Well I'm in Chicago now. It was a long flight. I had 9.5 hrs from Dar es Salaam to Amsterdam. Took a train into Amsterdam for a few hours then went back to the airport to catch an 8.5hr plane to Chicago. I went through a little bit of a culture shock when I got back. My body felt weird and my stomach wasn't use to the food. My use to be iron stomach is still adjusting. I think it was because I basically at the same thing everyday and everything is fresh. Nothing is processed over there. You grow it, pull it, cook it, eat it. With animals you kill it, cut it up, cook it, and eat it. But it was hard to see all these big shopping malls and buildings. I went walking by a store and seeing a $250.00 pair of shoes and it made me ill to my stomach. Then of course thinking $250.00 is a whole months supply of medicine for people in Namiungo At first I was really angry and resentful. I have now come around and came to grips with reality after being here a few days now. Its just night and day from being here to over there. I really appreciated eating a meal here, having a hot shower and sleeping in a big comfortable bed.
I learned a lot about life and a lot about my life. Life is not about me but I am about life. I felt the presence of God in my life everyday when I was over there. I know over there I loved it and hated it all at the same time. I wouldn't have gotten through it with out prayer everyday. Especially in Namiungo, it was emotionally tough because people die everyday there. The tough part is if they would have been in America they would have had the resources to save there lives. I feel so blessed to have been born in America. A broken leg with a bone puncturing through the skin can lead to infection and a lost limb or even death over there. In America that would never happen here. You would get to the hospital with in an hour and would be taken care of.
So what am I going to take away from all of this? What am I going to do about it?
I talked with the Salvatorians in Milwaukee. Some of them are going to Tanzania June 17th. They will be able to take over money and some supplies. So I am making arrangements with them where we can send them the money and they will directly give it to the Namiungo Dispensary. Who ever needs a tax receipt can send me an email and let me know. I will get you a letter and a Reciept from the Salvatorians for your donation. The best way will be to mail a check to the Salvatorian house in Milwaukee. I will find out shortly what needs to be written on the check and the exact address.
I took a road trip up to New Holstein , WI to the Salvatorian Mission Warehouse. There a I met Br Regis. He is a Salvatorian brother who has been sending everything and anything to Bolivia,Chile,Ghana,Guatemala,Guinea, Haiti, Honduras,Kenya,Nicaragua,Paraguay,Peru, Panama, and Tanzania. He has been doing this for over 25 years now. He goes to companies like Landsend, Johnson &Johnson, Hersheys, cardinal health and many more and asks if they are getting rid of anything. Landsend donates left over cut offs from pant legs to shirts with some sort of deformity. The warehouse is huge. I said how can you afford to send everything. Shipping is very expense. He said it is all based on donations and he has over a 100 volunteers. In the last seven years they have shipped 1,074 loads with a total weight of 32,182,375 lbs costing $5,225,972.63
That blew my mind. I told him there is a hospital in Tunduru Tanzania that doesn't have gauze, latex gloves, and more. I told him I would like to raise money to send a shipment over there. He told me the problem right now is the Tanzania government. He said, "You could ship it over there but it could get stuck in Dar Es Salaam and get stuck in customs for 6 months. So you will have to figure out a way around that". So I jumped on the internet and sent an email to Dr. Fredrick in Tunduru hospital. Telling him the situation. I'm hoping he is working for a government hospital and is paid by the government so I am hoping he will be able to go to Dar Es Salaam and get the shipment. I am sure I will hear from him soon. Once I know it is possible and the medical items won't sit there then I can move forward. I will have to talk to Brother Regis again and asked what medical companies he is in contact with. I was also thinking about trying to talk to hospitals in the USA and see if anyone is getting rid of any supplies. If you would like to learn more about the Salvatorian Mission warehouse or would like to donate to there cause, the website is www.salvatoriancenter.org
So I am going to try and work on that now. As far as my future.
In Tanzania I had a lot of time to think and pray what I am going to do with my life. I have decided to enter as a Salvatorian Candidate. What that means is I will live in a house in Milwaukee with priests and brothers. I will learn about the religious life and what kinds of service works they are doing through out the city, states , and countries. Candidate life is like having one foot in the door and one foot out. I feel being moved towards religious life whether it is priesthood or brother hood. There is only one way to find out and that is to try it. So the beginning of August I will be moving to Milwaukee for a year to test the water. If that goes well for me and if I like it and feel this is my vocation I will spend a 2nd year with both feet in which is called novitiate. That year is very focused on the religious life and following all the vows of religious life. After that it is decision time.
I know many will think I am crazy and nuts but this is something I feel deeply about. I feel I have been following this path for a few years now and this is the next road i'm going to try and take. It could lead to a dead end or it could lead to other roads. I won't know until I take this road.
I thank everyone for there time and effort in to help shaping me into who I am today. I'm not going to vanish, I'm not going to be in a cave. My weekends will be totally free during that year along with breaks. You can always call or email me. I'm here. I just don't want anyone one to think I have totally gone off the deep end.
Who knows where God will take me.
Mungu Akupenda - What ever God wishes
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