The Foreign Service Journal, July/August 2018

56 JULY-AUGUST 2018 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL As we remember the 20th anniversary, it’s time we also remember those who are not with us at this moment. And pray for their loved ones. God bless our beloved Tanzania and Kenya; bring peace and love. Bring America closer to our country, and bless their highest efforts to help those in trouble who need to survive and live in peace and harmony. America, keep and bring Tanzanians and Kenyans together on this 20th anniversary. Mummy, Are You Going to Die? Elizabeth “Lizzie” Slater Information Management Specialist Getting this assignment had been difficult. As a tandem couple, we had been unable to secure assignments at the same post, so we did the next best thing and picked what we termed an “African commute” by choosing two neighboring countries and an hourlong plane ride. My husband, Charlie, and our 5-year- old son were going to Nairobi, while I accepted a job in the haven of peace, Dar es Salaam. We had struggled with where our son should be, but settled on Kenya because the International School of Kenya was touted as one of the best in the world. At the very last minute, Charlie was told that he had to attend consultations in Paris before going to post. That forced us to part company in London, where we left our son with his grand- mother while my husband traveled. He begged me to come with him, but my sense of duty won out, and I reported to my new post as scheduled. Kissing my boys goodbye was heartbreaking, as I didn’t know when I would see them again. My son asked in a small voice, “Mummy, are you going to die?” Less than 48 hours after I arrived in Tanzania, my life changed forever when a massive truck bomb detonated about 50 feet in front of me. My first day in the office had been hectic. I was replacing the sole information management specialist (IMS), Vella Wells (now Mbenna). So much needed to be done before she departed post in just a few days. I had much to learn as a first-time IMS, and I had to do my new arrival in-processing with the various man- agement sections. I had my security briefing with the recently arrived regional security officer (RSO), John DiCarlo, who told me that he had changed a lot of security elements in his few weeks at post, but there was still a lot that needed to be done. Jet- lagged and exhausted, I dragged myself home to my temporary residence and crashed for the night. Day two started early. The opening procedures for a new post are a little different everywhere you go, so Vella and I got through “pulling the queue and clearing the traffic,” but before getting into the more serious briefings and handover of com- munications security I went to attend my “Welcome to Dar es Salaam” briefing with the community liaison office coordinator (CLO), Cynthia Kimble, who was due to depart on leave the next day. On my way to her office I passed Post One and noticed that RSO John DiCarlo was standing post. Recognizing him from the previous day’s briefing, I waved hello and stepped into the CLO office just down the hallway. Cynthia was on the phone, distressed and in tears, so I offered to come back another time, but she waved me in, directing me to take a seat. She smiled and said to me “everything will be all right”—and then the room went black. I could hear terrified screams coming from Cynthia’s direction. I kept asking if she was okay, but she was hysteri- cal and seemingly could only scream. I was buried under rubble. I had no sensation below my waist and figured that my legs were gone. I actually didn’t know what had hap- pened yet, but I couldn’t move and I couldn’t help Cynthia. After a while, the screaming stopped. I didn’t know if she was all right or even there anymore. I realized I could see the sky, which surprised me as there were no windows in her office. Then people were scrambling around clearing debris. I felt a hand on my shoulder and said something like, “Don’t move me. I think I have lost my legs.” This propelled them into frenzied activity. I heard, “She is alive.” Moments later there was this guttural cry, and I felt something hit the book- The markers show where Lizzie Slater was in relation to the bomb blast at Embassy Dar es Salaam. COURTESYOFLIZZIESLATER