Generosity is a Verb

I’ve been meaning to write a post about generosity, and how giving is so simple, and yet so easy to put off.  As I’m attempting to put my mess of thoughts on paper however, I quickly realized my thoughts on generosity really had a lot to do with action.  A generous spirit is only impactful if you take the action required to give. 

My parents taught me at a young age to help those who need it, and give without wanting anything in return.  I’ve tried to follow those guidelines throughout my life, and when it comes to giving my money to Light in Africa, for me - it’s a no brainer.  Giving to a charity you’re invested in is easy, you know that the money is going to a great cause and supporting some amazing people.  You also know the people behind the scene are squeezing every last penny out of each dollar they get, which to me, matters a lot as well.

The last time I got back from Africa, and I was struggling with the guilt of being back home, and with how I’d be able to afford to get back to Tanzania, I was asked why I felt like it was so important for me to get back.   Why didn’t I just send LIA in the $2000 I would spend on flights, the $25 a day I spend to stay there (+/- $800), the $300 in visa fees, etc., rather than wanting to spend it on myself and “waste it”.  My answer was these kids need support of all kinds.  They need arms to be held with, legs to run around with, smiles to encourage, and laps to sit in.  Feeding these kids during their current drought situation is incredibly important, but also making them forget for just a few minutes a day what they’ve been though, and they are genuinely loved, is a close second in my opinion.  Don’t get me wrong, being with those kids was the most rewarding and perma-grin experiences I’ve ever had – being there is a selfish move.  It is certainly no vacation, but I’m absolutely getting something from my giving.   My hope is that through our experience, our friends and family back home are also getting something.  Through Abby’s and my stories, I hope you feel connected to this organization and these children. 

My wish is that our experiences affect you, and that you feel compelled to do something.  Whatever your “action” is will be impactful to those who have so little.  My amazing parents were the ones I talked about in my last post who gave $1000 to Light in Africa early.  As Mama Lynn and Abby each discussed in their last posts, through their incredible generosity, the food kitchen Light in Africa runs that feeds 300 street children, 5 days a week is able to stay open.  Every time I even think about how amazing and life altering their donation was, I tear up.  Like Abby, I remember those faces in the food kitchen, and I feel so proud that my parents were willing to support these kids they’ve never met so generously.  They literally saved some starving orphans in Africa, whoa.

Clearly a donation of that quantity is not common, but the reason I shared their generous story, was because I want people to remember that their money is a tool.  The selfless people who run Light in Africa save their kids daily, but without our support, their hands are tied. 

Please consider giving something to these kiddos we love so much.  You can donate directly to the organization here, sponsor a child here, or donate online through Abby & I, and we can use your money however you’d like.  If you’d like to buy some Christmas gifts for the kids, we can do that.  If you want to pay for some food for the food kitchen, we can do that.  If you want us to find some mother who needs help with her bills, we can do that.  We feel so honored to be a part of the action behind your generosity.  

The Real Feeling of Need

I use the word “need” all the time, and like everyone else around here – I rarely actually require anything.  The word “need” for those involved in keeping Light in Africa running however is not an exaggeration, it’s an understatement.

Abby and I recently received a very large and generous donation (more on that later), so we thought we’d ask Mama Lynn if we could break from their standard volunteer donation procedure, and get them a chunk of our pledged $3500 now, rather than when we arrive this November.  She very quickly said they could use the money and when she explained why, I heard the need in her words. 

One of my favorite things about Light in Africa is their interest in being self sustainable.  For the most part, they grow their own crops and raise their own herds, all in the interest of making sure they have plenty of food for their kids, and to provide additional jobs for their communities.  In Mama Lynn’s most recent blog post, she talks about how the lack of rain has affected their crops and their Tudor Village site.

The Kilimanjaro rejoin of Tanzania typically has two rainy seasons, and unfortunately, those rains haven’t been enough.  As this article warned in July, the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania is now in a “critical period” due to the drought.  The maize (corn) they've tried to grow has either wilted, or was never able to grow in the first place.  The people who operate Light in Africa are now forced to dip into their reserves to make sure their kids get fed.  I think the worst consequence right now though, is that they may be forced to cut back, or even close, the food kitchen they run in the tanzanite mining town of Mirerani.

If you think you have an expensive grocery bill, think about what it costs to feed 350 children, three meals a day, seven days a week.  Now, think how much food it takes to feed 400 more kids, one meal a day, five days a week?  The $1000 donation Abby and I received a few weeks ago was transferred to Light in Africa’s Moshi bank account last Thursday, and it will all go to purchase food for their kids, because as we all know, with a shortage comes an increase in cost.

The moral of this very long post?  If you can, please give something.   Five dollars to you doesn’t mean much, but five dollars in Africa can mean life or death.  Donate directly to Light in Africa, or donate though our Fundly page, and we’ll make sure it’s used as efficiently as possible.   

Fundraising has begun!

Hi Blog Followers!

Feels good to be back on the blog front, but even better to back blogging for our cause.

Two years ago, Sara and I did a "once-in-lifetime" thing. Volunteering at Light in Africa - to say the least - changed us both. So much so that we couldn't make this "thing" once. (This is a standing joke with us both, as we always tell ourselves - eh, might as well, we'll only do this once). And we are volunteering once again for our cause.

Two years ago, we also asked for your help, your support for our cause. I've said our cause now 3 times. In fact, its not really "our cause", is it? It's about the amazing people, the amazing community, the amazing children we met in Tanzania - you might think, their cause? Well, the truth is, once you do the "once-in-a-lifetime" thing, it becomes your cause - your passion - your life maybe.

So now, we again are asking for your support for our cause. Not our trip. Not our flights - none of that. We again are raising funds for the people who need it most in the big scheme of things. For those of you that made this your cause, too, or maybe would like to - we look forward to your support. Either on our FUNDLY page, where you will find more details about what we are raising money for or contact us personally.

More activities planned, so stay tuned!

Karibu!

Abby and I arrived to Kilimanjaro Airport safe, sleepy, and with a full belly of airplane food, around 8:30pm on October 17th. We were herded through the “terminal” by all the arriving tourists (mostly climbing Kili or doing safaris), and without any organization or formal line, waited what felt like an hour to pay $100 (US citizen pay double) to receive our Tanzanian entry visas. Imagine the shuffle to get to a crowed bar, but without any music and large backpacks in your way.

By the time we received our visas, very surprisingly, all four of our checked bags were waiting for us. We loaded each other up like mules, one backpack on our back, one on our front, and one being pulled behind us, and headed out to what we hoped was the front of the airport to meet our ride. Thankfully, Mama Lynn herself, along with her youngest son Marcus, and Light in Africa’s only current volunteer Polly greeted us.

On our drive from the Kilimanjaro airport to the Light in Africa Tudor Village in Boma, Mama told us a little about what we can expect. For our first week, we would be sleeping in a tent – yes tent – to try and “wipe out all preconceived notions, help us understand some of the poverty around us, and break down our Western habits”. After she gave us that little “talk” we had about 10 minutes to digest before we arrived, and let me tell you – there was some definite nervous laughter coming from us.

Even though the tent was about the size of a bedroom, our first night was a shocking one for sure. What felt like all night, I heard too many roosters who don’t understand their job of waking people up only at sunrise (i.e. cock-a-doodling ALL night), neighboring goats, LIA’s pet donkey Dolly (who they just noticed is actually a boy), frogs, many new bird sounds, and thankfully – have encountered minimal bugs.