Do they need that?

I have worked in the entertainment industry for a few years now. Mostly at an A level. No matter what area I worked in, music, animation, video games, film TV, theatre they all have one thing in common. At the end of the year, unless you are on a Holiday tour, you are out of work.
In LA we called it the dead zone. There is nothing to do.
I have reupholstered my amplifiers, painted teeth on my (and neighbors) cars, worked part time temp jobs, and just generally hated this time of year.
See I love to be productive.
A couple years ago I was introduced to a group called Visiting Orphans by my friend Autumn. I took a couple trips because, even though I was a teenager when I became an orphan, I have also been unwanted by people I love, my families, and have a heart for orphans. In fact I met Autumn at an orphan Thanksgiving here in Nashville the first year I was here. We all had come from different parts of the county and had no one but each other in the group. There were 8 of us I believe.
This was not the first time I had been in a orphan Holiday. In fact I have spent most of them, and birthdays in fact, with strangers.
I remember one year after my Dad was murdered I was at an Arby's and there was a man and 2 kids, a mother and one child, another single man, and a couple older single women. We were all eating turkey sandwiches,,, alone. So I stood up and asked them to join me. I also told the people behind the counter to put whatever they wanted on my bill and invited them to join us so even they could be part of a Thanksgiving where no one would be alone. The manager didn't charge me and we stayed for a couple hours laughing and telling stories.
Last year I had the opportunity to go to Uganda while the industry was shut down. We went with a group of about 20 and started in Kampala, went to Jimja and I met a young woman named Katie Davis, We stayed at Canaan Transfer House, and finished in Rakai where AIDS started. I also got to help build a school with Rebecca Sorensen back in Kampala.
Every once in a while I was asked what I did. I would explain I was an engineer. The Papas and Mommas would then point out the children who had sponsors for University that wanted to be engineers. I would smile, supporting their dreams and try to give encouragement. They would also put on shows for the Mazungas (white people). I often joined on drums with the children and would laugh at their amazement that a Mazunga could play African drums.
The first Sunday we went to a church that one of the Papas was Pastor at. During the service I asked if I could help with their sound. Which was, well, just south of horrible.
The Pastor looked at me with a look that said, well, lets say the light bulb had just come on, and asked "You are an AUDIO engineer?"
"Yes" I replied.
"Could you teach our older kids to run sound? You see," he continued, "If there is no money to build anything a civil and mechanical engineer and their family will go hungry but a audio engineer, like a musician, will always be able to work."
"I know" I smiled. After all I was 7000 miles on the other side of the planet and working. In fact last year I ran sound on every continent except Australia and Antarctica.
I have known for years that if I was ever dropped in the Sahara Desert and, survived the fall, I would be running sound for a belly dancing show for Bedouin Nomads in 48 hours.
So I have been for the past year trying to raise funds and gear to get back and teach at a couple of the orphanages I was able to visit. I ran into my friend at Country Weekly who works down the hall this week and he asked if that was something they really needed over in Africa?
The answer is yes.
Skills, any and all skills are needed. Even the ones we don't pay any attention to and take for granted.
Like the little boy in the only Christmas song I have ever related to, I have only one gift to give. That is why I am so persistent to return to Africa. Wouldn't it be great if I could teach it all over the world? Funny thing is that he played a drum also.
Well this is it for now. This is my first post. I am going to try to tell a few more stories and hope you will follow my adventures and that I can somehow make a difference in your day and your life motivating you to make difference in others.