TANZANIA UPDATE

Compassion and Respect

After what felt like weeks of travel and overwhelming anticipation we finally arrived in Tanzania. Looking out of the plane’s window I could see Mt. Kilimanjaro’s enormous peak above the clouds. I couldn’t believe I was going to land in Tanzania; it felt like a dream or the captain would yell “SYKE” over the microphone and fly back home. But now I am actually here in Tanzania and I cannot explain how amazing it is.

Yesterday we went to Cradle of Love, a home for orphaned babies. Each child had his/her own personality. Some just wanted to be held while others pulled on our fingers to go explore. After a few hours I sat with one little girl who was now asleep on my arms. And as I sat there I realized that I felt true compassion that I hadn’t in the longest time. Back home people talk of small nothings and barely care about how many siblings you have or where you are from, but here in Tanzania they do. The people here take the time to learn your story, to understand who you are. Even the people that don’t speak a lot of English are so happy just to hear “Mambo” or “Poa.” On the first night a lady named Nai came to visit us. She told us how the people acted, the do’s and do not’s and she told us “The people here do not care what your skin color is, they do not discriminate, they simply love everyone.” THAT to me is the most beautiful way to live through peace and love.

Today we went to L.O.A.M.O School. Around 270 children attend the school. They all gathered in lines according to their class. (baby, kinder, prep, class 1, class 2, etc) One of the teachers lead the students, still in their designated lines, in different dances and exercises before school started. This lead me to compare the schools we have in the US to L.O.A.M.O. Why are we American students so reluctant to follow instructions, especially in schools? I know that I wake up each morning before school as slowly as I can. But in Tanzania the children rush to greet their teachers and friends. We have a better education system and opportunities for a successful future than the students at L.O.A.M.O yet they listen and respect their elders far better than we do. Even after I witnessed several children being punished for bad behavior by being hit on the hand or back with a wooden stick, they did not complain or cry. Even though it was upsetting to see this I was amazed at how much control and respect they had. So far on this trip I have felt and witnessed true compassion and I have the upmost respect for the students.