This month we have been in Tanzania working with street kids and orphans everyday! They are the most precious and heartbreaking things. The culture here in Tanzania is so complex and sad! There are so many single moms, children with no relatives, kids left with just their grandmother and like the sisters that I have grown close with, their dad left them with old lady that they were renting from before he disappeared 5 years ago. The 2 girls are 9 or 10 and 6. Pili is the older of the two and she is so shy but has never gone to school. When we first met them pastor said she has no future because of her lack of education and money. Faudhia (pronounced Fa-uh-zee-ah) when we first met her she was SO shy she wouldn’t even look me in the eye. Our third day spent with her I could tell she was pretty sick. Joe said I could take her to the doctor to find out what was wrong and get her medicine. After a visit to the hospital, 4 rounds of injections, multiple different pills she is feeling SO much better! Pastor told us that a big part of why she was sick and not getting better was because the old lady taking care of them is too old to work and so the girls don’t have the basics of life. Joe gave Pastor $70 to buy them food for the next couple weeks! With the money they were also able to buy new dresses and used shoes! Last time we saw them was Sunday at church and they were so Happy! Faudhia was acting like a little girl for the first time! She was making silly faces at Joe, talking to me in Swahili and giggling! Pili had confidence for the first time; looking like a little lady in her African head wrap. Their grandma (that is what they call the lady taking care of them) said they can start coming to church we started helping them and she has seen the difference it has made! The other girls on our team have also fallen in love with the kids here. Each of them is going to support a child and send them to school. To support a child here it is $33 a month for food, other necessities and to have someone checking in on them every week and to send them to school is $360 a year, $200 in December and $160 in June. So to take care of both Pili and Faudhia it will cost $400 in December for school and $66 every month for other needs. Joe and I want to support them but aren’t finically able to do that fully now but want to take over all or part of it when we get back…do you know anyone that would be able to help them until we can? These girls have been a huge part of my month and the closer we get to leaving the more I stress about leaving. I know God will take care of them but they are just on my heart SO much! The hardest part is knowing that while helping these 2 is wonderful there are thousands more left in Tanzania.
