A second visit from the states
Had a second visitor from the USA this weekend. Rob Schadt with www.pommernvillagechoir.org and www.soul-lit.com (spiritual poetry) came for a quick visit (arrived Saturday and left Monday morning). This was interesting for me because William is stateside for his daughter's graduation from Wofford, so this was the first visit I was responsible for. Fortunately almost everything went as planned. He got in about 11:30 AM on Saturday to Singida and took him to his hotel. They of course had not cleaned the room yet even though I had a reservation. So we went over to the KBH for lunch and took a little walk to see the lake. KBH lunch was normal-only about one item on the menu they actually had and it did not look much like a hamburger at all actually nothing like a hamburger. After that took back to the hotel then a trip into town to see Singida in all its glory. That took about four or five minutes.
Dinner that night was at his hotel. Next morning I picked him up to go to early church. We get to the church I normally go to and that normally is not even half full to find people standing outside looking in and still coming. No seats or room inside the building and it was still 10 minutes before church was supposed to start. So grabbed mototaxi and headed over to the Anglican church. Driver actually took us to the Catholic church which also had them standing outside the church looking in. So I saw a small church building with seats available inside the Anglican compound but not the Anglican church I have seen before on previous visits. So we go in there.
They of course required we come up front and introduce ourselves. I had been preparing to try it in Swahili but fortunately the pastor spoke English so he translated. The interesting part of the service was after the normal everyone gets out of their pews and goes to the front to put money in the offering, they had a fundraiser where the pastor called everyone down basically to give money for the building they were trying to complete. After a while I noticed a lot of folks looking at us and new something was coming. So we get called down and he explains what is going on. Unfortunately I had put all my free cash in the first offering and the rest of the money I had was what Rob was paying for the transport to site. Kinda embarrassing but also very not Christian like. It was not the feeling of give what you can or give as you feel led, give what we pressure you into giving. Never did figure out what denomination the church was because we had to leave right after the sermon to go meet our taxi.
So get the taxi to the hotel and off we go to Yulansoni. For those who saw last weeks blog you know I am in a fair amount of pain. My rib has not gone back into place yet. And as we traveled down the bumpy rocky roads it was a bit difficult. We did get to site with no events and Rob got to meet with the Doctor and the head nurse/midwife. The rest of the medical crew were at some special church services in the valley-must be a holiday that is not on the calendar.
We got back to the hotel and Rob asks where the best restaurant in town is because he would like to buy me a good meal. I wish I had a camera for his look when I told him we had already eaten at both of them. Though the pizza and onion rings at the Aqua were really good that night. We shared them both and had some really great conversations.
If you are reading this Rob, thanks for the uplift spiritually and morale wise on a week when I had been a bit down. It was a great pleasure getting to know and talk with him.
The day he left was a comedy of errors for me though. I woke up at 5 AM to make sure his taxi arrived to pick him up and take him to the bus terminal. I was going to walk over and see him off but I could not get out of my hotel. All the doors were locked and no one around. When I finally got someone up they got the hotel door open but not the gate to the compound. Before they got that open, Rob called and he was already settled onto the bus and was ready to go. Never did find the key to the gate that morning, so I went back to bed. Woke up around 8:30 AM and did tea and bread breakfast. Then no hot water was running. It was hot but the water would only trickle out. Cold water was fine. This was the sink and the shower. So no bath and I headed into town. Wanted to walk out my leg now that it was no longer swollen and try to get the rib to pop back but no luck there. Did wear myself out. Don't worry I now have hot water again. After the weekend I decided to try some crochet projects. Found a pattern from Lion Brand Yarn through Facebook for a ring necklace. I made some modifications for what I have. Like instead of metal rings I use the security ring left after you take the cap off a plastic soda bottle and use it for my ring. Made a tiger paw and then did some in Tanzania flag colors. Hope to perfect the flag color to something ladies would wear because that would be an easy, quick and inexpensive design the ladies here could make and sell to tourist.
On that note we have had Crochet class in the valley and the ladies have made wash clothes. Hope to get back out there in a week or so to teach them some other things to make. If you would be interested in learning more, send me an email at steveintanzania@gmail.com and I will send you the one sheet. I am going to Skype with MUMC's prayer shawl group this Wednesday but could do so with other churches as well to discuss the importance of this program to the families in the valley. Of importance to teach them to make are stocking caps because the kids all shave their heads and then constant exposure to the sun causes dermatological problems and probably skin cancer later in life.
Prayer Requests:
Dinner that night was at his hotel. Next morning I picked him up to go to early church. We get to the church I normally go to and that normally is not even half full to find people standing outside looking in and still coming. No seats or room inside the building and it was still 10 minutes before church was supposed to start. So grabbed mototaxi and headed over to the Anglican church. Driver actually took us to the Catholic church which also had them standing outside the church looking in. So I saw a small church building with seats available inside the Anglican compound but not the Anglican church I have seen before on previous visits. So we go in there.
They of course required we come up front and introduce ourselves. I had been preparing to try it in Swahili but fortunately the pastor spoke English so he translated. The interesting part of the service was after the normal everyone gets out of their pews and goes to the front to put money in the offering, they had a fundraiser where the pastor called everyone down basically to give money for the building they were trying to complete. After a while I noticed a lot of folks looking at us and new something was coming. So we get called down and he explains what is going on. Unfortunately I had put all my free cash in the first offering and the rest of the money I had was what Rob was paying for the transport to site. Kinda embarrassing but also very not Christian like. It was not the feeling of give what you can or give as you feel led, give what we pressure you into giving. Never did figure out what denomination the church was because we had to leave right after the sermon to go meet our taxi.
We got back to the hotel and Rob asks where the best restaurant in town is because he would like to buy me a good meal. I wish I had a camera for his look when I told him we had already eaten at both of them. Though the pizza and onion rings at the Aqua were really good that night. We shared them both and had some really great conversations.
If you are reading this Rob, thanks for the uplift spiritually and morale wise on a week when I had been a bit down. It was a great pleasure getting to know and talk with him.
The day he left was a comedy of errors for me though. I woke up at 5 AM to make sure his taxi arrived to pick him up and take him to the bus terminal. I was going to walk over and see him off but I could not get out of my hotel. All the doors were locked and no one around. When I finally got someone up they got the hotel door open but not the gate to the compound. Before they got that open, Rob called and he was already settled onto the bus and was ready to go. Never did find the key to the gate that morning, so I went back to bed. Woke up around 8:30 AM and did tea and bread breakfast. Then no hot water was running. It was hot but the water would only trickle out. Cold water was fine. This was the sink and the shower. So no bath and I headed into town. Wanted to walk out my leg now that it was no longer swollen and try to get the rib to pop back but no luck there. Did wear myself out. Don't worry I now have hot water again. After the weekend I decided to try some crochet projects. Found a pattern from Lion Brand Yarn through Facebook for a ring necklace. I made some modifications for what I have. Like instead of metal rings I use the security ring left after you take the cap off a plastic soda bottle and use it for my ring. Made a tiger paw and then did some in Tanzania flag colors. Hope to perfect the flag color to something ladies would wear because that would be an easy, quick and inexpensive design the ladies here could make and sell to tourist. On that note we have had Crochet class in the valley and the ladies have made wash clothes. Hope to get back out there in a week or so to teach them some other things to make. If you would be interested in learning more, send me an email at steveintanzania@gmail.com and I will send you the one sheet. I am going to Skype with MUMC's prayer shawl group this Wednesday but could do so with other churches as well to discuss the importance of this program to the families in the valley. Of importance to teach them to make are stocking caps because the kids all shave their heads and then constant exposure to the sun causes dermatological problems and probably skin cancer later in life.
Prayer Requests:
- Rob's safe travel back to the States this week
- William and Martha as they are in the States this month
- The Crochet class-would like this become something that provides a connection between crochet groups here and the ladies in Yulansoni as they learn.
- My rib to go back into place
- To develop a real friendship in the Singida area.
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