Leo Huzuni.

This will be brief. Yesterday we took one of our students, Abdul, to the doctor. While we were at school he began to complain about a headache. When I went to him I felt his head and it was boiling hot. We ended up taking Abdul home to his uncle and then to Majengo clinic. Abdul’s mother died when he was 1 (six years ago) due to AIDS. He has been living with his uncle and other cousins since then. He lives in a small apartment area in one room and he often misses school due to illness. We took him to the clinic along with his uncle and Octavio. Here we ended up standing in many lines and waiting for around 2 hours (which is actually considered a short wait0 until things were settled. It turned out that Abdul had never been tested for HIV or brought to the doctor. He was tested and was also given things in order to check for TB and upper respiratory problems.

It ended up that he is positive for HIV and needed to return to the clinic the next day with spit samples for the lab to assess. Although I knew he was positive before, to hear the results while this tiny little boy was sitting next to me holding my hand was overwhelming. I cried when we heard, and we also heard the doctor yell at the uncle about Abdul’s distended tummy and lack of proper care. She told him that Abdul is very malnourished, he is sick continually and he is losing a chance at living a healthy life despite his HIV/AIDS diagnosis.

It is amazing how fragile life is, how things change and move so quickly and while we can walk around having lives that are relatively calm, there are so many people who are living fragile, inconsistent lives. The fact that my student has to live with an incurable illness and worries about food and warmth at night is heartbreaking. Anyway, it was a sad day. It was interesting to be face to face with AIDS in Africa. I hope that we can continue to instill hope and light into his life while we are here. Remember that beauty and love feed off of each other and live a life full of love. 

.iliyopita.

Some experiences in life lend themselves to life reflection and reassessment. I have had quite a few of these experiences since I arrived in Africa on May 5^th, but this one is markedly different.

         Becca had told me a little about the Upendo house and Sibo’s hope to provide both shelter and loving care in addition to education for children in need in the community. So when I went to the celebration for the finished Upendo house I thought I knew what I was heading to. Once we arrived, however, I quickly realized how unprepared I really was. We walked into the house and I saw a painting I had watched Oko paint a mere day before (when we went with Ramsey to Upendo), and I saw the chairs and table, the computer and the different rooms. I was awestruck, to say the least. I sat in the house the entire night with tears threatening to create salt trails down my cheeks.

         When we arrived Sibo showed us around while Madam Salma and Bibi placed candles around and began to prepare our dinner. Chelsea, Becca and I walked around in awe and with our hearts full of love. I wish I could accurately portray what an unbelievable experience this was, but I just can’t find the words that really portray what it felt like to be there, to be part of something so much bigger than myself and to see firsthand a movement that will tangibly change children’s’ lives. The seven children that were formerly living with bibi and the three Uru kids now had a home in which they could be shown copious amounts of love, be fed and taken care of and still be close to school so that they can learn and grow! I sat and contemplated what it would be like for the kids to live there, and tried to imagine the faces of the Uru kids as they entered their new home. Going from a mud and stick shack to a house with beds, a computer, food and other children is going to be a huge shift – but an amazing one!! This was a time I wish I could capture on film, as though my head was a video camera so that everyone could experience even just a piece of what I was feeling.

         Sibo showed us some of his older paintings and mixed media as well. They contained so many messages of hope and conveyed his deep passion for change. One was based around the Kilimanjaro marathon and it showed the different people and organizations that came together to help people and children in need. It was so beautiful to see the both a desire to assess the needs of the people and the ways that the needs were being addressed. I was very inspired by his recognition of the reality of broken homes and children in need that were living on the streets. It also made me reflect on my desire to help children and my love of art. I hope and plan to use my art to change lives and influence children in need. I would love to be a part of a Performing Arts school here in Moshi and to help orphans realize their talents and their dreams.

         Dinner was delicious, we had amazing company and beautiful times together. It was one of the moments that I felt completely overflowing with love. I have had life-changing moments that have affected my heart – surviving cancer, having my sister as a guide through growing up, talks with my mom and best friends, camps, living through so many things with Danielle, living a life full of music, dancing experiences, losing Paul, living despite feeling like I couldn’t, meeting Becca and others in Africa, and loving children and being able to work with them in many different capacities. This moment immediately made the list (even compared to other things I have experienced in Africa). I remember reflecting on other moments (such as the ones above) and thinking about what a beautiful life I have. I never wanted that evening to end, and it solidified my knowledge that I will never be able to fully leave Africa. I have been changed forever.

upendo kila siku. 

[kuwa mabadiliko unataka kuona katika ulimwengu]- Ghandi Africa status!

.let us love the world to peace.

So I know you all are aware of the fact that I am quite in love with Africa. I also hope you know how much I love my kids at my school. I truly would do anything to help them and I can’t imagine a day without seeing their smiling faces. It is the type of thing that makes you realize your heart has incredible depth and capacity to love. Coming to Africa has truly made me realize that I can love even more than I thought possible, that I am able to achieve things I saw as distant dreams and that it truly is possible to love the world to peace.

            Last week we took one of our students, Ramsey, to Upendo. Ramsey loves to draw and is a very talented artist. The most incredible thing about Ramsey is his passion for art and the way he lights up when he draws. He is also very smart, very polite and loves to learn! Becca and I talked and we organized for Ramsey to meet Sibo and go to Upendo and paint. This was one of the most rewarding days I’ve had here. I brought Ramsey back to CCS from school where we ate lunch and he got to spend time drawing and hanging out with the other volunteers. Everyone loved meeting him and complimented his art skills. We also had Amani come and stand by Ramsey because they look like they could be father and son haha. It was great to see Ramsey having a good time at home base and to be able to just spend time with him. Katyann and I took him over to Mzungu bar and got him a soda and while we were walking he said, “I am so happy”. This made my heart so happy to hear and Katyann and I were so excited to see Ramsey having an amazing day.

            When Sibo came to pick us up we showed him Ramsey’s drawings and he was thrilled to see a new budding artist. I couldn’t have been more excited to have the two meet each other. I knew that Sibo would love Ramsey and I loved that we could bridge the gaps between Faraja and Upendo. I loved that we could be a part the beginning of a connection between two different placements. It is so important to be able to connect the places we work and help Moshi become more integrated and a community that can grow together and support each other. Ramsey had an amazing time painting. He created a picture of his favorite animal – simba – in the grass with Kilimanjaro in the background. It was so beautiful!! Sibo helped him with the background and guided him in how to draw and paint his lion. Ramsey added grass and painted his name and “Afrika Animal” on the top of the painting. I have never seen a bigger smile on his adorable face. We took a lot of photos and I got teary, of course.

            After our painting adventure Becca and I met Amani and Susan and got ready to take Susan to the airport. I wish I could say goodbyes get a little easier just because I’ve gone through multiple, but that would be a complete lie. Saying goodbye to Susan was too hard. Her sweet spirit and beautiful heart really permeating everyone that she was with. It was so strange to feel her leave; I miss her everyday (along with the other people that have left). On the way home in the car the song “I’m Coming Home” came on and I just cried and cried!!

I can’t believe the days keep passing and I move along with them…closer to going home. However, I now have left a part of my heart in Africa, which means I am definitely coming back. I have been given a wonderful opportunity to head volunteerism and aide to a new orphanage here – which means I also have an opportunity to return here and create a tangible project in Moshi with orphans!! Though this is exciting news, this leaves a lot of work for me to do – the proposal for my school, the work with and for the orphanage and finishing the profiles for my kids – and I feel like I don’t have enough time! I do know that I will be able to get it done, however, and that this is definitely not my first and last time here.

I am so grateful for the love and support I have been given prior to and during this time in my life. My mom is my role model and my hero – if she had not given me a chance at life and provided copious amounts of opportunities for me I would not be here. I am fueled by her love and guidance even when she isn’t with me – so thank you mama for being you. My sister and grandma – both of you have shaped who I am and I am so thankful for your continual strength! My other friends and family back home – I am always in awe of how you continually change and grow and I love that we can remain close despite any distances. And my friends here in Africa- you all have shown me how to love in many different ways and how to face all kinds of circumstances. I feel so lucky to have met people with hearts that mirror mine in many ways and people who really understand where I am coming from. I know that together we can change the world and become ambassadors for those in need.  Last but certainly not least I would have to put my kids and the people of Africa – I cannot put words to this experience nor to the amount of times they have stolen my heart! Coming to Africa has proven to me that I will be serving children forever and that helping people in developing countries is going to be a part of my life permanently. It is as though I finally did the thing my heart was waiting for – that sounds oh so cheesy – but it is definitely the truth. Asante san asana Afrika, una iliyopita maisha yangu milele.

Upendo and amani. Ninakupenda sana.