Our Last Day in Africa

Today is our last full day here in Africa. Gayle and the boys went back to Tudor Village to try and wrap up the mattress saga while us girls went on some more hospice visits. We went to a village about an hour away from Arusha. The first woman was 60 and HIV positive. She had a husband that is also HIV positive and 10 children.  And the ways that the people of Tanzania are continuously grateful never cease to amaze us. This lady with quite a burden upon her shoulders viewed her life as anything but. She began to share with the pastor that she was ever so grateful that God had blessed her with waking up everyday and giving her the privilege to see her grandchildren grow. This attitude is positively contagious.  Before leaving each home yesterday and today we we gave each patient beans, rice, oil, bananas, oranges, and cucumbers. Big thanks goes out to donors for enabling us to do this.  When we gave this lady, Grace, her food Paulina from hospice always gave her a couple pillow case dresses for her grand daughters. I found it very cool to see as they were made by the ladies of my Grandma's church, Dalesburg Lutheran.  She was very grateful for all that she received. Next we went to visit another woman. She found out she was HIV positive in 2006 and started receiving treatment in 2008. She has been married twice and had 5 children with her first husband. three of which have passed away and neither of the other two live near her.  The third woman was also HIV positive. She had 12 children and none of them live near by so they were trying to figure out if there's anyone that could possibly help her. So sad to think after having so many children that she's in this stiuation.  The last visit was a little overwhelming. We all sat around with a lady and her granddaughter. Us girls not knowing the language assumed we were there to visit the grandma and the young girl was just sitting with her. Boy were we wrong! All of a sudden the 9 year old girl fell off the small bucket she was sitting on.  Took us by complete surprise.  The pastor got up and started talking to her while she was out cold. Then Paulina got up and started checking her. Finally she came to and they got her sitting up. Come to find out she has had this happen to her about once a day for about a week and a half now. Hospice was there trying to assess the situation and determine a plan of attack. Next week they are going to get her to a pediatrician who will hopefully get her a CT scan to check for some sort neurological damage. After that shock we had a quiet ride back to Ahadi Lodge to hear about Gayle's mattress adventure.  Katie

Well nothing is easy in Tanzania. Freeman, Julius, Faraja and I left to first go to the Hospice office where we left a hugh bag of donated supplies and they were beyond grateful.  Then we headed to LIA where we continued on with the mattress situation.  We preceded to cut, put plastic covers on the bed wetters mattresses that we had made and then brought to all the kids houses.  These kids were so excited to get a new mattress and the smiles were worth all the work.  Nothing is easy and what we thought would be a couple hour project took us all day and we did not get back until 9 pm.  Mama Lynn is back from the US and I got to spend some time with her on updating her on all the projects the teams had done while she was gone.  She was so excited to see all the projects that were done.  It was good to see her..what a lady!   Well tomorrow is our last day here in AFrica and our hearts are heavy and sad for leaving yet happy to get home to our families.  It will be a busy day of packing and finishing things up.  This will be our last blog until we return home.  We will be home on Sunday and we are all anxious to see our families.  Thanks so much for all the people who donated things for all the wonderful projects that we did and helped so many needy people.  Also thanks so much for your continued prayers and support.  We love you all!  God is has blessed us all so much and I have been blessed with such wonderful team members.  They came to serve and gave of themselves to these lovely and needy people.  God is good all the time, all the time God is good.  This is a saying that is common to hear from the people of Tanzania who have so little but are so grateful for so much.  Thanks to everyone who made this trip possible and for all the donations.  I only wish your were able to see first hand how you have changed so many people's live.  God bless you all.
Gayle

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