Sacred Family on the Mountain
I’ve been home from Tanzania for 24 hours and all I can think about are the beautiful, strong, courageous people that made sure I was safe and cared for all the way up and down the mountain. The 44 porters, 4 guides, 2 cooks, 2 waiters and 1 medic do so much with so little. Without this team of Tanzanians that became known as my familia taka tifu (sacred family), there is no way that my dream of summiting Kilimanjaro would have come true. It truly was a team effort.
Me sitting at the roof of Africa, Uhuru Peak with our 3 of our guides, our medic and one of our many porters.
Of course the support, encouragement, laughter and instant love shared amongst my 8 fellow travelers was also something spectacularly special. Ranging in age from late 20’s to 70 this group of strangers from across the US, quickly became family as they came together within in minutes of meeting to help Carrie and I navigate our lost luggage by offering to share with us everything from their water bottles to long underwear! Luckily our bags arrived one hour before departing for the trailhead so no underwear swapping was needed! But, throughout the adventure there was plenty of medication sharing, gear swapping and many, many encouraging words spread around amongst the group, along with fabulous trail name assignments too of course! The night before we summited we had a family meeting and discussed our collective desire to reach the summit as a team, despite some members of our group having the ability to go faster than others. It was so beautiful to be a part of such a heart-led group of adventurers. We arrived as strangers but most definitely accomplished our goals as a family.
Some have asked about my most powerful moments on the adventure. While reaching the summit was certainly a pivotal moment and one that I will reflect more about in a later journal entry, one of my absolute favorite memories is known as the tipping ceremony and it happens on the last evening on the mountain. All of the porters and guides gather around to sing and dance while the guides set out a raffle of gear for the porters that has been donated by us, the guests. Never in a million years did I think someone would be so happy to receive my stinky socks!
My rafiki (friend), Oscar is leading the songs in the video. He and the incredible Johnna, delivered our daily morning coffee tent-side and served every meal to us as well. I miss their sweet voices outside my tent letting me know my coffee is ready, explaining in detail every meal and of course those infectious smiles!
Many porters hike up and down Kilimanjaro in footwear that is falling apart, inadequate clothing for the harsh conditions, tattered and torn gear from top to bottom, but yet they are still always smiling! At this ceremony it is clear how deeply appreciative they are for anything- socks, hats, gloves, coats, food, water bottles, etc. Anne’s down slippers were a big hit along with Carrie’s favorite sun hat.
I only wish I had known the depth of the need before going so I could have gathered more items to bring with me. The wheels are turning here at home as we discuss ways to help going forward. For now I hope you enjoy listening and watching my sacred family sing, dance and move us up the mountain. With their big smiles, strong bodies, incredible service, attention to detail and huge hearts, these people are the truest examples of choosing courage daily. These people inspire me. These people are my mountain heros. These people are now part of my sacred family.
