Adventures of Zawadi #3

Mambo!

Since we've been a communication a couple of times now, I figure we can use the more informal Swahili greeting. It is more like 'Hey, how are ya?', than just 'Hello'. And just so you know, the reply is 'Poa', that means 'I'm good thanks'.

If you're new to the newsletter, my name is Zawadi, I am a 6yr old dairy goat and I live with Matumani family in rural Tanzania. I was lying down chewing my cud the other day reflecting on a few things. Life hasn't always been this good y'know.

Of course, I wasn't here from the very, very beginning, as the Matumanis needed to build me a house before I came, but I have heard the stories as the Matumani's sit down and tell others about the change that Food For His Children (FFHC) has made in their lives.

Poverty just isn't about material things you know, you can have poverty of spirit and poverty in relationships too. It's tough this life, when the people work so hard and with a single thing like bad weather, can lose almost everything they have.

When the Matumanis became part of the project, two things needed to happen, they had to get some training to learn how to take care of me, and as I said, they needed to build a house for me. This house is to protect me from hyena's and it also helps protect me from some diseases too. Just like in the bible where it says a joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bone, well, the Matumanis had a broken spirit.

That's where the FFHC social workers come in. They really encouraged the Matumanis, and it was just what they needed. As my house was beginning to take shape, the Matumanis began to have hope, and that hope gave them joyful heart and well, the rest, the rest is history.

Thank you so much for all that you do, without you, the social workers wouldn't be here and then there would be no me. The Matumanis, I, and all my kids and grandkids thank you!