Tanzania Construction Team, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2010

Tanzania Construction Team
Sunday September 19

A new day and a chance for another meal. This has been an inside joke for each of the three times I have been here. We are fed breakfast at KKKT and typically get to our first worship or work location by morning tea time which has tea and usually a fried bread or fruit or both. Then after a few hours it is lunch time. Although we don’t often return in time, there is evening tea followed at six by dinner. At evening team meetings someone will break out snacks and we’ll ingest more calories. All-in-all, we eat more here than at home. So, you may read about food quite a bit but just know it is part of the overall experience of being served by loving people in Tanzania. Specifically, in the villages it is how they show their appreciation for our efforts and provides an opportunity for close community – a small group session!

The plan for the day is to attend church at Maseyu with Pastor Mwembe a wonderful man and friend to many of us. I could write many pages about his depth of character, friendly ways, and patience with our lack of language skills, so our going to Maseyu is a treat. At breakfast we learn that Robert will not be able to take us to Maseyu as he must go west and meet with a water well crew. We decide together this is the critical link as the drilling has been in discussion for almost a year and there have been some difficulties in finalizing items. Together we decide Robert, Mike, and Earl will stay at KKKT for service then drive to Ebenezer to discuss the technical details.

God’s plans are always better than our own, especially mine, and today is no exception. Pastor Hafermann tells us his plans have changed for the day also. Instead of his preaching at another village, he has been asked to go to Maseyu. This not only provides the rest of us a ride, but also allows us to have some personal time with Herb. It also relieves us of language worries. So, after breakfast we split up, have two language school students and a young local man join Marilene, Scott, Tonya and me in Herb’s vehicle.

Upon arrival at Maseyu, we receive warm welcomes from Pastor Leonard Mwembe and then his wife Katherine. We are invited into Leonard’s home and visit for a while. We are served tea and Krispi Kreme doughnuts – actually a sweat bread fried biscuit – and talk. It is only at this time I recognize the young man who rode with us. His name is Thomas and has worked on many churches with Asbury and other teams. He was part of Luka’s crew that helped us at Tukamiasasa (Tuka) last year. He is now married, has filled out, muscle not fat, and is changing appearance from boy to man. He laughs as Herb translates how I didn’t recognize him and Herb helps us retell some stories from last year. This sets a good tone as Leonard invites others into his home. Some sit and stay. Some shake our hands and exit. A few are familiar and their faces brighten as they recognize Marilene or me.

The custom of shaking hands may be universal but here, to show honor and respect, the locals will have a slight curtsey or hold their forearm with their left hand as they shake with their right. This is very pleasant and indeed an honor to receive. With a room full of people it takes a few minutes for the elders to shake the hands of all the pastors and visitors. During one exchange, Scott is the last person to be introduced. The elder shakes Scott’s hand but Scott doesn’t let go. He continues to shake the hand then more vigorously then makes his whole body shake. At first the elder is dismayed but somehow Scott has the ability to disarm anyone’s defense mechanisms and the elder catches onto the joke and laughs vigorously. I don’t know what he says to Leonard and Herb but they all laugh cheerfully. This is a sign of things to come as through the week Scott reaches out in humor, song, teaching, and a true loving nature to all with whom he meets.

The service is in an open brick building with tin roof that Asbury helped build. This week it is full and includes 4 choirs from different villages. Two of which are at least an hour’s walk. There are 163 people total, 69 taking communion. This service is also special as there are 3 baptisms one of whom is an adult. All show signs of rejoicing at the baptisms.

The choirs are wonderful and they sing and have some footwork. All their singing is without songbook. We are somewhat prepared as we had practiced two hymns the previous night. We use small songbooks that Scott had prepared and with the two additional students, Michael and Morgan, delivered and underwhelming performance. However, the church members were excited that we participated and encouraged us with their shrill sounds of enjoyment as we sang.

Later we were able to address the congregation and shared how thrilled we were to be with them in their service and how much we appreciate their hospitality. We provide many pictures of Asbury community to them and state that we take pictures here so we can share them with our friends, and pray together for those we have met. We state that it is not important for them to remember us but hope they remember a whole community of Christian brothers and sisters at Asbury love them and pray for them. We asked for their prayers in this spirit. As the pictures are passed out it is obvious they feel the same.

It is a big Sunday. Not only are the pews filled, souls saved, and friends remembered, but there is also an auction. All auctions are fun but those here are memorable for several reasons. First is the items auctioned are provided as offerings to the church. Second as it provides a method to share goods between groups. Third, it is somewhat outrageous as people bait others into bidding higher and literally fan the flames of a bidder. With such a large crowd there are many items to auction and many bidders. We bid on a goat and a local is bidding against us. As the price raises, we’re being fanned to continue bidding. At an appropriate time, Herb who is doing the actual bidding, raises the bid a single thousand shillings which designates we know he was raising the price arbitrarily and we were now finished with our good will bidding. At this sign, there were no more bids and we took ownership of the goat. There is a pig which sells for a high rate and purchased by a Massai woman. Chickens, corn, millet, soap, congas all sell well. We wind up purchasing a chicken and some corn for Luka’s widow. The goat, corn, and some other items we donate back to Pastor Mwembe, and sugar cane which we divide between the choirs. Everyone leaves with a good feeling and many shake our hands and thank us personally as the event comes to a close.

Again we enter Leonard’s home and are served lunch. As we eat we see many people chewing on sugar cane. A bit later we see most of the people being served rice and beans and possibly some fruit. It is an important feast and shows how a few gifts of grain to the church are quickly and joyfully spread among the community.

Even with all this, we return to the KKKT seminary in time for evening tea. The team regroups and Robert tells of the success in discussions with the water drilling crew. He is very pleased with Mike and Earl’s accompaniment as the three were able to ensure all questions were fully addressed and enables Robert to continue the efforts.

After dinner, we have one more event. The team has arranged dessert at the Spitaleri’s home to celebrate my birthday. This is a pleasant surprise and another example of how these short term mission trips turn different groups into strongly bound friends.

A day that started with some confusion and concern closes with rejoicing in being even a small part of sharing God’s grace. How could a day end any better?

Blessings, Brett