Memories of the Tanzania Trip - Fall, 2002

I experienced the trip of my lifetime when I traveled to the Dodoma Diocese in Tanzania this fall. Originally, when I signed up for the trip, I wanted to go and be a part of their Women's Convention. But then in talking with my Pastor, we thought it would be a good time to be assigned a partner parish so I could meet them personally and begin our relationship. Since the visits to the partner parishes and the convention were scheduled for the same time, I was only able to attend one day of the women's meetings which I enjoyed very much.

However, the highlight of the trip for me was my stay in the Village of Kinusi with the people from Kinusi Lutheran Church. This village is at the southeastern most part of Dodoma Province in the valley of the Rubeho Mountain Range. It is a very beautiful area but very remote. It is 32 miles from Kabakwe and another 30 miles from Mpwapwa where the nearest hospital is. It takes about 3 hours to travel this distance over very rough tracks and minor roads.

My home for three nights and two days was the two room house the Evangelist lives in. During that time Evangelist Sostenes stayed with a member of the church. We (usually my interpreter, the Evangelist, and two or three other men from the church) had all our meals in "my kitchen." The women prepared the meals on an open wood fire outside and they and the children would eat after we had finished.

We went on a journey so they could show me all the important places of the village. I saw the primary school which is not nearly large enough for the 915 students who go there. I saw the dispensary and clinic which are so very primitive and always in need of more drugs and medicines and medical supplies.

In addition to the Lutheran Church, there is a Pentecostal Church, a Roman Catholic Church, and an Apostolic Church. They have done many things to help the villagers and one of those things was to establish an irrigation system so that they can grow crops year around. I saw the lush, green vegetables in this area.

Saturday afternoon we went for a walk through the village which was so enjoyable. There are no streets as we know them. Wherever they see a spot they would like to build a house, that's where they build it, out of bricks they make themselves. They raise cows, goats, chickens and pigs for food and grow plenty of vegetables. Food is not a problem in Tanzania; getting their crops to market to sell them is the problem.

Wherever I went, there was always a large group of children following and they love to have their pictures taken. When I would come out of my house, there were all these big eyes and smiling faces watching me. I thought that was so strange until realized that they probably had never seen a white person before. It had been seven years since the Catholic nuns had left. So here was this person with skin a different color than theirs and white hair. Many times when I shook their hands, they would look at their hands, I think to see if the white had rubbed off on them.

Kinusi Lutheran is only 2 years old and I worshiped in their new church which still needs to be finished. I couldn't understand what they were singing or saying but I knew we were worshiping the same God. They presented me with a gown which was put on me and I truly felt that I was part of their community.

There are so many more things I could share with you about my time in Tanzania. it was hard living in the conditions in Kinusi. Tears have come many times when I think about my brothers and sisters there. And, yes, my stomach was in knots the whole time I was there. Would I do it again? You bet your bottom dollar I would. The bond of Christian love that was made between us makes it worth every minute of my time there. ! can't explain the connectedness I feel with the people of Kinusi except that it is the Holy Spirit working in their hearts and mine. I thank God for the privilege of this opportunity to visit Tanzania and the experiences I had.