in praise of an ordinary guy with an extraordinary heart

Dear Mr. Cooper,
I discovered your existence last week Tuesday. A fellow writing-student gave me your book as a gift to enjoy during my summer back home. Not knowing anything about you, I wanted to verify the source of this enticing story, so I researched all I could find out about you. While calling in to my parents between connecting flights, I recognized you in action for the first time on a quick trailer of this interview from a public phone on Concourse B in Hartsfield, Atlanta.
This trip home was my third since I came to the States to study the art of story-telling two years ago. I exchanged my life as a licensed architect building clinics, school and border posts in rural Africa for the First World with the hope of exposing more people to Africa’s needs as well as her courage.
I manage to arrange for the recording of your interview (4:00CAT) before I hit a jet-lag-coma and watched it on the 20th—how appropriate—I felt like I saw my wildest dream come true listening to you and Ms. Jolie share your experiences. Last night, I read an unflattering review about it on the web that lead me to respond on this blog-entry.
It doesn’t take a genius to criticize somebody, but I wanted to tell you how much I respect your work and admire the guts it took to expose your heart in your book. I’m only on p151, past the pictures and I don’t want it to end. Next week Wednesday, I leave on an outreach mission to a community in central Mozambique—barely 15miles east from the Zimbabwean border. We won’t drive through Zim like we did last year because it has become too dangerous but I’m taking my still and video cameras along and plan to document stories of braver people than me when we get there.
Today I received a phone call from a friend in Namibia who also gave birth to a girl last week. She only had praise for Ms. Jolie and Mr. Pitt’s discreet visit and charity work to the medical facilities in her country.
Your work inspires me. You have blessed Africa and her people in so many ways already and personify a motto in my life: do justice, love kindness and walk humbly. Hang in there and keep moving!