Monday, July 18, 2011
The Long Journey Home.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Better to have been loved and lost then never to have been loved at all.
It is approaching July 12th now as I am getting ready to head to bed after this long day. This morning I took a trip back to the orphanage. Once again I was greeted by a stampede of toddlers all anxious to slobber on me and everything I dared to bring along. A little side not, If you ever visit St. Martin's, which I hope you do, be sure to wear a raincoat because the forecast always is as follows.... Adorable....with a 100% chance of drool.
I am making one more trip back to the orphanage to play with the kids and say my goodbyes before I make the two drive back to Dar Es Salaam at the beginning of next week. Now that you are up to date on me I have yet another story to tell.
Today I was playing a board game with Luka and his mother(by adoption) and I was amazed at how full of life he was, he was constantly cracking jokes, climbing on me, and never without a smile on his face. This is the same kid who just a few years ago was a mal-nurished orphan in which all Lynn wanted was to see one smile out of him before he passed away. Now she gets to wake up to the little bundle of joy everyday.
Here's another story. Josh and Stephanie were missionaries here in West Tanzania, they too went to help out at St. Martin's. After visiting there a few times they fell in love with this little orphan girl, Jennie.They took care of her for awhile and help nurse her to good health. After a little while they decided to adopt her and give her a chance to live life to it's fullest potential. Overwhelmed with excitement to start the process of making Jennie part of there family Josh and Steph headed back to the states for a couple of weeks to get paper work taking care of with Social Services. One after noon they were sitting in there Grand Rapids home looking over some of the adoption forms when they heard a knock on their door. It was Casey Caraway, Mike and Lynn's daughter. She came in and sat down with them, after a moment of silence she told them that Jennie had passed away.
This story has bounced around in my head every night since I've heard it. As I drift to sleep I think of all those smiling faces that come waddling towards me every time I step through the gate of St.Martin's. While I'm there I take many pictures because I never know if I will see a certain one of those smiling faces again. When a new born loses his/her chance at experiencing life it always eats away at you more than just a person passing from old age. Here, a darker cloud hangs over you when one of these orphans is taken, and that is the grief that that child never got to feel truly loved or the warmth of caring arms exclusively meant to hold him or her.
I am making one more trip back to the orphanage to play with the kids and say my goodbyes before I make the two drive back to Dar Es Salaam at the beginning of next week. Now that you are up to date on me I have yet another story to tell.
Today I was playing a board game with Luka and his mother(by adoption) and I was amazed at how full of life he was, he was constantly cracking jokes, climbing on me, and never without a smile on his face. This is the same kid who just a few years ago was a mal-nurished orphan in which all Lynn wanted was to see one smile out of him before he passed away. Now she gets to wake up to the little bundle of joy everyday.
Here's another story. Josh and Stephanie were missionaries here in West Tanzania, they too went to help out at St. Martin's. After visiting there a few times they fell in love with this little orphan girl, Jennie.They took care of her for awhile and help nurse her to good health. After a little while they decided to adopt her and give her a chance to live life to it's fullest potential. Overwhelmed with excitement to start the process of making Jennie part of there family Josh and Steph headed back to the states for a couple of weeks to get paper work taking care of with Social Services. One after noon they were sitting in there Grand Rapids home looking over some of the adoption forms when they heard a knock on their door. It was Casey Caraway, Mike and Lynn's daughter. She came in and sat down with them, after a moment of silence she told them that Jennie had passed away.
This story has bounced around in my head every night since I've heard it. As I drift to sleep I think of all those smiling faces that come waddling towards me every time I step through the gate of St.Martin's. While I'm there I take many pictures because I never know if I will see a certain one of those smiling faces again. When a new born loses his/her chance at experiencing life it always eats away at you more than just a person passing from old age. Here, a darker cloud hangs over you when one of these orphans is taken, and that is the grief that that child never got to feel truly loved or the warmth of caring arms exclusively meant to hold him or her.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Orphan's, Camera, Action.
It is now Friday July 8th. The days fly by here. It's sad to think I make my journey home in 10 days already. I have accomplished a lot this week. I've interviewed two of the sisters, one German volunteer, and two of the orphan's who are about to finish up secondary school (ages 17). I have a few more to do here but developing stories have created more filming to do when I get back home. There are a few families who have worked in this area of Africa and have very stong stories to tell about there experiences here and with St. Martin's Orphanage, they are now back in West Michigan and I am already arranging meetings with them. I pray this documentary will make waves with those who view it, but in reality it will only be ripples compared to actually experiencing it here.
Yesterday the The Caraway's brought another mal-nurished infant home to nurse to good health. It was a very heart-felt experience for me to hold him for a while on our way home. He was unable to cry but could go through the motions, as hard as it was to see this new life in such poor health it was the most uplifting moment when he smiled for his first time on our way back to Mumba, it was as if he knew that he was now going to have his chance at a healthy life. Not all of St. Martin's kids are as fortunate. Mike and Lynn have brought home nearly 30 babies and almost all of them are still alive. St.Martin's is doing a great thing for these kids, but there is only so much a few nuns with little funding can do. Though an orphanage does not sound like an ideal place for a child to be raised, here it is most often a blessing for these kids to be at St. Martin's, otherwise they would be on the streets or taken in by a distant relative and treated as a servant, A lot like the story of cinderella, but in these cases there is no glass slipper. Thats why me must be greatful for people like the Caraway's and pray that more just like them step forth. There is no such thing as a garuntee in this remote part of the world, the most we can give this kids is hope, and thats what I saw in the eyes and smile of this little boy who now stands a better chance of "being the captain of his fate" as said by Nelson Mandela.
Yesterday the The Caraway's brought another mal-nurished infant home to nurse to good health. It was a very heart-felt experience for me to hold him for a while on our way home. He was unable to cry but could go through the motions, as hard as it was to see this new life in such poor health it was the most uplifting moment when he smiled for his first time on our way back to Mumba, it was as if he knew that he was now going to have his chance at a healthy life. Not all of St. Martin's kids are as fortunate. Mike and Lynn have brought home nearly 30 babies and almost all of them are still alive. St.Martin's is doing a great thing for these kids, but there is only so much a few nuns with little funding can do. Though an orphanage does not sound like an ideal place for a child to be raised, here it is most often a blessing for these kids to be at St. Martin's, otherwise they would be on the streets or taken in by a distant relative and treated as a servant, A lot like the story of cinderella, but in these cases there is no glass slipper. Thats why me must be greatful for people like the Caraway's and pray that more just like them step forth. There is no such thing as a garuntee in this remote part of the world, the most we can give this kids is hope, and thats what I saw in the eyes and smile of this little boy who now stands a better chance of "being the captain of his fate" as said by Nelson Mandela.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Camera's Rolling
Sorry that it has been a few days since my last post but internet is hard to find here in sumbawanga Tanzania. I have yet to upload any pictures to my blog because I still have yet to find a wireless connection that allows me to upload from my iphone, but there are many on my facebook wall and as soon as i get a wireless connection I will post them. I am currently sitting in a "internet Room" here in Sumbawanga with my assigned translator and new friend Joseph, he is the one that is making it possible for me to communicate with the orphans, the locals, and the Sister's. Joseph lives in Mumba and works at the Caraways house.
I have lots of footage and the filming is going a lot faster than I expected. I have a few more interviews to conduct including two with german volunteers who have been living near the orphanage. The people of Sumbawanga are accustomed to seeing light skinned people roaming the streets due to the towns takeover by a Danish road crew who is paving the main street, finally. Driving on the roads here are equivalent to riding a washer machine.....down a staircase. Never thought I'd see a Hipo as road kill, but in Africa anything is possible, (take that worth a grain of salt). Joseph and Danny (neighbors) took me to a market yesterday, this market happens once a month on the 4th of each month. My presence there was welcomed but it was kind of like the people of west Michigan seeing a skateboarding elephant going down the highway. I have many pictures of these puzzled faces. It is time for us to load up the washer machine and head back up the staicase to Mumba, Now that I have found this little internet room (in which all the letters have warn off the keys) I will be updating you Thursday most likely. Keep us in your thoughts and I will update you soon.
I have lots of footage and the filming is going a lot faster than I expected. I have a few more interviews to conduct including two with german volunteers who have been living near the orphanage. The people of Sumbawanga are accustomed to seeing light skinned people roaming the streets due to the towns takeover by a Danish road crew who is paving the main street, finally. Driving on the roads here are equivalent to riding a washer machine.....down a staircase. Never thought I'd see a Hipo as road kill, but in Africa anything is possible, (take that worth a grain of salt). Joseph and Danny (neighbors) took me to a market yesterday, this market happens once a month on the 4th of each month. My presence there was welcomed but it was kind of like the people of west Michigan seeing a skateboarding elephant going down the highway. I have many pictures of these puzzled faces. It is time for us to load up the washer machine and head back up the staicase to Mumba, Now that I have found this little internet room (in which all the letters have warn off the keys) I will be updating you Thursday most likely. Keep us in your thoughts and I will update you soon.
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