This is the guard that stays at our compound with his AK47! He let me take the photo but would not smile. I don't think he liked my hand on him either but oh well!This little boy was happy just to get a bag.
This is elephantitis
I wanted to post every day but as they say here "this is Africa", which means you can make plans but you can NEVER count on anything. We have been without power and internet for three days. So I am going to try my best to tell you what I have been through since the last time I blogged. It will be very difficult to put into words but I think it is very important to try. I was even too tired to journal the last couple of days so I am going on my best recollections.
First of all I would like to start with thank yous to everyone who supported me on this trip financially and emotionally. Without all of you I would not be here to help. It's like you all are a part of me while I am here. Mom, Dad, Susie, Chris have been a huge help. Thank you guys!! Thank you to Stephen and Caryn Haas. You were right Stephen!
Saturday my feelings were so intense and I was a little anxious all night (at times more than a little). During the day I was able to cope with what I saw but at night I was so exhausted and could just not take seeing anymore families in need. The day was like nothing I could have expected. We had a 3 hour journey into the villages on remote, isolated and very eroded roads that were more like foot paths with gigantic holes in them. Can you imagine a small bus full of white people going where not even many motorcycles can go? Many of the people in these villages have never traveled beyond these few acres of land and as a result you can imagine what a spectacle we were. Many children have never seen a white person. We scared some but most thought we were pretty cool.
If you ever want to know what it feels like to be a rock star, come to Africa! You can’t believe it until you see it.
I am really struggling to find the right words in the right combination that will come somewhat close to what I saw today. I think I said this before but I am going to do my best and I hope you can get a feel for it. First of all the second you leave our compound you will start to smell the fires and all the odors. It has not really bothered me before today but where we went the only energy they had was fire. Fire to cook, fire to see by, fire to burn the garbage. There are no garbage cans. All the garbage is burned on site, all day, every day. It was especially strong where we were. It is not a good smell, it burns your nose. My sinuses felt singed for most of the day and my lungs were slightly scorched . There was no where to go to get away from Everywhere you go there are fires and tons of smoke. I took some pictures of the huts that were smoking so you can sort of see what I mean.
Here in Africa the people live in mud huts. Usually one hut for sleeping and another for cooking. The “kitchen” is an open room with a pot of boiling water and a grate over it. That is the stove. The floors are mud as well and roofs are made of dried palms. You may have seen these on TV but until you step in one you can’t imagine living that way. The animals roam all over place, goats, chickens and dogs. It’s like this; you drive up the dirt path and there may be five to ten families that will live within 1 mile of each other. Then you drive some more and come to another place with some families live. They are little communities and most are related in some way. They all look after each others children and they don’t seem to worry about where they are.
This day we stuck to visiting families, one after another and having the team choose their family to sponsor. There were so many families to visit that we were allowed allowed only 5 to 10 minutes per family. They were given gifts, told they would be sponsored and then we took many pictures said a prayer and moved on to the next. It was very emotional as there were soooooo many families and there seeemed to be no end in sight. I kept thinking for each family we sponsored it was like winning the lottery, a really great thing but only one in a million gets to have it. EVERYONE IS NEEDY HERE. It's not like you can see the good areas and then drive far out to get to the "bad" section of town. IT'S ALL THE BAD SECTION. I think that's what got to me today. How can I make a difference. The only thing that helps is thinking of what Mother Theresa said once "You can do no great things, only small things with great love" So if that's the case I've got it down. I LOVE THESE PEOPLE. You can see the love, you can feel the love the instant you stop the bus and get out. I can't even describe the look on their faces when they receive a gift or learn they have been sponsored. You have not seen gratitude until you give to the very, very poor. Many people fall to their knees and cry and hold on to you like a small float in a huge ocean. You literray have saved that family's life. Think about that. Because I was here this family will live. Not that they will get help and live better (they will) but that they will actually live now. They are starving to death and dying from illness and disease. It's so bad here. This does not exist in the United States. I feel so many things right now I can't put them into words.
I do feel God here though. I feel His love and sadness and his calling to help. I no longer see black skin or white skin. I don't think about the color of my skin vs the color of their skin. We are not black or white we are all the same. You loose that when you come here. I only see love. I see an amazing people with such great love it fills my heart until I swear it will burst.,
I cried on this day when I got home becasue I couln't see any end in sight. It was family after family after family. I also cried beacause I took pictures. I felt terrrible about going into someones deepest despair and then "click" take a picture.................... The look on their faces. the group had a meeting and we had a chance to process our feelings and that really helped. If I do not take a photo how will others know? The families were told we would be there and they already gave permission to take the pictures, but you know it was still so very hard for me today.
I will tell you about a very funny story to end this blog. Then I will blog again about my trip to the very Western part of the country. So we took a break along a "main road" to get some drinks and food. (although I wouldn't eat it). Anyway as we were sitting there a group gathered at our bus and the kids came to watch the white people. (Muzugos) Ben warns us about giving out food and candy like this because it can cause problems as the kids may fight over it. So just before we left I asked Ben if I could go across the road to hand out some candy to this growing group of children. He said yes but hurry up and run. So I grabbed a handful of candy and ran. Oh my god the kids screamed and ran for their lives. Can you see about 15-20 kids yelling for their lives and crying that the crazy muzungo is coming over to steal them and eat them? I felt soo bad but the two Africans who work for us, and I have come to love very much, burst out laughing. They explained that the only reason people run here is if there is danger. They were probably thinking I was coming to steal them or eat them. They are taught from a very young age to run from strangers at all costs. So now I have been dubed the "the crazy muzungo" I scare children. Cypreon and Bosko are from Africa and work for GFR. They live with us in the house and are amazing people. They love me but they also love to make fun of me!!! We all laughed so hard our sides hurt. I left the candy at the side of road and as soon as I left they all came to get it. So it worked out in the end.
First of all I would like to start with thank yous to everyone who supported me on this trip financially and emotionally. Without all of you I would not be here to help. It's like you all are a part of me while I am here. Mom, Dad, Susie, Chris have been a huge help. Thank you guys!! Thank you to Stephen and Caryn Haas. You were right Stephen!
Saturday my feelings were so intense and I was a little anxious all night (at times more than a little). During the day I was able to cope with what I saw but at night I was so exhausted and could just not take seeing anymore families in need. The day was like nothing I could have expected. We had a 3 hour journey into the villages on remote, isolated and very eroded roads that were more like foot paths with gigantic holes in them. Can you imagine a small bus full of white people going where not even many motorcycles can go? Many of the people in these villages have never traveled beyond these few acres of land and as a result you can imagine what a spectacle we were. Many children have never seen a white person. We scared some but most thought we were pretty cool.
If you ever want to know what it feels like to be a rock star, come to Africa! You can’t believe it until you see it.
I am really struggling to find the right words in the right combination that will come somewhat close to what I saw today. I think I said this before but I am going to do my best and I hope you can get a feel for it. First of all the second you leave our compound you will start to smell the fires and all the odors. It has not really bothered me before today but where we went the only energy they had was fire. Fire to cook, fire to see by, fire to burn the garbage. There are no garbage cans. All the garbage is burned on site, all day, every day. It was especially strong where we were. It is not a good smell, it burns your nose. My sinuses felt singed for most of the day and my lungs were slightly scorched . There was no where to go to get away from Everywhere you go there are fires and tons of smoke. I took some pictures of the huts that were smoking so you can sort of see what I mean.
Here in Africa the people live in mud huts. Usually one hut for sleeping and another for cooking. The “kitchen” is an open room with a pot of boiling water and a grate over it. That is the stove. The floors are mud as well and roofs are made of dried palms. You may have seen these on TV but until you step in one you can’t imagine living that way. The animals roam all over place, goats, chickens and dogs. It’s like this; you drive up the dirt path and there may be five to ten families that will live within 1 mile of each other. Then you drive some more and come to another place with some families live. They are little communities and most are related in some way. They all look after each others children and they don’t seem to worry about where they are.
This day we stuck to visiting families, one after another and having the team choose their family to sponsor. There were so many families to visit that we were allowed allowed only 5 to 10 minutes per family. They were given gifts, told they would be sponsored and then we took many pictures said a prayer and moved on to the next. It was very emotional as there were soooooo many families and there seeemed to be no end in sight. I kept thinking for each family we sponsored it was like winning the lottery, a really great thing but only one in a million gets to have it. EVERYONE IS NEEDY HERE. It's not like you can see the good areas and then drive far out to get to the "bad" section of town. IT'S ALL THE BAD SECTION. I think that's what got to me today. How can I make a difference. The only thing that helps is thinking of what Mother Theresa said once "You can do no great things, only small things with great love" So if that's the case I've got it down. I LOVE THESE PEOPLE. You can see the love, you can feel the love the instant you stop the bus and get out. I can't even describe the look on their faces when they receive a gift or learn they have been sponsored. You have not seen gratitude until you give to the very, very poor. Many people fall to their knees and cry and hold on to you like a small float in a huge ocean. You literray have saved that family's life. Think about that. Because I was here this family will live. Not that they will get help and live better (they will) but that they will actually live now. They are starving to death and dying from illness and disease. It's so bad here. This does not exist in the United States. I feel so many things right now I can't put them into words.
I do feel God here though. I feel His love and sadness and his calling to help. I no longer see black skin or white skin. I don't think about the color of my skin vs the color of their skin. We are not black or white we are all the same. You loose that when you come here. I only see love. I see an amazing people with such great love it fills my heart until I swear it will burst.,
I cried on this day when I got home becasue I couln't see any end in sight. It was family after family after family. I also cried beacause I took pictures. I felt terrrible about going into someones deepest despair and then "click" take a picture.................... The look on their faces. the group had a meeting and we had a chance to process our feelings and that really helped. If I do not take a photo how will others know? The families were told we would be there and they already gave permission to take the pictures, but you know it was still so very hard for me today.
I will tell you about a very funny story to end this blog. Then I will blog again about my trip to the very Western part of the country. So we took a break along a "main road" to get some drinks and food. (although I wouldn't eat it). Anyway as we were sitting there a group gathered at our bus and the kids came to watch the white people. (Muzugos) Ben warns us about giving out food and candy like this because it can cause problems as the kids may fight over it. So just before we left I asked Ben if I could go across the road to hand out some candy to this growing group of children. He said yes but hurry up and run. So I grabbed a handful of candy and ran. Oh my god the kids screamed and ran for their lives. Can you see about 15-20 kids yelling for their lives and crying that the crazy muzungo is coming over to steal them and eat them? I felt soo bad but the two Africans who work for us, and I have come to love very much, burst out laughing. They explained that the only reason people run here is if there is danger. They were probably thinking I was coming to steal them or eat them. They are taught from a very young age to run from strangers at all costs. So now I have been dubed the "the crazy muzungo" I scare children. Cypreon and Bosko are from Africa and work for GFR. They live with us in the house and are amazing people. They love me but they also love to make fun of me!!! We all laughed so hard our sides hurt. I left the candy at the side of road and as soon as I left they all came to get it. So it worked out in the end.
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