Sara in Africa

Here is the general information about where I going to be for the next 9 months just in case you haven’t heard it:

I’m traveling with Cara Sandquist, a friend from college, to Tanzania, Africa beginning on September 2, 2008. In case you don’t know, Tanzania is located in the east-central part of Africa, with Kenya bordering in the north and Madagascar to the east. We’ll fly into Dar es Salaam and stay there for a few days to get our bearings. We are to be met by Sister Euphrasia at the airport and taken to the St. Maurus Guest House. We’ll probably be in Dar for at least two days in order to meet Charlie McCarron and Ben DeMarais, the two Johnnies already down there, to travel inland to Imiliwaha. Imiliwaha is home to around 350 Benedictine sisters, and it will be my home for the next 9 months as I volunteer and live with the sisters. Imiliwaha covers hundreds of acres that have gardens, herds of cattle, a secondary school, a hospital, and orphange, and a printing press– to name a few things. Everyday I could be working in a different area.

When we arrive in Dar es Salaam, the weather will be hot and humid (the typical summer day in Minnesota? maybe) since we’ll be at sea level and getting the sultry air off the Indian ocean. But, once we make our some 14 hour drive to Imiliwaha, we’ll be in the mountain/hill country and supposedly the temperature will be a comfortable pants-&-t-shirt-weather. We’re high enough that we don’t even have to worry too much about mosquitos! (Thank goodness– mosquitoes love me in Minnesota)

The reason I chose to go to Imiliwaha (besides the lack of mosquitos) is the ability to volunteer in different areas. With my English background, the Peace Corp. would have most likely put me in a school to teach English for 2 years, and as of right now, I have to desire to do any formal teaching. Now, I prefer to do some physical labor– to work in the gardens especially– and give the brain a rest from the rigors of college life. Though, the two books I did pack are The Lord of the Rings and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. (I give some people permission to roll their eyes and sigh)

I heard about this unique opportunity from Cara, who, after talking to friends, had realized an odd things: There are Bendictine monks and sisters in Tanzania. St. John’s University and Abbey have an established program and connection with the monks at Hanga Abbey which sends two recently graduated Johnnies to volunteer every year– why is there no opportunity for recently graduated Bennies? So, along with volunteering with the Sisters of Imiliwaha, Cara and I are hoping to start an annual program that will send two Bennies to Tanzania.

So, there you have it– the trip in a nutshell. I’ll be returning to the states on May 13, 2009.
Until then, here are some ways to contact me:
Email: sejtrent@gmail.com
(I will have regular internet access)
Snail-Mail:
PO Box 54
Njombe, TANZANIA
East Africa
(letters will take about two weeks)

Take Care and God Bless
Sara

“What We Do In Life Echoes In Eternity”