Tanzania Update!

Hello all,

So much has happened since my last email and it is crazy to think that my time here in Tanzania is wrapping up! I really am going to miss this country, the people, my new OHS family, the children, the Tanzanian OHS staff, and this way of life! The slogan “No Hurry in Africa” really speaks volumes about how things work here and I don’t feel ready to return to the hectic, fast-paced lifestyle of So Cal quite yet. I will definitely need some time to adjust, but am craving good food…salad, fresh vegetables, salmon, Golden Spoon, 21 Choices, soymilk,…and of course cannot wait to be reunited with all of you!!! YAY!! Yet, the pineapple and mangos here are out of this world and I will miss being able to buy a slice of pineapple for 10 cents on the street.

Last weekend I went on an exciting adventure with 5 friends to Uganda to go white water rafting down the Nile! This was one of the most amazing experiences!!!! It took a 22 hour bus ride to get there, but so worth it and Uganda is such a beautiful, lush country! In total, we rafted for 5 hours and went down 9 class 3, 4, and 5 rapids over the stretch of 18 miles!! It was so surreal that I was rafting and floating down the Nile and the surrounding jungle is goregous! In the smooth parts of the water, we got to jump out of the raft, swim, and float down the Nile and it was so exhilerating! Our raft did get flipped over at one point, but that just added to the adventure and the intensity of the trip. Two of my friends went bungee jumping over the Nile, but I saved that adventure for another time! Our group did buy the DVD and CD of photos so I really look forward to sharing my adventure with you all!

We finally got the orphanage complete, staffed, and prepared to begin taking in children. Our first arrivals are twin brothers, Barracka and Tumsifu, age 3. They are so so precious, always smiling and happy, and soaking in all the hugs and love that they can get!! They are small for their age due to malnourishment, but they have a bright future ahead of them and we are taking great care of them. Tomorrow we are also getting 2 more children ages 5 and 9 and it is great to have kids onsite!

We also got to have our last testing day in Kisongo Market and it was great to get more information out about HIV/AIDS and provide free testing to the villagers! It was a success and it was great to see their initial fears calmed and their excitement about the new knowledge they gained. Additionally we had our farewell dinner and invited all the villagers and their children to have dinner with us, dance to the tunes they DJ provided, and celebrate the opening of OHS.

Overall, our group is getting ready to go home. We are all experiencing homesickness, weariness, exhaustion, and the sense of completion because we have done what we set out to do. We all desire to come back in the next few years and visit OHS, see how far it has come along, and visit the dear friends that we have made here!

I am thrilled because my beloved Billy Jack is arriving tomorrow and then our adventures begin!!! YAY! We will climb Mount Kilimanjaro, spend Christmas in Zanzibar (one of the most beautiful islands with white beaches and turquoise water), and then spend a few days in London and Paris! I cannot wait for these adventures and I am so excited to spend time with him after 3 long months!

I hope that you are all doing well and that you are enjoying the holiday season! I cannot comprehend that it is almost Christmas due to the lack of commercialism of the holidays here! Plus, it is getting more hot as we are moving into the warm season here. I pray that you enjoy this time of year and are doing well! I arrive home on Dec. 31, just in time to spend the New Year’s in the US! I’ll try to email again before I am home and I cannot wait to see your faces, be in your presence, and catch up on life! Your emails have been so encouraging and wonderful, and it always brightens my day to here from you!!

Much love and I’ll be home before too long,
Alissa