Recapping

Yes, I have been m.i.a. for a while, but those of you who have moved cross country before, you understand.  During my last few weeks in Boston I was invited to speak for a few different groups.  I decided to focus on what we can learn from Africa -- despite the fact that Africa is very poverty stricken, many medical practices are unsafe, and the infrastructure lacks so much.  Here are some highlights:

When we did our crafts with the Mabatini CarePoint children we were amazed to see how well they took care of things.  We expected marker caps to go missing, scissors broken, glue sticks missing… Every single one was returned to us in perfect condition.  Never once did I see these children complain -- I'm sure it happens, but the point is that their overall attitudes were not destructive.  They were actually quite uplifting and joyful!  All of the staff cared for the children and never did a job half-heartedly as well.

This is Suzy.  She is in a family of five children and one mother.  Their only income is selling porridge.  But, do you see any drop of hate or spite in her?  I didn't.  These kids, though they lack many necessities, find joy in the Lord and in what they are given.  Nothing is taken for granted.

This is a video of the children singing and, yes, it is of their own will that they sing.  (Roughly translated, the song means that there is one gate in heaven open for the rich and poor.)  Have you ever such passion in worship?  Not here in the states.  And, when they sang Amazing Grace, someone commented on the fact that it is astounding hearing them sing this because they went from a life of begging and stealing left and right to being some of the most Godly, kindest, most generous kids we have met.

Coming back, despite the fact that I was living out of a suitcase in an average apartment, I felt as if I was living in a palace.  I mean, there was an abundance of running water, sturdy walls, and I didn't need an escort to go out.  In its simplicity and minimalist way of life, Africa highlighted how extra stuff can be a burden.   Community is the glue, not possessions.  Yes possessions can be a blessing and they accumulate so easily, but they can equally be a curse.

I will leave you know to think about the discussion questions below that I led the CoaH's Women's Breakfast through last month:

1. Read James 1:27, Deuteronomy 15:11, Proverbs 28:27, and 1 John 3:17-18.  There are numerous verses were we are called to care for our brothers and sisters locally and worldwide.  What are some ways we can practice this (both financially and in action)?
2. Are material possessions a blessing or curse? Can/how does materialism distract us?  What are ways to not be distracted or controlled by materialism?
3. Why do you think many Africans are joyful despite their suffering?

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That's Just Life Here

I'm not sure exactly where to start with day to day Tanzanian life and culture because it is SO different -- even more so than Alaska vs. the Lower 48, and that's saying a lot.

One thing we did the first day was play soccer with the kids.  You can read more about on this post, but here are some pictures:

It was interesting to see the age range on the field -- probably age 6-18.

Notice the flip flops lying on the ground.  Many played in flip-flops and others barefoot.  Even those who owned tennis shoes, I noticed, prefered to play barefoot.  Astounding!

Did I mention we played in a cow pasture?

The road from the field to the compound wasn't long.  It was interesting walking on a very uneven dirt road surrounded by green with the occasional house or abandoned building.  There were a few families nearby who often asked us mzungu (white person) for money, but we were told not give them any.  At first, this sounded odd.  Even $1 can go a long way in Africa.  But the truth is, when you hand out money to some one who knows where you live they'll keep coming back and it isn't always safe.  However, if we so desired to give money to some one, arrangements could be made.  Anyways, it wasn't uncommon to see children wandering around together by themselves.  Many children stick together and embrace community no matter how they live.

On the road.

Here are some of the neighborhood boys.  It's a common African game to keep a moving wheel upright with a stick as you run beside it.

I wrote about our game night here.

Carly with ? and Moses playing Memory.  The game began with two people and ended up with six!

Rachel and I doing a puzzle together.

Tutoring with a language barrier is, well, interesting!  (One of the best investments I had was a Swahili phrasebook.)  When I was tutoring some older boys in Kiingereza (English) I was shocked to learn the verb worksheet they had to do was full of errors -- misspellings, duplicate correct answers, all wrong answers…  How do you learn a language when the teachers aren't fluent?   It was obvious how eager they were to learn and (try) to speak with us.  In high school only English is spoken.  For the most part, these kids, particularly the older ones, are eager to learn what they can.

Another tutoring experience that stands out to me is when Rachel and I worked on counting and writing numbers.  She couldn't quite understand addition and often had trouble with double digit numbers. She also kept writing her sixes backwards.  But she was improving!  I think this made me think about other African children who do not have access to tutors or homework help or any education at all really.  Free tutoring programs barely exist except through volunteers.  In a country where the infrastructure is poor and the opportunity of higher learning is out of reach for numerous children, why do we sit back and do nothing?  Why do we assume everything will be okay?

Rachel trying to write her numbers.  She was dropped off one day in front of the compound and left abandoned.  She now lives with the woman who helps run one of the boys' houses.

Eula and Juma work on math.

Dorcas learning how to type.  I guess the keyboard confused a lot of kids at first because it is all in uppercase and, of course, most of the words they were looking at were in lowercase.

The guitar was quite a popular attraction; it is one foreign to African culture.  Moses -- pictured with John here --was one of the boys who loved to come over to the compound and eagerly help out.  His English skills were phenomenal.  It's hard to believe someone dropped him at the front door and left him just a few months ago.  He is so joyful here!

 

 

This is a dala dala.  It runs basically like a bus, except that you can get dropped off at the front door where you need to go.  There are several of these cars, all visually designed differently with different names -- the most common one was Jay-Z -- and varying areas of service.  They are often overcrowded with people -- maybe 20 people in a dala dala that seats around 9.  I guess to many, they are considered unsafe.

Quite the interesting decor inside, aye?

Next up: CarePoints!

Staffers

In ministry, people are essential!  So, before I take you into the children's world, I would like to introduce a few (out of SO many incredible people there) of the staff volunteers and others we were with.

Assed is basically the director of Christ's Hope TZ.  When he wasn't meeting with others, he was excited to hear about our time with the kids and how improvements could be made around the compound and other facilities.  In this picture he is wearing our armor (the craft we did with the CarePoint kids -- more on this later) and he loved it.

Peter -- aka Big Simba (simba = lion) -- helped get us to where we needed to go, made sure we were adjusting well, did some of the cooking, and was basically the go-to-guy for everything.  I don't think there was a job there that he didn't do!

Ed and Janny are from Holland and overlapped for a week in their time with us.  They helped us get settled, did a lot of cooking, and often gave advice on how to live life as missionaries in Africa.  Not to mention givers of much comic relief!  Even though we knew each other for a short time, we all became close. They were like our parents.

Janeth and Leonarda sorting beans.  Just another day in Africa! 

Leigha is amazing and I miss her.  She does a lot of sewing and often helps to mend the children's clothing.  She can take two measurements and have a skirt made within a few hours.  No patterns necessary! 

 Here is a wrap around skirt she offered to make for me. (I bought some fabric at a nearby market.)

 Esther is another person I really miss.  She did a lot of cooking for us and her meals, which mainly consisted of rice and beans, were truly amazing.  One day Esther was doing laundry and so I asked if I could help her.  They do all of their laundry by hand and scrub it together in a certain way (no washboards, just a tub of soapy suds).  Of course, I'm used to machines and she kept laughing at the way I was trying to wash clothes.   It was truly a bonding moment.

Paschal is one of the teachers and was our translator at the Mabatini CarePoint.  He was so amazing with the kids.  We all admired how he enthusiastically did the crafts right along side the kids.

The team: John, Eula, Emily (me), Carly, Nate.  We all brought different strengths and levels of experience with us.  Through the ups and downs, it wouldn't have been the same without them.


And, because we didn't go a day without seeing/hearing them, here are some of the local animals:

I saw Paka (=cat) eat a quite a few bugs and I'm she helps with rodent control.  I loved having both cats around. :)

One of Paka Dogo's (=small cat) not quite 2-week old-kittens.  I wanted to take them home with me…

 Here is the rooster that crowed at 5 in the morning and throughout the day...every day.

 Simba was supposed to be a guard dog, but she is quite sweet….and very vocal at night.

We don't know what we would have done without any of these amazing volunteers.  Through these brief descriptions I've barely scratched the surface of who they are, but they are all amazing and we are blessed to know them!  These Africans are very joyous in everything they do.  Never did I see anyone do a half-hearted job.  When you do something here, you give it all you have.

Photos: part one of many more to come!

Hooray!  I have pictures to show you.  I'm still sorting through them -- there are literally hundreds -- and putting my scrapbook together.  As I do so (and as promised) I will post many photos here and tell you about my trip in further detail.

Aron and Kevin showing us around Amsterdam.

On our way over we had a long layover in Amsterdam and we met up with two of John's friends, Aron and Kevin, who served in Tanzania last year.  It was a great time to relax, have fun, and to grow as a team. Naturally, the previous year was talked about between the three.  It was great to hear from first hand experience what we were headed in to.  The best piece advice from them was that you really had to take the initiative.  In Africa, because we are the guests, unless you offered to do something no one is going to tell you what to do.  Serving in Africa is to ask what can be done and fulfill the needs seen.  Waiting for something to happen would get you nowhere.

First minutes in Africa while waiting for our ride.

After 30+ hours of travel we safely landed in Mwanza.  Some of us were ready to jump in and others were exhausted.  When we landed I was surprised at how much green there was.  But in the city, it was quite dusty!

We were warned well in advance that we could not take pictures of everything.  Unless we were on the compound, in a church, or with the CarePoint kids, we HAD to ask.  If you don't people may get beyond angry and it had a lot to do with showing respect.  The main reason, I believe, was that they were too afraid that they would be exploited (property, too, not just people).  For instance, if I have their picture and I go and sell it, what's in it for them?  Also, cameras are a rare commodity to the locals.  It's probably just weird having a camera shoved in your face when you have little to no photos of your own.  So, not being able to take a lot of pictures in the city and of the locals was hard.  I love taking pictures -- especially candid ones.  Nevertheless, here are a few shots I was able to get of the town:

A lot of women transport objects on their heads.  They have incredible balance.  It was also a common sight to see men riding bikes weighted down with water containers, buckets, sugar cane, fruit, or boards.  While cars were many, Mwanza is filled with people who cannot afford them; but the poverty discussion is for another post.

Classic mud hut near where we stayed.  Keep in mind that there is probably no floor, electricity, or plumbing inside.

Mwanza means rock city. Many homes are built into the hills.

On the right side there is a truck.  For many, this is home.  And, homes are often multi-generational.

I will show you the inside of these homes in another post, but this is one of the boy's homes.

When we arrived many of the children ran up to greet us.  I think they were more excited than we were!

More photos to come soon!  Keep checking back!

Post-Trip

The flights were long, but eventually all of our bags arrived and we made it through customs and back into Boston.

Despite the fact that I am couch-surfing and living out of a suitcase (my lease ended right before I left for Africa) I feel like I'm living in a palace.  Running water, walls and ceilings that are not falling apart, the freedom to go wherever and whenever...  We have absolutely no concept of what hunger or poverty is here in America.

On our last day we visited Grace, a former staff member who used to do the cooking and cleaning, who is very sick.  Her health, praise the Lord, is improving!  Grace's house was a dusty brick building, roughly 10x10, with two rooms. There was dirt for a floor, a thin cloth to cover the open air window, and a metal roof with many cracks of light shining through.  One room had stacks of buckets around, cockroaches roaming, and seven us crowded close together to lift her up in prayer.  The next room had two beds and one shelf of pans.  Four generations live in this house.  Stray dogs and chickens roamed the front.  The front step looked something akin to an old feed sack filled with dirt.  It's one thing to hear about these conditions and another to see them. I wanted to take a picture, but felt too weird to even ask.  There is nothing desirable about these kinds of living conditions!

We weren't in town very much until the last few days.  Street boys would come and beg for money -- sometimes in Swahili and other times in broken English.  It wasn't uncommon for small groups of boys to crowd the car we were in, look in, and beg.  It's hard to believe that most of the boys on the compound lived like this -- covered in dirt and ripped up clothing, stealing and begging left and right.

It's hard to witness just how first world countries squander wealth and are often filled with depressed, wasteful, and unsatisfied people.  Yet, third world countries, even though the living conditions are horrible and food is not in abundance, have some of the most joyful people I have seen.  Do we not know what blessings we have?

Now, I hope you are thinking what can I do?  Well, first of all, do not be selfish and wasteful in your wealth whether you make $20k or $50k a year.  There are many organizations -- World Vision, Compassion International, Unicef, etc. -- out there for various countries (and for true impoverished Americans) to be involved in.  Take part in them!  Volunteer!  Give!  As I mentioned previously, we are working in setting up sponsorships for the children we worked with.  This is still in the works, but here is more information:

Here is an email from the President of Christ’s Hope USA, Dave Kase, further explaining what the CarePoints are beyond something that takes place afterschool: Many of the children are either orphaned or quite vulnerable. Many have been assisted to live with extended or foster families, rather than being shipped off to an orphanage. All are impoverished, but all are affected by AIDS in one form or another. Meals, paying school fees, tutoring, discipleship, healthcare and hygiene, etc are all part of the ministry CarePoint, as well as home monitoring…visiting the children at home and assessing their home condition.  I pray your team really are able to get to know these beautiful children at Mabatini well and have an impactful relationship with them.

Though it costs about $50 a month to pay for the children at the Mabatini CarePoint, Christ’s Hope will let you sponsor one for $38/month and the rest will be subsided (of course, if you feel you can pay more than $38, wonderful!  I've met these kids and they are amazing.  I wish I could sponsor all of them. I am fairly certain that you will also be encouraged to correspond through letters with your sponsored child as well.

And for my Christian brothers and sisters, please do not give because you feel guilty.  You should take part because you truly want to help these kids.  We are called to take care of our brothers and sisters around the world countless times in the Bible -- one is 1 John 3:17 “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?”

Here are most of the kids from the Care Point.  I hope to have many pictures up soon with more commentary, but the bulk of them are currently on someone else's computer.

I'm putting on my armor...

This morning the plan was to go to the market.  But, as we say TIA — This is Africa, things happen when they happen — we didn’t make it.  The car had to be fixed and as the hours rolled by it was clear that we would not have time.

This afternoon we had our last care point, which is very sad.  (But we will see them tomorrow when we take them to an island in Lake Victoria!)  These kids were great and so excited about all the stories and crafts we did with them.  The experiences between the Mabatini care point and the children here at the compound are so different.  For the care point children they definitely had more holes and rips in their clothing and it’s it is hard to comprehend that for many we gave them the only meal that they will have this week!  Furthermore, they are not of age to know English yet so nearly everything was interpreted (we wouldn’t have been able to do nearly as much without Paschal!!).  But even with the language barrier and interpreting we were able to reach out to them.  A smile or even saying their name goes a long way.  Showing and sharing our time and crafts with them brought much joy.  And the fact that they remembered all the pieces of the armor throughout the week — belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, helmet of salvation, shield of faith, sword of the spirit, and the shoes of peace — and were able to comprehend it all is priceless!

Please pray for this kids.  If you are willing and are financially able, you can sponsor one of these kids pictured below for $50 — which provides food, education, health, and more.  We will post more info soon!

Lift Your Hands in Praise

I got my first mosquito bite today -- proof that deet-free bug spray is totally awesome!  Rather than a white itchy bump, though, mosquito bites here give a red dot with a bump under the skin.

Anyways, I would like to reflect a bit on church culture here.  It is very charismatic and Pentecostal.  I don't think I have ever been in a church that had so much dancing -- including a dancing line up and down the aisles (don't worry there is video for this from both churches we went to) -- and shouting.  Prayers are said out loud by most people and are passionate through body language.  People dress up and wear their best -- though I have seen many people with rips and holes in their clothes (please don't misunderstand me from my last post -- a lot of people have old ratty clothes, yet it was a surprise to see many well dressed people).  It is not uncommon for a church service to be over four hours.  There is a lot of song-praise and dance, even more so than the sermon.

Often times whenever I have seen charismatics, it often feels showy.  But here, I do not sense that.  It is very inspiring to see how people raise their voices to God and have no second thoughts on how other people view them.  From my seat, they appear devoted and fully at praise lifting their voice to the Heavens.