Volunteering in Tanzania - May 24th, 2013

“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”
– Maya Angelou

Friday, one week ago today we were leaving home. It seems so long ago now. This morning we went to the secondary school to help the matron – our last day there since the school is closing. The major complaint of the morning was abdominal gas – apparently the school has been serving too many beans! After breakfast, we spent some time at the clinic with Elton. After the busy day yesterday with the HIV clinic, things seemed quiet this morning. We did watch Elton do another tooth extraction. There was only one patient in the clinic – a man suffering from dehydration – he was getting a normal saline IV. After the clinic we went to the kindergarten to do some teeth brushing education with the little kids. I’ve never seen little kids so excited to brush their teeth. Today was a short day because after lunch we left for Ruaha for a safari. So excited to see some animals!

Tanzania Volunteer Vacation - Helping With Health Care

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” –Winston Churchill
 
Today we spent quite a bit of time at the clinic helping with the HIV clinic. The amount of people - men, women, and children – that attended the clinic was somewhat overwhelming. The nurses were educating the patients about nutrition, family planning, and also the medications they were being given. Spending time at the clinic really showed me the challenges that people encounter when having HIV or AIDS. In the afternoon, we went to the primary school to teach the children about the importance of brushing their teeth every day. We handed out toothbrushes and travel-sized tubes of toothpaste, which were graciously donated from my dentist at home. Hopefully the children will stick to their promise and brush their teeth often! Carrie and I went for a short walk by the church this afternoon. Pommern is such a peaceful village and I think we both agree that the calmness leaves us very relaxed compared to life at home. I cannot believe our first week is almost coming to a close. I’m excited to continue our service the next two weeks.

Serving as a Health Care Volunteer In Tanzania - May 22

“Peace is not something you wish for, it is something you make, something you are, something you do and something you give away.” –Robert Fulgham

Our first full day of work in Pommern was mostly observation. Early this morning in the chilly cold we went to the secondary school to assist Regina, the matron. Since I didn’t know what a matron was, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. It turns out she’s like a school nurse, doctor and mother to the students all rolled into one. It’s amazing to see how she listens to the students, diagnoses their condition and dispenses treatment all within a matter of minutes. Then after breakfast we went to the “dispensary” or clinic to work with Elton. A dentist by training, Elton is truly a master of all trades at the clinic, diagnosing and treating all sorts of conditions from hypertension to intestinal worms. Of course he also does dental work. We witnessed a tooth extraction that made me truly grateful for my toothbrush and endless supply of toothpaste. After lunch we prepared a quick lesson on tooth brushing for the primary school. Even with Mohamed’s great lesson in Kiswahili, Edward had to do the teaching since the students speak no English. After the lesson on how to brush teeth we were able to give out a toothbrush and small tube of toothpaste to each child… almost. We ran out of toothbrushes with about 16 kids remaining. But not to worry, we were able to buy some brushes from a local shop so every child in the class got one. Since school had a half-day today, we had most of the afternoon off. I got a very refreshing nap and so I’m ready for a full day of work tomorrow.

First Day in Pommern

“Do all things with love”
 
Today was our first full day in Pommern. We spent the day by touring the village and visiting with the people. We started off by going to the hospital and clinic. We entered the ward to see a patient suffering from malaria, which is not common in the United States. The hospital really opened my eyes to the challenges in Africa. So many people suffer from illnesses that can be treated or may not even exist in the U.S. I am so fortunate and this trip will make me forever grateful for the things we have back at home. We also attended the secondary and primary schools. 

The schools had many, many kids that seemed to be happy to be there – despite the exams. We were fortunate enough to be able to enter a classroom. All of the students stood up and welcomed us to the room. The respect they have for teachers is very touching. Education and teachers are often taken for granted at home. After lunch a group of five girls stopped by the Mission House. We took some bubbles out and played in the yard with them. To see the girls smile, laugh, and yell “mzungu!” was so heartwarming to see! I can’t wait to spend time in the schools with the children of Pommern. Mohamed was so gracious to teach us some basic Swahili. Our language skills will definitely take time and work, but at least we have an idea of a few words. I look forward to serving the village tomorrow and the days ahead!

Volunteering in Tanzania - May 20

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service to others” –Mahatma Gandhi
We are finally here. Four days after leaving home, we have finally reached our destination: Pommern.

But first – we started the day in Iringa. We had a delicious Spanish omelet for breakfast before Edward took us to meet the General Secretary – our host here in Tanzania. Taylor and I gave brief introductions of ourselves and then got a very warm welcome. It is good to know we have such a welcoming host and experienced in having volunteers. After the meeting we did some window shopping in Iringa and Edward showed us through the food markets. It’s fascinating to see all the raw unprepared foods (right from farms in the surrounding area!) and kind of overwhelming to try to compare to what we have in the USA. It is easy to see how much work, effort and time goes into growing, preparing, and cooking food here – when we have so many already prepared foods easily available to buy in the U.S. But then again – in the US most people have no idea where their food comes from or how it is prepared. 

After the market we had lunch, then went to pick up Mama Toni and all the purchases she made in Iringa for our next few weeks in Pommern. I had my doubts that Mohamed could fit everything in the car, but somehow he managed it! And then we were off on our journey to the village of Pommern. As we bumped along the dusty, dirt roads I couldn’t help but think how beautiful it is here – red earth, blue skies, green trees, and bright fields of yellow sunflowers – such a colorful place. Sometimes the fields of corn and the dirt roads reminded me a little bit of home, but then we would come to a village – see women carrying large loads on their heads and children playing in the dirt and I would remember what Edward said – this is a different planet. Yes, it definitely is, but I’m excited to learn about this place and these people who have been so welcoming to two strangers from far away. We are now safely in the mission house – way more room than we need for the two of us volunteers. We are sitting writing in front of a lovely fire built for us by Moses, and we can’t wait for the adventures to come!

Volunteering in Tanzania - May 18 and 19

Today we arrived in Dar es Salaam! The sights of Tanzania absolutely amaze me. It was very busy in town as we were driving from the airport to Slipway. People were out doing their shopping. A lot of women were carrying baskets on their heads. I’m very impressed how well they are able to balance the baskets and support all the weight at the same time! We made it to the hotel and had dinner on the water. Carrie and I both tried goat, as recommended by a gentleman I sat next to on one of our flights. It wasn’t as delicious as expected, but I’m glad I tried it! In the morning we began our journey to Iringa. We drove through Mikumi National Park and had the opportunity to see quite a few baboons, zebras, giraffes, elephants, and impalas. I was surprised how close the animals were to the road. I am very excited for the safari we are hoping to take. We are going to spend some time in Iringa tomorrow and then head to Pommern! I look forward to meeting the people of Pommern and starting our volunteer projects.