2026-04-12T10:18:55","date_gmt":"2026-04-12T14:18:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/africacriesout.net\/?p=6214"},"modified":"2026-04-12T10:18:55","modified_gmt":"2026-04-12T14:18:55","slug":"across-ten-thousand-miles-and-time-should-i-already-be-content","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/africacriesout.org\/cn\/across-ten-thousand-miles-and-time-should-i-already-be-content\/","title":{"rendered":"Across Ten Thousand Miles and Time \u2014 Should I Already Be Content?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Across Ten Thousand Miles and Time \u2014 Should I Already Be Content?<\/strong>
\n\u2014 Written after the 2026 ACO Short\u2011Term Mission Trip to Africa<\/em><\/p>\n

Africa Cries Out Report 2026 Issue 17<\/strong>
\nChris Leo<\/strong>
\nApril 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

On the evening of March 26, 2026<\/strong>, it was the final night for our Week 1 ACO short\u2011term mission team in Africa.<\/p>\n

At the ACO Dakar base, we held a sharing meeting. Everyone sat in a circle, looking back on the week \u2014 what we saw, what we felt, what we thought.
\nAt that moment, I suddenly realized: without noticing it, I have already walked with \u975e\u6d32\u54ed\u6ce3<\/em> (ACO) for many years.<\/p>\n

\n

From \u201cThat Sounds Cool\u201d to Actually Setting Foot on This Land<\/strong><\/h2>\n

I first heard about ACO sometime before 2017.<\/p>\n

Back then, when I heard that Dr. Jun Xu was going to Africa as a volunteer, my first reaction was: \u201cThat\u2019s pretty cool.\u201d My wife and I seriously discussed whether we should join, but in the end, concerns about safety made us put the idea aside.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Later, I moved to New York. Unexpectedly, I ended up living near Dr. Xu, and we saw each other every weekend. The idea of going to Africa resurfaced, but I still never took that step.<\/p>\n

Then came 2020 \u2014 the outbreak of COVID\u201119.<\/p>\n

That year, New York became the epicenter. Our hospital, Montefiore, was designated a COVID hospital. With high mortality and no effective treatments, healthcare workers faced enormous pressure, risk, and loss. Yet my family and I made it through safely.<\/p>\n

That experience made me realize \u2014 for the first time so deeply \u2014 that nothing we have is \u201ctaken for granted.\u201d
\nAnd from that moment, I made a decision: if I have the opportunity, I want to serve others more.<\/strong><\/p>\n

So my family and I joined ACO. Since then, we have come to this land almost every year.<\/p>\n

\n

What Did We Do in One Week?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

By 2026, I\u2019ve lost count of how many times I\u2019ve come to Africa.<\/p>\n

But this time, I still clearly saw: we traveled thousands of miles to Senegal, brought over one million USD worth of medications<\/strong>, and in just one week, served more than a thousand patients<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Under the guidance of physicians, young volunteers handled registration, vital signs, triage, clinical support, and medical training. We supported one another, encouraged one another, prayed for others, and built deep friendships along the way.<\/p>\n

This wasn\u2019t just a week of \u201cwork.\u201d
\nIt was real impact<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\n

But Did We Really \u201cChange Anything\u201d?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Every volunteer who comes to Africa carries some expectations.<\/p>\n

The first time I came, I wanted to \u201chelp those in need,\u201d and I wanted to see with my own eyes this land often described as \u201cimpoverished.\u201d<\/p>\n

But gradually, I realized a truth:
\nA short visit cannot cure chronic diseases.
\nWe cannot truly change their living conditions in such a short time.<\/p>\n

So why do we keep coming back, year after year?<\/p>\n

\n

Perhaps the answer lies in these three things<\/strong><\/h2>\n

1. What we bring is hope<\/strong><\/h3>\n

We let the people in these villages know: they are not forgotten<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

There are people \u2014 even strangers they have never met \u2014 willing to travel ten thousand kilometers just to see them and help them.<\/p>\n

This feeling of being remembered<\/em> and cared for<\/em> often lasts longer than medicine.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

2. The ones truly blessed\u2026 are actually us<\/strong><\/h3>\n

More and more, I\u2019ve come to understand: we are the ones blessed<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

We have families, careers, health \u2014 and the ability to choose to help others.<\/p>\n

When you truly step into this place, you complain less, and you give thanks more.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n

3. In our volunteers, I see the future<\/strong><\/h3>\n

What moves me most are our young volunteers.
\nThey are compassionate, wise, passionate, and mission\u2011driven. Their willingness to give and take responsibility fills me with hope.<\/p>\n

I have no doubt they will go far in the future.<\/p>\n

And my purpose in coming here is simply this:
\nto work with God, and to create more opportunities for these young people to shine.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n

In Them, I Saw What Love Truly Looks Like<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Throughout the week, I saw many scenes:<\/p>\n