Tanzania Medical Team, Sun., June 22, 2008

Sunday Afternoon Tea Time

I just finished my instant coffee with hot milk and a little sugar...I was off caffeine, but this is so good, it is worth getting hooked again.

Today we went to a village (I don't remember the name, has an L in it) in a church that was in the "bush". The road was bumpy and single lane and seems like they put some dirt with lots of clay in it, cause it is slippery when wet!!! We walked up about 10 minutes to the church. It is one of the most beautiful churches I have ever seen or been to. The people, remember, are the church! Wow! So beautiful, happy colorful. Mostly children and women at church. I loved the acapella singing, it is the kind of church music that you know in your heart, no matter what language it is in. You can harmonize and sing with it with no hymnal or words. The women do this high pitched trill...I thought you had to be a special member of the church to get to do it... the service was long...you can not believe how perfect the kids were...not one peep and the babies were quiet too. The children sang and I had to go around the side and peek in to take pictures. You will fall in love with the faces of all. I had a sweet little girl in my lap for the service. Of course the auction was after the service. I think it was smaller than when Tom was here...guess they didn't know how special we all are. Well, there were oranges, bananas, sugar cane, tomatoes, passion fruit, coconuts, sweet potatoes, a long parsnip root, and some conga cloth and maybe some other fruit that I don't know what it is. It was fun to bid and buy (you know I like that)...I tried to represent Asbury well!!! We ended with a big circle and prayer outside, shared as much of our purchases as we could. I gave my conga cloth to the mother of the little girl that was sitting in my lap. I hope we all weren't just sitting there in awe of it all, but it was absolutely awesome and like no other experience I have ever had in my 29 years of life!!!

The seminary is in the most beautiful setting...I said it is like a fairytale, national geographic paradise world. The trees are beautiful, big and green, big leaves, every color of green. Quartz on the ground here and there. Bugs big colorful, ivy growing up trees with leaves the size of 12"x12". The flowers on campus are brighter than ever...the noises the birds, bats, crickets & grasshoppers seem more crisp than I have ever heard. The stars at night are big and bright! You can see forever . The mountain setting is so beautiful...we walked to an orphanage the other day and the walk was worth the whole trip. I have seen fields of sunflowers, corn, rice, bananas, seaseme seeds (I did not know what those were), coconuts, teak, papayas I think and other things. I have not seen any bull neddle or poison ivy.

We are anxious to do our clinic...I feel like I have been on a vacation of the best kind. I am ready to serve... I am so grateful for the opportunity of this trip. Thank you. I could get used to this Tanzania time!!!

From Ruthie