Pommern- Week 1/ Part 1

Scott and I are back in internet connection (still spotty...but at least possible), so we are going to try to update on the last few weeks!  To summarize, we just completed a three week service project in a rural Tanzanian village called Pommern.  We did our service through an organization called Global Volunteers, which is based out of Minnesota.

It would be impossible to tell all the stories and wonderful things we experienced in the last three weeks, but we will attempt to convey some of it over the next few posts.  When we meet you all again in person, ask us for a story from Pommern, and we'll be happy to share more!

This post is from our first week, written on November 9th--


We have made it through our first full week here in Pommern! On Monday afternoon, after a night and day touring around Iringa Town, we set out for the final leg of our journey- about a 90 minute drive on a dirt road to Pommern.  As Edward (our team leader) puts it- to "the real Africa".  This is a picture of our trusty Global Volunteers van.

We arrived at the Mission House, which is a large brick building built in the early 1900s by Lutheran missionaries.  We were greeted by Mama Tony and sat down for a delicious dinner.  After two/three days of loooong travel, we were all glad to finally reach the place we would call home for the next 3 weeks.

The next day (Tuesday), we spent the morning as a team discussing our goals and outlining some general group rules (replacing the toilet paper roll). We also took a walk to the schools we would be working with and met teachers and principals. During this process, we felt as if we had been formally welcomed into the community.  This felt very important.

I should take this time to introduce the people that we are on this journey with---
Pommern Global Volunteers Staff:  Edward- Our team leader. He lives in Pommern and gives us our daily assignments and inspiration.  Mohammed- expert driver of our van and general caretaker of the mission house .  Mama Toni- the wonderful cook.

Our team of volunteers consists of:  Scott and (from left to right) me, Barb (Minnesota), Meghan, Deborah, and Aidan (a family from Virginia),  Mimi and Eric (a couple from Detroit who have been here 4 times!), Tom (a little hidden) and Kathryn (couple from Minnesota), and (unpictured) Sharon (Oklahoma), and Michelle (a Global Volunteer staff member from Minnesota).

More from Week 1 coming in the next post!