This might take a lot longer than planned because i've just spent the last 24hours in hospital, but i've started working my way (slowly but surely) through some of my Tanzania photos and uploading them here for anyone who's interested =]


Don't even know where to start with stories and things.. there are so many things i can't put into words.


Keep checkin the link 'cause i'll be updating soon.. honest.

Love yas xo

Hey I didn't look at your pics yet but are you okay? What happened to put you in the hospital? *hugs* I am glad your back at home from Tanzania safe & sound.

Em, i just haven't been very well since i got back so they were testing for malaria and all that tropical jazz. All clear so it's fine =]

WOW how amazing! I love the aerial photos! I bet those kids loved having everyone there to learn from. I cant wait to see more photos and hear the stories! Hope you feel well soon Ches...

Oh Im so sorry you havent been well, I hope you get better real soon.
I absolutely love these photos. I cant wait to hear your stories some of the pics tell their own.. Love em.. HUGS

Feeling much better today, just knackered..

Glad you like the photos so far =] lol. There's quite a few more on today, but i still have loaddsss to go xo

oh the stories i can't wait to hear you tell-what an interesting and enlightening trip, ches!

Amazing Ches...Thanks so much Gah I am so glad ur home...Get rested and when ya have the time...Git ova heah and tell us some stuff! Ha <3

[Tried to do this earlier, but my computer was having none of it..]

Thanks for lookin, guys. i'm glad you like the pictures, just sorry everything's taking me so long to do.
Starting to feel a wee bit better, but now i have a college essay and a ton of work to catch up with instead. Gah!!

Anyway, i just wanted to specifically post some of my favourite pictures so that i can begin to explain a wee bit about them..




1. Meet little Racho. (Which might well be 'Rachel' but they pronounce it differently.)

Racho is the daughter of a couple of Salvation Army Officers who live on the compound.
The compound is run and funded entirely by the Salvation Army and has a corps (church); the headquarters for the whole Salvation Army in Tanzania; a training college to teach and raise up new Officers (ministers); a nursery; a hostel and dining area (ie. the very basic huts we stayed in); a school for about 200 disabled children & dorms for 180 of them; and the homes of the Officers who help run it all.

Racho and her family - her mum, dad and 2 older brothers - live in the house closest to the school. Being Salvation Army Officers, her parents are paid the equivalent of about £7.50 a month which is expected to cover food, clothing and all other basic living materials as well as contributing to the cost of sending her brothers to a goverment school outside of the compound (which is supposed to be free, but isn't).

Madness.

[Sidenote: her mama now has the polaroid she's clinging to in the photo lol]

ches very interesting insight on the dynamics of the place. Is there some way to send children there items? Amazing pictures, something you will never forget. Will you be going back there?

Jonee

such a precious and poignant pic, ches!
pictures do speak 1,000 words in many cases...
how much does the amount racho's parents receive, actual cover for their lives, financially?

thank you for 'teaching' us and sharing your journey!

Jonee,
in terms of sending things directly for use by the kids? To be honest, i don't really know. They do have a sponsorship department that deals with things like that, but they tend to encourage cash sponsorship towards the school as a whole, rather than to individual children.
We've just sent over a container with £70000 worth of stuff for them, so that'll keep them going for a while! Except it hasn't been released from customs yet because the country's so corrupt, but it'll get there eventually.

And yes - 15 of us are heading back out in July to spend a week and a half at the compound again and another week n a half in a little village at the foot of Kilimanjaro =]



UFO,
Thanks. And i don't really know for sure, but i'd imagine, judging by the prices we were paying for things, that £7.50 would probably JUST keep them and no more. In comparison to our prices, food and things cost a lot less over there so they'd be okay in that sense, but i can't imagine them being able to afford clothes and things very often.
i know that while we were there some members of other churches clubbed together to buy a new outfit for the officers in their church because all they ever had to wear was their Salvation Army uniform.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yupRvln8TEo
..video by one of the team.


i uploaded a load more photos too.. check the albums as far as the 19th

Bree's fault..

http://www.redbubble.com/people/rainbowpromise
[Cards to raise money for the school]

what a great link, ches!
the pics i just saw there are sooo poignant and beautiful; i will check them out further, soon...