Roze and Andrea on Valentine’s Day in Chicago (2014)

I’m her mini-me. This is what Andrea calls me. Andrea and I met in 2007 and realized that we had much in common. Little did I know then that she would become a dear friend and woman I greatly admire. The more that I’ve learned about her, the more that I realize that our lives started in two very different ways. You see, Andrea has taken the road less traveled. She started in one place – a life that was rough. Many wouldn’t have thought or believed she would become the woman she is. She became the rose that grew from concrete.

Andrea has overcome so much. She was a young single mother, one who went back to school, working full-time and finishing her education. She went on to get her Master of Divinity degree and her Doctor of Ministry degree in Preaching. She is a bona fide Rev. Dr. And she’s my friend.

Andrea speaks life and love with her words and actions. She is such an uplifting presence and deeply desires for others to experience life and affirmation. Her generosity is overwhelming. She gives of herself, her time and her possessions without hesitation. I won’t even tell the number of boxes that I have received from her, long distance mind you, of clothes, shoes, and other fun gifts. And she has a great sense of style!

One of Andrea’s many gifts is connecting with all sorts of people. She has an uncanny ability to hear different perspectives and help people come to an understanding. She calls herself a bridge-builder and as you will see in her Journey Guides bio, she believes that the love of God helps us overcome divisions. Andrea has spent much time in West Africa, even living in Cameroon for three months. She travels to various countries in the region regularly and is saving her money to buy property in Senegal. She has a deep love for the continent and we look forward to sharing this love with you. Join us for a journey to West Africa in the summer of 2016. More details about the exact country will be shared as we get closer to our dates.

Sending you light and love,

Roze