Peggy’s Emails from Tanzania
Email 1
What an adventure today! We left this morning to visit preaching points of Kitapilimwa… okay so that was the “plan”. As I am learning, plans do not always become reality here. First surprise — We were met with a vehicle this morning called a Toyota Corona…a small vehicle and quite low to the ground, also very cozy for 5 people (the driver, Richard Lubawa, Sharon, Monica and me). We made a stop at the Danish Mission to buy hymnals.
The second surprise of the day — today is a Julius Nyere Holiday…the mission Bible store was closed. This was quickly cured when the people heard of the size of our order. I also had packed gifts for the preaching points and some of the things for the children. The drive out was quite an experience; words won’t do justice to many things that I saw. The rawness of poverty, the joy on people’s faces to see us even just driving by, the conditions of the homes, and the amount of back-breaking working. For instance, before we even left Iringa I saw a man moving home furnishings, ie refrigerator (BIG items). “How?” you ask? — In a cart-like a trailer we would use for snowmobiles — but instead of pulling it behind a vehicle, he was pushing it by himself.
Surprise 3 — a little Toyota really doesn’t navigate rural roads in Iringa. It was something else. We would get buried up over the wheels in sand. We would all jump out and push while the driver worked very conscientiously to get us unburied. Many times we just walked along the road behind the car to push it out as it kept getting stuck. Meanwhile a parade of children formed along behind. We greeted them in Kihehe. They giggled and squealed with delight. Eventually we made it to the church — wow tell me why I didn’t bring our old banners that we don’t want any longer? The banner in the church looked like Swiss cheese. I will photograph it Sunday as you won’t believe it. It turned out we had gone to the main church and would not be able to go anywhere else today as the vehicle could not navigate the roads. Sunday we will take a land rover type vehicle.
The poverty is disturbing. For instance, most of the people had no shoes and tattered soiled clothing. I thought many people in Iringa seemed poor, but here it was obvious that all were deeply impoverished. There were a few animals — all appeared malnourished, except for the chickens that do very well there! They made us feel very welcome, feeding us chapate — while none of them ate. Just incredible moments in terms of giving when you have nothing. They pulled Rev. Lubawa aside to let him know they wanted to have communion for us Sunday, but they had no supplies. (I purchased wafers and wine in town, but think, sometimes we complain because why we have to have communion every Sunday.)
The meeting with the church elders went well. They are ecstatic about the chicken project and think it is perfect for their congregations, but I will need to spend some of the money on veterinary supplies as recently almost all the chickens were wiped out by disease. So we will have to do some prevention to prevent that type of widespread loss. We also have agreed that goat farming should begin ASAP as well. Then the women grabbed me and hugged me doing that tongue thing in sheer ecstasy. They danced around me like I had brought the Publisher’s Clearinghouse check. We then pulled the two large boxes of hymnals out of the car and presented them…again cheers and tears. I could go on and on with the experiences, including falling in love with Justina! She is a toddler who decided to befriend me, so I got a chance to love my Victoria vicariously. She was so precious. The pictures won’t do her justice as she became shy every time I tried to take her picture and she clutched her pipi and beach ball, so I knew that was a hit. They asked about Reyna and still fondly remembered her visit.
It is somewhat like being in one of those Save the Children specials. It is an honor and blessing to be here representing the good people who have supported this project. Wait until Sunday when they see the bikes. Luther Memorial, South St Paul (they headed home yesterday), was able to bring one for each preaching point and they said it was as if they had rolled up in a fleet of Cadillacs!!! I also have a huge bag of things for the Sunday School teacher to help with teaching the children. It has been like the Oprah’s wildest dreams tour for sure — with the joy for what we have done but bitter grief over all that is needed…I wish you were here with me, friends.
Rafiki yako, Peggy
Email 2
What the people want is goats. They realize others have built preschools or things like that. Right now they need income. Goats are very profitable as goat meat is very expensive. Their hope (tumiani) is to become a supply to a place like a restaurant or university — then they would bring the animals to town for holidays like Ramadan and Christmas when goat prices are at a premium. They really have a good plan. They are truly farmers. We will have the chicken farm up and running by the time I leave, but I was hoping Diane could wire $1000 of the benevelonce dollars to begin the goat project. If you heard me discussing the setup for the chickens, it would be similar. We would buy 3 female goats and 1 male goat (10 hens and 1 rooster) for about $20 per goat for each preaching point. Unfortunately I have had to have Richard barter for me as they try to take the wazungu (white person) for they know we bring money. (I had a dickens of a time getting soccer balls for the $10 price we had agreed on.) Feel free not to mention that we have dollars available if anyone wants to buy a goat, we may get better responses in the heat of the moment. This church has nothing!!!! Any donation that comes in could make a huge impact. However as I said I saw nothing but NEED everywhere I looked in the village aand the church. The pastor feels if the people had money (via the animals) they would give most of it to the church.
Re: the chickens — no it is a coop sickness I recall as a child. The folks at Sokoni U have researched it — so we just need to get meds from a vet that can be put in the chickens’ water. Today we are going to a wedding in Image and maybe dinner with Samwel (from the choir-tall and late 50’s) I saw him randomly in Town yesterday. I shrieked, I was so happy to see my rafiki! I'm sure the driver of our car thought I was nuts. I lept out of the car before he had even come to a stop. I also walked to his wife’s bank the other day so I could meet her. She didn’t speak much english though, I’m guessing she does but maybe was shy to use it. Anyway, every minute is packed. As you probably saw, I was up late last night and early this morning as my brain is working double time to figure out how to affect things positively here. Would you call Diane and see if the $ can be wired to the Synod immediately? I really don’t want this to happen on African time. The wet season (the good one) is coming so it would be a great time to get the goats in place plus they are convinced they can be ready as early as Sunday. They said people will put up protective structures for the night time immediately (I didn’t tell them I could get the goats immediately — I told them I would get the chickens, but that I thought I could get the goats soon) They said they will be ready! As I said they were practiccally fainting, shaking their heads in disbelief as we talked. Then the women began to dance and cheer; it was quite an experience. I’m sure I have never seen anyone happier or more grateful. I will close, know that I am thinking of you and praying for Zion.
Amani (peace), Peggy
Email 3
I am thrilled to hear from you [about the goat money]. These people (the Kitepelimwa elders) know what they need and I think we respect that. The only question [folks] may ask you that I can think of other than the shelter for the animals at night (which I addressed in my first e-mail) is the goats forage free-range and do not take any food away from the people. As with the chickens the possible costs would be veterinary — there are not currently any widespread goat diseases and we will be purchasing a type of goat which is strong but a bit more expensive. The additional upside is that this type of goat produces 2 kids at a time!! I will be announcing the goat project at service this morning. I will be preaching on Friendship First — using the story of Mary and Martha and our valentines from God. I must close to allow a few moments for breakfast.
Amani, Peg
Email 4
I could write stories for hours, but we are all sharing one very slow computer. But I will say I have seen Seth, Enoch, Samwell, Ibrahim, Janeth from the [Iringa] choir as well as met many family members. Way cool! Today Seth was walking around the village with his With One Voice (gift from Easter Lutheran [in Eagan]) like it was an autographed copy of the bible with Jesus’s signature!
Take Care, Peg