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Tanzania 2005
As of November 2004, our Partner Congregation in Tanzania, WASA, has purchased the stone and brick needed to begin construction on their new worship center. Funds raised and sent to them from Fish Lake have helped them with the purchase of these materials. They are now in the process of purchasing the land on which to build. Fish Lake has 7 members who will be going to meet the members of WASA in January of 2005. They are: LaDonna Olson, Dale Sauer, John Kosnitch, Shannon Logue, Mike Gustafson, Eric Gustafson, and Delores Olson. Please keep them in your prayers.
Here are some of their updates sent home during their trip.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 11TH, 2005
We are all well. John and I and Dale all started getting sick but took the medicine and now we are fine. We went to Wasa on Saturday and they were not expecting us until next week so our evangelist was out in the field working. We stopped at a Catholic establishment and the Father there let us use the "american" toilets. He told us to go find out evangelist and then return to them and they would serve us lunch. We went to see the start of our church. The bricks are set about 4 feet high so far. We met our evangelist and his wife and children and they are wonderful!! people. The have two children now 11 and 2 but lost two children in a fire. We then went to the Catholic compound and had an absolutely delicious lunch! I think we did alot for the ecumenical movement in Africa just be sharing that meal!! We returned to Iringa because there were no facilities for us to stay at in Wasa. Sunday morning we returned to Wasa (3 hours drive) and were greeted by a choir singing songs for us. We then went into a hut and had tea and a sweet deep fried bread. It was delicious. Then we had church service in a small building. The singing was fabulous and I recognized some of the songs - Faith of Our Fathers was one. We all had to introduce ourselves and then we had the rest of the service. We thought that the greeting was our part of the service - Eric spoke about our being happy to be there. But then later on they turnned to me and said - Now you do the sermon. I had to adlib it but I spoke about hardships in life - their losing two children and I losing my son and later my husband the that now matter where we are in life - God is with us and caring for us. I said that when we pray for Wasa and Wasa prays for us, our prayers meet in heaven and God smiles. They really enjoyed that. Anyway after the service we were seated in the hut again and served a delicious lunch. We had presented them with gifts during the service. Here they presented us with gifts - Delores and I got a conga, and the men got material to make a shirt. Then we were presented with two chickens. I'm sure that this was a major gift from them considering what they had for food, but we graciously accepted the gift and brought the chickens back to Iringa with us. I don't know where they are right now. We may have trouble getting them a passport so may have to leave them. We have so much to tell you about this trip. The people here are so gracious - you cannot imagine. We have done a little shopping and today we took a long trip to the Secondary school . The headmaster there was a very educated man and we learned very much about the needs there. Actually there is so much need here it is hard to decide where to begin. I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH.
God bless
The Fellowship of the Chalice and Patten
LaDonna.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12TH, 2005
So, we have visited the secondary school in Pommern which is a bumpy two + hour drive. It is a very nice school, but the needs are so great. Although the money that we pay to sponsor a child is for a particular child, that money goes to help run the entire school. Therefore, it is the students who are supported by us that help keep the entire school running. The greatest need is textbooks, because the government requires that each child have a textbook, but that is absolutely impossible, so at Pommern there are many who share one textbook. This morning we went to Tumaini University. We got a tour from a gentleman from Mpls. He and his wife are teaching there for a year. They were probably in their late 20s. After that we went to the Lutheran orphanage. It is also in great need, but can care for 40 kids. They live on very little but it is at least better than the streets. Children at all schools have to do chores along with their studies, hoeing, wahsing their own clothing, etc. Some of us were feeling sort of ill today, so we got medication for malaria. We decided all to go on the medication as a safety percaution. Tomorrow we have a day for ourselves. I have already purchased along with Dale about 8 pieces of fabric - most pieces are 2-4 yards in length. Barb and I will split each piece so we have a good variety. There were two vendors who were selling black ironwood and other gifts items at our residence so I bought most of my souvenirs there. Just a few more things that I need to get for sure. I have been trying to keep good notes and doing alot of digital recording. The music that the kids sing is wonderful. The kids at the orphanage sang Jesus Loves Me in both English and Swahili. I have it recorded. The kids here definitly sing with more enthusiam than ours do. OK my half hour is about up so will close for today. Hope to hear from many of you soon. Want to know that you are all safe and sound. Love from all of us.
The Fellowship of the Chalice and Patten. Kwa Heri (good bye)
MONDAY, JANUARY 17TH, 2005
Hello everyone!!!!!!! We are still on the go. Went to the Ruaha Natl Park and practically touched a sleeping lion. We got so close. Of course, he had just eaten so wasn't hungry for homosapien. We also got very close to an elephant and one even spent the night in our camp - pretty scary really. The accomocdations at the park were awesome and the food was Europeon gourmet. Yesterday we went to a church service and the music is out of this world. The harmony is so awesome and they are not afraid to sing out. Then we were invited to a baptism party for one of our hosts grandsons. Today, we went to the Stone age excavation site Isimila. It was very interesting. We also went to a place that employs disabled and deaf people making paper for notecards and such. The paper is made from guess what? elephant dung mixed with other paper shreds, corn husks, and water. This place also makes beaded items and will soon add looms. We had lunch at the Bega Kwa Bega office which is also the apartment of Don and Eunice Fultz. The apartment is very nice and is only $70 a month! It is very cheap to live here and of course it is summer all year round. I could find Orion and Casseopia at the Natl Park. The skies are so clear when everything else is dark. We have gone to an orphanage for street kids and were very impressed with the caretaker. She was a very wonderful lady.
Most of us are feeling fine - some still with a tinge of stomach trouble but nothing serious. One night at the Ruaha Park Delores and I were in bed talking about how we hate snakes. Lucky for us the snake that showed up that night was in the guys banda. Instead when I picked up my hat the next morning we had a three inch long cricket!! Not near as exciting as the snake. Our host told us that they had killed a black momba (a poinsonous snake) only two weeks before we got there. Again, so many stories to tell - I'm sure that you will all tire of hearing them when we return.
ttyl all soon
Love from the Fellowship of the Chalice and Patten.
Hamjambo!
We had a delightful safari. We saw many, many twiga, tembo, a few kiboko and some simbas. (See end of message for translations) kudu, baboons, not to mention a few buffoons, spitoons & lampoons. And our accomadations were splendid. It was a very nice treat. We actually were within 25 feet of a whole pride of lions: One big daddy snoozed the hole time , and there were about ten cubs and 3 mommie lions. Apparently, and i think this is a great deal, the mommy lions do all the hunting and the daddy lays around and sleeps all day. We had an elephant walk right past our tent as we slept the first night He was about 10 feet away! I heard him poop & pee. Mike had a giant cricket inside his tent. It was the size of a fun-size snickers bar.
Today we are wrapping up our last few days in Iringa and we will head off to Dar Es Salaam. We have been picking up afew interesting gifts. I visited a plant nursery today. Very keen it was.
Well shannnanon wants to get on here and e-mail Harley so I better go. I love you all and canardly wait to see you. Stay warm!
Love, Eric
P.S. Twiga is giraffe; tembo is elephant, kiboko is hippo thomas, and simba is.....you should know that one!
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19TH, 2005
Well here it is Wednesday already. We went out to a new secondary school this morning and visited the hospital that is being built by the St. Paul Lutheran Church partnership with the Iringa area of Tanzania. The secondary school has about 100 kids right now, of all ages, since many times adults will raise enough money to continue their education. Primary school is free but after that you are on your own. The kids live at the school and help to build the buildings and tend the gardens and do whatever is needed to make the school run. The teacher /student ratio is about 20 to 1, but the classroom sizes are about 40-45. Many of the students are good at making bricks so they pay for their education by trading some skills. The buildings are made of fired bricks with a mud for mortar. Around the doors and window areas the mortar is cement. The floors are covered with broken bricks and cement poured over that. Then the walls are also covered with cement. The trusses are built into the walls and the roofs are made of sheet metal. Since the weather here is almost always in the 70-80 with no violent storms, that system works very well. The hospital is another story. I don't think I would want to be a patient here. There is no food service for the patients. Their family must come or stay to feed them. We are invited to the parsonage of one of the pastors this evening. They have a small daughter (Irene) who is about 1 1/2. Mrs Muro is going to teach me how they carry their babies tied to their backs. Most of the meals here consists of cooked noodles and/or rice. Chicken is a common meat. Of course there is nothing like a fresh pineapple for dessert! For breakfast we have bread w/jam and boiled eggs usually. The coffee is very strong! Tomorrow we pack up and head back to Dar Es Salaam. We will spend Thurs night there. Friday we will shop and tour a little bit and then we will be at the airport about 8:00 Friday evening for our flight at midnight. (Tanzania is 9 hours ahead of Minnesota). We may not be able to write again until we have our layover in Amsterdam, so if you don't hear from us again for awhile, the next email will be from home. I am missing my bed and a hot shower.(The electricity here is unreliable so we often have cold showers). I can't wait to show you the videos of the lions and elephants and zebras and all and especially the beautiful children of Tanzania. Whenever we are driving in the country they come running up and shouting "Mulungu" (white people) and waving. We have not run into anyone who has expressed any form of dislike of Americans. Well, I will close for now. Love you all very much. LaDonna
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