joyjoyjoy

So being in this new land, my eyes are never at rest. So much new, so much color, so much challenge in capturing it all... and I love a good challenge... so click click click click... it never stops! This picture to the right is my favorite so far. Mattias, a youngMassai man took it of himself... and I love it! I am seeing so much new and I do think, at this point (Kev) that when you see the pictures "the book is going to be better than the movie/pictures" because Ive finally settled on the fact that my lack of camera knowledge and my human-ness is incapable of capturing the depth of beauty that is in this land and this people. Ive also come to realize that my eye is only captivated by the small details... the knob of the super old, rusted metal door- the sink with the cool water nozzle with the ant-covered bar of soap- the turquoise in anything- the super close up of the Massai woman's wrap. So when I post the photographs I love, as opposed to the ones I will post more for reasons of your learning where I am, you will be looking through my eyes and even more accurately, through my heart, seeing Africa through Caitlin... as opposed to what you may choose to shoot if you were on a mission. This comes as no surprise to those of you who know me.

It was my second day in Tanzania, my first day in town and I was moved by just about everything I was seeing. I wanted to shoot it all but was told that it was a good idea to ask permission before shooting, unless you could capture the image from inside the car. The car moved fast, creating challenge, but at one point we parked and I was witness to this shared moment of the working together of these two different generations happening in front of a wall of grey metal against yellow metal. There was something unique about the way the two were communicating, the tenderness between two men, a respect held by the younger for the older that is not prevelant in many cultures now a days... It was, for sure more beautiful to watch than what you see here.

These, are Gaudy, Caitlin

(in case you've forgotten me already)

and Imkia.

I live and work with these ladies.

They are beautiful and fun and they stretch me-

Thank you, Jesus!

This fabulous woman is Jill Verrier or Mama Enoch. We three up top, live in her home. The three of them in the main house, I in the guest house. She is responsible for starting the Emmanuel Center, the children's center where I am teaching. She is super real and has one of the most beautiful hearts of anyone Ive ever met. She came here when she was 21 years old, seven years ago on a missions trip and, while here began meeting and befriending street children, mostly boys. Many children here dont have parents who care properly for them or dont have parents at all. She decided that it wasnt an okay thing and with a "GO" from God, moved here and began this center. She has saved these boys lives... and that is no easy task. Each struggles to overcome the abuse-neglect-fear-abandoment he has experienced in his short lifetime, each desires to be loved, each is a young boy with all the challenges that entails. Jill does everything she can to provide for these young boys, turning men. Her heart is for raising them up to be great men of God. To meet the boys and watch the interactions is a gift. She also has two adopted children, Noella and Enoch. She is an amazing mama and friend!

Enoch Noella

Some are curious about what I am eating. I dont really eat the meats. Im not much of a meat eater at home either. Here, it is too hard for me to grasp the clucking one minute, me digesting it the next aspect of the carnivorous life. Ill eat it when my body is desperate for those things.... but for the most part, nope. Also there is a new disease that is effecting this area of Tanzania... begun in buffalo and cows and goats but spread through mosquitos. It will kill you if you catch it and so I have decided to ixnayon the eatmay- you get me. I eat lots of rice, potatoes, other cooked vegetables, lots of indian foods, sometime pizza but it's not like ours. I drink alot of tea and every so often a coca cola. Lots of water. And, nope, I havent gained weight yet, I actually lost some more.... not enough to worry over- loved ones... Im incredibly healthy! I feel really good

THis is dirty rice and chicken... I didnt eat the chicken

This picture to the left is of a bathroom in one of the Indian food restraunts... yummy ahloo ghobi... but the restroom made me laugh. As I am here more, I continue to notice such blatent differences between here and there. There isnt a shot of it posted but the mens room and the ladies room are right next to each other... and the amazing feature of these bathrooms is that there is wall- of course, but it is only about 11 feet high, then there is a 4 foot open space between the top of the wall and the ceiling.... can you imagine, going to the bathroom at Chili's, hearing the men doing there thing next to you. It's wierd... but very Africa. Oh, also, the towel in the picture... also, very Africa. There are No, none, not any paper towels. Put to bed any ideas of waving your delicate hands under the automatic paper towel machine, instantly providing you with a sterile, new, fresh, clean paper towel. Everyone uses the same one, too. Im all for "when in ROme" but there are a few things that I most likely wont submit to here. Most of us, Mazungu, just air dry.

Okay, the picture below is of my cho... yup... you can figure out the "how to's" of using it on your own. It's actually quite easy to become accustomed to.

The picture to the right is my shower. I dig this shower. It is huge and I never touch the sides of it when Im in it- which sketches me out in smaller showers. I share it with a few lizards, but they stick to the walls and have promised that they avert their eyes when necessary so we're okay with one another.