Hey guys! So I haven't been on the computer much at all...the new volunteers came on Saturday night so we have about 26 people sharing one computer! The past week has been quite interesting...let me try and catch you all up!
Heres a fun story! I was in a taxi on my way back to the house I am staying at when all of a sudden I hear a gun shot..next thing I know we are surrounded by 3 men I have never seen before with machine guns...The made our taxi driver get out of the car, put his hands up, and go on the ground...then they turned to me and my friends...and looked super confused apologized, got back in there car and drove away. Turns out our car looked exactly like a car that was full of wanted criminals! Thanks to my white skin they realized they had the wrong people. Weirdly enough I wasn't that freaked out...it was definitely a new experience!
In other news, I have been having a really hard time at my placement with this one teacher. She hits the kids all the time...sometimes for no reason at all...and hard too! Ive had to dry so many tears..including my own because of the beatings...The other teacher blamed it on her being pregnant...i cant say Ive been pregnant before..but that is an awful excuse. Alas! There is good to this story. So I couldn't just sit there and watch this happen...so I met with the founder of the school and explained to him why it is so unhealthy to use that method of punishment and how there are other alternatives. I put in place a reward system instead of a punishment system for the teachers to use and I am happy to say that not one kid got hit today and they were still just as well behaved. I cant tell you how happy it made me to see the teachers not only using other methods but understanding and liking them! Yay for change.
So i finished painting the first room at the orphanage...I admit I seriously had no idea just how much work it was going to be...but seeing how happy the kids were to have a new looking room made it worth it! Its a pretty blue color! Also...I found a piece of paper in the rafters of the room and it was written by a little child describing their dreams in life and talking about their friends and things that were important to them...I put it back...but it was just so cool to find! The founder of the orphanage is so thankful...she said that she is so blessed to have people like us in her life...that people always talk about making a difference but those who put it into action are the ones who really shake things up.
So much to say...arrugh...I don't have much time left..so one quick thing...I went on the roof of the largest building in Moshi (the city right next to where im staying) It was absolutely beautiful. Perfect picture of mount Kilimanjaro. The city looked so beautiful and peaceful...and even though i knew how messed up it was with poverty and other issues i couldn't help but start to think that that is how the city actually was. It made me realize 2 things...first that no matter how messed up or bad something gets there is always a way to find good from it. And second it reminded me of people and how they so often look like that city looked from so high up...happy and ok. but in reality if you take a closer look they are suffering. Man I always have the deepest revelations on roof tops.
Anyways,..thats all for now!
LOVE YOU ALL!
Monica!
Oh my Monsie, the experiences that you call fun...some of them actually make me cringe. The story about your cab being halted by the police officers by shooting gunfire up in the air.....you call that fun???:( Oh me of my, you worry me sometimes girl.
ReplyDeleteI marvel at how everything and anything is an experience, an adventure for you and you see something positive in each of these. I also love your persistence to see change happen at the school especially as it pertain to the teacher who beats the children. It's awesome to hear that your first course of action was to talk to the teacher involved first and when you weren't getting anywhere, you went to the founder. I see that you are learning how to take your concerns through proper channels. I admire your wisdom and courage babe. You have grown so much, it's incredible!
Ah yes, those roof top experiences, you seem to manage to find ROOF TOPS where ever you go eh?! I can just picture in my head what that rooftop that you described in Moshi must be like....it must be breathtaking when you're looking at it from up high?! The true revelation is when you have the opportunity to have a close-up look of the city, the beauty it has to offer and similarly, the despair among those in impoverished situations. You shared with us that these people who have very little seem to easily manage to smile despite their situation. What have been revealed to you as their source of joy? Is it their faith? Is it not knowing what 'Better' can be? I'd love to hear what your RTR's are regarding this.
Monnie, make sure to take a break from time to time. You will be better at serving your kids when you have ample rest. It's all a balancing act, right?! I'm sure you know this already....just making sure you hear it from me again.
We love you and miss you!.......momsie
P.S. Keep blogging, you have many followers, including Maddy's teacher who wants to invite you to speak at their school upon your return:)
Mr. Potvin wants you to share your experience at LBP too!
xoxo
Monica this is beautiful keep up the good work! praying for you!
ReplyDeleterevelations on rooftops are probably the best. :)
ReplyDeleteAlso- Mrs Meuse, I enjoy reading your comments as well as the blog! Monica, I had the same reaction as your mom while reading about the gunshots. Glad you're okay:)
You rock my world,
Love you !
V
ps. It's so cool that these things that you're talking about are things I'm learning about in theory in my classes. But you're living it. And making a difference. So proud of you girl <3
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ReplyDeleteMonmon! Scary cab story, thank God you're okay. It's lovely reading about the things your doing and your never ending optimism. You're in my prayers!
ReplyDeleteoh and rooftops? Careful not to get blood on the driveway!
I'll remember us sitting on your roof one night talking about how the world was so big and we could not comprehend that some people lived their lives only seeing so little of it. And we could not wait to grow up and get out there and see it and change it. The other day I was looking at a huge world map in one of my classes and checked out Tanzania and it really hit me just how far away you are, and how you're making it come true! It's amazing.
Do you remember, a couple summers back, when we went to watch All About Steve together (Sandra Bullock movie)? After that we had a weird/crazy hug we did every time we met up? I miss those times.
I thought some Mother Teresa quotes would be appropriate at this time:
-Each one of them is Jesus in disguise.
-The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread.
-Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.
*-The miracle is not that we do this work, but that we are happy to do it.*
Take care and God bless you!
Love.