• Everest Base Camp #1 & #2
• Inca Trail 2018
• Women's Projects in Tanzania 2018
• Bhutan 2017
• Women's House Building 2017
• Antarctic Adventure
• Greenland by Day Hike
• Fire and Ice: Iceland
• Family Fire & Ice: Iceland
• Mongolia on Horseback
• Raising Voices, Raising Roofs
• New Zealand Adventure
• Inca Trail 2015
• Ethiopia Explorer 2015
• Kilimanjaro Climb 2015
• Patagonia & Wine
• Everest Base Camp 2014
• Bhutan, Land of the Thunder Dragon 2014
• The Way: A Pilgrimage Across Spain
• Belize Dive & Jungle Exploration
• Kilimanjaro Climb 2014
• Everest Base Camp 2013
• Turkey: Mt. Ararat
• Inca Trail II 2013
• Inca Trail I 2013
• 2013 Kilimanjaro Cancer Climb
• Spanish Immersion with Mayan Tropics & Honduran Island Paradise
• Kilimanjaro Climb 2012
• Nicaragua Volunteer Adventure 2012
• In the Footsteps of Buddha 2011
• Iceland & Greenland 2011
• 2011 Kilimanjaro Climb for Cancer
• Everest Base Camp 2010
• Bhutan Sept. 26, 2010
• Galapagos 2010

Viewing Post for: Women's House Building 2017

Date: Thursday, March 2nd
Location: Lake Eyasi

Another great day on the job site! It's Jaima writing this one.

Christina's house now has a colorful exterior and the foundation is almost complete on House #3. We all carried bags and buckets of rocks that were added to the sand, concrete, and water to make the mortar. It was mixed on the ground with a shovel- no wheel barrows here. Rick and two others left to get the bags of concrete in town on a motorcycle (piki piki in Swahili); his trip also included delivering grass mats, charging a phone, hanging out, and playing with children. The time we have spent with the people here allow for these seemingly simple tasks (such as getting concrete) to turn into epic adventures. After bonding over stirring ugi (cornmeal and water), my new friend Lightness indicated that I was to go with her. In spite of virtually no common language, we communicate well. We began walking towards her house, which is where I thought we were going. Nope. As we continued walking through the brush, we shared information about our families and our lives. Hand-holding is a common practice, indicating friendship, so when she took my hand as we continued on our journey, my heart filled. I had no idea where we were going, but I knew I would be cared for. We eventually came to a cluster of thatched-roofed buildings. Peering through the metal bars of a window, I figured out our mission- it was a store! A few shelves on the back wall of this small room held some bars of soap, some lighters, a few snacks and toiletries. Now, I didn't have a clue what we were there to buy, but at least I had the destination. But of course it couldn't be this easy. The store was locked and not one of the 4 people hanging around had a key. So we walked on. Through a combination of Swahili, English, and charades, I finally deduced that we were in search of sugar for the ugi.

Our stop at store #2 was a short one. No sugar. We continued our search, walking along a creek bed to a larger homestead with several buildings, goats, cows, and a couple of donkeys. And, thankfully, an open store with sugar! We were elated, laughing at how long this simple task took. While returning to the building area (finally), we held hands and taught each other simple words in our respective language, creating something as old as time: a friendship. We all have had experiences like this during our visit. We have navigated conversations in a foreign language, developed relationships with people who live a different life, and done jobs that are unfamiliar. But that's why we are here.

Messages for this post

No more comments are allowed at this time.