The first day of work in Marwa is here. Finally, nine months after first visiting this community, and after eight months of studying and having this group on our minds, we can meet them.
The first order of business was a set of Monday morning meetings with local government. We met with two figureheads in Same, the district engineer and the executive director for Same. It’s important to have these meetings to make clear our intentions in the region. Both of these meetings were very reassuring; both were happy to have us in the district and stated the government’s intent to cooperate on this program and provide any assistance that is possible.
After these meetings, it was time to head to Marwa. A lengthy introduction session stretched from 11:30 to 2:30, and served as a great warm up to the work we will be doing for the week. We explained our progress, how we have progressed since choosing this community to work with. We explained what actions we were going to be taking throughout the week, showed them the GPS units, explained the time table, and a few other things. More principally, we met so that the two groups could warm up to each other, see one another’s smiles, hear one another’s concerns, and just get comfortable.
The afternoon was spent with some of the elders touring points where they can fetch water. Some of the three points were closer than others, but the trade-off was that of hygiene.
Finally, the beautiful people of Marwa shared a great meal with us. We thanked them for the food and received a very special gift. On the way out of the lowlands, we were lucky enough to catch a distant glimpse of Mt. Kilimanjaro.
Robbie Pesarchick – This was an important day for me. It was so good to see familiar faces. I felt like I was completing a promise that we had made back in August to return. It was beautiful to watch the progress through the day as the Marwa become more trusting and open with us. By the end of the day we were happily laughing and joking and trying our best to speak Kimasai.
On a sadder note, I thought I had seen a man that was familiar from the last time I was here. Last time, he walked slowly with a crutch, as he had been struggling with cancer. I shook the man’s hand and asked through a translator whether he was feeling better. He explained that he was not the man that I remembered, that man was his older brother. They looked so astonishingly similar that I would never have guessed he was a different person. The man I had met previously was chairperson. Now, his younger brother is the chairperson. I take this to mean that my friend did not survive his condition. It hurts me to know that he passed never knowing that we were coming back for him.
Sierra Heaton – Getting out of my comfort zone was definitely done today, from meeting with the executive officer, to the district water engineering of Same to meeting a rural community of majority Masai. While in our initial meeting with the community, I couldn’t help but tear up. We were sitting in front of a community that has cried out for help on their water issue and we are looked at as their hope. The exchanges I had today with the beautiful people of Marwa I will remember for the rest of my life. I have never done anything like this before, and not many people can say they have. I was a little out of comfort zone speaking and sitting in front of community where we don’t speak the same language. But by the end of the day I was working with a few members of the community to learn more vocabulary of the Kimasai language. From the introductions, the meals, the teaching of the language, to getting a vehicle stuck in the mud, our relationship progressed so much in one day. I can’t wait to see where it goes from here.
Alex McWhirter – Today was played like a card game with trump (not Trump, although he has been a topic of conversation from many Tanzanians). Everything we did today was better than the last. It’s amazing how much simple things like greeting someone with the correct phrase in Swahili can change a conversation.
I honestly don’t know what was more exciting, receiving the government’s support and blessing, learning about a similar project from the district engineer, meeting the Masai people of Marwa, getting the truck stuck for an hour in a mud pit or receiving a goat (we named him Stu) from the community. I have few words because today was a blur but I know that we are here for a reason and there is a severe need. It pains me that I graduated and don’t have another semester or year to work hands on with the data we are collecting but it would be a disservice to Marwa and myself if this were truly the extent and end of my involvement.
Patrick Enright – After months of talking about and planning for the visit to Marwa, we finally arrived after important meetings with the district executive and water engineer. Learning Kimaasai turns out to be the most beneficial and impactful addition to today, more than I could have thought. Language this trip has been the most important aspect of human connection and cultural exchange. In every meeting and exchange we have spoken even a bit of Swahili, we can see the other person’s eyes light up and their demeanor completely change. The effort of even learning how to say hello and thank you means a tremendous amount to the people here and I am very happy that I made the effort to do so. Making the Maasai feel valued and having effort made towards them feels like they appreciate the connection. I was spending any free time we had learning and sharing with the Maasai. This turned into a sort of de facto Kimaasai speaker for the group, which was truly an honor. I spoke at the end of the day and said a very broken thank you – which greatly amused them – followed by a heartfelt ending to the day about how grateful we are that they welcomed us into their village with open arms and how excited we are to be working with them on this project. Hearing their desperate cries for water and how dreadfully aware they are of the ramifications for not having access to clean water was a very sobering and centering moment that strengthened our resolve to get this project funded and completed.
Randall Berkley – To put it simply, wow what a day. Before I get into my reflections from the day I want to let those of you with loved ones on the trip know that every single person did something absolutely perfect today that individually moved the project leaps and bounds forward just today alone. You should all be proud. Moving back to the reflections, we did so much today that I’m hoping among the group we hit half of it. We started the day with two meetings with local officials but the one I want to focus on was with Musa the water engineer. Having local knowledge on what types of projects work and him graciously showing us some his previous projects with in-depth detail will help with creating our own design in the future because we will have other proven examples to design off of. Talking technically is important but it was the way he showed us the information that was special. He had such a passion for his work and was so proud of the solar pump distribution system just constructed in Karamba. He will be a great local contact because of the expertise and his drive.
After the meeting with Musa, we finally were able to visit the Marwa community and had a meeting with the village leaders/elders. There were numerous things that astonished me about the Marwa community but I’ll try to stick to a couple. The first, is the stories they tell of their water problems was obviously saddening but the way they speak of hope moving forward is so motivating. One of the plethora of quotes I pulled from the translation to us was “your coming is not human but godly”. They do not view us as the next group in a line of previous groups of disappointments, but as the group who will finally help. The positivity is something to be admired. Second, the people of Marwa are just a great group and a community that is truly united to beat any challenge. One example was when the car I was riding in got stuck in the mud. We are not just talking a little bit stuck but over half the tire engulfed in thick muddy water. While the other car went to find a way to pull us out, all the leaders tried everything in their power to pull us out for at least 40 minutes. I’m not just talking about the younger, lower level guys, but everyone from the chairman of Marwa, Elefaraha, down to one of the younger men just unlucky enough to be walking by. They worked together to cut down branches to place under the tired to add friction, shoveling the water away from the car and pushing the car in knee high mud that was spinning into their faces off the tires. The sense that the community is one and the amount of effort they are willing to put in is something we could all learn from. I could rant for another few hours about just the day today, but it’s late here and we have a bright and early day tomorrow. I can’t wait to go back and be with the community tomorrow.
Melanie McDonough – Today has been a long time coming. When I was in high school I was given a passion for helping and being in third world countries when I had the opportunity to go on a mission trip to Cambodia. Then in college, the issue of lack of access to water was put on my heart. I have cared for so long but have never seen the problem up close. That changed for me today. As we met with the village leaders and elders I was touched at my very core as they told us their cries for water. They appreciate us being here so much. They told us that several times before, people have come to their village and said their mission was to provide them with water. Once, a well was even built, however the water underground is much too salty and they cannot use it, a waste of hope and resources every time. They said that us coming to their village was not just human but Godly. Their culture is heavily built on their Christian beliefs and just another reason I am very happy to serve them and try and provide them with water. However now I am very worried that something will transpire or maybe something won’t transpire that will get in the way of us getting them water. I do not want to just be another disappointment for these people and I hope that Pat and Hagenberger will continue to carry this very important torch and that one day not too long from now the village of Marwa will have water.
Elders listen as Muza speaks on water issues