Armchair Travel: Tanzania Maternity Ward

Our much-loved family pediatrician is heading to Moshi, Tanzania in a few weeks along with his wife and two kids. He will spend the next year working with pediatric AIDS patients in conditions that I imagine will be far different than those in his downtown Seattle pediatric practice, and I'd love to see life through his eyes and his family's eyes for the next 12 months. That's why this photo-essay in the New York times about a Maternity Ward in Moshi really struck a chord with me.

Hiking in Tanzania with Local Guides (Pre Kids)

Our own kids, just by virtue of being born in a developed country, have a level of privilege that is unimaginable in most of the world. It starts before they are wrapped in their first blanket and extends far beyond education, nutritious food or a fancy home. For me, this perspective, and a sense of responsibility to help others is what I hope my children will learn first hand through our travels. Maybe one day we'll make it to Tanzania with the kid, and I hope that when we do, we'll look beyond the game reserves and beaches to get a deeper understanding of what it means to live in a developing country.

Incidentally, the park ranger (2nd from the right) is carrying a rifle. We were told that was required to protect us from any animals we may run into during our 4 day hike, which started just north of Ngorongoro Crater to Ol Doinyo Lengai, an active volcano.

3 comments | Posted on June 9, 2009 | Save to del.icio.us

 Subscribe to our feed