Asante Sana

Wow, where did the time go! It seems like we just left but also like we have been gone for a very long time. I would like to thank my wife Anna for sharing another wonderful experience in the CPpS Missions of Tanzania. I would also like to thank all the youth for sharing of yourselves with myself and the Tanzanian people. This experience would not have been the same without you all. When you really look at what it is all about, it is about the people of Tanzania. They are the reason we travel to Tanzania. We go there to share ourselves with them to show that we care, and that we want to help them. Yes we brought clothes, toys, school supplies, but mainly we brought ourselves. We shared with them our smiles, laughter, hugs, thousands of waves and even some tears. We brought water to the poor village of Chihikwi, but we also brought them hope that things can improve.
When you travel Tanzania and meet the people they are very welcoming, you always heard "Karibuni" (welcome everyone) and they would bring out something for you to drink and eat. Sometimes what they gave us was worth more than gold - water that is only collected during the short rainy season. When we visited the Missions of Charity in Hombolo we greeted the elders with "Shikamoo" and they blessed us with "Marahaba". We also visited the lepers there, they said it was a good day because they were blessed with visitors. Many of them were blind, some had no digits on their hands or their feet, but they all were happy and laughed as they shook everyone's hand. I think everyone in Canada should think twice before we complain about some of our problems!
When you travel through Tanzania the people really touch your heart and that doesn't just leave when you return home. I am always thinking of them, what are they doing, is there food, is there water, and how are their families. The memories will be there for ever.
I would like to thank Paul, Audrey and Paulette for making us feel at home at the compound in Dodoma, and for all they do for the water project, they sacrifice a lot in their lives to work with people of Tanzania. Fr Tim, also known as "FT", what can you say about a man who does so much every day from before dawn to well after dusk. His commitment and compassion for the people is always there, even when he is tired or sick. Like Kateri said"FT you're the Man" Of course none of this would be possible without Bro, his dedication to the Tanzanian people is unheard of. Without Bro I could not imagine what life would be like for the poor of Tanzania.
God Bless Bro!
Safari Njema
Lloyd