Hi everyone! My name is Casey, and that’s pretty much what everyone calls me, unless they feel the need to shorten my name by one letter and then they call me “Case.” Either works. :)

I’ve lived in the same little two-stop light town all my life - Chapin, South Carolina.  It’s about 30 minutes outside of Columbia (for those of you familiar with SC).

I’m currently a sophomore at Duke University in North Carolina.  I’m a Public Policy Major and Photography minor. I have no idea what I want to do after college, but I still have time to figure that out, so I’m not too worried yet.

I don’t have an official job, but I frequently am a participant in paid research studies at Duke and I make enough money to get by for right now. I used to be a dance teacher (in high school) and I LOVED it, but unfortunately don’t have time to do that now.

I LOVE to dance and do anything involving dance (like watching So You Think You Can Dance). I also love to take pictures! I got my first DSLR camera this past Christmas, and it is definitely my favorite Christmas present of all-time. I carry it with me quite often; it is sort of like my baby. I also love music; I actually might die without it (no, really).

A few random facts….

- I talk really fast, which tends to mask my southern accent. BUT when I’m really tired, I talk like a true southerner (so be ready for that!).

- I ate a live goldfish a couple years ago as part of a Fear Factor-like competition J

- I love to sing. But I never ACTUALLY learned how. (aka I’m not good at it, I just like to do it). And as I stated above, I love to dance even more than singing, which is good – because I’m much better at it!

- I have GERD. (aka acid reflux, but GERD is a much cooler name) The GERD monster in my stomach unfortunately dictates everything I can and can’t eat and he’s a very picky monster.

- I love reading Christian books. I also love pointless fiction novels. I realize these are on opposite ends of the spectrum, but I read them for entirely different reasons, and I am always reading one or the other.

- I’m a Cameron Crazie (if you don’t know what that is, go google it). Basically, it means I slept in a tent for over a month to get tickets to ONE basketball game – the Duke vs. UNC game. And I was on the front row for the game with my entire body painted blue and Duke won - so it was worth it.

- I also have been involved in all sorts of really random activities that I won’t bore you with now, you may find out about them this summer….but to give you an idea they range from being the commander of a NJROTC battalion to winning pageant titles to being the plaintiff and winning a Supreme Court lawsuit. Basically, I like to try all sorts of activities.

I’ve been on mission trips to Zimbabwe (in Southern Africa) twice. I went in the summer of 2009 and the summer of 2010.  It wasn’t with an organization, I actually only went with 2 other people.  I lived and worked at an orphanage and also helped teach English and volunteer at an HIV clinic.  I have many friends in Zimbabwe that I still keep in touch with via email and facebook (yes, facebook) very regularly.  I have a special place in my heart for Zimbabwean people and I know that at some point in the near future, I’ll return to be with them. 

My trips to Zimbabwe sparked my love for all things African.  Mostly, I love the people.  I’ve also taken numerous African studies classes at Duke and I also have learned to speak Swahili (so excited to be able to use this finally!).  That being said, I’m so incredibly excited about going to Kenya with all of you.  I know God is going to use us all in ways that we cannot even fathom at this point.  I’m ready to be humbled and have my heart changed as I follow God’s will for my life and act as his hands and feet by serving in Kenya.  As a “planner” (I may actually be kind of OCD, so be prepared for that), I always get nervous before I go on trips to Africa without an “itinerary.” But as I’ve learned throughout the past two summers, and as I’m sure God will show me this summer, His plans and His itinerary are so much more remarkable than anything I could imagine.  I really look forward to meeting all of you and embarking on this incredible journey together!  :)