Four months have past?? No way!

I know I haven’t posted since I first got back and that’s because the only time I have to sit down is when I am doing homework or writing papers! Since I got home I have been working five days a week while being a full time college student and in the midst of that I graduated high school and been battling my own health issues! So to say life has been going by at mock 10 would be an understatement! At times I have been very overwhelmed and have struggled to keep going but it’s in those moments I am reminded of Africa and something clicks inside me. I am reminded of the lessons I learned, and the love I experienced that motivates me to keep going! When I get fed up with my homework I tell myself “you’ll be a registered nurse by 22 and traveling the world helping and healing many different people along the way” and that’s what makes me get right back into my text book!

I will not deny that there have been days and nights that I have shed a few tears thinking about everyone back at Karim! I miss each and everyone one of them more then words can describe! Even after being back for four months I still think about them everyday! I even still have on my bracelet that all the kids had because I simply can’t be without and it’s always with me just like they are! 

The other day I got a text from Rehema telling me that Ernest and Moma Ellie had their baby girl and she was strong and healthy! How exciting! I can not wait to meet the new member of the neighborhood! Ernest also asked me when I was coming back to see them! But I can’t answer that question right now! Now that I am a full time college student I am seeing first hand just how expensive school is especially when it’s coming out of my bank account! I am still looking for a loop hole so that I can pay for school and save for my next trip! Lol

Once I got home from my trip I started writing my bucket list as I was inspired by Linda and how she was crossing off things on hers! Lots of the things on my list stemmed from my journey to Karim, one being that I want to see Ellie graduate from school, since we are sponsoring him to go to school! I know that is a long ways away but I just think it would be incredible to be apart of a thing like that because of watching him grow up! I am not just excited about seeing Ellie grow up but all the kids! I am so thankful I live in the techy world! I get to see pictures of the kids posted on Facebook and I can Skype and talk to the kids and everyone! Rehema please remind the kids that I love each and everyone one of them and to keep working hard in school! Give them each a hug and kiss from me! Tell Juma and Ernest I am proud of them and can’t wait to talk to them in English! Tell Aisha to keep studying hard and her dreams will come true! And tell Dada she is a great mother and is making life so much better for the kids! And Rehema keep reminding yourself of why you started Karim and give the kids all the love you can! I miss and love you all! Xoxoxoxo hugs and Kisses! Cianna!

Since returning home!

I know I haven’t been home that long but already so much has changed.  On the plane ride home I distinctly remember Granny saying to me “You know I’m not quite sure what life lesson I’ve got out of this experience yet but I am sure I will figure it out”.  And just the other day I received an email from her sharing how after she got home it really brought the experience into perspective for her and she found that personal life lesson. Coming home really was the big culture shock, simple things in my daily life really hit me hard once I was back.  Little things like going to fridge to get a snack... Fridge what fridge? Or Where is my bucket of water to shower!? Oh... ya the shower! And the big one was “What I have grad pictures the day after I get back!? That means I’m going to have to brush my hair!” lol But the biggest thing for me is the feeling I have right under my chest, where my heart is. I never knew it was possible to feel this much and that is what has really opened my eyes. I now know the amount of love a person is capable of giving and receive is indescribable.  I believe the only reason I was capable of experiencing this amazing personal growth was because I promised myself I would go into this journey with an open mind and heart to everything.  And I saw Mom and Granny really struggle with this at times as it is so easy to say “you should do that this way” or “why would you do that?”  But we just had to remind ourselves of something Daniel Tate told us before we went, “They are differences, not deficiencies.”  We are all different people and we came from a different way of life and of doing things but that didn’t mean one was better than the other, we are just simply different. This lesson might be hard to understand for some and is really one that you have to experience to truly grasp.

Since we got home Mom and I decided we wanted to send Ernest to school to learn English with Juma. Ernest was very busy getting the back transformed into a garden and putting a fence up so he had to wait until that job was done before he could start class! His first day was on Monday so I hope his first week is going good for him.  I know the main reason Mom came with me was just so she could make sure I was ok. But talk to her about this trip and you might be surprised to see a different side of her, a side that she openly admits that she would seriously adopt if she could! Lol Funny how much a trip can affect you!

Eever since I shared my story with the man sitting next to me on the plane I can’t seem to stop. Every person I can it seems like I am telling them part of my journey, It’s almost addictive to share it with as many people as I can. Despite coming back and getting a job within the first week and working five days a week  now,signing up for summer classes through the college, applying for scholarships, grad and the usual hustle and bustle of my life I still find I come back to kids and everyone involved in Karim. I might be home and busy but a big part of me is still in Africa. I miss the kids like they are my best friends and my own kids and Rehema, Dada, Aisha as my own sisters and Juma and Ernest like my big brothers! It’s hard being home when I miss them so much but I just keep reminding myself to work hard and save and then I can go back! And is exactly my plan! We really did make life long friends! :)

A Picture Says a Thousand Words!

We brought the kids for a pool party the day Mom went home! The kids had a blast!

Mdudu (bug) hunting! One night there was a freakishly large spider in Linda's net so we went hunting with mop and dust pan in hand!

Ibra fell asleep in my arms after an afternoon of playing while the kids were at school!

Out for a bike ride in the neighbourhood! The kids don't spend much time outside the gates so they had a great time chasing and riding the bikes on the road!

Bibi Jean and Alex taking in the sight of the kids riding the bikes up and down the road!

This is Alex showing his muscles! We were trying to teach him how and this is how he kept doing it! Too cute!

Glow stick party! Deejayed by...the kids! They sang songs and danced in the yard the whole time!

Bubbles! Right before we left we pulled out the bubbles and watched the kids smiles grow as their fingers got stickier!

Playing hopscotch on the step! Bibi Jean brought chalk all the way from Canada to play! lol

Brotherly Love! Onesimo and Alex giggling on the front step!

And the Woman who started it all!














I think of the kids everyday and can't wait to see their smiling faces again! I have looked through my pictures everyday since I have been home! Today we got to talk to Rehema briefly.  It was good to hear from her and hear all is still well there! Rainy season will be starting soon there so getting the kids to and from school becomes a whole lot harder! The kids have to walk to the bus as the bus can't make it down their road! Their will be more stories and pics to come as I remember them!

Aw... Bibi Jean and Cianna's last day!

Our day started with a bit of a sleep in which was a nice change for us both. Following a delicious breakfast by the pool we decided to go for a walk. LOL Yes, I know some of you at home might think we were crazy but we quite enjoyed ourselves on the busy streets of Arusha! What started as a walk with the two of us to the little store down the street, ended up being a stroll of three of us. We picked up a friend on our way! Haha! Tony was a very nice young man that chatted us up until we reached the store and then he made plans to catch up with us on our way back to the hotel.

Once we walked through the store we decided to continue our stroll to the market as I knew the way. So here are these two muzungu’s (white people) walking down the street with not a care in the world.  After being here a month I feel safe on the streets and even chat with some locals! Granny giggled every time someone (usually a young man) would say "Hello" to me and I would respond and then ask them how they were doing as we passed. All of them made some kind of comment on my good Swahili and were surprised I could even respond and understand what they were saying to carry on the conversation. People are so friendly here, sticking their heads out the car window to say hello to someone they don’t even know on the street. If I knew more Swahili, I could have had 30 friends just from walking to the market and back! LOL

I had warned Bibi Jean about the market so she knew what to expect as Mom and I were caught off guard when we went! After only making it into 4 different shops we had everything we wanted and more so Bibi called it quits and we headed back to the hotel. That friend we made kept his word and walked us part way to the hotel. He was a very nice man and we ended up buying some paintings from him to bring home.

After our adventure at the market we sat by the pool drinking Fanta and had a dip to relax and cool off. After another shower we are freshened up and just relaxing until Linda and Rehema arrive for supper and the ride to the airport! Only seven and a half hours and we should be on the plane home, catching some Zzzzs and reading some books to make it through a few long flights! It’s been a good way to end this trip but it won’t be my last day in Africa!

Thank you!

This trip has been one of the BEST experiences of my life! There are a lot of people who have followed my journey so thank you for supporting me in my dream! A big thanks goes to my Mom and Dad for the best grad present I could have ever asked for and the best way to finish off high school! Words will never explain this experience but Mom was here for part of it so she knows and thanks Dad for keeping the farm going while we were gone! Next time we come, you and I will have to go on that hunting trip Salidean promised me!

I don't know many kids my age that have a 68 year old Granny that will just drop everything and hop on a plane to experience Africa with her granddaughter! She truly is one of a kind and it was great to have her along for second half of my trip!

A huge thank you goes out to Dada, who is the silent force keeping all the day to day stuff going at Karim! This is a woman who scrubs clothes harder then anyone I've seen, who cleans floors by hand and cooks wonderful meals! She is the hardest working lady I know so "Thank you" Dada for everything you did for us and everything you do for the kids!

Then there's Juma, the quiet young man who is always busy doing something either around the yard or on his bike hauling something home! Karim needs a man like him around.  He does so much that no one sees!

And Linda, I really can't thank you enough! This experience wouldn't have been possible with out you and your dream! The children's lives wouldn't have been the same without you doing everything you do! You have such a big heart and just know you have touched a lot of lives because of it - including mine!

Also to the kids at Karim! Thank you for being you - this experience wouldn't have been the same without each and everyone one of you! I love you all!

And of course we can't forget Rehema, the woman who took it upon herself to take in these kids and give them a good home! There aren't enough people out there like you! Thank you for making it feel like home and welcoming us with such open arms!

Can't wait to see you all again soon!

I will keep posting more pics and stories

when I get home so keep checking!

What a day...

Today was your typical Sunday at Karim! Kids running and playing, babies screaming, Dada washing floors, and Juma fixing bikes! But this was my last Sunday at Karim... and the day I wasn’t ready to face yet. After a morning of playing, the kids went for a nap after lunch and so did we! LOL When we got up it was 3 so we only had one hour until our ride would be taking us to Kibo for the night. We spent this last hour blowing bubbles and giggling in the yard!

We told the driver 4 as they usually run on Africa time but of course the one day I want them to be late they aren’t! So I started to make my way around the yard saying my goodbyes. It didn’t take long until you know what started to slide down my face. And they started coming faster and faster as Hawa’s eyes filled and Saumu’s arms clung tight and then Neema started to cry but when I saw Lucy with tears runnydown her face, I couldn’t hold it in any more. Gave Juma a big hug and left before the tears came and then found Dada and thanked her for everything as she wiped the tears off my face. Ran back to the house to tell Aisha bye and she was waiting for me. I told them all I would be coming back and that’s a promise I won’t have trouble keeping at all! I just don’t know how long I will be able to stay away from them. Ernest wasn’t home when we left so I didn't got to say good-bye, which was really hard for me because he was one of the first to capture my heart and I think Mom saw that pretty fast! Ellie gave me a hug and I waved goodbye to Mama Ellie and we were off down the bumpy road. This time it seemed longer than ever! Thank goodness we didn’t have to say goodbye to Linda or Rehema yet as they are taking us to the airport tomorrow night!

When we finally got to the hotel Bebe Granny and I raced to our room to get in the shower! We were both giggling at the thought of a hot shower! I realized it’s been at least 4 or 5 days since I’ve had any kind of shower! Oops!? It’s Africa right!? LOL I know what my brother would say to me right now! Haha “That’s just gross.” Then we skyped my Mom, Dad, Shane and Christina. The other day mom asked me “Do you have braids in your hair?” I laughed. "Umm, no Mom my hair hasn’t been brushed or washed for 5 days so I’m starting on the dreads!"  LMAO And to be honest it hasn’t bothered me the slightest, not even having a little sand in-between my toes, I had other things on my mind. But I’ll tell you that shower was amazing! After spending 15 minutes with the brush and a handful of hair late,r I removed the "dreads" and smelled clean and fresh! After getting out of the shower my first thought was “Man that felt good!” and my second was “Okay, I’m ready to go back to Karim!” I think It’s clear I’ve fallen in love with Africa and these amazing watotos (kids) in this beautiful place that so many people have helped make possible. I know where my second home is - it's in Africa now. Home is where the heart is right!? Each child and adult here have my heart now too. My heart is smiling, my eyes are wet.  I have collected hundreds of pictures and memories but I’m still not ready to come home...

World's Greatest Kids

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A Night to Remember!

Today was just an overall amazing day! Started with lots of smiles and breakfast followed with lots and lots of playing! After a few hours of playing the water truck came and that in itself was an event of its own! The funny thing is was as soon as the truck rolled out the gate the rain came! A little rain to wet things down and then it stopped and out ran the kids from the house to play some more. Granny found a stick, Lucy got the music and we had a limbo party! LOL The girls had a blast and we got some chuckles in too!



Tonight was Canadian supper again! Seventy five hot dogs later the kids were still asking for more! Mom might be the only one who truly understands the whole ordeal of making supper for this group. Haha!

Once the dishes were done it was dark so out came the glow sticks for another great party! The kids all started dancing (jumping) and singing like the Masai! All you could see were the glow sticks around their necks and wrists as they bobbed in the dark. After this they all lined up on the steps and took turns picking which song to sing together. I guess you had to see and hear it for yourself, all these bobbing heads and singing voices with the sparkling canvas of stars behind them! I got some video of this but all you can see are the glow sticks. It really was something to experience!

Seems like these “OMG” moments are so common here and the effect doesn’t seem to rub off! Hawa’s giggle as she rambles in Swahili, Hasani’s laugh when you tickle him, the gentleness in Sam’s eyes as he plays with my hair, Ibra calling my name, Juma’s smirk when he tries to understand what you’re saying, Aisha smacking my taco (bum) as I walk by, Alex saying “no,no,no”, the list goes on but these are the little things I will miss so dearly! Trying not to think about what happens tomorrow...

Just trying to absorb every little smile and laugh and moment that takes my breath away and get as many pictures as I can! Leaving will be harder then I can explain. The kids keep asking when I will be back and there’s no doubt I will, I just haven’t set a date yet! But I have a feeling there will be lots of people in my life that will want to come with me next time! Just thinking about tomorrow makes me tear up so I better get to bed so I am up early to get every second in with the kids that I can!

What a Wonderful Day!

After a day in town feeling like I was melting in the back seat, it was so good to get home and see little faces peeking out the gate to greet us! A slug of cold water and I was ready to spend time with the kids! Somehow this is something I never get tired of! After running around for a bit outside we settled down and started to write our letters back to the Coalhurst kids. My name was being called in all directions! “Cianna how do you spell this?” “Cianna! Cianna! What does this say?” “Cianna, help me!” Such precious little voices, all so different yet so sweet and innocent. Once all the letters were done we headed out to the dusty road to have some fun on the bikes, and boy did we!

The best part by far was when everyone piled in and we watched the “long hair” movie (Tangled). I walked into the room and the kids had all their chairs lined up neatly and were waiting quietly.  Seeing 15 kids in neat rows sitting in dead silence is a sight to see! The way the kids made me feel during the movie will never be fully explained - Hasani on my lap kicking his feet everytime he got scared, Hawa with her head resting on my shoulder, Sabrina leaning her head against mine and Ibra grabbing my hand to hold and my arms around them all! I’ll admit for a while there I wasn’t paying much attention to the movie, just the kids in my arms. It’s the moments each day like this that make it so hard to think about leaving in two days. In some ways it feels like I have been here a long time as I’ve grown so close to each child and yet it feels like no time at all.  It’s gone by so fast. The kids have started asking when I’m going home and it’s so hard to see their smiles fade when I tell them only two days, their smile isn’t the only one that fades when I realize I have to leave.

I knew I would fall in with all these kids but I didn’t know they would consume my entire heart and then some! When Sam curls up under my arm on the step and tilts his head and looks at me with a big smile there’s nowhere else in the world I would rather be at that moment. Each day is full of moments like these - no wonder it’s so hard to think about leaving this place and these kids. It really puts a new perspective on life, the hustle and bustle of what we call the “good life” at home lacks these simple moments. Maybe if you set aside time in those crazy days, life will surprise you in ways you didn’t know were possible!  I sure didn’t know I could feel this way! I set aside a month of my life to dedicate to help a woman I thought was making a difference in 16 kids lives. I came here to give but really I received.  It has been the BEST MONTH I can remember. I have learned more than a book could have ever taught me; my heart has grown 16 times larger and I have learned there will always be differences not deficiency between people and cultures. If you want the “good life” then get out and live it! Happiness will never be bought and won’t just show up on your door step! You have to seek it.  Happiness is a state of mind! I was warned to be careful about falling in love with the kids and people I encountered, but that’s been the best part of this entire journey for me. My blog is called “My Journey Begins” which is so true because this journey will never truly end.  It will always be with me in everything I do and I am positive I will be back before too long! This feeling is addictive; this is one drug everyone should try in their life!

My Journey in Pictures 8

My Journey in Pictures 7

My Journey Pictures 6

My Journey in Pictures 5

My Journey in Pictures 4

My Journey in Pictures 3

The Best Way to End a Day!

This week the kids have been writing midterm exams so that means no homework after school. More play time! :) Last night I put tattoos on all the kids! I had one child on my lap, another one hanging over my shoulder playing with my hair, one I was putting the tattoe on and the other 12 were in a tight circle around me! Good thing I'm not like mom or I'd be gasping for air! LOL The hardest part of the day here are the late afternoon hours waiting for the kids to get home but when Ibra is asleep in your arms curled up against you, even that doesn't seem so bad! When they do get home smiling and happy, I don't stop smiling for three hours! Laughs and stories at supper and some dancing and giggles later. In a flash, it's time for the goodnights, hugs,kisses and I love yous! Then I crawl into bed with my heart smiling and the corners of my mouth doing the same. To me this is the best way to end my day!

My Journey in Pictures 2

My Journey in Pictures 1

More Pictures!! :)

Mom and I with Prosper, our awesome Chef on our safari!

Lion cubs laying in the shade while Mama's go hunting!

 Mom and Granny posing for a picture in the Serengeti - where we were sleeping with the animals!

One of my new favorite animals! I think we would all agree being this close to our friend Simba was unforgettable!

Lots of laughs in the jeep!

Loved the pillowcases! Thanks Bulldogs!

Is it just me or does this picture make my hand glow!? Kids all lined up for bracelets so we are all matching now!

If only you could have heard the giggles as the ball bounced and they tried to keep it in! Thanks Auntie Dar!

The look on Granny's face when she arrived with no baggage! Just happy as ever to have arrived safe!

Painting the names on the wall! This had to done in the early morning hours as it just gets too hot! Thank you to everyone who donated! :)

Ibra and I hanging out while the kids are at school! He's to cute for his own good! LOL

Reading the letters from the Coalhurst kids! Loved to see the pictures of who wrote them! Thanks again!

All the kids got their toe nails painted! The boys were right on in there too! So cute!

Well there should be more to come! Sad to think I will be on a plane home in only six days! The last two days we have been working hard in this heat doing yard work and cleaning things up! I am at the internet cafe right now so I could put some pictures up as the internet isn't very good at home! LOL Funny, I call it home now... I guess the kids just make it feel like home! I will post more in a few days!

Love, C

Pool Party!

After arriving at Kibo we walked to the market in search of a bowl for mom and what an experience that was! After an hour of looking we left with a headache from dickering but with a bowl in hand. Rehema stayed with us for the night as our treat.  We all enjoyed hot showers and a movie before falling asleep for the night. In the morning the kids joined us for a pool party and lunch on us before mom headed to the airport. Half way through the party we got rained out but we had fun swimming in the rain for awhile!

Like we all expected, Mom had trouble saying goodbye. Rehema, mom and I were walking down to the lobby and the crocodile tears were already coming as she stopped to thank Rehema for everything.  Then when the kids came to say goodbye, the tears just kept coming and coming!

I know when it’s my turn It will be just as hard. These kids have captured our hearts in ways we never expected. Almost everyday I don’t know if I should laugh or cry. The stories of how they got here break your heart but their huge smiles and laughs bring joy into your life. This has been an incredible journey and I will cherish everyday I have left because I don’t really want to leave.

We hope Mom's plane came to get her and she gets home safely. I’m sure you will hear lots of stories from her before I get home!

Safari!

Day 1

Today we left for our safari. It was nice to get out of the Arusha area and see just how beautiful Africa really is! We traveled three hours to our camp where we dropped off Prosper (our chef) and then went out to Lake Manyara to see the animals. This park is known for climbing lions but we never did get to see any. We saw lots of baboons, blue monkey, vevert monkey, giraffes, elephants, water buffalo, impalas, zebras, mongoose, flamingos and storks. The lake is very large but the animals don’t drink from it as it is salt water. After a long day in the heat we were happy to get back.  I had my first shower in 13 days! I never knew a trickle of hot water could make me feel so clean and refreshed! Prosper's meals have been so good and I have eaten them with a big smile that Granny just finds “awesome”.  We laughed until we almost peed our pants in the tent, over who knows what. At midnight we all got up and made a group trip to the washrooms as no one wanted to alone. LOL  And this was in the gated campground! Oh, dear.

Day 2

Today we got up at 7:30! Yippie, we got to sleep in! LOL Prosper made us a great breakfast and then we were on our way to the Serengeti! It was about a four hour drive. The Serengeti is an open plain area with odd rock piles and cliffs every once and awhile. We saw lots and lots of zebras and wildebeast! Out of everything we’ve seen so far the zebras are a hit with us.  Their unique markings really make them stand out and boy have they got a lot of personality! The little mountain cliff things look just like the one off of the lion king.  It was interesting to see them out in the middle of nowhere. We also got to see our first leopard today! We couldn’t even see him until we looked with the video camera and could see he was just laying in the tree panting. It was very neat to see in real life. We also got to see hippos while the zebras were playing in the mud. After another long day and expecting there weren’t showers in the middle of the Serengeti, it was a wonderful surprise to have a beautiful hot shower - even if we had to use the men’s showers! Haha! After lots of laughs and spaghetti for supper, Steve (our guide) came to give us the rules for the night as there were no fences and we just plopped our tent where we liked. He told us to fear the mosquitoes, scorpions and snakes and to feel completely safe hearing the lion breathe while he sleeps next to our tent.  We were also informed that we would never hear an elephant walk through the tents but we will see the tracks in the morning. He also advised us the before leaving our tent to flash the light around the tent and look for the color of eyes that reflect back. If we saw blue or green we were safe to move around as they were impalas or gazelles. But if we saw red or silver we weren’t to make much movement as those were lions, leopards and hyenas. Of course this didn’t sit well with Mom as she had tried hard to get me to do the "lodging" Safari instead of the "tenting" version before we even left. She shed some tears saying she missed Dad thinking of the lions sleeping on the other side of the tent. After she stopped crying,  we all burst into hysterical laughter just like every other night here. After a few minutes of listening to Mom worry, I had had enough so I turned on my hypnosis soundtrack for her and she was sleep within minutes.  What a life saver! Mom would have never gotten to sleep without it and would have kept us up as well. I only vaguely remember hearing hyenas in the night as I was sleeping soundly but I guess Mom was listening more closely as she wasn’t quite as comfortable in the tent at this site.

Day 3

Started with an early morning at 5 that mom was glad to see roll around.  We got dressed, grabbed a cup of coffee and hit the road in the dark to get out when the animals are most active. And that they were. Within minutes we saw three hyenas fighting over a leg on the road and then a lioness taking a stroll on the side of the road in the dark. As the sun came up we got to see another lioness and a male laying on a hump of land in the middle of the grassland. By far my favourite animal we have seen for sure, so incredible! Steve drove right up to the hump so we were 15 feet from the male lion and he was a sight to see. He kept hiding his face from the wind but he also kept lifting his head to patrol his area. On our way back to camp for brunch we saw three baby elephants that were only a couple weeks old. At lunch we got talking to a couple of young girls in our group and turns out last night at supper there was a hyena that stuck his head in the tent door wanting some supper. Thank goodness Mom didn’t see it!

On our way out of the Serengeti we saw three lions sitting on a big rock with two cubs laying in the shade. The lions were hunting so we watched as three went off to hunt and one stayed with the cubs. We then took the long and very dusty road out of the Serengeti. We arrived at our next camp site to have another nice hot shower and another great supper (rice and beef stew). Yes I just said I enjoyed stew for all of you non believers. Ask Mom - she was just as surprised when I said, “Wow this is so good."  Then we were off to bed. It is very cold in the Ngorongoro crater so we all had four layers on and a jacket while bundled up in the sleeping bags. Mom thought she was going to freeze so she wrapped Granny’s scarf around her head like a traditional Muslim head piece. Minutes later she was already complaining she was hot. Do you know how many times I’ve heard THAT since we’ve been here!? LOL - but soon we were soonsleeping and not worrying about the wild pigs that might have been searching for food around our tents!

Day 4

5 a.m. came fast again. Grabbed a quick breakfast and then we were off to the crater floor.  Of course no one else was up and moving yet so we were the first ones to enter the gates. But I’ll tell ya getting up early really pays off, this is when we saw most of the animals. We got to see lots and lots of hyenas today along with the huge heards of zebras and wildebeasts. The highlight was the lions though. There was a male and female with year old cubs, one male and one female. Also another male and two females that joined them later. The one male and lioness laid together only a few feet away from the jeep and posed for pictures. No one will really believe that our pictures aren’t zoomed in at all, we were really that close! The male even came and rubbed on the jeep before laying down. We also saw a new born wildebeast calf that was still wet and stumbling along with his Mama. Also found Pumba (a warthog) with four little piglets running with their tails straight up! After a morning full of excitement we picked up Prosper and our bags and started on the drive home feeling satisfied and thoroughly enjoyed the amazing experience!

Jumas First Day :)

Signing the papers!

Yesterday we spent the afternoon getting everything in line for Juma to go to school to take some English classes! We went to the school where he will be going and filled out all the papers and paid for his first 6 months of classes. Then we went out shopping and got him a dictionary and some note pads, pencils and pens and the whole shebang. After we had all his school supplies we decided he needed some clothes to wear to school so we went and got him some more nice jeans and a shirt! Again, he wore them home along with a big smile from cheek to cheek! He will have to walk and take the dala dala (bus) to get to school and back and it is not like at home where you just walk down the street to the bus. You walk for awhile here until you can catch the bus. Mom thinks Juma should motorbike so he can get to school faster and because he is forever running to get this or that on his pedal bike. 

All dressed in his new clothes with backpack and books in hand he set off for his first day! I told him I want him to say something to me in English before I leave and he said “no problem.”  LOL  I wonder what it will be! Unfortunately we are leaving for safari this morning so I won’t be able to find out how school is going for Juma until we get back Friday! So you won’t be hearing from me again until we get back.

Looking sharp and ready for his first day! Can't wait for him to come to Canada!

First Day of School :)

This morning at 6:30 we watched Ellie go to school for the first time and change his life forever thanks to the help of Nana and Auntie Dar.  As Ellie was getting on the bus Ernest stood with us and kept saying “ sank-you, sank-you, Cianna” . The sun was just starting to come up and Ernest’s big smile showed more than words could be say. All 16 kids stood by Ellie proudly to get him through his first 13 hour school day! They are such great little helpers. In the midst of the circle of children stood Ellie in a little track suit he borrowed until we get to town to buy him his uniform! It was really something to see the kids grab his hand and lead him to the school bus and watch Ernest and Mama Ellie’s reaction as their little boy was finally going to school for the first time! These are the moments that will stay with us forever!

Water Tower is Up!

No ropes, no safety straps just his hands and feet to get 80 feet down!

Well take a look at what you all built! After three and a half months of digging everyday,  he is still going! He is so far down we can’t even see him when we look .  All we can hear is some pounding and humming from the black hole. Despite a few bumps along the road the water tower is now complete and we will have clean, running water! What a difference it will make! Thank you to everyone that helped make it possible.

No fancy way of getting the tank up - just the push and pull method! Once the tank was up there were three men up there with it, walking around it with only inches of space to spare! Scary just to watch!

Thank You, Coalhurst Elementary!

Sweaters, socks, ties and backpacks for all! :)

Today I went shopping to purchase new school supplies with all the money the Kids of Karim option class from Coalhurst Elementary had made with two of their four planned fundraisers! Your hard work was so appreciated by these children. They were so excited to see their new school backpacks waiting for them on their pillow! The kids were so surprised to find part of their school uniform inside. They all received a new school sweater, two pairs of school socks and a new tie. This will help the kids so much as prior to today the kids only had one uniform to wear everyday. And these kids are just like you, so by the end of the day they come home very dirty!

Believe it or not at the end of the day we still had money to spare! Juma is Rehama’s brother and lives here at Karim. He helps all the boys get ready for school and ready for bed everyday. While they are at school he is constantly working around the yard as he is the only male here. For a 19 year old he works very hard and his pay is to sleep and eat here at Karim. He was unable to finish school and his dream is to come to Canada to have a bright future. In order to achieve this or to get a good job here he must learn English. So we thought it seemed fitting to use what we had left to help him go to school to learn English and be one step closer to his dream. This is something that he has always wanted but with no steady income may have taken years to achieve.  After telling him we were going to help him go to school a smile remained on his face for quite some time!

Thank you Coalhurst Elementary for making such a huge difference in so many children’s lives today! And thank you for allowing me to be part of this all. We will be reading the letters you wrote tomorrow as the kids don’t get home until very late on school days! I will keep you posted!