Most of my days consist of much toddler mayhem - a.k.a. these three adorable faces! From left to right there is Basilisa, Imakulata, and Ester. The first two are twins (which I didn't find out until two weeks into the program...) and the only two at the orphanage who are not HIV positive. They are 15 months old and won't be staying at Casa Famiglia much longer (to protect them from possible infection).They keep all of us busy with trying to catch them from falling off of benches, stairs, plants... you name it, they'll climb up on it! Also they always seem hungry but never willing to sit down long enough to be fed, and while we are cooking outside we really have to watch our vegetables/knives/pots 'cause they'll get their grabby little hands on anything they can pick up. They definitely keep the Sisters on their toes though, and everyone loves the babies of the house very much. In the mornings when we arrive its bath time, and then food time, and then they usually run around like mad while everyone else tries to prepare lunch for the other children. I can already tell when which one is crying, and oh the faces they make sometimes... of course though - everyone loves to dance in the kitchen!
A quick note about Casa - a few years ago an Italian Parish Priest visited Tanzania and saw a need for an AIDS counselling centre. He went about trying to find a house for his mission, but when he found the place where Casa Famiglia is today - he changed his mind about his mission! The house is located very close to Bombo Regional Hospital and he decided to start an house for HIV/AIDS orphans instead. At first he tried to employ people to run the house, but after about two years he applied for support from the Sisters from Collegina Familia (a parish connected to one in Italy). The Sisters all volunteer their time and come from communities all over the country. So the Catholic Diocese of Tanga along with the sisters began to go out to the villages and streets to ask for help from the City Council leaders. The leaders of the villages and Christian communities listed all of the orphans in their areas and the Sisters visited teach family to see who had the greatest need. The most serious cases were taken in by the Sisters to come and live at the orphanage, and they have been running like this for 3 years.
The wonderful thing about Casa is that the Sisters know every child inside and out. Where they come from, which village their family is living in, and which members of their family are still around, or in need of support. They provide support in food or finances for family members that are in need, and periodically go out to check up on everyone. The hope is that once the children have to leave Casa, the organization will be able to provide school fees or other help for the childre, but that their communities will be in charge of their care. Most of the financial help for the orphanage still comes from the Italian Priest (the chairman of the organization) but the community of Tanga is also a great help with food or supplies whenever funds are late in getting to Tanzania. Surprisingly (at least for me) the two greatest expenses of the orphanage are:
1.) Running the car (which takes children to school/hospital, transports guests, and goes around to all the villages etc. to check up on families)
2.) Milk! (The medicine the children have to take must be taken with milk or they get really sick)
So here is just some info about where I'm working :) Much love from all the children and Sisters!
