Maps and updates! (A blog from mom!)

Hello from Jessica, Evan's mom!  Since it may be awhile before we hear from Evan again I thought I would hijack the blog for a minute with a few updates!

It was fun to watch his flight paths!  Denver to Frankfurt

Frankfurt to Addis Ababa

I was asleep for this last flight so didn't track that one!!

Here was his flight information in MST:

Tue May 26 — 3:55 PM MT: Leave Denver

Wed May 27 — 1:20 AM MT: Arrive Frankfurt

Wed May 27 — 2:05 PM MT: Leave Frankfurt

Wed May 27 — 8:55 PM MT: Arrive Addis Ababa

Wed May 27 — 11:20 PM MT: Leave Addis Ababa

Thu May 28 — 2:10 AM MT: Arrive Dar es Salaam

Just over 35 hours of travel.. but if you count the time at DIA - 38 hours!!

And the same information but in the time zones he was actually in!

Tue May 26 — 3:55 PM: Leave Denver (DIA)

Wed May 27 — 9:20 AM: Arrive Frankfurt

Wed May 27 — 10:05 PM: Leave Frankfurt

Thu May 28 — 5:55 AM: Arrive Addis Ababa

Thu May 28 — 8:20 AM: Leave Addis Ababa

Thu May 28 — 11:10 AM: Arrive Dar es Salaam

I DO know he arrived safely in Tanzania!  He found his group, stayed in a hotel in Dar es Salaam that evening and had to get up super early (3:30am!) to get on a bus to travel to the first village!

That is a LONG bus ride!  388 miles!  It took me forever to find his route because I didn't realize the names of the places he was going were of schools, not villages! 

So in my mind I am picturing a rickety old school bus traveling across Africa!  But he did text me that he had WIFI on the bus!  So it must not have been too bad!  But besides that message, he only ever messaged once more as asked him if he had a window seat (no - but he could see out the front).  Apparently the WIFI wasn't THAT good!  The last I heard from him was around 10pm Thursday (that message).  

He did copy and paste this message he got from Steve before he left Dar Es Salaam:

Evan, Eli, Henry, Michael and Miraclin -- we are very much looking forward to seeing you tomorrow!  But first you have to get yourselves out of bed at a positively painful hour of the morning and get you and all of your luggage to the bus station!  It's all a bit chaotic, but if you all pitch in it should work out well.  Rather than putting your passports in your bag (even a bag that you keep with you in your seat) please keep your passport on your person when you travel.  The reason is not only to make sure that we don't have a tragedy of someone losing their passport (we've only had it happen twice in 21 years, but we don't want it to happen a third time), but also along the way it's very possible that an immigration official will board the bus along the route during the day and ask to see your passport and it's easiest if you can just pull it out and hand it to him!  (If they ask where you're going say to Iringa to see the beauty of the country -- obviously the less said the better and it's best to just act bored!)  Along the way you are going to pass through Mikumi Game Park and if you're awake and if the animals are also awake you'll see everything from elephants to zebra to giraffe.  And then you'll go up the escarpment into the southern highlands which is also simply breathtaking if you get the chance to take it all in!  When you get off the bus for food or to use the bathroom, don't leave valuables on the bus by the way!  If all goes well you should get to Mafinga by 4pm and you'll get here to the village where we live by 6pm.  We are very eager to see you all!  Karibu sana!!! - Mzee 

And, as I am sure he will mention in his next blog, there WAS in fact a packing list which he never received(!).  He was supposed to bring his own bedding!! (amongst other things!)  Oh no!  We had room for it but we didn't know.  So send an extra prayer out for him!!  We know God provides so will be interesting to see how He does for this very practical necessity!  

Where he is now:

A few fun facts I found on Tanzania:

And if you are a little geographically challenged (I am!), here is a map of Africa! (Tanzania to the east!)

Tanzania is currently at a Level 3 Travel Advisory (reconsider travel) due to civil unrest, violent crime and terrorism.  This has been in effect since late October.  There is also Ebola outbreaks in the news in surrounding countries (DR Congo and Uganda).  There has not been any reports of outbreaks in Tanzania at this time. (and let's hope it stays that way!)

I also found a website on Village Schools - it has so much great information and wow what a fantastic organization!  

I checked the weather closer to where he is and yes much cooler than Dar es Salaam!  (cool enough to want a blanket at night - ha!)

Also a piece of interesting information, the elevation of Mafinga is 6138ft!  And it looks like south of there is even higher!  At least his lungs are prepared for that!

Evan did warn me that I may not hear from him the first week!  It will be so great when he has WIFI to send me a quick proof of life text!!  Until then....