When Dr. Barker and his wife Heidi were looking for a family trip recently, they decided to do something a little less conventional. Having already donated a Village Drill rig to Kenya which has helped thousands of school kids get clean water, they decided to go on a WHOlives expedition, "We were looking for an experience that could show our children a different perspective on life and demonstrate the simplicity in which a vast majority of the world’s population lives."
Dr. Barker, an orthopedic surgeon in Everett Washington, spent two years living in Zimbabwe and South Africa as a missionary in the mid-eighties and is well aware of the stark contrast between the quality of life for most Americans and those who live in developing areas of the world and wanted his children to have a similar experience.
The Barkers took their 3 children with them, Max 16, Gretchen 14 and Sofia 8 and family friend Steven19.
When asked about some of the highlights from their trip Dr. Barker mentioned, "Just seeing the women draw dirty water from
watering holes shared by wild animals, to having an opportunity to spend one-on-one time with orphaned elephants at a refuge park." In all, the Barkers and their children had a
once in a lifetime experience that instilled in them a deeper gratitude and
greater empathy for those living in poverty.
WHOlives is grateful that
the world still has people like Barkers who are selfless and conscientious, and
whose generosity has brought clean water, improved
health and new opportunity to several thousand people and counting.
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