More Letters from Tanzania

I've had a couple more letters from my friend Gail who is working at an orphanage in Tanzania. The children there are either HIV positive or have AIDs. She is working as a volunteer and sends the following:

Feb. 28 -

I am so sorry I haven't been able to write more or sooner, but due to the lack of electricy, due to the present drought, it is nearly impossible as the water which is used to run the generators which produce the electricity, is now being used for human consumption. (hope that was understandable).... Orphans remain my love and they are the ones that make me feel needed and so loved here in this third world nation, where all we take for granted back home, is non-existant. Sometimes, as a volunteer, one feels that what one is doing is so insignficant, but these people of ancestrial tribes, are so grateful for any assistance that is lent to its people, that it does make one realize that if only for a short time, an orphan is held and rocked, loved and adored, a hospital patients hand stroked, a little school child for the first time sees one of white skin, that we in the richer countries do have much to give and offer our poorer countries. ....today I bought pacifiers for the little babies as they don't use them here in this country, and I felt it might help the babies quietdown between bath time and feeding time. I put them in the babies mouths and went itno the kitchen to fetch the big pans of their porridge and rice. When I cam back the bigger children (18 months to 4 years) had taken them out of the babies' mouths and were having the time of their lives sucking away!!! I just had to sit down and howl with laughter .... for something so basic to us was the thrill of alifetime to these toddlers. When I left this afternoon they all still had them in their mouths....Laughter comes easily here over such incidents! I am going to sign off now........many others are waiting to use the computers here at the hotel, and I don't want to be selfish (smile) I am now going to take the "doladola" back to my compound which is about 20 minutes away, before it is dark...........God only knows if I could hobble down the rocky road in the darkness. ...........MaMa Gail

March 5:
Greetings my dear ones......just letting you know that all is going well, have completed the 3 week adjustment period, the first group of volunteers flew home last nite, all my classes have been taken, and now I will have some free time to begin visiting some tanzanian families, and becoming more of a native!!!!!

If I wrote everything that takes place daily, I would need 40 pages so--------will summarize quickly ----last weekend safaried for 2nites in tent above stilts, in land-rover, seeing every african animal in their habitats!!!!! Visited the united nations Rwandan Criminal War Crimes tribunal and it is a memory that will forever live with me.-----visited former black panther, Peter O'Neil's home and school that he and his wife, Charlotte, have built. He is exiled from america and has taken up residence here in Tanzania. Cross Cultural has done so much to allow each of us volunteers to really experience and feel the breath of this beautiful country. Its heart beats to a much different rhythm, and it is a priviledge to follow this new beat....I do miss all of you so very much.....there are times when we all get so very lonely, and just want to hop on the next plane and fly back to our land of plenty, health, electricity, conveniences lacking here......but somehow, the hours pass, and we each seem to gather our spirits and continue onward. My little orphans continue to bring me the greatest daily joy........if not for them, for sure I would be on the next plane (smile)........Thank you for your messages and support, and send all my unending luv.........Mama Gailsie

Thanks for reading.