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Published: September 23rd 2007
Hello all,
How do I even start this? I have an outpouring of things to say and feelings. I wanted to start by saying so many other things first but a baby died this morning. Her name was Queen. We only just met her two days ago and she took a bad turn this morning. One of the staff and other volunteers Kara, whose last day is today, went to take her to the hospital on the dala-dala (bus) and she died right before they got on. They went to the hospital anyway just to make sure, yes she was dead, and brought her body back here in a taxi. Davonna is trying to contact family and they had given a wrong number and family who was to have visited her this past Wednesday did not show up. This was not how I planned on writing our first travel journal from Africa but it is the truth.
I do want you know the other things as well although I feel a little uncertain about writing them.
All of our flights went so well and it took so long to get here. I was surprised there were almost all white people on the plane from Amsterdam to Kilimanjaro. When we got off of the plane everyone was black. Davona and Max were a little late to pick us up and a man offered to give us a ride and we had no idea whether he was legitimate or not so we waited. I had thoughts of being robbed and thoughts of maybe he was just being really kind. Glad when Davon and Max showed up. I have never riden in a Land Rover, yet alone in Africa, yet alone where people drive on the wrong side of the road and in total darkness. We were glad to get to the compound and to our room.
The next day Davona took us into Arusha. She took us to the Shop Rite (kind of a western style grocery store) so we wouldn't have so much culture shook. Of course the ride into town was a sort of free for all on the road. Cars, trucks, pedestrians, bikers, cows, people pushing carts full of grass they had cut for their animals, women carrying bundles on their heads. It was sort of like a life-sized pin ball machine ride. We came upon a horrible truck accident after it happened. I couldn't imagine the driver had survived. The huge cab had gone off the road and was turned upside down rammed into a cement embankment. On the way back from town a huge group of men had righted the truck but I have no idea of what happened to the driver.
After the Shop Rite, Davona took us to the market. It was like the grandstand at the MN state fair without walls and African style. I won't even try and describe what Davona called "our Wal-Mart" except to say take a Wal-Mart, reduce it down from 100% to 1%, and put it outside with a metal over parts of it and rows that even I had to turn sideways to get through.
Friday we met the children in the baby home. So many children. Some of the very motor skill delayed and some of them gregarious and so affectionate. Here we are complete strangers and when it was time to go outside in the yard a little hand just reaches up to be held. I was feeling quite undone after going into town and while swinging one of the children in the swings, he looked up at the sky and said "moon." I looked up and didn't see it right away. He pointed to it again and said "moon." All was well in the world.
And then there is Mt. Meru. When completely stuck in my head wondering what are we doing here, I looked up and here is this magnificent mountain. And again all is well in the world.
Friday night we were all so tired we went to bed by 10:30. I woke up and looked out the window above the door waiting for the sunrise. I must have laid there three hours before finally getting up to find my watch. I didn't want to wake up Tom and Olivia so I held up the day-glo face of my watch to the little orange light on the wall switch of the shower head heater. It was 3:30 am. We had all been awake off and on, more awake than asleep. Saturday night we all took an Ambien before going to bed and slept for over 10 hours.
Other doings on Saturday included going to church, all in Swahili, but I did recognize the doxology and sang it in English. Visiting the Mt. Meru Game Park, taking the toddlers, some of whom screamed just riding in the vehicle because it was new. Drinking a bottle of coca cola with Tom at the game park and feeling guilty about it while looking from a beautiful seating area and seeing zebras, peacocks, ostriches and their eggs, wildebeasts, a saddle-billed stork and on the way home the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro.
There are such extremes here. People living in small shacks, beautiful flowers and trees, children dying, mountains of undescribable magnificence, women washing clothes in the steam with their naked children playing, and so enjoying that coca-cola and being internet connected.
I did not expect religioius comfort to come from the Muslims. I feel connected to God here by the sounds of the mosque near to us--the chanting of prayers settles my soul like nothing else at times when I feel I am breaking apart inside. I am so grateful for this.
I must mention the incredible hospitality of Davona and Max and their welcoming us. Meeting Kara (US), Lara (Australia) and Andrea (Canada) three other volunteers and the welcome of so many of the staff working in the baby home. And oh yes, Olivia. She has been amazing with these children. She already has a favorite. Her name is Violet.
Blessings,
Anne
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Deb
non-member comment
Culture Shock
Anne, Tom and Olivia: You certainly are feeling the effects of culture shock, especially with the traffic! And it is so sad to see babies dying. I hope you are able to take at least a little time each day to try to re-center yourselves as it will be necessary for the long haul of the next several months. Good luck and keep us posted! Deb