Africa Trip - Post 4

Ann and Talia removing molds for water filter

Water filter day. We were picked up in the morning by Ann and Todd Zeim to go out to their workshop. They are an amazing and interesting couple, the kind you could hang out with for hours and never run out of things to talk about. They started their work eight years ago in Tanzania, but have just recently moved from Dar Es Salaam to Morogoro. We were greeted by  Jacob and Esau - their two lovely dogs. Then the two affectionate cats. I know, strange that I write about the pets that people have there, but it was nice to feel that part of home. Pet ownership allows some missionaries some "American normal".  Then the crew of Tanzanian workers that build the filters.  I cannot remember all their names, but a few spoke English and talked to us quite a bit. Paul was a young man that helped us with our Swahili, and took pictures with us and of us sifting sand for the filter construction. We started out cleaning the cement from the molds after they lifted the cement filters out of them. Talia took a wrench and helped take them apart. Then we scrubbed them down till we got the okay that they were good. Another  "amazing race" experience. Very fun though.

Talia was feeling sick from her doxycycline again, so she went inside with Simon and entered data into an Excel spreadsheet for Ann. I painted filters, and took photos. Ana, the cook, was making ugali so we took more photos. Time to eat, and we had the ugali, beans, and greens - even better than the same we had at the restaurant the night before. After lunch we sat through the seminar that every filter recipient must attend to get a filter. To get a filter, they must be invested in it somewhat. They must be willing to take the time to learn about water safety, how germs are spread, and that diarrhea is not " normal" for anyone. They must pay about $15 for the filter and installation and training of how to use it. $15 dollars is a lot for most families, but over the years, Ann and Todd learned that without really wanting a filter bad enough to save a little for it, the filters would go unused after a short time. There is just something about being invested that makes you take pride in what you have. Not just a Tanzanian thing - it is a people thing. People from all over came to the workshop, and some bought and some didn't, but everyone left more educated on how to stay healthier, and techniques to use to make their water safer even if they did not get the product SON INTERNATIONAL provides. Everyone also left knowing that there are people in America that think enough of them to donate to SON so they can provide clean water. And everyone left having heard that they do it to show the love of Jesus. The participants are not required to be Christian, are nor asked to jump through any religious hoops. That impressed me.

We got home about 6:30 and decided to go out for pizza, something familiar for us. Dena invited her friend Kristin and her Masai friend, Tisho, and we had a great time. Tisho was not in his traditional cattle tending tribal clothing, just t shirt and jeans like any other University student. Some of his family owned the restaurant BLACK WHITE where we enjoyed wearing our jeans about as much as our pasta and pizza. It was a nice laid back place, friendly to westerners, but still local enough not to be a tourist spot by any means - perfect. Kristen is from Iowa and works with the Lutheran church in Morogoro. She had been a guide/translator for a medical mission team from Arkansas and Oklahoma the week we met her. Other duties and stories were told around working with children in a Sunday School type situation. I love hearing how people end up where they end up. The night ended with us exhausted, but wanting to hear more from Tisho and Kristen. We got to spend some more time with Kristen later on, but that is another post...