Travel Eve

'Twas the night before travel to Tanzania and swirling through my mind,,

Are thoughts of what in the next 2 weeks we will find.

The bags are all packed full and tucked safely away,

But my brain won't settle and just wants to stray.

What does one think about the night before traveling to Tanzania?  Bags packed-check.  Passport packed-check. Did I spray those clothes like Don suggested? Check.  Did I copy my passport like Debbie did? Check. Did I pack my camera? Well, Karen is in charge of that so, Check.

What I really want to focus on is Cultural Curiosity.  Dictionary.com defines curiosity as "the desire to learn or know about anything."  At Gilchrist we talk about Cultural Curiosity and how we want to learn from our patients and families we serve so that we can better understand their needs/goals/hopes and how to meet them.  As I anticipate this journey to Tanzania, I want to be curious.  These new friends we will come to know in the next 2 weeks have the privilege to work with the sick and dying as we do at Gilchrist.  What are their patients' and families' greatest needs?  And how do they work to meet those needs?  What are the resources that are most helpful to them in this "life" work that we do?  In the midst of it all, how do they take care of themselves as caregivers?

In addition to being curious about the work they do, I want to know about their families, their friends, their joys and hopes.  What are their favorite foods/clothes/sports?  What do they love most about their country? I want to hear their music, to hear them sing, to pray with them and to hug them.  I love them already.

Join us through this blog, if you too are curious.
We will make new friends together and share a life changing two weeks.  Marilyn

kuja pamoja kwa ajili ya safari
"Come along for the ride"