Hiking with Churches

Friday evening we got a text from the Church family, inviting us for a Saturday morning hike.  Davona Church is the director of Cradle of Love where Brent works, mostly teaching her two daughters Mariah and Staci. 

The Churches (Davona, her husband Max, their son Brendan, Mariah and Staci) picked us up in the morning and we began driving towards Arusha National Park.  Just before the park we turned off and continued along a very bumpy road through villages, forests and farms, heading up the slopes of Mount Meru.

They had brought along some extra blankets and cookies that they didn't need, so we started got out at a village rather high up in the hills and passed out our goodies. 

 

We were also passing out cookies to any kids we saw on the side of the road, usually working hard carrying huge piles of wood or buckets of water on top of their heads.  Sadly, the first group of little girls we stopped for, carrying very large buckets of water on their heads, saw us stop the car and their faces reflected sheer terror.  One of them screamed, and they all began running away as fast as they could, dropping their hard-earned water on the ground.  Max told us that in some more remote areas where they rarely see a white person, children are told that the "Mzungus" (white people) will try to eat them.  We felt terrible about this!

Finally we arrived at our destination.  We parked the car in the middle of the forest amidst some very tasty wild raspberry bushes and started hiking up.

Us looking fresh at the beginning of the hike.  We're not actually that tall.  It's some kind of optical illusion.

The walk was beautiful... taking us through vine-covered jungle, misty moss-covered trees that reminded us of coastal BC, and alpine meadows.  After awhile the girls became tired and Davona took them back to the car, leaving me, Brendan, Brent and Max to keep exploring.  We had a lovely time, chatting about our dreams and admiring the plants and scenic views.

Max and Brendan take a well-deserved rest.

Seems like a little fairy should pop out from under here or something...

When we got back to the vehicle, we had a bit of a depressing discovery... the window had been smashed and the contents cleared.  Davona and the girls were mourning the loss of Davona's purse, several more blankets they were going to give out, and the girls' backpacks with books and toys.  Argh!

Despite the damper on the mood, we headed back to their house at the baby home, for a delicious pasta lunch.  We felt blessed with the warmth of good food, good conversation and friendship. 

As we were headed out the door to hug some babies and then head home, we found the girls on the stair landing, giving their Barbies a bath.  It was such a quintessential scene of sister-hood. 

 What a lovely way to spend a Saturday.  We were truly grateful for the invite!

Maji Moto

It was a tranquil, beautiful Sunday for us today... we headed out with some other volunteers to a natural pool fed by an underground aquifer.  It is called "Maji Moto"- Swahili for "warm water", because the water is quite pleasantly lukewarm.  It's a marvel, this place.  We drove, bumping along dusty dirt roads through Maasai territory for an hour and a half.  Around us were cacti, dry fields, mud huts, and not much else.  Then the car arrived and we stepped out with dusty skin and misaligned spines.  There in front of us was an oasis.  Surrounded by trees, this pool of crystal clear blue water sits.  We could see right down to the bottom even though it was about 3 m deep at its deepest points. When we jumped in, it had the refreshing feel of clean, crisp water even though it was not cold at all.  We spent the day there... exploring down little channels, jumping off the rope swing, eating "chipsi mayai" (like a spanish omelet) made my a young fellow on the side of the pool, talking and laughing in the water. There were Tanzanian families picnicking, swimming and enjoying each other's company as well.   I felt grateful to have visited this place today, and to have enjoyed one of nature's little surprises with some friends.  Is there much better in life?

French-fry omelets made over the fire... delicious.

Gabby enjoying the delightful water.

The dry, dusty surroundings.

Brent finally worked up the courage to try the rope swing, and loved it!

Sitting on a log relaxing and chatting.

Brabby's Song:The Rough Cut

We wrote this song- about our home, Usa River- back in October, as we were sleepily lazing around our living room after Swahili classes one evening.  It has taken us months to actually post it, as the internet server at our school... something something something (insert nerd language here).  Okay, so we're not going to be up for a Grammy any time soon... but we had fun. Enjoy!  Lyrics are written below....

We left our homes and our families,
One long year for our God to please,
We came to Usa, Usa River.
We live in a big house with yellow walls.
We sleep till morning when the hornbill calls,
We sleep in Usa, Usa River.

And sometimes we think things ain't as great as they seem,
but it's all okay coz we got our ice cream
here in Usa, Usa River.

Gabby goes off to the school all day,
With the teachers she works, with the kids she plays,
Down in Usa, Usa River.
Brent takes the dalla to Cradle of Love
and those babies they're sent here from heaven above,
they live in Usa, Usa River.

Our Australian friends think we're from "Canader"
and Brent wants to see just one more Puff Adder,
here in Usa, Usa River.

Sometimes we miss you all back home.
Our moms, our dads, our can Phantom.
But when we look around, it's clear...  our home is right here.

So don't you worry, and don't you fret.
Neither of us has malaria yet,
mozzies in Usa, Usa River.
And if you can't wait a full year to see them,
Remember there's daily flights on KLM,
via Arusha, just West of Usa.

And if you don't mind Aussies, some Yanks and some Brits,
and water you drink that might give you the.....

Join us in Usa, Usa River.