Across Ten Thousand Miles and Time — Should I Already Be Content?
— Written after the 2026 ACO Short‑Term Mission Trip to Africa

Africa Cries Out Report 2026 Issue 17
Chris Leo
April 2026

On the evening of March 26, 2026, it was the final night for our Week 1 ACO short‑term mission team in Africa.

At the ACO Dakar base, we held a sharing meeting. Everyone sat in a circle, looking back on the week — what we saw, what we felt, what we thought.
At that moment, I suddenly realized: without noticing it, I have already walked with 非洲哭泣 (ACO) for many years.

From “That Sounds Cool” to Actually Setting Foot on This Land

I first heard about ACO sometime before 2017.

Back then, when I heard that Dr. Jun Xu was going to Africa as a volunteer, my first reaction was: “That’s pretty cool.” My wife and I seriously discussed whether we should join, but in the end, concerns about safety made us put the idea aside.

Later, I moved to New York. Unexpectedly, I ended up living near Dr. Xu, and we saw each other every weekend. The idea of going to Africa resurfaced, but I still never took that step.

Then came 2020 — the outbreak of COVID‑19.

That year, New York became the epicenter. Our hospital, Montefiore, was designated a COVID hospital. With high mortality and no effective treatments, healthcare workers faced enormous pressure, risk, and loss. Yet my family and I made it through safely.

That experience made me realize — for the first time so deeply — that nothing we have is “taken for granted.”
And from that moment, I made a decision: if I have the opportunity, I want to serve others more.

So my family and I joined ACO. Since then, we have come to this land almost every year.

What Did We Do in One Week?

By 2026, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve come to Africa.

But this time, I still clearly saw: we traveled thousands of miles to Senegal, brought over one million USD worth of medications, and in just one week, served more than a thousand patients.

Under the guidance of physicians, young volunteers handled registration, vital signs, triage, clinical support, and medical training. We supported one another, encouraged one another, prayed for others, and built deep friendships along the way.

This wasn’t just a week of “work.”
It was real impact.

But Did We Really “Change Anything”?

Every volunteer who comes to Africa carries some expectations.

The first time I came, I wanted to “help those in need,” and I wanted to see with my own eyes this land often described as “impoverished.”

But gradually, I realized a truth:
A short visit cannot cure chronic diseases.
We cannot truly change their living conditions in such a short time.

So why do we keep coming back, year after year?

Perhaps the answer lies in these three things

1. What we bring is hope

We let the people in these villages know: they are not forgotten.

There are people — even strangers they have never met — willing to travel ten thousand kilometers just to see them and help them.

This feeling of being remembered and cared for often lasts longer than medicine.

2. The ones truly blessed… are actually us

More and more, I’ve come to understand: we are the ones blessed.

We have families, careers, health — and the ability to choose to help others.

When you truly step into this place, you complain less, and you give thanks more.

3. In our volunteers, I see the future

What moves me most are our young volunteers.
They are compassionate, wise, passionate, and mission‑driven. Their willingness to give and take responsibility fills me with hope.

I have no doubt they will go far in the future.

And my purpose in coming here is simply this:
to work with God, and to create more opportunities for these young people to shine.

In Them, I Saw What Love Truly Looks Like

Throughout the week, I saw many scenes:

  • Someone bending down to take a stranger’s blood pressure.
  • Someone patiently explaining how to use each medication.
  • Someone working all day under the scorching sun.
  • Someone quietly praying for others.

These seemingly ordinary moments revealed the most genuine love —
a love that is willing to give, willing to sacrifice, willing to serve.

Final Words

Thank you — every one of you.

This week, we experienced much, saw much, and reflected much.
May we carry this experience home, and carry this love forward.

We may not be able to change the world in one attempt,
but we can keep giving,
one act at a time.

About the Author

Chris Leo
Physician at Duke University Hospital
Current Chairman of the Executive Committee of 非洲哭泣
Has led multiple ACO medical teams to West Africa for short‑term missions

Editor’s Note

“Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”
(Galatians 6:9)

A journey of ten thousand kilometers and a week of labor may seem like a tiny mark on the timeline of eternity. But in the Kingdom of God, every moment willingly offered, every act done not by sight but by faith, has already planted a seed of life.
We may not see when it sprouts, but the promise never fails — “in due season we will reap.”