As I prepare to leave for Kilimanjaro airport and return home to America, images of the last 5 weeks come to my mind’s eye: Our group arriving in Africa amidst wind and dust and a night sky heavy with a million stars, all bearing silent witness to life come and gone and come again. Here, the ground and the…
Monthly Archives: February 2012
Alive & Well in Uru
Every day in Africa is a day lived close to the elements, close to the earth, and close to its’ people. Here there is no insulation from any aspect of life or death, from the food eaten or from the effects of weather. On Kilimanjaro, people partake of food that is harvested and then eaten on…
Hail & High Water
There is a torrential rain pouring down on Uru bringing hail from the top of Kilimanjaro. The tin roof of the Ngowi home reflects every pinging of ice, and the banana trees bend around us, their great leaves swirling under water and wind. The seasonal ‘big rains’ do not come usually until late March, April or even…
On Wisdom & Junebugs
SATURDAY morning meant another drive back down the mountain into Moshi town. Alphonse and I first visited an advocate (attorney) then contacted his attorney daughter Upendo in Dar es Saalam for further guidance, regarding the legal registration of the Uru East Water Board. A quick stop at TANESCO electric company also provided some additional information about cost…
Peace at Palla
I drove from Moshi town to Kishumundu village last Friday, to attend the steering committee’s meeting of the Uru East Water Board. The meeting went well, with a review of what has been accomplished in our project and what is still left to be done. With the success of ‘first water’ from the Grandmother Well at…
Prayers on Wheels
In an effort to be more adaptive during this visit and any future visits to Tanzania, I made arrangements to rent a vehicle from a village taxi driver. Having my own car allows me a freedom of movement that cannot happen when one is relying on our hosts to arrange drivers or share rides. That is the theory of…
Final thoughts on our journey
I’ve been home for a couple days with time for rest, jet lag acclimation-somewhat-and ponderings of our trip. I am struck by the difference between my first trip to Tanzania and this one. Four years ago, I was sort of in shock when I arrived. I had never been to a third world country and could not stop thinking about the…
Tangerine Dreams
It is the cusp of evening and everything around me is the color of sunset.The air is becoming cool as the afternoon heat recedes, and the sounds of night are only moments away. I am grateful for this pause between day and night, inviting me to reflect on the day and the people in it. As…
A Piece of Our Hearts
For four of us, our last day in the warmth, sunshine and red dust of African soil. Our leader Barbara Joye remains behind for another two weeks to work with the water project and their board and will continue our Blog. Your comments on the Blog have kept us connected to home. Missing our…
3 Incredible Days
Highlight of Safari was being 3 ft from a male & female lion who was resting in the shadow of our truck. Elephants, zebras, giraffes, water buffalo, hippo, gazelles, impalas, rhino, birds galore and a monkey who stole our sandwich! A two day adventure up winding, narrow roads that took our stomachs away and down, down to the…
Snapshots of Joy
Loading phởtos takes forever! Click on each photo for a larger view and wait for more when we return from Safari in two days!
Upward and Inward
Words written by LeeAnn and Annie, As we descended the last 300 yards of 19,500 ft, Pascal, our guide, said, “Your pharaohs have come to greet you.” Lee Ann and Annie, accustomed to keeping their heads down to watch each step, raised their heads to see the smiling faces of their friends and hearing a cheering welcome. After…