Our Fourth Day in Tanzania

  On Thursday, instead of going to a Child Development Center, we went to a Child Survival Program, where at-risk mothers of 0-3 year old babies are given counseling, medical care, spiritual guidance, and are taught how to make a living by sewing, raising chickens, and other trades.  There were many beautiful babies there.  The mothers wrapped their babies around their backs with thin blankets.  The mothers also sang and danced for us in the chapel.  They had incredible, powerful voices. 

Next, we were given a tour of the whole Child Survival Program- a room for moms to play with their babies, a chicken coop, a preschool, and a room where they sewed.  When we visited the room where they would sew, we noticed many beautiful thin blankets (like the ones they used to wrap the babies around the moms).  We asked if they were for sale and they replied yes.  My mom and I each picked out one that we liked.  I picked out a bright green/yellow/blue one and my mom picked out a red one with different colored designs on it.  A lady wrapped it around my waist as a skirt and it looked very pretty.  My mom had wanted to hold a baby on her back like a true African woman since we got to the center, so she asked a mom if she could have the baby wrapped in her blanket around her.  The mom said yes and helped her.  My mom needed lots of help.  We were both impressed at the way these women needed no help to put a tiny baby on their back and wrap them in a blanket as a carrier.

            The mothers sang and danced for us again when we came back into the chapel.  I saw some cute little kids wandering around and said, “Jambo!” which is “hello” in Swahili.  They all smiled and came to talk to me.  One of the little girls just reached her arms up to hug meJ.  I have a big heart for the younger kids, so this was fun for me to get to talk with them.

As we were heading to the bus, all of the mothers shook hands with us and we thanked them.  Some were shy and some were very social.  But one thing they had in common, though, was that they all had loving, caring hearts, which is all that really matters.