Reflections - Sunday, March 14

Today we worshiped with our brothers and sisters at Nduli. We picked up Owen, the intern from last year, on our way out. He is now in his last semester of the Theology program and will graduate next October and be ordained next winter when we are here. We are looking forward to that day as he is a very special young man.

Pastor Laiton greeted us as we drove in and we went to look at the new born piglets – mom delivered 9 this past Thursday! It ‘s tough to say pigs are cute but it was fun watching them. I checked them out again before we left in the afternoon.

While Owen, Roger and I were having tea (tea, chapatti and boiled eggs), we learned more about politics, farming, etc. in Uganda where Owen is from. We brought about 60 Swahili Bible story books for the children so we presented them at the end of Sunday School. They were excited, and I told them they should read a story and then tell their teacher the story next Sunday. I think the parents were as excited about the books as the children were. The books seemed like such a small gift but in fact they were considered a wonderful gift. The church service was the usual 2 hours with 3 choirs singing and 2 offerings, the second one being for a district meeting that Nduli is hosting next week.

Today both of Ndelwa’s daughters were there and we (CTK) have sponsored them most of the way through secondary school. Jessca, the oldest, will be graduating from the University of Dar es Salaam this year with a BA in Education and she was one of the first students we sponsored in 2001. Roger and I met her at Pommern then so it was wonderful to see her now as she is close to the next milestone. She seems very confident and has good English and would like to be a secondary school teacher. Her sister, Sizera, began at Tumaini University this year and is majoring in Community Development and would like to be in Extension. Isaya Mbwilo, who finished Form VI last year, was there as well and is still pondering Theology or Education. I encouraged him again, to apply to Tumaini as there are scholarships through the St. Paul Area Synod and we also know friends who are interested in sponsoring him. Pastor Laition’s daugher, Anzitye, was also there as she just passed her Form IV exams and is waiting placement. When we were there the last time, their son was home on break but he has returned to school in Form III. After visiting with the students, Laiton asked if we would go to see the shamba (farm) for Nduli. This always means that there will be a car full and since we have a truck , we ended up with Isaya and Owen standing in the back of the truck. They said it was fine except when Roger got close to the prickly bushes. The shamba is 5 acres, a ways off the road and we walked through someone else’s fields before getting there. They have planted 2 ½ acres in corn and 1 acre in sun flowers. The fields were beautiful and they should have a bountiful crop if they continue to get some rain. The remaining 1 ½ acres is still scrub brush and thorns and he says that it will be cleaned off this summer. Glad I will be back in the US and unable to help!

We spent a considerable amount of time talking about the milling machine, the building to house it, the cost of putting in electricity, what the market will be for sunflower oil, maize and beans and then more discussion about beehives. They should get their first honey this June but it won’t be enough yet this year to send to market. These people are quite industrious and it will be great next year to see how well they did with selling their products. Our last topic was prioritizing their needs since they want to finish 2 preaching points, will need electricity for the oil milling machine which hadn’t been planned for, and need to build a pastor’s house. We left the challenge up to them and to put some information together so that the Global Mission Team could be thoughtful in our planning. It was then time to leave and feeling sad that we might not see some of the people again until next year. My little old lady was hugging and kissing me again today and wanted me to take a picture of her and her granddaughter. Each year we go home, we wonder if she will be there next year.

We finished off the day by all (Don & Eunice, Gary & Carol, and Roger and me), going to Dan and Sue’s for early dinner and to see the home that they are living in while here at Tumaini. It is quite lovely and close to campus but remote when compared to our location.

We begin our last 2 full weeks here tomorrow and Roger, Ibrahim, and Gabriel begin their demonstration plot first visits to the 10 new parishes that are being sponsored by congregations at home. This now makes 30 and it seems that the list is growing for the new plots for 2011 already. I will be trying to wrap up training and financial review at the Lutheran Center and tackling the list we (Eunice & I) made before we came over for Bega Kwa Bega. The time has flown by and the list has not gotten very short. Tomorrow we will be hosting the group from Bethel in Hudson, Wi. (18) for lunch. On Thursday, Don & Eunice, Dennis, Pastor Msigwa and I are going to Ipalamwa to visit the secondary school with our list of sponsored students. Roger and the boys are going as well in their vehicle for 2 demonstration plot meetings at Ipalamwa. This is the home parish of the bishop and all we have heard over the years is the challenge it is to get there, especially if it has rained. Needless to say, we are all hyped about the adventure. If we go over the mountainside, we may not be home by Easter! This will wrap up my visits to diocese secondary schools unless I go to Image with Roger next week and it has been an adventure. Most of the schools are outside of villages and away from everything. The students have to walk the last few kilometers in order to get there. Bomalang’ombe and Lutangilo have incredible settings, that is, after we drove for over 2 hours up and down and around mountain sides. On our way to Lutangilo, we traveled a new road that had just been carved around the mountain and it was on the slippery side. Dennis thought maybe we should toss a coin for which route to take out but the Headmaster advised us to take the longer route going through Idete, so we did. We dropped Msigwa off in Kidabaga, about ½ way back, to plant trees at his shamba.

The Vice President arrived in Iringa yesterday and is staying in the government housing up the road from us. As a result, we have a fanfare (long parade of cars) each time they come and go and security guards everywhere!

I have really gotten into the groove of living here this year, figuring our many things and meeting so many more people, it is going to be difficult to settle back in when we get home. Everyone here is already making plans for next year and people ask when we will be back. I can say that I am looking forward to our bed at home and clean water that I don’t have to boil. Washing clothes in a washer and dryer will be a luxury as well!

GUIDED BY THE GOSPEL: GATHERING • GROWING • GIVING