I'm now back at Good Hope orphanage, but it was a very bittersweet return. As soon as I arrived, I learned that 5 of the 11 orphange who were there with me last year have been adopted out into families in Tanzania. Saidi, Asha, Rama, Juma, and Bakari are all living with stable families all throughout the country. This is of course great news (all though I was and still am missing them so so much) because they will have a stable home and will be exposed to so many great opportunities. Mama Asha (orphanage director) has done this to not only give those 5 orphans a better life, but to also open up space for more at risk children to live at Good Hope. And the spots have quickly been filled up with 6 new orphans. Mama Asha is looking for the 2 oldest boys, Amri and Swaifi, who have been at the orphange for a few years, to also be adopted into families within the country. They are getting older and need more space and more independence. 10 year old might seem young for independence, but not here. A quick story about Saidi and why he has left the orphanage...As I told you last year, Saidi's father died of AIDS and his mother is currently very ill with AIDS and could not longer take care of him so she sent him to Good Hope. A volunteer from Australia fell in love with Saidi and has been sponsoring him for about 2 years now. Then, she approached Mama Asha about adopting him. However, Good Hope does not do foreign adoption, only in-country. They accept foreign sponsership, but will not adopt. Saidi's family (mother and uncle) found out that the Australian woman wanted to adopt Saidi, and although Mama Asha told the family that she would not allow the adoption, Saidi's family was very afraid the orphanage would not keep their word and allow him to be adopted without any notice. So his family took him from the orphanage and he is now in their care. His family is very poor and struggling, so I am not sure what to think about this decision. But I pray for his care and safety. The orphanage school has made many changes as well-- two new classrooms, a water tank, new desks. They are also in the process of planting a vegetable garden, building a home for the teachers, and building a chicken coop (also buying hens, roosters, and turkeys). This is a process that moves along as funds come in. If the funds run out, it will stop of course. But they do it little by little and are making great progress! Hope all is well with you! with love, Carly

One week to go...

It's now just over a year since I returned from Tanzania, and I am packing my bags once again to go back. I am one week away from my 10 week mission, where I hope to make a great impact in the lives of community members in the isolated district of Karagwe. Tucked in the northwestern corner where TZ borders Uganda and Rwanda, Karagwe is an area that's population of approximately 490,000 is made up of impoverished farmers, uneducated children, and struggling women. Like much of Africa, the schools are overcrowded, lacking resources, and taught by unqualified and under paid teachers and the majority of families in Karagwe cannot afford to send all or any their children to school. Too many of the women in Karagwe are lacking the skills, education, and self-confidence to support themselves and their families and are suffering more each day. Men, women, and children throughout this district are struggling to get proper health care, water, and sanitation, and failing at their attempts.

I will be working with KADERES, a Tanzanian relief agency, to combat these problems and uplift the many villages in Karagwe. In 7 weeks, I will work in 6 different villages doing just this and hoping to make change. Every person deserves fair prices for food, clean water and sanitation, beneficial education, and the ability to support themselves. I hope you will follow along with this exciting, tough, surprising, interesting, and joyous 10-week mission.

With love,
Carlyn