Like I really know what I'm talking about.

I've been thinking about Tanzania a lot lately. And it's not just Tanzania, but travel in general. I miss Tanzania desperately, but I have a really strong desire to just go anywhere Compassion is working, visit the centers, and see my kids. It feels a little overwhelming at times. I'm trying to get back to work on my crafts and things so I can get the money for my next trip, but things have been a little slow over the past week or so. I do a lot of thinking and daydreaming these days, and part of that includes imagining what another trip with Compassion would be like- where I would go, how it would be different from Tanzania, things like that.

I am by no means an experienced traveler. I have been on exactly three trips in the past five years: a honeymoon to Disney World, a weekend in Pennsylvania, and then Tanzania. So I don't think I'm any sort of expert when it comes to globe trotting and all that. I do think I have some advice to offer, though. And thinking and writing about it helps me process my TZ trip (which I am still doing three months after returning home) and for me, it's fun!

Packing can be stressful. Particularly if you're getting ready to go out of the country, you've never traveled further than three or four states away from your own, and you consider yourself "high maintenance." My suitcases were absolutely, positively as full as they could possibly be, and so was my purse (it was ridiculous, I wish I had taken a picture. It looked like an overly full shopping bag.) Part of what I've been thinking about lately includes how I would do things differently, and what I think I did right. So here are my thoughts:

What I wouldn't change: 

• Febreeze. This was a lifesaver. I took a travel-sized bottle of the extra strength stuff and was even able to share some with my fellow travelers. Washing clothes in a tiny sink is very difficult, particularly in a humid climate. Between the amount of clothing I had packed and the Febreeze, I was able to go almost the whole trip without washing clothes. It sounds gross at first, doesn't it? Well, it really wasn't, because I tried to pack smart with my clothing. 
• Clothes. I do not have many clothes. This is a statement I could say at any point in my life, and it would be true. I have one pair of pants for work and one pair of jeans. This is what happens when you don't have much money. I knew I didn't want to wear jeans while trekking around Africa (especially the same pair every day, gross) so I started looking early for deals on clothes. In the end, I purchased four maxi skirts on eBay and on a clothing website (using coupon codes.) I matched these up with multiple inexpensive t-shirts from Walmart- about $4 each. Six or seven shirts plus four skirts ended up making 11 or 12 days of outfits. I basically purchased an entire new wardrobe for around $70. Then I took two pairs of socks, just in case floors were gross (I wore the same sandals every day while out and about) and "unmentionables" for every day, because they just don't feel right after they've been washed in the sink (once again, cheap clothes from Walmart came in handy!) My shoes were my only real investment as I needed something sturdy and good for walking. At $70, my sandals were the most expensive article of clothing I have purchased in my life, beyond my wedding dress and prom dress. But they were worth it- my feet never hurt during the entire trip! And I still wear them now that I'm back home. Lastly, I took a few pairs of work-out style shorts. Since I went to a private school, I have developed a habit of wearing shorts under my skirts- I still do today (I wore basketball shorts under my wedding dress. Not kidding.) They made good sleep clothes (paired with one of two tank tops) and were rotated out with the ones I wore during the day. Anyway, to make  a long story short, bargain shopping and strategy made my clothes-packing pretty successful. Everything I took for myself fit into my carry-on. 
• Snacks. These came in handy. I took one or two sleeves of Saltine crackers with me in case I had tummy issues. And a little baggie of ginger snaps. These are part of my go-to bag when I'm having tummy problems or anxiety issues. Those mornings when I felt really gross mid-way through the trip, I could snack on a couple of crackers and sip my water or ginger ale, and feel a bit better. I also took two boxes of fruit leather (which is flat and easily transported) and was able to share that with some of my new friends as well. 
• Medicine. I do not regret for one second the sheer volume of medication I took with me. On my next trip, I will probably take some of it out of its packaging, but I had this weird feeling of paranoia that we would get pulled over somewhere and police would go through our bags and find my medicine, and I wanted proof that it all was what I said it was. Which might be insane, but whatever. I was prepared! I took basically everything the CDC recommended, plus whatever I wanted for my own peace of mind. Here's a list of what you could call my traveling medicine cabinet: allergy medicine; sinus medicine (super weak stuff that did NOT help on the plane ride home); many, many rolls of both Tums and Rolaids; Immodium and its prescription-strength counterpart Lamotil; my anxiety meds; my two prescription nausea meds (fast and slower-acting); Tylenol; store-brand Pepto Bismol. Plus a mini first-aid kid that had alcohol wipes and bandages. And one stick-on heating pad, and roll-on Icy Hot. Being fully prepared helped me feel at ease, and meant that I was able to help some of my fellow travelers when they weren't feeling well later in the trip. 
• Wipes. Shout wipes, baby wipes, Clorox wipes. All the wipes. I didn't end up needing the "moist wipes" or whatever they call glorified adult baby wipes, because I knew that they would probably mess up the plumbing of the actual toilets we visited, and the rest of the time I tried to avoid using the facilities. The Shout wipes came in handy when I dropped a piece of fruit on my shirt the morning I was meeting my boys. The baby wipes were very handy for cooling down in the hot sun (if you're feeling overheated, you can run a baby wipe over your arms, face, and neck- and then "towel off" with a handkerchief if you have one. Which I did.) And they were great for cleaning up sticky hands of the little ones who don't eat with a fork on a regular basis. And the Clorox wipes? My shoes got a wipe down once or twice when I did dare visit the outdoor toilets at the centers. I was hoping and praying that the moisture on the floor was just rainwater that had washed under the door, but honestly, you never know. 
• A notebook. Boy am I glad I took that notebook. It was great for a few reasons. I was able to journal each day (I needed more room than they gave us in our info book) and write down everything that happened that I remembered- which meant that I was able to provide YOU with detailed blog posts when I got home. : ) I also used the notebook for communication with the kids. Emily, a girl on the trip, had the smart idea to get the kids to write down their names when we asked. That way we'd know for sure what they were (between soft voices and accents, it could be hard to tell at times) and we'd be better at remembering them. I wouldn't know Dori's name if I hadn't had my notebook for her to write in. Plus I used it for my picture dictionary that I made with Faustina and Witness! We filled a dozen pages with pictures and descriptions in Swahili and English. This impressed my boys and their translators later in the trip! 
• Gifts. I am perfectly happy with the fact that I was able to take an entire backpack of gifts for all THREE of my boys, plus gifts for several sponsors. 
• Pashmina. I am not a scarf person, but I own a few pashminas. I like looking at them and feeling them. I took the pink and blue pashmina my mother in law got me in India on the trip- I read somewhere that it's a good idea to take a scarf on a trip because it has many uses. My scarf helped keep me warm in the chilly plane (airplane blankets are a joke.) I wore it one or two days on the trip when it was chilly in the mornings, because of the rain- and it became my "raincoat" on my way to and from dinner in Singida on most nights. Then on the way back, I used it to cover my face when I had to blow my nose, which was a lot, so I would seem less disgusting to the other passengers who were very close by. Many uses indeed. 

What I would do differently: 

• Pay the baggage fee. On my domestic flights, I had to pay $90 for overweight bags. The cost was similar for the international flights. My bag was only 3 lbs overweight, but that's the business. It would have cost $35 to check another bag, though. In the future, I will take another bag, weigh everything before I go, and save money. Plus I will have more room (read: 45 more pounds, if I can carry it) more space to take stuff to the centers, and carry gifts for other sponsors. 
• Take a different purse. And put less in it. I over thought my purse. I was really worried about the international flights- that I would have a panic attack and feel really trapped and helpless while flying for 8 hours. So I wanted to have lots of stuff within reach. Therefore my purse had my Bible, a few books (in case I couldn't get into one and it wasn't a good enough distraction), my medicines, some crackers, my chargers, my iPad, phone, and iPod shuffle, and random things like a sleep mask (which I never used) and other weird stuff. In Amsterdam, I ended up buying a new purse that had a zip closure and a long strap, which was more comfortable. I took out the stuff that I didn't need during the first leg of the trip and counted my old purse as my carry-on luggage, since it was already marked as such. Anyway, I ended up having to check my carry-on in New York because KLM counted my purse as carry-on and weighed it- and the combined weight was too much. 
• Lighten the load. In the end, I didn't read any of the three books I took, and much to my dismay, one or two of them got kind of smushed during the journey. I like my books pristine and wrinkle free. Now I kind of don't even want to finish the ones I took because they look messed up. I'm weird about books that way. I would also leave behind at least one bag of hard candy (I took three- hard candy is very soothing for me when I'm having a panic attack) and a few random other things. 
• Take a jacket. I'll repeat my line about not having many clothes. I bought a $9 simple black hoodie for this trip. And it got gross. It just smelled weird after running around JFK and the long flight and then landing in hot and humid Tanzania after two days without a shower. So I didn't want to wear it the rest of the trip (understandably.) Even if it had been clean, it wouldn't have helped much during those times I actually could have used a jacket- when it was raining! It was never cold- there was one morning when it was a little chilly- but wearing a jacket made out of sweatshirt material is not ideal in the rain. It will just absorb the water. Next time I plan on taking a jacket that does better in the rain. 
• Take stuff to help the food. I didn't mind drinking so much bottled water (many people brought instant drink mix, as it was recommended in our info packet) but after a while, the food was hard to eat. It was starch-heavy without things like sauces and salt, which we take for granted back home. Next time I will take salt, pepper, and sugar packets, and hopefully some ketchup packets, too. Not a bunch, but some. It would definitely help with the cooked potatoes and other super starchy things we had to eat. I would only use those at the hotels, though, and not at the centers, because that would look weird. 
• Take more stickers. I'd also take more gifts for the kids at the centers. One lady in our group brought candy like pixie sticks. She'd wait until we were playing a group game away from the entire herd of children, and pass them out as a part of the game. It was really fun for the kids. And you can never have enough stickers when visiting a child development center. Seriously. If you brought a garbage bag full, you'd still run out. 
• Bring pictures of my family. I took them for my boys, but didn't think about taking them to the centers. So many of the kids asked to see pictures. I had a few on my phone, but not many. They all laughed when they saw my photo of my brother's dog, though. They didn't believe he was a dog! Pugs aren't very popular in East Africa. : )
• Bring cards for the kids. At the end of the trip, I found some "pass it on" scripture cards my mom had sent in a card (did I tell you that my mom wrote me cards to read on the trip for when I was feeling homesick or anxious? My friends Jess and Mary Jane did too, and my friend Pat made me a card with a prayer for each day!) I gave those to some of the girls I made a connection with, and wrote a note on the back telling them that I would be praying for them and that I'd never forget them. Even index cards would have been good to take- I could leave more notes with more kids. 

I'm sure there are a ton of other tidbits of advice I could give, particularly if you're planning on traveling with Compassion. But these are just some random thoughts I had. Thank you for indulging me once again and reading my ramblings!  : )

High on a hill, it calls to me....

I miss Tanzania. I know that some people in my social circle might be tired of hearing me talk about it- it pops up here and there, when talking about the weather or church or other random things. It might be a tad annoying. But I miss it so much. I miss it hard. Sometimes I miss it so much that it feels like my chest is a little caved in- it's a deep longing and a sincere love in my heart.

I haven't talked about the trip on here in a while, but this post has been coming on for a few days. So many random things have reminded me of my trip recently, I've been considering doing another post, but wasn't sure how to frame it. I got to thinking about my senses, and the things I experienced with them. So I'm just going to ramble a bit. I'm going to list my five senses (even though we have more than that) and tell  you what I miss about Tanzania as they relate to those senses.

Taste. At the end of the trip, I wasn't sure I would miss many tastes of Tanzania, but I do. I don't miss the piles of rice, necessarily, but I miss the fresh fruit. I miss the best watermelon I've ever tasted, and pineapple with every meal. I miss the warm sodas (and the little kids who would finish off whatever we left- silly, wasteful us.) I miss the surprise when chapatis were offered at meals. I miss the excitement and relief of tasting familiar food at our Westerner-friendly hotels at the end of the trip. The excitement of fresh mango and the weird, flaked bacon. I miss the bottled water- Kilimanjaro brand, the only water in Tanzania, it seemed. I can't find the motivation to stay hydrated now that I'm home, but I miss carrying around entire liters of Kilimanjaro water around everywhere we went. I miss Cadbury drinking chocolate, which I can find in the international food aisle in one of my grocery stores, but it's not the same without the little purple plastic spoon and the flaming hot milk and water served everywhere we went. I miss all the weird Fanta flavors, and the very ginger-y ginger ale that I kept in my room in case I felt sick in the middle of the night.

Smell. I miss smelling all the grass and dirt. I didn't smell a lot of pollution in Tanzania. I miss smelling everyone's coffee in the morning. I miss smelling the sunscreen (not so much the bug spray, though.) Some random scent the other day reminded me of my hotel room in Singida- the place we all kind of hated. And I missed it. I miss the way my bed there smelled. I spent almost a week there. I miss the way everything smelled after one of the sudden downpours of rain.

Sound. I miss the accents so much. I miss Swahili. I miss hearing happiness in just about everyone's voice. I miss hearing smiles when people talk- you know how you talk differently when you're smiling? That inflection is in so many Tanzanian voices. I miss hearing the rustle of my mosquito net, and the constant hum of the electric fans in all the hotel rooms. I miss hearing the Muslim call to prayer on the way to breakfast, even though we don't share the same beliefs. I miss hearing Pando's random questions about America on the bus, and Philbert and Raphael joking with each other. I miss the roar of the sudden rain on the metal church roofs, even though it meant I couldn't hear what the pastors were saying. I miss hearing the bugs and the wildlife outside my window. I miss the joyful worship, and the sounds of excitement and delight of the listeners- sounds that couldn't be contained because their joy was so great. I miss the prayers- the most moving and touching, powerful and sincere prayers I have heard in my life. I miss hearing the chatter of a huge group of kids swarming around, asking for stickers. I miss hearing my name pronounced with a Tanzanian accent. I miss being called Sister. I miss hearing Said's low, calm voice, and Elisha's hollering, and Bonifas' constant giggling. I miss the rumble of the buses and the joyful welcome music that greeted us each time we pulled up to the center. I miss hearing happy voices saying "goodbye" and "I love you" as we drove away.

Sight. I miss the sunrises. I miss looking up at the sky and not seeing airplanes and helicopters and tall buildings. I miss seeing butterflies everywhere- bright purple, black with electric green, startling orange. I miss seeing the rolling hills and gorgeous valleys. I miss all the green. Green green green everywhere. I miss the trees- sometimes I'd see a landscape that looked like a less populated area back home, but the trees were swapped. I miss the mountains, even the cloudy ones that all but disappeared (thanks, Kilimanjaro!) I miss the giant rock formations of Singida. I miss purple and orange skies. I miss seeing all the plants that I've only ever seen in pots in my dad's kitchen. I miss seeing shepherds- mostly children- along the sides of the roads, waving as we drove past (even though I really hope that they could go to school.) I miss seeing the occasional group of mud huts. I miss seeing Maasai on bicycles or walking down the road. I miss the giant marabou storks that hung out by the dining hall at the mountain lodge, like giant, terrifying lawn ornaments. I miss the smiles. I miss the beautiful skirts and wraps the women wore. I miss seeing kids, from babies to teenagers, covered with stickers (and sticker scraps.) I miss all the brown earth buildings, and the dirt roads. I miss seeing goats everywhere- followed by cows and donkeys. I miss the amateur portraits of black American stars being sold by the side of the road. I miss seeing babies wrapped up in long sleeves, jackets, fur pants, and blankets, being carried on their mamas' backs. I miss the colors and patterns of the textiles. I miss seeing my boys running around on the playground, being more than a picture I carry in my purse.

Touch. I miss the hugs. I miss holding hands with four or five kids at a time. I miss the special handshakes and the air kisses (left, right, left again.) I miss tiny hands grabbing at stickers, pictures, and coloring pages. I miss the plastic chairs and the wooden benches. I miss playing tic tac toe in the dirt. I even miss having to shake the fine red dirt out of my sandals every few steps. I miss the feeling of having a semi-hot shower after 48 hours of travel, and the feeling of crawling into bed- even one that's not my own- after an amazing day during the most incredible week of my life. I miss the familiar weight of my backpack, and the feeling of putting my trusty sandals on my feet each morning. I wore them almost every day for over a month after I got back- we'd been through a lot together. I miss the first moment I took Bonifas' hand, and grabbed Said and pulled him into a hug. I miss sitting on a broken trampoline with my boys, close enough that all six of our knees touched, dealing with the understanding that they are real and with me and life, at that moment, was perfect. I miss Bonifas' hands on my arm as he prayed for me, which was the gift he presented at the end of our time together. I miss Elisha's tiny hand grabbing mine, dragging me along to climb on this and jump over that and run around something else. I miss sitting on the swings and all of a sudden feeling someone pushing me, and realizing that the hands on my shoulders are Said, whom I have known for three years, whom I love as my own son.

I miss Tanzania so much. If presented with the opportunity, I would move there in a heartbeat. I would pack up my things and go. I would miss a lot of things and people here, but I felt at home there. I felt like I belonged. I know I don't look like it, but that's the way I felt. There is a hole in my heart the size and shape of Tanzania, and there are some moments of some days where it feels overwhelming, and my love for that country and those people, and my sadness at the realization that I will likely never go there again, overflows in my heart and streams down my face as tears. I hope and pray that I can go back. And I really want to go everywhere, and see all my Compassion children. And if I get the chance to go, I'm sure there will be weepy, overly dramatic posts about those countries, too. But for now, this is what I have to work with. If you ever get the chance to go and be with your sponsor child- particularly in Africa, and especially in Tanzania- please go. Don't let fear get in the way. Do whatever you can to make it happen. You'll fall in love. You'll come back changed. And you'll probably wind up writing weepy, overly dramatic blog posts, too.

For your viewing pleasure, Bonifas and Elisha playing the harmonicas I put in their backpacks. It was Elisha's idea. And yes, you can hear him saying "whassup" in there, too. 

Help my friend get to Rwanda!

Earlier today, one of my favorite authors (Jen Hatmaker) posted about the opportunity to win a trip to Rwanda with her and several other storytellers. The trip is with the International Justice Mission (amazing people) and Noonday Collection (their partner, which is one of those awesome opportunities where you can shop for a good cause.) I didn't feel like this was the right opportunity for me, as much as I desperately want to go back to Africa, but I was sooooo excited when I saw my amazing friend Ashley has entered the contest! If you've hung around this blog long enough, you have heard of Ashley- she is mommy to my little buddy Anell! I'm very happy about this, and I want to recruit everyone I know to vote! Voting ends May 28, and at that point the people holding the contest will be narrowing the field down considerably and going from there. So we have two weeks!

You can vote every day! To vote, go check out Ashley's blog post. She has a link there that will take you to her individual voting page, where you can read her story and words of wisdom, and see the most adorable picture of her and my buddy! I love them so much! I know how supportive many people in this community are of sending folks on missions-minded trips. This is a great opportunity and doesn't cost a thing! : )

Tanzania Tour Recap: Days 11 &12

And so begins the recap of our last day in Tanzania. We woke up on Tuesday and headed to breakfast. I wish I had felt better on this leg of the trip, in part because the hotel provided some foods that I really like for breakfast and dinner. The breakfast buffet was just as large as the dinner buffet, with an omelette bar, breads with a toaster oven, bacon, fruit, cereals, little pancake thingies...and baked beans. No one understood why there were baked beans on the buffet. But I knew! There is still European/British influence over here (like having tea) and, while I've never been to England, I read a lot of British authors. One of my favorite series talks about eating beans on toast for breakfast, or eating chips and beans. I would have been quite happy to have beans on toast, but my recent experiences with my tummy convinced me not to have them. On Tuesday, I woke up with some major sinus issues. I just had a few cups of hot chocolate and a roll with butter for breakfast. I was so thankful for that hot chocolate! It made my face feel better and was very comforting.

I gathered up all the tissues I brought on the trip, we loaded up the buses, and headed off to the Tanzania country office. We had a little it of a drive- I think it was about an hour and a half. The Compassion offices are the bottom two or three floors of an office building in Arusha. To get into the building, our big bus had to turn into a very narrow drive, drive down a hill, and pull into a very tight parking lot. Our driver was amazing- there were many times when it seemed we were about an inch or two from scraping a wall or another car. This building was definitely not designed to have visits from buses!

My bus arrived second. We were already running a little late, by maybe 20 or 30 minutes. Devotions and worship were supposed to start at 8, and it had been our goal to get there in time. We got out of the bus, and saw this big fat wormy thing crawling in a drainage ditch. He left a trail of slime. I have no idea what he is, but he was interesting looking, so I took a picture to show to my husband (the guy who will call me while I'm headed to work to tell me about a big moth he saw on a wall.) There were some washrooms outside, marked Ladies and Gents, and a few people stopped in to use them. I asked if they were "holes or toilets." They said holes, but very nice, with tiles, toilet paper, and they were flushable. I started wondering if I could wait until we got to the airport that night- I'm sure the facilities wouldn't be great at the market we'd be visiting later in the day, but I definitely prefer real toilets to the holes in the ground. We got inside the building and headed to the common area- the other group was already inside, and worship had started. We came into a big room filled with nice chairs, and a space in the middle with a projector screen. The group, Compassion staff and fellow travelers, were singing an unfamiliar worship song. We got there in time to listen to two or three songs with them. I sat on the end of a row, with my purse, my tissues, and my biiiiiiig plastic bag filled with gifts for other sponsors! I looked down at one point and noticed I had a big yellow streak on my hand and arm. I had packed the gifts in the biggest plastic bag I had, which I got in the Amsterdam airport when I bought my purse. It was bright yellow, and apparently, the dye they use is very friendly and comes off the bag easily. Baby wipes to the rescue!

We spent the next four hours listening to presentations by the different departments of the country office. We also saw some familiar faces- Philbert, Raphael, Pando, Peter, and Jennifer (I didn't see Hellen there, but there were lots of people) who had traveled with us for the past week. I also saw some folks who had come to our fun day and acted as translators. I didn't spot the nice man who helped me with my boys, but I saw a few ladies who had been helping some of my friends. The presentations were really great- I wish I had been able to record them, because there was so much information in there. I remember some bits and pieces. We were able to ask questions after each presentation, too. Since the information I remember is so scattered and random, I'll just share some bullet points, and see what pops into my brain.

• The folks who "supervise" different projects are called partnership facilitators. I also heard them called CFPs. Each CFP is assigned at least 15 centers to oversee and help out. They're required to visit each one at least three times a year, but each project usually gets more visits than that. 
• Tanzania is divided into four or five regions by Compassion. One of these is the Lake region, up by Lake Victoria. There aren't as many centers there. The biggest region is the central region. It includes a huge land area and many, many cities. As more centers are added, the central region will be further broken down. 
• There are currently no CDCs on Zanzibar. I asked if they had plans to go there, and what it would take to make that happen. They said that there are churches on Zanzibar that are ready, but there are other factors that have to be considered to make that happen. It's all up to God's timing. 
• Many more churches in Tanzania would like to partner with Compassion. One thing that they have to look at, though, is whether or not they'd be able to get sponsors for those kids. The way it was explained to us, Compassion does number crunching and determines, for each country, "this is how many new sponsors we're projecting for you to have this year." That's what helps determine how many new centers they can open. 
• Compassion recently opened CDCs in two regions in the southern area of the country (I wish I had written them down!) The area is extremely poor and has some enormous economic struggles. They are also almost entirely Muslim. The department head doing this presentation said that the local faith leaders did not want Compassion coming to work there, but after a while, the people basically said "we are struggling. We need help, and they can help us. We want to do this, even if they don't share our beliefs." It seemed to me that the local faith leaders still weren't too happy about it, but no one can deny the good things that Compassion brings when they begin working in a community. 
• My friend Pando, who sat beside me on almost every bus ride (and would surprise me with random questions, like "Why did Detroit go bankrupt" and talked a lot about current events), is a field researcher. He does interviews and writes papers after Compassion puts forth things that I want to call experiments, but that's probably not the correct term. He told us about a report he was finishing up. Compassion handed out 8,000 water filtration systems to families in an area. And each water filter makes so much clean water that it benefits more than just the family that has it. They're able to share with friends and neighbors. Anyway, Pando then did a survey of 200 of those families. He found some amazing things  For example, before the water filters, over 50% of adults were experiencing waterborne illnesses, and over 60% of children. After the water filters, the incidence of illness in children dropped to 11%, and in adults, less than 2%!!! Pando said that one reason the rate of illness in children hadn't dropped quite as much is because the kids are still going to school and accessing water there- and that water probably isn't coming from a filter. He said that he spoke to so many people who just cried talking to him. One woman said that she used to have to go to hospital every week because she was so sick, and it just kept happening. Over and over again. But she hadn't been back to the doctor since she got the water filter!
• Students in the leadership development program are both education minded and service minded. They do a lot of service projects. Two LDP students were at the center we visited on Saturday, helping out on VBS day. I saw one of them, and I thought that he looked older! They helped serve lunch and assisted with some other things. LDP students are also required to participate in a sort of support group with other LDP students. It helps them grow as Christians, and they can encourage each other in their studies and in every day life. 
• We also saw some photos of some families whose lives are being transformed by Compassion- they're receiving new houses. There was a family whose home was destroyed by flooding, and the home wasn't super sturdy looking to begin with. Then we saw the after photo. It looked like a proper house. A tiny one, but a house nonetheless. The homes that Compassion builds are three rooms- one for the parents or guardians, one for boys and one for girls. Cooking and washing up are still taken care of outside in other buildings. But these homes have floors and real walls and roofs. It was exciting to see. 

We did have a break in the presentations- time for tea! They had set up a table in the foyer of the building, with tea, coffee, hot chocolate and snacks. I was waiting in line and saw a bowl of something that looked very familiar- POTATO CHIPS. I asked my friends that were nearby: "are those chips? Real chips? Like, from a bag?" THEY WERE. You have no idea how exciting that was. They weren't quite as salty as American chips, but they had salt and were properly fried and had a bit of grease on them. Just like home. They might have been Lays. That's what they tasted like. There was also a bowl of almonds and some plantain chips. I filled a napkin with potato chips, made myself a cup of wonderful hot chocolate, and we stepped aside to look at the posters and signs to have a chat. I then noticed that there were more bathrooms inside. And do you know what was in there? Real toilets! I was so happy. I kept clapping my hands and singing little songs about the toilets and the chips. It was so wonderful. And did I mention there was air conditioning? The first we'd experienced on the trip. I heard some people saying they felt a little cold, and they were laughing about it. 

We had such a wonderful time with the Compassion staff at the country office. The head of Compassion Tanzania was so nice and wonderful to listen to. I think my favorite speaker was Sister Agnes. She's kind of Philbert's boss. She had  pretty braids and a pretty red dress and a big smile. And she was funny. I really liked her. 

Lunch was two levels up from where we spent the majority of the morning. On the second floor, there were offices, including the mail room. There were four people in there when I stopped by, working away. I didn't want to get in their way, so I took a blurry picture from the doorway.

Lunch was in a mostly empty room on the third floor, that had a few tables, desks, and plastic chairs. They served traditional foods for us- chicken, rice, pilau, greens, beans, fruit. The only difference from lunch at the centers was that they also served chapatis. I saw some people spooning their lunches onto chapatis and making a makeshift burrito for lunch! I didn't feel like eating much, so I ate some beans and rice and a little bit of banana. After we ate, we stayed in the same room and listened to two LDP students give their testimonies. One of them, Benson, is going to be president of Tanzania someday. He's charismatic and driven and he loves the Lord and loves his people. And he's been planning on being president since he was a kid! As we left, I shook his hand and told him I'd vote for him if I could. We got back on the buses and headed out to the market. 

The market was so stressful. Going in there stressed me out more than anything else on the trip. As we were on the way there, Keith was giving us all these pointers- stay in groups of three, don't take your purse, here's how to haggle, etc. I felt so freaked out that I claimed Keith as my market buddy and just stuck with him as we walked around. The market was interesting. It was a bit like an outdoor flea market, only extremely high pressure and very crowded. We only had about an hour there. There are women set up at the entrance to the market, selling their wares from blankets because they can't afford a stall. The stalls are dark and concrete. Everyone is hollering for you, grabbing your hand, insisting you come into their shop. One guy wouldn't give me my hand back when I wanted it. Tawnya took off her nametag because she felt weird after people kept hollering it at her. All the ladies called me sister, and several said they liked my skirt. The bad thing about the market is that everyone was selling basically the same stuff. Everywhere we went on the trip that sold souvenirs, it was all the same. I think that some things are made in Tanzania, and some things are imported. The bathroom break area/gift shop on the road to Singida, the market, the gift shop in Tarangire, the tiny stand at the mountain lodge, and even the shops in the airport- they all sell the same things. Here's a list. 

• Wood carvings of various sizes
• Soapstone carved animals
• T-shirts, scarves, and wraps
• Beaded sandals
• Beaded necklaces and bracelets
• Batik paintings
• Postcards
• Bottle openers

I did buy a few things at the market. Keith got a basket full of stuff for around $15 after a lot of haggling (he has a strategy and it's very effective.) I got a string of beaded cuff bracelets for my Bible study friends (I got them from a lady at the front, after her buddy around the corner was really rude and didn't want to give me any kind of a deal.) I felt good buying the bracelets because I know they're made right there- we saw some of the women working on them. They make seed bead bracelets, and these metal cuff things, and some other beaded projects. I got a wooden trinket box for my aunt (it had elephants on it, and they're her favorite animal) and some small carvings for both sets of grandparents and my cousin. Just little knick knacks. I really wanted to bring something back for them, but after a while I wasn't particularly interested in getting a souvenir for myself, which is definitely not what I would have expected. My boys brought me things, and I got my batika from the CSP and a collar necklace from Tarangire. 

We left the market and headed out. The sun was setting as we headed to the airport. The sky was beautiful. We had Mt. Meru in the distance behind us, and we knew that Kilimanjaro was nearby. We finally found it, but it was completely obscured by clouds. I took a picture. You can see a tiny bit of the slope on the horizon, on the right hand side of the photo.

Kilimanjaro is the dark blue-ish line on the right side of the horizon

And there's Mt. Meru, and the pretty sunset

Kilimanjaro airport is pretty small. There are just four gates, and they all share the same waiting area, and you have to walk out onto the runway to your plane. The only food in the airport is at the bar. There's a little grill that serves burgers, egg sandwiches and avocado sandwiches. We all had burgers, I think, with fries (chips.) Mayonnaise is the only condiment you can get on your burger, which is fine. If you want cheese, it's shredded. The burger itself was good- it had onions mixed in. They brought around ketchup for the fries, but in Tanzania, ketchup is tomato sauce. Literally, just tomato sauce. It's very runny and thin, but it helped. I was basically out of Kleenexes at this point, so I went to the little line of shops and asked around. They sell vaseline, but not Kleenexes. No tissues. No hankies. No nothing. I pretended I had spilled part of my drink and asked for more napkins at the bar...I got three. I was able to buy some magnets at the airport, though. The souvenir shop had asked way too much for them, but the airport shop had them for a decent price. I was really happy about that. My friend Jess and I collect fridge magnets- when she goes on a trip, she brings me one, and vice versa. So I got us some Kilimanjaro magnets. 

We were finally able to get on the plane, and I slept almost the whole time. We had to stop in Dar Es Salaam to let more people on, but I only woke up briefly for that. I was miserable at this point. Descending in the plane made my head feel like it was going to explode. I had my hands on my ears and my eyes were watering. I was trying really hard not to cry, because I felt whiny and I was embarrassed. One of the flight attendants was really nice and brought me a stack of napkins to keep with me. When we took off again, I went back to sleep, and didn't wake up until we were landing in Amsterdam- when my head was exploding again. 

We had a bit of a layover in Amsterdam, which was a relief. I stopped in the bathroom to freshen up, and then sought out a souvenir shop. I picked up more magnets for myself and Jess (little windmills that move!) and some souvenirs for my parents. I was running really, really low on money now. Really I had overspent, since I had to pay so much in baggage fees and everything getting there. I got my mom a pack of tulip pens (tulips are her favorite flower.) I wanted to bring my dad some flower bulbs, but they were too expensive after converting Euros to dollars. Instead, I got a heavy box of stroopwafels for him and my brother. Those are Dutch wafer cookies- they're thin waffle-looking things with a layer of syrup in between. They had them at the snack bar on the flight to Tanzania, and they were so good. You can get them in caramel or honey flavored. Then I left my carry-on luggage with my group near the gate, and went with Jeanie to find some breakfast. I got a hot chocolate and the best muffin I've ever eaten- chocolate with white chocolate chunks. It was so good. I never found any tissues, but when I came back to sit down with my group, my friend Emily said she had seen some. She offered to go get some for me, and I gave her the last of my money- a $10. I told her to bring me everything they had. She came back with a bag full of a dozen little Kleenex packets (they're folded differently in Europe, so they make a tinier package. And some were printed with cupcakes) along with $5 in change! Woohoo! My baggie of tissues and I headed onto the plane. For the last leg of our trip together, I was seated with Joyce, my family group leader. She had the window, and I settled in to watch TV. More of my favorite shows were available for watching on this flight, including three episodes of my absolute favorite- Arrested Development. It was comforting to be able to watch something I love, that always makes me laugh, when I was feeling so poorly. I watched all those and then watched Top Chef for the next 8 hours or so. I felt some better, but got a bit of an upset stomach as we were flying over New York. We landed, went through customs and immigration in America, and headed to find our bags. A few people had to race off to get to their flights, so we kept having to stop and say goodbyes as we waited for our bags. Once I got mine, I gave out a few hugs to some brave souls who were willing to hug me, said "see you around facebook"", and made my way to the sky train or whatever it's called to find my terminal. When I got there, I stopped at another souvenir shop. I spent the last bit of my money (I found a little more in my wallet) on two NYC magnets, and an incredibly expensive sandwich at Au Bon Pain. I ate and got on facebook and talked to my mom on the phone- without having to worry about the minutes! I was able to tell her a little more about my day with the boys, and she told me some stuff going on at home. 

My connecting flight to Charlotte ended up being very full, so they offered to check my carry-on at the gate. That was nice because I just had my purse to worry about. Strangely enough, out of all the flights I'd been on, the two domestic flights coming home were the least comfortable of all. A lady had a fit on the New York to Charlotte flight, because she wanted a book and some other stuff from her luggage....that was underneath the plane. They finally got her to sit back down, but security still greeted her at the gate. Fun. When I got to Charlotte, I found that my flight had been delayed. I wouldn't be leaving until when I was originally planning on landing in Louisville. I lost it. I was sick and hot and uncomfortable. I was exhausted and had been wearing the same clothes for a long time. I went in the bathroom and cried. It took a while to find my gate, because some bits of the flight info had been updated, but others hadn't. For example, the board said my flight was on time, but the gate had changed. So I got to the gate, but since my flight was actually delayed, they said another flight was there. I finally determined where I was supposed to be, went and got a drink, and came back to sit down. I dozed off a few times. There was another security issue with a man who swore he wasn't drunk insisting on taking the plane that left before ours. Closer to time for us to depart, several people wearing University of Kentucky shirts came and sat down. Most of them weren't traveling together. A college-aged girl sat across from me, and I told her I was so glad to see her shirt, because I'd been very far away from home, and it was so good to see another Cats fan. She smiled and said that we were playing really well (the tournament had just started.) And then we headed home. My parents, my husband, and my mother in law were waiting for me at the airport. It was dark and quiet. My mom was waiting for me with a box of Kleenex, some cold meds, and framed prints of the pictures of my boys that I had sent her two days before. I headed home, took a shower, and went to sleep. And that was the end of that. 

I have a few more stories to share on here, but this is the end of my recap posts. The trip was such an incredible experience. and I am beyond thankful that I was able to go. It was life changing. I want to go back. I miss Africa. I miss the Tanzanian people. And I am also really looking forward to going on my next trip! 

Thanks for reading my posts! I know they were long and a bit rambly, but I had lots to share! : )

Tanzania Tour Recap: Day 10

Here are my memories of the most important day of the trip- the day I got to meet my boys!

Day 10- March 17

We were so thankful that we woke up feeling better than the night before. I went to breakfast and fixed myself a cup of drinking chocolate. I sat with Sean that morning, our group leader. He was asking me about what I did back home, and we talked about the VBS day a bit. I think I was telling him about the library and how I get to do crafts and thing even though I'm not the children's librarian. He said that the crafts turned out wonderfully, and things turned out great, even though we left all the stuff we'd planned on using at the other hotel. He then said "you must be a very calm, level-headed person", because I didn't get flustered about the craft thing. I cracked up and told him that literally no one who knew me would ever describe me as calm. I thought that was funny. But I guess it goes to show you that under different circumstances (like being so far away from home, in a special situation, surrounded by people I don't know) you respond differently to things than you would if you were in your comfort zone.

The kids were supposed to show up at about 9:30 in the morning, so Christina and I headed back to our room after breakfast to get the bags we had for our kids. While we were there, I got on facebook on my phone (yay wifi!) and my friend Heidi had just posted that the buses with the kids were pulled up at the hotel! We ran outside and there was a golf cart waiting to speed us over to the playground/convention area of the hotel. The buses arrived early, but they waited a little bit to bring the kids to us. The place where we were meeting was pretty awesome. There was a two story building that could be used for meetings. On the first floor, there were lots of tables and chairs. There was a patio area outside, where they were setting up food and drinks. On the second floor of the building, there was a big open room where we'd be keeping our gifts for the kids, and restrooms. Outside there were several pieces of playground equipment. There were a few swings, jungle gym type things, some monkey bar stuff, a few benches and chairs...there was a small trampoline that was broken, but I think the rest of it was in working condition. Lots of space to run and play! We formed two lines to greet the kids, and we were going to sing for us like they did when we visited the centers. As our kids arrived, and since we were greeting everyone with "Jambo" and shaking hands, the singing didn't work out after a while, but hey. We tried. It was fun seeing the different sponsors finding their kids as they made their way down the line. Sometimes there were shy hugs and handshakes. I looked over and Krista, who was at the beginning of the line, was just standing and hugging her girl tight. They were both crying. I was told right before the kids came up that my child was late. I asked "one, or all of them?" He wasn't sure, but he guessed just one. I didn't know which one it would be, though.

At one point, a nice man with a suit jacket reached out to shake my hand, and asked my name. There was a small child tagging along right behind him, and then another man and a teenage boy. When I said my name was Jessi, I was looking at the little boy tagging along with this fellow. I have one picture of Bonifas, and he's smiling. This kid had the same smile. I shook his hand and told him I was really happy to meet him. Then the man in the suit jacket said "and this is Said, and brother Bonifas, from his child development center." I got a good look at Said and gave him a hug. I told him that he had gotten big, which didn't really make sense since we'd never met before. But he looks so much older than he did in my last photo of him, which was from November 2012. By process of elimination, I determined that Elisha was the one stuck in traffic.

My boys and their helpers made their way through the rest of the line, and then we all split up and went off with our kids, to spend some time together. We were told that we could bring down a few little gifts to keep with us as icebreakers, and then we'd do a real presentation of gifts later in the day. I had shoved the small photo albums I brought for the boys into my pack, and we went to find a seat. The best we could do was to sit on the edge of the broken trampoline. I had Said on my left, and Bonifas on the right. Said was wearing the leather sandals I've seen in some of his other pictures, long pants, a polo shirt and a track jacket. He brought a backpack with him. Bonifas was wearing a collared shirt and a little sweater. He looked so handsome! They both did. We sat together and talked for a little bit, with the help of the translator (I wish I had written down his name- it wasn't easy to remember!) Bonifas had a long car drive to the meeting place where they all loaded on the buses. Said got to ride in an airplane! I asked if it was his first time on a plane, and he said yes. I asked if it was exciting, and he said yes. They said it was a 45 minute flight. He had the little carry-on tag on his backpack. I was so happy for him, that he got to have that experience. I asked if he was nervous about being on the plane. When the translator asked him, he smiled and said something. The translator laughed and said "he was not afraid because he is not a small child." I laughed and told him I was nervous about the flight coming to Tanzania, because it was such a long trip! I described how long the journey was, and the stops we made along the way. I told the boys that it was a miracle from God that I was sitting there with them, because I wasn't sure it would ever happen. I told him that so many friends and family donated money so I could go on the trip, and I also made crafts and sold them to raise money. Said looked interested and asked what I made, and I thought, well shoot. How am I going to explain fusion beads? And the fact that I would make cartoon characters out of melted plastic and sell them to people? I did my best. He said that people where he lives make jewelry and cloths.

I asked the boys about their families. I did confirm Said's sister's name, which was translated wrong in one letter. It's Moshi, and she's 10 years old, which is good because I was worried the stuff I'd packed for her would be a little too "young." Bonifas is the second of four children. He has three sisters. One of them is named Karen, which is my mom's name! Bonifas (also called Boni and Bonifasi) grins as he speaks, and as he listens. He just smiles all the time. He smiled extra big when I told him about his sister sharing a name with my mom. The boys also told me about some of the livestock they have, and Bonifas said that they have some donkeys. My grandmother has a pet mule, and the markings I saw on the Tanzanian donkeys reminded me of Wilbur (the mule.) So I told them about the horses at my grandparents' house, and about Wilbur, and that Mammaw even has a t-shirt with his picture on there. Bonifas got excited and asked what we use donkeys for where I live. Well, nothing really! I said that Wilbur was a pet, but my uncle and my grandpa have a garden, and one of the big horses they used to have would help pull a plow. Then they got to asking what we grew in the garden, and they told me what they grow. I told them I had eaten watermelon every day in Tanzania, but where I live, watermelon only grows a few months a year. They were interested in comparing our lives like that. They also took the time to tell me thanks for writing and sponsoring them. They did a little presentation out of it. I would do anything for these boys- I don't need their thanks. But it gave Said the opportunity to talk about when he broke his leg- he apparently fell out of a bus or truck after leaving school one day. While he was describing this, and telling me that Compassion paid for him to go to the doctor, he pulled up his pants leg- he has a big scar. I have a feeling he had to have surgery on his leg. I'm so thankful that Compassion got him the medical help he needed! And I'm glad I got to learn a little more about what happened. I also had the chance to tell the boys how I became their sponsor. I told Said about how I wanted to write letters to kids, and asked for a correspondence child. I had been asking for girls, but when I stopped, I got him- and I love him so much. Then I told them both that I registered for the trip as an act of faith, that God would provide the money to go. I told them I started trying to find sponsors for other Tanzanian children, and if I found a sponsor for a child, I would bring a gift for that child. I told them I tried to find a sponsor for Bonifas, and I loved his smile. After about six weeks, I told my mom I was sad that he didn't have a sponsor because he was so handsome and happy. And now she helps me sponsor him! The translator loved this story, and told Bonifas "smiling found you a sponsor! Smiling is wonderful!"

Then we decided to look through the pictures I brought. Before I left, mom and I put together photo albums for all three boys. They basically had the same pictures in them. I labeled them as she put them in the albums. They eagerly looked through them, pointing and looking to me to tell them what each picture was. They just ate it up. And then I told them that there were blank pages so they could add pictures that I send to them, whether they're pictures of our time together, or other random pictures I send. Bonifas smiled away. He's so happy! After we looked at photos, we were called over to the building so we could have tea together. I fixed a cup of hot milk and added some chocolate, but I wasn't paying attention (because I was so excited) and didn't see that they put out the cocoa. Which is just plain cocoa. And I didn't add sugar. Needless to say, I didn't drink much. They also had the little fritters and African donut things that we'd had a few other times during the trip. As we were sitting and enjoying our tea, Elisha showed up with his helper from his center. I heard they had a 12 hour drive, and then got stuck in traffic coming into Arusha. They sat him down by me, and he gobbled up his hot milk and fritters. He was soooooo shy at first. When I'd ask questions, he'd speak into his shoulder, away from me, and even the translator could barely hear him. This is a stark contrast to how he acted the rest of the day. After tea, I went upstairs and brought down the soccer ball and pump that I had brought for Said. We then went outside and played! All three boys are good. Said is also great with the little boys. He didn't seem annoyed that they were there- he just acted like a big brother or responsible babysitter, helping them with their food and tea or whatever else they needed. We kicked the ball around outside....Elisha did tricks and crazy kicks and ran around like a madman. Bonifas is very clumsy and falls down a lot. He fell down every few minutes kicking the ball. And he fell down a lot later, too. But he smiled the whole time.

This is Elisha

This is Said

And Bonifas!

I was pretty surprised that Said got on this merry go round thing, obviously meant for smaller kids!

As Bonifas and Elisha passed me on this thing, Elisha shouted something and then they started making gunfire noises. The translator said "he wants you to know he's shooting at you." Pretending they're on fighter jets is a bit more masculine than big plastic duckies. 

Guess who's about to fall down? 

I am not athletic. I was also wearing sandals, and that's not the easiest thing to kick a soccer ball in. I mean, these kids can kick it around barefoot, but not me. So I ended up sitting down to take some pictures. A few other folks joined our game to kick the ball around. It was very hot on this day- maybe the hottest day of the trip- and playing outside made it even hotter. I was getting pretty worn out from the sun and playing, so I suggested we go inside and play with some of the art supplies I brought. I brought down the pencil bags full of stuff, the crayons, markers, colored pencils, and drawing pads, We all sat together and I talked to the translator and the boys while they drew. Bonifas' drawings are very interesting, and a bit hard to figure out when he's not there to explain them. As they drew, I was guessing what they were drawing- in Swahili! That picture dictionary that Faustina and I made really came in handy. Said started drawing an airplane, and I looked it up. I called out "ndege!" and he gave a small smile and nodded. The translator said good job, and told me that ndege is also their word for bird! They just call them both the same word. Then Said started drawing a bus. Faustina had told me that bus was "dala dala." When I asked Said, he shook his head and just said "bus." Then the translator laughed and explained again that a dala dala is a specific kind of bus. One kind is smaller, like the ones we'd been driving around in. But then there are big ones that go through the cities, carrying loads of people and whatever they're taking with them- even if their "luggage" is livestock, like chickens and goats! We cleaned up our art supplies and went back outside to play some more before lunch, and it was lots of fun (but very hot.)

When lunch was served, we went through the lines. It was a self-serve buffet, set up by the same folks that had served us dinner the night before. I think the kids were used to being served at the centers, though, because they stopped at each station and held out their plates. They got some of everything, but they didn't serve themselves. I think that the hotel employees were a little confused at first, but that's ok. There was more of the same food we'd been eating- some traditional stuff, like the chicken, rice, and pilau, and then some of the stuff for tourists, like macaroni (plain pasta) and rolls, I think. I know that I ate a few bits of rice and some cucumber raita, and then cake and fruit for dessert. The translator asked if I wasn't used to the food, and I explained that many of us had a bad stomach the night before. He smiled and said "ah, you must be selective!" Bonifas ate his food fast. And he ate a lot of stuff. Said chose a Mt. Dew to go with his meal, and that's what I had picked, too (this was the only time I saw that drink on the trip!) The Compassion staff members were getting their food, so we were alone with no translator, but I held up my Mt. Dew and gave him a thumbs up, and he laughed. Elisha didn't eat much because he was still full from tea/second breakfast, and he got a little restless. I gave him my camera to show him pictures from the trip, and then let him wander around and take some. I had a nice chat with the translator. When the boys were quiet, he'd ask me questions about America or my family. He was so nice and very helpful, but I think it would have been nice to also share what I was saying with the boys, even though they hadn't asked. Just random stuff, like "I asked her how long she's been married. She said four years in January." But the boys didn't seem like they were left out, so I guess it was ok.

My boys!!

After lunch, we went back outside to present gifts. They headed on out while I ran upstairs to get the backpacks. We had a few chairs near a tree, so we all sat down. Each project worker (Brother Bonifas from Said's center, quiet Rose from Bonifas' center, and the nice young man who came with Elisha) had a camera, and they were ready to take pictures. The boys presented gifts to me first. I was surprised, and very honored. Elisha brought several gifts. I think they probably took him to a souvenir shop and let him pick out whatever he wanted. He brought a tote bag, a Tanzanian flag, a Maasai postcard (which I had also seen at Tarangire) and a notecard that had a tiny batik painting. These things were really cool, and they were everywhere. It's pretty cool that he brought me one because I had thought about getting one, but I was low on money, and this one is special because he picked it out and wrote his name on the back! Said's gift was a kitenge cloth from Morogoro region, where he lives. He draped it over my shoulders and I worked really hard not to cry. The kitenge cloth is just a big, versatile piece of cloth. It can be used as a dress, a top, or whatever you need it to be. Then they said Bonifas had his own gift- he wanted to pray for me. So I sat down, and he put his tiny hands on my arm and prayed. I have no idea what he said, but he said it quietly and in Swahili. And then he said amen, and smiled, and we shook hands. The Compassion staff took photos of everything- each individual gift. We ended up using all the memory in my camera, and switched to my phone.

Then it was my turn to present gifts to the boys. I had a backpack full of stuff for each of them. I said Elisha should probably go first, because he is just a ball of energy that never stops, and I didn't think he'd be able to wait very long. Seriously. Any time we stopped to even talk for a moment, he'd spot a piece of playground equipment he hadn't attacked yet and run off!

I didn't get to take a picture of the stuff in the backpacks the night before I met up with the boys, but I do have a photo of them with each individual item. Washcloth 1, washcloth 2, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc. It was sweet.

Bonifas went second. His stuff was almost identical to Elisha's, since they're so close in age. Like, they each had four Hot Wheels cars, but they were different. They each had an activity book that my mom had picked out. They each got a polo and a long sleeved shirt, but different colors. Things like that.

Bonifas never had his sunglasses on straight. 

While Bonifas was opening his backpack, Elisha was wandering around in the background. When he got the sunglasses out of his bag, he put them on right away, and they looked great. So Bonifas is holding up soap and hand towels and getting his picture taken, and I hear Said chuckling beside me. Elisha is sitting off to the side, sunglasses on, holding the harmonica up to his mouth. He looked like a little blues singer, even though he didn't know what that was!

Then it was Said's turn. The first thing he brought out of the bag was the hot pink princess bag I put together for his sister. So I explained who it was for, and he opened it up and held a few things up for the camera. He went through the rest of the bag, and when he got to the necklace that I brought for his mom, I stopped him and told him there was a special story that went along with it. We found out last year that Said's little sister Huba passed away. When I read the letter, I was on the phone with my mom, and told her. We already knew that I was going to Tanzania.She got Said's mom a "memorial tear" necklace in memory of Huba, which was a little silver necklace that had a rose and a Bible verse on it. So as I explained this story, that it was a gift from my mom to his, Said quietly said thank you, and Brother Bonifas (or Big Bonifas, as I started calling him) came over with tears in his eyes, and shook my hand and said "asante sana. Thank you so much." It was a nice moment.

Elisha was getting restless as Said went through the rest of his gifts, and wandered into the pictures a few times. After we were done, we had some more playtime. The little boys wanted to run around on the playground equipment, and I told Said he could play, too. There was a single swing on the jungle gym they were climbing on, and I went to swing on it. Said came over and pushed me! I thought that was so sweet! Elisha and Bonifas just run and jump and climb nonstop. It's crazy. They yelled and shouted. Anytime Elisha wanted me to come see something, he would yell "teacher! Teacher!" and then make a face and run away. He liked it when I'd roar at him like a lion and start to chase him. Or he and Bonifas would be standing, waiting for me to run after him, and I'd start walking toward them while looking at something else, pretending I didn't see them. They'd be standing there giggling, wondering if I was going to come after them. And then I'd roar and they'd take off, shrieking. It was so much fun. I taught Said to play tic tac toe on this giant board they had, with the x's and o's painted on little barrels that spun. We tied most of the time. When Said wants to stop something, like the merry go round, or he's tired of tic tac toe, he'd say "enough!" in English. And I loved it every time he said it. He was pretty quiet when I was with him- not out of shyness, I think, but it just seems like part of his nature. He has a low laugh and a low, quiet voice. When the boys were running around like crazy and I needed a sit down, he would sit in a chair next to me, with his hand on my chair. He was just happy to be with me, even if I wasn't doing anything interesting.

Said and I were sitting and watching the other boys. I got out my phone to see what time it was, and I had a text from my mom. I decided to turn on the cell data and send her a picture. Said understands enough English to know what I meant when I said "let's send a picture to my mom." So I sent this and said "Said says hi!" When she responded, I told him "my mom says hi", and he smiled!

I turned around and my boy was putting on one of the shirts I brought. I'm so proud. #BBN!! Go cats!

Elisha came over and we took a picture with him, too. He heard "picture" and wanted to grab the phone. Said was trying to hold him back and explain that we would take the picture....this is the best shot we got. : )

Fun game: throw a soccer ball to kids on a swing set and let them kick it while swinging!

Said and I had fun on the swings. Rose, in the background, came over to push me. I said I was fine, but the translator said "we will help our sister!" I think we should call each other brother and sister more often. 

Elisha told Bonifas to get his sunglasses and harmonica. When they were ready, they came over and started playing for me. I have video of this and it's amazing. Elisha only knows a few words in English, and one of those words is "whassup." 

Elisha reading the Easter book my momma got for him

 Bonifas and Elisha got matching soccer bunnies! 

Our time was coming to a close, so we gathered for prayer. The boys shared prayer requests with me, and I wrote them all down. They all asked that I pray for their centers, as well as their schooling and families. Said and Elisha want to be doctors when they grow up. Bonifas wants to be a science teacher. I prayed for them, and thanked God over and over that we were able to spend the day together. Earlier in the day I had burst out with a "Bwana asifiwe", or "praise the Lord!" They all loved it and the translator gave me a high five, and said I was becoming a real Tanzanian.

We all gathered together for a group picture- the whole, big, crazy group. Said sat beside me. Bonifas and Elisha just jumped in wherever they wanted to (I think they moved about six times as we were arranging ourselves, trying to fit in the shot.) Then we walked up to the access road where the buses were waiting. We said our goodbyes. Bonifas and Elisha just smiled and said kwaheri (bye) and were ready to be on their way. I roared at Elisha one last time, and he roared back and smiled. I told Said I would write to him as soon as I got home, to tell him I got home safely, and he laughed when I told him that it would probably take two months to get to him. Then Brother Bonifas stopped and spoke with me before he left to get on the bus. He was such a nice man. He told me thank you many times, and blessed me and said that he has worked at that center for about 10 years, and he was so glad that I wrote to Said and cared about him, and told me that it makes all the difference in the world to the kids where he lives. Sponsored kids have such better lives in that area, he said, and the whole community knows it. And he thanked me some more, and shook my hand and gave me a hug, and told me they'd be praying for me. I am blessed to have met him,

I stepped off to the side where the other sponsors were, talking and crying and waving at the kids on the buses. I didn't cry as I saw them leaving, but I think I might have when I got back to the room, or maybe before bed that night. Just a little bit. It's hard knowing that I probably won't ever see them again this side of heaven. It was hard knowing I'd be heading home the next day, after this amazing and incredible adventure. At this point, our journey was essentially over. All my thoughts about what to do when I got home- what I'd say to people, what stories we had to share, how life was going to be different- started settling in. And we talked about that a little bit after dinner. It's a really weird feeling. It's just very surreal.

My day with my boys was great. I'm thankful for every minute we spent together. I'm glad we were all feeling better and that illness and discomfort didn't get in the way of our time with our kids. I'm glad that I got to learn more about Bonifas' and Elisha's personalities- I still have several years of form letters ahead with both of them, and seeing them in person, talking to them and watching them and listening to them, has definitely made me feel more connected to them in a way that it might have taken years to develop through letters. The whole day was amazing, and I loved it.

There's still one more day of recaps to go, so be sure to check back and read about our time at the Tanzania country office. I learned a lot, and I do have a few things to share from that day as well!