Post Seven

Well, today is one week since the wreck. It doesn't seem like a week has already gone by. I'm healing pretty well. Both emotionally and physically. I still have my moments when I break down because of the reality of the situation. I got my stitches out yesterday. It was a lot bigger than I expected. When they told me I only had 3 stitches I thought it was small...wrong. It probably should have had about 7 stitches. But its Africa and I guess they did what they knew to do. Everything else is healing fine. My elbow is finally closing up, my knees is looking better. My bad itches likes crazy. At the doctor yesterday they put honey...pure honey...on my head and elbow wounds. They said it helps to dry it out and heal faster. Seems crazy to me, but lets hope it works! I have another doctors visit tomorrow and I hope I can return to work on Monday.

We had a funeral for Elizabeth here. It was a nice service. We sang songs in both languages. It was neat to have blended the Tanzanian culture and the culture back home. After the funeral they took us to the airport. We were walked into the cargo area where we had to watch them seal her coffin and prepare for the travels. It was something I did not need to see. But they thought that if we saw her off and knew she was taken care of that it would help us. They intentions were good. She arrived back to her family yesterday. I just feel for them.

Thank you all for all your thoughts and prayers.

Post Six

I'm not really sure where to start. I'm sure yall are aware by now that I was involved in a wreck. We left home base about 115 on Friday afternoon. It was Elizabeth, Naomi, Liz, Me, Chaira, Marci, and Lindsay. About 5 pm a passing truck lost a boulder sending it into our lane. We hit it and lost control. Our driver did all he could to prevent the wreck. We ended up flipping 2.5 times before coming to a stop on the right side of the truck. The last thing I remember is hearing the noise, swerving and grabbing the "oh crap" handle. I hit my head and dont remember anything else until I was out of the truck. I have 3 stitches in my head, my elbow is cut open, my shoulder pretty bruised and sore, my knee is cut from glass and im sore all over...I'm very lucky it wasnt worse. Five of the other girls have similar injuries. Elizabeth, however, didnt make it. She was 21 years old from Canada. I cant believe she gone...I cant believe this happened. I cant think about what her family is going through. She was very close to her family and spoke of the often. She will go back to Canada on Wednesday. We are having a service her for in Arusha before they take her to the airport. Today was really hard because some of my housemates and me had to pack her stuff and make a list of everything she had. Mama Grace (our house mom) has a son who said it was Gods plan that we were all sent to africa to escort Elizabeth to heaven. That we are her angels. I ask that yall pray her for safe return to Canada and for her family.

As for me, my first reaction was that I wanted to come home. But after a few days of thought I decided I wanted to stay. I want to stay for Elizabeth, she loved it here. She loved her kids at work. I want to stay for the girls in the house. I cant get through this without them. I want to stay for myself....for my own healing. I'm not sure how long I plan on staying. I dont want nor do I think I could stay the intended 3 months. I think, think, I may stay another 6 weeks. My grief comes in waves, but I'm doing okay.

After we were all transported to the hospital people came and raided the truck. All our cameras, ipods, money, etc. was stolen. It makes me sick that people are so heartless. They tell us its gangs that do that stuff.

Thank yall for all your thoughts and prayers and I ask that you keep them coming....for all of us involved. Thank you mom and dad for all your support. Yall have been amazing through all this. Same to you Jana!

I love all and miss all!

Oh, and the hospital was chaotic. Thats a story for another day.

Post Five

This is my closest. I share it with Lindsay. The top two shelves are mine and the bottom ones are hers. We share the hanging space. Our lock boxes and under the bottom shelf.
















This is the bathroom. Notice everything is in one stall and there is not a shower curtain so the floor gets very wet! There are three stalls. One bedroom has their own bathroom. Ive only had one cold shower! ha.

















This is my bed. Its pretty comfy. It has something similar to a memory foam mattress. You cant the see the mosquito net because its rapped up during the day (because it gets in the way) but i pull it down at night and tuck it into the sides of the bed. It sounds simple...but its not.

Post Four

This is a little boy from work. He's one of my favorites! I'm not sure of his age but he is so funny. He loves to laugh! He was unsure of the camera and didnt know to smile...even though I tried to show him. He likes to be tickled and he likes funny faces. Today at milk time he got so excited about his milk he poured it all over himself. He gave me this silly look then acted like nothing happened and drank the rest of what was in his cup. This picture was taken on the play ground. You can kinda see the slides in the background. They are made out of wood. The kids love the playground!!

On a different note.... I hiked to a waterfall on Sunday. It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen. It was spiritual and calming and a good place to reflect on everything I've been doing since I've gotten here. It cant even describe how beautiful it was. I took lots of pictures but they dont do it justice. It was a 45 min hike down steep hills then up even steeper hills then back down. It was so worth it though. Im hiking to a waterfall again tomorrow. I leave the house at 8 am and will get back around 6. Ill be hiking up to the waterfall then back down and then I'll hike into a cave. I'm pretty excited..it's waterfalls on Kilimanjaro...why wouldnt I be excited! :) The local volunteers say that its even more beautiful than the one I went to on Sunday. I'm not sure how that is possible.

I leave Friday for a Safari. I'm totally excited! I dont know what else to say other than I'm excited. I cant even picture what its like to see elephants and all those animals in real life. Oh...and at the end of the safari i get to ride a camel.

I was going to load more pictures but my camera died...so sorry.

Hope yall are doing well! I miss all of you!

Post Three

Ive been here for one week. I love it. The food is better than I thought....but still not eating a lot of it. My placement is hard but good. I love my kids. They have stolen my heart. I work in an orphanage. The kids parents either died of AIDs are were left on the street to die because they werent wanted by their families. The kids dont have shoes that fit, clean clothes, clean beds, clean anything, toys that work right or family and yet they have a smile on their faces everyday. They are so remarkable. It puts into perspective that even on my worst of days i have nothing to complain about....nobody does. The smells of the place can be overwhelming at times. They eat a small bowl of rice and beans for lunch everyday. Its hard work...physically and emotionally...but i love it!

The living conditions in the house are great. 3 meals a day, a lady comes in a cleans up our room and makes our beds while we are at work, she cleans the bathrooms and a lady from towns comes to the house to pick up laundry and washes it and drops it back off. I could get use to this. :)

Tomorrow we are hiking to a waterfall where we will go swimming. I hear its beautiful...but everything here is. You can see kili from our house. Next weekend we are going on a safari. Then to Zanzibar in a couple weekends. And we may take a weekend to do hot air balloon rides over Kili.

Im learning swahili. I now know how to have a 'hey, how ya doing' type of conversation.

Being here doesnt seem real. Ive always wanted to come and now im here and it doesnt seem real. Walking in town it seems hard to believe in really walking the streets of Africa. The locals are amazing. They are so helpful. We've made friends with some and we are going to a bar with them tonight. It should be interesting. Oh, we've also meet some weird locals...like a guy who said he was bob marleys son and he spoke Japanese. Weirdo.

Ill try to post more pictures soon. It took 30 minutes to load the two. :(

Love yall.

Post Two - Pictures