5 weeks later!

I am on my way back home...am currently in Amsterdam with my flight cancelled to Detroit. Pole sana. I will reconnect on a different flight and be home later!!

This 5 weeks of living in Tanzania has been a journey no one except God could have planned!! The experiences have been life changing. I remember after the volcano errupted, my dada Karen and Ann (from Dar) and I were laying in bed feeling restless. We weren't sure what we should do, how long we would be staying and my dada Karen said: "Be still, and know that I am God" So we did just that. The next couple weeks of being at peace led us to the most important answers we needed. We made connections greater than anyone could have ever planned. We experienced everything we were looking to experience AND we found that all the dots that were not connected were now connected.

Thank you everyone for your support of love and prayers during my much extended stay. There is alot of work to be done, but as a dutiful servant of God, I will carry out his plan and mission. I couldn't do all I am doing without your love and support and for that I am eternally grateful.

I will post photo's and write more about the trip when I am home. The internet/electricity and phone situation in Africa did not allow me to post too much. Thank you for understanding and if you can remember one thing in your day today: "Be still and know that I am God"

Until next time~

Cheers!

Becoming a Bean Farmer!

Another miracle today!!! I spent the day traveling with my good friends, Karen, Mike and Nikodema to an area of Tanzania where commercial farms are located. Nikodema is an agricultural consultant in Tanzania and has been for the last 8 years. He oversees many commercial farms for a company located in Holland. He works with many local and international farmers who import and export crops from Tanzania. The journey was quite unbelievable as we had to travel on the "African roads" which if you have ever experienced the most extreme roller coaster in your life, you can triple that with bumps and lumps and rocks and holes and dips in the road. We were blessed with Mike as our driver. He knows these roads like the back of his hand. He can easily maneuver but with me sitting in the front seat I would always point out a few that I thought he might now have seen. I think you get the picture...he was probably thinking to himself, this lady really doesn't trust my driving...and we would all laugh!!

Back to farming!!! So we learned that there are over 100 different varieties of beans grown in Tanzania. Some are drought resistant while others are more "hybrid" in variety and need more moisture to grow!!! We learned of all the different diseases that can stop the growth along with the insects that LOVE to eat these leaves and destroy the plant. Having our crops grown in different parts of Tanzania will be most helpful as if one fails another will live. Nikodema also went along to "survey" the local crop condition. He could sit in our truck and immediately knew what was happening with that particular crop!! He would point out what pesticides or insecticides were needed and tell us how they would mix up these things to continue with a safe crop!! Who knew I would become a farmer in this lifetime???

After our safari to the farms we met a Masai family which is an extended relative of Nikodema. We arrived at their homes and were greeted by so many wonderful children just curious about us!!! The first thing to do is take their picture...then show them their photo!! This creates an instant bond!! Mama Masai (Esther) and Baba Masai (Francis) invited us to have their traditional tea. It was made with medicine from the mountain. I would compare this too chamomile tea in the states. Esther showed us how they pick from the bush and grind it to make a powder. Then add to the tea to help "stomach" problems. The tea was wonderful and the company was peaceful. Other than the flies that were attracted to my tea, there were no other issues!! We talked with Francis and Esther about farming here in Tanzania. They offered us some of their land in goodwill because they love that we come from so far away and want to help the people of Tanzania. I can't describe the feeling of gratitude!! Who would have known that we could all work together with the same hearts??

While having my tea, a foot behind my chair was a goat (mbuzi) giving birth!! The children all went to help this mama deliver her baby. The baby was born and they helped the mama "attach" herself to the baby. They took the cord and cut it with their fingers, then put it in the mama's mouth so she would recognize her baby. They kept putting her face on the baby so she would recognize her smell!! After a few minutes, the mother and baby were connected. The baby stood up 30 minutes after birth and began taking the milk from mama!! What a wonderful experience for me.

We returned to our apartment and were invited to a Tanzania wedding. It gave us another chance to put on our custom made Tanzania dresses!! The weddings here are long and formal. The reception was beautiful and everything has a meaning!! By 11p.m. my eyes could not stay awake any longer!!

It was a great day, full of so much meaning!! The dots are being connected more and more!! I am so happy to have found the best people to work with!!! I have many many great friends here in Tanzania and I have a great partner...my dada Karen!!!

Until next time~

Cheers!!

Becoming a Rice Farmer

Well, as they say, make hay when the Sunshine's...that is just what I did. I had a wonderful opportunity to learn and experience the life of a rice farmer here in Tanzania. I drove for nearly 3 hours yesterday to get to a village called Magugu (near Babati) to meet with the local rice farmers. Our driver knew the "local" farmer and we picked him up and then drove for miles and miles and miles to get to the rice fields. The setting was so peaceful and beautiful. The back drop of these fields was the Rift Valley Wall. It was in a valley and very very HOT!!

There were the 3 of us that walked and worked with the rice farmers. I will tell you that my thoughts have changed since experiencing the life of a subsistence farmer. They work and toil so hard each and everyday and earn nothing for their work, yet they are dedicated to this work.

We walked for miles through the rice fields. There were little hills or moats about 4 inches wide above the mud/water where the rice grows. The meaning of "watch your step" has a whole new feeling. Upon one of the many steps I took, my sandals slipped and into the mud I went! So as they say "jump in with both feet" I did just that!! I was full of mud before we had even arrived to where we were going to help. The local farmers laughed more and more after seeing me!! I even laughed myself..wondering what my purpose was in all this!!

We met the woman who pounds the rice out!! She was small in stature and yet I believe could have taken me and whipped me around!! She would take her two hands and wrap them around a foot of rice stalks and pound pound pound. I had to do this with her so I did. Nothing could have prepared me for this experience. After the rice was pounded out, it is taken on their heads or backs to be laid out in the sun to dry. We went to the area where the rice seeds were drying then were told to take our shoes off and start "turning" it over. They walk back and forth for hours and hours drying this rice. After we did this, we went to the rice "shelling" machine. This machine takes the husks off the rice and separates it. Once it is separated it gets put into bags and sold at the market. There are women who take big buckets and sift through the rice to catch the rocks that are found in with the rice.

So much goes into obtaining that one piece of rice!! I will never ever blink again at the price of rice. This is a job everyone should have the experience of doing once in their lifetime. I know I am blessed to have been able to walk the walk and share with them how much I appreciate their hard work!!

Until next time~

Cheers!

Established in Tanzania

Well, since we are here for a long while, we have set up a small apartment bought bread and water and have moved into the culture!!

Yesterday was a great day. We managed to have a small safari with a personal guide and visited an orphanage. The children saw us coming and began to run like crazy to us. They grab your hands and love and hug you. These orphans are without parents OR have parents who could not afford to care for them. They don't experience the "human love" or contact that most of us receive on a daily basis. Just to look into their eyes and hold there hand, pick them up, dance with them, laugh with them, is like giving them all the money in the world. As they say, Love does make the world go round...and I believe I made their world turn just a bit brighter, by sharing time with them!!

Going to visit other orphanages this week...will make my way to a disabled children's school and also make some "home visits" with my friend Pastor Anna!!

My work is not done, it has only begun.

Until next time~

Cheers!

May 1st Food Pack - Grafton High School.

Please don't forget to sign up for the Grafton High School Food Pack!!! We need lots of volunteers and could use everyone's help!!! You can contact jgrissom3@wi.rr.com in my absence!!

This food is saving lives!! Please donate one hour and $25.00 to help package 100 meals.

Until next time~

Cheers!

More work to be done!

Things are not done yet in Tanzania. My flight was grounded due to the volcano in Iceland. We have been told it could be up to a month to get home. Becoming a missionary was my dream...but never thought it would be this fast!!! I am very safe and have great friends that are taking really good care of me and my mission partner Karen!!!

We have been able to experience so much. We had a wonderful meeting with the Sisters in Moshi. We have formed a wonderful partnership for developing food programs for many remote villages!! I feel entirely blessed to have made this connection. Thank you to my dear friends, Mike K and Floyd and Kathy Hammer. When the time is right for things to take place, things fall in place so easily. I will say that many of the villages we are working with depend on the food. They have no means to get a good nutritious meal, so this food is saving lives.

We spent a couple days with the Masai Tribe!! What an interesting and fascinating life these folks live. We went to their "market day" and saw how they sell cows and goats or trade for something they might need. There was probably 500 or more at the market. I knew that I stood out of this crowd, but was so welcomed!! One of my friends even fit my feet for their famous "tire shoe" I now have a pair of these to bring home and wear "around town" I was also given the plaid wrap to wear, although, I don't think I would be able to do what they do. The Masai women work extremely hard. They build the house, the barn, take care of the children, please their husbands when they need, and take care of everything else under the sun!!! The men, well, they take care of the cattle...WOW...can you imagine??? I see that this is the truth with the women here in Tanzania that aren't Masai too!! They all work so hard!! I am only so happy when I can help them in a small way!!

Since we will be here longer, we will be able to do more work for the least of the least. We are preparing to make arrangements to visit several orphanages and share our love with the children who have no parents. My only hope is that we can give them a smile by being there for them.

Life if difficult in Tanzania. There is nothing easy about it. The people remain the most loving and caring people I have ever known. Please keep this country in your prayers!! They need every ounce of your help.

Until next time~

Cheers!

T.I.A.

My initials stand for This Is Africa. I have been so extremely busy here. The medical mission week ended very successfully. My eye clinic was a huge success. Having Dr. Peter with us from Kenya was an absolute blessing. In 4 days we managed to examine 305 patients and distribute more than 500 pairs of eye glasses. There are specific needs in this country for glasses. I will be forming a more specific list of those needs upon my arrival home. The doctors that we worked with from the Singida Regional Hospital were so kind and gracious. They helped us run the clinic and it was successful because of their help. The last day of the week I was asked to do triage for the pediatric clinic. What an eye opener. I was doing all the preliminary work for the Doctors and met all the "pediatric" patients and mama's that brought their children in. I remember so vividly a little girl affected by HIV...her Mom the same...I held this little girl and she was almost 2 years old. Her weight was under 12 pounds and the circumference of her bicep was less than 5cm. She had not been breast fed since March and had thrush in her mouth so severe. I couldn't help but hold her and pray for her life!! There were many others like this that I could share with you but I think you get the picture. The children suffer so much as do their parents.

Saturday evening the Honorable Regional commissioner, his secretary, the VP's of Singida had a wonderful "gala" event for our med team. We were all honored with a wonderful gift for helping his village/region. The highest dignitaries were there and I wore my African Dress that had been made Special for me for that night and felt honored to be able to be in that very room. They are so grateful for all the help we provided for these people.

I had the wonderful opportunity to travel to the "bush" and visit a small village. It was a very different experience. It was so remote and so peaceful compared to the area where we stayed in Singida. This village that we visited was amazing!! They have learned to accept their subsistence farming and live with it. They are very simple people and their needs are only what is in front of them for that day. They don't live for anything but God and their families. We toured the primary school and visited their dispensary. This village is run by the same order of nuns in which I have been working with in Singida. I will meet there head order today so see where other needs are in and around Tanzania.

Yesterday Karen and I went to visit the sister parish on Mt. Meru. The travel to this remote village was a bit...well,....not like anything I have encountered yet in Tanzania. The road began as bumpy and rocky...they it narrowed to just two paths of dirt..they it narrowed to one little dirt path...finally running out of any site of a path or road. We had our driver take us in a van and at one point we hit a huge rock (not seen on the road) and it sounded as if the whole bottom of the van had been torn away. We gasped and they held our breath as we did not know what would happen next. Augustine our driver remained calm and got out and began to pick away at the rock until it finally moved ...then the van went forward and we were happy. We made our way to the remote village and were greeting by the church Pastor and evangelists. We had tea upon arrival and then toured the church/school and other preaching points. I had brought prayer shawls with me and took one to a man who was very very ill. The church choir came to sing to him and I wrapped that shawl around him and said the Lord's prayer. I could hardly get the words out as this is such a powerful ministry. God needed me there to assure this man he would be well. After I was done he told me "Nakupenda sana" which means I love you so much. His wife came running to me with a "kuku" and handed it to me. I wasn't sure what to do. I had never held a kuku before but she too kept repeating the words Nakupenda sana Nakupenda sana and she began to cry. I knew from this that the prayer shawl ministry is a very strong ministry in this country. I took the kuku and put it in our van with its legs tied up...and knew that I would give it to our driver. He had a very stressful drive taking us to this remote village.

I will end here. I have so many more stories to share but my time is very limited. I have a meeting this afternoon in Moshi so will be departing from Arusha soon.

Thank you for all your prayers and kind wishes. I appreciate everyone of you.

Until next time ~

Cheers!!

Good Friday.

It has been a tremendous week. Yesterday Karen and I had the opportunity to spend a couple hours at the children's feeding center. We spent time with Sister Hilda who runs this wonderful facility. I shared a prayer shawl with her from Dorothy. I felt it so appropriate to give her strength as she feeds hundreds and hundreds of children daily. She helps with their medical care and there education. We passed out some school supplies and played with the children. We read to them and enjoyed their sweet precious faces as they listened and learned from us.

Our driver for the day "Kennedy" took us to meet the Pastor of the Lutheran Chuch here in Singida. He was busy with a youth convention at the local secondary school. He invited us for a welcome from these children. As we arrived the sounds of song and praise were overflowing from the school.. We walked in and 1500 children clapped, sang and danced with our arrival. There were 4 of us representing Outreach Medical Team and we were honored to be there. We were able to introduce ourselves and explain what we were here to do. It was a wonderful experience for both the children and us.

We had dinner with one of the local Doctors here in Singida at his home. We enjoyed a wonderful meal together and learned more about how difficult it is for Doctors here in Tanzania. A well trained physician here earns $300 a month. They work hard and get nothing in return. It makes me very happy that I am on a wonderful mission team with 91 doctors and nurses who so graciously gave of their time.

We are awaiting the arrival of our medical container which was suppose to be here a week ago. It was held up in customs and was released just yesterday. WE have to do alot of work quickly to unload medical supplies and our food for the team. Please pray it all arrives safe or we will make do with what we brought with us on the plane.

I am reminded everyday that I am in the right place doing the work I was chosen to do.

The internet is not good here in Singida so my hope to post often is not coinciding with what I had originally wanted. I am so grateful for your post comments and prayers to continue my work. You are all very very special to me.

Have a joyous Easter everyone.

Until next time

Cheers!