First off, I would like to say a HUGE thank you for the Christmas cards and packages that have been sent to me. It’s so uplifting and fun to receive snail mail, and I’ve really enjoyed the hygienic benefits of some of the packages. Lotions, shampoos, nail polish…I’m a new girl!
- Education Center – Do you remember how the government ordered us to close down our school last year? We do not meet the infrastructure requirements of a secondary school (oh, we’re about four buildings short), so we cannot register. A major headache has been the question, “Where are the children going to go when school starts again in January?” Well, we found a loophole! We can operate as an education center without registration. We will still offer our secondary classes, and our children can take national examinations as individuals like they did before. School registration is still a top priority – for significant breaks and help from the government – but at least our children are continuing their education!
- “You dishonor your mother” – Last Sunday, I went to Dar es Salaam Pentecostal Church with Dietrich (one of the older boys). I met up with him at the orphanage, and as I was waiting, Mama looks at me and says, “Amy, why you wear these shoes to church? You are so beautiful, but why? Why you wear these shoes?” She was talking about my dusty, worn crocs, of course. “You – how you say? You dishonor your mother!” Hilarious! I’m considering investing in some sandals, but I can hardly justify wearing a nice pair of shoes and trudging through the dirt and grime of Dar – no matter what my Tanzanian Mama thinks. J
- Cheza – Mama is going to get a monopoly on my bullet points. I can’t help it – I love her! On Thursday, I had just walked into the orphanage when Mama came out of the office and said “Amy. Cheza!” Kucheza means to dance in Kiswahili. Let me tell you, that woman has some groove! Tanzanians, and East Africans in general, don’t dance as wildly as they do in West Africa. The moves tend to be a little more slow and soulful (and sometimes pretty goofy-looking). I felt a bit stiff, tall and gangly next to Mama – stout and plump, dancing proudly with her chin up and shoulders moving to the beat, but I eventually shook off my Mzungu-ness and got into it.
- Inauguration – Heidi and I invited Baba, Mama and Headmaster Denis over to eat pizza and watch the inauguration. We donned our Obama shirts – a surprise from Heidi – and watched history take place all the way over here in TZ! We stood for the national anthem and Obama’s oath, we cried over Rick Warren’s prayer (or maybe that was just me…) and laughed at the old woman from Pasadena, Calf., who could never quite prepare for the shock of seeing herself on national television. Denis took video of the speech on his digital camera. Neither he nor Baba could stop talking about the international significance of our peaceful election or our direct mention of God’s provision for our country. It just doesn’t happen like that in Africa.
Ok – your turn. Here’s a question I would love to know from everyone – Where were you for the inauguration? Dancing in the streets? Mourning in your homes? I’m interested to hear how you marked such a momentous event.
Thank you again for reading, loving, praying and learning with me! I love sharing this with each of you and pray that my experience is impacting you as well.
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so…where was I during the inauguration? Probably taking Everett to school, but I did record it!! And we watched most of it….still completely amazed at the peaceful transfer of power in our country. It’s a beautiful thing, and certainly caused a few tears on my part. Change is good and bad all at once…the only thing that will tell if this change is good is time.