Hey folks,
We're still hanging out in Amsterdam. We managed to book flights, and we are praying they don't get cancelled. Mary is booked for Tuesday afternoon and Linda, Annie, and I are booked for Wednesday afternoon. We're hoping sooner flights open up, but we also know that things could stay this bad and our flights could be cancelled again. We've mostly come to accept that we'll be here for a few more days. It's hard to be stuck here when we were excited to be returning home to all of you. We wish we were still in Africa at least, where we had more work we could do. Amsterdam is beautiful, it's just better to be here when it is a planned trip. We've all picked up some clothes and such, so we feel much better. We did a little walking around the city today, and managed to not get lost. It's nice to be able to walk around at night again, we were stuck inside once night fell in Africa. We're hoping to visit a few museums tomorrow and maybe the zoo. Trying to make the best of our time and enjoy ourselves. There are lots of stranded people who are in much worse situations than we are. Everywhere we go, we run into other people who find themselves treated to an unexpected stay in Amsterdam as well. We're taking it day by day and hoping things will change. Much love from Amsterdam.
~Annie, Linda, Mary, and Genny
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Friday, April 16, 2010
Extended Vacation
Hello folks,
Just a quick update! We're currently stuck at the airport in Amsterdam due to the huge cloud of volcanic dust hanging around Europe. We've had quite an adventure getting here. First, we missed our flight in Windhoek, because we were late, and we had the wrong flight time. Our itinerary said the flight was at 7:05pm, while it was really at 6:05pm. The itinerary didn't account for the time change a few weeks ago. We managed to get on the only other flight that night - into Frankfurt. We got into Frankfurt only to find out about the restricted travel. We've been so out of the loop, that we didn't even know that a volcano erupted! We decided to try and get to Amsterdam, on the rare chance that our flight was still scheduled. Also, we knew we'd be heading out of Amsterdam eventually, and we had a lot of time on our hands. So we took 3 trains and finally got to the Amsterdam airport, on time too! Unfortunately, our flight had been cancelled. Currently, we're sitting at the airport, waiting to get an update on the ash issue and hoping to at least get our return flight home scheduled. We're guessing that we'll be here about 2 days, though we're hoping to get back sooner. There are worse places to be stuck than Amsterdam, but we're all extremely tired and don't relish the idea of wearing the same clothes for another 3 days. We're praying for the wind to change so we can leave soon, but we probably won't make it home for a few more days. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Hopefully we'll see you soon. ;-)
~Annie, Linda, Mary, and Genny
Just a quick update! We're currently stuck at the airport in Amsterdam due to the huge cloud of volcanic dust hanging around Europe. We've had quite an adventure getting here. First, we missed our flight in Windhoek, because we were late, and we had the wrong flight time. Our itinerary said the flight was at 7:05pm, while it was really at 6:05pm. The itinerary didn't account for the time change a few weeks ago. We managed to get on the only other flight that night - into Frankfurt. We got into Frankfurt only to find out about the restricted travel. We've been so out of the loop, that we didn't even know that a volcano erupted! We decided to try and get to Amsterdam, on the rare chance that our flight was still scheduled. Also, we knew we'd be heading out of Amsterdam eventually, and we had a lot of time on our hands. So we took 3 trains and finally got to the Amsterdam airport, on time too! Unfortunately, our flight had been cancelled. Currently, we're sitting at the airport, waiting to get an update on the ash issue and hoping to at least get our return flight home scheduled. We're guessing that we'll be here about 2 days, though we're hoping to get back sooner. There are worse places to be stuck than Amsterdam, but we're all extremely tired and don't relish the idea of wearing the same clothes for another 3 days. We're praying for the wind to change so we can leave soon, but we probably won't make it home for a few more days. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Hopefully we'll see you soon. ;-)
~Annie, Linda, Mary, and Genny
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Modern Day Robin Hood
13/04/10
We got back into Windhoek Sunday night around 7:00pm. We had played Robin Hood during our entire visit to the lodge, stealing food at every meal. It was buffet-style, so they didn’t notice when we walked away with an extra roll or apple hidden in our pockets. At one meal, Annie actually stole half of a French baguette. On the ride home, we handed the food out to hungry kids at every rest stop. We guessed that those kids will never get a chance to stay in one of the fancy lodges, so we brought some of the lodge to them. Stealing from the rich and giving to the poor has never felt so good.
Yesterday we spent getting things ready for our last two and a half days. Linda and Genny went shopping for school supplies to donate to FHS. We bought most of the pencils, erasers, chalk, notebooks, scissors, glue sticks, markers, and colored pencils that the store had. US money goes so far here, due to the exchange rate. We spent about US$200 on school supplies, and it would have cost closer to $500 or so in the US. We brought it all to the school today, and the teachers were ecstatic! They have to keep a close eye on supplies, as they tend to disappear if not watched. Most of the kids will always return the supplies, even if they are left lying out, but there are a few that are so desperate that they would steal supplies to sell on the street. The teachers put the supplies to use right away, using the scissors, markers, and glue sticks in one of the craft activities. We are always amazed how they use everything they can here. We watched the kids make little cardboard houses out of the boxes we had brought the candy in during the Easter party (see pictures!). They had saved the empty boxes for a week and a half, just to use them in this activity.
Nicole and Genny decided to sponsor kids from FHS. FHS’s sponsorship program is truly fantastic. They pick the kids who live in the hardest conditions, and whose families are struggling the most to pay their school fees, and search for sponsors for them. To sponsor a child for one year is $1,700 Namibian dollars (US$240). This money will pay for a uniform, school fees, and hygiene kits for the student. The Namibian government prides itself on its “free” education for all children. However, all schools charge a school fee and all students must have a uniform to attend. Clothing here is cheap - about US$5 for a child’s t-shirt. However, uniforms are very expensive, closer to US$35 for pants and a shirt, and US$20 for a pair of school shoes. So buying everything for the uniform, and paying school fees, is more money than most families can manage. Also, most families have more than one child to put through school. Working at the school has caused us to form an attachment to these kids. Today, I met the child I would be sponsoring. Matheus is 13 years old, but he’s about the height and weight of an 8 year old. He lives with his aunt, two other adult relatives, and 12 other children, in one house. He just started school this year, and was placed in Grade 2. His birthday wish is to have a new pair of pants (he only has one), shoes for school, and a cake (since he’s never had one).
In some ways this is a plea for help - FHS has 150 more children needing sponsors. But beyond that, it is an eye-opener to the vastly different way that children grow up in Namibia. Living in overcrowded, tin shacks in the ghettos of Havana with way too many relatives and not enough food or clothing to go around makes for a very sad childhood. We want to pack these children in our suitcases and bring them home to a better life, but there are children everywhere we look and we couldn’t possibly help them all. So we take the little moments of joy and tuck them away to help us sew up our hearts as they break every time we look at how these kids spend their childhood. We help as many as we can, and pray for those we can’t reach. We also know that Namibians care for their children. Orphans are usually taken in by relatives, rather than thrown on the street. School fees are the first thing most families pay, before food and rent, because they know that their children must get an education to have a better life. Many schools, like FHS, take time to check on the family lives of the children and do their best to help kids who are struggling. Families donate food to soup kitchens that feed orphaned children, even when they do not have enough food for themselves. There is so much hope and so much faith here, that it is impossible to believe that Namibia will not someday strive. We will continue to do everything we can to make that happen, and we thank you for your support as we do this work. Hope is a contagious thing, and it is everywhere we look in Namibia.
~Annie, Linda, Mary, Genny
(If you are interested in sponsoring a child, or learning more about FHS, please e-mail me at gennyclute@gmail.com)
We got back into Windhoek Sunday night around 7:00pm. We had played Robin Hood during our entire visit to the lodge, stealing food at every meal. It was buffet-style, so they didn’t notice when we walked away with an extra roll or apple hidden in our pockets. At one meal, Annie actually stole half of a French baguette. On the ride home, we handed the food out to hungry kids at every rest stop. We guessed that those kids will never get a chance to stay in one of the fancy lodges, so we brought some of the lodge to them. Stealing from the rich and giving to the poor has never felt so good.
Yesterday we spent getting things ready for our last two and a half days. Linda and Genny went shopping for school supplies to donate to FHS. We bought most of the pencils, erasers, chalk, notebooks, scissors, glue sticks, markers, and colored pencils that the store had. US money goes so far here, due to the exchange rate. We spent about US$200 on school supplies, and it would have cost closer to $500 or so in the US. We brought it all to the school today, and the teachers were ecstatic! They have to keep a close eye on supplies, as they tend to disappear if not watched. Most of the kids will always return the supplies, even if they are left lying out, but there are a few that are so desperate that they would steal supplies to sell on the street. The teachers put the supplies to use right away, using the scissors, markers, and glue sticks in one of the craft activities. We are always amazed how they use everything they can here. We watched the kids make little cardboard houses out of the boxes we had brought the candy in during the Easter party (see pictures!). They had saved the empty boxes for a week and a half, just to use them in this activity.
Nicole and Genny decided to sponsor kids from FHS. FHS’s sponsorship program is truly fantastic. They pick the kids who live in the hardest conditions, and whose families are struggling the most to pay their school fees, and search for sponsors for them. To sponsor a child for one year is $1,700 Namibian dollars (US$240). This money will pay for a uniform, school fees, and hygiene kits for the student. The Namibian government prides itself on its “free” education for all children. However, all schools charge a school fee and all students must have a uniform to attend. Clothing here is cheap - about US$5 for a child’s t-shirt. However, uniforms are very expensive, closer to US$35 for pants and a shirt, and US$20 for a pair of school shoes. So buying everything for the uniform, and paying school fees, is more money than most families can manage. Also, most families have more than one child to put through school. Working at the school has caused us to form an attachment to these kids. Today, I met the child I would be sponsoring. Matheus is 13 years old, but he’s about the height and weight of an 8 year old. He lives with his aunt, two other adult relatives, and 12 other children, in one house. He just started school this year, and was placed in Grade 2. His birthday wish is to have a new pair of pants (he only has one), shoes for school, and a cake (since he’s never had one).
In some ways this is a plea for help - FHS has 150 more children needing sponsors. But beyond that, it is an eye-opener to the vastly different way that children grow up in Namibia. Living in overcrowded, tin shacks in the ghettos of Havana with way too many relatives and not enough food or clothing to go around makes for a very sad childhood. We want to pack these children in our suitcases and bring them home to a better life, but there are children everywhere we look and we couldn’t possibly help them all. So we take the little moments of joy and tuck them away to help us sew up our hearts as they break every time we look at how these kids spend their childhood. We help as many as we can, and pray for those we can’t reach. We also know that Namibians care for their children. Orphans are usually taken in by relatives, rather than thrown on the street. School fees are the first thing most families pay, before food and rent, because they know that their children must get an education to have a better life. Many schools, like FHS, take time to check on the family lives of the children and do their best to help kids who are struggling. Families donate food to soup kitchens that feed orphaned children, even when they do not have enough food for themselves. There is so much hope and so much faith here, that it is impossible to believe that Namibia will not someday strive. We will continue to do everything we can to make that happen, and we thank you for your support as we do this work. Hope is a contagious thing, and it is everywhere we look in Namibia.
~Annie, Linda, Mary, Genny
(If you are interested in sponsoring a child, or learning more about FHS, please e-mail me at gennyclute@gmail.com)
Just a few pics
Hello folks! Here's a few pictures to end your day with (assuming that all of you are, of course, checking the blog hourly)
Two girls from the school get their uniforms through the sponsorship program
These boys help clean up after every meal at FHS!
Making little houses out of cardboard and glue
Two girls from the school get their uniforms through the sponsorship program
These boys help clean up after every meal at FHS!
Making little houses out of cardboard and glue
More pictures soon! We're not doing a very good job of making sure we're in the pictures. :-) But we'll get some ones with us in them up soon. Less than two days until we fly home. We are making the best of our time that we have left. Love from Africa!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
More Easter party pics!
The stampede of kids!
Collecting eggs!
Annie and Linda surrounded by kids
Genny and Solomon hanging out with a tuckered out kidlet
Queen passing out the hot chocolate - it's in high demand
Collecting eggs!
Annie and Linda surrounded by kids
Genny and Solomon hanging out with a tuckered out kidlet
Queen passing out the hot chocolate - it's in high demand
More Pictures Finally!
Handing out sandwiches at the Easter party
Nicole hiding Easter eggs
Queen and Genny mixing up hot chocolate with Uma
Preparing Easter eggs with our friends Solomon and Danny
Nicole hiding Easter eggs
Queen and Genny mixing up hot chocolate with Uma
Preparing Easter eggs with our friends Solomon and Danny
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Lions, and tigers, and bears, oh my! (Well, really just lions, but you get the idea)
Hello folks!
Just a quick update - we’re currently in northern Namibia, right outside of Etosha National Park. We drove one of the teachers from the school up so she could visit her parents, and we’re all staying at a lodge for a few days. It’s really beautiful here. There are currently 10 or so Springbok sleeping right outside our room. We’ve gone on a few hikes, and Linda and Genny went on a game drive yesterday. There were countless giraffes and zebras, a few lions, and two elephants! As well as a ton of amazing birds and other smaller animals. We watched a lion eat about half of a zebra. We’re all enjoying our little vacation, but also looking forward to getting back into the city to help out at the school next week. Though it’s nice at the lodge, we aren’t really relishing the feeling of being tourists, after seeing the poverty that paints rural Namibia. But it’s only for a few days, and we all needed the break. Our excitement to get back and help at the school again is also overshadowed by the fact that our departure is a week away.
We are planning one last shopping trip before we go, and will help to stock up the school on basic supplies. The pencils the kids use are tiny nubs and lack erasers. They get so excited when they have new markers and new coloring books. We’re also hoping to buy uniforms for some of the kids as well. Many of them have uniforms that are torn or mismatched, or no uniform at all. One of the teachers explained to me that the kids get a sense of pride when they have a uniform, not to mention that it is required for school attendance (though the teachers look the other way if a student shows up without one). She said she has actually been able to track the improvement in a student’s work when they get a uniform. They are so proud to have a uniform that fits and is clean, that they try harder at their schoolwork.
I apologize for the lack of pictures. I managed to get a few up before we ran out of minutes on our internet. Now, we’re up north and have plenty of minutes, but incredibly spotty and unreliable internet service. I can’t manage to hold a connection long enough to upload the pictures. But I promise, I will get them up as soon as I’m able. I’ve tried many times, so it’s not for lack of effort!
Have a great weekend everyone!
~Annie, Linda, Mary, and Genny
Just a quick update - we’re currently in northern Namibia, right outside of Etosha National Park. We drove one of the teachers from the school up so she could visit her parents, and we’re all staying at a lodge for a few days. It’s really beautiful here. There are currently 10 or so Springbok sleeping right outside our room. We’ve gone on a few hikes, and Linda and Genny went on a game drive yesterday. There were countless giraffes and zebras, a few lions, and two elephants! As well as a ton of amazing birds and other smaller animals. We watched a lion eat about half of a zebra. We’re all enjoying our little vacation, but also looking forward to getting back into the city to help out at the school next week. Though it’s nice at the lodge, we aren’t really relishing the feeling of being tourists, after seeing the poverty that paints rural Namibia. But it’s only for a few days, and we all needed the break. Our excitement to get back and help at the school again is also overshadowed by the fact that our departure is a week away.
We are planning one last shopping trip before we go, and will help to stock up the school on basic supplies. The pencils the kids use are tiny nubs and lack erasers. They get so excited when they have new markers and new coloring books. We’re also hoping to buy uniforms for some of the kids as well. Many of them have uniforms that are torn or mismatched, or no uniform at all. One of the teachers explained to me that the kids get a sense of pride when they have a uniform, not to mention that it is required for school attendance (though the teachers look the other way if a student shows up without one). She said she has actually been able to track the improvement in a student’s work when they get a uniform. They are so proud to have a uniform that fits and is clean, that they try harder at their schoolwork.
I apologize for the lack of pictures. I managed to get a few up before we ran out of minutes on our internet. Now, we’re up north and have plenty of minutes, but incredibly spotty and unreliable internet service. I can’t manage to hold a connection long enough to upload the pictures. But I promise, I will get them up as soon as I’m able. I’ve tried many times, so it’s not for lack of effort!
Have a great weekend everyone!
~Annie, Linda, Mary, and Genny
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Pictures finally!
Our huts at Penduka
Posing with the toys that were donated - we brought them to FHS and the kids loved them!
Going out for dinner!
Four wheeling in the Namib Desert - right off the ocean
Posing with the toys that were donated - we brought them to FHS and the kids loved them!
Going out for dinner!
Four wheeling in the Namib Desert - right off the ocean
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Easter Party!
Wa lele po?
This is the beginning to the traditional Oshiwambo greeting, one we’ve all been practicing and are finally feeling comfortable enough to actually use. We sometimes mess up the series of phrases used in the greeting, and the people we are talking to think it’s incredibly funny, but they love that we try.
We spent last night making more peanut butter and jam sandwiches (none of us will be eating a PB&J sandwich again anytime soon) and putting candy in the 30 dozen Easter eggs we brought. Once the eggs were all filled, we still had a ton of candy left. So we filled another 100 plastic bags with candy, and still had a little to spare. We made sure to leave some for the staff members of Penduka to bring home to their families. The Easter party today was a huge success. We got to FHS around 9:00am and began preparing. First we made all of the children who were already there go and wait outside the gate. Two of the teachers from FHS brought them into the community to play games and pass the time until the start time at 10:00am. We got to work mixing up hot chocolate and getting the sandwiches ready to hand out. We hid all of the Easter eggs, a feat that surprisingly only took about 5 minutes. Then we put the extra candy out all around the school. Annie went to go get the kids and tell them we were ready. Everyone else stood at the gates, ready to attempt to control chaos.
We waited and waited, and the kids still hadn’t come back. We were beginning to worry when we heard the sound of singing. We looked up, and coming down the hill were the teachers, Annie, and about 200 children from the local communities. Once Annie had gotten to them, they all decided to walk around the community singing in celebration of the holiday, and to gather more children for the egg hunt. They got to the gate and we made the older kids stand back so the young ones could get through and start the hunt. The main goal was to get the little ones out of the way, so they wouldn’t be trampled. After we got the younger kids through the gate and into the school, we opened up the gate and all the rest of the kids came running through. It was a bit of a stampede, and more than one of us walked into the school carrying a crying child who missed out on getting an egg. But we had plenty of leftover candy, and once they got their hands on some chocolate, the tears stopped and they were all smiles.
We passed out the food and hot chocolate and all the kids sat down around the school to eat. The school is not that large, and we could barely fit all 200 kids into it. It was extremely funny to watch them drink the hot chocolate. They had never had it before, and they would start to drink with wary expressions. After the first taste, they gulped it down and were soon back, asking for more. Luckily, we had just enough food to go around, and everyone got a sandwich and plenty of hot chocolate. After a prayer and more candy handouts, the younger children left the school to walk home. Queen handed out some bags she had gotten from the Census to all the older kids, and we have never seen more faces light up with joy. She got the bags for free, and it’s amazing how simple things mean so much to these kids. They have so little, and even the smallest present is an occasion for celebration. The older kids had a lesson from the teachers about what Easter means, while the rest of us sat down for the first time in what felt like hours. But before long we were back on our feet, playing soccer with the kids and handing out yet more candy. But despite the incredible heat and trying to keep order with only one adult for every 20 kids, the day felt like it was over before it had a chance to begin. We cleaned up the school and sent the last few kids on their way home. We got back to Penduka and took a little time to clean ourselves up, before heading over to dinner at one of the teacher’s houses. We spent a lot of time there, learning more about the school and the new programs they had implemented since Annie and Mary’s last visit. After good food and good conversation, we now find ourselves back at Penduka, very much ready for bed.
Tomorrow is Easter Sunday, and some of us are trying to devise a way to get to church in the morning. Lacking a car and a guide makes it slightly difficult. We are also preparing to say goodbye to Queen and Nicole. It seems like their time here passed much too quickly, and they are already anxiously awaiting a return trip next year. Annie, Mary, Linda, and I are working out our plans for the next two weeks. Having done so much of our work in the first two weeks means that we find ourselves with a lot of free time. We are hoping to take a trip for two or three days and go on a game drive. Since the school is closed for Easter break next week, we will probably take our trip in the next few days, so that we can be back in time to help out again at the school the following week. We will also spend much of that time preparing for next year and making plans based on what went well and what we can do better next time. We are so excited about what we have already accomplished, and are very much looking forward to making this work something that can be continued in the future.
Thanks for following us so far, more to come in the next few days. Happy Easter and Passover to everyone!!! If I knew how to say “goodbye” in Oshiwambo, I would. However, we’re not quite there yet. ;-) Good wishes from Africa.
~Annie, Mary, Linda, Queen, Nicole, and Genny
P.S. - One a side note, it's daylight savings time tonight in Namibia. Since their "winter" is beginning, we will be setting our clocks BACK one hour. Yay for an unexpected extra hour of sleep!
(Easter party pictures will be up soon)
This is the beginning to the traditional Oshiwambo greeting, one we’ve all been practicing and are finally feeling comfortable enough to actually use. We sometimes mess up the series of phrases used in the greeting, and the people we are talking to think it’s incredibly funny, but they love that we try.
We spent last night making more peanut butter and jam sandwiches (none of us will be eating a PB&J sandwich again anytime soon) and putting candy in the 30 dozen Easter eggs we brought. Once the eggs were all filled, we still had a ton of candy left. So we filled another 100 plastic bags with candy, and still had a little to spare. We made sure to leave some for the staff members of Penduka to bring home to their families. The Easter party today was a huge success. We got to FHS around 9:00am and began preparing. First we made all of the children who were already there go and wait outside the gate. Two of the teachers from FHS brought them into the community to play games and pass the time until the start time at 10:00am. We got to work mixing up hot chocolate and getting the sandwiches ready to hand out. We hid all of the Easter eggs, a feat that surprisingly only took about 5 minutes. Then we put the extra candy out all around the school. Annie went to go get the kids and tell them we were ready. Everyone else stood at the gates, ready to attempt to control chaos.
We waited and waited, and the kids still hadn’t come back. We were beginning to worry when we heard the sound of singing. We looked up, and coming down the hill were the teachers, Annie, and about 200 children from the local communities. Once Annie had gotten to them, they all decided to walk around the community singing in celebration of the holiday, and to gather more children for the egg hunt. They got to the gate and we made the older kids stand back so the young ones could get through and start the hunt. The main goal was to get the little ones out of the way, so they wouldn’t be trampled. After we got the younger kids through the gate and into the school, we opened up the gate and all the rest of the kids came running through. It was a bit of a stampede, and more than one of us walked into the school carrying a crying child who missed out on getting an egg. But we had plenty of leftover candy, and once they got their hands on some chocolate, the tears stopped and they were all smiles.
We passed out the food and hot chocolate and all the kids sat down around the school to eat. The school is not that large, and we could barely fit all 200 kids into it. It was extremely funny to watch them drink the hot chocolate. They had never had it before, and they would start to drink with wary expressions. After the first taste, they gulped it down and were soon back, asking for more. Luckily, we had just enough food to go around, and everyone got a sandwich and plenty of hot chocolate. After a prayer and more candy handouts, the younger children left the school to walk home. Queen handed out some bags she had gotten from the Census to all the older kids, and we have never seen more faces light up with joy. She got the bags for free, and it’s amazing how simple things mean so much to these kids. They have so little, and even the smallest present is an occasion for celebration. The older kids had a lesson from the teachers about what Easter means, while the rest of us sat down for the first time in what felt like hours. But before long we were back on our feet, playing soccer with the kids and handing out yet more candy. But despite the incredible heat and trying to keep order with only one adult for every 20 kids, the day felt like it was over before it had a chance to begin. We cleaned up the school and sent the last few kids on their way home. We got back to Penduka and took a little time to clean ourselves up, before heading over to dinner at one of the teacher’s houses. We spent a lot of time there, learning more about the school and the new programs they had implemented since Annie and Mary’s last visit. After good food and good conversation, we now find ourselves back at Penduka, very much ready for bed.
Tomorrow is Easter Sunday, and some of us are trying to devise a way to get to church in the morning. Lacking a car and a guide makes it slightly difficult. We are also preparing to say goodbye to Queen and Nicole. It seems like their time here passed much too quickly, and they are already anxiously awaiting a return trip next year. Annie, Mary, Linda, and I are working out our plans for the next two weeks. Having done so much of our work in the first two weeks means that we find ourselves with a lot of free time. We are hoping to take a trip for two or three days and go on a game drive. Since the school is closed for Easter break next week, we will probably take our trip in the next few days, so that we can be back in time to help out again at the school the following week. We will also spend much of that time preparing for next year and making plans based on what went well and what we can do better next time. We are so excited about what we have already accomplished, and are very much looking forward to making this work something that can be continued in the future.
Thanks for following us so far, more to come in the next few days. Happy Easter and Passover to everyone!!! If I knew how to say “goodbye” in Oshiwambo, I would. However, we’re not quite there yet. ;-) Good wishes from Africa.
~Annie, Mary, Linda, Queen, Nicole, and Genny
P.S. - One a side note, it's daylight savings time tonight in Namibia. Since their "winter" is beginning, we will be setting our clocks BACK one hour. Yay for an unexpected extra hour of sleep!
(Easter party pictures will be up soon)
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Clinics, blood pressure, and peanut butter and jam sandwiches
01/04/2010
Hello from Namibia!
We have been busy! Yesterday, Nicole and Genny spent the morning at FHS again, helping out the overworked teachers. We spent time working one-on-one with kids who were having trouble with counting. There are 3 teachers and between 80-100 kids, depending on the day. They are barely able to keep control of the whole class, let alone have time to work one-on-one with kids who need extra attention. Once the hard work was done, each of the kids made an Easter basket out of a paper plate and pipe cleaner. The teachers brought candy, and each child got two pieces to go in their basket. They were extremely excited to decorate their baskets and write their names on them. School is out next week for the Easter holiday. This might seem like a nice break for the kids, but it means that many of them will go without the two meals they get every day at school. But the teachers will definitely need the week off, after dealing with energetic kids all day. Easter is a huge holiday in Namibia. Everything is closed from Good Friday through Easter Sunday and there are people everywhere preparing for the holiday. We are preparing for our Easter party on Saturday. We’re expecting around 200 children from the local communities. We’ll be doing a huge Easter egg hunt at FHS and serving lunch to all the kids. We’re expecting mass chaos, and looking forward to it! The kids here are wonderful, and we’ve all fallen in love with them. We are excited to do an event that is just for them.
Yesterday afternoon we all went into the community and did a short clinic afternoon. We were there for about 2 hours and checked blood pressure for about 150 people. We handed out sandwiches and played with the kids. It was a good test run for today. Today we went into a different community and did more blood pressure checks. We gave out vitamins and sandwiches. We had prenatal and children’s vitamins, vitamin C and calcium. We had limited supplies, so we gave the calcium and prenatal vitamins just to the women and the vitamin C mostly to the men. We ran out much too fast. It was sad to know that we were only giving one-month supplies of vitamins, and that they would be gone long before we could come back next year with more. We also gave out about 100 shaving razors to the men in the community. We ran out in about 3 minutes and added razors to our long list of things we will definitely bring here in the future. Today we checked around 200 people for high blood pressure and things went much smoother. Between the 200 people checked today, and the 150 checked yesterday, we had around 50 that had high blood pressure. There was one man who tested so high that we had to put him in a taxi and send him to the nearest clinic to get immediate treatment. We were able to provide everyone else with a referral to the clinic. We will be giving the blood pressure medication to one of the doctors from the community hospital, and he will ensure that the medications get to those who were referred, at no cost to them.
We will most likely relax tomorrow, since there is very little going on in the communities. We move from Rivendell into Penduka tomorrow, and have a lot of work to pack everything up and get it organized. We all got a little too comfortable at Rivendell, and have been living like slobs! Tonight many of us hand washed clothes and packed up everything we had lying around to get ready to move tomorrow. Penduka isn’t as nice as Rivendell, or as centrally located, but we all want the experience of living closer to the rural communities of Namibia. It is easy to ignore the poverty that goes on just on the outskirts of the city, when we are surrounded with only the city life. Life in the rural communities is hard. Very often there is little to no running water close by. They live in tin houses, with rocks that hold the roofs in place so they do not blow away. There are communal bathrooms that are essentially latrines with tin walls for privacy. With dirt floors and leaky roofs, it is hard to imagine anyone living every day of their life in this setting. There are fences with barbed wire everywhere in Namibia, except in these communities where the tin houses are side by side, and generally only consist of one or two rooms. At times we feel like the work we are doing is only a single drop in a very large bucket, but we hope the ripple we make will be felt even by those we are not able to directly help. Hopefully our presence shows them that someone does care, even when it feels like their own country and government does not. We tell them all that we hope to come again next year, and every year after that, and that we will not forget them. They shake our hands, and thank us, and walk back to their tin houses, vitamins in hand.
Until next time, say hello to MN for us!
~Annie, Mary, Linda, Queen, Nicole, and Genny
Hello from Namibia!
We have been busy! Yesterday, Nicole and Genny spent the morning at FHS again, helping out the overworked teachers. We spent time working one-on-one with kids who were having trouble with counting. There are 3 teachers and between 80-100 kids, depending on the day. They are barely able to keep control of the whole class, let alone have time to work one-on-one with kids who need extra attention. Once the hard work was done, each of the kids made an Easter basket out of a paper plate and pipe cleaner. The teachers brought candy, and each child got two pieces to go in their basket. They were extremely excited to decorate their baskets and write their names on them. School is out next week for the Easter holiday. This might seem like a nice break for the kids, but it means that many of them will go without the two meals they get every day at school. But the teachers will definitely need the week off, after dealing with energetic kids all day. Easter is a huge holiday in Namibia. Everything is closed from Good Friday through Easter Sunday and there are people everywhere preparing for the holiday. We are preparing for our Easter party on Saturday. We’re expecting around 200 children from the local communities. We’ll be doing a huge Easter egg hunt at FHS and serving lunch to all the kids. We’re expecting mass chaos, and looking forward to it! The kids here are wonderful, and we’ve all fallen in love with them. We are excited to do an event that is just for them.
Yesterday afternoon we all went into the community and did a short clinic afternoon. We were there for about 2 hours and checked blood pressure for about 150 people. We handed out sandwiches and played with the kids. It was a good test run for today. Today we went into a different community and did more blood pressure checks. We gave out vitamins and sandwiches. We had prenatal and children’s vitamins, vitamin C and calcium. We had limited supplies, so we gave the calcium and prenatal vitamins just to the women and the vitamin C mostly to the men. We ran out much too fast. It was sad to know that we were only giving one-month supplies of vitamins, and that they would be gone long before we could come back next year with more. We also gave out about 100 shaving razors to the men in the community. We ran out in about 3 minutes and added razors to our long list of things we will definitely bring here in the future. Today we checked around 200 people for high blood pressure and things went much smoother. Between the 200 people checked today, and the 150 checked yesterday, we had around 50 that had high blood pressure. There was one man who tested so high that we had to put him in a taxi and send him to the nearest clinic to get immediate treatment. We were able to provide everyone else with a referral to the clinic. We will be giving the blood pressure medication to one of the doctors from the community hospital, and he will ensure that the medications get to those who were referred, at no cost to them.
We will most likely relax tomorrow, since there is very little going on in the communities. We move from Rivendell into Penduka tomorrow, and have a lot of work to pack everything up and get it organized. We all got a little too comfortable at Rivendell, and have been living like slobs! Tonight many of us hand washed clothes and packed up everything we had lying around to get ready to move tomorrow. Penduka isn’t as nice as Rivendell, or as centrally located, but we all want the experience of living closer to the rural communities of Namibia. It is easy to ignore the poverty that goes on just on the outskirts of the city, when we are surrounded with only the city life. Life in the rural communities is hard. Very often there is little to no running water close by. They live in tin houses, with rocks that hold the roofs in place so they do not blow away. There are communal bathrooms that are essentially latrines with tin walls for privacy. With dirt floors and leaky roofs, it is hard to imagine anyone living every day of their life in this setting. There are fences with barbed wire everywhere in Namibia, except in these communities where the tin houses are side by side, and generally only consist of one or two rooms. At times we feel like the work we are doing is only a single drop in a very large bucket, but we hope the ripple we make will be felt even by those we are not able to directly help. Hopefully our presence shows them that someone does care, even when it feels like their own country and government does not. We tell them all that we hope to come again next year, and every year after that, and that we will not forget them. They shake our hands, and thank us, and walk back to their tin houses, vitamins in hand.
Until next time, say hello to MN for us!
~Annie, Mary, Linda, Queen, Nicole, and Genny
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Mount Sinai Day
27/03/2010
Hello again!
We have had a busy last two days. Yesterday, Nicole and Genny spent the morning at Family Hope Sanctuary (FHS) helping out with the school activities. The kids were wild and energetic since it was the last day of school before the weekend. There were about 30 kids, and since it was our third day there, they had gotten to know us pretty well. They would climb into our arms and on our backs and everywhere we turned there was another child who wanted a hug. They knew we usually had treats with us, so they would search our pockets for candy. We had a busy morning at the school, but before we knew it, the morning class was over and had left to walk home. Annie, Mary, Linda, and Queen spent the morning running errands and getting ready for Mount Sinai Day. They picked up $1,300 worth of formula to be handed out to the HIV+ mothers registered with Mount Sinai. Mount Sinai provides formula for HIV+ mothers who have HIV- infants, so that they will not breastfeed and risk passing the virus onto their babies. The Center provides formula to the mothers until their children turn one year-old, then they provide food parcels until the children turn two. Though we are excited about our ability to donate formula, we know that the amount we gave to the Center will only last for one month. We all spent the afternoon putting together food parcels with the food we bought on Wednesday. We made 300 food parcels for the mothers registered at the Center. It was extremely hot and sweaty work, but we had 7 of the mothers from the Center helping us do the work, so we were done very quickly. Everyone here is extremely helpful, and wants to lend a hand in any way they can. Solomon and Danny (two of Mary’s friends) have given us rides, picked up last minute supplies, and even helped us count and bag vitamins for Mount Sinai Day. We went to bed tired and ready for the next day.
Mount Sinai Day started for us at 6:00am. We got to the Center and got to work. We set up tents and chairs, starting making peanut butter and jam sandwiches for breakfast, and organized the clinic area. Before we knew it, the women began to arrive. Mount Sinai does a pick-up day once a month, where the mothers come to get formula and food parcels, weigh-in themselves and their babies, and receive ongoing education. The Center is run by Christa, though she always says that her mothers do all the work. She works night-shift as a nurse and can only spend mornings at the Center, since she is not paid to run Mount Sinai. Christa welcomed us to join in on the pick-up day., so we could run our women’s clinic. We checked blood pressure and blood sugars, made and served breakfast and lunch, brought in a social worker to talk about rape and domestic violence, and handed out the food parcels and vitamins. Most of the women were registered with Mount Sinai, but some of them were from the community and had come to the Center just to visit the clinic and get a meal. It was amazing to see all the women and children that came to be a part of this day. What was even more amazing was looking at the large group of women, and knowing that most of them were HIV+, and then looking at all the children running around and knowing that they were HIV- thanks to the work that Mount Sinai has done. After a long day we arrived back at Rivendell around 2:30pm and chose to relax for the rest of the day. We all took our first swim in the little pool near our rooms. It was extremely cold and felt amazing on our sunburns. We ordered pizza (African style - a.k.a. - no tomato sauce) and sat in the shade, reading and relaxing.
We’ll go to bed soon and tomorrow we leave to spend 2 days on the coast in Swacopmund. We’ll spend that time strictly as tourists, before getting back to work preparing for our next two medical clinics taking place next week, and for our Easter party for the kids at FHS. We’re all looking forward to a few days break, since we packed a week’s worth of activity into four days. Everyone has something they want to do in Swacopmund. Though Linda would love to be going skydiving, Nicole is actually the one who will be jumping from the plane. Linda instead is looking forward to walking on the beach, feeling the ocean breeze. Annie is excited to see the Namib Desert again, which is the largest desert in the world. Mary will be watching the sunset on Dune 7 and cannot wait to see the ocean again. Queen is looking forward to having a weekend to just kick back and relax. I will be four-wheeling in the sand dunes and buying more souvenirs than I can fit in my suitcase. And we’re all looking forward to seeing the local crafts and visiting the wood market as well.
Check out the pictures! We will update again soon. Thank you again to everyone who has helped to make this work possible. Food is hope to the Namibian people and you are present in every outstretched hand that we are able to fill. Keep us in your thoughts, there are many more days ahead.
~Annie, Mary, Linda, Queen, Nicole, Genny
Hello again!
We have had a busy last two days. Yesterday, Nicole and Genny spent the morning at Family Hope Sanctuary (FHS) helping out with the school activities. The kids were wild and energetic since it was the last day of school before the weekend. There were about 30 kids, and since it was our third day there, they had gotten to know us pretty well. They would climb into our arms and on our backs and everywhere we turned there was another child who wanted a hug. They knew we usually had treats with us, so they would search our pockets for candy. We had a busy morning at the school, but before we knew it, the morning class was over and had left to walk home. Annie, Mary, Linda, and Queen spent the morning running errands and getting ready for Mount Sinai Day. They picked up $1,300 worth of formula to be handed out to the HIV+ mothers registered with Mount Sinai. Mount Sinai provides formula for HIV+ mothers who have HIV- infants, so that they will not breastfeed and risk passing the virus onto their babies. The Center provides formula to the mothers until their children turn one year-old, then they provide food parcels until the children turn two. Though we are excited about our ability to donate formula, we know that the amount we gave to the Center will only last for one month. We all spent the afternoon putting together food parcels with the food we bought on Wednesday. We made 300 food parcels for the mothers registered at the Center. It was extremely hot and sweaty work, but we had 7 of the mothers from the Center helping us do the work, so we were done very quickly. Everyone here is extremely helpful, and wants to lend a hand in any way they can. Solomon and Danny (two of Mary’s friends) have given us rides, picked up last minute supplies, and even helped us count and bag vitamins for Mount Sinai Day. We went to bed tired and ready for the next day.
Mount Sinai Day started for us at 6:00am. We got to the Center and got to work. We set up tents and chairs, starting making peanut butter and jam sandwiches for breakfast, and organized the clinic area. Before we knew it, the women began to arrive. Mount Sinai does a pick-up day once a month, where the mothers come to get formula and food parcels, weigh-in themselves and their babies, and receive ongoing education. The Center is run by Christa, though she always says that her mothers do all the work. She works night-shift as a nurse and can only spend mornings at the Center, since she is not paid to run Mount Sinai. Christa welcomed us to join in on the pick-up day., so we could run our women’s clinic. We checked blood pressure and blood sugars, made and served breakfast and lunch, brought in a social worker to talk about rape and domestic violence, and handed out the food parcels and vitamins. Most of the women were registered with Mount Sinai, but some of them were from the community and had come to the Center just to visit the clinic and get a meal. It was amazing to see all the women and children that came to be a part of this day. What was even more amazing was looking at the large group of women, and knowing that most of them were HIV+, and then looking at all the children running around and knowing that they were HIV- thanks to the work that Mount Sinai has done. After a long day we arrived back at Rivendell around 2:30pm and chose to relax for the rest of the day. We all took our first swim in the little pool near our rooms. It was extremely cold and felt amazing on our sunburns. We ordered pizza (African style - a.k.a. - no tomato sauce) and sat in the shade, reading and relaxing.
We’ll go to bed soon and tomorrow we leave to spend 2 days on the coast in Swacopmund. We’ll spend that time strictly as tourists, before getting back to work preparing for our next two medical clinics taking place next week, and for our Easter party for the kids at FHS. We’re all looking forward to a few days break, since we packed a week’s worth of activity into four days. Everyone has something they want to do in Swacopmund. Though Linda would love to be going skydiving, Nicole is actually the one who will be jumping from the plane. Linda instead is looking forward to walking on the beach, feeling the ocean breeze. Annie is excited to see the Namib Desert again, which is the largest desert in the world. Mary will be watching the sunset on Dune 7 and cannot wait to see the ocean again. Queen is looking forward to having a weekend to just kick back and relax. I will be four-wheeling in the sand dunes and buying more souvenirs than I can fit in my suitcase. And we’re all looking forward to seeing the local crafts and visiting the wood market as well.
Check out the pictures! We will update again soon. Thank you again to everyone who has helped to make this work possible. Food is hope to the Namibian people and you are present in every outstretched hand that we are able to fill. Keep us in your thoughts, there are many more days ahead.
~Annie, Mary, Linda, Queen, Nicole, Genny
Thursday, March 25, 2010
We have arrived!
25/03/2010
Hello friends and family!
Let us first apologize for the delay. We have run into a few problems in the last few days that have prevented our first update (flat tire, late rental van, attacking lions - just kidding about the last one). So, here we go!
We have arrived safely in Africa! We walked off the plane onto the tarmac (felt like movie stars) at 10:00am. After a few lines and one lost bag, we walked out of the airport extremely tired, but glad to finally be in Namibia. Mary's friends picked us up and drove us to Rivendell, where we will be spending our first 10 days. It is beautiful here, everything is green and though it is hot, there is usually a nice breeze to cool us off. We have begun planning the medical clinics we will be doing next week. There are many details to work out, but thanks to everyone who donated funds or supplies, we feel very prepared. We have a lot of shopping to do - buying food for our food parcel donations, buying candy for the kids for our Easter celebration, buying formula and bottles for Mount Sinai, and so much more! Also, don't worry, we got our lost bag back! :-) It was full of medical supplies, so we were very concerned that it wouldn't make it's way back to us. But it arrived and nothing was missing. So the supplies will still get to where they are needed most.
Many things are different here. We bring treats for the kids, and if we do not have enough, there are no cries of "unfair!". Instead, they are simply hopeful they will get something next time and are happy just to be with us. Some kids walk 5 miles or more to get to the school we help at, since they know they will get a hot meal and their families do not have to pay for them to attend. We watched one child eat half of her lunch, and then take out a container and pack up the rest to take home. She could not have been full from that little amount of food, but she must know that her family needs to eat too.
We are working diligently to prepare for our medical clinics next week. We are organizing our medications, trying to round up additional volunteers, and renting tents and chairs. Advertising for the events is hard, but we know that the promise of a meal will bring many people. We worry that too many people will come, and we will have to turn some away. We will help as many as we can, since many of these people have never had a health screening before. In Namibia, there is one doctor for every 7,000 people. Though that doesn't seem like a lot, it is one of the higher ratios in Africa. But in rural communities, there is little to no access to health care of any kind.
Annie and Mary are glad to meet up with old friends, though there are some faces that are gone from the last trip of 3 years ago. They spent the first day calling all our Namibian friends and setting up times to meet and plan our different events. We are so lucky to have connections throughout the community, as it has made planning our events much easier. Everyone remembers Annie and Mary and are so excited that they have come back (and brought friends!). It is hard to believe that we have only spent 3 days here. Each day is so packed that it seems like much longer. Though we have only been here for a short time, people are already asking us when we will be coming back. We still have many days ahead, but we know it will not be enough. So, we are already wondering when we will be able to make our next trip too.
Goodnight everyone!
~Annie, Mary, Linda, Nicole, and Genny
(Pictures will come soon!)
Hello friends and family!
Let us first apologize for the delay. We have run into a few problems in the last few days that have prevented our first update (flat tire, late rental van, attacking lions - just kidding about the last one). So, here we go!
We have arrived safely in Africa! We walked off the plane onto the tarmac (felt like movie stars) at 10:00am. After a few lines and one lost bag, we walked out of the airport extremely tired, but glad to finally be in Namibia. Mary's friends picked us up and drove us to Rivendell, where we will be spending our first 10 days. It is beautiful here, everything is green and though it is hot, there is usually a nice breeze to cool us off. We have begun planning the medical clinics we will be doing next week. There are many details to work out, but thanks to everyone who donated funds or supplies, we feel very prepared. We have a lot of shopping to do - buying food for our food parcel donations, buying candy for the kids for our Easter celebration, buying formula and bottles for Mount Sinai, and so much more! Also, don't worry, we got our lost bag back! :-) It was full of medical supplies, so we were very concerned that it wouldn't make it's way back to us. But it arrived and nothing was missing. So the supplies will still get to where they are needed most.
Many things are different here. We bring treats for the kids, and if we do not have enough, there are no cries of "unfair!". Instead, they are simply hopeful they will get something next time and are happy just to be with us. Some kids walk 5 miles or more to get to the school we help at, since they know they will get a hot meal and their families do not have to pay for them to attend. We watched one child eat half of her lunch, and then take out a container and pack up the rest to take home. She could not have been full from that little amount of food, but she must know that her family needs to eat too.
We are working diligently to prepare for our medical clinics next week. We are organizing our medications, trying to round up additional volunteers, and renting tents and chairs. Advertising for the events is hard, but we know that the promise of a meal will bring many people. We worry that too many people will come, and we will have to turn some away. We will help as many as we can, since many of these people have never had a health screening before. In Namibia, there is one doctor for every 7,000 people. Though that doesn't seem like a lot, it is one of the higher ratios in Africa. But in rural communities, there is little to no access to health care of any kind.
Annie and Mary are glad to meet up with old friends, though there are some faces that are gone from the last trip of 3 years ago. They spent the first day calling all our Namibian friends and setting up times to meet and plan our different events. We are so lucky to have connections throughout the community, as it has made planning our events much easier. Everyone remembers Annie and Mary and are so excited that they have come back (and brought friends!). It is hard to believe that we have only spent 3 days here. Each day is so packed that it seems like much longer. Though we have only been here for a short time, people are already asking us when we will be coming back. We still have many days ahead, but we know it will not be enough. So, we are already wondering when we will be able to make our next trip too.
Goodnight everyone!
~Annie, Mary, Linda, Nicole, and Genny
(Pictures will come soon!)
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
TThursday, April 19, 2007
In the City..........
Outside the Museum explaining the rules
Playing after lunch at Zoo ParkShoes and Ice cream
Up the escalator.......Down the escalator...... more icecream!
Eating Lunch at the Park................Last of the food hampers for families at Family Hope Sanctuary.............. The one and only Remarchell at the BNC
Today was an awesome day! We took our children from Hakahana into town to the museum. These children are all orphan or vulnerable kids who live in the informal settlements. They had never been out of their community so this was a new experience for them. None of these kids are in school, but they are all in the school readiness program at Family Hope Santuary. We hired a truck to bring 20 children to town and Mary and I met them at the museum. We were unable to get a guided tour as the woman was busy so we went on our own, which was better. I was a bit worried about my wild , undisciplined children but really had nothing to worry about. They were angels!! They were so completely enthralled with the museum that I don’t remember ever being that excited myself as a child. They loved every moment and were so quiet and absorbed by every display. The museum had a display on each tribe of Namibia. They would look at the displays behind glass and they thought they were real! Most of our kids were Ovambo, so when we got to the display of Ovambo women preparing the mahungu many of the kids tried to enter the glass to help the (fake) women!!! They would bump their heads on the glass and we had to tell them that they were not real!!! It was quite funny and also very sweet! They sat quietly for 30 minutes watching a video of a Bushman hunting. When we finished, they wanted to go around again!!
We then took them to the park in the center of town and they played at the playground while Mary and made a lunch for them. We knew that this was an experience of a lifetime for them and none of us wanted it to end so we walked through the center of town—down through the mall –and decided to take them through the town square and ride on the escalator. The escalator turned out to be better then Valleyfair!!! They were nervous and a bit afraid but we held their hands and got on and went to the top then turned around and went back down- then repeat-up then down! Such a simple thing and yet I don’t think I will ever be able to ride on an escalator again without remembering this day and the joy of these children.
We then took them to the Pep store and bought each child a pair of shoes. We ended the day with an ice cream cone for each child. The ice cream turned out to be a bit of a disaster as many were unable to eat it fast enough before it melted and they were reluctant to throw it away, so they would hold the melting ice cream in their hands! What a mess! Luckily we had wet ones to wash them up before getting back into the truck for home.
After most of the morning and half of the afternoon was gone; Mary and I had not had our fill of children, so we got into a cab and went across town to play with the kids from the Catholic AIDS Relief center or the BNC (as they call it).
A day filled with children-hugs, kisses, laughter-----it doesn’t get any better then this!
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