My Tanzanian family

My Tanzanian host family:

Mama Godi, me, Praygod and Given

Mama Godi, Praygod, Given, Steve-o (houseboy), Godi and Babba Godi

Me and Mama Wambura... founder of LOHADA

Heath and little Neema

Amy and Prey

I am so grateful to all of these people for making this time in Tanzania possible. My host family was so gracious and kind and I feel like I received a true Tanzanian experience. Mama and Baba Godi work so hard to provide for their family and give their children a good education and life opportunities.

My adoptive family Heath & Neema and Amy & Prey, Liza, Vincent and Jacob... thank you for your kindness, compassion and friendship. I am so grateful to have had this time with you all and don't know how I would have survived without you ~ You inspire me with your hearts and compassion for others.

xoxo,

Mandy

A day in the life

Living room... where we gather and eat our meals

Clothes line, walk way and gate

Entrance to the house... everyone takes off their shoes

The house directly outside of our gate...

Pathway to the main road from my house

Walking to Camp Moses

Hi everyone,

Hard to believe but it is one of my last few days in Tanzania and I wanted to share some photos from my daily life... "My house," walking to the main road, walking to Moses to volunteer, etc.

The last few days have gone really well... Saturday and Sunday we had a chance to go a little way outside town to enjoy the Arusha Christmas Fair. It was fun to walk through the different booths and see what people were buying and selling... the proceeds went to Arusha charities which was nice. It was weirdly like a little America in an African field :-) I had my Sunday visit with the kids at Camp Moses and brought along some candy treats which they loved. Little things go such a long way!

Out of time, but will share more of my final days!!

xoxo,

Mandy

"Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." ~ Howard Thurman

Out of Africa... Baby Emory has arrived!

Emory Noah Lowry!!

5 pounds, 11 ounces 18 3/4 inches
He's so little and sweet, I can't wait to meet him!

Dad and Mom, with their new grandson!

Beautiful (tired) "momma" Christina and Baby E

Back to America for a quick moment to recognize the birth of my baby nephew, Emory! My amazing sister Christina went into labor 3 weeks early so I am excited yet sad to report he has arrived and I am far away in Africa... He was born Wednesday morning, on her 29th birthday of all days and they are both happy and well. I have been fortunate to talk with them via phone and video chat (God bless Cody and his techno ways) and I cannot wait to get home next week and meet him and hold him! I am so blessed to have a wonderful, supportive family and group of friends so thank you a million times over for the love, support and encouragement and for standing in for Aunt Mando while I am gone.

xoxo,

Mandy

“Life is a series of experiences, each one of which makes us bigger, even though it is hard to realize this. For the world was built to develop character, and we must learn that the setbacks and griefs which we endure help us in our marching onward.” —Henry Ford

African adventures....

"Life is either a great adventure or nothing" ~ Helen Keller

Elephants on Safari!!

My water bottle is as big as her almost.... love that smile :-)

Funny faces... this was my attempt to make them smile?

Adorable Esther, love this girl and that sweet dress!

Enjoying my time with the kids at Camp Moses... they are truly hilarious to watch and interact with and I want so much to help them! I walked in their play area the other day and the were playing "church." Two kids were on a table, holding bibles and yelling in Swahili and raising their hands in the air as the other kids stood below them, throwing their hands in the air and falling onto the floor like a good ole' revival. They are all 6 and under, so needless to say it was a sweet yet humorous sight to see....

I was fortunate to go on a day trip Safari in Africa! Here are a few, quick pictures that I wanted to share, but I have more to come. It was a rainy morning starting out so we didn't know what to expect but after a long "game" drive we saw really awesome and amazing animals!! Giraffe, zebra, elephants, monkeys, buffalo, warthogs, impala, and more!!

Sweet Neema, driving the Safari car!Massai tribal village

xoxo,
Mandy

Lollipop, lollipop!

Lollipop treats for the kids at Moses!
On Sunday afternoon I treated the kids (thanks Leslie) to Chuppa Chuppa lollipops with bubblegum inside... they loved it and we had so much fun! They were enthralled with my blowing bubbles and I tried to teach them, but that turned into a sticky bubblegum chaos... All in all, it was a fun afternoon and it was amazing to see something so common and simple to us, brighten their days!
Things are going well, I am truly enjoying these precious kids and I feel so blessed to be a part of their lives in some way.

xoxo,
Mandy

"Think big thoughts but relish small pleasures." ~H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

"Hakuna Matata"... means "no worries"

Every day may not be good, but there's something good in every day. ~Author Unknown

Hakuna Matata ya'll, I am doing well and I know that this time in my life is all part of the bigger picture!
I don't want you to worry about me as I am doing well and trying to take in every experience that comes my way... A few happy things from the past week...
We took a morning drive on Friday to the town of Moshi which is where Mt. Kilimanjaro is... Sadly the gigantic mountain was hidden behind the clouds and I really only got a glimpse of the base. I will try again before I leave as I know it will be an amazing sight! I did get the chance to see a lot of "untouched" Tanzania as we drove and passed many villages and beautiful green hills between Arusha and Moshi.

I took this to show how strong and hard working the women here are... You see them daily walking with buckets of water, baskets of bananas, piles of laundry, or sacks of rice!

Africa's lush greenery from the road trip to Moshi

Neema's 3rd Birthday ~ Mama Heath and Neema



Snuggling with Prey and Martine at Neema's party

Saturday I spent most of the day with my new pals, Heath & Neema, Amy & Prey, Liza, Vincent and a slew of precious kids to celebrate Neema's 3rd birthday. Several of the village kids came and we had pizza and cake, true American style as Tanzanians don't celebrate birthdays like we do. It was a fun afternoon and a great boost for my spirit!

On my way home, I was waiting at the Impala Round-a-bout for my Dalla Dalla van and had the chance to witness fun wedding traditions of Tanzania. It was truly a sight to see as Saturdays are all about weddings here!! Bridal parties drive in big caravans of decorated cars and trucks full of people and a band that plays music as they pass thought the streets. They go through the circle and then they park their cars and line up to march down the street into the greenery inside the round-a-bout and take pictures... I saw this taking place and tried to snap a picture and was baffled to see three other wedding parties do this same thing in a matter of minutes... They had a "battle of the bands" as they waited to have their turns to march! So fun!

A few happy and random moments from the week, but wanted to share :-)

I am blessed to be here and I know that this experience in Africa is bigger than I know or can comprehend. Thank you for sharing in this journey with me ~

xoxo,

Mandy

Realities of Africa....

“The world is round, and the place which may seem like the end may also be the beginning.” —Ivy Baker

Hello everyone! Winding down from my second official week, hard to believe I've been in Africa now for 17 days! Things are still going well, I am really enjoying my time at LOHADA, especially with the cute kids from Camp Moses. They truly brighten my day and just seeing their sweet smiles makes me glad to have come. I've struggled this week with feeling that I am not doing enough for these people and this place and I have questioned whether I am making an impact in some way. I'm learning a lot more about the stories and lives of the children I am working with and that has truly opened my eyes. Many of them were simply "sold" because their parents or family member didn't have enough money to care for them... sweet little Esther's mother was shot and killed in front of her as a little baby and she's just 3 years old. Two little sisters were taken from their home because their father abandoned them and their mother's new husband did not want them, so he boiled oil and poured it on them... These are merely a few scenarios of the unimaginable circumstances and heartbreak that is the reality of so many of these kids.
Thank you for the encouragement and support as it truly does make a difference when Africa seems to get you down... It is hard to see people in such dire need of help, especially precious, innocent children who were born into these circumstances. I know that change comes in time and even if I leave here without physically seeing that change, perhaps I have helped plant the seed.
Love to you all and I will update you soon!
xoxo,
Mandy

Finding my way in Africa ...

Arusha hillside... behind Camp Moses


The infamous "dalla dalla" ~ My daily transport, entertainment and fright fest in 1!

Daily happenings on a corner in Arusha ~ fruit and craft selling

“Our Similarities bring us to a common ground; Our Differences allow us to be fascinated by each other.” —Tom Robbins

Hi there! A quick check in from my second week in Tanzania. Things are going well, getting the hang of things for the most part and learning to "go with the flow" Tanzanian style.

On Friday I had the chance to visit a baby orphanage " Cradle of Love " outside of Arusha ~ my new friends Heath and Liza both volunteered there in 2008 and it is also where Heath met her baby Neema. It was so fun to visit the babies and play with them for awhile! I spent time with Nina and Ava who are triplets... there other sister was sleeping. This orphanage is very nice and has all of the necessities for the little babies, including a slew of volunteers and paid "nannies" and "mama's" to care for everyone. I honestly did not know what to expect before we arrived, but was touched to see such a well run establishment and home for these precious babes.

The weekend was fairly low key, Saturday started off rainy but turned into a nice day. We were originally headed to the town of Moshi about an hour away from where I am, right at the foot of Mt Kilimanjaro.... but things did not work out as planned and with the rain and delays we were not able to go. Hopefully another day!

Sunday I visited the Vineyard Church which is comprised mostly of "westerners", volunteers, missionaries, etc. and enjoyed a nice service, spoken in English! :-) I then spent the afternoon exploring a bit of town and then went to Camp Moses to play with the kids for awhile. I think they were surprised with a weekend visit and we all had a good time! I somehow thought it was a good idea to get out the camera and take pictures, but soon realized that all of my new friends were aspiring photographers and really wanted a chance to snap away! I learned my lesson, so for now on I will have to sneak in my picture taking.

Life with my host family is going well... still adjusting to the daily Tanzanian lifestyle. A few days without running water makes you realize how lucky we all are! I've learned that security is a very big deal in Tanzania... all of the homes are gated or surrounded by walls with a guard or watchman of some kind. The house I am staying in has a wall that surrounds it, as well as a large iron gate and a house boy who is present all the time to let us in and out. I noticed this morning during breakfast that on the sides of the house, the top of the wall is lined with broken shards of glass Pepsi bottles?! I thought this was somewhat humorous and interesting all the same.

Hope you enjoy the random stories and hope to have more exciting adventures soon!

Camp Moses boys, being boys! (playing in the "washing tub")

Thumbs up! (Sweet Esther in pink is my little buddy! she's so tiny and cute!)

Little Esther swinging in her Sunday dress

xoxo,

Mandy

A few pictures from Week 1 in Tanzania...

"It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end." Ursula LeGuin

My room!

As promised, a few pictures! Sorry for so few, it is hard to upload or download anything with the internet connections! Please enjoy and I will share more as soon as I can!

Sweet Miriam holding Heath's baby girl Neema in the village

Muddy pathway thru the village with kids & Liza

Village life for these people and children...

Standard 5 choir, so cute and a little one wanted to join in! (the babies here are so bundled!)

Camp Joshua kids singing and praying in the afternoon

Just walking down the road... Animal encounters everywhere!


Beautiful Mt. Meru coming out from the clouds

City view of Arusha and Mt Meru

Xoxo,

Mandy

Jambo!

“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.” Albert Einstein

Jambo everyone, I am practicing my Swahili hello!

The week has been going very well so far and I have gotten to see many things and spend time with some adorable children. First things first, Heath and her crew have had me for dinner twice this week and it was such a treat to have familiar, yummy food!

Wednesday afternoon after my volunteer time I was able to go with Heath and her friends Liza and Vincent to two villages in Arusha. The first village was to drive a woman and her baby home that Heath has gotten to know over the past several weeks. She is a street beggar and that is her only means for providing for her two daughters. This woman was severely burned as a child and lost her leg and is basically an outcast and cannot find work. Her husband is an alcoholic who comes and goes on rare occasions and has even tried to kidnap their older daughter from school in the past. She welcomed us into her home where she sat on the floor so that we could have a seat on their bed...she was such a sweet and proud soul despite her horrible circumstances. God is truly opening my eyes and heart farther than I could have imagined.

The second village we visited was to see the kids from this past weekend who Heath has become very attached to and her organization Takes A Whole Village http://takesawholevillage.blogspot.com/ is starting a new project in January to benefit several of the kids and send them to school and provide quality health care and a safe home. The conditions as I mentioned before are quite unbelievable yet these children have such amazing spirits and smiles that warm your heart. It has rained very hard for several days so we basically were wading through mud just to get to their homes. We stayed for about two hours or so and played with the kids and talked with the "mama's" and "bibi's" (grandmothers). I am so thankful to be experiencing so many sides of the life and culture in Tanzania, far beyond what I could have imagined.

Thursday I spent the morning at Camp Moses, playing with the kids and working on my educational artwork adventure ~ My little buddies there are getting to know me and get excited when I come to play and spend time :) In the afternoon I went to visit the kids at Camp Joshua which is on the far side of town and is located in the poorest village in Arusha. They have a special hour or so for volunteers on Thursdays so I played "football" with about twenty of the boys! (Great mental picture I am sure, me playing soccer!?) and stayed until school ended for the day. Afterwards I made many attempts to get to an Internet cafe before dark and the two I ended up at both had no connections, so I apologize for the delay in updates... Communication is tricky to say the least.

All in all things are going well! I am still adjusting and trying to find my way around... Still hoping to post pictures asap! Bare with me and thanks for checking on me and keep the prayers coming!

xoxo,

Mandy

Greetings from Tanzania

"No, life cannot be understood flat on a page. It has to be lived; a person has to get out of his head, has to fall in love, has to memorize poems, has to jump off bridges into rivers, has to stand in an empty desert and whisper sonnets under his breath... We get one story, you and I, and one story alone. God has established the elements, the setting and the climax and resolution. It would be a crime not to venture out, wouldn't it?" -Donald Miller

Hello everyone! I've just finished my second day of volunteering at LOHADA and took the crazy Dalla-dalla minibus with way too many people towards town to get on the computer and check in. Things are going well so far, still trying to learn my way around and get acclimated to everything... I'm pretty much on my own during the days, so I am making the best of my time and trying to learn a lot.
My host family is very nice, they are very busy and are always going but I see them every night for dinner at 8 or 8:30. Tanzanian's have a different eating schedule and diet... We have bread and tea for breakfast, Ugali (maize / gritty / hard porridge) for lunch and dinner is either rice ("Wali"), noodles, a bread called Chapati (reminds me of a corn tortilla), or a dish they call Bananas - small banana like things that taste like potato's in gravy. Needless to say our picky eater is having to be adventurous and go with it, so I've tried everything but the Ugali lunch because I have not been served it, yet!
In meeting with the director of LOHADA yesterday "Mama Wambura" she asked me to work on a few projects during my time here. I am now working on creating educational "visual aids" for the kids and to post in their classroom so the wall isn't so bare. I will mostly be serving the smaller kids, 6 and under so I am using numbers, animals, colors and need some ideas from all of my teacher pals about useful hygiene pictures?! They want the kids to learn about washing their hands and brushing their teeth, etc but keep in mind this camp has no running water or electricity at the moment.
This morning when I arrived it was during the kids play time so I jumped right in and had a wonderful time! The kids were so excited to have someone to play with :-) It's really quite amazing how well you can get along with little people who don't understand you and you can't understand them, but we managed!? We played on swings and the kids took turns jumping on me and having me swing them around by their arms... they loved it and couldn't get enough! We ended with a very nice rendition of the song "Heads, shoulders, knees and toes" which was so cute! They seem to be fascinated with my hair, I don't know if its because it is blonde or long or different, but they really like it! I've made several little buddies already and can't wait to post pictures! Many of the Internet places dont have USB drives :( but I will keep searching!
I better run to catch my dalla dalla back to the house...
Thanks for all the prayers and love and hope to have more updates soon!

Xoxo,
Mandy

Tanzania, ready or not...

I am in Africa! I arrived safe and sound late Thursday night, after 16 hours of airplane rides and airports. I was met at the airport by the LOHADA camp directors son Jacob and we drove the forty or so minutes from Kilimanjaro to Arusha. As we were nearing the area where my host family "The Lema's" live, he quickly pointed out that the electricity must be out as we were in pitch darkness!? Welcome! We drive down a winding dirt path past many compounds with large metal gates and arrive at their home and we are met and escorted inside with oil lanterns. The father is the head of the house and he asked me to call him Baba Gordi and his wife Mama Gordi and introduced me to their sons. The house is bigger than expected, made entirely of concrete and they show me my room upstairs and the "toilet" / shower room. I am excited to have a shower, but as far as descriptions go I will end on the note that they have a "traditional" Tanzanian toilet...
Wake up on Friday to the roosters and make my way down to breakfast which is bread, butter and tea. Jacob comes back to get me and introduce me to town, the LOHADA camps and most importantly to the local mini buses I will have to use "Dalla dallas." My most desperate need was to go to town to buy drinking water as I was sooo thirsty and send a quick email home to let my family know I was ok. It was an interesting first day as I was obviously tired and jet lagged and a little unsure of what to do with myself. I know I will get used to it but everyone stares as I obviously stand out quite a bit so I am making every attempt to smile and say "Jambo" (Hello in Swahili) to everyone! The children are so funny, many have never seen a white person "Mzungo" so they shout it at me and giggle, so I just laugh and say hi :-)
Saturday turned out to be a great day! Once again Jacob came for me and we went out to Camp Joshua to play with the kids for awhile. I was a little nervous at first with the kids... 70 of them to meet and get to know but we started out with a game of Duck, duck goose and all went well from there and the kids had so much fun running and giggling. Afterwards we went to town to meet up with Heath who is from Atlanta and has been living in Arusha since May. She is adopting a baby girl, Neema (pronounced Nayma) who is a true delight. We had lunch and spent time at her apartment and talked and it really affirmed that I can do this and that I am here for the right reasons. In the afternoon we met her friend Vincent and went to a village to meet some of her new found little friends who are so adorable and in need of love and affection. The kids were so excited to have visitors and I was excited to meet them, but it was a lot to take in. The living conditions of these people was beyond my imagination and to see these precious children living this way was heartbreaking. The hardest part so far has been the language barrier as very few speak good English, especially in villages like these where only Swahili is spoken. Heath does a great job with trying to communicate and she has learned a lot and has Vincent to help translate to, but it still makes it tough. The sad truth is that I know this is only the beginning of what I will see, but I know God will guide me through this journey each step. It was a full day so I returned to the Lema's and showered and was in bed at 8:30! I am still trying to get my body on the right clock, but I managed to get good rest.
Sunday I made plans to meet Heath at her English church, Vineyard where she had invited several of the village kids to join us. Needless to say with nine little ones (ranging from 16 months to 11) it was hard to focus or keep everyone in one place so we ended up taking them to a playground nearby, which non of the kids had ever seen! It was so fun to see them going down the slides and pushing the little ones on swings, so hopefully I can post pictures soon!
All in all, my time so far has been eventful and full of new adventures! I am trying to get used to things, but please keep me in your prayers and I hope to share more soon!!

Much love always and will touch base as soon as I can!!
xoxo
Mandy

All Shot Up...

Me at the travel clinic last week ~ post immunizations. Who would have thought I'd need 6 in one day!?... (2 in the right and 3 in the left & thankfully Hep was 2 for 1) I'm now prepared for Africa, so watch out Yellow Fever, Typhoid, Hepatitis A & B, Tetanus and Polio!!
Thanks JB for the moral support and comic relief... and for holding my hand :)


7 days until my departure...thanks for all of the encouragement, love and support! I am truly blessed ~

Xoxo,

Mandy



"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. To keep our faces toward change and behave like free spirits in the presence of fate is strength undefeatable."
Helen Keller

We must sail sometimes... Join me?

“I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving... we must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it... but we must sail and not drift nor lie at anchor." Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

Hello to you all and I hope this finds you well. I wanted to reach out to you and let you know about an exciting journey that is about to take place in my life. I am making plans to go to Arusha, Tanzania and will be volunteering with the LOHADA (Loving Hand for the Disadvantaged and Aged) organization. I was introduced to this amazing organization through friends and research and have been inspired by the courageous and tireless people who have worked to make a difference in this community. They have three campuses at which I will be involved as a volunteer: Camp Moses, a Christian school and a home for children without guardians or home stability; Camp Joshua, a day center that helps disadvantaged children and their families to break the cycle of poverty and circumstance through education, rehabilitation and empowerment; and Camp Patmos, a safe haven for destitute elderly people living out their days alone and without shelter.

After much uncertainty in coordinating the time frame and planning of this mission, I will officially be leaving for Tanzania October 21^st to serve a month with LOHADA and will return November 19^th. This trip provides an opportunity for me to participate in meeting the physical and spiritual needs of a community based organization that is desperately under-served. I am seeking out a support team who will be willing to pray for me and the people of Tanzania and/or give toward this project financially if you are led and able. I ask you to pray for wisdom and strength to meet the needs of the children and families within this community, prayer for safety as I travel and while I am in Africa, and prayer for the people that I volunteer with and serve alongside at LOHADA. Financially, I need to raise $2,800 to cover the cost of expenses and assist with needs for the LOHADA organization. I have personally been saving little by little for over a year, but I am still in need of financial support to make this dream a reality. If you are in a position and feel led to assist in my efforts I would be forever grateful as I know at this time our world is full of economic uncertainty and difficult times.

Thank you for your love and support both spiritually and financially and I look forward to continuing to share my journey with all of you in the weeks and months ahead.

Xoxo,

Mandy

Please let me know if I can answer any questions about this project or other ways to help.

Contributions are tax deductable & checks can be made payable to : Mandy Waldrep, in the memo line Tanzania 2009 Mission. Otherwise, you can donate online through PayPal on my blog.

Mailing Address:

Amanda Waldrep

947 Cornwall Court

Marietta, Georgia 30064

770-856-2663

Better late than never...

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
Eleanor Roosevelt

So my desire to keep up with the blogging world around me has gotten off to a slow start, but nonetheless I am back and look forward to sharing my journey with you. I left New York City two months ago (August 7th to be exact), after three (combined four) wonderful years of adventure on many levels. The timing was necessary but the transition back home to Georgia has been bittersweet, as I am grateful to be near my family and old friends, yet sad to be away from amazing friends and new family who helped me grow and survive my days in NYC.

One of my reasons for moving on from New York life was to pursue my dream of traveling the world, in particular going to Africa for a mission opportunity of some kind. I feel a true passion within my heart to go to this foreign land, and give my time and perhaps my heart to people who need it most. To many people this is an exciting and adventurous dream, but to many it is a scary and unimaginable notion that I would want to put myself in such a vulnerable position. I am grateful for the love that has been shown to me throughout the years, through the joys and hardships I've experienced and that is why I am so passionate about spreading this love and hope to people, children in particular in such need. That being said, I am making plans to go to Arusha, Tanzania and volunteer with the LOHADA organization. I was introduced to this amazing organization through takesawholevillage.blogspot.com (and friends of friends) and look forward to meeting these courageous and inspiring people and working alongside them. I am so thankful for the people who have inspired me to step out and take a chance and have shared their own mission experiences with me and I so look forward to continuing to share my journey with all of you in the weeks and months ahead.
If things work out faster than expected, I hope to be leaving for Tanzania in the next two weeks (by October 22nd hopefully) and returning in late November. I have planned to serve a month with LOHADA and hope to return to Africa in the future as well. I am anxiously looking forward to being home for the arrival of my baby nephew "Lowry" bean, so we'll have to trust in God's timing. Otherwise, I plan to stay close to home with my family until late December/early January and then begin my journey to Africa.

Thank you for your support through love, inspiration and prayers and in helping me following my dreams.
Xo,
Mandy

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3: 5-6

Words of wisdom

Those of you who know me or keep up with me on a regular basis, know that I love quotes... You've seen them in my posts, as a status update, in the tag line of emails or you could be a lucky member of my random "Quote of the Day" club. A little bit of inspiration can go a long way so I enjoy sharing these inspiring words of wisdom with the people in my life. You can't believe everything you read, but you can soak in someone else's take on the facts of life and allow it to influence you to be a better person. That is my primary goal, to be a loving, caring soul who can in someway make an imprint on the world around us.
Don't you think we could all use an inspirational "snack" every now and again?

Our journey begins with this...

“I beg you to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves...Don't search for the answers, which could not be given to you now...the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now.”
Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926), excerpt from Letters to a Young Poet

xo
GAGirl