On my last day in Tanzania I wrote this in my journal:
I've come to the conclusion that there is no one world changing mission, movement, occupation, or cause. We all have our own parts to play; parts so small that they seem insignificant most of the time. We are ants moving mountains by mites of dust. And this isn't meant to be discouraging, it's meant to be encouraging. Maybe I don't feel God calling me right now to move to Africa the way I thought I might, but I don't have to be in Africa to be apart of the world change I believe God's heart so deeply desires. I can do it with my daily decisions, with my attitude, with the way I spend my time, money, and talents, with integrity and responsibility and purpose. We can all do it. We all need to do it, the world depends on it.
And as I finished my photo book from my trip, I chose a quote I'd come across while researching for a paper last semester:
"Even while one is dedicated to the struggle with all one’s heart and soul and strength, one’s goal must be seen as transcending the actual temporal achievements, so that great victories can be won even if the misery continues. Salvation must be attainable even without the establishment of a just world order. God’s greatest promise to me is not that I shall one day be surrounded by just people, but that I can become a just man today even in the midst of injustice. ”
- James Tunstead Burtchael
And these are the things I believe to be true. Even in the fall, as my peers and I made a defense for the funding of our social justice minor before the school of social work's board, one of the claims we made for the program that attracts a wide variety of majors was that the most efficient change would come to the world when people decided to make the right choices within whatever profession they choose. Not everyone needs to be activists or lobbyists or politicians or non-profit volunteers. We need people in every sector of society committed to integrity and justice. Teachers, lawyers, CEOs, retail staff, stay at home moms, writers, doctors, biologists, engineers-- people all over committed to making choices that may seem insignificant, because if everyone did that, we'd be living in a different world.
8/28/10
8/9/10
Home tomorrow.
Besides seeing my friends and family, I am excited for hot showers, warm clothes that fit well, cookies, cheese, driving, jeans, dresses, new movies, and the last few long summer days of the season.
I haven't really thought much about leaving Peace House, I think I will be sad if I do. I wish I could have had more time here, because around here it is so hard to accomplish much in two weeks. I will be sad to say goodbye to many of the students, not necessarily because I am really close to them, but because I wish I had time to get closer.
As I prepare to leave, lots of people have asked me, "will you come back?"And the truth is I have no idea. I would love to come back when the time is right, but I don't know when that time will come. My time here in Tanzania has made me a lot more comfortable with the unplanned, the disorganized, and the flexibility of living hour by hour... Something I've been trying hard to learn for a long time. I hope beyond all hope that those lessons will stick with me.
When I came, I was hoping for a little clarity for the next step of my journey. It doesn't really start for a year, but the reality is if I want to be doing something next year, I need to know within the next few months. The good news is I have some direction and very little anxiety. I think I said this on a different blog a little while ago, but one of the things I learned from working through Exodus earlier this summer, is that God is always faithful, but his faithfulness very seldom looks the way we expect it to.
Anyway, it's been a long day. I mostly just wanted to send one more post before I hop on the airplane. Thank you all, so much for not only sharing this adventure with me, but for truly making it possible. I may post in the weeks or months to come with some reflections on the trip if you want to stay tuned, otherwise I will see you in the States.
Besides seeing my friends and family, I am excited for hot showers, warm clothes that fit well, cookies, cheese, driving, jeans, dresses, new movies, and the last few long summer days of the season.
I haven't really thought much about leaving Peace House, I think I will be sad if I do. I wish I could have had more time here, because around here it is so hard to accomplish much in two weeks. I will be sad to say goodbye to many of the students, not necessarily because I am really close to them, but because I wish I had time to get closer.
As I prepare to leave, lots of people have asked me, "will you come back?"And the truth is I have no idea. I would love to come back when the time is right, but I don't know when that time will come. My time here in Tanzania has made me a lot more comfortable with the unplanned, the disorganized, and the flexibility of living hour by hour... Something I've been trying hard to learn for a long time. I hope beyond all hope that those lessons will stick with me.
When I came, I was hoping for a little clarity for the next step of my journey. It doesn't really start for a year, but the reality is if I want to be doing something next year, I need to know within the next few months. The good news is I have some direction and very little anxiety. I think I said this on a different blog a little while ago, but one of the things I learned from working through Exodus earlier this summer, is that God is always faithful, but his faithfulness very seldom looks the way we expect it to.
Anyway, it's been a long day. I mostly just wanted to send one more post before I hop on the airplane. Thank you all, so much for not only sharing this adventure with me, but for truly making it possible. I may post in the weeks or months to come with some reflections on the trip if you want to stay tuned, otherwise I will see you in the States.
8/6/10
Home Visits
Today, I got the opportunity to visit the homes of a couple of students. Dan, Director of Operations of Peace House in the states, is visiting Peace House this week and one of his tasks was to get some footage of students' homes and interview their parents to add to the video for their big fundraising banquet in Minnesota this fall.
First we went to Ndajiri's home and visited her mother Elizabeth and her younger sisters. She also has three brothers and another older sister. Elizabeth and Ndajiri are Maasai, but have moved away from their traditional culture. With their cow, chickens and maize, Elizabeth tries to support her large family.
Next we went to Hussein's home. The children in his neighborhood were very interested in Dan's camera.
This little boy was beautiful, but also very afraid of me. The other children tried to tell me he just didn't like visitors, but I think he just doesn't like mzungu (the swahili word for "white man") very much.
Here, Angelo, Peace House's social worker interviews Mariam, Hussein's mother, about Hussein's opportunity to attend Peace House. She expressed ger gratitude and hoped that Hussein, as the oldest of her children, would be able to be a role model and provide hope to his younger siblings.
Lastly, we visited Lillian's home and her mother, Mary. Mary contracted an eye disease a while back and by 2001 was left completely blind.
It was so incredible today to meet some of the students families.
One of the things I would have done differently for this trip in retrospect is to have done a home stay. I know that a home stay would have seemed too intimidating from the States, and I highly doubt I would have even signed up for one, but after being here, I wish I had. Of course, home stays would have been arranged with people who had the means to accommodate me and not with already overburdened families like these, but there is such a spirit of hospitality here. "Karibu"is a Swahili word that anyone in Tanzania would pick up in about 5 minutes. People say it all the time. It means welcome, and it's truly the spirit of so many here. The other telling bit of language is that all the older women are addressed as "mama" (or "bibi", for the visibly wisened) and the younger women as "dada"-- mother, grandma, sister. Everyone is family. I admire the warmth of the spirits here, especially of the women.
There are only a handful of days left in this adventure, it's hard to believe I arrived over two months ago. I have learned so many things in such a short time, and still have much, much more to learn.
First we went to Ndajiri's home and visited her mother Elizabeth and her younger sisters. She also has three brothers and another older sister. Elizabeth and Ndajiri are Maasai, but have moved away from their traditional culture. With their cow, chickens and maize, Elizabeth tries to support her large family.
Next we went to Hussein's home. The children in his neighborhood were very interested in Dan's camera.
This little boy was beautiful, but also very afraid of me. The other children tried to tell me he just didn't like visitors, but I think he just doesn't like mzungu (the swahili word for "white man") very much.
Here, Angelo, Peace House's social worker interviews Mariam, Hussein's mother, about Hussein's opportunity to attend Peace House. She expressed ger gratitude and hoped that Hussein, as the oldest of her children, would be able to be a role model and provide hope to his younger siblings.
Lastly, we visited Lillian's home and her mother, Mary. Mary contracted an eye disease a while back and by 2001 was left completely blind.
It was so incredible today to meet some of the students families.
One of the things I would have done differently for this trip in retrospect is to have done a home stay. I know that a home stay would have seemed too intimidating from the States, and I highly doubt I would have even signed up for one, but after being here, I wish I had. Of course, home stays would have been arranged with people who had the means to accommodate me and not with already overburdened families like these, but there is such a spirit of hospitality here. "Karibu"is a Swahili word that anyone in Tanzania would pick up in about 5 minutes. People say it all the time. It means welcome, and it's truly the spirit of so many here. The other telling bit of language is that all the older women are addressed as "mama" (or "bibi", for the visibly wisened) and the younger women as "dada"-- mother, grandma, sister. Everyone is family. I admire the warmth of the spirits here, especially of the women.
There are only a handful of days left in this adventure, it's hard to believe I arrived over two months ago. I have learned so many things in such a short time, and still have much, much more to learn.
8/3/10
My energy and wherewithal since arriving at Peace House have improved slightly, but have still not recovered completely. I imagine, at this point, I don't have long enough left for them to reach capacity until I return home. None the less, the experience has been (and will continue to be) a blessing.
As a part of developing volunteer activities and problem solving curriculum for the students, Dan, one of the state-side Peace House staff who is here visiting, brought some activities to have me work through with small groups of students. On Sunday, I watched teenagers who had never seen legos before construct houses and helicopters and cars and taught a few older students how to do sudoku. Yesterday Kyle, another volunteer and I encouraged second year students to see random, useless items as a product to market. The students and I both thoroughly enjoyed these activities.
I had intended this week to be teaching Introduction to Computer Technology and had spent some time developing a lesson plan and making a power point to teach typing skills to each class of students here at peace house. However, on Monday, when I walked into the computer lab, I found their regular ICT teacher starting class despite my understanding that he would not return for at least a week. I was a little discouraged in the afternoon, since ICT had been my game plan for being productive this week, but I tried to quickly shake it off and asked Rose, the history teacher, if I could continue assisting her in her classes.
Last night, the graduate students, the volunteer coordinator, the two other volunteers, and I all ate dinner together. We ate chips and salsa, pasta with pesto sauce, there was cheddar cheese involved, and we made oatmeal, chocolate chip, almond cookies. I mean, I should hope this sounds delicious to any one, because it was. But then imagine it's been two months since your last chocolate chip cookie, at least as long since you had eaten cheese plain, and despite all the rice and beans you'd eaten over eight weeks, you hadn't even seen salsa. I have not in the least minded what I have eaten in Tanzania, I love most of the food and have grown tired of none of it yet, but what I don't eat here gets to me sometimes and indulging in those things has been a saving grace this week.
Today, Rose suggested that I prepare a lesson for the second year students, and so today I taught two 40 minute class periods on the trans-Atlantic slave trade. It was really my first time in front of a classroom teaching history, which is something I've imagined doing for a career, and I have to admit, I really, really enjoyed it. In addition, despite the chilliness of the past few days and this morning (not to mention the downright cold at night) the late afternoon gave way to clear skies which not only warmed up the air, but with the clouds gone, I could see Kili in the distance next to Meru from my porch.
The big mountain on the left is Meru and between it and the small hill on the right you can maybe see the glaciers on top of Kili. It's so hard to get it to show up in a photo, but I definitely enjoyed it in real life.
All in all, I don't really know how to feel about anything just yet. It's a blessing to be here, the next week will fly by, then home, and I know that this fall will be an adventure in it's own right. As my friend Katie toasted before we left each other in Arusha, "To the next safari."
As a part of developing volunteer activities and problem solving curriculum for the students, Dan, one of the state-side Peace House staff who is here visiting, brought some activities to have me work through with small groups of students. On Sunday, I watched teenagers who had never seen legos before construct houses and helicopters and cars and taught a few older students how to do sudoku. Yesterday Kyle, another volunteer and I encouraged second year students to see random, useless items as a product to market. The students and I both thoroughly enjoyed these activities.
I had intended this week to be teaching Introduction to Computer Technology and had spent some time developing a lesson plan and making a power point to teach typing skills to each class of students here at peace house. However, on Monday, when I walked into the computer lab, I found their regular ICT teacher starting class despite my understanding that he would not return for at least a week. I was a little discouraged in the afternoon, since ICT had been my game plan for being productive this week, but I tried to quickly shake it off and asked Rose, the history teacher, if I could continue assisting her in her classes.
Last night, the graduate students, the volunteer coordinator, the two other volunteers, and I all ate dinner together. We ate chips and salsa, pasta with pesto sauce, there was cheddar cheese involved, and we made oatmeal, chocolate chip, almond cookies. I mean, I should hope this sounds delicious to any one, because it was. But then imagine it's been two months since your last chocolate chip cookie, at least as long since you had eaten cheese plain, and despite all the rice and beans you'd eaten over eight weeks, you hadn't even seen salsa. I have not in the least minded what I have eaten in Tanzania, I love most of the food and have grown tired of none of it yet, but what I don't eat here gets to me sometimes and indulging in those things has been a saving grace this week.
Today, Rose suggested that I prepare a lesson for the second year students, and so today I taught two 40 minute class periods on the trans-Atlantic slave trade. It was really my first time in front of a classroom teaching history, which is something I've imagined doing for a career, and I have to admit, I really, really enjoyed it. In addition, despite the chilliness of the past few days and this morning (not to mention the downright cold at night) the late afternoon gave way to clear skies which not only warmed up the air, but with the clouds gone, I could see Kili in the distance next to Meru from my porch.
The big mountain on the left is Meru and between it and the small hill on the right you can maybe see the glaciers on top of Kili. It's so hard to get it to show up in a photo, but I definitely enjoyed it in real life.All in all, I don't really know how to feel about anything just yet. It's a blessing to be here, the next week will fly by, then home, and I know that this fall will be an adventure in it's own right. As my friend Katie toasted before we left each other in Arusha, "To the next safari."
7/29/10
Peace House is treating me fabulously. I have yet to get tired of rice or ugali and beans, but I'm sure I will be grateful for variety (read: cookies) in my diet once I get come.
I daily walk the line between trying to be useful and trying not to be obnoxious. I think being here with a larger group would have had its advantages in assignments as well as in company. However, next week I will be teaching computer class and I've been sitting in with Rose, the history teacher, so hopefully she'll have some things for me to do as well.
The large group from a Lutheran church in Minnesota that has been here for the past 10 days is leaving tomorow, and so there was a big good bye assembly in their honor. These kids are so talented. I wish I had brought my camera. They danced and did acrobatics, it was awesome.
I will update again when I have some pictures and new stories.
I daily walk the line between trying to be useful and trying not to be obnoxious. I think being here with a larger group would have had its advantages in assignments as well as in company. However, next week I will be teaching computer class and I've been sitting in with Rose, the history teacher, so hopefully she'll have some things for me to do as well.
The large group from a Lutheran church in Minnesota that has been here for the past 10 days is leaving tomorow, and so there was a big good bye assembly in their honor. These kids are so talented. I wish I had brought my camera. They danced and did acrobatics, it was awesome.
I will update again when I have some pictures and new stories.
7/25/10
Roomie Love
Tomorrow I am off to Peace House.
I have made a lot of new friends in this group of awesome girls. It will be sad to leave.
I keep thinking "one more adventure," when I think about going to Peace House, but the reality is even life "at home" is full of adventures. It's all just one adventure after the other.
One step at a time, trusting the One who lays the road and holds my heart, enjoying the adventures from His hands.
7/23/10
Habari za safari?
Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow.
That is all I have to say about this week.
We have a fabulous creator.
To start, I went to Young Life club at Sokoni 1, a really poor area outside of Arusha and it was a BLAST. I got called up to do a skit, and it was a "let's eat gross things" skit... Tanzania syle. I was handed a HUGE glass of sour milk, a bag of dried fish, and a packet of ground nuts. I tried my best, but I definitely got beat (I consider it a victory that I didn't puke...)
I think I've found housing for the fall (or rather, my parents found me housing), which is an UNBELIEVABLE blessing. I kept reminding myself that places where there are no plans just leaves lots of room for God to do work.
And speaking of God doing work, the safari was UNREAL. Creator, props. Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro Crater were SO beautiful.
Instead of posting all of those pictures on here, I am posting a sampling of my favorites to this album:
In addition to all of these things, we had macaroni and cheese for dinner last night and chocolate bars in our lunches today, and I only missed one point on my final!
These have really been some of the most amazing days of my life.
AND, tomorrow we're going to Kilimanjaro (not to climb, just to look) and I have to be up at 6 am, after the past two days, I am pooped anyway so I should probably get to bed.
God is just so good.
That is all I have to say about this week.
We have a fabulous creator.
To start, I went to Young Life club at Sokoni 1, a really poor area outside of Arusha and it was a BLAST. I got called up to do a skit, and it was a "let's eat gross things" skit... Tanzania syle. I was handed a HUGE glass of sour milk, a bag of dried fish, and a packet of ground nuts. I tried my best, but I definitely got beat (I consider it a victory that I didn't puke...)
I think I've found housing for the fall (or rather, my parents found me housing), which is an UNBELIEVABLE blessing. I kept reminding myself that places where there are no plans just leaves lots of room for God to do work.
And speaking of God doing work, the safari was UNREAL. Creator, props. Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro Crater were SO beautiful.
Instead of posting all of those pictures on here, I am posting a sampling of my favorites to this album:
 |
CLICK THIS LINK, YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS IT I PROMISE! |
In addition to all of these things, we had macaroni and cheese for dinner last night and chocolate bars in our lunches today, and I only missed one point on my final!
These have really been some of the most amazing days of my life.
AND, tomorrow we're going to Kilimanjaro (not to climb, just to look) and I have to be up at 6 am, after the past two days, I am pooped anyway so I should probably get to bed.
God is just so good.
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