A new perspective

The Tarae Family

This is the Tarae family from Sierra Leone, Africa.

Matt was lucky enough to meet this sweet family last summer in Africa. Brother Tarae was Matt's personal driver through all the crazy roads (if that's what you can call them) They had some good laughs remembering their adventures!

This is Prince. He is 3 1/2 years old. The Taraes pay $4000.00 a year for him to go to an American school. There are only 3 Sierra Leone students. They work so hard for Prince to get the best education possible!

He is SO darling. We fell in love with him the minute he walked in the door telling us to "Hang Loose"!

This is Princess. She is 10 months old and the cutest thing you have ever seen! She kept staring at us and kept touching my hair :)

We took a walk to the park and they LOVED it!

Sister Tarae ad NEVER been on a swing before! She was so nervous telling Jacqueline not to push her too high! :)

We had an amazing evening. They have been very overwhelmed by vast differences between our countries. Here are just a few:

How much FOOD we eat! They can't believe how much Americans eat. They kept talking about how often and how much everyone eats! They look at their plate of food and say, "This is like 3 meals worth in our country!"

At home they usually eat 1 meal a day with little snacks in between.

Sister Tarae asked me how I keep my 'figure'. (funny I know!)I l told them "Well, I run." Brother Tarae started to laugh and said, "We exercise to GET our food, Americans exercise to work their food OFF!" SO TRUE!!

The Tarae's were amazed at the beautiful yards, garages with electric doors, running water, dishwashers, clothes washers, lights.... and so much more!

They have their own water tank they pay to be filled with clean water.

They run a generator for 3 hours a night to try and cool the house down for them to sleep.

They wash their clothes by hand. (They taught the pioneers at This is the Place park a few tips! on how to really clean clothes by hand!)

They don't have refrigerators

They think Utah is COLD :) (I agree!)

Matt asked the Taraes if it will be hard to return home when they have seen and experienced all of the things in America. They told him they are happy to go back because the Lord has work for them to do. What AMAZING people they are!

Our family was so blessed to spend a few hours with this sweet, sweet family. They are so good, so faithful, so dedicated, and such great examples of making the most out of life!

Matt was able to take this family on a tour of the Conference Center and the underground parking lot. They ran into 3 General Authorities! Matt said it was so fun to see them get pictures with each one and speak with them. To be members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and get to meet 3 General Authorities and visit places they have only seen in pictures was a dream come true!

It was wonderful to meet the Taraes and experience a little bit of what Matt gets to enjoy when he visits Africa. He is SO LUCKY!! (I can't wait to go with him someday!)

It's experiences like this one with the Tarae family, that give us a new and greater perspective on what life is really about!