First Day in Iringa

It is now Saturday afternoon in Iringa. Mary, Beth, Amanda, Dawn and I are sitting out in the big room of the Life Skills Center where we eat our meals and meet with people. Brighton Mkocha is also with us, helping to get the technology up to speed, but pictures will have to wait as transfering from camera to computer won't happen until Monday when the WIFI is hooked up.   Brighton  and Ibrahim Liduke have been with us all day, explaining cultural things and making translations for us. Outside the choir is practicing in their amazing four part harmony and life is extremely good.

Our journey here has been safe and with very little trouble.  We were met at the airport in Dar es Salaam by Pastor Sagga and Grace Nyagawa and Dr. Mwaluswabi, elders of the church.  Brighton, Ibrahim and Alpha Ambokile were also there to greet us.  These three young men have been sponsored by St. Marks and have gone to university and masters degrees and now are working in Dar. But Brighton and Ibrahim were able to arrange time off to spend with us this week.

At the airport, Mary, Dawn, Beth and Amanda had arrived from their amazing three days in  Northern  Tanzania. We spent the night at Wistas Chalet, a  very comfortable lodging which also served us a delicious breakfast. We were on the bus and on the way to Iringa by 7:30 AM. while driving through Mikumi National Park the only animals we saw was a herd of elephants which crossed the road right in front of us.  There were at least 15 of them including young. What a treat on our first day in TZ.

Today, realizing that we would be tired from our travels, Mchangaji Sagga did not have any plans for us. We toured the church and met with the program director of Compassion, an international program which addresses the needs of children who are in desperate need. There are 254 active participants ages, ages birth to 22. Compassion is internationally funded but also partnered with Kihesa who provides space for programs. We heard about how Kihesa and the church are cooperating to  teach skills to young adults.  They will use the Life Skills Center as a place to teach.  Currently computer classes and sewing classes are beginning. The Life Skills Center is returning to it's original purposes, teaching the youth in the community skills to be self supporting. This is a wonderful thing.

We planned to go to the market in the afternoon, but Mchungaji (pastor)  told us we were invited to a wedding.  Richard Lubawa's son, Paul and Happiness (?)were married at Kihesa. So after a short visit  to the Masaai market, computer/phone technology store and kanga shop we jumped back in our bus, returned to the Life Skills Center, quickly  changed clothes and walked up to the church. The wedding had already started, but since it was all in Kiswahili we weren't quite sure what was happening.  After the ceremony, which included much cheering and ululating, the congregation moved to the outside steps to watch some young boys dancing Hehe with cowbells attached to their ankles.  It is very vigorous and accompanied by energetic drumming.

So off to bed because on Sunday we are in church all morning.

sunset outside the Life Skill Center

Betty