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They went to change Africa - but, it was Africa that changed them.

Ten teenagers from an Etobicoke church group travelled to Tanzania this past summer, tasked with lending a helping hand to communities in the impoverished East African nation.

It taught them the lesson of a lifetime.

"We expected to go to make a change, but Africa had a bigger change on us," said Laura Stewart, 17, a member of the St. George's On-The-Hill Anglican Church youth group.

Inspired by the Mahatma Gandhi quote, "Be the change you want to see in the world," the group set out for an adventure they will never forget.

During the three weeks they spent in Tanzania, they lived in a westernized house just outside the town of Moshi. The students were paired off into groups of two or three and every morning, each group would go to "placements" of teaching at schools and orphanages, and volunteering at hospitals.

Will Hunter, 16, taught P4, the equivalent to about Grade 3 or Grade 4 in Toronto. He taught the students English, math, science, world geography and physical education.

Vanessa Van Daele, 17, who also taught at a school there was happy to share her knowledge to the kids and to teach them about Canada. With a smile on her face, she said that teaching them was amazing: "It was the best experience of my life."

Stewart said she had a personal bond with the kids in her orphanages as they called her "Auntie". From this experience she learned that people in Canada have so much compared to them, and take everything for granted.

"Although they had nothing, they were happier," said Stewart, adding that kids in Tanzania appreciated school more than the kids in Canada as the kids over there were so eager to learn.

In the afternoons, after the placements, the group had free time for excursions. They went into town, went on safaris in arms-reach of wildlife, and went to famous landmarks in Tanzania including Mount Kilimanjaro and the Materuni Falls.

Stewart said everyone there was very nice.

"They were very welcoming and approachable," she said adding, they would walk in town and everyone would recognize them and say hi, even the strangers would give them high-fives and shake their hand.

"They showed a lot of respect," she said.

The group was able to make this trip possible with the help of Cross Cultural Solutions (CSS), an international not-for-profit organization, as well as some extensive fundraising and planning they have been doing since October 2007.

James Noronha, the youth group's team leader and the church's Youth Pastor, said he is very proud of everything they have been through and accomplished.

Van Daele said, "Seeing the children have so much motivation pushed me," adding she is now more focused in school and "nicer to teachers."

Noronha said that this experience has brought up the group's confidence level and has shown changes in their marks.

Noronha hopes for another adventure like this, not this summer but maybe the following year to India or South America with the junior youth group of the church as these students will be finished or near to finishing high school.