Eclectic Photo Gallery (Nov 05-May 06) with english subtitles

Sisters of charity who run an orphanage outside Dodoma brought some people living with HIV for checkups at the General Hospital


On one of my visits to Zainabs house, a neighbour Vero came inside to visit along with her pet bird. Vero is the daughter of John Mwita, one of our Home Based Care workers in Ipagala


Eva, church parish worker, aspiring future mchungaji (pastor) takes a break after a day of food relief distribution


Pictures from St Josephs orphanage outside Arusha, near Mt Meru and near enough to Mt Kilimanjaro to get an incredible view




Me at my new place


Bibi Arod, grandmother taking care of 6 orphans, (their parents, Bibi's two daughters and their husbands died from AIDS) signs her name via fingerprint since she never able to learn to read and write


working at the church computer


beautiful children in Ipagala watching us try to fix a broken down taxi


Grace Muhagachi, second daughter of Amos and Esther, pours water for everyone to wash their hands before eating some cake at Bokke her big sister and little sister, Peace's birthday party


Rehema and her beautiful son Paulo, who will be sponsored in our OVC program. Paulo is a funny, sweet kid, but has had some health problems; he has TB and tested positive for HIV two months ago. Rehema is also positive, she became very sick last year but tested for HIV and started to get treatment (ARV's) at the General Hospital. Now she is doing well, except that she worries about Paulo and wishes she could start her own business to buy the food they both need. Paulo has been in and out of school due to his health problems. There is a hospital in Dodoma called Village of Hope that gives free care to all children living with HIV, which Paulo is now visiting.



Some of the wonderful kids I get to see most days(sponsored under the Compassion program)


Salome falls asleep on a new friend, one of the volunteers who helps cook for the children on Saturdays. Salome is also an orphan who lives with her uncle Robert, one of the church evangelists.


Beautiful Faces



One of my best friends Joyce Bokke who was my inseparable partner every day since December when we started working together. Joyce was selected by the church to become one of the HIV/AIDS counselors. Hilarious, talented singer and performer, spirited, and beautiful, I was honored to be able to work with her. Sadly, Joyce left the end of April back to Mwanza. Her father died earlier this year, and the oldest of her siblings, she went back to run the pharmacy business so she could get her younger sister through school (Form 6) this year. We pray and hope she can return to Dodoma next year and work with us. She is one of the most inspiring, fun-loving best friends I have had. I cried when she left, but she is only an SMS away, for now.


Easter Reflection- Sickness and Death to Resurrection and Celebration. Some of the photos are of Zainab at home and in the hospital, my beloved friend who died May 8, 2006 from HIV/AIDS, leaving her husband and four daughters behind. Her second oldest daughter with her child is pictured by the car with Joyce standing beside her.








Our MCC retreat in April: Sun, Ocean, Beach, Sailing, Kids, Good Rest and Reflection time.




Not so close and closer than you might care to look


Cooking with the Ladies of the Kitchen, can I just say I know about 10 women by the name of Mama Neema. They are a lot of fun, and have not stopped asking me when I am planning to get married, and to whom, even though I have tried to avoid the question and given them straying answers each time---ok maybe thats why. It would be easier to just say I am engaged to someone, a lumberjack who lives in Canada and is waiting patiently for me to return. (not true).



Some of my favorite kids again, showing off what their faces can do.


Food Relief Days for Compassion International. Because of the major drought in Tanzania, especially in arid areas like Dodoma, CI is giving extra maize to every family in its program to make sure their kids won't go to bed hungry.



Overlooking Dodoma from Pride Rock (yeah I guess thats what some tourists really call it) I didnt see a baboon lifting up a cub and zebras frolicking to the circle of life, but I did see some boys arging about where something was. I hiked up with my friend Andrew Gregory (named after that special saint/martyr/ex-soldier something which Andrew has tried to explain to me or make up) Russel who is working as a Youth Development Worker for the Anglican Office in Dodo for the next couple years. He's pretty much my only mzungu friend in dodoma and has been a great encouragement. I call him Anglican Andrew for short. He is teaching me how to play squash and can I just say, I think I am pretty darn good (or just so stressed out at times I wack the life out of that ball).



Irene, the cute little girl of one of my friend's Vero, who was testing out some major high heels. She must be an aspiring Miss TZ.


Joyce and I visited a house in Bahi Road full of 10 children. 6 of the kids where orphans. We will be sponsoring one of the kids, Elia, who is around 5 years of age.


Janet Daudi, another friend of ours, was counseled and tested positive for HIV last year. We helped her set up a small charcoal business last year to encourage her from other risky work that she had become vulnerable too. Her husband died a couple years ago, and many other family members have tried to take advantage of her. I would say that she is doing well, but its been at least a couple months since I last saw her, so even now I am planning a visit. Her daughter Jacqueline is seated on the very right of the picture below, as well as some other adorable kids inside her place.



One of my favorite people, Amina Rhamadani, who we often visit. She is spunky as I'll get out. She tends to call me her mother even though I think I am half her age. Her photo portrait was taken and published in the MCC Common place magazine for April. We met her last year when she was very sick and needed medicine and money for testing her CD4 count which she did not have. She is a widow and is living alone and surviving off gifts from her brother and us. I brought the magazine to her one day and she was just like, "why didn't they post a picture where they could see my beautiful hair?" She is doing well, except its been too long since I have gotten a chance to go and see her. When Zainab got really sick, we were really focused on taking care of her. Mchungaji Amos, my pastor and second dad, is pictured below. He is an inspiration and encourgement to me. One of my heros.