First day back in Tanzania with the kids!
on sunday night I arrived in Kilimanjaro Tanzania. My friend Paulcame to pick me up from the airport and drove my five massive suitcases and meto the Tuleeni Orphanage where I would be staying for 10 weeks. I called MamaFaraji and told her that I was on my way to the house and she said that all thechildren were awake and waiting for me. When I arrived at the orphanage, about12 kids were waiting for me. As I got out of the car, they came darting at mescreaming “NEEMA NEEMA NEEMA!!!” and they tackled me. It was the most wonderful greeting. They helped meto carry all the suitcases inside to my room and we sat as I showed them someof the things I brought them. Everyone was so excited. I gave everyone a newtoothbrush and toothpaste, which they were all so excited about that they allwent and immediately brushed their teeth. We sat around in my bedroom andtalked for a while… and laughed a lot. It was truly such a wonderful evening. Imade all the children some juice and they prepared some rice and beans for mefor dinner. I didn’t know that it was possible for me to be so happy…. Thechildren all hugged and kissed me and then it was time for us all to go to bed.I crawled into my mosquito net and slept like a baby until the roosters andcows woke me this morning at 6:45am. The children were all already awake andpreparing for school and for the day. They made me chai tea, and helped me getour baby twins Celestine and Hilda dressed. I put the twins in brand newclothes and they looked ADORABLE. I will post pictures of them later. I put newcollars on the 4 tuleeni dogs and gave them flee and tick medicine. Hopefullythis will help them get healthy because they are all so sick right now :( Then around 9am Jonas and I went on along walk to look for Mangos but we didn’t have any luck because mangoes aren’tin season right now. We returned empty handed and instead Hellen, Yusta, and Iwent into town to go to the market. We got mboga (vegetables) and matunda(fruit). We also bought cookingoil, sugar, salt, and some other needed supplies for the house including soap,gas for the stove, and some medicine. When we came home, we prepared lunch..which took a very long time. I don’t think we ate lunch until around 3:45pm. Bythat point I was so hungry, I inhaled my food and then was sooo exhausted that Ipassed out for two hours. It was a very short lived evening because I was sojet lagged. I talked with Mama some about the new orphanage and building aswell as about some of the children. she informed me that about 8 of the tuleenichildren have gone to live at a different new orphanage together in order tofree up some space here at tuleeni. I don’t know if I will get to see them,which makes me really sad, but at least I know they are in school and are happytogether. I still have plenty to keep me busy with all the other children here…after mama and I talked, I played with the kids and we read some books andlistened to music on my computer. I went into my room at about 8:30 and readsome of my book and then fell asleep. It was a WONDERFUL first day back inTanzania.
