Road Portrait: The Gemini Girls

Every once in a while you come across people that teach you important lessons even if they are not aware they are doing so. Betsy and Sarah fall into that category.

The two are twin sisters from Colorado who were volunteering at the orphanage with me. Self-proclaimed "best friends", they attend universities on opposite sides of the country -- one on the Pacific Coast, the other on the Atlantic -- and as a result, they enjoyed every minute they had together. In fact, they enjoyed every minute they had apart.

I can't remember the last time I met anyone who "lived life to the leas" as much as they do. They were singing so constantly that it occasionally felt like I was living in a Broadway musical. They also raved about the food to the extent that I made a mental note to check out if they were being forcibly starved back home. Most importantly, they loved constantly and whole-heartedly.

Love comes easier for some than for others. The twins definitely fall into the former category, for their love of the girls was both readily apparent and sincere. They spent countless hours teaching the orphans new songs, ranging from "Down in the Valley" to "Be My Baby". They got to know the girls on a personal level that would be hard for me, at least, to copy.

They also displayed that good-natured optimism that is characteristic of Americans but all too often unrecognized by the rest of the world. Betsy and Sarah did not try to remake Tanzania in the image of America. They did not complain about cold showers or dust or unfamiliar foods. Instead, they accepted and embraced the differences entirely without judgment.

At the customary farewell ceremony, the twins got choked up when they said goodbye. They also promised to come back in a year's time. Both gestures were entirely heart-felt and genuine. It was a heart-warming and ulimately uplifting moment.

They may not know it, but Betsy and Sarah are great ambassadors for America and great models of generosity of spirit.