Taxi, ferry, taxi, airplane x 3, and daughter + 36 hours is the marathon journey to physically get home from Africa.
I left the resort at 2:00pm on Nov 30th to begin my journey home. Then a two hour fast ferry ride from Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam. The ferry was somewhat like the Victoria clipper, but bigger, more comfortable and possibly faster. That I don't know. They had 3 or 4 big screen tvs in the part I was in and they played movies. It made the crossing time go fast. The ferry was not crowded which was nice.
Once on the other side there are taxis and porters galore. You can negotiate a price for your taxi ride to where you are going. On our way to the airport we got stuck in traffic. This was no big deal to me as I had about 6.5 hours before my flight. Once at the airport I had dinner and then watched a movie on my portable dvd player.
The flight from Dar es Salaam was good. It was smooth with very little turbulence. I looked out the window periodically to see if I could seen anything. Since it was a clear night anytime there was a city or town below I could see its lights. I arrived in Amsterdam at about 7 am, I think.
Once in Amsterdam, I wandered around the airport and waited for my flight. The flight from Amsterdam to Seattle was very neat. We again flew over Iceland, Greenland, Baffin Island, Hudson's Bay, over Edmonton and down to Seattle. The day was bright and clear and everytime I looked out the window I could see the scenery below. I made a point of looking out the window everytime we were above one of the above mentioned places - except Edmonton. I saw frozen ocean, rivers, snow capped mountains, snow filled valleys, large chunks of ice flows, frozen barren looking ground, and the majesty of the Rockies. Wow!
The flight from Seattle to Victoria was beautiful and the plane flew over the Cowichan Valley on its approach to the airport. Sun shining on this beautiful place I call home. Green trees, green grass, green shrubs all healthy looking.
I was home, but my suitcase wasn't. I had to fill out a missing baggage claim, then go through customs. When I got to customs, two of the three agents had already closed their wickets. The only remaining officer was giving detailed information to the couple at his wicket. By this time I was very tired and began to worry that my daughter would worry when no other people were coming through the door and she still hadn't seen me. When I finally got to the customs officer he had questions concerning my missing luggage and it's contents as well as some things I had declared on my form. I told him about my concern for my daughter and he let me go and get her before we finished. That was nice as Tammy had began to worry when she didn't see me.
A nice dinner with Tammy and her fiance Trevor and then "home sweet home". Greeted by Ferne and then a phone call to my parents before a nice hot shower and then into bed. Boy, was it ever nice to be in my own bed. Not that I missed it, but I sure appreciated it once I was back.
This trip has been an amazing and eye opening experience for me. I am looking forward to seeing all of you who have been following my blog. Thank you for doing that as it has been fun reporting back to you. Sorry there wasn't more pictures. (If anyone know of someone or somewhere that can retrieve pictures from a memory card please let me know.) I look forward to sharing more in person.
Prayer request: That I am able to find someone who can recover the pictures on the memory card that have been lost.
That God continue His good works in me and that I have the courage to let go of my will and walk in the perfect life that God has for me. All for Him! Amen.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Zanibar and the Indian Ocean
Last wednesday, Nov 25th I flew from Kilimanjaro airport to the airport in Zanzibar. The flight was good and it was interesting looking out of the window in the plane and seeing more of the landscape of Tanzania. It appeared to be more mountainous than I had thought it would be. The mountains looked lush and green. It was nice to see. I also was able to see some small communities far below my plane.
Upon arriving in Zanzibar I took a taxi to the place I was staying, which cost $40.00 US. It was about a 55 min drive from the airport, and right on the beach, almost at the northernmost tip of the island. I had rented a banda, at the cost of $25.00/night. A banda is a small wooden two storey hut with a thatched roof. I had the bottom of the banda and someone else had rented the top.
In my banda there was a double bed and a single bed, both equipped with mosquito nets. There was also a small table between the two that acted as a night stand, and also one chair. The inside of the walls and the ceiling were covered by colourful, tightly woven plasticky type mats, It was really quite comfortable. There was shared bathrooms in another building - sort of like when you go camping at a campsite here.
Zanzibar is most definitely a tropical island. There is vegetation growing everywhere. There is not a square inch of land that doesn't have something growing on it. Much that same as Cuba in the Carribean. If you were to judge Tanzania by looking at Zanizbar you would never believe that there are literally dust fields and that livestock is dying on a daily basis because of drought. The houses are different here too. They are made of cinder blocks with tin roofs. Some are painted but most are just the grey cinder blocks. People when they are outside near their homes are in bare feet. The children as well as the adults. Everywhere else in Tanzania people would have shoes on, but not on Zanzibar. The clothing here is different as well. The island is predominately muslim and the people are dressed very conservatively.
The beach here is quite amazing, fine powdery white sand, turquoise water at the shoreline that changes to a blue colour which in turn changes to a deeper blue until it is a deep royal blue in the far distance. Beautiful! The water was also very calm and at time looked to be as flat as glass. This part of the island doesn't have high and low tides. The water is so amazingly clear. It is the clearest water that I have ever seen. On the first morning of my time there I saw a school of small fish swimming in the shallow water. I walked out in the water to where they were headed and waited to see if they would swim through my legs or go around me. They passed by on my right hand side about 2.5 feet from me and because the water was so clear I was able to watch in wonder and awe.
The water was also warm. The warmest ocean I have ever felt. Like tempid bath water, not hot but not cold enough to get out of either. Wonderful!
On my first day there I tried to set up some dives but was told that I had to book a day in advance, so I went snorkelling instead. We took a dhow to a marine park and I snorkelled for an hour or two in the morning. We went to the beach and had lunch and then sailed home. On our way home we saw a bunch of dolphins and some of us jumped into the water to swim with them. It was cool.
The next day I went diving and then again on sunday. The water was calm and clear and the underwater life was prolific. The colours of the fish and the corals was amazing. I don't know what else to say but amazing. God the master creator didn't just create beauty above the water and then say "well who is going to see under the water anyways, so why bother." No! He was just as creative and bold in His creation as he was above the water, if not moreso. I saw colourful fish, ugly fish, camouflaged fish, hard corals, soft corals, things that looked like flowers, eels, stingrays, turtles, an octopus and a lobster. Visibility was good at about 25 metres. Again we saw dolphins and again we jumped in to swim with them. I had on my mask and snorkel and was able to see them swimming beneath me. I watched them play on the bottom, twisting and turning around each other, nosing the sandy bottom for food and then come to the surface within 10 or 15 feet of where I was. It was a very cool experience, that is for sure.
On saturday I went with one of the dive instructors who had offered to show me around Stone Town. We took a dala dala bus which costs about $1.25. (Stone Town in where the airport is.) Stone Town is an old city on Zanzibar. It is where arab and indian influences meet in architecture as well as in the people. There are very narrow streets that would be hard for a car to drive thru with cement steps down from doorways. Some buildings had very solid wooden doors with cone shaped brass spikes sticking out from them. The doorframe was about 6-8 inches wide and ornately carved.
Zanzibar's people are predominately muslim (about 90% I was told) and the saturday that I went to Stone Town was a religious holiday. It was likened to our Easter. The men were dressed in white robes with little raised flattopped hats on their heads. The women were dressed in black robes with their hair covered by a scarf. Even the little girls had a scarf on their heads.
Every saturday night there is a dance or beach party at the place that I am staying. I went with some people I met while diving. The festivities started with some acrobatics by a group of male african dancers. It was quite good. The dance was good and very fun also. African men love to dance and don't need or wait for a woman partner. They just go up on the dance floor and either dance by themselves or dance with their friends, much like women do in Canada. It was nice to see men who loved to dance. I stayed up way past my bedtime and danced my feet off. I think I danced for about 3 hours without a break.
On monday it was time to think about going home. I arranged for a taxi to pick me up at 2:00pm and take me to the ferry from Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam. The ferry was at 4:00pm and it would take 2 hours to cross. A taxi on the other side would take me to the airport. My flight was at 12:45am Dec 1st.
Prayer request: For Fredrick and Hannah and their family - that this Christmas season they will be strengthened as a family and that Fredrick will once more turn to God and trust in him for all his needs.
Safe travel for all the volunteers - that their time in Tanzania has opened there eyes and their hearts to what is other peoples realities. That they be better people because of the time that they spent in Africa.
For myself that I continue to witness for Christ and that opportunities present themselves because of the time I spent in Tanzania. That when I speak about my time in Africa people listen and are drawn to the God I serve. All for His glory!
Upon arriving in Zanzibar I took a taxi to the place I was staying, which cost $40.00 US. It was about a 55 min drive from the airport, and right on the beach, almost at the northernmost tip of the island. I had rented a banda, at the cost of $25.00/night. A banda is a small wooden two storey hut with a thatched roof. I had the bottom of the banda and someone else had rented the top.
In my banda there was a double bed and a single bed, both equipped with mosquito nets. There was also a small table between the two that acted as a night stand, and also one chair. The inside of the walls and the ceiling were covered by colourful, tightly woven plasticky type mats, It was really quite comfortable. There was shared bathrooms in another building - sort of like when you go camping at a campsite here.
Zanzibar is most definitely a tropical island. There is vegetation growing everywhere. There is not a square inch of land that doesn't have something growing on it. Much that same as Cuba in the Carribean. If you were to judge Tanzania by looking at Zanizbar you would never believe that there are literally dust fields and that livestock is dying on a daily basis because of drought. The houses are different here too. They are made of cinder blocks with tin roofs. Some are painted but most are just the grey cinder blocks. People when they are outside near their homes are in bare feet. The children as well as the adults. Everywhere else in Tanzania people would have shoes on, but not on Zanzibar. The clothing here is different as well. The island is predominately muslim and the people are dressed very conservatively.
The beach here is quite amazing, fine powdery white sand, turquoise water at the shoreline that changes to a blue colour which in turn changes to a deeper blue until it is a deep royal blue in the far distance. Beautiful! The water was also very calm and at time looked to be as flat as glass. This part of the island doesn't have high and low tides. The water is so amazingly clear. It is the clearest water that I have ever seen. On the first morning of my time there I saw a school of small fish swimming in the shallow water. I walked out in the water to where they were headed and waited to see if they would swim through my legs or go around me. They passed by on my right hand side about 2.5 feet from me and because the water was so clear I was able to watch in wonder and awe.
The water was also warm. The warmest ocean I have ever felt. Like tempid bath water, not hot but not cold enough to get out of either. Wonderful!
On my first day there I tried to set up some dives but was told that I had to book a day in advance, so I went snorkelling instead. We took a dhow to a marine park and I snorkelled for an hour or two in the morning. We went to the beach and had lunch and then sailed home. On our way home we saw a bunch of dolphins and some of us jumped into the water to swim with them. It was cool.
The next day I went diving and then again on sunday. The water was calm and clear and the underwater life was prolific. The colours of the fish and the corals was amazing. I don't know what else to say but amazing. God the master creator didn't just create beauty above the water and then say "well who is going to see under the water anyways, so why bother." No! He was just as creative and bold in His creation as he was above the water, if not moreso. I saw colourful fish, ugly fish, camouflaged fish, hard corals, soft corals, things that looked like flowers, eels, stingrays, turtles, an octopus and a lobster. Visibility was good at about 25 metres. Again we saw dolphins and again we jumped in to swim with them. I had on my mask and snorkel and was able to see them swimming beneath me. I watched them play on the bottom, twisting and turning around each other, nosing the sandy bottom for food and then come to the surface within 10 or 15 feet of where I was. It was a very cool experience, that is for sure.
On saturday I went with one of the dive instructors who had offered to show me around Stone Town. We took a dala dala bus which costs about $1.25. (Stone Town in where the airport is.) Stone Town is an old city on Zanzibar. It is where arab and indian influences meet in architecture as well as in the people. There are very narrow streets that would be hard for a car to drive thru with cement steps down from doorways. Some buildings had very solid wooden doors with cone shaped brass spikes sticking out from them. The doorframe was about 6-8 inches wide and ornately carved.
Zanzibar's people are predominately muslim (about 90% I was told) and the saturday that I went to Stone Town was a religious holiday. It was likened to our Easter. The men were dressed in white robes with little raised flattopped hats on their heads. The women were dressed in black robes with their hair covered by a scarf. Even the little girls had a scarf on their heads.
Every saturday night there is a dance or beach party at the place that I am staying. I went with some people I met while diving. The festivities started with some acrobatics by a group of male african dancers. It was quite good. The dance was good and very fun also. African men love to dance and don't need or wait for a woman partner. They just go up on the dance floor and either dance by themselves or dance with their friends, much like women do in Canada. It was nice to see men who loved to dance. I stayed up way past my bedtime and danced my feet off. I think I danced for about 3 hours without a break.
On monday it was time to think about going home. I arranged for a taxi to pick me up at 2:00pm and take me to the ferry from Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam. The ferry was at 4:00pm and it would take 2 hours to cross. A taxi on the other side would take me to the airport. My flight was at 12:45am Dec 1st.
Prayer request: For Fredrick and Hannah and their family - that this Christmas season they will be strengthened as a family and that Fredrick will once more turn to God and trust in him for all his needs.
Safe travel for all the volunteers - that their time in Tanzania has opened there eyes and their hearts to what is other peoples realities. That they be better people because of the time that they spent in Africa.
For myself that I continue to witness for Christ and that opportunities present themselves because of the time I spent in Tanzania. That when I speak about my time in Africa people listen and are drawn to the God I serve. All for His glory!
Friday, November 20, 2009
Volunteering time is drawing to a close
Here I am and my volunteering time is almost over for this trip.
The past week at the orphanage has been a hard one. Last friday I met with Sister Jacinta to get some clarification on a few things. One of the things that I asked her was if the portable potties were supposed to not go out and that the little ones were to walk to the bathroom instead. (Most of the nannies went on holidays and things are different with the new ones.) Sister Jacinta assured me that every time the little ones were outside the potties were also supposed to be outside. The potties have not been coming outside and Sister Jacinta said it was because the young nannies were lazy and did not want to clean them. Needless to say, without a handy place to go to the bathroom the kids are either wetting themselves or just pulling their pants down and going on the playground in the dirt. When they pee themselves the young nannies have said they are not to be changed until either lunchtime or bathtime at 4:00pm. When I took the potties out last friday the youngest nanny basically told me that you brought it out you clean it. I said okay, that I didn't have a problem with that. The next time I took the potties out, one of the nannies took them right back in. When a child then proceeded to pee on the playground he was punished.
The kids are not as well looked after by this group as by the regular group of nannies. A lot of the children have white stuff in their hair or on their heads now. I think it is probably some kind of head fungus. One of the little girls has ringworm on her face, but they still use only one or two facecloths when wiping their faces after lunch. It has been hard as I feel that my hands are tied. All I can do is love the kids and play with them. I have felt that there have been giant steps taken backwards this week. Please pray for them all!
We have 6 new volunteers at the house now. Two are baby doctors and the others are a family of 4 - mom, dad, daughter 14 and son 11. The two doctors are working at the local hospital. Yesterday was their first day and when the came home they said that a 6 month old baby boy who had been admitted the night before had died. They said that they heard wailing (from the mother) as they were on their way to check on the boy when they were informed that he had died. When they got to his room the one doctor said she felt a weak pulse and the other doctor said she heard his heart weakly beating with the stethoscope. He had already been declared dead at this point in time, they started chest compressions and mouth to mouth but to no avail. They said that they thought that if that baby been admitted to a hospital in the USA it would never have died. It was very sad. Please remember his family at this difficult time.
The family is volunteering in the same orphanage as me and they have determined that it is too much of a culture shock and that it is too draining to spend the whole day at the orphanage. They are only going to work in the morning until the little ones go for their nap and then they are going to go home. They are a very nice family from Regina. They are travelling for ten months on a world trip. They are a great family and I really like them. They left this morning for safari. The same one I did. I lent them my binoculars and a rain jacket. I am sure they will have a wonderful time.
Tomorrow Colton, Sarah and Shelley are leaving. Sarah and Colton are going home and Shelley is going to volunteer with the women's project for a week before she too goes home. I was going to go and help with the women's project but decided to stay at the orphanage instead.
Shelley went to the Aids/HIV centre and said that she didn't have anything to do. She said that she just sat in the office and that the people that worked their talked to her a bit but not much. She said that when she went on the home visits she was asked if she wanted to buy a wheelchair for the person that they had just visited. She only went there for three days and said that she would not go back.
My last day at the orphanage is this tuesday. On wednesday I will be flying to Zanzibar for a few days before I come home on Dec 1st. I am looking forward to my time in Zanzibar exploring and playing in the Indian Ocean. I am hoping to go scuba diving while there. Others from the house have gone there and done some diving and said that it was amazing. I can't wait.
I managed to lose all the pictures that I had on my camera. There was pictures from my trip here, the orphanage, Marangu and the hike on the base of Kilimanjaro, some of my safari pictures, as well as my pictures from Kenya. Tom from the internet cafe is trying to restore them for me and I am praying that he is successful. It would be a shame to not be able to share them with you all when I get home.
Prayers: Praise item - Fredrick's car is fixed. They basically had to rebuild the engine but it is done! Praise God.
Hannah - is not feeling well. She may be getting the cold that Fredrick had. It was not a nice cold at all.
Fredrick and Hannah's children will be coming sometime next week for their Christmas break. Please pray for travel mercies and that God will enable them to live as a family under one roof in the near future.
Travel mercies for all the volunteers that will be heading home soon and that their hearts have been changed.
For the children at the orphanage - that people that care for them may really love them.
Thanks for the comments, keep them coming..
The past week at the orphanage has been a hard one. Last friday I met with Sister Jacinta to get some clarification on a few things. One of the things that I asked her was if the portable potties were supposed to not go out and that the little ones were to walk to the bathroom instead. (Most of the nannies went on holidays and things are different with the new ones.) Sister Jacinta assured me that every time the little ones were outside the potties were also supposed to be outside. The potties have not been coming outside and Sister Jacinta said it was because the young nannies were lazy and did not want to clean them. Needless to say, without a handy place to go to the bathroom the kids are either wetting themselves or just pulling their pants down and going on the playground in the dirt. When they pee themselves the young nannies have said they are not to be changed until either lunchtime or bathtime at 4:00pm. When I took the potties out last friday the youngest nanny basically told me that you brought it out you clean it. I said okay, that I didn't have a problem with that. The next time I took the potties out, one of the nannies took them right back in. When a child then proceeded to pee on the playground he was punished.
The kids are not as well looked after by this group as by the regular group of nannies. A lot of the children have white stuff in their hair or on their heads now. I think it is probably some kind of head fungus. One of the little girls has ringworm on her face, but they still use only one or two facecloths when wiping their faces after lunch. It has been hard as I feel that my hands are tied. All I can do is love the kids and play with them. I have felt that there have been giant steps taken backwards this week. Please pray for them all!
We have 6 new volunteers at the house now. Two are baby doctors and the others are a family of 4 - mom, dad, daughter 14 and son 11. The two doctors are working at the local hospital. Yesterday was their first day and when the came home they said that a 6 month old baby boy who had been admitted the night before had died. They said that they heard wailing (from the mother) as they were on their way to check on the boy when they were informed that he had died. When they got to his room the one doctor said she felt a weak pulse and the other doctor said she heard his heart weakly beating with the stethoscope. He had already been declared dead at this point in time, they started chest compressions and mouth to mouth but to no avail. They said that they thought that if that baby been admitted to a hospital in the USA it would never have died. It was very sad. Please remember his family at this difficult time.
The family is volunteering in the same orphanage as me and they have determined that it is too much of a culture shock and that it is too draining to spend the whole day at the orphanage. They are only going to work in the morning until the little ones go for their nap and then they are going to go home. They are a very nice family from Regina. They are travelling for ten months on a world trip. They are a great family and I really like them. They left this morning for safari. The same one I did. I lent them my binoculars and a rain jacket. I am sure they will have a wonderful time.
Tomorrow Colton, Sarah and Shelley are leaving. Sarah and Colton are going home and Shelley is going to volunteer with the women's project for a week before she too goes home. I was going to go and help with the women's project but decided to stay at the orphanage instead.
Shelley went to the Aids/HIV centre and said that she didn't have anything to do. She said that she just sat in the office and that the people that worked their talked to her a bit but not much. She said that when she went on the home visits she was asked if she wanted to buy a wheelchair for the person that they had just visited. She only went there for three days and said that she would not go back.
My last day at the orphanage is this tuesday. On wednesday I will be flying to Zanzibar for a few days before I come home on Dec 1st. I am looking forward to my time in Zanzibar exploring and playing in the Indian Ocean. I am hoping to go scuba diving while there. Others from the house have gone there and done some diving and said that it was amazing. I can't wait.
I managed to lose all the pictures that I had on my camera. There was pictures from my trip here, the orphanage, Marangu and the hike on the base of Kilimanjaro, some of my safari pictures, as well as my pictures from Kenya. Tom from the internet cafe is trying to restore them for me and I am praying that he is successful. It would be a shame to not be able to share them with you all when I get home.
Prayers: Praise item - Fredrick's car is fixed. They basically had to rebuild the engine but it is done! Praise God.
Hannah - is not feeling well. She may be getting the cold that Fredrick had. It was not a nice cold at all.
Fredrick and Hannah's children will be coming sometime next week for their Christmas break. Please pray for travel mercies and that God will enable them to live as a family under one roof in the near future.
Travel mercies for all the volunteers that will be heading home soon and that their hearts have been changed.
For the children at the orphanage - that people that care for them may really love them.
Thanks for the comments, keep them coming..
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Weekend in Kenya
The weekend that I spent in Kenya was amazing.
I went on thursday with Grace to Nairobi. We caught a bus in Moshi to Arusha, then took a mini van taxi from Arusha to the border, obtained a visa and then took a dala dala from the border to Nairobi. It took about 9 hours to get there. The dala dala when it had dropped everyone else off ended up dropping us off at Hannah and Fredrick's apartment.
They have a one bedroom apartment, in which lives their 2 children, Hannah's mother and Hannah's neice. The children sleep in the bedroom and the grandmother and neice share a foamy on the livingroom floor. I got to sleep on the couch. Hannah and Fredrick and the kids all slept in the bed in the bedroom.
Fredrick took me around the the school he helped start when he was a pastor in that area. It has 70 students and they are primarily from the neighbouring slums. The students are sponsored by people so that they can attend school. They are from grade 9-12.
Then Fredrick took me through the neighbouring slums. The homes are made of corregated metal and have dirt floors. Some have wooden doors and others just have a sheet hanging in the doorway. There were a lot of children, all dirty and all curious about the mazungu. Most wanted to touch or hold my hand and go with me. There was a lot of babies and toddlers playing in the roadway.
They roadway is not for cars. It is a dirt road - in some places there is a sewage ditch and in some places there is not and the dirt is wet from the sewage. The dirt has a lot of garbage and plastic bags sticking out of it as well. In some places we had to jump to walk on dry ground.
At the end of the one slum there is land that belongs to the local church and the church has let the people grow a garden. The produce is sold to the people in the slums. They also have some cows and some pigs as well. Apparently, the church has been asking for the land back but has given a time frame for reclaimation.
Then we walked through another slum to the church where Fredrick used to preach. All along the way we were greeted by people whose lives had been changed by Fredrick leading them to Christ. Many, many people love and respect him.
Fredrick is no longer working as a pastor as he used to have a lady sponsor him and his family so he could do God's work and still live but she was no longer able to help him and he was no
longer able to support his family working as a pastor. He says his heart is still there wanting to do God's work but is unable to afford to. I also met young men who used to be drug addicts but whose lives were changed through the work that Fredrick had done.
On saturday, Fredrick and his family and I did some sightseeing in and around Nairobi. We went to the elephant orphanage, the giraffe centre - where I got to hand feed and kiss a giraffe. Then we went to the house of Karen...... the lady about whom the book and movie "Out of Africa" lived. It is now a museum. Then we went to the crocodile farm and I held a 16 month old crocodile. Then we went on a safari walk and the Kenya zoo and I went into the cheetah pen and petted the cheetahs. Very cool!! Afterwards we went to see the bomas of Kenya, which is a place that has replicas of the different dwelling places of the Kenyan tribes. That also was very cool. We ended the day with a visit to Fredrick's mother's house and we shared a glass of hand ground porridge. It was good.
On sunday we went to the church where Fredrick used to preach and visited with some of the congregation afterwards. Then we went to a place called 14 falls which also was very cool. Fredrick, the kids and I with the help of 2 guides crossed the river above the falls and then we took a boat ride across again at the bottom of the falls. Afterwards we went to Hannah's mother's house out in the country and visited with her sister and family. We were warmly received and ate supper there. Then we went to the pastor's house and visited and shared a meal with them. We didn't get home until almost midnight on sunday night.
On monday we headed back home to Tanzania, Fredrick, Hannah, grandmother and the children and I. The children don't have school now until friday, so they came for a couple of days visit.
The car is still not fixed completely and Hannah and Fredrick's brother in law Ivans has been working on it while we were gone.
The other volunteers came back from safari and had a good time.
Prayers: For Fredrick's car that it is fixed soon
For the people of Kenya = that they find hope in an almost hopeless area. 9 million people live in Nairobi and of that 9 million, 6 million live in slums. 16% of the Kenyan population has a regular job or work and they support the other 84% that don't have work. Of the 16% that works 1/2 is below the poverty line.
For me that I keep God as my focus and listen to Him in how he wants to lead me. That I am open to all that he has for me and that I am a good ambassador for Him. All Glory and Honour to Him be given.
Thanks to those that have commented. It is great to hear from you and it encourages me. God bless you all.
I went on thursday with Grace to Nairobi. We caught a bus in Moshi to Arusha, then took a mini van taxi from Arusha to the border, obtained a visa and then took a dala dala from the border to Nairobi. It took about 9 hours to get there. The dala dala when it had dropped everyone else off ended up dropping us off at Hannah and Fredrick's apartment.
They have a one bedroom apartment, in which lives their 2 children, Hannah's mother and Hannah's neice. The children sleep in the bedroom and the grandmother and neice share a foamy on the livingroom floor. I got to sleep on the couch. Hannah and Fredrick and the kids all slept in the bed in the bedroom.
Fredrick took me around the the school he helped start when he was a pastor in that area. It has 70 students and they are primarily from the neighbouring slums. The students are sponsored by people so that they can attend school. They are from grade 9-12.
Then Fredrick took me through the neighbouring slums. The homes are made of corregated metal and have dirt floors. Some have wooden doors and others just have a sheet hanging in the doorway. There were a lot of children, all dirty and all curious about the mazungu. Most wanted to touch or hold my hand and go with me. There was a lot of babies and toddlers playing in the roadway.
They roadway is not for cars. It is a dirt road - in some places there is a sewage ditch and in some places there is not and the dirt is wet from the sewage. The dirt has a lot of garbage and plastic bags sticking out of it as well. In some places we had to jump to walk on dry ground.
At the end of the one slum there is land that belongs to the local church and the church has let the people grow a garden. The produce is sold to the people in the slums. They also have some cows and some pigs as well. Apparently, the church has been asking for the land back but has given a time frame for reclaimation.
Then we walked through another slum to the church where Fredrick used to preach. All along the way we were greeted by people whose lives had been changed by Fredrick leading them to Christ. Many, many people love and respect him.
Fredrick is no longer working as a pastor as he used to have a lady sponsor him and his family so he could do God's work and still live but she was no longer able to help him and he was no
longer able to support his family working as a pastor. He says his heart is still there wanting to do God's work but is unable to afford to. I also met young men who used to be drug addicts but whose lives were changed through the work that Fredrick had done.
On saturday, Fredrick and his family and I did some sightseeing in and around Nairobi. We went to the elephant orphanage, the giraffe centre - where I got to hand feed and kiss a giraffe. Then we went to the house of Karen...... the lady about whom the book and movie "Out of Africa" lived. It is now a museum. Then we went to the crocodile farm and I held a 16 month old crocodile. Then we went on a safari walk and the Kenya zoo and I went into the cheetah pen and petted the cheetahs. Very cool!! Afterwards we went to see the bomas of Kenya, which is a place that has replicas of the different dwelling places of the Kenyan tribes. That also was very cool. We ended the day with a visit to Fredrick's mother's house and we shared a glass of hand ground porridge. It was good.
On sunday we went to the church where Fredrick used to preach and visited with some of the congregation afterwards. Then we went to a place called 14 falls which also was very cool. Fredrick, the kids and I with the help of 2 guides crossed the river above the falls and then we took a boat ride across again at the bottom of the falls. Afterwards we went to Hannah's mother's house out in the country and visited with her sister and family. We were warmly received and ate supper there. Then we went to the pastor's house and visited and shared a meal with them. We didn't get home until almost midnight on sunday night.
On monday we headed back home to Tanzania, Fredrick, Hannah, grandmother and the children and I. The children don't have school now until friday, so they came for a couple of days visit.
The car is still not fixed completely and Hannah and Fredrick's brother in law Ivans has been working on it while we were gone.
The other volunteers came back from safari and had a good time.
Prayers: For Fredrick's car that it is fixed soon
For the people of Kenya = that they find hope in an almost hopeless area. 9 million people live in Nairobi and of that 9 million, 6 million live in slums. 16% of the Kenyan population has a regular job or work and they support the other 84% that don't have work. Of the 16% that works 1/2 is below the poverty line.
For me that I keep God as my focus and listen to Him in how he wants to lead me. That I am open to all that he has for me and that I am a good ambassador for Him. All Glory and Honour to Him be given.
Thanks to those that have commented. It is great to hear from you and it encourages me. God bless you all.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Safari pictures
A picture of a boabab tree - 23 people need to be holding hands to go all around the base of the tree
Life's challenges!!
I have been trying since last week to upload pictures of the safari that I went on and have been unsuccessful. I am trying yet again, but have little faith that I will be successful. A couple of times the webpage was unavailable - but only after I spent almost 1/2 hour choosing pictures and getting myself all set up. One day I came to town - walked 20 min, took a dala dala - only to find out that the internet was down at that particular time.
I came after church on sunday only to find that the internet cafe was closed. Oh and did I mention the time the power was out. Anyways, I am feeling a bit frustrated right now as I have been struggling for the past 50 min today trying to do these pictures and I have a feeling that I will not succeed again. You all might just have to wait until I get back to see the safari photos.
Never pray for patience unless you want to be tested again and again.
I am off to Kenya tomorrow with my program coordinator, to visit his family and to see a bit of his country. Please pray for travel mercies and safety while there.
I just got a note saying that the images that I uploaded didn't upload due to techical difficulties. So I am trying again. Unfortunately, I am running out of time as I am to meet a friend in about 25 min.
Prayers: Please pray for Fredrick and his family. He has got himself caught up in the world with not good stuff. He and his family need our prayers desperately.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Safari in Africa
Wow! What can I say! God is truly amazing in his creation!
The differences in the landscape so close together. The wonders of his creation in the landscapes, skies, animals, birds, reptiles. They are all amazing to see.
I saw elephants, lions, zebras, hippos, leopards with their kill in the tree beside them, lions - male, female and cubs. I saw a cheetah chase down a gazelle, gazelles, wildebeests, ostriches -mating, and a host of other animals and birds.
I watched life on the Serengetti play out before my eyes with elephants chase away a pride of lazy lions, then the lions challenge a herd of buffalo and then the herd challenge the lions back.
I took some great photos, but some of the other volunteers said that when they uploaded their photos to the internet it erased them off of their camera. I need to make sure that will not happen to me. Until then, sorry no photos.
As I said the safari was fabulous. I went to Lake Manyara for 1 day, the Serengetti for 2 days, and Ngorongoro Crater for 1 day. Each place had it's own beauty and wonders. I loved being able to see the animals in their natural environment.
There are so many safari vehicles that are there every day that the animals are not afraid of them. We were literally only meters away from lions, hippos, wildebeeste and zebras.
Our guide was wonderful and he really imparted good information on what we were seeing. If he was not with us we probably would not have seen really life played out before our eyes.
I feel very blessed with the opportunity I have been given here in Africa. God has been here with me and I have told all I have come in contact with how he has been providing for me. Hopefully, I will be able to share with you some of what he has been doing for me another time.
Prayers: Fredrick's car is really broken down now and he needs God's help in fixing it.
Fredrick and Hannah's neice - who looks after the children has gotten Typhoid. Hannah took the children home to Kenya on Sunday and that night her neice collapsed. They took her to the hospital and got her help. She is doing better now. Please keep her in your prayers.
I got a cold while on safari and am just getting over it. Please pray for a full and speedy recovery for myself.
Also pray that I continue to keep God and his work as my focus. All for Him and his Glory.
Thanks for the comments. Take care
The differences in the landscape so close together. The wonders of his creation in the landscapes, skies, animals, birds, reptiles. They are all amazing to see.
I saw elephants, lions, zebras, hippos, leopards with their kill in the tree beside them, lions - male, female and cubs. I saw a cheetah chase down a gazelle, gazelles, wildebeests, ostriches -mating, and a host of other animals and birds.
I watched life on the Serengetti play out before my eyes with elephants chase away a pride of lazy lions, then the lions challenge a herd of buffalo and then the herd challenge the lions back.
I took some great photos, but some of the other volunteers said that when they uploaded their photos to the internet it erased them off of their camera. I need to make sure that will not happen to me. Until then, sorry no photos.
As I said the safari was fabulous. I went to Lake Manyara for 1 day, the Serengetti for 2 days, and Ngorongoro Crater for 1 day. Each place had it's own beauty and wonders. I loved being able to see the animals in their natural environment.
There are so many safari vehicles that are there every day that the animals are not afraid of them. We were literally only meters away from lions, hippos, wildebeeste and zebras.
Our guide was wonderful and he really imparted good information on what we were seeing. If he was not with us we probably would not have seen really life played out before our eyes.
I feel very blessed with the opportunity I have been given here in Africa. God has been here with me and I have told all I have come in contact with how he has been providing for me. Hopefully, I will be able to share with you some of what he has been doing for me another time.
Prayers: Fredrick's car is really broken down now and he needs God's help in fixing it.
Fredrick and Hannah's neice - who looks after the children has gotten Typhoid. Hannah took the children home to Kenya on Sunday and that night her neice collapsed. They took her to the hospital and got her help. She is doing better now. Please keep her in your prayers.
I got a cold while on safari and am just getting over it. Please pray for a full and speedy recovery for myself.
Also pray that I continue to keep God and his work as my focus. All for Him and his Glory.
Thanks for the comments. Take care
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Differences in Tanzania
I thought it may be nice to tell you a bit about what it is like to live in Tanzania.
Everything is slower and takes longer to do. The things we take for granted...a washing machine, a clothes dryer, prepackaged food, a mop for the floor, a metal rake for the yard...are either non-existent or a modified version of what we have, or even just plain different.
At my house we wash our clothes by hand in a large basin in the backyard. They are then rinsed in another large basin and then rinsed again in a half a pail of water. Then they are hung on the clothesline to dry. If you want to pay our house mother Hannah, she will do your laundry for you. It would cost you about $2 or $3 to have her do this for you.
In Tanzania most of the yards are dirt. The dirt that is not being used for a garden are raked every morning and the leaves from the trees picked up and burned. I think that they do this because it is so hot and dry that otherwise it would be a fire hazard. At my house we had a small bundle of sticks that was used to sweep the driveway and other non garden parts. It was not much bigger than a dustpan broom. You were always bent over when you were sweeping as it had no handle. One of the first gifts I gave to Hannah was a rake with a handle. It is not a metal rake, but it is so much better and easier to use than what they had. I have kind of made it my job to sweep the driveway and walking area in the morning, so I am especially glad that I bought that first.
The floor in my house is all tile. When people in Tanzania wash the floor they wash it with a towel. They wet the towel and then bend at the waist and put their hands on the towel and move it back and forth. It looked very labour intensive, not to mention, hard on the back. The next thing I bought for the house was a mop and wringer pail. I am very glad I did, because when Hannah went to Kenya I ended up helping around the house and used the mop and pail on a daily basis. You have to sweep and wash the floor daily as the roads are dirt, and the yards are dirt and there was 7 or 8 people living in the house.
I also have a greater appreciation and understanding of just what the Apostles' feet must have looked like when Jesus washed them at the last supper. My feet are absolutely the most dirty and disgusting feet I have ever seen. I have taken pictures, but forgot my camera today. I will update the blog with photos next week.
Suppers also take longer to cook. Washing, peeling, chopping and then cooking the vegetables, as well as sauteing the onions before cooking the meat and then adding vegetables. I am sure that an average supper takes about 1 1/2 to 2 hours to make. Some of the cooking is done outside on a small charcoal burner and some on the propane stove in the house. Hannah is an amazing cook and the food tastes wonderful. She makes some kind of flat bread called chapote and some doughnut stuff that I forget what the name is but it is my favourite. Every night we have some meat dish usually with vegetables in it sort of like a stew, a starch dish like ugali, pasta, sweet potatoes or potatoes, as well as a vegetable dish where the main ingredient is cabbage. I usually help Hannah with the cooking when I get home from work.
We also have our challenges with water and electricity. Here the water is brought in by truck and it usually lasts about 1 - 2 weeks, depending on the number of people at the house. Once we were on water rationing for almost a week. You also don't drink the trucked in water. You buy water in bottle form for drinking. A case of 12 - 1.5 ltr bottles is about $6. Not a bad price at all. The electricity seems to go out almost on a daily basis and anywhere from 1 hour to all day. Fortunately, it is not used at all for cooking or for the water. We use lanterns in the evenings when the power is out and it is kind of nice.
Transportation here is an experience to say the least. We walk just under 2 kms to get to the main road where we can catch a dala dala. A dala dala is a 21 passenger van that comes by every couple of minutes. They are usually always full to overflowing. I have been in one with about 30 people in it and a couple of other volunteers hold the record for this stay of 40 people. Colton said he had his bum out the window as there was no other place to put it. It really is amazing to experience.
To get to work at the orphanage I walk 20 min to the dala dala. Catch one dala dala to the roundabout. Catch another dala dala to the police academy. Walk another 15-20 min to the orphanage. It usually takes me an hour to get there and an hour to get home. I love this time and you see so much when you walk. It is wonderful to walk, because you are also looking around and seeing all that God has done in this place. Sometimes, Kilimanjaro is revealed at just the right time for me to see it's beauty. At other times you may be joined by 5 or 6 little kids that want to hold your hand and count with you. One time I saw a lizard with an orange head and an electric blue body. I had no idea any such thing existed. God is amazing in all his creation!
Prayer: I am going on a safari tomorrow for 5 days. Pray that all goes well and that I am able to capture Tanzanian wildlife for the blog.
Fredrick's car is no working properly. The gas station put gas laced with kerosene in his tank and the car has not run properly since.
Fredrick and Hannah's children will be going back to Kenya on Sunday. Please pray for travel mercies and that they are able to settle back in a routine when they get home.
For the new volunteers = there are three. That their work projects are all that they hoped and that they are able to be of service here in Tanzania.
Also for a friend of my daughter's in Shawnigan who suffered a brain anourysm and is icu. Please pray for God' s healing touch and for God's hand to be on his family at this time.
Don't forget to comment. Take care and God bless you all.
Everything is slower and takes longer to do. The things we take for granted...a washing machine, a clothes dryer, prepackaged food, a mop for the floor, a metal rake for the yard...are either non-existent or a modified version of what we have, or even just plain different.
At my house we wash our clothes by hand in a large basin in the backyard. They are then rinsed in another large basin and then rinsed again in a half a pail of water. Then they are hung on the clothesline to dry. If you want to pay our house mother Hannah, she will do your laundry for you. It would cost you about $2 or $3 to have her do this for you.
In Tanzania most of the yards are dirt. The dirt that is not being used for a garden are raked every morning and the leaves from the trees picked up and burned. I think that they do this because it is so hot and dry that otherwise it would be a fire hazard. At my house we had a small bundle of sticks that was used to sweep the driveway and other non garden parts. It was not much bigger than a dustpan broom. You were always bent over when you were sweeping as it had no handle. One of the first gifts I gave to Hannah was a rake with a handle. It is not a metal rake, but it is so much better and easier to use than what they had. I have kind of made it my job to sweep the driveway and walking area in the morning, so I am especially glad that I bought that first.
The floor in my house is all tile. When people in Tanzania wash the floor they wash it with a towel. They wet the towel and then bend at the waist and put their hands on the towel and move it back and forth. It looked very labour intensive, not to mention, hard on the back. The next thing I bought for the house was a mop and wringer pail. I am very glad I did, because when Hannah went to Kenya I ended up helping around the house and used the mop and pail on a daily basis. You have to sweep and wash the floor daily as the roads are dirt, and the yards are dirt and there was 7 or 8 people living in the house.
I also have a greater appreciation and understanding of just what the Apostles' feet must have looked like when Jesus washed them at the last supper. My feet are absolutely the most dirty and disgusting feet I have ever seen. I have taken pictures, but forgot my camera today. I will update the blog with photos next week.
Suppers also take longer to cook. Washing, peeling, chopping and then cooking the vegetables, as well as sauteing the onions before cooking the meat and then adding vegetables. I am sure that an average supper takes about 1 1/2 to 2 hours to make. Some of the cooking is done outside on a small charcoal burner and some on the propane stove in the house. Hannah is an amazing cook and the food tastes wonderful. She makes some kind of flat bread called chapote and some doughnut stuff that I forget what the name is but it is my favourite. Every night we have some meat dish usually with vegetables in it sort of like a stew, a starch dish like ugali, pasta, sweet potatoes or potatoes, as well as a vegetable dish where the main ingredient is cabbage. I usually help Hannah with the cooking when I get home from work.
We also have our challenges with water and electricity. Here the water is brought in by truck and it usually lasts about 1 - 2 weeks, depending on the number of people at the house. Once we were on water rationing for almost a week. You also don't drink the trucked in water. You buy water in bottle form for drinking. A case of 12 - 1.5 ltr bottles is about $6. Not a bad price at all. The electricity seems to go out almost on a daily basis and anywhere from 1 hour to all day. Fortunately, it is not used at all for cooking or for the water. We use lanterns in the evenings when the power is out and it is kind of nice.
Transportation here is an experience to say the least. We walk just under 2 kms to get to the main road where we can catch a dala dala. A dala dala is a 21 passenger van that comes by every couple of minutes. They are usually always full to overflowing. I have been in one with about 30 people in it and a couple of other volunteers hold the record for this stay of 40 people. Colton said he had his bum out the window as there was no other place to put it. It really is amazing to experience.
To get to work at the orphanage I walk 20 min to the dala dala. Catch one dala dala to the roundabout. Catch another dala dala to the police academy. Walk another 15-20 min to the orphanage. It usually takes me an hour to get there and an hour to get home. I love this time and you see so much when you walk. It is wonderful to walk, because you are also looking around and seeing all that God has done in this place. Sometimes, Kilimanjaro is revealed at just the right time for me to see it's beauty. At other times you may be joined by 5 or 6 little kids that want to hold your hand and count with you. One time I saw a lizard with an orange head and an electric blue body. I had no idea any such thing existed. God is amazing in all his creation!
Prayer: I am going on a safari tomorrow for 5 days. Pray that all goes well and that I am able to capture Tanzanian wildlife for the blog.
Fredrick's car is no working properly. The gas station put gas laced with kerosene in his tank and the car has not run properly since.
Fredrick and Hannah's children will be going back to Kenya on Sunday. Please pray for travel mercies and that they are able to settle back in a routine when they get home.
For the new volunteers = there are three. That their work projects are all that they hoped and that they are able to be of service here in Tanzania.
Also for a friend of my daughter's in Shawnigan who suffered a brain anourysm and is icu. Please pray for God' s healing touch and for God's hand to be on his family at this time.
Don't forget to comment. Take care and God bless you all.
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