For the past few days we have been helping set up a library at a  nearby school, and in the process have gained a new perspective on education and the importance of resources. We sorted, alphabetized, and shelved boxes full of books (among mounds of dust and several odd looking spiders) and were reunited with many childhood classics, and many high school book reports.  I have never been more aware of the importance of books for children, and how much of a blessing it is for a school to have books available for all of its students.  When we first walked into the library it was just a small room filled with empty shelves and dusty boxes.  However it now looks like an actual library with shelves full of books, several different sections, posters on the walls, and places for children to read and study.  Although it is likely that once the library opens the neatness of the room will diminish, and the organization of the shelves will cease to exist, the most important thing is that these kids have several resources for all of their subjects and there are enough books for all of the students.

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We have now been in Lesotho for just over a week and so far its been incredible.  I really had no idea what to expect once we left Kenya, however Lesotho has turned out to be a great learning experience.  It is by far the most unique place that we have been to this summer, for it feels as if we are in the middle of nowhere.  We are almost completely surrounded by mountains and the scenery is breathtaking.  Even looking outside of our windows in the morning still feels surreal to me.  Aside from the fact that I feel like I’m walking inside of the Africa addition of National Geographic, I am also starting to think that maybe I should have packed a few more sweaters.  When we first arrived it was mid afternoon and the sun was shining and the weather was hot as per usual. 

However as night drew near so did the cold.  You would think that since I am from Canada I would be able to deal with the cold, but come winter I often question my sanity  as I trudge through the snow to get to class.  Over the last week however, I have noticed a significant improvement in the weather as I no longer need to wear two pairs of pants to bed.  In fact, i am usually pretty comfortable with a sweatshirt and three blankets.

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Aug. 1

Our Kenya adventure will soon be coming to an end so I thought I’d take some time to try and reflect on everything that’s happened.  We have only been here for a short time, however we have experienced so much and I have learned a great deal about myself.  Our very first day in Kenya was defiantly one that was full of emotion and a huge dose of reality.  We met with a group of 30 HIV positive men and women and spent the morning speaking to them and answering any questions that they had.  We were joined by five volunteers and a doctor, all of which are amazing individuals.  We sat and listened to the concerns of the men and women and tried to offer solutions, however there were some problems that simply do not have solutions.  HIV medication is free in Kenya, however there are many factors that influence how effective it is for each person.  One of the concerns of many of the men and women was the issue of food, or lack of.  The medication is supposed to be taken on a full stomach, but many of these individuals do not have enough food and when they do, they always provide for their families before they think of themselves.  Listening to these men and women speak about the many problems associated with HIV was a very eye opening experience.  These individuals are forced to deal with so much more than I can even grasp, and it was a very emotional experience for all of us.  The days that followed were full of many visits to projects, orphanages and various parts of the community which were in need of help.  As well as being a great learning experience, this trip also had a different meaning for me.  Last year when I left Kenya I swore that I would come back someday.  And so for me this trip was very much a trip down memory lane.  It was amazing to be back in Kenya almost exactly a year after leaving, and it was the perfect opportunity for me to reflect on how my life has changed in the last year.  I have grown so much as a person, and have truly found a love for Africa and a passion for humanitarian work.  As sad as it was to leave Bagamoyo, I believe that our week hear in Kenya has truly been an inspirational and eye opening experience and I can’t wait to see where this trip takes us next.

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July 28

I knew that it would be difficult to say goodbye to Bagamoyo, but it ended up being so much worse than I ever expected. In the short time that we had been there we formed unbelievable friendships and had an amazing experience. As the days drew closer to us departing Bagamoyo, I tried my hardest to push the thought aside and enjoy my remaining time. However, as much as I tried to deny that I was leaving, I knew that the most heartbreaking goodbye was on its way. Our last day in Bagamoyo is one that I will never forget. We started off our day by renting bikes and taking a ride led by Dickson to some of the most beautiful parts of Bagamoyo. After the bike ride we had a few more volunteer related activities (including a visit to an incredible baby orphanage) and then the goodbyes began. We spent the majority of our afternoon playing with the kids at IMUMA and postponing our goodbye as much as possible. We explained to all the kids that it was our last day with them and that we would miss them very much. I was pretty good while I said bye to most of the kids, but then I got to Asia. Asia is a beautiful ten year old girl who managed to steal my heart the first time I met her. After explaining to Asia that I couldn’t come back tomorrow she hugged me goodbye and held on for a while. After having her head buried in my stomach and her arms wrapped around my waist, she looked up at me with her eyes full of tears and an expression of pure sadness. Asia was one of the happiest and most energetic kids at IMUMA, and seeing her upset broke my heart. As many times as I bent to wipe her tears and tell her that everything would be ok, more tears appeared. I said bye to her several times but she didn’t respond. She just looked at me, tears streaming down her face, sadness in her eyes. I cried the whole walk home.

As our afternoon of tearful goodbyes came to an end, our last night in Bagamoyo began to unfold. The guys from Mtoto Mchuraji, a local art centre, planned a night of celebration for us that we will never forget. They lit a bonfire and we all danced the night away outside of the art centre. The fire and the singing and the drums and of course the dancing was the perfect way to end what can only be described as one of the greatest experiences of my life. But as the night went on and the fire began to burn out, once more the goodbyes started. We stood in a huddle with our arms tightly wrapped around each other as Dickson spoke to us all. He told us how much he loved us and would miss us, and how much our time together has meant to him. I tried my best to stay strong but I could see that the guys standing on each side of me had tears streaming down their faces, and I couldn’t hold back. As we all cried our hugs got tighter and we all promised each other that would meet again someday. I don’t think I’ll ever fully be able to explain the depth of sadness that I felt at that very moment, however I know that I will never be able to forget it. All of the kids at IMUMA and the guys from Mtoto Mchuraji have permanently found a place in my heart.

I know this blog has been a little on the depressing side, so I’d like to end it on a happier note. We are now in Kenya, and once again we have been welcomed with open arms. We have met some really great volunteers, and done some really great things. And although we only have one week here in Kenya, there is no doubt in my mind that we will have an amazing experience, and create some great memories.

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There have been very few situations in my life that have left me completely frustrated and discouraged, however this water project has definitely fallen into that category.  It started off as a relatively simple plan:  buy filter….install filter…filter water.  The first part of that plan proved to be very successful, however the later two, not so much.  After days of digging and many trips to the hardware store, (and “many” would definitely be an understatement) the water system was dysfunctional and full of flaws.  After the majority of our ideas proved to be problematic, I was slowly losing confidence in this project.  However oddly enough the more problems that appeared, the more ambitious I became to ensure this project was complete and functional before I left Bagamoyo.  So we continued to try.  We drew up diagrams, took measurements, and made some more very necessary trips to the hardware store at which we are now favorite customers.  I can’t fully explain how it finally felt to see a group of kids surrounding the newly installed taps with their hands full of clean and healthy water.  I can tell you however, that I don’t think I have ever been so happy, relieved, and accomplished all at the same time.  Aside from now being way over qualified to become a plumber when I return to Canada, I was also struck with an incredibly deep understanding of just how essential water is in everyone’s life.  Being able to turn on my tap and instantly have drinkable water without having to lug around buckets to be boiled, is a truly incredible blessing that I will never be able to take for granted. 

So now that I’ve covered the “filtered water” part of this blog, let me delve into the “late night dishes” portion.  In some Muslim cultures after a person passes away there is a forty day period of mourning followed by a tribute on the fortieth day to mark the end of the mourning.  Shariff’s father passed away on June 13^th, and so we were all present for the end of mourning memorial.  Since this was a new cultural experience for all of us we decided to embrace it with open minds.  All of us girls decided to dress up in traditional kangas which wrapped around us covering everything except our faces.  We walked down the street in a uniform motion on our way to join Shariff’s family at IMUMA.  The reaction we received when we got there was something that I definitely did not expect.  The mamas gathered around us laughing and giggling at the kangas we had wrapped around us.  They greeted us with open arms and welcomed us with huge smiles that lit up all of IMUMA.  After conversing with the family in both broken English and jumbled Swahili, we asked the women if we could help out with anything.  They told us that at the end of the night we could help out with cleanup.  So there we were four Canadian girls dressed up in kangas hunched over pots full of dirty dishes.  As we washed the dishes which were left over from an incredible meal that the women spent all day preparing, I couldn’t help but smile.  As the stars came out and night fell over us, the cultural differences that once seemed to separate us, now began to fade and all that was left was a table full of clean pots slowly drying in the warm breeze.  Even though we were surrounded by cultural differences, including a very strong language barrier, spending time working together to get the dishes clean and to end what was a very successful day, it became increasingly clear that whichever culture you belong to, its kindness and love that unites us all.

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There are currently a million thoughts running through my mind, and it is quite a challenge to try and piece together all of my emotions. However when I pull apart the pieces of this amazing adventure, I am able to truly reflect on just how inspiring this experience has been. As soon as we stepped off of the plane in Tanzania I was struck with such an overwhelming feeling of happiness. Tanzania is unbelievably beautiful and everyone is so welcoming. Not only did I instantly feel completely welcome, I also instantly felt right at home. The town where we are staying and working is called Bagamoyo and it is most defiantly one of the most amazing communities I have ever entered. Kindness radiates from all directions and everyone here has been incredible to us in every way. In the short time that we have been here we have managed to overcome constant obstacles and make some amazing friendships on the way.

There’s Mama Asha who is the kindest woman you will ever meet. She constantly puts others before herself and will never hesitate to offer all that she has to everyone around her. Then there’s her husband Shariff who is equally as amazing and who you could spend hours with just talking about life. It is incredible to see how these two extraordinary people have dedicated their lives to the vulnerable children of Bagamoyo and have opened their home and their hearts to anyone and everyone who asks. I could not even begin to discuss all of the children whom have made such an impact on me so far, and who will undoubtedly continue to inspire me on a daily basis. Aside from Mama Asha, Shariff, and all of the beautiful children we’ve met at Imuma, there is one incredible individual in the community who I couldn’t possibly not mention. Dickson runs a local art centre and is by far one of the most amazing people I have ever met in my life time. He has showed us nothing but kindness since the moment we arrived, and has become like an older brother to all of us. Throughout every challenge we have encountered and every goal we have set out to accomplish, Dickson has been right beside us the whole way. I can honestly say that this experience would not be what it is without Dickson, and I couldn’t imagine not having him here with us.

Personally I feel that so far this experience has been amazing, and I have learned so much about myself. Sure there have been times where my patience is low and frustration level high, but I feel like it is all for an amazing cause and in the end, everything we go through will lead us to accomplish what we have set out to do. I still do not know what to expect in these upcoming weeks, but I am certain that so far everything we have been through has been incredible, and Bagamoyo has become a home to all of us.

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I have been sitting in front of my computer for a while now trying to figure out exactly what to say.  Its hard to put into words what I’m feeling right now, so let me just start by telling you about my past experience with Africa.  Last summer i was given an amazing opportunity to travel to Kenya to volunteer with an incredible group of students for what was undoubtedly the best three weeks of my life.  Of course the three weeks that I was there flew by, and before I knew it I was back at home living my regular life.  It wasn’t until I was home for a few days that the full impact of the trip began to sink in.  My body had returned to Canada, but my heart was still in Africa.  I knew it would be hard to re-adjust to life in a first world country that thrives on materialistic possessions, but I never expected it to be such a difficult transition.  While in Kenya I experienced such a combination of emotions on a daily basis which mostly consisted of happiness and hope.  However when I returned home, I found myself struggling to attain that happiness and praying to locate that hope.   I couldn’t quite explain what it was that I was going through, all I knew was that I wasn’t content with where I was.  There was a huge part of me that longed to go back as soon as possible.

When I began to get involved with Student Reach, I was once again united with the happiness and hope that I was so sure had escaped me for good.  Everything began to make sense again, and I feel as if I am doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing.  In just over a months time I will be returning to Africa for two months of what I know will once again be an amazingly indescribable experience.  I will be joined by some incredible individuals, who I am sure will become life long friends.  I am so excited to be returning to Africa, and I really have no idea what to expect.  This will be the longest time that I have ever spent away from my family and friends, and I am hoping that these blogs will be an excellent way to stay connected.  Throughout my last trip I kept a journal of everything I was feeling and experiencing, and I am thrilled that I will be able to share my thoughts with everyone this time around.

Currently I have mixed emotions about this upcoming trip.  There is no denying that I am more nervous this time around then I was last time, but there is also no denying the excitement that is growing within me.  I have been doing my best to keep busy until the trip, and  not to stress too much in advance.  However Africa is on my mind constantly and every time I stop to think about it, I cant help but smile.

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