Words from Tanzania

There does not seem to be a daily routine here in Same for us. We wake up most mornings with our list of things to do, both short and long term, and then experience the day as it unfolds into a myriad of surprises and encounters.

Lori is trying to wear out our gas stove by cooking and baking almost daily for women’s, children’s and community activities such as a national food day where local made food products were on display at the nearby market area called KwasaKwasa. Lori teaches the local women how to introduce healthy ingredients (amaranth, whole wheat flour, less oil) into traditional foods as well as show them how to cook new foods. Just a couple weeks before at that same location, we set up our booth and Lori and the “girls” displayed their craft and food products at a VECO (NGO) exhibition. Also displayed by others were a scaled-down fish pond (farm), camels, milk goats, appropriate technology agriculture methods, honey and beekeeping and more.

Todd was in the States in October for a new Twinning project (SEIA Synod and Pare Diocese) which will train Tanzanian health care workers in palliative care. Lori attended a missionary conference in Arusha the same weekend Todd traveled to Iringa (Tumaini University) to attend the 2007 graduation of our good friend Mwema Mella.

Last Monday morning we received notice that we should be attending a 3-day VECO partners’ forum in Lushoto (2 hours away) and promptly packed, put everything aside traveled that afternoon and attended meetings out of town.

Trying to open the new Amani Internet Cafe, final preparations are coming to a close. For a few weeks now we have been trying to complete what we thought would be the last task. It has been a long process- adding a room and finding a way to cover the costs for bricks, cement, wood, paint, computers, router, cable, tables, chairs, security doors and nice windows. But, it is close, the final coat of paint will be brushed on this morning, and we hope to move into the space on Monday, November 5.

A soccer celebration is planned tomorrow at our place! We were notified on Friday that our house and yard would be the best place for a 80-person party celebrating the DogoDogo Stars soccer team victories in the finals. After painting, we’ll shop for large amounts of food, the soccer players will go into the mountains looking for firewood and the mothers of the players will start cooking tomorrow.

Life is busy but good, and each day we know there will be new opportunities. We are so very thankful for meaningful work and new friends.