Iringa

Wednesday

Wednesday I think. About 7AM, I think. We are in the Amsterdam Airport, Schiphol, I think. That’s what happens with water-boarding, I mean sleep deprivation. The flight was nice, but none of us slept much. We all watched movies. The backs of the seats in the Airbus A330 were equipped with LCD screens.

We have about three hours until flight, so we are camped for awhile until someone gets restless and wants to wander. This is a BIG airport. Eateries and other interesting retail establishments should be opening soon. Napping seems out of the equation with no place conducive to lay down. The low-back chairs are great for sitting, not so for sleeping.

The currency is in euros here, so the exchange is excruciating. A bottle of water is nearly $5, hard to swallow for someone from Minnesota, where clean, fresh water is plentiful and, uh, cheap! Oh, what we take for granted!

For some reason, I am intrigued by the Sahara, particularly its expanse and the many hours it takes to fly over it. Amazing! Perhaps when we reach sub-Saharan Africa we will be able to see Kilimanjaro. Although in 2006, as today, it was cloudy.

It is fascinating to hear so many voices speaking in different languages, wearing non-Western garb, all quite comfortable in this environment.

For entertainment, I am writing this, Nona and Esther wrote in their personal journals and Birdie is writing in the shared journal. Now there are books out and a cribbage game going on. Son Chris supplied two philosophy books to read and I will turn to them next, Deep Thoughts and Deeper Thoughts by Jack Handey.

Seems like a good way to close for now.

Ken

Friday Morning, September 5, 2008

Yesterday was a long travel day to Iringa, but fun! We left a beautiful morning at FPTC, with gorgeous blossoms and shrubs, some familiar like the bougenvilla, many not. On the way to Iringa, we stopped at Chalinze for an enlightening bathroom stop, physicially, culturally and mentally! We did not indulge in the cashews, but next time we will. They are safe because they are roasted. Our bad! Reviewing things that impacted us most included the people, the crowding in the Dar es Salaam, streets lined with “dukas,” little shops, potholed roads (just like MInnesota, not the same reasons), and the animals!

We stopped at the Mikumi Game preserve for lunch. See the menu. Wow! Were there animals! See the picture. We saw tembo, twiga, impala, pumba, punta milia and some nyani or, if you don’t speak Swahili, elephant, giraffe, impala, warthogs, zebra and some baboons. The animals arrived on cue as we began lunch. We took the photo ops. I don’t think they were truly posing - they looked so natural....

We arrived at the Iringa Lutheran Center tired out but exhillarated. The establishment is very nice. It is still plain in its inaugural year and needs nothing but some art. I see the proponents voting for television won out, but that’s the world. Dinner was excellent. We liked the cucumber soup, Tom Nielsen’s favorite. The presentation was as delightful as the food was delicious. And we all slept “lala fo fofo” (like the dead).

This morning we made or plans for the day and trip to Idunda. We will stay over two nights. Then we will come home briefly for a change of clothes and on to our safari.

This afternoon we will sort through the gifts we brought and try to decide what goes where. With this being a tough year here, we will also bring some rice, sugar and tea as gifts to the congregation. We will leave the pencils, crayons and other things at the school at Idete, now named for the founder of the nearby town, at least formally. We still refer to it as Idete School, as does everyone else.

One ugly surprise: I was quite sure we would be asked to sing. John Mhekwa, recent graduate of Tumaini University and our guide informs me we will indeed be expected to sing. Here’s the ugly part. I am expected to preach. Others will introduce themselves and say a few words. I will preach. Hmmm. Well, there’s our dedication to partnership. And that we pray for each other. We are invested in the success of Idunda and want the Dispensary to succeed. Tom Nielsen can give me the text for the day, but maybe I will just resort to my favorite Bible verses. At least I don’t have to deliver it in Swahili. Twiga, pembo and nyani aren’t enough Swahili words to say much. I can throw in rafiki (friend) and pumba somehow, despite having learned both from “The Lion King.” They are still legitimate Swahili, although I wonder if warthog has ever been used in a sermon before. More in a couple days.

I am posting this a 8:45 AM, your time.  It's 4:45 PM here.

Ken