Wow so it has been a month since my last blog post, pole
sana (very sorry)! And can you believe it, but I leave Africa this week! What a
whirlwind adventure this has been. I’ve learned a lot here in Tanzania and am
happy with what I’ve accomplished. Leaving will be very sad, but going home
will be nice!
Since October, Laura and I have been very busy with Positive
Love! We hosted a Christmas Campaign, opening up an online shop for Positive
Love products for the month of October. We sold to people all over the world
and have raised over $2,000! All of the money raised will be going to the
ladies for their hard work, and they are putting some aside for an emergency fund
and for start-up loans so they can eventually open up their own small
businesses. We were so happy to be able to help the women of Positive Love
share their products with our friends and family and handing them the money was
such a wonderful experience!
(Laura with the Ladies!)
Asante sana (Thank you) to everyone who helped and donated!
We also have a shop! Hooray! We constructed, painted,
furnished, and decorated an old building, turning it into a beautiful place for
people to come and shop. This beautiful blue building was something the women
have wanted for a while, so being able to help turn this into a reality has
been great! As a long term volunteer, Laura and I wanted to make some positive
changes, and I think we have! I know the women are happy with our hard work,
and I sure feel a sense of accomplishment from working with these amazing ladies. Leaving them will be the hardest thing about leaving Tanzania for me! I
hope to be able to come back one day and see how Positive Love has grown and
changed!
(The wonderful furniture!)
Asante sana to our wonderful donors, especially Sloanes
General Store and the Inn at Alcova, for your generous donation!
Since our Zanzibar adventure, Laura and I have been to the
capital of Tanzania, Dodoma, where we celebrated Laura’s and Alpha’s birthdays.
Alpha is Laura’s oldest sponsor child with Compassion, and sharing their
birthday and sponsor visit was amazing! We also went to Mwanza, and visited
Laura’s child, Veronica. We also hiked around Lake Victoria and hung around,
relaxing in the north. Now, we are packing up and tying up loose ends.
(Lake Victoria!)
We’ve
been to Cape Town, hiked Kilimanjaro, done a safari, volunteered at an amazing
organization, survived in the chaos of Arusha, and through it all, Laura and I
have remained best friends! Now that is the real accomplishment! Who knew 4
months could go by so fast!
We’ve finished strong here in Africa and I’m so happy with
the experience I’ve had. It’s been real and it’s been fun. One could say that
it has been real fun!
(My best friend and I!)
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