Challenge For The Future

Today I would like to propose a challenge to all my readers. Would you take a trip to Africa? This time after returning from Africa, I am not saying "I will never do that again." Instead I am thinking," When will be the next trip?" I really feel like my next trip will be taking a group of teachers over to teach and experience a different culture with them. Who do I mean by teachers.......could be anyone who speaks English and has a desire to go. So that includes everyone. 

When should this trip happen? I am thinking it could be the summer of 2014 or 2015. I am willing to do either or both. I can only go during the summer so that limits my availability.

What fears are keeping you from going? 

*Showers? What if I could offer some options so you could shower every day.

*Food? What if I knew of some restaurants that offered food for tourists and I know you would like it. If you can eat rice, there is no problems:)

*Long flight? Well that I can't change but it is doable and sometimes you meet neat people.

*Shots? You have a year so you could get them slowly:) it's not more than you should already have anyway, just most adults don't keep updated.

*Housing? I know of options....nice hotels, nice family hosts, any kind of experience you would want.

*Diseases? I have been twice and I never felt there was a risk of getting anything.

*Medical treatment in Africa? There is an American ran hospital in Arusha. It has one of the best places for you to go if something happened.

*Money? If you feel a nudge to go, believe me the money will come. You have one or two years to start saving. I did it in 6 months....you can do it to!

*Time? I am thinking two weeks would be a good first time trip. 4 days of traveling and 10 days of visiting. Believe me the time goes fast!

Are there any other fears? Ask me....maybe I have an answer. My biggest message to you is don't let fear keep you from an amazing experience!

If you are interested at all, let me know so we can talk. You can reply to my blog, send me a message on Facebook, text me at 608-577-6288, or email me at lamayfield1010@gmail.com.

I cannot wait to see what God has lined up for the future. Will you be on board?

Newspaper Article

Today I was at a garage sale and a lady walks up and says, "Weren't you just in Africa? I saw your picture in the paper." I had no idea there was an article already written. Here is the article that was in our local paper.

My Friend's Blog

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Prairie Grlz Meet Matilda

Lena and Mercy meet for the first time in Nairobi

 All summer, Prairie Grlz have been following Lena's inspirational blog, www.journeywithlena.blogspot.com.  You may remember Lena as our only guest blogger ever.  (Lena Finds Inspiration With Prairie Grlz, July 3)  Lena received the coveted Prairie Grlz t-shirt for her literary efforts  (That is a veiled request for more guest bloggers!).  Sharon and I were particularly moved by Lena's musings on Mercy, a little girl Lena has sponsored, providing money for basic needs and education.  Lena's trip to Africa this summer included meeting this little girl for the first time.  What follows are excerpts from Lena's blog, "Meeting Mercy."

The guide said, "That's Mercy." I couldn't believe it was Mercy standing there waiting for us. We pulled into the driveway and when we got out she gave me a big hug right away.

The first thing we did was meet the director of the program and meet some of the leaders.They showed me Mercy's complete records. The records showed how they spend the money that is sent to her, her school report cards, medical records, and other comments. It showed the purchase of her uniform, shoes, school supplies and the food that is bought for her every week. It even showed when she received Christmas and birthday gifts. They wanted me to know that the money I send to Compassion is really spent on Mercy. I was impressed with her progress in school. This year she had very high marks and very good comments.
 
 Later we went to Mercy's house where we were greeted by her aunt.  We found out that Mercy's mom left her three children. When the aunt found out she went to get the children but couldn't afford to keep them. The government took her brother and sister and put them in an orphanage somewhere. Since Mercy had gotten sponsored they left Mercy with her aunt.

Prairie Sherry will share this marvelous recipe tomorrow!!

Sharon and I were catching up on Lena's blog while canning tomato jam.  We thrive on multi-tasking.  Somewhere between trying to scour burned sugar off the stove top and making an impromptu batch of chimmichurri, we decided to sponsor a child through Compassion 
(http://www.compassion.com/).  We chose Compassion because the money goes directly to the child and isn't tied up in a lot of bureaucratic nonsense.  Being teachers, we are pretty tuned into bureaucratic nonsense and have no time for it. 

In under five minutes we found Matilda.  We chose Matilda because she had been waiting the longest (almost a year) for a sponsor.  She is a beautiful, 10 year-old girl who lives in Ecuador.  Every month we will use some of our Prairie Grlz profits to sponsor Matilda.  (More impetus to open that darn Etsy store.).  To date, this is our favorite decision we have made as a team.  While sorting tomatoes yesterday, we also decided to start an Ecuador fund.  It is our intention to travel to Ecuador in the next five years.  We will travel the country and meet Matilda.

I would like to point out that this is what Eydie
looks like before a comb or shower.  I still
like her.  Prairie Sherry

I hope Matilda can feel the love Prairie Sherry and I are sending her way.  We look forward to sharing updates about her in the blog.

(((Hugs)))

Prairie Eydie      

Returning To America

As I return home from Africa, I keep thinking about how to end my blog. As I reread all the entries, I am flooded with the memories of all the events that took place. Even though I tried to write about each event, there was so much that I didn't write about. As I am talking to people about my trip, I realize there is so much more to tell. So I am not going to be ending the blog just yet, but I need some time to write about the much deeper parts of my trip.

One thing I have really noticed is how I feel upon returning. I remember the first time I returned from Africa, I was overwhelmed with the poverty of their country. It was to much to think about and comprehend. It was to overwhelming to even think about going back there. But returning from this trip has been totally different. This time upon returning I'm not overwhelmed with their poverty but overwhelmed with the American culture. I think spending a month living with a family and meeting so many people, I could see past the poverty. While I was there, I saw lives with dreams. I had many laughs and heartfelt conversations with them. I danced, sang, prayed, ate, relaxed, cooked, cleaned, went to church, went to the gas station, drove around neighborhoods.....basically I lived their life. I am finding myself already missing Tanzania.

I am becoming so aware of how wasteful I am with the resources and money I earn. We go out to eat and think nothing of spending $30 on a meal. I spend $25 a month to support Mercy. I will never forget that first hug she gave me. As I visited with her, I have never felt that $25 could be that we'll spent. I'm still recalling her aunt praying that I will be blessed with more riches. 

I look forward to revealing more about my trip in some future blogs. I also want to go back through my blog and add more pictures and videos. So please keep coming back and reading what a trip to Africa can change in a person.

Meeting Mercy

Meeting Mercy

On Monday, I went to Nairobi to visit my sponsored child through Compassion International. My church Heartland sponsors the Africa Inland Church Kiserian. My sponsored child, Mercy attends that church.

We left Arusha around 3:00. It took about four hours to reach the town we were staying at for the night. We stayed at the Kaputie Hotel.

In the morning, we left the hotel at 9:30 am. We met our compassion guide about twenty minutes away. We were then on our way to Kiserian. It took about an hour to reach the town. The hour long road was very rough. The paved part was so full of potholes that we drove much of the way either dodging the large holes or driving on the side of the road. We finally arrive in Kiserian. The town is very busy. We stop at a local supermarket to buy some food for Mercy's family. I felt so out of place in the supermarket. It was chaotic! 

After we left the supermarket, we were headed to the church. We actually passed the road and our guide said there was a lady waiting by the side of the road. We seen her and turned in. she was walking a girl. The guide goes, "That's Mercy." I couldn't believe it was her standing there waiting for us. We pulled into the driveway and when we got out she gave me a big hug right away. Of course we were taking lots of pictures.

The first thing we did was meet the director of the program and meet some of the leaders. We had muffins and tea. They showed me Mercy's records. It had everything in it from how they spend the money that is sent to her, her school report cards, medical records, and other comments on how she is doing. It was very interesting to see everything. It showed the purchase of her uniform, shoes, and school supplies. The food that is bought for her every week. It even showed when she received Christmas gifts and birthday gifts. I think they wanted me to know that the money I send to compassion is really spent on her. I was most impressed with all her progress in school. This year she had very high marks and very good comments.

After tea, we went on a tour of the facility. First we saw a building that is in progress. He told us his vision of what they want to do with the building. Then we saw the playground and preschool facility. Finally we saw the church.

Then we went to Mercy's house. She was so cute loading up in the car. Then when we arrived, she held my hand and walked me down the path to her house. 

We went inside and was greeted by her aunt. We found out that Mercy's mom just got up and left her three children. When the aunt found out she went to get the children but couldn't afford to keep them. The government came in and took her brother and sister and put them in an orphanage somewhere. Since Mercy had gotten sponsored they left her with the aunt. Mercy and her aunt were so grateful for being sponsored! 

During the house visit, I gave Mercy a backpack of goodies. She was so cute looking at everything. She pulled out a pair of pink flip flops and she dropped them and ran in the other room. The aunt started laughing because she ran in to wash her feet so she could wear them. They fit her perfectly! I gave her a book and I videotaped her reading through it. It was so special! The final surprise was a doll. She grabbed it and gave it a big hug! She loved it! After the gifts, the aunt told us how thankful she was for our visit and our sponsorship. She was so cute when she said, " I know you could spend your money on something else but we appreciate you spending it on Mercy. May God bless you with riches." The time at Mercy's house was worth every penny it cost to go there.

Finally we went back to the church for a special lunch together. Mercy was so happy to receive such a nice lunch. She ate everything! Then came time to say goodbye. She gave me the biggest hug ever. It was sad to leave her as we drove off. 

Saturday Visit to Cultural Heritage

Cultural Heritage

Today we spent the day with Ondo, Judy, and the family. First, Ondo and Judy took us to the Cultural Heritage Center. This was the largest art museum in Tanzania. It was very nice. We enjoyed walking around and looking at all the statues and pictures. 

Then we went to lunch at Stiggbuck's Cafe. It was really good because they serve food for tourists. I had chicken strips, salad, and fries. I'm missing my favorite foods. I can't wait to eat Velveeta mac and cheese, Culver's, and pizza. 

Then we played ball games in the yard. It was really fun. We played a game called Ready. Two people are on the outside throwing the ball trying to hit the people in the center. If you get hit you are out. Then we played a tossing game. If you dropped the ball you were out. The last game we played was to practice English words. One person would give a topic and when the ball came to you, you had to say an English word about the topic. It was fun coming up with games and everyone was laughing.

Send off Party

Send Off Party

One thing that Africa and America have in common is the importance of weddings. Today we attended a send off party. In Africa, the male's side of the family puts on the wedding. So the Thursday before the wedding the bride's side of the family throws a send off party for the couple. The New Life Band got invited to the Bishop's send off party for his daughter. Ondo told us this would be a high-class send off party.

Was it ever! I have never been to a wedding party this fancy. When we arrived there were about a dozen party tents set up in a field. Just like you would see in the states at a wedding or nice event. Their were lights and decorations everywhere. There were the most gorgeous flower arrangements on the tables and the stage. It was so beautiful!

When we arrived they were doing the cake. They did not do the cake like we do. Instead they had a table full of small wedding cakes. They were beautifully decorated. The bride-to-be would take a cake to each important person or family. This process took about a half an hour. I was looking forward to eating cake, but that never happened.

Then it was time for presenting the gifts. Jamani!!! (Swahilli for "OH MY GOODNESS!") This took about two hours! The bride and the wedding party were standing on a stage in the middle of the party. There was music playing and the wedding party was dancing the whole time around the bride. The MC would announce who's turn it was to bring the gifts. So they start with father. The father dances up to the stage and does a small speech and presents his gift. 

Because the father is a bishop over many churches in Arusha, there were many churches to present Gifts. Each church group presented their gift. For example, the church she attends would all line up opposite the stage and they would present one gift. They would make a conga line and come to the stage dancing. The first one in line carried the gift, the others shook her hand. Then the next group went. Not only were their churches who presented presents, but any group that brought a present. I actually joined in because the New Life Band was represented and brought a gift. So we formed our line and danced to the stage and shook her hand. I am wondering what she thought when Kaity and I shook her hand? During the whole  two hours, the atmosphere was very lively.

Then the mother presented a "mother's basket". She came with a huge empty basket on her head and then women followed her with gifts for the kitchen. The mother gave a little speech about how her daughter should take care of her husband. Then they put all the gifts in the basket.

Then when you thought there were no gifts, it was time for the parents to receive gifts. First the parents receive a gift from their daughter. Then they sit down and lots of people bring them gifts and blankets. They each wrap their blanket around them representing they did a great job raising their daughter. 

After the parents go, then all the brides family comes up and one at a time they are presented blankets from the grooms side of the family to represent thanksgiving for letting the bride  become a part of their family now.

After all the gifts are presented it is time to introduce the groom. So the groom is sitting somewhere within the guests and the bride has to find him. She walks around looking and when she finds him she puts a red tie around his neck and everyone starts to cheer. They go to the stage together and she introduces to the guests the name of her husband to be. Again everyone cheers.

Finally it is time for dinner. I was wondering how they were going to feed all the people there. I think there were around two thousand. They had three buffet tables catered in. So you went up and they filled your plate with food. One thing that I found very interesting was at this very fancy wedding party, there was no silverware. You had to eat everything with your fingers. This was quite interesting because it was mostly rice. Ondo and Judy had quite the laugh watching me try to figure out how to eat the meal with my fingers. Judy was teasing me saying that if I didn't figure it out I was going to be really hungry because there was no dinner at home...ha! To top off the difficulty, it was ten o'clock at night so it was dark. I had to use my phone light just to see what I was doing.  I wasn't the most graceful but I managed to get the meal in my mouth. 

After the meal, the party ended. The bridal party was upfront dancing but most people began leaving. The whole time I was thinking, if this is the send off party, what will the wedding be like? Just like we have traditions and we throw expensive weddings, they do the same in Africa!