Summary of A Journey to Africa

Another journey to Tanzania has come to an end till next time...and there will be a next time! So much was accomplished this trip and so much happiness was brought to the lives of many in Tanzania. We not only purchased land and a started a new home for the Orphanage but we also employed alot of people along the way and made many many new friends! Here are just a few of the wonderful people we met along the way of our journey that we now call our friends:
*The elderly Mesai lady and her 2 sons, who sold us the acre of land for $6500.00, will now have money to buy food for a very long time. She was also the lady who is convinced she can cure Greg of his diabetes...next trip!
*The very funny broker, who spent 2 days with us looking for the right place for the Orphanage and who made us constantly laugh was paid $100. The lunch we had with him and the jokes he shared will not be forgotten.
*Gervas, the secretary, who took care of ALL the paper work so quickly and hung out with us many days was paid $100. The numerous rides we got and the unforgetable certicate you presented me, for all my hard work with Karim, was amazing.
*Richard, the architect, who drew up the plans for the New Orphanage so quickly and did an amazing job of putting Rehema's vision on paper was paid $250.00.
*The 3 guys hired for a mere $1500.00 to dig the water well ...40 feet deep...by hand with a hammer and chisel...these guys were unbelievable.
*The contractor, and his crew of about 10-12 young guys were given a deposit of $12,000.00. They dropped everything and made our project a priority; staked out the property and started construction saturday, the day before we left so we could be there.
*Mr Shange, the director of Sotwa Wilson School, where all the Karim children go to school...his love for the children and the help and support he has offered Rehema and us, is unbelievable...he is an amazing man and will be a friend forever.
*Eli, our dear friend from last year, who is always there to help us out with everything and anything.
*Rehema...my dear sweet Rehema, who has the job of loving and caring for 11 children who have no one but her and absolutely adore her.
*All the Karim children who you have met throughout my blog, who's cute little faces you can now put a name to. I love them all like they were my own!
There were many more people I am sure but these are just a few lives that I helped and that touched my life. All were paid some kind of few for their help but the look of joy on their faces when you help is priceless...the look of hope on the children's faces when they found out they will have a new, safe home...is a feeling I will NEVER forget. I truly believe that happiness comes from making OTHERS happy!!
Hope you have all enjoyed my journey. I am home safe and sound now with my family and will post all the pictures on facebook as soon as possible.
Thanks again, Mama Linda and Mr Greg!

Our last Day at Karim

On our last day we had the children`s favorites...hotdogs, chips, fanta pop, cookies, and apples and lots of fun before the goodbyes and the tears.





...enjoying the fanta









lunch time...









All of us for one last pose.








Rehema cooking 3 packages of hotdogs...45
hotdogs for 12 children and 6 adult! Those kids love hotdogs!








Salma and Lucy trying out the lip gloss I bought them.






Hawa trying out her new bandana.


Sabrina and her pretty smile!

Maggie and Andrew playing around.


Saumu, her sister Salma and Hawa.


Mr Greg and smiling Toshi.

Our Last Day

Saying our goodbyes...






A big hug goodbye from my sweet Maggie.








Holding back the tears with Rehema.








A sweet and thoughtful, Salma, tells me to hug all my family for her when I get home.












a BIG hug from little Hawa

Meet the Children

Meet Lucy...she is 11 years old loves posing for the camera. She wants to be a nurse. Lucy is in her first year of school at Sotwa and will need a sponsor come January.

Antonia is 5 years old wants to be a teacher like Mr Shange.

Meet Babu...he is 5 years old and wants to be a business man and own a whole bunch of buses!

Sauma is 9 years old and is Salma`s sister. She wants to be a doctor like her big sister.

Meet Andrew...he is almost 3 and is a new addition to Karim. Andrew is the only one not in school and will need a sponsor next year. He loves when 4:30 comes so he can greet the other children when they get off the school bus.

Happy and Sad Day

Rehema hugs me as I cry after Mr Shange and Gervas thank me for all I have done for Karim.









Rehema and Mr Greg, jump they are so happy that the New Home for Karim is under construction.

The New Home for Karim started

Mr Shange, Myself and Rehema check out the plans one last time before the contractor starts and we head back to Canada.






The start of the new home for Karim! Here, Mr Shange, Rehema, Myself, and Greg start the digging while the contractor continues to stake out the plot.

Director and founder of Karim

Sabrina is 5 years old and this is her first year at school and needs a sponsor. She loves ice cream like her mama Rehema and is always happy and smiling.

Meet Rehema and her daughter, Sabrina. Rehema is 26 years old and cares for 11 children at Karim. Rehema loves, loves ice cream and wishes she could eat it everyday.

Water Well Started Today

Today, they started the water well at the new site for Karim Orphange. That way there will be water on site for the start of the home tomorrow. Tomorrow morning, Saturday, dirt will be moved for the start of the New Home...and we will be there! So exciting!

Mwana

Today we spent 3 hours at the hospital with Mwana..NO Malaria thank God!


Mwana having chipsi (frenchfries) and fanta by the pool at our hotel after visiting the doctor at the hospital.







Mwana, in her new track suit at school.

Little Hawa

Meet Hawa...she is 4 years old and wants to be a nurse. Greg and I have also sponsored Hawa, so this is her first year of school. Hawa loves to get up early every morning to put her uniform on and go to school. There is just something about wearing that uniform that makes them feel so special!
Today, Hawa got very sick at school and was taken to the hospital... she has Malaria.






When Hawa grows up she wants to be a nurse.

Met the Contractor

Met with the contractor today...the price of the new home for Karim Orphanage will be about $30,000.00. A bit more than we planned but the original house plan was smaller. The new home will house up to 50 orphans, a bed for each...no more 3 to a bed.; 3 bathrooms, 3 showers for each of the boys and girls inside...not 1 bathroom outide in the dark; a kitchen with food storage; a dining area with tables and chairs...no more eating on the floor; a large lot with room for the children to play, a garden, laundry area, water well, chicken house, cow and goat; complete with solar power so they will not be in the dark past 6pm.

This is going to be an amazing and safe new home for these beautiful Orphans. A deposit has been made to the contractor so that he can start this saturday. The official `sod turning`ceremony will be saturday as the start of the New Karim Care Centre....WOW...how exciting.

So we are two thirds there with the cost. We need a little more help to complete this project...so, for those of you who would like to donate, your help would be greatly appreciated. Please contact me either on this blog or by email at lizkinnell@hotmail.com

Meet the Children

Meet Maggie...she is 5 years old...and she wants to be a Doctor. She has the most beautiful eyes you have ever seen. Greg and I have sponsored Maggie and she is doing extremely well at school...she had the highest marks in her class!





This is Toshi...he is 5 and wants to be a Soldier (what he means is a policeman but says Soldier when you ask him) This is his first year at school and in just 3 months learned his ABC`s and to count to 50 in english. He loves his school uniform cause it makes him feel like a soldier already.





Meet Salma...she is 14 years old and wants to be a Doctor! When Rehema is not around and out getting food or clothes for the children, Selma is in charge. She takes very good care of the younger children.

Thanksgiving Monday

Met with the architect today to get the plans for the house drawn up. In 1 day he had the drawings ready for us. Tomorrow we will meet with the contractor to get a price on the new Orphanage and the volunteer house. Then hopefully construction will start right away...they are saying they will need about 3 months to have it ready to move in. So, if everything goes according to plan Karim Orphanage may be moving into their new Home by the end of January or February! WOW...things are moving fast. Looks like I may be coming back in February for the Big Move and the Grand Opening of Karim Orphanage!!!

4 days on Safari

You have no idea the feeling of when you are so close you can look a lion in the eye...and then realize you are only 2 feet away with no top on your jeep!!

We spent 4 days and 3 nights on an amazing Safari. 1 day at Lake Tarangire, famous for the big herds of elephants (and that we did see); 2 days at Serengetti...where we saw 3 chetahs hunt and kill a gazelle; 1 day at Ngorongoro Crater...an absolutely breath taking place. Saw every animal...lots of cats...leopards, chetahs, lions!

Thanksgiving at Karim

Babu and Toshi with their new Chicago t shirts.

Sunday dinner at Karim with the children...chicken and rice...so delicious! Of course Hawa led the prayer and was very thankful for the food.

Thanksgiving Sunday at Karim

Baba Greg learning a new song with Saumu.







Mama Linda and Hawa having some fun.




Maggie, Hawa, Sabrina, Mwana, Antonia all strike a pose with their new Chicago tshirts from Jacqueline.

After School at Karim

Everyday the same routine...the children arrive home after school at 4:45; school clothes go in one pile and the shoes in another pile. The children line up and all have a bath. After their bath they have a cup of porridge and do their homework. Then play time till supper time. Supper at 7; to bed at 8. Then up again at 5:30 am; catch a bus at 6:30am for a 1 hour and 15 min ride; school from 8 - 3:15; on a bus and home again! What a long day for them but they are still laughing and smiling when they get off the bus.



Maggie enjoying a cup of porridge after a long day of school.

Dada shining up the shoes for another day of school.

Toshi enjoying his bath time.









Maggie enjoying her bath time.

The children getting off the bus and running home. Little Andrew running to greet them all.

A Visit to Sotwa School

Maggie giving Mr Greg a high five before going back into class.









Babu enjoying recess.

Little Hawa has grown up so much and loves going to school in her new uniform.

Maggie, Babu, Mwana, and Hawa
stand with me in front of the new
classrooms being built at Sotwa.

A Great Day

Today was great day! We met with the broker and the owner of the land, who is a Mesai and lives in a mud hut. Things are moving alot faster with this land deal then I thought they would for `This is Africa` TIA. We looked at land, negotiated, made the deal, had the documents drawn up, then 12 of us met for the final meeting and the signing of the documents...all in 2 days! After the signing and the papers were handed over to Rehema we had a traditional African celebration. We had Kookoo (chicken) and cow (not beef) on a BBQ spit roasted over a fire and Ugali (a thick cornmeal rolled into little balls with your hands) We had no utensils, no plates...ate with our hands. We prayed, sang, and laughed alot. The broker, who we thought looked like Morgan Freeman, was quite the character and made us laugh the entire meal. The principal of the school where the children go, also a director of Karim Orphanage, said this broker was a wise old man and was very respected by the community. He stood up during the meal and said how amazing it was that we had come all the way from Canada to help the Orphanage; yesterday we did not know each other and today we are all together sharing a meal, laughing and now we are Friends! I almost started crying! So, today we bought land, tomorrow they are stacking out the property lines and we are meeting with a company who design the orphanage and hopefully in a few short weeks...we will start contruction on the New Home for Karim Orphanage! Thank you to all of you who helped make this possible!

Day 3...Looking for Land

Meeting the broker that was showing us the plot for sale. He was quite the character and a very funny man.






Rehema and I checking out the land for sale for the future home of Karim Orphanage.