Kurasini Orphanage

I spent the day with my friend Jen at Kurasini Orphanage, the orphanage on the other side of the city that I try to go to periodically.  Instead of just going to play with the kids like we normally do, we decided to start teaching the kids some lessons that will serve their greatest needs (while still loving on them and playing with them of course).  We decided to start doing some basic health lessons with the kids as well as some Bible lessons.  Today, we taught them the importance of washing their hands (and bathing) and demonstrated how to do so (and left some bars of soap at the orphanage for them).

Jen and one of our eager examples, Baraka, washing his hands :)

We also did a small lesson on why we celebrate Christmas, what its real meaning is.  We talked about how God used a star to point the Magi to Jesus and how He uses many methods still to tell us about His son Jesus.  We had them draw and decorate a star as a reminder that God wants us to know Him.

 Yesu ni Mungu = Jesus is Lord

SUCH a simple lesson, and they so loved every second of it.  These kids just can't get enough love and attention from us while we are there.... they are literally starved for it.  Please keep these precious kids in your prayers.  And pray for the other 147 million orphans around the world.  (Yes, 147 million.)  "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress." James 1:27

Press Conference with the Presidents!

Last week I had the *awesome* privilege of going to a press conference here in Dar for President Bush and TZ president Kikwete.  The event was for World AIDS Day, put on by the ONE campaign, and Obama and Bono did a simultaneous press conference in DC.  A "friend of a friend of mine" was in town, working for the conference, and emailed me at the last minute saying he could get me a seat reserved for it (and my schedule was all of a sudden clear....) so I got to go! :)

Here's a pic during the event...

Each president spoke for about 5 minutes, speaking of their previous work and future goals to work to end the spread of AIDS .... the goal set by the ONE campaign is to have an AIDS-free generation starting by 2015 (which can be done.... check out the ONE website, www.ONE.org).  Bush has done a lot for the fight against AIDS in Africa (as have the women in his family done a lot in Africa... and are continuing to...), and he ended his speech by quoting "To whom much is given, much is required", referring to America's responsibility to act to end the suffering of so many here.  I could not agree more.

After the conference everyone rushed down to where the presidents were leaving... Bush and his family (all of whom were there- Laura, Jenna & husband, Barbara) had already been driven away but Kikwete was leaving as I got down there.  He was shaking hands with a few people (all important heads-of-departments, like the head of the Peace Corps, head of USAID, head of the Clinton Health Fund, etc etc) and he actually spotted me (taking this picture below, haha) about 5-10 feet away from him and came over toward me to shake my hand (assuming, I'm sure, that I'm some important head of a department... haha).  Was pretty cool.... :)

President Kikwete

Praying for the end of the destructive effects of HIV/AIDS ....

Mabinti: Rebuilding Lives for Women with Fistula

I just added a blog post to our Karama blog, so go there to read about the day Dyan and I spent yesterday with some of the artisans at Mabinti.  Mabinti is one of our partner artisan groups that produces some of the beautiful products we sell at Karama.... Mabinti works with women recovering from the debilitating condition fistula. Go read Jane and Rose's stories and learn some more about fistula.  {and how Jane will soon be on CNN or BBC!}

www.karamagifts.com/blog

Happiness, one of the artisans at Mabinti :-)

Ending Extreme Poverty

Please watch this video and let yourself be challenged.

We CAN end extreme poverty.

Looking at the past.... What previous generations thought was impossible has been done.  Look at the slave trade/womens rights/civil rights in America.

We are more globally connected to the rest of the world than we have ever been before and really have no excuse not to do what we can to end extreme poverty.  It CAN be done.

Please watch... Be encouraged.... Be challenged.... And help ACT to make this possible.

Ending Extreme Poverty

Karama!

As I've started back up here with my new role, I wanted to share some of the excitement and vision for this coming year.  As most of you know, I am back in Tanzania working full-time on staff with the (incredible!) organization Karama.  Over the course of the past year here teaching (which was wonderful in so many ways and definitely the role God called me to here last year), God led me to Karama and to a more long-term role with them. He is graciously using the gifts, visions, and desires He has placed within me to help assist the lives of many here.... the beautiful yet marginalized individuals on this continent.... and I couldn't be more honored for this privilege and the position He has given me.

Karama was started about 4-5 years ago to support marginalized individuals in Africa by giving them sustainable work, with fair wages, which in turn gives them lasting DIGNITY.  We do this by purchasing *beautiful* hand-crafted products from them {jewelry/scarves/bags/home goods} and selling them in the States.  Many of the artisans we support are disabled or HIV+, and the others are otherwise marginalized in society and would likely be reduced to a life of poverty and begging if it weren't for the provision provided by the employment we help give them.  We partner with many other established organizations (other non-profits who work with local marginalized people to give them sustainable work)- by purchasing & selling products from them (and in turn increasing the impact they are making in the lives of these artisans)- as well as supporting other disadvantaged artisans we have developed relationships with (by selling their beautiful items and training them in their skills in the process so that they are set up for more long-term success and sustainable employment).  There is MUCH that we do- too much to contain in one small blog post- so please check out our website for more on what we do and more on the artisans that we support (and to see some of the beautiful products that we carry) :-)  www.karamagifts.com  Proceeds from our sales also go to Young Life Africa's ministries to send kids in Africa to camp (where they have the best week of their lives!), to grow Young Life's ministry here and the eternal impact that they are making on this continent.

I am actually the first person to be on staff with Karama (and still cannot believe the honor & privilege God has entrusted me with through this role!), as it has been all volunteer-led up until this point.  Dyan Larmey (the founder) started Karama as a small vision and dream ("on the side" of her many other roles & callings here) to support disadvantaged Africans, and over the past few years it has grown to the point where it is now, where we need actual *staff* to keep running and growing things! (cue in *me*)

My year will consist of a lot of designing, relationship-building, encouraging, exhorting, loving, planning, organizing, ordering, working long days & long nights, traveling, dreaming, and following. (Following the Holy Spirit as He leads us where He intends for us to go).  I will be helping to design new products which will be marketable in the States, helping to then market those products in the states, helping to organize and run our systems so that we can function efficiently and then have much room to GROW, helping to develop our relationships further with the artisans we support, and acting as a voice to people in the West to "defend the cause of the poor and needy" (Jer. 22:16.... a verse God just keeps bringing me back to....).  There is SO much opportunity and potential ahead of me and all of us associated with Karama.... to GROW and GROW....  and to thus grow the impact we are making in the lives of the disadvantaged here.  I deeply covet your prayers as I move forward and go where God is calling me to go (and all of us at Karama).  I truly could not do this work without the prayers of others!  (please never underestimate the *huge* and *eternal* impact prayer makes!!)

Some of the beautiful women we support.... These women make our paper bead necklaces in Uganda (beads which are each hand-made by individually rolling recycled scraps of paper.... turning otherwise discarded pieces into something of value & beauty.... one of our favorite purposes at Karama :-))

 

The Karama Mamas :)

(on a trip here to Tanzania from the States last year)

Dyan Larmey (Founder) is on the right and Jill Morley (soon to be Executive Director) is in the pink.

Each of the other ladies (Heather, Jane, Susan, Kim) is hugely important to Karama and helps make it what it is (by investing *huge* hours on a volunteer basis!)

SO thankful for these incredible women and SO humbled to be part of what God is doing through Karama!

********

Stay tuned for more stories about Karama and the beautiful people we support.

And check out our Karama Blog in the meantime! http://www.karamagifts.com/blog/

Pics!

Haven't posted any pics in a while so here's a little pictorial update.... :)

 (and internet is MUCH better this year so I'll be able to post more often and more pics....!!)

my hands-down favorite part of Tanzania: children smiling, waving, running in the streets everywhere..... Nothing in the world beats it.

Reuniting with my Bajaj driver friends here was pretty awesome.... The Bajaj world and its drivers: def. one of my fave aspects of life in Dar :)  Love these guys
[this pic was taken at the end of last year, after Laura and I had distributed some devotionals in Swahili to ones we'd made friends with]

{**special shout-out to the other blonde in Africa**}

[Laura isn't here this year :( she's making a difference in the lives of kids who majorly need her in Orange County]

 LG, I miss you like craaaaaaazy!!  Life in TZ is not the same without you!!! 

LOVE YOU!!

Just selling some fully furnished fish tanks....

 transportation in Dar

the new dog in my life, Fluffy :) he's the pet of the new (wonderful!) family that I'm living with here, the Lotterings.... I love this dog!!

 

Dyan Larmey & Me... Words cannot express how much I love this woman and how thankful I am for her!!  Excited to help change the world and the reality of many Africans with her through our work with Karama!

 I was blessed to be able to go camping on the outskirts of Selous Game Reserve this past week with the Larmeys & Lotterings.... a wonderful re-introduction back to life in Africa and a great opportunity to pray, reflect, plan, and vision-cast for this coming year.  

Saw hippos, crocodiles, elephants, giraffes... and lots of the glory of God through His incredible creation.  What an Awesome God.

Listening

As I am back and trying to transition back from life in Dallas to life in Tanzania (too many extreme contrasts to even try to list!), God has been sweetly speaking to me and reminding me of many truths.  Truths which are often easier to grasp here- easier to see and to believe... probably because they often feel so much more necessary to cling to here. 


"We must go through many HARDSHIPS to enter the kingdom of God." Acts 14:22


Paul and Barnabas spoke these words to the churches in Galatia after being persecuted and abused there.  Paul was stoned and drug out of the city, presumed to be dead.  This passage in Acts describes them as being "filled with JOY and the Holy Spirit" (Acts 13:52).  It wasn't in living for themselves or in protecting themselves that they found joy or the filling of the Spirit; it was in enduring hardship and pouring out their lives for the sake of Christ.  THAT is when they were filled with joy and the Spirit. 

As I transition back to my life here in Tanzania, I am once again confronted with all that I must give up and deny in order to fulfill the calling that is on my life here.  Honestly, some of what feels 'hardest' for me to give up right now is hard to admit.  One of the biggest things?  Having pretty, straight, manageable hair.  (ugh, this humidity!!)  I'm sure that sounds petty- and believe me there are many more hardships here that would sound a lot more "honorable" (the incessant & uncomfortable heat, the power outages, running out of water, missing my friends and family....), but right now this is frankly one of the hardest things for me to let go of.  But it's one of the things that I must.  When we follow Him, we must be willing to let go of ANYthing and everything to follow Him.  Big or small... honorable or petty... nothing is worth holding onto when it comes in the way of following Him.


"If anyone would come after me, he must DENY himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it." Mark 8:34-35

"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much..."  Matthew 19:29


Though it may seem more real for me here in Tanzania to "leave behind houses or brothers or mother" for the sake of Christ... to "lose my life"... it is a calling on all of us.  And when we fail to do so, we are not only forsaking Him, but we are deceiving ourselves. We are clinging to our lives, where we will NEVER find life.  Not true life.  Not the abundant life He offers.  It is in dying to ourselves, sacrificing our lives, spending ourselves on behalf of others, where we find true life.  Never when we cling to our lives or to what we think will make us happy.  It is in giving that we receive.  In pouring ourselves out that we are poured into.  In sacrificing that we are satisfied.


"If you *spend yourselves* in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.  The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs... You will be like a well-watered garden... you will be called Repairer... Restorer." Isaiah 58:10-12


Pouring myself out?  Sacrificing my desires?  Giving instead of receiving?  The ways of His kingdom are so contrary to how we naturally think and believe.  Yet they are TRUTH.  And in following them, we find lasting satisfaction. 

Jesus came to live as a servant.  Nothing about His life was spent to make Himself "happy".  He poured out His life... Offered Himself as a continual sacrifice... Endured incredible hardships.  And when I experience hardship for His Name and for His sake, I come face to face with HIM.  I come to know Him more.  I come to experience Him more.  I feel His presence more.  (1 Peter 4:12-14) .... And He fills my longing soul.


Thank you, Lord, for reminding me of these truths.  Thank you for calling me here.  And for all that you have entrusted me with.... which is MUCH.  May I use the time, resources, responsibilities, relationships, and influence you have put in my life in ways that honor and glorify You.  To whom much is given, much is required.... May I live this life worthy of your calling. Thank you for reminding me of these seemingly 'contrary' truths of your Kingdom.  In them I find Life, and in them I find YOU.