Tanzania Water Well & Construction Team, September 19, 2009

When Smoke Gets in Your Eyes; Happy Birthday; Visiting Friends; Can We Go To Bed Yet?

I have two dogs. They are cute and friendly but they are barkers. I really don’t like barking dogs. This morning at 4:00 a.m. they woke me up! Actually I was dreaming about their barking and when I fully awakened it was not them but several crows that were caw, caw, cawing. Their cawing continued until 6:00 when it was time to prepare for the day. Half the team was fortunate to have slept through the bird songs but other half was not.

As we gathered downstairs the crows were the first story of the day. Then Mary Ann told of how she remembered Tanzania as it has a wonderful smoky smell. Once you get home you re-enjoy the scent as your clothes have it blended into them. She is right as many people cook over open fires. However, this is also one of the problems in the country as people are cutting down so many trees to create charcoal that deforestation is a significant problem that doesn’t have easy answers. People need to cook and they need to create income. The two are in direct conflict here.

After a breakfast of eggs, toast, tea and coffee we dash to the vehicles and exit the Catholic house at 7:30 a.m. However, this was Saturday, market day, and the roads were more than full. What is typically a few hours’ drive, turned into a four and a half hour trek across East Africa. We did stop along the way and purchase some cashews and soda. The break was good and gave the group a time to sing happy birthday to me. It was wonderful. Hart Morris would have been proud.

Before reaching the seminary, we stopped for a quick visit with Pastor Leonard Mwimbe in Maseyu. He has several ties to Asbury and our short term missionaries. He worked alongside Mike and me in May 2008 during our time here. I was thrilled that he remembered and he gave me a big smile and warm hug. Honestly, this is why I came back. It is not the manual labor we provide but the love we give (receive) that lightens everyone’s heart. We visited for a few minutes and were able to see the pastor’s children, Isaac and Rebeka, who Mike and I got to hold through church service last year. The pastor’s wife fixed tea and shortbread for all of us. It was great to visit, laugh, and enjoy stories from last year.

The seminary is a short drive from Maseyu and we arrived in time for lunch. After unpacking all nine of us loaded into the land rover to head into Morogoro to visit Bishop Mameo. The greetings were warm and personal. Mary Ann and the Bishop enjoyed seeing each other for the first time in a few years. Earl told the story of the families he’d met in Amsterdam and passed on their greetings. The Bishop told us about his friendship with the other Americans and we all enjoyed easy conversation and smiles.

Our group loaded into the land rover and drove into Morogoro for shopping. Bread, eggs, and peanut butter were purchased so we’d have lunch in the field for the first few days of work. We drove past some familiar storefronts, furniture makers, and hardware stores. The city was crowded as a football (soccer to us) match was scheduled for the evening. Robert Spitaleri drove to the lumber yard to determine if they would be open for business on Monday as Ramadan is being observed in this highly Muslim population. No one knew for sure and they stated they’d call Robert on Monday if they would open to make a sale.

The conversation gave Earl and me a few minutes to take pictures of some three story building being constructed. We were most interested in the scaffolding which is simply tree branches laced together with twine. This is also true about their ramps between the floors. It is easy to imaging a wheel barrel crashing through or someone toppling off a non-secured edge of the building.

The short trip back to the seminary was cool as the sky darkened by the clouds rolling over the Uluguro Mountains. Our timing was perfect as we arrived at the seminary just as afternoon tea was being served. Our team sat together and talked of the day and made some plans for communicating with the water well drilling companies and for the next few days. We sat for so long that there was only thirty minutes before dinner and each of us used the time for preparing our room for the duration of our stay.

I am saying a lot about food. Don’t plan on coming here to lose weight. You are fed multiple times on the flights, everyone you meet wants to break bread with you, and the seminary’s schedule of meals and tea times are always precise. So, we learn to eat light as we eat often.

This evening the Asbury team met to pray for our mission, coordinate the distribution of shoes, eye glasses, and kids’ items as well as discuss the upcoming events. Tomorrow’s visit to New Land will allow us to be in their church service and possibly take part in an auction. We also discuss our first thoughts from our journey. John Greenhaw and Alan Roark are excited to be here and have enjoyed the unique experiences from today. Robert Schaffitzel is glad to be back and ready to begin drilling new wells. Earl Stutzman is happy to see progress the country and villages have made since his last trip in 2000. Although Mike Mastraccio has some concerns about the health of family members at home, he and Mary Ann Smith are providing wonderful leadership and enjoying their time reconnecting with the people here. Personally, I’m thrilled to be here and forge deeper relationships with the team members. We are all hoping to achieve the only goal - to show God’s love to our Tanzania brothers and sisters in whatever task He lays out for us.

Again, we ask that you keep us, our families, and our Tanzania friends in your prayers.

And now, after our first day with feet on the ground, we can peacefully enjoy a night of refreshing sleep. (Only nine hours until breakfast!)

By Brett Tabler