One Thing at a Time
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your path.
Proverbs 3: 5-6
I want to first thank you all for your encouraging comments on my last blog and also for your prayers. If you didn't see my post on Facebook, last weekend I was diagnosed with Typhoid and spent most of Saturday, Sunday, and Monday in bed asleep. I don't know why after returning from the US I have been hit with so much sickness. Maybe it's just the time of year. The shift in environment. Maybe my body is tired and more susceptible to catching whatever is going around. Regardless, after a month of sickness, I am currently well. (Knock on wood) I greatly appreciate your prayers for my continued good health. I am so thankful that I have the resources to go to quality health centers and I can afford the tests and medications needed to treat any illness I may face. For many Tanzanians, this is not the case.
With my energy and strength returning came my emotional and mental stability. I've felt more focused the past ten days than I have since I returned from the US. While the list of needs and to-dos is never ending, I am able to take comfort knowing that every small effort towards the cause is a step in the right direction. Every gesture of help or support means something for those whom it impacts. I have to find peace in that. But the past ten days were by no means full of small gestures, rather big, life changing acts that through the generosity of my supporters back home, I was able to facilitate.
You may remember in one of my earlier blog posts I wrote about visiting a government school where my friend Mathayo's mother is a Special Education teacher. She is teaching autistic students, many of whom are unable to walk, with no resources or aids for their many physical disabilities. My Aunt Lynn who taught Special Education for over thirty years, reached out to me immediately wanting to help these teachers and their students. While I was home for Christmas, she ordered $200 worth of toys, instruments, and other manipulatives, made especially for autistic students. She also sent me $800 to purchase some of the items that the teachers had requested, here in Morogoro. With that money I was able to purchase five mats for the students to rest on as well as four wheelchairs for the many students who are unable to walk.
This week we got to deliver the supplies to these well deserving teachers and to say they were excited is an understatement. When we arrived at the school with the wheelchairs, Mathayo's mom ran, literally ran, out of her classroom to me and embraced me tightly, thanking me over and over again for helping them. The two head teachers of the school joined us in the small special education classroom to see the new supplies and express their appreciation for our support. The new school year started in January so there are now 36 students enrolled in the Autism class, eight of whom cannot walk, and only three teachers to care for all of them. They excitedly looked through the toys and instruments and unfolded all of the wheelchairs to test them. It was afternoon when we arrived so many of the students had already gone home, but some still remained and happily jumped and laid on the new mats. One of the boys was among the eight who are unable to walk so he got to test out the new wheelchairs first. The words "asante" and "nashukuru", which mean thank you, were said countless times during our short visit in the autism classroom. While I know that five mats, four wheelchairs, and toys only puts a dent in the great needs of these teachers, their school, and the greater Tanzanian government school system as a whole, I have to remember my earlier words, every gesture means something to those whom it impacts, and this gesture's impact is huge for these three teachers and their 36 students.
You may also remember a couple weeks back I wrote about the pastor's family who lives next door to me and their new baby girl. When I went to visit the pastor's wife and new baby Odetta a few days after she was born, I asked her what she needed for the baby. She looked confused and I tried to explain it another way in Swahili. She responded and my friend Joseph translated, "She needs everything. She has nothing for the baby." My heart sunk in my chest. I looked at sweet baby Odetta and smiled at Mama Mchungaji, now a mother of nine. "What exactly do you need? Let's make a list." She named several items and Joseph translated them for me. Soap, cloth diapers, socks, hats, blanket, towel, lotion, baby powder. It really was everything. The next day, Anitha and I went to town and had the best time choosing clothes and other items for baby Odetta. Mama Mchungaji was over the moon when she saw all of the sweet pink and red gifts for baby girl. We prayed over the items and I listened as she thanked God for the blessings her family received and she prayed that I would continue to help her and her family. Later that day I talked with my mom about the situation. As with many situations I face here in Tanzania, her response was, "I just can't even imagine." She conveyed the story of Mama Mchungaji and baby Odetta with some groups from her church, and without even asking, three individuals donated a total of $900 to help the pastor's family, especially new baby girl. I talked with Mama Mchungaji that week about the best way to help her family, beyond just supplies for Odetta. She told me that they were eating mostly Ugali (a stiff, white, tasteless porridge) and cooked greens because it was what they could afford for the nine family members living in the house. I asked her if it would be helpful for me to purchase food for them every week when I buy groceries for Anitha and me. She said that would be wonderful and we made a list of the foods that would be practical for them to have every week. They don't have a fridge so anything extremely perishable was out of the question. She told me that there are some items like meat that she has to buy the day she is going to cook it as well as some vegetables. I suggested that I could give her a little money each week along with the groceries for her to purchase day to day items and she agreed. So the past two Thursdays, Anitha and I have delivered bags full of fresh food- rice, potatoes, tomatoes, fish, cucumbers, peppers, onions, garlic, bananas of all kinds, cabbage, and cooking oil, to the anxiously awaiting Mama Mchungaji and her family. Each week we pray over the food and I hear her once again thanking God for such a blessing and praying that he continues to bless me so that I can help them. I know that my neighbors are not the only ones who are suffering in this way. Unable to feed their children and provide for their basic needs. In fact, most of the people who live in my neighborhood are or have been in the same situation. But again I have to remember, every gesture is something for those whom it impacts. Seven children and their parents are able to eat healthy, nutritious meals for weeks to come thanks to the generosity of three people who have never even met them. If that isn't God at work, I don't know what is.
God isn't done. There is more change to come before my time in Morogoro is over and God already knows whose life is going to be changed and who is going to help make that change happen. My prayer every day is that He will guide me towards who needs my help and provide me with the means to do so. I wouldn't be here in Tanzania if it weren't for his guidance so I am relying on that guidance to get through every day and every call to help. Asante Mungu. (Thank you God!)
Proverbs 3: 5-6
I want to first thank you all for your encouraging comments on my last blog and also for your prayers. If you didn't see my post on Facebook, last weekend I was diagnosed with Typhoid and spent most of Saturday, Sunday, and Monday in bed asleep. I don't know why after returning from the US I have been hit with so much sickness. Maybe it's just the time of year. The shift in environment. Maybe my body is tired and more susceptible to catching whatever is going around. Regardless, after a month of sickness, I am currently well. (Knock on wood) I greatly appreciate your prayers for my continued good health. I am so thankful that I have the resources to go to quality health centers and I can afford the tests and medications needed to treat any illness I may face. For many Tanzanians, this is not the case.
With my energy and strength returning came my emotional and mental stability. I've felt more focused the past ten days than I have since I returned from the US. While the list of needs and to-dos is never ending, I am able to take comfort knowing that every small effort towards the cause is a step in the right direction. Every gesture of help or support means something for those whom it impacts. I have to find peace in that. But the past ten days were by no means full of small gestures, rather big, life changing acts that through the generosity of my supporters back home, I was able to facilitate.
You may remember in one of my earlier blog posts I wrote about visiting a government school where my friend Mathayo's mother is a Special Education teacher. She is teaching autistic students, many of whom are unable to walk, with no resources or aids for their many physical disabilities. My Aunt Lynn who taught Special Education for over thirty years, reached out to me immediately wanting to help these teachers and their students. While I was home for Christmas, she ordered $200 worth of toys, instruments, and other manipulatives, made especially for autistic students. She also sent me $800 to purchase some of the items that the teachers had requested, here in Morogoro. With that money I was able to purchase five mats for the students to rest on as well as four wheelchairs for the many students who are unable to walk.
This week we got to deliver the supplies to these well deserving teachers and to say they were excited is an understatement. When we arrived at the school with the wheelchairs, Mathayo's mom ran, literally ran, out of her classroom to me and embraced me tightly, thanking me over and over again for helping them. The two head teachers of the school joined us in the small special education classroom to see the new supplies and express their appreciation for our support. The new school year started in January so there are now 36 students enrolled in the Autism class, eight of whom cannot walk, and only three teachers to care for all of them. They excitedly looked through the toys and instruments and unfolded all of the wheelchairs to test them. It was afternoon when we arrived so many of the students had already gone home, but some still remained and happily jumped and laid on the new mats. One of the boys was among the eight who are unable to walk so he got to test out the new wheelchairs first. The words "asante" and "nashukuru", which mean thank you, were said countless times during our short visit in the autism classroom. While I know that five mats, four wheelchairs, and toys only puts a dent in the great needs of these teachers, their school, and the greater Tanzanian government school system as a whole, I have to remember my earlier words, every gesture means something to those whom it impacts, and this gesture's impact is huge for these three teachers and their 36 students.
You may also remember a couple weeks back I wrote about the pastor's family who lives next door to me and their new baby girl. When I went to visit the pastor's wife and new baby Odetta a few days after she was born, I asked her what she needed for the baby. She looked confused and I tried to explain it another way in Swahili. She responded and my friend Joseph translated, "She needs everything. She has nothing for the baby." My heart sunk in my chest. I looked at sweet baby Odetta and smiled at Mama Mchungaji, now a mother of nine. "What exactly do you need? Let's make a list." She named several items and Joseph translated them for me. Soap, cloth diapers, socks, hats, blanket, towel, lotion, baby powder. It really was everything. The next day, Anitha and I went to town and had the best time choosing clothes and other items for baby Odetta. Mama Mchungaji was over the moon when she saw all of the sweet pink and red gifts for baby girl. We prayed over the items and I listened as she thanked God for the blessings her family received and she prayed that I would continue to help her and her family. Later that day I talked with my mom about the situation. As with many situations I face here in Tanzania, her response was, "I just can't even imagine." She conveyed the story of Mama Mchungaji and baby Odetta with some groups from her church, and without even asking, three individuals donated a total of $900 to help the pastor's family, especially new baby girl. I talked with Mama Mchungaji that week about the best way to help her family, beyond just supplies for Odetta. She told me that they were eating mostly Ugali (a stiff, white, tasteless porridge) and cooked greens because it was what they could afford for the nine family members living in the house. I asked her if it would be helpful for me to purchase food for them every week when I buy groceries for Anitha and me. She said that would be wonderful and we made a list of the foods that would be practical for them to have every week. They don't have a fridge so anything extremely perishable was out of the question. She told me that there are some items like meat that she has to buy the day she is going to cook it as well as some vegetables. I suggested that I could give her a little money each week along with the groceries for her to purchase day to day items and she agreed. So the past two Thursdays, Anitha and I have delivered bags full of fresh food- rice, potatoes, tomatoes, fish, cucumbers, peppers, onions, garlic, bananas of all kinds, cabbage, and cooking oil, to the anxiously awaiting Mama Mchungaji and her family. Each week we pray over the food and I hear her once again thanking God for such a blessing and praying that he continues to bless me so that I can help them. I know that my neighbors are not the only ones who are suffering in this way. Unable to feed their children and provide for their basic needs. In fact, most of the people who live in my neighborhood are or have been in the same situation. But again I have to remember, every gesture is something for those whom it impacts. Seven children and their parents are able to eat healthy, nutritious meals for weeks to come thanks to the generosity of three people who have never even met them. If that isn't God at work, I don't know what is.
God isn't done. There is more change to come before my time in Morogoro is over and God already knows whose life is going to be changed and who is going to help make that change happen. My prayer every day is that He will guide me towards who needs my help and provide me with the means to do so. I wouldn't be here in Tanzania if it weren't for his guidance so I am relying on that guidance to get through every day and every call to help. Asante Mungu. (Thank you God!)
If you would like to donate towards either of these causes or towards my general Tanzania mission funds, you can send donations electronically through the Venmo app.
My username is @Alison-Gomulka.
If you would prefer to send a check, you can mail it to
Alison Gomulka
15601 Shady Brook Lane
College Station, TX
77845
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| The two head teachers (seated on the left) and the three special education teachers (seated in the middle and right). |
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| Sweet baby Odetta in her new clothes and towel. |
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