The Tanzania Project, Week 3 | Make a Difference Now . Org
Sorry for the long break between Sara’s last Tanzania update and this one… Halloween & Christmas made us all a little insane up here for a while!
On Sara’s third week in Africa, she started to really settle into the life - and the realities- of living where water is a luxury, and things like taking a shower is literally unheard of.
We all found this week to be fascinating.
(Incidentally, I did NOT intend for her “thankful list” to fall during Thanksgiving week, but it works out pretty nicely that way, n’est-ce pas?)
Hello!
Hope you are all doing well! Life here has been great. We had all of the older kids from the orphanage stay at our house for the whole weekend which was a blast! they were able to experience many firsts such as, showers, cereal, cold water from the refridgerator, spaghetti and pillow fights! We also did a big modeling shoot with girls and they are so beautiful that it makes you want to cry. There was a lot of laughter and hugs and good warm times, it is great to make them feel wanted and loved. We have also been going to the orphanage and reading with the kids.. i want to take about 22 of them home with me. They are SO precious. All they want to do is just hug you and show you how they can read and how they can speak english.. and then hug some more 
Today we have a meeting with a center for abandoned street children because we would like to se up a partnership with them to help with english reading, and job skill training.
much love -sara gail
The next day, she sent us this touching, and sometimes shocking list of things to be thankful for, if you live in America…
- clean water
- cold water
- hot water
- water pressure
- water.
- air conditioning
- a soft mattress
- having a mother…
- and a father…
- having a family
- clean air
- environmental education
- free elementary shool
- free middle school
- free high school
- universtities
- education
- a home
- taxes
- yes.. i said taxes
- government programs
- soap
- shoes
- shoelaces
- feet
- legs
- arms
- health
- doctors
- hospitals
- medicine
- mangoes
- bananas
- avacados
- coconut rice
- blankets
- bug spray
- toothpaste
- coffee
- coffee farmers
- siblings
- grandparents
- being able to read
- being able to write
- being able to speak english
- dishwasher
- clothes washing machine
- paved roads!
- clean roads
- roads.
- cameras
- computers
- the internet
- free internet
- chai tea
The list goes on and on and on and on and on… If you have any of the
above items do not take them for granted… Some folks do not have any
of them at all. Never forget to be thankful
Quick story… A few days ago, one of the girls from the orphanage
stayed at our house for the night. She went to the fridge and got out
the vase of water and drank a glass… she stopped and grabbed theresa
and said ‘ASANTE SANA MADAME’
( thanks so much maam!)… ‘this water is so clean, and cold and good
and it is not dirty!’… it was probably the first time she had had
cold clean water..she is 13… never forget to be very aware of how
lucky we are..
One more quick one… the kids were hanging out at out
house and iI said ok what do you guys want to do? We can play games or
any thing! They responed with ”we want to take a bath’… so we let them take a
shower… most likely their first shower ever.. quite different than most
kids we know in the good ole US of A.
upendo- sara gail
November 23rd, 2009 at 9:48 am
this touched my heart in another way. Your right, America takes the simple things for granted. sometimes we get so caught up in our cell phones, iphones, computers, internet, to remember that there are people out there that don’t have half of what we do, Thank you for reminding me of how blessed i really am!
November 23rd, 2009 at 9:57 am
Carrie or Sara
What you are doing is awesome and so courageous! To give up all the things we take for granted and to help the people who need it the most. May god be with you every step of the way. I look forward to seeing your post every week. Thanks for keeping us updated Carrie. The pictures are great too!!!
November 23rd, 2009 at 10:16 am
oh my gosh! I love reading these. I’m really proud of Sara. I want to know how the coffee tour went too. I know Cristina would be jealous. My favorite part “but dont worry we will have a guide and most likely a guy with a really big gun.” haha!
November 23rd, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Carrie~ It’s great to read these updates. And Sara could never be more right about not taking these things for granted. I have been on 3 mission trips and each time I got I’m reminded how grateful we should be for the small things in life… We truly are a blessed people. Thanks.
November 24th, 2009 at 8:32 am
We really do have SO much to be thankful for! Thank you, Sara, for reminding us.