Sunburns, exhaustion, and new experiences

Well, I think it is safe to say that winter is ending and summer is quickly approaching. I failed to put on sunscreen today, and after 6 solid hours in Unga (which is way too many by the way) I am burnt. Not terribly, just a little pink. I will say I am proud to say that this is my first sunburn since arriving in Africa. I usually wear sunscreen everyday, however it has been cold lately and I got out of the habit.

6 hours in Unga. Has many results, one of which is exhaustion. Even as I write this I am having a hard time thinking straight. It doesn't sound so bad, until you think of 6 hours of swahili, 6 hours of taking in the smells, the sights, the poverty, the looks in the eyes of those who are suffering, the hollaring of "mzungu" and the hollaring of many other things that are better not written here. The first half of the day was walking and praying. It was good, but it is still hard. I don't know that I will ever get used to the feeling that comes upon me as I walk into Unga. I am thankful for it, as it reminds me of the necessity of what we are doing, however it leaves me so tired. And to think, I don't live there. Those who live there have to experience it day in and day out. It isn't a wonder to me that they don't move forward.

During our walk I stopped to talk with some of the ladies who came to the vision seminar. They loved it! However, they want to know more! This is good. We are arranging to take them to a nearby village where CHE is being used first hand, so they can talk more with those who are doing CHE and hear how lives have been changed. Pray as we arrange this time.

The second half of today was introducing Peter Russell to mama Jackson. It was a lovely visit, which included a new meal to add to my list of Tanzanian foods I have eaten that I wish I had not! Dagaa is a tiny little fish. I used to alternate these fish with meat when I fed my dogs, Dagaa one night, meat the next, but I discovered my dogs would rather eat every other day than eat those little fish! I stopped giving them fish and now they eat meat every day.

Now those of you who know me well, know that I like seafood, and fish, I love sushi and will eat most any fish, but something about eating fish the size of goldfish I kept as a kid, whole, just grosses me out! So of course, I have never willfully planned to eat some. Mama Jackson knew we were coming and cooked us lunch. And yep, she cooked us dagaa. Mixed with some cooked veggies and of course partnered with Ugali.

We all ate it, and we all survived, and we can say we had a new experience, although I will say it challenged each of us. All of us have lived in Africa for more than a year, and had managed to avoid it, not so today!