COOKEVILLE — There are three groups of people in this world: the sayers, the planners and the doers. The sayers pay lip service to a cause, but that is as far as they go. The planners say they will commit to a cause “as soon as their schedule lightens up” or “as soon as they have the money.” And the doers fulfill their promises. Janet Matson, a local occupational therapist, made good on her desire to go to Africa and help those in need.
“I have been interested in Africa and her people for decades,” Matson said. “I lived in New York City in the late ’90s, and there were many venues with which to educate myself regarding Africa and Africans.
“I planned to go to Mali, West Africa, when Hurricane Katrina devastated our country. I found a church in Mississippi on the Internet, contacted them and drove there from Pennsylvania,” she continued. “I sorted, boxed and stacked pallets to ship to the Gulf. I was muscle power, and that was all I needed to be.” But soon her sights on Africa became more honed, and she discovered that her skills would be needed in Tanzania. Continue Reading…