we arrived in singida last night after making a detour to dareda where bread for the world has a very nice conference center at the base of the rift valley escarpment. the drive in was slow as we stopped a few times to take pictures. they teach fish farming and other sustainable agricultural practices here. the central diocese along with two other northern diocese were attending a seminar organized by the german church on global warming, ecology and other related environmental subjects. by the way this is a european key board and i don't know how to get the caps so bare with all lower case.

this morning we met with bishop sima, assistant bishop mujungu, and the general secretary daniel mandi. all greet their friends in minnesota. the talks were excellent, encouraging and imformative. reports and progress on many projects is quite impressive. one exciting result is that with the two thousand dollars or so that we sent for one of their projects on poverty eradication they chose to hold a one week seminar for pastors, congregational executive councils and other representatives. the topic of the seminar was to educate these people on the resources that are available to them for building up their personal live and community. often only the people higher up know what is available and the people do not. the seminar included planning and a follow up. as a result of the seminar the government provided the diocese with a very low interest loan (8 % vs. 30% from commercial banks) to purchase 3 tractors, disc, plow and planter that the congregations can rent to better farm the fields. they have 5 years to demonstrate a positive direction with this effort and to pay back the borrowed money and can extend the loan if needed and can show positive results. we have pictures of one of the tractors, a version of a massey ferguson.

the lutheran church in tanzania is taking on caring for the environment integrating messages into many programs as they have also done with hiv/aids and malaria prevention.

there are signs of progress all over even though it is hot, dry, dusty and poverty is still an issue.
we leave for three days in kiomboi tomorrow and then back to singida for a venture to moreyanda mission area and other points south and north the next week and a half before returning to kiomboi for another few days there.

and for those of you who know the lutheran center, they have renovated three rooms which are very very nice and comfortable. more later. responses are welcome................in peace, salama -Kathy