As our bus neared our final destination, we were struck with awe by the sight of hills of luscious green tea leaves and blossoming trees.. all topped off by the sun shining down on the whole of the highlands! We were greeted by our translators Yusto, Leod, and Teetus and our wonderful hosts Jenny and Geoff. After a scenic walk downhill, we arrived at the children’s village, which would soon feel like home to us. A delicious dinner cooked by our house mother Upendo awaited us, along with luxuriously warm bucket baths.
Our stay at the Mufundi Highlands was ornamented with numerous adventures and discoveries! We had the privilege of spending time with a variety of age groups around the area. We played with toddlers and babies and taught English at Igoda Primary School. The kids were absolutely enthusiastic and really engaged themselves. During another special day, our group hiked to the secondary school. There, we taught English and Math and even got offered future volunteering opportunities as teachers there!
One of the many goals of the organization is to help the community while being self-sustainable. A hidden paradise of delectable fruits and vegetables was unveiled to us. As we descended through the garden, we saw patches of strawberries, cabbages, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, potatoes, carrots, and so much more thriving in the rich soil! A powerful dynamic between the locals and volunteers help make the garden’s livelihood possible. We contributed by mining for diamonds (hoeing soil), ridding the garden of impurities (weeding), and gracing the soil with new rubies and emeralds (strawberry and cauliflower buds)! The finishing touch was washing cow treasure off of our hands in the stream that runs through the garden!
The next day, we were confronted with the realities of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. We visited homes of sick patients in the villages of the area. Intense emotions were brought to surface as we interacted with these struggling yet hopeful souls. Many asked that we join them in prayer and sent out streams of “Asante sana’s” (thank you very much) when we gave the parting gift of a bag of sugar. It is common to live far from the CTC (Care and Treatment Center). To further grasp their experience, we journeyed through two hours of steep, rocky roads and arrived breathless and exhausted.. We could only imagine how strenuous it must be for a sickly person to complete that venture in order to get treatment. We were able to fully immerse ourselves by assisting with some of the daily work. Beyond the physical challenges, the CTC is an apparent beacon of hope.
As we gazed at the sun setting over the rolling palettes of nature’s miracles, we said our goodbyes (for now!) to all of our beautiful new friends. We parted ways with the Mufundi Highlands by a refreshing 4:30 A.M. moonlit walk to the bus stop. Our last glimpse of Mufundi consisted of a perfect view of the synergy between the sun and the moon in the same sky….
<3<3<3 Jenn and Cherish <3<3<3