Update #6

The last two weeks in Sanya have begun. Time has passed by so quickly and I'm really glad that I have accomplished a lot.

The shelf is finished! In the end, I had a little help from Fundi. I am quite satisfied! We have already put things in it as part of a big office cleaning and organizing action. Let's see how long it lasts.

The construction work is progressing and Fundi wants to be finished by December 22nd. I doubt that will happen, but maybe still this year!

Currently, the walls and ceilings are being painted, then glass is being installed in the windows and doors. On Friday, we were out all day and bought all the materials that were still missing. So, that can't be the reason. At the beginning of the week, the other Fundi also came by, who started working on the bathroom. With him, everything went very fast and only tiles and the floor are missing there, but there is already running water! And a sink (soon with a mirror)! And a toilet (soon with a proper flush)! And (soon) a shower! A real bathroom 🙃

On Wednesday, we celebrated Naomi's birthday. I baked a cake that Mama Hope decorated beautifully. All the children got dressed up, sang, and everyone was fed with cake again. You can really score points with cake 😂

Lately, it has happened more and more frequently that I was greeted normally on the street and the next sentence was: Give me money. That annoys and upsets me a lot. In addition, every time I go shopping, they try to demand more than it actually costs. Even at the bar in Sanya, where I have been at least 5 times now. In general, there are "Mzungu" prices and prices for locals here. I think it's completely fine if we pay more for some things, but at some point it's enough. The best example is the Kilimanjaro National Park. The park fees for 7 days of trekking and overnight stay are $980 for foreigners. For Tanzanians, it's $70.

Last weekend, I was out and about a lot. Saturday morning, I left at 7 to Moshi. After some back and forth, we spontaneously went to the Hot Springs near Boma Ng'ombe with Sandra, my other friend from Moshi, and a guide. So, halfway back to Sanya. In Boma, we switched from Daladala to Tuktuk, and after a short time, it became clear why none of the 20 drivers who wanted to take us with them let us negotiate. The road led through sand and mud, over rocks and stones, probably for about three-quarters of an hour. But there was a lot to see, the landscape was diverse, and the houses we passed were quite rustic. When we reached the hot springs, we unfortunately had to realize that it was quite crowded. Of course, Saturday, lunchtime, good weather. But it wasn't that dramatic, we still had a really relaxed afternoon there. And when you were in the water, it was like diving into a different world. The guide didn't do anything except watch our things. Nobody knows why we had to take him with us (and of course, pay him in the end). When a huge rainstorm was approaching, everyone quickly got into their buses, and our Tuktuk driver was already afraid that we would get stuck. But everything went well, and we were back in Moshi even before it got dark. At Anna's house, we had delicious spaghetti bolognese for dinner and made pancakes with peanut butter, jam, and banana for dessert. That's the perfect combination! Around midnight, we managed to motivate ourselves and met other volunteers at Malindi's, a karaoke bar. Foreigners and locals are relatively evenly represented there, and the evening was really fun.

On Sunday afternoon, we took the bus to Marangu. The journey uphill took just under 2 hours. Through Couchsurfing, we met Emma, and her son Cedrick picked us up and brought us to their house. It's located in the middle of the forest with a great view of the mountains. It's quite idyllic. As a welcome, we had mirabelle plums - a little taste of home. Emma was super nice, and Cedrick took us on a little discovery tour. We reached a hill through their own banana forest, from where we had a fantastic view of the unfortunately cloudy Kilimanjaro. Down at the river, we went swimming in the cool mountain water. Afterwards, we walked to the village and looked around a bit and realized that Marangu would be the perfect festival location! When it got dark, we came back home, and Emma cooked a delicious dinner and showed us photos of the "Nelson Mandela Trek" that she and her husband started. Together, they run a trekking company, and we laughed when she told us that they are very sad that now, after 15 years, their business has to be registered and taxes have to be paid because the (relatively new) President Magufulli is strict. On Monday, it was Anna's birthday, and after a hearty breakfast, we drove to the Marangu Gate, the starting point of the Marangu route and also the headquarters of the Kilimanjaro National Park. The atmosphere was just special. Seeing the gate and the people starting their trek... behind it seems to be a different world. From there, we also had a great view of Moshi and the Usambara Mountains. Afterwards, we walked through the village and strolled through the market. Somehow, everyone is the same and yet completely different. But it's always nice! On the way back to the house, we made a detour to one of the waterfalls in Marangu. The Ndoro Waterfall is rather the local one, so we were lucky to have it all to ourselves. A friend of Cedrick was our guide, and together we climbed to a rock spring and drank fresh water from Kilimanjaro. Back at home, Emma even cooked again, and after a late lunch, we made our way back home. In the evening, Sandra, Jannik, and Jerry came over, we played cards, and there was cake 🙃 Tuesday morning, I visited various Kilimanjaro trekking companies and checked out the two central hostels in Moshi. At noon, I took the bus back to Sanya with 100kg of rice in my luggage. It was surprisingly uncomplicated!

This weekend was my last 'visiting weekend' in Moshi. But before I left on Saturday, I went to the church right next to the home. The pastor asked me on Friday if I wanted to come and thank God for the year. Since there was food, I agreed. At the beginning, there was half an hour of singing, and then I was supposed to say something. In the end, some people told what God had done for them this year. Almost all the answers were: I had this and that illness, and God healed me. Yes... Grandma also thanked God for having money to pay some school fees and for me completing the house. However, I kept to myself that this had nothing to do with God and that it really wasn't anything for me. After quickly having lunch, I rushed to Moshi, and there were four of us at the Memorial Market, a second-hand market that is supposed to be as big as 6 football fields. However, 2 is more realistic. It was unbelievable. So many clothes and shoes, all from our used clothes. On the one hand, it was somehow shocking and strange, but on the other hand, it was exciting to see. I think you can only find something there by luck or if you know what you want. But it was way too hot for us. In the evening, we went to Kaka's to play pool. It's a local bar, and one game costs 43 cents, and all kinds and sizes of beer cost 1.09€. Sunday morning, a total of 10 volunteers went to Lake Chala. It is located east of the Kilimanjaro massif, right on the Kenyan border. The landscape was spectacular! First, we climbed to the highest peak of the crater rim. Unfortunately, I was wearing Birkenstocks, and I already had blisters on both feet on the way up, but the view from there was simply amazing. After a little lunch break, we walked down to the lake. That was steep too. Once we reached the bottom, we immediately got into the water, which, by the way, also comes from Kilimanjaro. It had the perfect temperature and was turquoise blue. Unfortunately, the sun hid more and more behind the clouds, and it got a bit chilly. Afterwards, we went kayaking and had a nice view of the jetty and the cliffs. On the way back, it started pouring rain, and just as we arrived at the car, it was dry again. Soaked, I drove back to Sanya and had to witness a terrible motorcycle accident, which unfortunately is quite common here. After switching to another Daladala, I met a Japanese guy in the trunk who teaches in Sanya for 2 years. He promptly invited me to join the ride. 😁

P.S. If you happen to have a few extra euros for Christmas, I would be very grateful for every donation.

https://www.leetchi.com/c/hope-evangelist-missionary