One More Sleep

Our flight leaves tomorrow at 7:10pm. It will take us 18 hours to arrive at Kilimanjaro airport.
I can't believe all the luggage I am taking. Unlike most of the trips I have taken in the past, the majority of the luggage space is being occupied by resources that I plan to leave with the organization.

I received a wonderful donation from CANFAR http://www.canfar.ca/. My request for educational supplies was answered very quickly as they shipped 500 condoms and educational brochures 2 days later. I hope to use these brochures as templates for volunteers to create an HIV/AIDS prevention brochure specific to Arusha. I will be bringing along many other supplies I have purchased thanks to the donation of so many friends and family members. I also have to extend a special thank you to my union, the "Ontario Seconday School Teacher's Federation" (OSSTF). The International Assistance Committee was extremely generous, and thanks to their donation, I have been able to purchase many educational supplies that will benefit the volunteers at WAMATA who are trying to learn English as well as the orphans.

I finished packing today, and hope to spend some time getting a website started for WAMATA.
Everyone has been asking me if I'm getting nervous, and to be honest, I don't feel nervous at all right now. I hope it's because I've done so much to prepare, and because I'm so excited to begin.

Here is a picture of the staff members I will be living with for the next month.

Thank you so much for taking the time to travel along with me. Next stop... Arusha, Tanzania.

From left to right they are:

(Back row) Mama Betty- program officer, Japhet- chief cook, John-program officer, Gilbert-program officer, Elly - housekeeper, Zik - Logistician/Driver, Mama Esther-Country Director.

(Front row) Fortunata - Cook/housekeeper, Thomson- Security Guard, Kristen (program leader), Nickolas - Security Guard