Colors for winter

Greetings to the land of white---finally.
I thought all of you in the northern hemisphere might enjoy a little reprieve from the brown you have had this winter.

Red-Cheeked Cordon-Bleu

This will show you some of the colors we have enjoyed. We have a beautiful sight every time we look out our dining room window.


It was a very sparse green or even brown beyond our fence when we arrived at the end of September.












Since the rains have come, the flowers have bloomed and the trees have leafed out in a spectacular display.

Some of the photos have come from the back yard. A few are from our visit to Ruaha National Park in November. Others are from various parts of Tanzania as we have taken some week-end safaris.

These walkers are Southern Ground Hornbills (40") 

We are trying to prepare our hearts and minds for the end of our stay. That is becoming harder each time we say Kwa heri (good-bye) to someone for the last time now.  We have made many new friends of these warm and welcoming people with their marvelous smiles. They seem to walk everywhere to meet us whenever we arrive.

A blue Sunbird eats like our No. American hummingbird

We pray that if we can return in a reasonable amount of time, we will be able to find them and say Habari, Rafiki or Dada and Kaka in Jesu?  (How are you, Friend, or Sister and Brother in Christ?)














We have been accepted in many villages and at Tumaini University. It is not surprising that as we are returning to the house where we have lived, we say "let's go home!"
This is a Lilac Breasted Roller who was spotted entering it's nest home in a Baobab Tree.










Of course, we have not visited the whole country of Tanzania, only small parts of it. We anticipate seeing more of the country as we travel north to Arusha. There have been invitations given to us from students from all over the country.

"fire poker" aloe and amaryllis in our garden

 Right now it is warm or hot depending upon where you are. As I mentioned before we saw much drier areas the first trip to Tungamalenga and even the first month to the campus. Now the fields are tall with corn, green with rice in paddies, and ground nuts and beans are blossoming. Harvests could be good and there will be less hunger, if God wills, as they quickly say here.

Superb Starling

Luggage has been packed and sent on its way. Only a few items to wash and wear are left. Small items to share have been thoughtfully selected.  A few postcards can still be sent before we reach Minnesota. Pole sana because we haven't sent very many.  They were not easy to find here in Iringa.  (Maybe a new duka could open for postcards!)

A 1-2" bee on an Acacia bush

Black Winged Red Bishop

We hope that you enjoyed the photos.  More photos will be shown and tales told after our return.














One more blog will include some of Richard's students. Behind us are some goals unfulfilled. Many experiences achieved and savored.
Mungu akubariki ( God bless you) as you go on your daily walk.

Celebrations

This is not a typical Minnesotan's Christmas, but one we will not forget.

Celebrations continued as everybody left the chapel singing and smiling-such warm feelings. Everybody was dressed in their best outfits.

The circle of members outside the chapel, including the expanded choir, kept singing. A little business was handled -- but no auction this day.

Another Form 2, and 2 requesting

2011 Forms 2 and 3 at Idodi

Eventually the students were called and they came into the middle for photos. Two on the left are at Idodi in Forms 2 and 3 and the two on the far right side need to be sponsored and have put in requests. Merito took some photos and interpreted, also.

Students we talked to have big dreams! We can all say prayers for their success. They know that education is important.

While we waited, Father Christmas "talked " to the elders with help from Merito. At first only a few allowed photos, but with laughs and hand shakes, he was able to convince them.  Maybe the funny red suit did the trick!

Chairs were moved from the church to the shade trees. There we ate a meal with the visitors around a table, while the elders formed a second tier on benches, stools and the grass.

After rinsing our hands with warm water (brought from 3 kilometers away remember), plates filled with two types of rice with a tomato/vegetable sauce were brought to us first. Bowls of chicken, beef, maybe goat, and chips (like our fries) followed. Bottles of water and soda appeared, and delicious chai with milk was poured for us.

There were spoons and toothpicks available to eat with or fingers worked, too! The chakula (food) was brought to all of us and the elders by a few young men and boys and the evangelists, Azuberi and Yohana. 

The women and children ate in the shaded cooking area or by the chapel, and they let us take a few photos, also. Ladies, notice washing tubs and cooking pots and all the work done on knees or squatting.  Are we up to it?







After dinner the morani, Maasai young men, began to assemble and started their jumping and throat singing. We hope to be able to show this on video when we return. It always amazes both of us how high they can leap straight up into the air.

The young girls or teenagers had on all their finery and were doing their shaking. You will have to see the videos to appreciate how hard they all worked and enjoyed themselves. A little showing off on both sides or trying to impress each other? This went on for at least an hour or more. They use the stick for balance since all used one when they jumped.

This throat singing was is the background all the time that they were leaping. And the girls had their own music, also. Azuberi joined in the singing and leaping, as well as, Yohana, the evangelist.

Elder Juma, Pastor Naftal, Merito, Richard, and Treas. Kalulu

A group of us went to see Elder Juma's partially built house. It is slowly being built because the water to mix with cement has to be carried from the other village. He hopes it will be finished quicker once the pipes bring water to the village.

Once we returned from the walk, we prepared to load the car and take our leave. Of course, this would only happen after many hugs, asante sanas, karibu, and kwa herini greetings and more singing as we drove away. Wow! what a Christmas celebration! There is no question whether we have brothers and sisters here in the family of God.  Bwana asifiwe--Praise the Lord.  Amen

Krismasi Leo at Mahove

Christmas Day, 2011, Mahove preaching point

In the car besides the two of us were Pr. Naftal, Anjelina, Alice Kahwege, and Kalulu, the parish treasurer in the back with the gifts. In Makifu we stopped to give a ride to Evangelist Lukimbililo Mkuye who climbed in the back, also.  There was much singing when we arrived with many hugs and greetings all around from as many as could shake our hands. We had few minutes to catch our breath before the service began at noon.

Evangelist Azuberi Mhema led the worship with Ps. 119:160 and the congregational singing. Evangelist Yohana was the choir leader of 4 young men (morani) which grew to 12, 4 of which were girls and kept becoming larger as the service continued.

After more readings and hymns, the young and older men brought in the tools for digging the trenches. The tools were given back after being blessed and photos taken. Asante sana from Mahove by Yohana and we responded with greetings from SOTV and that funds had left Minnesota to begin the water project. Much clapping, then three claps, and singing followed.



Introductions were next by the other visitors. Pastor Naftal gave the sermon based on John 1:14, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory..."

As the choir numbers increased, they continued to sing while the parents, babies and sponsors assembled at the front. Richard and I were asked to stand. After Pr. Naftal and Ev. Azuberi baptized the first three babies, they came to a Maasai couple and their baby boy who was christened Richard! 

Next came Azuberi and Maria Mhema and their baby girl was christened Joan! We now have a definite connection to the Mahove village and they have reminders of us and SOTV. After the benediction a much larger (kubwa) choir sang song after song.











While Father Christmas prepared himself the children were organized by Alice and Anjelina. We handed out candy to each child that came by us. They were not afraid of the man in red either. I wish we could have given them more than one piece. The cookies went to the adults--even ginger snaps!









The educational packets of writing tablet, pencil, pen, eraser and a few pencil sharpeners were given to 54 watoto  in Standards 1-7 and boys and girls in Forms 1-3.










What joy was seen on the faces of the students and their brothers, sisters, and parents. (They kept carrying the packets all afternoon.) And there was joy in our hearts to have given them so little to make them happy.

In return we were presented with Maasai gifts of a spear, stool, blue and white crosses, and a blue Maasai dress. We humbly said "Asante sana"---and teared up! We were overwhelmed with their generosity. Praise the Lord for the sisters and brothers in Christ.

 The day's activities moved outside with eating, dancing, singing, and a walk. The story will continue in the next blog...

Tungamalenga Christmas Eve

Spending Christmas away from family and friends at home is hard enough. Spending it in another country taxed our imaginations.  Well, we do have family here, many brothers and sisters in Christ, why not be with them for the holiday? A few weeks before Christmas we asked Pastor Naftal if we could visit Tungamalenga on Dec. 24 and 25.  He thought a minute and responded "Yes, and Richard, you will be Father Christmas!" How could we refuse? We found out about a costume that could be used as a model and ordered one for Richard. Next to decide what zawadi (gifts) to bring.

Mariam, Baby Helen, Joan, Pastor Karimu Mukini

Renting a car from Tumaini enabled us to drive pastor's family- Anjelina, Aida, and Anette, and Chef Petro from the Lutheran Center out to the village. After loading we set off about 10am on the 24th and made good time on the road since the rains had not been as heavy or caused too many washouts.  We stopped in Idodi to visit Pastor Karimu and wife Mariam and almost-2 month-old Helen. What a sweetie! And she didn't even cry when I held her! We saw Pastor Paulo there, also, because his wife, Leah, was in the Health Center after giving birth to a baby girl 4 days earlier. She has some complications and may be moved to Iringa hospital. Please pray for her recovery and for Pr. Paulo and family.

Alice, Joan, Aida, Annette

From there we followed Pastor Naftal on his pikipiki (motorcycle - Men's group!) into Tungamalenga to unload our luggage at T. Camp, and then continued on to the chapel and pastor's house. Barnabas' wife, Alice had prepared a late lunch for us. She had made some pork and some of the best chapati I have had to eat. It was a nice time to relax and visit. During the previous week Sue and I had made coffeecakes to take with us to our villages. (Dan and Sue drove to Kising'a, their village.) This was a good time to give those gifts. We found out that Barnabas was on a three week leave in Dar es Salaam with his father. His father will be having surgery some time.  More prayers are needed.

We drove back to the lodge to unpack, rest and prepare for the Christmas Eve service after dinner. As we returned to the chapel in the dark, we could see the watoto arriving from all directions. It was to be a 9pm children's service with youth and adult choirs. Richard changed into his suit and prepared to enter before the service began in case the children became too tired later. Some of the teachers organized the route--out one door and in another. Both of us handed out the candy (pipi) and cookies. Next they lined up in class sections to receive an educational packet of tablet, pen, and pencil. The 96 children who shook Father Christmas's hand were now a little more prepared for school. With many big smiles on their faces, they were not afraid of the man in red!

















After a good night's rest and breakfast, we drove Petro and 4 relatives out to a mission church south of Mapogoro on a very small path. We picked up his "wedding mama" with baby on the way making it 9 in the front and back seats. We had a daladala (bus)! Had to stop before one bridge and turn around and they walked a little way. Now we had to hurry back for chapel service at 10am, arriving at 2 minutes after!  This service was a little atypical in that there were 4 new members accepted first and then baptisms for 3 babies followed. Of course, there were many songs, choirs and some dancing that occurred in celebration of Jesus' birth.  Mungu akubariki!( God bless you.)     We have videos of this when we return!

After short greetings we were ushered out a little before 11am and found out that we were on our way to Mahove for their Maasai Krismasi Leo service. Next blog!

Pardon ( pole sana ) for the delay from the holidays.  Richard has been writing finals!