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*Click on one of the thumbnail prints
above to view full size. Photos shared by Joie's brother Corey and their
parents.
The Power of One
Amy Zindell, Minneapolis, MN
February 1, 2001
When I was ten, my biggest concern in life was making the soccer team. My best
friend Joie's was saving the environment.
When I was fifteen, I spent sleepless nights wondering if my new crush would ask
me to the school dance. And Joie. . .well, she would spend sleepless nights
telling me about the inequitable state of our society.
When I was twenty-three, I was knee-deep in my first career, with my sights set
on conquering the world of journalism. Joie joined the Peace Corps and boarded a
plane to Namibia, Africa, her sights set on changing the world.
For six
months I received the most amazing letters from Joie, letters delving into the
heart and soul of a country that only ended up on the map of my life when Joie
departed on her final journey. Through her letters, I followed her path of
discoveries, felt the joy in her heart when she brought laughter to people who
spoke a language she was struggling to learn, and used her teaching skills to
reach into the hearts of children and help them discover the beauty not just in
education, but in life. "I have found freedom with these African spirit
children," she wrote. And, as always, I remained inspired by Joie, by her work,
and by her ability to see the beauty in the sunrises, the sunsets, and the
simplicity of a child's laugh.
On March
13, 1998, Joie died in a tragic car accident in Namibia. When a light as bright
as Joie burns out, it is often difficult to describe her to those who never knew
her. I wondered how I would ever be able to share her impact with the rest of
the world.
And then I discovered Deep
Roots.
Founded by two Peace Corps volunteers who served with Joie in Namibia, Deep
Roots strives to capture the ineffable magic that was Joie by expanding and
improving educational opportunities for Namibian children. The organization has
opened my eyes to the fact that one person's memory really can move mountains.
In some way, Joie's memory has brought together every member of the virtual,
entirely volunteer-staffed organization. We work from all corners of the globe,
and many of us wouldn't recognize each other if we passed on the street. Yes
these people are some of the most important in my life because we're connected
by the common bond of preserving the memory of someone we love, and the
knowledge that -- through Deep Roots -- we all contribute something very
important to the world.
This year, Deep Roots will be able to fund the secondary educations of 68
Namibian children. It's a profound example of how the inspiration of just one
person -- even in a short life -- can have such an impact on the lives of
others.
Just one person.
I carry Joie's mantra in my heart as a reminder that we all can make a
difference by filling our lives with love and laughter:
"Go and find the sun that will fill you with warmth and happiness and you will
see the days unfolding around you are the good days, the days of pleasure and
dance, the days when you can breathe more clearly because you feel alive,
because you are alive, living days that mean something to you. Embrace yourself,
embrace all whom you love and believe in possibility."
All the best,
Amy Zindell
(copied
with Amy's permission from
http://www.goodthings.com/02_04_deeproots.asp)
Read more about Joie and the special project created
by other PCVs in her memory,
Deep Roots.
You can also read about Joie in these
articles from her hometown written in the weeks after her death.
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