Words from Tanzania

Another experience here in Same town in northeast Tanzania during my last days as missionary caught me by surprise, again. A funeral burial service for a respected member of the community, Mr. Noel a retired ELCT Pare Diocese driver whose son Elidaima Noel is working as a Field Coordinator with our Global Fund Most Vulnerable Children project. I did not attend the church service as I had other commitments, but I arrived 5 minutes prior to the car with the body pulling up to the grave site. As I walked closer to the site, trying to protect my head from the boiling sun and my eyes from the blowing dust, I passed groups of women in their colorful kangas, men in their slacks and collared shirts, and the church choir which was assembling.
I met so many folks there who I knew; even I was taken by how I had come to know this community and country in various ways. I was approached by a former student who lives in Iringa where Lori and I served at Tumaini University from 2004-2006 and then a phone and electronics expert who I met in Dar es Salaam during those days at Tumaini. I shook hands with Hezron, the respected diocese watchman, Giliad, the director of the ELCT Compassion Intl, Mr. Nasinda, a Lutheran and hardware shop owner, shared a few words with Magreth, my neighbor and wife of Pr. Mshana who at that time was in Iowa, a young clothes shop owner, Frank, and another diocese worker, Christopher who knew Mr. Noel very well and whose daughter Agnes attended an Easter party at our house in 2006. I nodded to my friend Omari, a Muslim and assistant soccer coach who was standing on the other side of the grave, dressed in full Islamic worship attire. It was puzzling, and I thought of how the deceased had so many friends from all over Tanzania, and he was not a politician, pastor or businessman, but just a diocese driver for most of his career. I did not know this man, never met him, but now know his son very well.
I’ve been to enough funerals in the States to know that when an older person dies, many times the funeral is attended by just a few people. When a younger person dies, the church can be packed with mourners. Here in Tanzania, when an older person dies, it is a family and community event, and the occasion can halt business, travel and other commitments. I like that part of this culture, and I was moved by the support of the community.

After prayers and songs, the casket was lowered into the grave and the young men shoveled the loose dirt, the choir singing the entire 25 minutes until the work was done. A few more prayers and it was accomplished, Mr. Noel had been laid to rest by the community.

Secondary school in Tanzania follows seven years of primary school. If a student has funds and qualifies and does well on exams, he/she would attend four years of secondary school. Advanced level (forms 5 & 6) would follow for two years, again requiring qualifications and more funding.
A neighbor of mine knocked on the door early last Saturday morning and spoke the usual “hodi” greeting. It was a little after 6am. I knew it was George by the voice and got up and went to meet him. George was dressed in track suit pants, but had a pressed dress shirt on. I knew something was up today, and he calmly explained that today was the day of his graduation. Having just arrived from the US on home leave, I was not aware of the latest schedules in town. Most ceremonies and events here in Tanzania are scheduled only 1-4 weeks in advance, therefore I had no prior knowledge of this special event.
George was asking for my help. His mother was in town, having arrived from Dar es Salaam the day before. It is very common for students to go to secondary boarding school in a town or village far away from their parents. The graduation ceremony was held at the secondary school about 6 kilometers away from our neighborhood, and I was to escort George’s mother in my car. George also requested that I pick up a crate of soda for the party afterward.
So, at 11am I picked up George’s mother, sister and uncle and we attended the 4-hour graduation ceremony. I was pleasantly surprised to find out the keynote address was given by the director of the local Compassion International, Mr. Gilliad Mkubwa, a friend of mine. The opening prayer and special message was given by the Lutheran Same Cathedral pastor, Eliniema Mndeme, another friend and the school chaplain is another Lutheran pastor, Pr. Rosan. Being a governmental secondary school, I was again surprised by the level of Christian involvement and the number of “praise be to Jesus” phrases mentioned.
All went well, loud speakers turned and tuned to crackling perfection, and the crowd was mostly obedient. The family members of a graduating student normally rush to the front to congratulate the student immediately after they receive their certificate and this causes quite a stir. George, his mother and sister and some friends piled in my car to return to his aunt’s home for a meal and small celebration. Great day for George and his family, I was proud to be a part of it.

Lori had the opportunity to get involved in mid-2008 with a little project for our next door neighbors, the Mmwiri family. Their only cow died shortly after giving birth and then 1-1/2 weeks later the calf died. We don’t know the exact reasons but do realize it’s difficult to keep animals healthy here, especially without money for medications and private house calls.

Word spread back in Iowa about the Mmwiri family situation, and it wasn’t long before funds were transferred to TZ to get another dairy cow for the family’s milk needs. With 5 of their own, and now 4 additional children living in the house, they certainly could use the milk.

Lori worked hard to modify the cow shed, using materials on hand and trying to pattern the layout from the Heifer International guidelines. The family was helpful and when the new dairy cow was delivered, they felt so proud.

Time went on and finally the cow, named Julie after a member of the donor family, gave birth, a female. Mother and the calf are doing well, almost 6 months later now. There’s milk every day, over 2 liters. That’s not a lot compared to other dairy cows in the States and Europe, but it’s welcome and is very much needed and used.

Lori is back in Iowa now, and in memory of her, the family named the calf Lori. I think that’s a wonderfully fitting tribute to Lori, her effort and friendship with the Mmwiri family.

I met Sister Veronica last year in the town of Same where I live and it was at our new internet café where I first talked to her. She commented about their organization’s need for communication means to the outside world, and would I provide a quotation for the cheapest internet service available. Sister Veronica is a Catholic Nun from Kenya, serving in a remote, flat, dry, poor Masai area in the Same District, not more than 20 miles south of Same town.
Today Sister Veronica came to me again today, finding me in my office at the Pare Diocese headquarters. She was in need of help. She had some documents which needed to be sent to Uganda, and the two fax machines in town would not dial out of country. Our internet café, which can normally help in these digital communication issues was closed today as the daytime attendant had family matters to attend to. I could see the despondency in her face, and promptly packed up my laptop and we headed for my house which has a copier/scanner/printer, and also internet.
The scans made, the internet messages sent with attachments done, and then we started talking about programs which we were involved. She works at a new Catholic Secondary (middle and high) school. I told her of our work in that area with vulnerable children, and that caught her attention. She mentioned a case where they recently took in a young Masai girl whose family had just agreed to let her get an education, but there are no tuition monies available. She asked me if our vulnerable children program could help support this young woman.
I have some very long, hard days. But, I come home to a house with electricity, a refrigerator, internet, running water, and access to any number of comfort items. I gave Sister Veronica my business card and asked her to write to me about her new school and the name of the Masai girl who desperately wants to have an education. I think Sister Veronica will not be shy in asking for support for those young people. Like many here in Africa, they have few choices but to ask for help.

There is a way in which seminars and meetings are conducted here. And since there are around 4000 non-governmental organizations operating in Tanzania, I’m guessing there’s a seminar or multi-day meeting being held every week of the year in most towns and cities.

We’ve been a part of a number of seminars where local people, workers of an organization or project partners have gathered for trainings and meetings. The format doesn’t seem to be much different where ever you go or which organization is meeting.

Here’s how they do it:

The sessions are usually opened by a leader or dignitary of the organization. In our case, the Bishop is almost always asked to open the meetings. If he is not available, a logical replacement is chosen. After the opening welcome and remarks, the leaders of the seminar look to the participants to elect meeting leaders who will hold the order, take minutes, keep the time and try to keep everyone’s needs heard. A chairperson is elected first. This person would open the succeeding days’ meetings, keep the peace, and close each day’s meeting. Then a secretary is elected who would assume responsibility for taking the minutes, passing the attendee list around etc. A timekeeper is often chosen, and that person would try to keep the agreed schedule from getting too far behind.

Sometimes at the beginning of the meetings, the chairperson asks for meeting rules to be suggested and agreed by all. They are written on a sheet of flip chart paper and taped to the wall. Some of the common behavioral rules would be to shut off the ringer or sound of all cell phones, to respect one another, and to not show up drunk (not so bad rules). Oftentimes it is agreed at what time all will go to chai (morning break), lunch and to quit for the day.

Almost all meetings are opened up with a prayer, regardless of mixed company. Sometimes the prayer said is by a Christian, and some general acknowledgments of others is mentioned.

So, to not follow this protocol would not make it a Tanzanian gathering.