Today Pastor Roger Michaelson and I leave from Arusha / Kilimanjaro for Minnesota. We bring with us memories, strengthened partnerships, new directions, renewed and new friendships, and an ever deeper understanding of the complexity of being companions in this journey of individual and shared faith and witness. Left behind is only the physical presence of all that is Tanzania, its people, places and warm welcome; its own pace and politics. For all that is the same there is all that is visible progress. Pastor Mark and I will be reporting on our visit in the near future.
We all, Pastors Steve and Nancy Bohling, Pastor Roger Michaelson, (the Bohlings and Roger had been teaching at Kiomboi since November) Pastor Mark and myself enjoyed a twenty four hour retreat at Tarangire National Park. Tarangire is Tanzania's elephant park and they were everywhere. Tarangire is over 2500 square kilometers in size. It has a variety of habitats including wetlands, bush and savannah each with its own variety of birds and wildlife. Ending a trip to Tanzania at Tarangire has become somewhat of a tradition. Sitting on the veranda overlooking the savannah as the sun sets behind me, watching the elephants move across the river and then watching that scene again in the morning as the sun rises over the hill, acacia and baobab silouetted against the breaking day is where all the conversations and visits, all the laughter and frustration, all the dust and jarring from rutted roads melts itself down into who we are in this companion relationship with the Central Diocese. I do not know if could come on these trips without ending at Tarangire, wrapped in the beauty of awesomeness of God's creation.
We have met with many other partners in this relationship, the new ELCA East Africa Representatives, Pastors Bob and JMe Lowden, Henry Sommerfield from the German World One Mission who works as the ELCT's Health Care Technician, Harald Wilms, Lutheran Mission Cooperations (LMC) new Financial Officer to name a few. All of these people bring their own experience and perspective on being partners, being companions in a different culture where one faith is shared. All would agree on these things. It is messy. It is difficult. It is not perfect. It is worth it.
In Tanzania one seldom says goodbye. When a guests or friends leave, the Tanzania's say "Karibu tena" which means "welcome again." And so it is that as we leave we are being welcomed again.
A major focus of our time in the Central Diocese has been to visit congregations who have a partner congregation in the Southeastern Minnesota Synod. The partner congregation ministry is a tangible expression of the fellowship that our synod and the Central Diocese share. A partner congregation relationship can provide an expanded view of the Body of Christ. It can broaden the vision of a congregation's mission and can provide opportunities to build personal relationships with Christians in other cultures. Partner congregations pray for one another. They keep one another informed about their mission and vision. And partner congregations encourage one another, as companions do on any journey. Currently there are thirty four congregational partnerships between the Diocese and Synod. Some partnerships are new like the partnership between Merya Parish and Our Savior's in Owatonna. (We worshiped with the people of Merya as they celebrated their 50th Anniversary on November 9. We brought greetings to the congregation from the members and staff of Our Savior's. Worship services lasted five hours.). Other partnerships, like the one between Kinampanda and Our Savior's in Albert Lea began many years ago.(The ties between these congregations will be renewed next year as a group from Our Savior's plans to visit Kinampanda.) One of the joys of this trip has been to put faces to the names of congregations we have heard about on the Global Mission/Companion Synods Committee. We have brought greetings to these congregations from their partner congregations in Minnesota and all the congregations in the synod. The hospitality and welcome we have received from the congregations we visited has been overwhelming, for example - flowers and singing and a meal from the church at Shelui, partner with St. John's Kasson, a choir concert, dancing,and a meal at St. George Parish in Kiomboi, a partner with Land's Lutheran; and the gift of a live chicken from the people at Kisimba Parish - a partner with Wangen Prairie. Some congregations in the Synod sent letters and other information with us to be delivered to their partner congregations. While we could not deliver all the packets personally, the Central Diocese will make sure the packets get to their intended destinations. We were given a few letters to deliver when we return to the Synod and we will share photos from the partner congregation visits. In our conversations we also talked about the challenges of being in a partner congregation relationship. One challenge is reliable communication. With the increase in internet cafes even in some rural parts of the diocese we hope that email might help make the lines of communication stronger between congregations.
Jesus prayed, "that they may all be one. As you Father are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the whole world may believe that you have sent me." (John 17:21) Pastor Nehemiah at Kiomboi Parish, partner with Spring Garden Lutheran Church, said that God made the people of the Central Diocese and the people of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod one in the cross of Christ. We are one in faith and one in mission - even across the divides of culture, language, and geography. Praise the Lord! Bwana Yesu Asefiwe!
Jambo! The short rains are beginning to fall in the Central Diocese. As I understand it, the short rains begin in November and the long rains usually come in January. One of our devotions a couple weeks ago was from Psalm 63: O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water." The Central Diocese is a dry and weary land during the dry season - humans and animals alike spend many hours each day searching for water.(We were told that in some parts of the Central Diocese people, mostly women, can walk up to 9-10 km for water.) To complicate matters much of the water people drink has not been treated for water-borne diseases such as typhoid. The Central Diocese, through its dispensaries and congregations, in partnership with governmental and non-governmental agencies, and local communities are working to provide safe and accessible water sources especially in rural areas. Innovative uses of solar and wind energy are powering pump stations and chlorinators. These kinds of projects are an important part of the Church's mission of service and evangelism in Tanzania. Jesus said, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me." (John 7:37-38) To paraphrase Rev. Gideon Maganga from Kisonga Parish, the Church's work is to proclaim the word of Chirst but the Church is also called to live out this word by helping thirsty people find clean water to drink. As the Church reaches out to serve those in need, congregations in the Central Diocese are growing. A spiritual thirst is being met here as the Gospel of Christ's death and resurrection is proclaimed in word and sacrament, through joyful singing and dance, Bible studies, Christian fellowship and prayer. The daily prayers of our hosts in the Central Dioceses have been a source of living water for all of us on this journey.
It was dusk as we drove back to Singida from Tyeme on Tuesday. The flames of small fires lit up the countryside. The short rain season is coming and families are preparing for a new growing season by burning crop stubble. In some areas land is being cleared to plant new fields. There is no electricity in these areas but the number of fires made it look like the farm lights you see at night driving across southern Minnesota. Conversations with church members have often included land issues - specifically clean water and deforestation. A growing population is moving into rural areas and trees are being cut down to clear the land for crops and to be used for building materials, but primarily to be used for fuel. Fire wood and charcoal are the main fuel sources in rural areas. Not only are these fuel sources being depleted but erosion of the soil is also a serious problem, along with habitat loss for wildlife. In an effort to help heal the land, and to raise awareness about the management of woodlands and the role of the Church to care for God's creation the Central Diocese has challenged it's members to plant trees. From 2007-2011 each of the Diocese's seventy parishes are encouraged to plant 1000 trees and each member of every parish is encouraged to plant 300 trees. Psalm 148 calls on fruit trees and all cedars to praise the Lord. Soon there will be more trees in the Central Diocese to praise the Lord.
Today we're enjoying a down day in Singida, a walk through the market place purchasing hand made kitchen tools, baobab fruit, and taking in the sights and smells of dried fish, freshly butchard animals hanging in the stalls, and the selling and bartering of the shop keepers and shoppers. Visiting the Rochester Farmer's Market is my favorite thing to do on Saturday mornings - this market of course is a bit different. There is a richness in the way life moves here in Tanzania, it's loud, noisy, full of a life and energy that transcends the weigh of poverty. Mark and I thought that some of that has to do with climate although I don't know what slows one down more, cold or hot.
So yesterday we drove to Shelui on our way to Tyeme Dispensary making preparations for Bethel Lutheran Rochester's May 2009 mission trip to the Central Diocese. The new tarmack road made the trip to Shelui quick, about 1 and a half hours. The passage down the Rift Escarpment is beautiful, through still fairly wooded hillsides though there were patches of recently burned over areas. The winding road follows the ravines where on ocassion one can still see evidence of the previous terrible road with the carcasses of over turned trucks rusting in peace. At the base of the escarpement the land as far as one can see is flat, with a savannah like landscape. At Shelui we ate chips and chicken with Pastor Gideon Magunga of Kisonga Parish. The parish has several sub congregations, Tyeme being one of them. The dispensary is also overseen by the parish and is currently being served by a part time doctor who bikes the 12 km from Shelui to the dispensary several days a week if he does not stay overnight in the village. The doctor's wife Elizabeth is one of two nurses and in addition there is a lab tech.
Many people are moving into the area evidenced by many new houses. Still the area is depressed. The dispensary, as most, serves a very large area. The building is, in everyone's opinion, not worth renovating due to large cracks caused by tremors common in the valley. Structurally the building does not meet the government standards for construction in this area and in order for the church to cooperate with the government for assistance the building must meet those standards.
We walked to the government center, an old three room building full of an interesting looking species of bats, to sign the register. We passed a large group of people gathered under a huge acacia tree having a community meeting. On our way back we were invited by the pastor, doctor and others to say a few words. So we did. The pastor and doctor asked if the community would make the burnt bricks for a new dispensary building. I think that was agreed on. So there is more work to do on making sure that the foundation will be done so that the group from Bethel will have a project to work on in May. There is no end to number one priorities and great needs. In the evening Mark and I rehash, review, and try to then put that days visits and information into a realistic picture of what our partnerships can support. It's exciting but exhausting.
Last night we were having supper at place we have been eating every night. We have come to know one of the waiters. However, last night at least two others were also trying to be our waiters and in addition to all three of those waiters the manager visited our table often asking us where we were staying and if the food was good. It was fun and funny. Mark called it in sports terms a "waiter press." I think that is a football thing? Whatever.............
Tomorrow we move to Nkungi Village to visit Iambi Hospital, Secondary School and other partner projects. We'll stay there until Sunday and then return to Kiomboi until we leave the Central Diocese on Nov. 17th. I will be returning to Minnesota with Pastor Roger Michaelson on Nov. 20, both of us returning about 3 weeks early because the school term at Kiomboi is over on Nov. 14th and me because we've gotten more done in shorter time - largely due to better roads, but also because of our knowing each other and the focusing we have done with our efforts. Still the visits here are critical to the continued strengthening of our relationships...and they all say that here, including the staff at Lutheran Mission Cooperation, Lars Hofgren and Harald Wilms. So, that is it for today and I have no idea when we will be able to write again...hopefully from Kiomboi.
on \monday \kathy, Daniel \mandi, General Secretary of the Central Diocese, Rev. Gideon \kahola and \i travelled to the town of \issuna - 60 km south of Singida. We were warmly greeted by members of the parish's partnership committee, women's group, and executive committee. We shared prayer together and had conversation about the growing rural health care needs. The issuna parish runs a dispensary which provides primary care to a growing rural population. We met a mother and daughter who had walked 30 km to receive care. The Central Diocese has a vision to establish health care centers here and in four or five other locations where there are ELCT dispensaries. After much discussion during the day we identified where our partnerships should be in terms of health care centers and dispensaries. \more on this later after we visit the Tyeme dispensary in the western district. The women at \issuna run a small shop to help serve the community and to raise money for parish ministries. \our visit ended with a meal of chicken and peanuts, flat bread,tea, and soda followed by the \lord's prayer.
on our way to malandala this morning we met a group of people dressed in black, some of the men carrying spears, a few of the women wore amulets. The group of fifteen or so were singing and had what looked like dried corn meal rubbed on their faces and hair. one boy was trying to lead a black calf by a rope and another boy was having an easier time with a small black goat. Bishop Sima told us that the people were likely part of the Sukuma Tribe. We stopped and the Bishop asked one of the men where they were going. The man said they were going to talk with the forefathers by making a sacrifice to kitanu, father of the land. \later in worship Bishop Sima talked about seeing the group going to sacrifice the goat and calf. We all seek blessing and reconciliation the Bishop said but as Christians we look for that blessing in the one who is living, not in things that are dead. The saints of God are those whose sins are forgiven and who, in the gift of baptism, trust in the life that the crucified and risen Christ offers to all. We were blessed to worship with the saints at malandala this morning. We remember all the saints who have gone before us and we remember all you saints back home - all one in the living Christ! lala salama. A peaceful sleep. \mark
