Who We Are

Dispatch from Tanzania

Currently, I am at the New Dodoma Hotel in Dodoma. We left Mwitikira last night, which was really hard. I wasn't expecting to become so close to so many people - I definitely now have a second family. The trip has been a great way to unwind from the chaos of school, and it has truly changed my life in a lot of ways. I wish you could see all the kids in Mwitikira. When there are hundreds of kids surrounding you, you can't help but laugh and smile.

On a usual day, I would get up and have kuoga time (shower by pouring water over my body), and then have chai and some breakfast. Suzanne, Cindy, Si, and I would walk the ten or so minutes through the brush to the primary school, where I had my own class of twenty kids. We spent ridiculous amounts of time on the past tense and irregular verbs. We were also big into dance breaks, candy (it's called pipi here) and cookies, and listening to me count in Swahili. My Swahili is not so great, though I did read in church last week. After an hour of class, we sang/taught a lesson to some younger kids for a little while before a chai break. We then taught our regular classes for a little while longer before going back home for lunch. In the afternoons, Si and I taught high schoolers, and we did a lot of work on two books that are required for their national exam in September...  After class, we would hang out with the kids, acting like 6 year olds. After a small dinner, we would hang out, though we got really into playing Last Card this past week. The stars here are unbelievable. Si and I went out to lay on our backs under the night sky a few times, and it was incredible. There were tons of shooting stars.

The poverty here is great, but the joy surpasses this. Never have I met such welcoming people. Everyone wants to shake your hand and offer you chai and ask how you are doing. Two nights ago, a desperately poor man arrived with a gigantic pot of honey combs, and I now have a hugejar of honey in my suitcase. I was given kitenge, a piece of cloth worn as a skirt. The same lady who gave me my gift gave Si a bracelet and then announced that we were married. That was quite a shocker.

We went on a tour of the village yesterday, and saw absolutely awful wells and water holes. Water is a huge problem here, and everyone gets sick. Thankfully, I have only had some rumblings and no major issues. We watched women prepare corn while holding babies on their backs. Food preparation takes hours, and starvation is going to be a big problem this year.

We went to a squatter church today, which was fun. Church last week took four hours. I was inducted into the choir and have been attending choir practices. My dance moves are killer. The music at church is beautiful, and I got to help serve communion, which was really special. God has done a wonderful thing in bringing us together, and I am so thankful.

- Natalie

July Epistle Newsletter »

« Become A Micah Mentor