Love and Loss

Yesterday and today were our last two days teaching at LOAMO. I have to say, being here, teaching thirty-some restless kids, has really given me a new perspective on teaching. I never realized how difficult it is to plan a new lesson every day, stand up in front of a class to teach, and make material exciting and interesting. This experience has made me appreciate my teachers so much more, as well as allowed me to admire the staff at LOAMO and how hard they work.

Once again, I am so blown away by the kind hearts and positive energy of the people here. A perfect example of this is the Class I teacher, Madame Lillian. From the moment I walked into her classroom, she made an effort to make me feel welcome. When she gets up to teach, the students are so excited, and she has a talent for engaging the students and helping them learn. The other day she said to me: “Nicole, have you ever considered being a teacher? You have so many great ideas, and you are really talented in the classroom.” When she said this, especially since I was already nervous about teaching and how well I was doing in the classrooms, I felt a huge wave of relief wash over me. Her words not only reminded me that our work here really is making an impact, but they also helped me be more confident in myself and my abilities. This is something I have seen consistently while here in Tanzania – the compassion that people demonstrate and the way that they strive to make you feel good is really heart-warming. It is a quality I wish I saw in people back home.

Today, Tate, Evan, Krissy, and I visited the home of Miguel and Meejooly, two brothers who attend LOAMO. Their mother, Rachel, invited us in, and we sat down in a living room that was the size of our bathroom here in the guesthouse. Immediately, I could feel how cozy the home was. Miguel hopped up onto his mother’s lap, and she tenderly combed his hair as she spoke with us. Miguel was shy, but Meejooly was excited to tell me about his interests, talking about how he loves science and math and wants to be a pilot when he grows up. Rachel, very openly, explained to us that her husband had passed away a year ago, and that it was now very difficult for her to support herself and her children. She works as a restaurant supervisor in a hotel in Arusha, and spends most of her salary paying rent. The rest she uses for school fees for her children, paying their housekeeper, and other things that they need to survive. She works extremely hard to make sure that her kids have the opportunities that they deserve, and that kind of drive and devotion to family was inspiring to see.

Going on home visits like this is always humbling. Like Lisa Marie said to us last night, it really reminds you of how much you actually need. Although Rachel lost her husband not so long ago, she somehow motivates herself to push through the pain that I’m sure she feels every day, and works hard for her family. I witness the same thing in Krissy, who, even though she rides an emotional roller coaster on a daily basis, she still has an incredible passion for sharing her love and beautiful self. What selfless, caring women! It was truly inspiring to meet Rachel and to see the kind of compassion, drive, and kindness she has, even after going through something so heart-wrenching. Her story helped me remember that family is more important than anything, and if she can find a way to keep her family alive after the loss of her husband, then I can find a way to push through the struggles in my life, too.