Morning came and so did the rain. Juma, our consistent taxi driver was at the door at 7:30 am as arranged to take me back to the airport in Entebbe. The morning rush in Kampala was in full force. Vehicles swerved puddles now in addition to each other, Boda-Bodas and pedestrians. By the time we managed to get out of the city proper, the rain was dissipating and the women were getting busy doing laundry on their front porches. With a fairly wet week behind, I could only imagine how long it will take them to do the family laundry all by hand. By the time we neared Entebbe, the laundry was hung on many lines. I enjoyed looking at the sights that I only saw in the dark on my journey in last week.
The flight to Tanzania boarded smoothly and landed early, though I was unaware of this fact. I got my Visa, cleared customs and exited but the person who was to pick me up was nowhere in sight. Suddenly I had a sinking feeling because I realized how poorly I had prepared the details of this connection, knowing only that I was to meet Leonard who was the Secretary General of the Christian Council of Tanzania. No phone number, no address, no last name. I had several taxi drivers trying to convince me that they knew Leonard and his office and that I should go with them. I stayed put, prepared to wait for an hour or so to see if he would show up. And that he did, right on time. Only then did I realize we had gotten in quite a bit early courtesy time changes! It was a truly joyous greeting.
It was hot! About 35 C. Sweat began to pour instantly but thankfully the truck we were to travel in was air conditioned. The city, Dar Es Salaam was congested and the traffic just inched along. They too had had rain earlier and deep puddles filled the sides of the otherwise nice road. Industrial activities lined the streets, vendors of everything imaginable sat with their wares and pedestrians darted in and out of the nearly parked vehicles. After about 45 mins and having moved only half way through the city, our driver decided to take some short cuts so I was able to see the city life away from the main arterial road. Some things didn’t change – laundry was hanging on the lines, children in uniforms were going to school, and people were moving about doing the business of the day.
As we got past the City, the landscape began to change. There was increasing evidence of local farming, with baskets of potatoes, peppers, beans, onions, mangoes and pineapples available at the roadside. This was the end of the season for some of the fruit and the locals are hoping the drought conditions experienced by many parts of Africa will not become their reality. Talk of climate change permeates the discussions of local sustainability.
When I inquired about the greatest challenges he sees for his people, Leonard was quick to answer that the significant death rate of children under 5 to malaria and the death of pregnant women due to a lack of health facilities and education were primary in his ministry. I heard the sadness in his heart and his determination to stand i solidarity with the women. .
We drove through a natural reserve for baboons, two of which crossed the road indifferently with traffic going in both directions. Shortly after we stopped at a roadside restaurant for some lunch. It was buffet style of rices, potatoes, coleslaw, tomato salad, okra, collards and onions, a local fish and beef and chicken. I sampled most but really enjoyed the coleslaw and tomatoes!
After eating and
having some bottled water, we carried on. Shortly the landscape changed again. In the distance appeared the Mongoro Mountains and in the foreground appeared rice paddies, pineapple and larger herds of cows. The soil changed from the red sand around Dar Es Salaam to a darker loam/clay. When worked properly, the land seemed to provide excellent market gardening conditions. Leonard advised me that Tanzania only has to import about 10% of its food, much of it being wheat. However, the lack of processing plants to store and package the food in season coupled with a lack of a food distribution network poses a great problem for year round food supplies.About an hour later, we pulled into a sizeable complex which is a private Christian school servicing JK to e
nd of High School equivalents as well as a translation program for missionaries who need to learn Swahili prior to placement somewhere in the region. It was a lovely p
lace and it was nice to stroll under these huge old Baobab trees. Near the end of the stroll, we met a gentleman who had been teaching at this facility for maybe 30 years. Now retired, he continues to teach and help wherever he can. It was interesting to hear him describe the inroads that they were making with the contextualization of the gospel to the Masai people. These are the indigenous peoples of Tanzania that are often used in advertising for safaris etc. As the teacher went on to explain about contextualization, the Protestant churches (largely Lutheran and Mennonite) had started using milk for communion because that is the drink of the common people. Wine is unknown to them and posed a barrier to understanding the significance of these ordinary elements. Likewise, traditional dress has been openly welcomed at all services as is acceptance of all the members of polygamous families. These cultural sensitivities are allowing the Protestants to reach the Masai in ways that that others are not.
It was about 7 pm when we arrived at the Morogoro Women’s Training Facility. I was directed to nice self-contained room, complete with mosquito net! I freshened up and prepared to meet with the director of this facility. We started our time with a walk around some of the complex. This Training and Retreat Centre run by the Christian Council of Churches.... to be continued....
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