Kwaheri Tanzania!!

Amani Home For Street Children

Our last couple days in Tanzania have been at a more relaxed pace. We spent all morning yesterday  with the kids at the amazing Amani Home for Street Children.

Later we enjoyed a peaceful lunch out on a huge deck that hangs over a big river gorge with a great view of Mt. Kilimanjaro at Kaliwa Lodge.

We climbed further into the hills later that night for dinner at Kilemakyaro Lodge. We sat outside as the sun set and reflected on our amazing and life changing adventure during these two weeks.

Brrr!

After the sun went down it became quite cold out but that did not stop Jada, Jillian and Molly from taking a dare to run and jump into the swimming pool with all their clothes on. If they accepted the challenge, they would each receive $50 and could choose which of the places we have visited to donate the money. The three soggy girls all chose to give the donation to the Amani Home for Street Children!


There was this moment, out there on a dirt playing field at Amani Home for street children. Out there on that dirt patch with almost no grass. This moment when the difference narrowed between these African children rescued from a life of horrors on the street, which often resulted from even worse horrors they have escaped from at home, and our suburban kids from safe, comfortable homes in the US.

There was this holy, extended moment, when the differences between us melted away. We were competing against each other. We were laughing and high-fiving. We were kids playing in the sun. 

Children of God. Just that. 

For me, these vision trips are about those moments. More than any other thing, including supporting schools or orphanages or even churches. For me it is about a curtain being torn from top to bottom. About a barrier being crossed. About a God daring us to see how far away from home we can go and still find a neighbor. These moments cannot be forced. They cannot be scheduled. These moments are given. And when they happen, every time, it takes my breath away.

Kids at Kikoro Primary School