Tanzania, Tanzania!

Top 10 Reasons Skarbs cares about Tanzania:

10.They have really cool animals. Lions, porcupines, zebra, hippos, flamingos, cheetahs, warthogs, I could go on.

Elephants!

9. The people there really, really, really, enjoy their soccer. As do I.

Kids with their soccer ball made of plastic bags and string.

8. Ugali. Only the best way to eat cornmeal mush. Actually tasty.

Me in the dining hall with boarding students at St. Jude.

7. The Masai people.  For the most part, they still live off the land, and have amazing respect for the animals and environment of their country.

6. Trees. Who doesn't love a good Acacia tree?

 

Or Baobab with Acacias?

5. Swahili is a very cool language. "Jambo! Habari?"  Simba is Swahili for lion, and rafiki is swahili for friend. Lion king got some African stuff right!

4. I've been there.  Seen the places and the animals. Met the people. Eaten the food.  You understand and appreciate so much more about a place just by being there, observing, and interacting with folks.

3. Vedasto and his family. Vedasto is a student in Standard 5 (5th grade) at The School of St. Jude.  My brother and I have sponsored him together for 4+years now.  We've been to class with him, and have also visited his home.  We get and send letters frequently.  He's now old enough to be a boarding student, and LOVES it!

Carl, me, and Vedasto at his home in Arusha.

2. The School of St. Jude. Amazing school I could talk about forever.

The "preps"

Classroom time.

1. The people. The people are phenomenal. Outstanding. Hard working. Caring. Optimistic. Motivated. Loving.

 Showing off some trees.

 

Bananas!

 

The kids again...I can't get Enough!

 

What is 3 Peaks 3 Weeks?!

Glad you asked.  I'll give you some brief facts, and then the websites where you can go to find out more information if you so desire.

3 Peaks 3 Weeks (3P3W) began in 2004, and Australian woman was like "cool, let's get a bunch of ladies to hike the 3 highest peaks in Africa in 3 weeks, and raise money while we do that".  They completed the hike in 2007, raising over $375,000, which is awesome!  Each year since then there has been a team climbing in January, so in 2012 I will be part of the 6th team of ladies to make the trek.  Including that first climb, 3P3W has raised almost $700,000 dollars for the 3 peak issues in East Africa.  That's a lot of dough, change, cash, moolah, bling, going to great causes.  The sweet thing is that this money is being given to organizations that have been operating in East Africa for a WHILE, and have had massive SUCCESS.  So this money is working hard. And getting results.

 See? Money will work if it goes to the right places!

So, in short, I (we) are not climbing just to say "yeah, Kilimanjaro...I climbed that."  We're climbing for a greater cause than personal glory; we're climbing to give back to the world we live in.  Even though I'm not from Africa, and I don't live in Africa, and I could honestly probably ignore Africa if I wanted to, God has given me a great love for all people.  I'm so glad for that.  I believe that every person deserves to have their physical needs taken care of, and has the right to pursue education and self betterment (is that a word?) if they chose to do so.  We take a lot of stuff for granted here in the US (me included), so preparing for this climb will be a great every day reminder to me that I'm no more special than any other stellar person that's been placed on this planet.  We've got resources people. And I'm not just talking money.  I'm talking health, time, family, positive attitudes, safe homes, friends, jobs, education...let's put these things to good use! 

Kilimanjaro...19,341 feet.  Highest freestanding mountain in the world. Booyah.

Websites:

• www.3Peaks3Weeks.org
• The official home page...with all sorts of good info!
• www.3Peaks3Weeks.com
• The 2011 climb is happening right now!  Check in for updates!

Going to Africa!

    Hello Everyone!  Welcome to my blog where I'll be keeping you peoples up to date on my training and fundraising for 3 Peaks 3 Weeks.  I fund raise and train in 2011, and climb in January of 2012!

    I'll go into more detail in future posts, but I will be part of an all women's climbing group hiking the 3 highest peaks in Africa (Mt. Kenya, Mt. Meru, and of course, Mt. Kilimanjaro) to raise money for the "3 peak issues" in East Africa:

• Education
• Health
• Environment

    To start with, check out my application video that I submitted to get accepted for the climb. For the first minute I had to pretend I was trying to convince the CEO of North Face to support our team, and the second minute I had to list 3 adjectives to describe myself. 

 

    Many thanks to Kate and Meg for filming me, my awesome neighbor Nick for making a guest appearance, and MEESH! for editing the video like a pro.  Meesh, roomie, friend, you are the bomb (Da bomb?)!  More updates later, but I'm so excited for this opportunity to raise money for awesome people in Tanzania and Kenya.