I haven’t posted in a while. Things were busy…and then I didn’t feel like writing. Sorry to all. Let’s see if I can recap some of the last three weeks.
I feel like I am settling into life here. Fewer things are new so fewer things to report. There are still plenty of things that I sit and wonder about. Things that confuse me and frustrate me, but I’ve been here long enough that even the thoughts seem to be cycling through.
Bible Camping
Two weeks ago we took the older Lahash, Compassion, and a lot of the youth from the church to a seminary outside of Dodoma in an area called Msalato. We spent three days in classes, singing, and playing games and eating. A lot of the time was spent in classes covering both biblical lessons and health related lessons such as HIV education, growth and development, and trauma healing. It was a lot of sitting for me. I have a hard time sitting for that long. The kids really seemed to enjoy themselves though. I think it’s more typical of a Tanzanian camp. I think it was really good for the kids to be in a different environment with there peers and even eating three meals a day.
Wazungu time
I’ve been spending some time with some other white folks in town. At first I was hesitant to hang out with them because that isn’t what I’m here for. Not that socializing is a bad thing but I’m here to learn about Tanzania and the culture and people who live here. It has been really fulfilling though to hang out with other people. I am more fed by that community and spiritually and emotionally encouraged. It’s relaxing to be able to get away and spend some time with people who have similar interests and cultural back grounds. Little things like being on our own schedule and wanting to go do something or play games rather than just sit around and watch tv. The people I’ve met are pretty cool too. It’s always fun to hear people’s stories. And seems like people also serving in a third world country have some similar stories. It is always good to have fellowship. I’m torn though. There does need to be a balance. I realize the value of having and escape and having people to process things with, but I also need to keep learning and figuring things out for myself. I still need to spend time with the family and play with kids at church.
Safari
I went on safari last Saturday. It was just a one day stint rather than the week long trip that was originally planned. I went with three friends here I’ve met that are from the US, a german woman who was visiting the building hospital for a four of weeks and a swiss guy who was volunteering with the mission airlines for a couple of weeks. We made a good group. We chartered a plane to go to a big park south of Dodoma. It was only a 45 min flight and the pilot was really good. The park was great. Weird to be spending so much money and doing something so touristy, but I had to just try to let that go and enjoy the experience. We saw just about everything. Elephants, giraffes, lions, wild bores, zibras, crocodiles, hippos, lots of antelope things…different kinds don’t remember all the names, all kinds of different birds. We didn’t see cheetahs, rinos, or hyenas but saw just about everything else. It was pretty neat to see the animals in the wild rather than in a small space at the zoo. I wish we could have stayed longer. It was a lot to see in one day. Too much driving I think. I would have liked to have sat and watched the animals for a while. I am really grateful for the opportunity though. That was my chance, and I loved it. We had a really nice lunch. I had three cups of coffee. It was so good I just couldn’t stop.
I’ll try to get a better story for my next post. And I’ll try to make it before the next three weeks is over. And I’m working on getting some more pictures up soon.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
photos
I also uploaded some photos on facebook. that seemed easiest. I think everyone should be able to use this link.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2036011&id=31601659&l=50fa4e693f
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2036011&id=31601659&l=50fa4e693f
New house, new family, new outlook
I have a new place to live for the week…well last week. This update is a little old. Big changes going from living far away with few people ages ranging from 17 to 27, having lots of time and space to myself, with only ok English to living in the city with tons of people ages ranging 7 to about 80, sharing a room, and having people speaking fluently in English. I was getting kind of lonely out in kisasa by myself. At first having so much time to myself was just what I needed but then it became not as much of a good thing when I started to think too much and miss home too much. It was perfect timing…just like god knew what I needed : ). Now with so many people in the house there is always something going on. The kids always want to play. And I have no space to myself at all, but there are people I can have a real conversation with.
I’m staying at the bishop’s house for a week. There are 11 people sleeping here most nights and his wife is in Dar and their daughter is at school. So many people! There’s Peace who is 7 then Grace who is 12, a little bossy and doesn’t like to lose games… then Victor is 13 I think. He has some good insight on the world for a 13 year old. All the kids are really smart. And then Kabiro is the bishop’s nephew that lives with them. He’s 20 and really great. Then Shangwe is a girl that lives with them. I think she’s 20 something. She does the cooking and the cleaning. She is really close to the girls, pretty much like family, but then also the maid. Then both grandmothers are living here too. Neither speaks english. They are/were sick and are healing at their home until someone can take them back. They also have an older daughter who is going to school somewhere else. And the amos and esther. Wow! Oh and there is a girl staying, sharing a room with me. Sad that I don’t have my own room. I don’t have a space at that house at all to go hide away in. She is some bishops daughter, first was just passing through now maybe staying for 3 months. Not sure. She doesn’t speak very good English. She sleeps on the floor on a mattress. She seems to keep to herself…but I can’t have a conversation with her. She doesn’t really talk with anyone else in the family either. Haven’t quite figured that situation out.
The kids are fun. Good distractions. I’m not lonely…well in the same way. They love games. The first night I was here I showed them my card trick. It’s a pretty good one. Victor kind of picked up on it. Once I showed him, he mastered the presentation. I was proud! And we play phase 10, set, crazy 8s, kings in the corner. It’s great. If you know me… I LOVE card games. The other fun thing is that I’ve been doing exercises with the kids. Mostly the two girls. I’ve been trying to do push ups and sit ups just to do something physical with my body. I was trying to hide in my room one day to do them and Peace found me. I asked if she wanted to join…so she and grace did. We’ve done them everyday since. I guess that’s not something I thought of bringing here. Something that is so inate in me. I didn’t think anyone else would be interested. Since then I did a little stretching session with the little lahash kids. I didn’t have a translator so it was a do as I say kind of a thing. I enjoyed it. And Grace showed a bunch of her friends at the church on Saturday. That was fun!
Well Bible camping starts tomorrow. I hope it goes well. I’m helping teach and HIV lesson as well as games and crafts. Should be fun. There are lots of ages going. A change of pace from the normal routine is always exciting.
I’m staying at the bishop’s house for a week. There are 11 people sleeping here most nights and his wife is in Dar and their daughter is at school. So many people! There’s Peace who is 7 then Grace who is 12, a little bossy and doesn’t like to lose games… then Victor is 13 I think. He has some good insight on the world for a 13 year old. All the kids are really smart. And then Kabiro is the bishop’s nephew that lives with them. He’s 20 and really great. Then Shangwe is a girl that lives with them. I think she’s 20 something. She does the cooking and the cleaning. She is really close to the girls, pretty much like family, but then also the maid. Then both grandmothers are living here too. Neither speaks english. They are/were sick and are healing at their home until someone can take them back. They also have an older daughter who is going to school somewhere else. And the amos and esther. Wow! Oh and there is a girl staying, sharing a room with me. Sad that I don’t have my own room. I don’t have a space at that house at all to go hide away in. She is some bishops daughter, first was just passing through now maybe staying for 3 months. Not sure. She doesn’t speak very good English. She sleeps on the floor on a mattress. She seems to keep to herself…but I can’t have a conversation with her. She doesn’t really talk with anyone else in the family either. Haven’t quite figured that situation out.
The kids are fun. Good distractions. I’m not lonely…well in the same way. They love games. The first night I was here I showed them my card trick. It’s a pretty good one. Victor kind of picked up on it. Once I showed him, he mastered the presentation. I was proud! And we play phase 10, set, crazy 8s, kings in the corner. It’s great. If you know me… I LOVE card games. The other fun thing is that I’ve been doing exercises with the kids. Mostly the two girls. I’ve been trying to do push ups and sit ups just to do something physical with my body. I was trying to hide in my room one day to do them and Peace found me. I asked if she wanted to join…so she and grace did. We’ve done them everyday since. I guess that’s not something I thought of bringing here. Something that is so inate in me. I didn’t think anyone else would be interested. Since then I did a little stretching session with the little lahash kids. I didn’t have a translator so it was a do as I say kind of a thing. I enjoyed it. And Grace showed a bunch of her friends at the church on Saturday. That was fun!
Well Bible camping starts tomorrow. I hope it goes well. I’m helping teach and HIV lesson as well as games and crafts. Should be fun. There are lots of ages going. A change of pace from the normal routine is always exciting.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Not sure what to think
I finished the first package of malaria pills. That means I’ve been gone for two weeks. The first one dragged by, but the second one was lightening speed in comparison. It’s nice to be in more of a routine and know kind of what to expect out of each day.
This week we went on home visits to the houses of the Lahash sponsored kids. Lahash, the organization based in Portland that I came with, has a child sponsorship program that people donate money to support about 70 children in the area. The money goes to pay for schooling, uniforms, books as well as some food and other supplies. I’m not sure how often the home visits happen, but we went tow days this week and I think the same will happen next week. We went on foot and in two days we probably visited 10-12 kids at maybe 10 different homes. The visits are to make sure that the money is going to the right things and they are getting food and have a bed. We would talk with the parents and the kids. Really really hard. There are just so many awful stories to hear of people’s lives. And they just keep coming, one horrible story after another. I’m not sure what to think about it. I’m not even sure how to process it. I’m not sure I can…or really want to. I just feel numb. I my heart should be breaking over the poverty, but I’m not. It should cause have the desire to help or create change, that it should make me want to change the way I live my life, but I don’t really feel at all. I think it’s just too much. I don’t even really want to try to process it. I feel helpless. What can I do to REALLY help? It’s so complicated…so complicated.
I guess that’s what I’m here for is to figure out how programs like this work. So far I’ve been impressed with the services that they provide, and mostly the way that they go about providing them. I think the westerner in me would want things to be more organized and consistent, but that doesn’t seem to be the way things work here. I don’t even know where to start but it has to be better to do something rather than nothing right? I just don’t know how to feel about it. The existence of poverty, and trying to change it. The standard response is that through the broken world can we best see God’s love and grace and mercy poured out. But why are there some people like me that have the job to go out and show the love by helping and by being there, while there are others that have to live the life of pain and brokenness. My worries are so little, yet they are my worries. Why do I get to live the life I do when there are millions of people who can’t even comprehend what I have. How should that impact me? How will that change the way I live. I don’t really want to give up everything. I’m weak. I feel like it should change me or inspire something in me but I just feel numb. I almost don’t want to feel it. I don’t know that I could handle it.
Just trying to think that through is so exhausting. It just goes in circles. I don’t know even really want to address it ever. I just want to be in my own world. I just want to curl up and read and be in a different world. But that’s what I’m here for. I just don’t know how to do it.
This week we went on home visits to the houses of the Lahash sponsored kids. Lahash, the organization based in Portland that I came with, has a child sponsorship program that people donate money to support about 70 children in the area. The money goes to pay for schooling, uniforms, books as well as some food and other supplies. I’m not sure how often the home visits happen, but we went tow days this week and I think the same will happen next week. We went on foot and in two days we probably visited 10-12 kids at maybe 10 different homes. The visits are to make sure that the money is going to the right things and they are getting food and have a bed. We would talk with the parents and the kids. Really really hard. There are just so many awful stories to hear of people’s lives. And they just keep coming, one horrible story after another. I’m not sure what to think about it. I’m not even sure how to process it. I’m not sure I can…or really want to. I just feel numb. I my heart should be breaking over the poverty, but I’m not. It should cause have the desire to help or create change, that it should make me want to change the way I live my life, but I don’t really feel at all. I think it’s just too much. I don’t even really want to try to process it. I feel helpless. What can I do to REALLY help? It’s so complicated…so complicated.
I guess that’s what I’m here for is to figure out how programs like this work. So far I’ve been impressed with the services that they provide, and mostly the way that they go about providing them. I think the westerner in me would want things to be more organized and consistent, but that doesn’t seem to be the way things work here. I don’t even know where to start but it has to be better to do something rather than nothing right? I just don’t know how to feel about it. The existence of poverty, and trying to change it. The standard response is that through the broken world can we best see God’s love and grace and mercy poured out. But why are there some people like me that have the job to go out and show the love by helping and by being there, while there are others that have to live the life of pain and brokenness. My worries are so little, yet they are my worries. Why do I get to live the life I do when there are millions of people who can’t even comprehend what I have. How should that impact me? How will that change the way I live. I don’t really want to give up everything. I’m weak. I feel like it should change me or inspire something in me but I just feel numb. I almost don’t want to feel it. I don’t know that I could handle it.
Just trying to think that through is so exhausting. It just goes in circles. I don’t know even really want to address it ever. I just want to be in my own world. I just want to curl up and read and be in a different world. But that’s what I’m here for. I just don’t know how to do it.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Learning the Language
I’ve been trying my best to learn as much Swahli as I can. I definitely wish that I had been better at trying to learn before I came, but life was pretty crazy before I left and it has been fine to learn here. I knew some basic things and a little about the structure of the language which was helpful. I don’t think anyone expected that I knew anything coming in. Even now when I try to practice what I know people are surprised and ask how I know Swahili. English is pretty widely spoken here. I think because of the English colonization in East Africa, and then of course the influence of the US domination of the world. High school age I think it all taught in English.
It’s kind of fun trying to learn. It’s great because people are really willing to help. People get excited when I say anything in Swahili and appreciate that I try I think. That definitely makes learning worth while. My host family is great about teaching me too. I usually ask what words are 5 or 6 time and sometimes still don’t remember.
I can remember lot of greetings and respond to them. There are so many greetings! You can’t spend too long greeting everyone. I’ve got ‘what is your name?’ and ‘where are you from’ down. I think I understand the verbs I trying to learn some important ones, to go, to wash and to eat. I know a lot of other random words.
Of course what comes with learning the language are always mistakes. Good thing I stick out and people assume that I don’t speak Swahili I guess. It’s embarrassing, but if I can get laughs it’s easier to brush off the mistakes.
I was in the market one of the first days I was here and was in the way of someone moving a table. I meant to apologize as I got out of the way. So, pole means sorry, that’s what I meant to say, but instead I said poa…which means cool. Oops. I realized right away and tried to correct myself but couldn’t remember the right word. I could hear them laughing about it as they passed. Oh well. Also the other day at the church someone gave me a greeting of respect, ‘shikamo.’ This is something you usually say to someone older than you, but I was younger than this guy. He was just trying to be nice and to welcome me. In response you are suppose to say ‘marihaba,’ which gives respect in return. Instead I said ‘nimashiba’ which mean I’m full. They laughed pretty hard but then corrected me so I guess its ok.
I’ll keep trying to learn. I don’t know how far I can get in 3 months but might as well give it what I’ve got. It would be great to be able to talk to someone who doesn’t speak English and have some actual communication…even if it’s not clear and awkward. As this point I can’t get much across.
Please continue to pray for my adjustment to living here. That I can find rest and comfort in the Lord and that the language continues to come along. Also that I will serve in a purposeful way.
It’s kind of fun trying to learn. It’s great because people are really willing to help. People get excited when I say anything in Swahili and appreciate that I try I think. That definitely makes learning worth while. My host family is great about teaching me too. I usually ask what words are 5 or 6 time and sometimes still don’t remember.
I can remember lot of greetings and respond to them. There are so many greetings! You can’t spend too long greeting everyone. I’ve got ‘what is your name?’ and ‘where are you from’ down. I think I understand the verbs I trying to learn some important ones, to go, to wash and to eat. I know a lot of other random words.
Of course what comes with learning the language are always mistakes. Good thing I stick out and people assume that I don’t speak Swahili I guess. It’s embarrassing, but if I can get laughs it’s easier to brush off the mistakes.
I was in the market one of the first days I was here and was in the way of someone moving a table. I meant to apologize as I got out of the way. So, pole means sorry, that’s what I meant to say, but instead I said poa…which means cool. Oops. I realized right away and tried to correct myself but couldn’t remember the right word. I could hear them laughing about it as they passed. Oh well. Also the other day at the church someone gave me a greeting of respect, ‘shikamo.’ This is something you usually say to someone older than you, but I was younger than this guy. He was just trying to be nice and to welcome me. In response you are suppose to say ‘marihaba,’ which gives respect in return. Instead I said ‘nimashiba’ which mean I’m full. They laughed pretty hard but then corrected me so I guess its ok.
I’ll keep trying to learn. I don’t know how far I can get in 3 months but might as well give it what I’ve got. It would be great to be able to talk to someone who doesn’t speak English and have some actual communication…even if it’s not clear and awkward. As this point I can’t get much across.
Please continue to pray for my adjustment to living here. That I can find rest and comfort in the Lord and that the language continues to come along. Also that I will serve in a purposeful way.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Address and phone!!
I got a phone. It wasn’t too bad. I tried to use my old phone from home but it wasn’t unlocked to other providers. It’s kind of spendy to call the US but I guess you can skype or buy international phone cards for fairly cheep. I’d love to hear from anyone!! The best times are probably afternoon and evening for me…10 hrs ahead from most of you.
Number is 255-789-770-282 255 is the TZ country number
I also have an address I share it with the whole church. I hear it takes about 2 weeks to send something. If you do send something let me know about when it should arrive so I can get the box checked. I guess it doesn’t get checked very often.
If anyone does end up sending anything!! I have requests for hand sanitizer and floss. forgot to bring enough of both of those...i'm going to run out of hand sanitizer fast...
Emily Deichsel
Grace & Healing Ministry
PO Box 3230
Dodoma, Tanzania
And Happy Birthday Mom!!!
Number is 255-789-770-282 255 is the TZ country number
I also have an address I share it with the whole church. I hear it takes about 2 weeks to send something. If you do send something let me know about when it should arrive so I can get the box checked. I guess it doesn’t get checked very often.
If anyone does end up sending anything!! I have requests for hand sanitizer and floss. forgot to bring enough of both of those...i'm going to run out of hand sanitizer fast...
Emily Deichsel
Grace & Healing Ministry
PO Box 3230
Dodoma, Tanzania
And Happy Birthday Mom!!!
My first Dodoma home
So much to say! Ah ok. So I’m at my host family’s home. It’s small but pretty nice. I have my own room…I think that means that Oliva is sleeping on the couch…that doesn’t make me feel very good. So I’m staying with Mariam who is about 6 months pregnant I think. Her husband…the name didn’t stick. So many names to remember. I’ll get back to you on that one. I do know he is a police officer and also teaches at the church as part of a program to stop crime at an earlier age. Mairam works at the church. Oliva is Mariam’s niece I think… She seems to do the house work. She either knows less English or is less willing to talk. I’ll have to work on her. She already calls me her sister though. I had a great two evenings with them. I’ve been pretty tired once I get home, but we just hang out talk eat and then go to bed. I was worried about it but I’ve had fun staying here. Mariam has a great laugh and me not knowing things or being awkward makes her laugh so that feels good : ) It is a really far from town, which makes it hard to hang out with people at night. I’m ok with that for now. There is a lot to enjoy staying here with the family. But I think as time goes I’m going to need that community and support. I’ll see how it goes.
So I went to the market with Mariam on the way home the first day. There were huge piles of dried fish for sale. Sardine I guess. Didn’t look appetizing. First we got potatoes and then Mariam asked what kind of food I liked. I didn’t know how to respond. Lots of different kinds. We ended up at the butcher. Oh she meant what kind of meat… a hard one because I’m picky and really don’t like a lot of meat. Didn’t say anything. The butcher puts a hears on the scale…my stomach dropped to my feet, then he cuts a huge chunk of liver off and adds it to the scale. I think she could see it on my face. I was a little frightened. I just told her I hadn’t ever eaten any of those things before and that at home I didn’t eat a lot of meat. She was thinking then, and I reassured her that it would be ok I would try it. I think the alternative was to buy beef especially for me and I know that this heart and liver was a special treat for the guest already. So we proceeded on our way to get some veggies which I enjoyed. Well my brother got his wish. I talked to him when I first arrived in Dar and the only thing he told me was to eat something I wouldn’t normally eat. At that point I had eaten a processed beef patty…but I’ m guessing this is more a long the lines of what he had in mind. So I ate liver. I wasn’t really all that bad, but I didn’t enjoy it. Really dense I guess is the best way to describe it. I know it’s not that odd…people in the US eat it, but for me it’s out there. I think it upset my stomach a little bit. I didn’t eat it again when it was served tonight. I hope that is ok. I think it’s pretty expensive. I told myself initially I would just eat the meet to be polite, but if that’s what upset my stomach I really just want to pass. For someone who doesn’t eat very much meat and no red meat, liver might have been a little much.
I’ll have to take and post a picture of the toilet….ceramic hole in the ground. I’m getting use to it…but still am not sure how to keep from splashing. Tanzanians don’t use toilet paper. I’ll have to keep my own supply. They bought some for me in the bathroom at home, but I’m pretty sure no one uses it but me. I hope its ok that I do. I’ll buy it but that’s something I’d like to continue.
The time change is just hitting me. Maybe in combination with not feeling well yesterday, but I was so exhausted. I guess traveling I slept so much during the day on planes and buses, it made up for not sleeping through the night. I can usually fall asleep but I wake up in like 4 hrs lay in bed and then wake up every hour after that. I think I’ve heard one day for every hr difference. This is night 5 so my body might still take some more time.
So I went to the market with Mariam on the way home the first day. There were huge piles of dried fish for sale. Sardine I guess. Didn’t look appetizing. First we got potatoes and then Mariam asked what kind of food I liked. I didn’t know how to respond. Lots of different kinds. We ended up at the butcher. Oh she meant what kind of meat… a hard one because I’m picky and really don’t like a lot of meat. Didn’t say anything. The butcher puts a hears on the scale…my stomach dropped to my feet, then he cuts a huge chunk of liver off and adds it to the scale. I think she could see it on my face. I was a little frightened. I just told her I hadn’t ever eaten any of those things before and that at home I didn’t eat a lot of meat. She was thinking then, and I reassured her that it would be ok I would try it. I think the alternative was to buy beef especially for me and I know that this heart and liver was a special treat for the guest already. So we proceeded on our way to get some veggies which I enjoyed. Well my brother got his wish. I talked to him when I first arrived in Dar and the only thing he told me was to eat something I wouldn’t normally eat. At that point I had eaten a processed beef patty…but I’ m guessing this is more a long the lines of what he had in mind. So I ate liver. I wasn’t really all that bad, but I didn’t enjoy it. Really dense I guess is the best way to describe it. I know it’s not that odd…people in the US eat it, but for me it’s out there. I think it upset my stomach a little bit. I didn’t eat it again when it was served tonight. I hope that is ok. I think it’s pretty expensive. I told myself initially I would just eat the meet to be polite, but if that’s what upset my stomach I really just want to pass. For someone who doesn’t eat very much meat and no red meat, liver might have been a little much.
I’ll have to take and post a picture of the toilet….ceramic hole in the ground. I’m getting use to it…but still am not sure how to keep from splashing. Tanzanians don’t use toilet paper. I’ll have to keep my own supply. They bought some for me in the bathroom at home, but I’m pretty sure no one uses it but me. I hope its ok that I do. I’ll buy it but that’s something I’d like to continue.
The time change is just hitting me. Maybe in combination with not feeling well yesterday, but I was so exhausted. I guess traveling I slept so much during the day on planes and buses, it made up for not sleeping through the night. I can usually fall asleep but I wake up in like 4 hrs lay in bed and then wake up every hour after that. I think I’ve heard one day for every hr difference. This is night 5 so my body might still take some more time.
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