"It's easy to forget, sometimes we just forget..

and being on this road is anything but sure, maybe we'll forget, I hope we don't forget... Follow me there, a beautiful somewhere, I place that I can share with you."

These lyrics to a Yellowcard song I used to be obsessed with kept playing in my head these past few days.. so, instead of a post describing everything I've been doing (and maybe if you're good, I will write another about them..) I'm just going to share some thoughts, especially pertaining to the replay of this song in my brain.

It's not realistic for Americans to live in huts with grass roofs, or travel by foot to other towns and cities, or have electricity only about 3 days a week.. But all of these things and more are daily occurrences here in Tanzania. Some people come to 3rd world countries and try to live this unrealistic life upon returning to the States.. but, living like a Tanzanian in America is practically impossible. But, what can I do? Yes, you could send money and donate items, which is all well and good.. but it's easy to forget (sometimes we just forget) that sacrifice can go a long way. I 'waste' more water a day in America--showering, using the facet, using the washing machine--than most VILLAGES receive for an entire week. The smartphone I have at home? Just the phone itself could purchase electricity for a home here for over a year, I'm not even considering the bill itself.. My college debt could pay for about 45 kids to go to college for 4 years. So, what? When I get home, will I stop using my running water, not use a telephone, or tell the government that I'm not paying that debt? (well, the 3rd one.. I sort of wish..) No. That's silly. But, it puts things in perspective. What am I wasting? What could I cut back on so that a did have a couple extra bucks to tithe? Where could I make my life more simpler?

Today I met Sr. Helen, a religious sister that my mother corresponded with through a mutual friend before my trip here.. she lived in the US for about 10 years. She stated: "Life is much simpler there in America." and I replied no.. Life is easy. It is not simple. They live simply here. and in that simplicity, they are happy. Life is America is easy.. we have food available literally twenty-four hours a day, most everyone has running water that is also drinkable, we have homes or apartments or a stable place to live. We don't fear our lives when we get small diseases because the hospitals are so poor. We are spoiled. and we take it for granted. We take our easy lives and add such complexity and strain! Ellen Degeneres in one of my favorite stand up acts says, "You won't find a pygmy on Paxil." How true is that! Easiness is lame. I'd rather work hard and have these Tanzanian issues if I was as happy as these people. Last night, there was an argument among the group and one of the women got very upset, yelling and crying.. Father's 78 year old mother (who speaks no English) was with us and she was very distraught. I asked Fr. why later on and he said that people have no reason to cry here outside of death.. so she thought someone close to her had died.. that life is difficult for everyone, so what should they do? Cry all the time? That's just ridiculous. So, they don't.

Do I have some kind of solution for this problem? Do I think that upon returning to American I'll turn away all of the amenities I will have missed for so long? Negative. But, as Yellowcard has informed us.. 'being on this road is anything but sure'.. what if our personal selfishness leads to severe internal sin? I'm not judging anyone, nor do I want judged.. who knows how the Lord will judge us when we die, but since I've been blessed to see these things, I don't want to forget. I want you to 'follow me here to the beautiful somewhere I can share with you'.