Something to write about!

Two good things happened this week, the second more meaningful than the first. Firstly, one shop in Dodoma is now selling Beef again -hurray. Spaghetti bolognese here we come!

Secondly, I became involved with a little Tanzanian girl. Kudra is 11 and before Thursday was living on the streets in Dodoma. She came to me asking for money to buy shoes. I told her to meet me the following day and I would go with her to the market to buy some. In a very un-Tanzanian like way she met us exactly at 9:30am and we went and bought some shoes and clothes. I've never seen anyone so excited with a £1 pair of flip flops!

I asked her about her family. It took a while to get to the truth, but it turns out she does have a mother who is an alcoholic, and a grandmother. I said I wanted to talk to them, so she directed me to her house. It's probably one of the most horrible houses I've been in here. It's not really accurate to call it a house, rather a mud hut - so dark and disgusting inside that the RSPCA probably would say it wasn't even suitable for animals. Anyway this is where her mother lives and her grandmother and a number of other siblings.

According to the mother, her husband and 4 of her children have died. I asked her mother about school. She said Kudra didn't go because she's on the street. She threw the school uniform on the floor and said that I could have her and do what I wanted with her!!
Sarah (my house lady) was with me and between us we decided that Kudra would move in with Sarah and I would pay for her upkeep, education etc.. It just shows you Sarah's heart: she has nothing and already supports her elderly mother, her own two children, 4 of her sister's children and another little girl on £30 a month. It's easy for me to give out of my abundance but she really gives out of her poverty, it's very humbling. Kudra left her home with only what I had bought her that morning and has been living with Sarah ever since. She shares a bed with Sarah's daughter and it turns out that she already knows Sarah's nephews from their time on the street.

Only God knows whether Kudra will stay but we will do our best. We want to maintain contact with her family as much as possible and help them too. Maybe when she is more reliable and goes to school regularly she can go back to live with them, especially if we can improve their circumstances. I think as far as possible it is best for children to live with their own mother's even if they do live in a shack. The other exciting thing is that Kudra's family is Muslim and so we have a real opportunity to show them God's love in action and hopefully share the gospel with them.

Isn't God amazing. I have always wanted to work with street children and he has brought me all the way to Africa and put me with a house lady who has a heart for street children too. We are now planning to extend Sarah's house to take in more children and maybe later we will build something bigger. Sarah's nephews will also be able to help - having lived on the street themselves they understand what it is like in a way that I could never do. Please pray for Kudra and her family and for Sarah and me as we seek God's will for the direction this project should take.

[Sorry for the lack of photos, but the camera seems to have packed up.]