By Paige Hill
My earliest memories are filled with my dad’s passion for the outdoors, taking my siblings and me on adventures such as pheasant hunting on our relative’s farm in Colusa County, fishing tournaments in Mexico, and attending the annual SCI Convention. SCI has had a profound impact on our family, broadening our knowledge of the outdoors, introducing us to remarkable people, and connecting us with exceptional outfitters. As a result, it was only natural that I would follow in my father’s footsteps as a hunter. In 2017, my parents took my little brother and I on our first hunt, a plains game safari in Namibia. I discovered the magic of Africa – breathtaking wildlife, work-of-art sunsets, incredible culture, and unforgettable memories. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of hunting in the US and returning to Africa in 2023, refining my skills and deepening my appreciation for the thrill of the chase and the satisfaction of a successful hunt.
Both times we have been to Africa our trip included delivering blue bags to a school in the area we were hunting. On my 2023 trip my brother, dad, brother-in-law, and I visited the Towla Primary School on the Bubye Valley Conservancy in Zimbabwe. The school educates 55 students ranging from 1st to 7th grade. We started by giving all the children a drawstring backpack filled with individual supplies such as beanies, shirts, pencils, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and more. Each time we handed an item to a student, they bowed or curtseyed to show their appreciation for the gifts. The rest of the supplies were given to the teachers to be distributed at their discretion. This included items like small chalkboards, coloring books, crayons, notebooks, and first-aid kits. The students were most excited about the sports equipment we delivered. Soccer balls and nets, American footballs, frisbees and more! After receiving their gifts to show their appreciation, the children performed a song, first in their native language and then in English. They sang, “God is good, God is good, He’s so good to me. He answers prayers, He answers prayers, He’s so good to me.”
By this time the children were growing eager to play with their new sports gear. They ran into the classrooms to place their bags on desks before running back outside to play. Each child had the biggest smile on their face and excitement in their eyes. Together, we played soccer, netball, and football like old friends, not random strangers from across the globe. Laughter filled the schoolyard, and we couldn’t help but feel as if we were back in elementary school ourselves.
The entire Bell Blue Bag Program experience was rewarding and eye-opening. My family and I encourage every hunter, if able, to contact SCIF and take blue bags to their hunting destination.
As it said on one of the chalkboards in the classroom … “I can do anything. Anything. Anything. I can do anything through Christ who strengthens me!!” We encourage the larger hunting community to help them do “anything”.
