Day 3 in Tanga

---

Finally! Another blog post. We've had some Internet problems...Tuesday night we didn't have a chance to update, and last night there was a brownout in the city, so our region of Tanga had no power. (It's Africa - we go with the flow :D)

Our past few days have been absolutely phenomenal...our favorite memories have DEFINITELY taken place at The Stehmann House, which is the orphanage we work at each day. So far we have spent time with just the 19 girls, ages 7-22, and will meet the 12 boys tomorrow. We've spent about 5 hours with the girls each day, and have done everything from reading Dr. Seuss books in English to listening to music (they have two CD's which they LOVE...and they sing right along with the scratches and skips in the music!) to playing some intense football (AKA soccer) and duck-duck-goose (a BIG hit with the younger girls!) and even teaching them the opening sequence to Findlay First Edition's opener from our Senior year show!! Our plans for next week include a visit to the Tanga Swim Club (not exactly a Canterbury, but I guess the Indian Ocean will suffice...😊) and cooking them an authentic "American" meal of macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes and lemonade! (If anyone has any better ideas, let us know...us college kids are exactly proficient in cooking anything but Ramen and Easy Mac, and even THAT is debatable!) I wish we had some way to post pictures on here now, so we could share with you the completely pure joy on their faces when they run to greet us as we arrive each day...

There are SO many beautiful things happening at this orphanage. The principal is a wonderful German lady who has a GIGANTIC heart, and the girls truly are precious (even with what little they have, they still have the soul of Tanzanian hospitality...Tom and I ate lunch with them yesterday, and the girls absolutely insisted that we sit at the head of the long table and made sure to pull out our chairs for us!). But of course there are challenges to life there...just yesterday we were reading Cat in the Hat with one of the girls who was noticably quieter than the rest, and today we found out that she is now in the hospital. Someone must be with a patient at all times, and they are responsible for providing their own food during their stay, so the matrons were rushing in and out all day today to take care of her. In passing, we learned that this 15 year old girl caught a simple virus which caused her hospitalization, prompting a series of tests which eventually indicated that she is HIV-positive. Hopefully our presence here will bring some extra joy into these girls' lives as they're struggling right along with one of their sisters. And truly, these girls are changing our lives as much as we are affecting theirs, if not more!

And of Tanga...what a colorful community! EVERYWHERE we go we're greeted with "Mambo!" (How are things?) and reply with the local slang of "Poa!" (Cool)...we fit right in! (Well, kind of...) And we've been eating like royalty during our stay - just tonight we had a DELICIOUS chicken barbeque with real passionfruit juice (a local custom). The fork they gave us to eat these massive chicken legs was a joke - we just dove right in with our fingers!

So another peaceful night in Tanzania with our wonderful host family. We just gave them their gifts, complete with a little American flag (we made sure it didn't say "MADE IN CHINA" on the side beforehand!), which they loved.

Goodbye for now, hopefully we'll be able to update again soon! Saturday is D-Day here - the dedication of the new school and celebration of 50 years of Tanga's Rotary Club!

Much love,
Tom and Leah

---

Comments

[Kevin Manley]

Thinking of you!
Hi Tom and Leah, I have been thinking of you and hoping that your trip is going well. It sounds like it is very exciting! We are all proud of you and we know that you are doing great things over there! How cool that you taught them the beginning of "Music and the Mirror." I will be sure to tell Andy that his choreography is known world-wide. Take care of yourselves. I will look forward to hearing all about your trip when you return. Mr. Manley

[Megan Cross]

Wow
I really enjoy reading your posts SO much! It sounds like you two are having an amazing time...something that will effect the way you live the rest of your life. I'm so touched by all the things you two are getting to see and experience. Know that what you do there not only effects you and the people of Tanga...but us back in the U.S. as well! I hope you continue to have an amazing time! Megan

[Karl Gingrich]

Poa!!
You sound like you are entrenched in Tanga life. It's a fabulous place as I'm certain you are finding out, one of my favorite places in the world. This is Saturday and I'm certain that you are now involved with the dedication of the new "Findlay School" today. Please extend my greetings to all my friends there in Tanga that you'll be meeting with today and tell them how much I appreciate their help given to you two and to all the projects provided by the Findlay High School students. I see from your post that you have now been introduced to Tanzanian hospitality. You can tell people about their hospitality but you need to experience it to know it. I tell Tanzanians that I've met very hospitable people here in the US, but nothing compares to the hospitality that one gets in Tanzania. It's amazing!! Enjoy; keep learning; and I know you'll keep giving. Kwa heri ya koinana Karl