Habari Rafiki yungu,
Today we woke up to an amazing breakfast here at Ahadi Lodge in Arusha. The freshly squeezed orange juice and freshly baked banana bread welcomed us at the breakfast table after a nights rest. Our group then split up for different projects. Matt, Kelsey, and Taylor went on hospice home visits and Alissa, Jamie, Kaylin, and Ryan went to Gloryland School to do HIV teaching.
As we arrived at the school we were greeted with huge smiles on the children who were dressed in tan uniforms. This kids were adorable. Gloryland is considered a private school here in Tanzania.
The classroom size in which we taught HIV to was about 36. In these 36 kids were 3 different grades; grade 4, 5 and 6. While teaching HIV to the kids, we were all impressed with their knowledge and respect they had. We had a Q&A session after the skit and education we performed and the kids had some really good questions about the disease. You could tell the kids were very interested in learning about the disease as well as means to care and prevent it. One question that hit me pretty hard was when someone asked if God gave people HIV to punish them. For 4,5, and 6th grade children to ask this question was an opportunity for us to share God’s love and assure them that their Heavenly Father would never punish His children and that His love is far greater than what we can imagine. After the teaching was completed, we left giving all the kids nipitano’s (fist bumps).
IMG_0471 Click on this to see a precious video.
The group that went to hospice visits saw four different families, all with HIV. Seeing the conditions that some of these patients live in was hard to see and was very shocking to see. The mud huts that the families lived in was a single room with a tin roof. The hospice team they went with were very caring. They take the time to sit with their patients and provide the care that the need including healthcare, spiritual care, and social work care. Along on the hospice visits we got to take food to give to the hospice patients families. We gave each family rice, beans, avocados, oranges, and cucumbers. The patients and their families were so grateful for the time and food we provided and could not stop saying, “I love you.” They also got to spend time singing praises to God with some of the patients.
Today, both of our groups got to see God working in the teachers, kids, nurses, chaplains and the patients lives. No matter what stage of life we are in we know that faith is the most important part. From the kid’s and their growing faith and the hospice patients and their wisdom in faith God is faithful and is working in and through everyone.
Thank you all for your continued prayers and support for our team we can feel them all the way over here in Tanzania. Looking forward to another day of teaching and hospice visits tomorrow!
Love Alissa.
