Creepy Crawly Things

The late rains have finally arrived here in Tanzania; we have been having occasional showers for the past month. However, for the past week, it has rained torrents each day. The seasons in Tanzania are based on the coming of the rain; we generally have rain in abundance twice a year. The first, and lengthier rain comes in May/June and the second shorter rains come usually in October. It is not possible to travel to certain parts of the country during the rainy seasons because the dirt roads turn to mud holes and even rivers.
The rains are a celebrated event in Tanzania; with the coming of the rain people know that their crops will grow, the dust will be settled so that you don't have to sweep and dust every single day(this is a concern only, it seems, to non-Tanzanians), and things that have been brown like grass, trees, and plants will turn green with life and there will be flowers growing in profusion.
There is, however, something else that comes with the rains. I have noticed that new life is bursting forth in the insect world as well. In the mornings our porch and sidewalks are covered with wings that have been dropped from the flying insects as they hatch out and fly off in the night. I have seen all kinds of creepy crawly things both inside and outside of the house; some of them I don't remember seeing before. Some are interesting looking and some are scary looking; all are unwelcome in my house.
So, I keep my trusty can of Doom (a powerful bug spray that I am sure would be banned in the USA) and use it on those things that venture into the house.
The rains are a good thing; without them we would have drought and famine and dust and very little color in Tanzania. Water is too valuable and often too scarce of a commodity to use frivolously so it is not wasted on grass and non-essential plants. However, along with the new life that springs forth comes new life in the insect world as well; this new life I can do without. However, you have to take the good with the bad so I enjoy the green grass and trees and blooming flowers and I keep my can of Doom nearby to banish the insects that come along with all of the good stuff.
Of course, the many different species of birds in Tanzania thrive on the insects during this time of year. There are also some tribes who gather the termites in baskets when they are hatching out by the millions and cook them in hot oil; they are a good source of protein.
So, I guess beauty and value are in the eye of the beholder; as for me, I'm staying stocked up on Doom!
Be Blessed!
Joyce

Making Choices

Today, I would like to introduce you to Isacka. We have known Isacka by sight for many years. He used to "walk" to town each morning at the same time my daughter, Sarah, walked to school. Isaak used to walk on his hands, he arranged his legs yoga style, put flipflops on his hands and walked with his body swinging between his arms. He walked about a three mile round trip into town and back each day. We never really met him back then but he was always smiling and pleasant. Sarah always greeted him with the expression, "Shikamoo" given to adults or people of importance to show respect.

Since we have arrived back in Tanzania this time we have actually met Isacka. He has told us that he got polio as a small child in the mid 1970's and has not had use of his legs since then. He has managed to purchase a special adult tricycle that is pedaled by hand. He stores his tricycle at our compound each evening and continues up the very steep hill to his home the way he used to travel; walking on his hands.

He asked permission to continue to store his tricycle at our compound when we arrived back in Mwanza. Isaak has made some good choices in his life; he has refused to become a beggar or look for handouts or use his handicap as a reason to be lazy or even to feel sorry for himself.

He has a shoe shine/repair business on one of the corners in town and goes to work every day. He is married to a sweet lady and they have three children together. Isacka is a Christian and attends church every week. He is happy and well adjusted; he looks you in the eye and smiles and is thankful for the blessings he has been given. Wow, his attitude should be a pattern for all of us who don't have to walk through life on our hands and yet can find nothing to be thankful for.

Isacka is saving money to buy a "pikipiki"; it's a sort of motor scooter with an enclosed body that can carry another person as well. He wants to start a little taxi service with his Pikipiki and will shuttle people around town. He would give up his shoe repair business and, as an extra bonus, he would be able to ride his pikipiki all the way up the long steep hill to his home and could give up walking on his hands. He's making plans, like most of us, for his old age when he will not have the strength in his arms to carry his body along the roads.

He has saved about half of the money he needs to buy his pikipiki; we are praying with him that the rest will come in soon.

Be blessed today, and if you are able to walk upright on your own two feet, be extra thankful today.

The Motto Family

Sunday we attended the church plant near Pasiansi; it is on the outskirts of Mwanza towards the airport. Pastor Ezekiel Motto started the church about 2 years ago and the church is growing and thriving.

Tim preached for the the morning service; the churches are always so appreciative that we are able to visit them. They know that we actually cover an area the size of the state of Indiana which has hundreds of churches; we will probably never get to visit all of them even if we continue to try during our four year term here. The best we will be able to do, is to visit the various sections and have the pastors in each of the sections come together for a combined meeting.

Pastor Motto, his wife Grace, and his three daughters live in a small house next to the church. In addition to being the pastor of this church, Motto is also a teacher at the Mwanza Bible College and is also the Secretary/Treasurer for the Lake Victoria District.

His children are still shy around "wazungu" (white people); especially the youngest girl, Shekina, who is not quite two years old.

We had a pleasant visit with them after the service and was served the traditional soda before departing. We took along our camera and took some pictures of the Motto family; their oldest daughter is ten years old and attends school in another city. The two in the picture are Eunice (6) and Shekina (not quite 2). They may be shy around us, but like children everywhere, they love having their pictures taken.

The building in the background of the family picture is the side of the church building; they have been blessed to be able to afford to build a brick building with a metal roof. Eventually, they will have the floor cemented and permanent doors installed.

Be blessed.

Heroes of Tanzania

This week has been a busy week with pastors coming to the house and Spiritual Emphasis week at the Bible School here in Mwanza. I would like to introduce you to a few "unsung heroes" of the family of God who will probably never be recognized this side of heaven. However, I know that they are definitely heroes of faith; going about their business unnoticed by people.

First, we met Pastor Edward this week; he was a student at the Bible School when we opened it in 2001 right before returning to the states. Yesterday he was just visiting during Spiritual Emphasis week and was invited to the front to greet everyone. He came, walking slowly, his body was twisted and his hands and feet were turned and twisted. It was painful to watch until you focused on his face; there was nothing deformed or crippled about his face. He wore a huge smile and there was joy radiating from him. He came forward and made a joke about the special "walk" that God has given him and then he sang a little happy chorus about the goodness of God. We learned later that while he was attending the Bible school there was a problem with the supply of water to the water tank and Edward offered to climb up and fix it. He fell from the top of the tank and afterwards lay in a coma for week in the local hospital. They were not sure he would ever leave the hospital; it is obvious that even though he survived he must have received some type of head/spinal chord injury. And yet, he is a pastor and he is married with a family and he is...happy and content and joyful. Amazing.
Secondly, we had a visit from Pastor Samwel from Musoma in the Mara region; he is the Presbyter for that region. When we were here the first term we had helped Pastor Samwel purchase a bicycle. He still has the bicycle but now that he is presbyter he needs something a little faster; like a "pikipiki" which is a motorcycle. The Mara region is a huge area and the villages are far apart and isolated; he is unable to visit his struggling handful of pastors regularly because he can't get to them easily. Many of the villages do not have buses or transportation that go to them and he can't reach them in a day's time on his bicycle. He does his best and we will be praying that God will supply him with faster and more reliable transportation.
There are so many of these servants of God here in Tanzania; doing what they do in difficult circumstances and they rarely complain. They count it a joy to be servants in the Kingdom of God; I need to strive for that kind of servant heart and uncomplaining attitude.
Be blessed today.

Neighbors

Yesterday, we had our neighbors over for supper; it was a delightful evening. They are missionaries from Finland with the Pentecostal church. Vesa, Anita, and their two children; Jasmine who is in 10th grade and Oscar who is in 8th grade. Rosa also came with them; she is a young single lady here for a few months working with the youth in their churches here in Mwanza.
Tim and I confessed that we didn't know anything about Finland and suggested that they go around the table a few rounds taking turns telling us things about their country. They enjoyed the opportunity to share about Finland and we enjoyed learning about a country that we knew very little about.
Anita brought us a gift of Finnish pastries she had made; much like our American cinnamon rolls. We introduced them to a couple of new dishes as well; deviled eggs and coleslaw. We communicated well even though their main language is Finnish; they have all been learning English and do well with it.
We talked for a long time and had wonderful fellowship together; although, if we were in American I doubt if we would have ever shared a meal together. When we are in our own land and our own comfort zones, we have a tendency to fulfill the old saying, "birds of a feather flock together".
However, here in a foreign country where you are the outsider and Americans are a definite minority; you can go weeks without seeing another person from your own country. You tend to broaden your circle and allow for more variety among your acquaintances and friends.
This is one of the positives about living in another country; meeting people of many backgrounds, faiths, and nationalities and learning to find the things that you have in common and building relationships. So, now, we have new Finnish friends who live next door and we have some things in common; mostly, we are both here because the "love of Christ compels us". It's enough to build on!
Tomorrow is the ladies Bible study; I will be with Americans, Canadians, South Africans, French, Europeans, Baptists, Church of Christ, Africa Inland Mission, Pentecostals of all kinds, Anglican, and others!
What a wonderful benefit to being a missionary in a foreign land. It's good preparation for living in heaven too; there will be some from every kindred, tribe and tongue!

PO - KO- MO

I am trying to re-learn the Swahili I knew before and learn the rest of the Swahili that I need to communicate effectively in the remote areas of Tanzania. Although most of the pastors in and around Mwanza speak English; there are still a number of them that do not. My communication will tend to be with women and children as well; many of the women do not know English. So, I am endeavoring to learn Swahili in order to communicate effectively.
In my studies, I have reached the "Location agreements" of Po,Ko, and Mo. No, they are not family members of the three stooges; they have to do with location. "Po" is for a definite place (here), "Ko" is for an indefinite place (there) and "Mo" indicates being "inside".
So, I am working on, literally, here, there, hereabouts, thereabouts, inside, etc. As I was working on my Swahili grammar exercises I began to think about my relationship with Jesus. What location agreement would I use to describe my proximity to my Lord? The Bible teaches that we are "in" Him and He is "in" us. I hope that as I do whatever it is I do in the course of the day; whether studying, cooking, teaching, or entertaining visiting pastors, that it all has purpose and meaning because I am in Him and He is in me.
Be blessed!