for the 'Love of Africa' : 12/01/2012

Sunday, December 16, 2012

It's Christmas time!

My three Wish's are

that there be Peace on Earth this Christmas Season,

that everyone has a Very Merry Christmas with their loved ones, and that there will be Christmas in Africa!

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Wishing you all a very

Merry Christmas

and much Happiness and Health in the New Year!

from all the Children at Karim Children Care Centre

and Mama Linda

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Volunteer of the Year Finalist

More Great News!! So I got an awesome email the other day from IVHQ. They are the Volunteer Organization that my daughter, Lisa, and I went with 4 1/2 years ago on our very first adventure to Africa. Over the past 5 years, since they started, they have sent over 20,000 volunteers across the world. This year they are giving away $5000.00 US to a worthy Volunteer that has made a difference over the past 5 years. Over 300 volunteers out of the thousands, were nominated for this award. I just found out that I have been selected as one of the TOP 10 finalists!! Whooohooo!!! The top vote getter will receive the $5000 US to go towards their project! So, I will need all of your help to PEASE vote for me!! I will post the link in January, where you can vote! Thanks everyone for all your support. Another Great Christmas Present!

Mama Linda

Christmas Day at Kibo Palace

www.kibopalacehotel.com

This is Kibo Palace! It truly is a 'Palace' as they treat you like a King or Queen when you stay! For the past 4 years I have been staying here, my last few days of my visit to Arusha, after my long stay at Karim. It gives me a chance to relax, have a hot shower, get organized, pack and get ready for the long journey home. I have also booked many family and friends here, that have come to visit Karim, for their last day as well. So, the director, Salahuddin, the business Manager, Charity, as well as ALL the staff have become very good friends, you might even say they are family! Sometimes, Rehema and the children don't understand why Mama leaves and goes to stay at Kibo for 1 or 2 nights, but now I think they will. I am a small business person and I believe you should always support the people who support you. Well, staying at Kibo has paid off and I got the BEST Christmas Present ever while here. Kibo Palace has invited Rehema and all the children, including my friends John and Heather Roest who will visiting at that time, to come to Kibo for Christmas Day! There will be a swimming party, Christmas lunch by the pool, music and gifts for Karim to take home like nice white linens~ sheets, pillow cases, towels; food ~ rice, beans, flour, oil etc. So excited for them! The children were pretty excited too when we tolld them! So after the Christmas stockings and all the presents are opened, the children will put on their finest's clothes and spend Christmas Day at Kibo Palace!

Thank you Salahuddin and Charity from everyone at Karim and Mama Linda.

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

The Rafiki House

The Rotary 'Rafiki House' is looking pretty awesome, these days! For those of you who don't know 'Rafiki' means 'friend' in Swahili. While I was there this time, I did a little more landscaping ~ more gravel, a planter of concrete blocks put in along the side of the house, some plants and flowers and laundry line hung in the backyard. A little bit more yard work in the back and it will be done! Inside the house, I did some painting and some more decorating ~ hung a few pictures in the dining area and bedrooms, hung a beautiful wood carved mirror in the bathroom and made some curtains and hung them. This is where you will stay when you all come to visit Karim one day! It is booked up now until March 10th, 2013; open from March 10th to end of June; then booked again July and August. The 'Rafiki House' is booking fast, so Please, let me know if you are thinking of coming. It is booked on a first come, first serve basis. Hope to see you all soon!

front entrance of the Rotary Rafiki House

kitchen and dining room

dining room and sitting room

1st bedroom ~ Masai room

2nd bedroom ~ zebra room

bathroom

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Saumu's 13th Birthday Celebration

So, Karim now has four teenage girls! Salma is 17; Neema is 15; Lucy is 13 and now Saumu is 13! Yikes! They are all so beautiful and so smart! Rehema will have her hands full with these girls! Anyway, I decided to treat the four teenage girls to night out at Kibo Palace, a beautiful hotel where I stay, my last 2 nights. We had a suite with a king bed for the girls and a single bed for Mama! The girls were in awe, of the big room, a hot shower, a bath tub, a big screen TV, a fridge and a couch! When we arrived, we checked in, checked out the room, had a hot shower and then the swimsuites were put on and it was a race to the pool. We swam for hours and had lunch and danced by the pool with the ipad blarring to 'Dancing Queen' and 'Mama Mia' and now the new favorite 'Gangnam Style'!! Then back to the room for the second hot shower! Laid on the king size bed in our new pj's and watched a movie with soda pop and chips! After the movie, we got dressed for dinner. Off to dinner we went! We had a great dinner, lots of stories and giggles complete with music and dancing! Then the kitchen staff turned out all the lights, the girls got scared, and they all come out, banging on pots and pans, singing Happy Birthday to Saumu! She looked at me and got tears in her eyes! I cried, of course! Back to the room for a pajama party! We watched X Factor, Wipe Out ~ the girls killed themselves laughing at this, and anothe movie, the Three Muskateers! Finally, we fell asleep at almost midnight! This is extremely late, as the girls are usually in bed by 8:30 each night. Morning came fast, they did not sleep in! And they had their 3rd hot shower! They do not have hot showers at the Orphanage, they dont even have cold showers! They bucket bath! So, they were going to make sure they got good use out of the shower and the free shampoo! Then off to the buffet breakfast! "WHAT? We can take whatever we want, as much as we want AND go back for more?" Their eyes and mouths wide open! So they all had there very first omelette! Along with potatoes, sausage, beans, pancakes, waffles, fruit, cornflakes, toast, croissant, muffins, juice, hot chocolate!! Seriously, they tried everything! I've never seen girls eat so much! I thought they would be sick. Back to the room to put the swim suites back on and get one last swim! More swimming, more dancing, more smiles! At noon, back to the room for one last shower! The 4th hot shower!! They packed up their stuff their things, along with a few souveniers like shampoo, conditioner, lotion, shoe shine, mouth wash etc! Then the director/manager of the hotel, Salahuddin, drove us home to Karim. The girls gave me a big hug and a 'Thank you, Mama Linda'. It was one of my best Birthday Celebrations, ever!