Final Update from My Time in Tanzania

Some thoughts as I make my way home from Tanzania (I am typing this reflection during an airport layover in Amsterdam):

I will forever remember the warmth, beauty, and kindness of the people I encountered in Tanzania. The staff at INUKA made me feel as if I was part of their team. And you have seen how the Catholic communities welcomed me to their celebration of the Eucharist; I will forever remember their faith and joy, and their thoughtfulness in presenting me--their honored guest--with gifts. The sacrifice they make in tithing for the Church is humbling, and the manner in which they dress for Church puts us to shame (they truly put on their Sunday best when they go to worship the Lord). Above is a photo of Fr. Nestor, me, and his sister, Sr. Beatrice, at a farewell dinner. 

It was such a gift to witness the dedication of the INUKA staff during my three weeks with them. And with the dedication and blessing of the new outpatient building on Mon., 2/7, all hands were on deck Sat., 2/5 and Sun., 2/6, so that the new building was ready to receive all the visitors and Bishop John Ndimbo that Monday.

The INUKA staff truly seems energized by the new outpatient building, and the expansion of services that they can now provide with some of the new equipment purchased by Hope for Tanzania at Saints Peter and Paul. And during my time here, we were able to facilitate a Zoom call with the HFT Board to begin the process of understanding how we can best support INUKA going forward.

Life is hard in Tanzania. I have knowledge of some of the salaries persons receive for their work and service; such compensation would be unthinkable in the United States. You see people walking everywhere. While cars are becoming more available in Tanzania, the vast number of people in the villages do not have cars, and therefore have to walk great distances, or use a bus, motorcycle taxi, or the three-wheel bajaj taxi.

Water in the villages must be drawn from a water source (sometimes shared by a group of eight to 10 neighbors), or drawn from a river or spring, and then boiled over a fire. And the fire is made possible because the firewood was collected first. Though we had a water source in the rectory, the water supply was often off, resulting in the frequent number of bucket showers I took.

In my opinion, women are the backbone of the family and the culture in Tanzania.

In my opinion, women are the backbone of the family and the culture in Tanzania. I will forever remember the countless women I witnessed walking along the road with a child on their back, or working with a hoe in the fields with a child on their back. I will also not forget the abundance of women moving through the village or market with a basket of fruits or vegetables on their heads. On the left here is Lydia; she cooks for Fr. Nestor and the administrative staff at INUKA six days a week (seven days while I was present). Lydia also does the laundry, and she is always seen with that beautiful smile.

Fr. Nestor told me that 65 percent of the workforce in Tanzania is women and children. There are many factors that contribute to that reality. A mother will not see her child die from hunger, so she is out working doing anything she can to provide for her children. Some men--after providing a dowry to his intended wife’s family prior to marriage (which could be cows, property, cash, or some combination of that)--feel they have done their part financially and that it is up to the wife to now work and raise the children. Statistics suggest that four out of 10 girls in Tanzanian villages are married by age 18; thus the path for future education is closed.

Fortunately you will encounter plenty of marriages in Tanzania where the couple is united in their effort to provide a good home and educational opportunities for their children.

I had the pleasure of getting to know Lazaro, the game driver in the Serengeti. Lazaro lives in Arusha; some six hours from where he works in Seronera. He is able to go home for a couple of days here and there between his safari tours. Lazaro’s wife has the daunting responsibility of raising their three daughters (ages 2, 6, and 10) often by herself in his absence. And she also does what many mothers do: she seeks to provide an income for her family by raising over 120 chickens and operating a small market stall in which she sells salt, sugar, soap, eggs, soft drinks, and snacks. I can’t stress this enough: Women are the backbone of the family and culture in Tanzania.

Lastly, the safari in Lake Manyara, the Ngorongoro Crater, and central Serengeti (Seronera) has provided me with images and memories that will last a lifetime; what a gift and privilege.  

Tanzania and its people have an important story to communicate; I have done my best to share what I have seen and heard.  Please enjoy these final photos as I say goodbye (for now) to these beautiful people and their incredible homeland.

(Top left) The administrative team at INUKA
(Top right) A woman carrying fruit on her head in the market
(Middle left) Fr. Nestor and a pediatric patient at INUKA
(Middle left) Francesca working with a pediatric patient at INUKA
(Bottom left) Do you remember when the Sisters served me rabbit from their "garden"? This is it!
(Bottom right) Caring for one's siblings becomes the responsibility of all older children