Miles & Smiles

Miles & Smiles

“Let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love.”  Mother Teresa

As we continued to handle construction and engineering priorities for the water project, our days have contained celebrations of hope and happiness in other areas as well.

Barbara & James with Lucia

A visit to Kishumundu Secondary School allowed a wonderful reunion with Lucia Mbuya, the 2012 recipient of ICBD’s Hope of the Future educational scholarship. We were delighted to hear that she had placed 8th out of all Tanzanian students taking admission exams for her current grade level. Lucia’s favorite subject is biology and she is now hoping to be a doctor someday “so she can help people in her country”.

Our Fulbright Scholar and Field Engineer Yana Genchanok welcomed her parents to Tanzania on Sunday, with a dinner at the Ngowi family’s home. We all enjoyed Eva’s wonderful traditional food as well as many stories, tall tales and some shared trepidations  as the Genchanoks looked ahead to climbing Mt. Meru this week. We finished the evening with Yana proudly showing her family the water distribution system.

We spent a wonderful Tuesday driving up to Materuni village to see Eva Ngowi’s dream in progress’ for a Coffee & Curio Shop. About a 30 minute ride up the mountain from her home, some 30 to 40 tourists drive daily then park their cars at Materuni for a hike to the Nambe’ Waterfall. Eva negotiated a deal with the owner of a small shop that is currently under construction there,where she plans to have the Acorn Women’s Cooperative sell home grown coffee beans, coffee, drinks and snacks, and where the Acorn Women’s beautiful handicrafts may be purchased as well.

Genchanoks image

The Genchanoks leaving for Mt. Meru climb.

new construction image

Eva Ngowi smiles proudly in front of new construction.


creating handicrafts image

Creating handicrafts at the Acorn Coöperative.


With a group field trip planned tomorrow to the Hai District water project for ideas and learning, James and I took a one day safari today to Arusha National Park. Just an hour from Moshi town, we welcomed the chance to breathe deeper and connect to the soul of Africa through its grasslands, mountain slopes, forests and wonderful wildlife.

 

 

Giraffes on the move image

Arusha National Park image

Barbara & James at Arusha National Park

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