We gratefully received some heavy rain over Easter time. This is six weeks later than normal. Instead of dry savanah, the ground is now turning green, much to the delight of the goats and cows, who are severely malnourished. In torrential rain I had to take a sick child to our local hospital. The drivers side window refused to go up and so with driving rain lashing my face we made our way to KCMC at 10 km/hour, the wipers unable to cope with such a torrent and being fearful that the flooded roads would take us into a ditch. Drenched to the skin, we made it and William was admitted with a temprature of 40%. For some reason the casualty department was quite empty, which was most unusual, so we were sorted pretty quickly. On Sunday, I was back again taking two children to hospital, one street boy who had fallen from a tree and fractured his arm, and a little tot from Pilgrim House, also with a high temprature, everything is now being blamed on the cold weather.
AND NOW FOR THE TUDOR VILLAGE NEWS
Well, at last we managed to get our girls into there new homes, but it wasn't without many problems which we had to hurriedly overcome. We call it TIA (this is Africa) The powers that be, decided two days before removal date, that our western type toilets had to be removed and replaced by 'drop' toilets..even though at our facilities the western style was the only one used by the children, our other problems have been with local workman asking them to complete the work that had been paid for three months earlier, promises - promises - promises - but the good news is that the girls from the toddlers to our older girls are all settled and very happy in there new homes. So happy in fact, that when asked to name the houses, they have chosen wonderful names - if not a little unusual, we have house No 1 named HAPPY HOUSE and house No, 2 named LAUGHTER HOUSE, house No 3 is at present being used as the school room. Can't wait for that to be named.
We thank each and everyone of you who has blessed us with funding or hard work or prayers to bring this vision of all of our children living on one site, with all the necessary amenities that a village would have, to fruition.
Abundant blessings - mama Lynn
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Yes, it has really happened and although it was being prepared for a long time, it still was eventful when the day came ....
the first children formally moved into Tudor Village and this marked the closing of Malaika House
Pictures are worth more than I can write now
Many hands helped to load up.
And off they went:
And this happy bunch knew where they were going:
As much as this is a turning chapter in the lives of our angels from Malaika House as well as Light in Africa and staff, this must also be an emotional moment for the many volunteers who helped over the years to make Malaika House the place we envisaged to be the "home" for our children. Many efforts went into painting and decorating the place while many hours were spent entertaining and caring for the young occupants.
There will be more news, later, from mama Lynn, but there is so much going on that we ask for some patience.
Thank you for your continued support and interest in the everyday stories about life at Light in Africa
Paul
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Click the link below for a comprehensive and well documented overview of Light in Africa activities by Jake Lyell, with up to date pictures of LIA programs' beneficiaries
Light in Africa and life: a new chapter in Tanzania (by Jake Lyell)
Happy reeading and thank you for your continued support
Paul
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Hi everyone, thank you so much for your patience with me in answering your emails and requests. I think I am about up-to-date at present.
As I write, we still have not received the much needed 'heavy rains'. Everything is dry and the vegetation is dead. I have just read in the newspaper that in Ngorongoro region, the local government has put out an SOS for emergency food supplies as the people are starving. At Light in Africa we are finding more and more hungry people in the rural areas and we are now feeling the exra strain of feeding more desperate people. Our food supplies are diminishing faster than ever before.
We are also hearing of redundancies taking place due to the economic environment. Two hundred miners have lost there jobs in Mirerani, and so the situation there will deteriorate even further.
On the 1st April, we are signing the contract for our second home there. It will require extensive modernisation, but our plans are that we will keep all of our babies and toddlers at Fleeze House, and
the older children will go live at the new premises.
I have just been given this photograph of the old grandmother, and her grandchildren that we found last year and how she was existing. She received no assistance from anyone not even the community where she lived. We are so proud of our volunteers who see all this need, and with their project money, make a difference to the lives of individuals like this mama and the community, in this mama's case building her a new home.
What about our beautiful children, doesn't it warm the cockles of your heart! The beautiful little girl is Irene, who came to live with us when her mother died in childbirth. She is now back living with her father and his partner.
We were so pleased that he continually came to visit and spend the day with Irene when she lived in the nursery at Mailisita.
And this is Jack, an abandoned baby,who we raised until he was adopted by a couple who were working over here in Mbulu, past Arusha. This photo was taken on a recent trip to Germany. We bless them on their way, and it's wonderful that they have a family to love and take care of them.
Do you remember this young man? He was literally pulled from his mother’s womb by his right arm when she died in childbirth. Salvatore came to live with us straight from the delivery room, and he cried for two whole weeks, as all the muscles on the top of his arm were torn. We had two paediatric surgeons come to see what help could be offered but they said it would always hang limp and unusable due to the damage that had occurred. But each time I went to the nursery, I would take hold of his hand, lift it up to his head, and say, Praise God - Hallelujah. A Pastor and his wife are now adopting him, and his arm is as good as new, Praise God - Hallelujah
Be Blessed Abundantly,
mama Lynn
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effective immediately the postal address for volunteer application and related documents has changed. The new address is:
Ms. L. Cox, Light in Africa, PO Box 603, Grimsby DN31 3AR, United Kingdom.
The addres now also appears in all new version of the application form, but forms previously downloaded from the Light in Africa website will need to be updated by yourselves.
Happy Volunteering and never hesitate to ask a question
Paul
By the way, did you already scroll down for messages posted earlies this week? Don't miss the lovely children item of yesterday ...
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HELP US TO MAINTAIN CONSTRUCTIVE RELATIONS WITH IMMIGRATION
If you know of someone travelling to Tanzania soon, please make them aware of this news-item:
To engage in volunteer work in Tanzania you require a class C-volunteering permit that can only be obtained in the country.
When flying to Tanzania you need to complete a so-called entry/arrival declaration form that will be handed to you during your flight. A sample is shown below.
It is important that you declare “ volunteer ” as the purpose of travel on this form and further complete all boxes as indicated.
Immigration at the Kilimanjaro (or Dar-es-Salaam) airport will issue an entry visa (pay US$ 50, only in US$ and only cash; US passport holders pay US$ 100).
In the days following your arrival at Light in Africa the application for your class C-permit will be completed (bring all documents and pass photos as indicated in the information pack). A fee of US$ 120 (again to be paid in cash in US$) is levied by immigration in Moshi.
Those who declare another purpose of visit than the one indicated ( volunteer ) will be denied the class C-permit and will be unable to perform any services and duties during their stay and will be fined US$ 400
;)
(cick picture for a larger version)
If you have any questions or doubts, please contact/email us prior to your departure.
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Several weeks ago you may have read about the three children, Agnes, Monica & Pedro whose underwent surgery to straighten their legs. Well, they made a remarkably fast recovery as they are out of their paster and able to move and play again.I sat with them a few times when they were unable to move due the plaster and they are so extremely sweet. Thanks to those who made these operations possible, these kids can now return to a life without mobility limitations.
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Dear Friends,
I asked Paul our webmaster to write the next blogg - which he did admirably,- but missing was the photograph of himself. Surely our webmaster isn't shy? Never. - Get you next time Paul!
Over the last two weeks I have been somewhat busy travelling around to all the remote area's we work in prior to the rains arriving, when it will be very difficult to travel. Hence I have a large backlog of emails and work to attend to this week, please be patient with me and I will get around to responding to all of your requests and information.
Many thanks, Be blessed abundantly.
mama lynn
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I have recently returned from a 2 weeks stay at Light in Africa Tanzania and mama Lynn strongly suggested that I would write the next update on the blog. And I should add a picture so everyone would be able to 'meet' the LIA webmaster. Well, we'll see about that image, but I thought of starting a dairy and soon found out it would result in a book of events: I wrote 4 pages for the first Monday morning alone! That's not suitable for a weblog; it will have to be more condensed. But so much happens while out there and it has been a joy to participate in the variety of tasks and activities. I now better realize why everyone always remains to excited and attached to LIA after a volunteering experience or visit.
It started with a relaxing day as the children of Maili Sita were treated by a group of volunteers to an outing to Checkireni Springs and a BBQ. Coming from the cold Amsterdam winter weather it was a pleasant change, believe me.
On a sad note: the old babu, who LIA staff cared for during the past 2 years, unfortunately passed away on my day of departure. And while I waited for my plane at the Kilimanjaro airport, I realized that LIA has been babu's executive lounge where he has spent these many months in loving care. How else could have have lived 2 years after hospital doctors had given him only a few months. It must have been the respect for life and age with which he was cared for while he had no-one else to turn to. I am a proud LIA supporter
On a high note: the homes in Tudor village look impressive and I can imagine how the kids will grow up there in a family style housing arrangement; something we take for granted but many of them have never experienced. But the homes were still empty. After a few days of Pilgrim boys staying there, the social services authorities determined that they need to formally approve the site and they haven't done so yet. But mama Lynn is a strong believer as are many of her fans so even while the kids had to move back, we remain all convinced this is a temporary situation, which will be resolved soon. Your moral support will ensure that more positive news will follow soon.
We took one of the children from Malaika to the wheelchair shop as with her spasms she becomes so powerful that more protection and adjustments on her wheelchair are required. While the technical details were discussed, I could keep her busy and relaxed, driving around, singing songs and holding hands. And the return on this investment of time: big, very big smiles. Again, I felt proud seeing such a happy child and specially knowing her history.We spent a day at Mirerani visiting Fleeze house (I think it is a wonderful place and well run, which is probably also the reason for it being at capacity now, so there is a need for more space and staff) and on we went to the food kitchen where the medical outreach was planned. A tornado recently blew the roof off the kitchen so with the rainy season approaching there is a challenge to be met.
But the usual 400+ children were fed as were the HIV/AIDS positive patients and the (voluntarily) hard working doctor saw 160 patients that day. And while mama Lynn and pastor Frank checked social matters, sister Grace and I tended to the pharmacy.
The white person who is taking this picture is I, the webmaster, with my chair to the left of sister Grace’s. Amy on the right is another volunteer from Germany. I am afraid this picture will have to do, I am not good shooting self portraits, sorry. While there is free access to anti-retroviral therapy for HIV positive patients in Tanzania, they are themselves responsible for treatment for any other opportunistic diseases. Thanks to volunteers and donations, they could again get treatment and even some money for the bus ride to hospital for HIV check ups. How could you not care? I am proud to be a LIA supporter.
Good reliable transport is key to all the work of Light in Africa, which covers quite a large area here between the foothills of both Mount Kilimanjaro and the ‘Blue Mountains’. The old Toyota is still hanging in there, but I could not help thinking about the combination of these roads and the rainy season and the horror story last year from mama Lynn. It can be dangerous when the torrent is out there and the car breaks down… You read about, but seeing it is another story.
Back at Maili Sita I get to meet Erasmus who you may still remember from a previous blog. His lower leg had to be amputated, but this many is walking around with his crutches and a big smile. That's how we like to look at the future. He is trying to develop an income generating activity y making paper bags and he does a good job. Having brought some additional tools and eyelets he could now finish the first prototypes. Being a logistician myself, we spend quite some time review the creative process and I think he is now well set for some good production. Although I just learnt that he sold his first bag this past weekend for 1000 Tanzanian shillings, or some $ 0.85, a next volunteer will have to spend some time going over the marketing and the economics: revenue is not profit.
The bags are named "ABILITY BAG" and I had a special rubber stamp made so he can clearly mark the bags: "Ability Bag - Made by disabled people from Tanzania".In the same room is Mary, another crafster, sewing various handbags as well as some of the curtains for Tudor village homes. There will be lots of items that future visitors can select from the little store and which helps these two workers on the road towards independence.
I am hoping little Rashid is doing well again after I had to take him to the doctor a few times. So sad to see a sick face between so many cheerful youngsters, early morning at the breakfast table and again from mid afternoon after school to early evening bed time. I must admit, sometimes so many young ones can be overwhelming, especially at bedtime. But then the next day all that is forgotten.
What you will never forget is a visit to the nursery, Tumaini House, also located at the Maili Sita site. They are adorable as little or as handicapped as they are, they all deserve our love and all the care that the staff extends to them day in day out, around the clock. Having heard the history of some of them, it is amazing what you can now hold in your hands, cuddle and play with. All these brightly shining "Lights of Africa". I am so proud of all the staff all around the LIA activities and feel privileged to be part of it all.There is so much more that requires attention: checking on the three children who recently had their legs straightened, they are so impressd with their new, plastered legs, thankful and patient:
And more: new arrivals to LIA: 2 in one week; picking up a new volunteer who says she found so much valuable information on the website (hmm..) and practical matters such as administrative and computer work, rainwater drainage after a first tropical shower, waste water from the kitchen sink, a puncture of the still surviving Toyota 4x4, the blown off roof of the pig shed at the LIA Amani farm and on and on. But two weeks are short and then the end is there. Babu was prepared and at peace for his journey "to the other side" and I realized that I need to do all possible to continue supporting all this good work, together with so many others who hold a special place in their hearts for all those seeking refuge at Light in Africa homes. How could we not support it? I am proud of all those supporters.
Warm regards,
Paul, the webmaster
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This is a round-up of work that has been completed.
****The long awaited day has arrived for three children we rescued from a remote area in the bush to go into hospital. These children have severe distorted legs from drinking the local water which is so high if fluoride. The operations took place on Tuesday. We thank the volunteer who paid for the childrens operations and I will keep you posted on their recovery.
**** So much need, so much is required for us to do. This photo was taken of some of the counsellors from Checkorani, saying 'goodbye' to some of there elderly residents, who was living in the bush under a shack, when the roof fell in on them. They are now fully recovered and enjoying life at Mailisita.
**** In February last year, the floods washed away the mud house of this elderly grandmother who was caring for two small grandchildren. She was living in the remains of two walls with a plastic covering where I found her living.
We thank the volunteers who have kindly built her this new home and provided a bed for her and the children to sleep on.
**** A new baby arrives, his mother has died in childbirth. We have had many admissions of children over this last two weeks, and yesterday, whilst in Mirerani, I made the decision that we shall have to have a further home there to accomodate all the future children.
****Another project completed. This maasai mama was dancing in jubilation of having a new home that our volunteers had paid for.She was so determined that no one was going to take her home from her, that Pastor Frank informs me that she moved on to the site when the foundation was dug, hanging all of her possessions in a tree, and the builders built around her. Many thanks to the volunteer who contributed her funding. The children now have a roof over there heads... Bless you.
***** AND SO TO MY VERY LAST PIECE OF NEWS........ THE FIRST OF OUR CHILDREN AND STAFF MOVE INTO THERE NEW HOME AT TUDOR VILLAGE SITE ON SUNDAY!!!!! WOWEEE, WHAT AN AMAZING ACCOMPLISHMENT..... FOLLOWED TWO WEEKS LATER BY A FURTHER 10 CHILDREN MOVING INTO HOUSE NO 2..... WHAT AN ENTERPRISE!
WHAT ENDEAVOR! ALL THAT LOVELY HARD WORK FROM ALL OF OUR WONDERFUL VOLUNTEERS HAS NOW COME TO FRUITION. THE CHILDREN ARE MOVING INTO THERE NEW HOMES. PRAISE GOD - HALLELUJAH...
WHAT CAN I SAY BUT BLESS YOU ALL. FOR THE FUND RAISING, FOR THE DONATIONS, FOR THE PHYSICAL HARD WORK. FOR ALL THE TREE PLANTING!!!!
THE SITE LOOKS WONDERFUL
Mama Lynn
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