Just cruising!

Last night I went to Tunza Lodge with some friends. It is a lovely setting, on a beach where the water just seems so inviting (if you want bilharzia!)

We took a a little speedboat and cruised around the edge of the lake, passing by lots of fisherman (one completely naked?!) before stopping a couple of hundred metres offshore to watch the sunset.

Here are a couple of pics of the setting sun, and the fresh coconut cocktail that followed!

Birthdays!

I forgot to mention last week that we held a birthday party at the Baby Home; for every child who was born in July and August, and also for Forever Angels itself - four years old! Four years that Amy has been doing this incredible job... well much longer I guess, but four years it has been open.


I was feeling crappy, and in fact was taking a malaria test as the party was in full swing, so have to say THANK YOU to the amazing volunteers we have right now who made cakes, decorations, all sorts!!

Today was 'my daughter' Ella's birthday! She is 2 today! I LOVE this child, yes she can have epic tantrums and be stroppy but one on one she is so loving and affectionate that I had to treat her. I put her in a new dress I had brought, and together we made a little birthday cake which she shared with all her friends. It wasn't as aesthetically pleasing as the cakes above, but it was still tasty!! 

Getting sick in Mwanza

I have been here for 8 weeks now, and have run out of fingers on which to count the children who have been sick. Off their food, listless, no energy, sad... 


Well this weekend that has been me. I have cried like a baby when my finger was pricked 3 times to complete 2 malaria tests. I have shivered like I am in an igloo in the North Pole, and sweated like I am locked in a sauna with no one coming for a few days. I am so glad I have no new volunteers to 'co-ordinate' this week.


Being sick also makes you home sick. I have had to take a couple of days away from the Baby Home due to dizziness and general weakness, and it has given me time to think about the things I miss.. my family, my friends... and what I wouldn't give to have a Sunday roast dinner right now (extra parsnips please). I even looked up the cost of flights, thinking I could 'pop home' for a fortnight!!!


I am simply wallowing in self pity, so, wallow with me. I will be fine in a few days when I am eating again and spending time with beautiful people like these:

I still love Africa. 

Rest in Peace Stella x

At 11am a burial was held for Stella on a hill behind the Baby Home. All the Tiny Baby staff who had cared and nurtured for attended. We looked after Tiny Babies in their absence and when they returned they were understandably a wreck. 


At 1pm there was a service in the Baby Home. I have never seen the little memorial garden before... little white crosses bearing baby names and dates of birth and death. The service was 'nice', lots of staff attended and lots of tears shed. I sobbed quietly, especially when Amy talked about how she was a healthy baby, and how cause of death was pneumonia and probable infection. 


It is hard to comprehend the whole thing right now... Rest In Peace Stella x

A day off turns black...

I got the worst nights sleep last night, but I was determined to use the internet at Amy's so I got up, got ready and met Emma at 9. However, the dentist arrived so I ended up helping there for 2 hours (while eating sweets!)


Got lots of work done, asked Amy around 3pm how Stella was.. she has been in hospital for 3 days - off her food, pale and listless, and is now on oxygen. Apparently she is now on the right medication and should improve...


However at 5pm I had a text... Stella had died. How can a 5 month old baby, who has always been healthy, just die? Apparently no medications were working. I guess we will find out in the coming days. 


I decided to stay out of the way this evening, no staff know yet and Amy must be like a train crash... 

Seeing the success of Forever Angels

About a year ago, Seba and Omari left the Baby Home as healthy 2 year olds and returned to their father. Today was their baptism and we got the most amazing opportunity to visit them today. 


They have not changed at all! They have grown slightly, but their little faces and personalities are still the same. They were so funny in their smart outfits, and they shunned their friends as they were too busy with crayons and colouring books we brought for them!


It is always good to get in and see 'the real Africa'. We were treated amazingly, and we ate food and drank drinks that these people don't get on a daily basis. It was a real privilege to meet Seba and Omari again, meet their father and see his home. 

(Forgive how rough I look lol, Seba and Omari are the stars here!!)

If you have a shit day, go cuddle a baby.

Yesterday was one of the hardest days of my life for personal reasons. This morning I cried every time I opened my mouth, and then I remembered the famous line:

If you have a shit day, go cuddle a baby.

There can never be a truer word spoken. I went into the garden with Little Toddlers, and Evie, who is for the most part quiet and reserved, came rushing over shouting 'E-ree-ka, e-ree-ka, e-ree-ka!' It made me smile, and shed a(nother) tear! 

Then all at the same time 3 or 4 babies wanted me to cuddle them, they couldn't be comforted by anyone else, and Anastazia, the mama on duty, said 'Erika, today they are all crying because they want only you'. That's not really a nice thing is it, but it made me smile...  I felt wanted, needed, and I suddenly realised I just have to keep busy... and get lots of cuddles...

Goodbye Michael and Aika...

Today was THE day. Arrived at the Baby Home at 10am and the final goodbyes were already being said. They got in the car with a friend they had chosen each, and went to Mavuno Village, and apparently it all went better than they had imagined... they were happy to stay there.

I have to admit I cried when they left as did a number of the older kids... in particular, Michael is an enormous character at the Baby Home and his absence will leave a noticeable gap in the Big Toddler group. But it is for that reason that he needed a family most, and now this is what he and Aika have?

Be happy and good for your mama and baba guys.. we miss you already.

Swimming

Just wanted to post a pic of gorgeous Charles and Shalom, 9 month old twins. Amy and I took them swimming today and they loved it! Shalom knows her routine though; bedtime is 2pm and at that exact time she fell asleep, still in the pool....

Safari on a Manchester United FunBus

I dedicate this post to Amy Young, without you I would have not survived!


We could not resist the opportunity to take a day safari being offered on a minibus for the total cost of £44. We arrived in town at 5am, and was greeted with this:

Yesterday we had shared a table in a cafe with a guy called Samson, and he overheard us ordering this morning's taxi. It turned out he was coming on the safari too, and he rushed over to us and ushered us on the bus to ensure we were on the front row opposite him. The seat had a ledge for us to rest our feet on, but also a heater.. not good for the watermelon! We sat for 20 minutes, and as we were about to set off the front passenger turned round and said 'Guess Who!!' It was Mr Titto, a guy who comes to our house every few weeks to sell us batiks and gifts.


Stopping at the gate, we dashed to the toilet and took a couple of pics while monkeys raided our belongings! We also met glared at the other people on our bus... 3 Tanzanians dressed for a night out and a family of about 17 Indian people. 

For the first hour or so we saw lots of giraffe, impala, buffalo, wildebeest, impala. Then we stopped at a river and walked over a swing bridge, with crocodiles underneath. On the other side of the bridge the 3 guys asked if we could have pics taken with them?! So we did and thought nothing of it. 


Then we noticed the difference between this and a private safari. We drove for 2 hours, seeing virtually nothing along the way, to a Hippo Pool. If you had been on a private safari you could have said no that's not worth 2 hours of driving each way! But no... 


We got to the Hippo Pool, ate lunch, the Tanzanian guys insisted on sitting with us as did Mr Titto and they just took sneaky pictures of us eating! The big family had brought huge polystyrene things of samosas, chicken and chips but we were good with our pasta and melon.. oh and HOT cans of Coke! 


Had to then make the same boring journey back to towards Seronera, visited the Tourist Info centre but couldn't really see anything as we had no idea how long we had. Took pics of random fat rodents and at one point one of our group tried to take my camera so he could take a picture of me with a giant guinea pig???


Then we set off home, took hours to get to the gate but did see a herd of elephants and a lion, on the way back people behind us kept taking sneaky pics of us (bloody mzungu obsession), Samson even showed Amy a pic of me - he had taken a pic me on the bridge and zoomed in the pic on my chest :-( Then when we reached the gate we weren't allowed out as we were too late; after much argument they let us go. It was going to be about midnight when we got home and I was on early shift, so I thought I would ask Sue to do it but my phone had no credit or battery and Amy's had a no signal! Eventually we sorted ourselves out and Zoe agreed to do the early bit. 


Interesting day aboard the Vengabus...