Just Do It.

I write to you before bathing tonight, and although the smell of goat, pine trees, and sour baby urine are currently flooding my nostrils.. blogging somehow seems more important right now. I have so much to write, but I’ll try my best to keep it short-ish.

Yesterday (Saturday) I left Biharamulo around 4 PM, although it was originally planned for 11 AM.. Africa knows no time constraints.. Anywho, saying good-bye to Prosco was rough and I think she had it even harder. (She’s called three times and texted even more than that since I’ve been gone..) I gave her my red suitcase, filled with medical supplies, sheets, clothes in abudance, the cards that she loved so dearly and other such things. I know she will give most of it away, and that’s alright—as long as they’re being used! The trip here was one of the most uncomfortable experiences I’ve ever had. I was sandwhiched between a very large nun and a male university student in the back of a very small truck, holding onto my backpack, pillow, and purse. (Not to be rude, but, these folks were also typical Africans and do not use deordant..) So, the 3 ½ hour trip seemed to take about 7 in my head.

However, I got here and although nervous (Fr. Ignas, the only person I know here is leaving for the entire week for a retreat) at first, I had high hopes that this is exactly where I was meant to be.  I am staying at Fr. Ignas’s house alone.. which is a little intimidating.. but it’s a beautiful place, so I’m thankful for that.

Today started out with an almost three hour long mass, which was rough (first time going to mass alone!) then I met Fr. Ignas after and he showed me around the compound I’ll be staying at and to the orphanage. I heard that the MOC’s (Missionaries of Charity) had a house around here and he also took me there! A massive orphanage and elderly women’s home. I only met with one sister, Sr. Lily, but that same joy I had 3 years ago working with them in Naples, Italy returned almost immeditaley. I don’t feel called to their order (a little too intense for me!) but holy smokes, do they make me feel all warm inside. I can’t explain the happiness that overtakes me when I see their Sauri’s and the smiles upon their faces.  I guess it’s because they I see them, I see Mother Teresa. Their love exudes from their pores and that’s honestly all I want to do in life—love until it hurts. All I did there was have a quick tour and most of the children were taking a nap.. and then we returned home. There are 5 German volunteers that have been here for almost a year working in Rulenge. I met 3 of them after the tour.. the other 2 are not in town right now. There is also another white person here, Paul, who is about 70 years old and as wiry as they come! He’s hilarious. From Australia and doesn’t plan to return. He informed me his will states ‘bury me in the country I die in’ so he would like to die here in Tanzania—he’s a hoot, but, I’m also excited to reach into his obvious wealth of knowledge and passion for mission.

I’m not sure how to possibly explain the rest of my day or the joy that is currently residing upon my heart. Franchesa took me to the orphanage in the afternoon, which was both difficult and amazing at the same time. The babies are fed, washed, and changed but then placed right back into their cribs.. as terrible as this sounds, they just don’t have enough hands to watch the other 20+ children, feed, wash and clothe them while holding little babies.. even tied to their back! (like most African women do). I, however, couldn’t muster to put down my little boy (Baracka, hopefully not named after our president..) who had an IV in his head after washing and changing him. He reminded me too much of Riley when she was so little with her IV, that I held him the rest of the 3 hours we were there. Franchesa then took me back to their house and I just socialized with the three of them (Franchesa, Marcel, and Kati). Marcel and I spoke the most and actually got into some deep conversations.. he told me about the loss of his father to cancer, we spoke faith conversation, life in general, etc. We found many common interests and similarities throughout our time together.. for one thing, they know where Gaming, Austria is and have been there!! No one, not even native Germans/Austrians that I’ve met have heard of the little village that I was blessed enough to spend 4 months studying abroad in 2010.. but they have! And know the campus! Small world or what? There is so much else I want to share with you, but, I just can’t.. AH! 

I wrote a few blogs ago about how you become a person through other people. I worried on the way here and earlier today that I would again have a severe lack of human interaction and I was confused on why the Lord felt the need to work on my introvertedness and solidarity again when I felt that my senior year of college was pretty stacked with that lesson. All he needed was my ‘yes’. Yes, I will endure my struggle with loneliness againnn here on this mission to fulfill this passion of working in an African orphanage. I mustered up the guts to say to myself, it’s just a week, Erin! You can do this. And as soon as he got my yes, during the 45 minute announcements before the closing of mass today ugh, he said thanks but no thanks—new plan: here’s some awesome comradery for you to have this week, kids your own age, struggling with the same things, and you can serve with them. Go. I couldn’t be more thankful. Mission trips in and of themselves have always benefited me in one way or another.. but there is something special about serving WITH someone else. Franchesa and I will be in the orphanage at least tomorrow, I’m planning on going to the hospital with Marcel on Tuesday and Kati has plans for Thursday already. We will not only share the load of the service, but our hearts to one another and what a beautiful thing to do in my last full week here in Africa. When I emailed my mom about this she said it’s too bad you couldn’t have been here longer. But, it’s not. There’s a reason I’m only here for a week. I needed to learn and experience what I did in my hardships at St. Severine and now I am here, serving who I’ve wanted to for years, and in excellent company. I again am so thankful. So, my little tip in this blog to apply to your life and I shall steal it from Nike: Just Do It. God has asked me to do some crazy, difficult, and seemingly impossible things in my life at 21 (almost 22!) and I have not always said yes.. but, I did to this trip, and I did to what I thought would be a very difficult week alone. Give that yes and who knows what can become of it!