Karibu, Friends and Family!

Wow!  What a fun night we had our home last night.  We invited people over to see us and we had about 20 people show up!  It was so nice to see you all and to catch up, and we know there are others we'd love to see who weren't able to make it this time.  We made lots of Christmas cookies had hot apple cider and enjoyed catching up with one another.  Thank you!  We even had one African woman with us - Emelda - who became a friend of Fish Lake Lutheran's several years ago. 

We are enjoying the relaxed time of living and preparing for Christmas.  Trying to decide where to worship on Sundays and for Christmas is a new experience. 

We are excited to spend good quality time with extended family and friends over the holidays and to begin back at Fish Lake Lutheran on January 2. 2013!

We are still without internet at our home, so we are at my brother's now using his!  When we get it at home, we will reflect more on our time in Iringa, our return home, and our expected return to ministry.

Tonight we head out into the cold at the Holidazzle Parade in downtown Mpls.  Not quite the Tanzanian climate we have become used to, but we are hearty Minnesotans and have re-acclamated quite well. 

Have a blessed and a merry Christmas.

Peace and love to you all,

Dale

We're Home!

Well, here we are - home - safe and sound in our cozy little home in snowy, rural MN!

Everything is re-connected except for our internet!  Century Link has NOT been easy to work with for the reconnection - needless to say - after 17 years of being their customers - we are switching our internet and phone service.  So it will be a few days before we get online at home.

So, I will update more about our trip home later - but briefly - it was uneventful - lots of travel - great flights and smooth layover.  We spent the afternoon on layover in Amsterdam visiting the Anne Frank House/Museum.  That was an adventure in and of itself!  See pics on facebook.  It was fun figuring out the Amsterdam public train/tram systerm that brought us from the airport to Central Station in downtown Amsterdam. 

The Anne Frank House was cool.  The kids have read the Diary and were eager to see the House.  A great learning experience for us all.  More thoughts on that to come later.

For now - we would love to see all of you!  I know that's not possible, but for whoever can make it, we are having a little get-to-together at our home tomorrow night (Friday) to catch up with one another in person.  We went to get a christmas tree tonight so at least we'll be a little bit decorated.  We will be making christmas cookies as well, if you'd like to join in.  It will be very casual and a fun opportunity to see some of you.  Come anytime after 6pm.

Until we get internet at home - have a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year.

We'll continue updating our blog until the end of my sabbatical and after my return to Fish Lake Lutheran on January 2.

Missing Africa, but happy to be home.

Dale

Headed Home?

I thought I would share a few thoughts before we headed back to Minnesota. Tonight we had our last dinner with the seven of us: Chips Mayai and pineapple. (FYI- Chips Mayai is a very self-explanatory title for this common Tanzanian dish. "Chips" the word for french fries which are always chunks of potato-no skinny fast food fries here. And eggs-"mayai" So really a fancy word for an omelet.) We used our "number system" for the last time. As you can imagine-it took a long time. After we finished hearing about everyone's day, I asked the group how they might answer the question "What was the best thing about Africa?" Quite expectantly they all gave me looks and groans amounting to "How can I possibly sum up three months of amazing experiences (wonderful and frustrating) into a simple answer?"
It was however a good conversation starter to talk about how far we have come from the thoughts and assumptions we had when we first arrived in Iringa.

For example-you might look back an an early blog Noel wrote about how we went into a restaurant for dinner early in our trip to be each given a different page of a menu with lots of different options. Only to be told when ordering that the options were "Chicken and Rice, Beef and Rice, or Fish and Rice"  Now after three months we don't even ask to see a menu in small, local establishments. We just assume (and usually correctly so) the options are Chicken/Rice and Fish/Rice. Sometimes Beef and Rice and sometimes Ugali instead of rice if you are feeling adventuresome.  No "sinene" or grasshoppers for us.

We then had our last night of milkshakes, made by our own Masaai warrior (Caleb). Now if only we could get him to wear a large plaid cloth as a dress and cute white sandals. He has done a great job making our milkshakes since the place with the Maasi waiter has had a broken down milkshake machine. They tell us it is ordered, we think is somewhere in Dar, which is the standard answer to any question you might ask..."It's coming from Dar."  We toasted the end of our trip with milkshakes.

We then gathered for a time of prayer and communion to close out or trip. We each talked about one person that we met that will be in our prayers. We limited it to one to keep us from going on and on. (Okay, some of us couldn't limit it one, but Annica and I did manage to limit it to just two)  We then prayed for so many of the people we have met who we are leaving a bit of our hearts with and whom remain in ours.

Then we were off to pack and weigh, and readjust and weigh, and repack and weigh again.
Now everyone is asleep, except for me of coarse. It will be an early morning. Dennis will be here around 8am to load the Land Cruiser and try to get most of our luggage strapped onto the roof. (I hope the forecast looks dry!) Then we head down to Dar. We will lose lots of altitude and gain lots of heat. Even though Dar is the center of commerce in Tanzania, no one speaks very highly of it here. It is crowded with traffic, pollution, and heat!! Our flight leaves Dar at midnight and if everything goes well we will spend some time in Amsterdam on our 7 hour layover before our last leg into Minneapolis.

We are excited for friends, family and community in Minnesota. We talked a little bit tonight about culture shock and how it might take us some time to readjust (not just the jet lag). However, we did agree that Tanzania has felt like a second home. We will leave part of who we are here in Iringa with the wonderful people we have meet and hopefully we will bring part of Africa with us to Minnesota. (Although probably not the weather:(

Blessings to all and looking forward to seeing you soon!
Carrie

"Don't Just Do Something. Stand There!"

I have officially finished teaching both of my courses at Tumaini University in Iringa.  All that's left now is to grade their final examinations and to record those grades in the university computer system.  So, this leaves me considering and reflecting about, the past three months.  But before reflecting on the past three months, we must back up a couple years.

Throughout the course of the past two years, I have been trying to prepare myself, my family, and my congregation for this three-month time of sabbatical.

One way I tried to prepare and inform Fish Lake Lutheran, was to provide monthly “Sabbatical Updates” in our church newsletter, The Vine & Branches. 

In July of 2012, I wrote this in my monthly update:
 

“Two oft-quoted sayings continue to come to mind as plans for my sabbatical have taken shape.  The first, articulated in various ways and by various people, “You can’t feed others unless you feed yourself.”  And the second, credited to the famed Major League Baseball second baseman and later, team manager Gene Mauch, “You can’t lead anyone else further than you have gone yourself.”  Both of these quotes are the foundation of the rationale on which I have planned a three-month sabbatical scheduled for fall of 2012 where I will be a pastor and teacher at University College of Tumaini University in Iringa, Tanzania.” 

 

While I understand Gene Mauch’s quote and sentiment was intended for a baseball team, it clearly applies to me and the context in which I and my family are serving.  My wife and I are called to challenge others to step out in faith and to be bold in their convictions and to listen for God’s calling in their lives and to respond accordingly.  But how can we ask of others such obedience and faithfulness to God’s will, if we, are not challenged in the same way? 

 

This sabbatical is an opportunity for us to go to that place where we are calling others to go – a place of faith and trust and adventure – for the sake of Jesus Christ and His life-changing good news.  Russian novelist, Leo Tolstoy said, “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”

To serve in this way will not only be a cross-cultural experience for my family and I, but also for my students.  We will learn from one another as we explore and make known the great mystery of the gospel in ways that will forever be remembered.  This cross-cultural teaching opportunity is my way of changing the world.  But in order to succeed at it, I understand I must also change myself.  I will need to step out in faith and be bold in my convictions while listening to God’s call in my life and respond accordingly.

Serving as a Pastor in the Iringa Diocese, at times, will provide opportunity to simply attend worship, preach the Word, witness faith and experience trust through the eyes of another congregation.  To experience such a seemingly ordinary thing will strengthen, renew, and inspire me as a person, a preacher, a teacher and leader. 

 

And still another important purpose of this time of renewal will be for my family and I to be fed spiritually.  As we immerse ourselves in this experience we will be renewed in our callings to serve, reassured in our awareness of the Holy Spirit, and restored in the weariness that comes from remaining devoted and faithful to such callings. I personally look forward to this because having been the recipient of, and tasted the love, grace and warmth of the African culture before – if even for a short time – surely an extended time with them in their culture of grace, will provide a life-changing experience for my whole family. “

 

As our three-month stay in Iringa comes to an end, I can confidently say that, professionally - as a pastor/teacher - it has met all of my hopes and expectations.  I have gained confidence in my teaching and reassurance in my preaching.  Having preached to people of an entirely different culture with many theological differences, I have been challenged in my choice of words and ideas while proclaiming to them a strong message of grace in the midst of their law-heavy religious culture and tradition.  This, I believe, after being here these three months, has been a message that God has given me and brought me here to proclaim.  I am certain that they have Noticed, Understood, and Remembered (3 goals of effective communication/preaching) this message through my observations and comments shared in various churches and in the classroom. 

As I teach and preach this liberating message of grace and love and forgiveness to a people who so seldom here it, especially explained in a way that they can connect to, I see burdens lifted and hearts softened.  This is good, and has only reinforced my "theological center" of "God loves you just the way you are - but he loves you too much to let you stay that way!"  This is classic law & gospel, and I will continue to proclaim both, with energy, passion and conviction as I return home.

I can also confidently say, that personally - as a husband and father, this time of sabbatical has been fruitful.  It has met my expectations of "providing a life-changing experience for my whole family" while "restoring us in our weariness", and for this, I am extremely grateful.  However, it has exceeded those minimal expectations.  I believe Carrie and I have grown closer as husband and wife - with more quality time spent together simply enjoying one another and our children, as we regularly give thanks for this blessing in our lives (sabbatical). 

I believe our family has been reminded of what's important and what's not, as we have learned to live with out some of our common luxuries (or certain standards of) and expectations that are "givens" at home.  (electricty, water, ice cream, candy bars!)  Without common distractions of home, I have watched my children find wholesome and traditional ways of entertaining themselves.  They (we) have learned new card games (Hearts, Rummy, Speed, Kings in the Corner, Up and Down the River, various forms of Solitaire, Chess, and Checkers).  These are fun ways of spending quality time together that I am grateful to see renewed in our lives.

I can also see how this time of sabbatical has benefited Fish Lake Lutheran Church - as expected.  They have G.R.O.W.n in many ways and have learned to appreciate and experience ministry in their midst with out me or my family present.  I have seen and heard about and read about many ways this has happened, and I am proud of them.  I will write more about this upon my return to ministry after Christmas, when I have the full summary and picture of what God has done in and through them during this time.  But I am thankful for, and proud of, the people of Fish Lake Lutheran Church, based on what I have already observed from a distance - and for Pastor Connie Warner's faithful and strong leadership.

And as we've stated from the beginning - this is "our" sabbatical.  We wanted to include you in on, and share this journey with, all of our friends, our family, and our congregation.  This blog, Skype and our individual facebook updates (and 500+ photos!) have made that possible.  We have cherished your emails and your comments on this blog and facebook that were always fun, informative and full of encouragement, affirmation and support.  We love and give thanks for all of you!

Now as we ready ourselves for our journey home to MN, I look forward to joining you on your journey - your Advent journey.

Needless to say, I am looking forward to a my "sabbath" Christmas this year - not leading, planning, preparing for worship - but only participating in, reflecting on and experiencing worship.  It will be new.  It will be different.  It will be good.  It will be Advent.  This has been an Advent unlike any other Advent I've ever experienced - as I say every year.  This is also true for you.  So reflect on the coming of the Christ Child in your life, in ways you never have before - because even though we "know the end of the story", the story affects us differently and anew each year.  I know this to be true for me and for my family, and I'm certain it's true for you as well.

So today, I leave you with my favorite Advent charge - a play on words of a common, yet urgent charge (Thank you, Pr. Carl Lee).

"Don't just do something.  Stand there."

Safari njema (a blessed journey),

Dale

Thoughts on Sundays and life in Africa from Carrie...

Hello all-

This last Sunday was our last African worship service. Dale preached at a church in Ilambilole, which took us about an hour to get too. We had multiple stops to ask the locals for directions and only half of the trip was on rural, bumpy roads. As we finished our last church trip, I thought I would share with you what a typical Sunday is like for us (at least the ones when Dale preaches.)

Around 7:00 or 7:30 a.m. (depending how far we have to go) we all pile in our trusty Land Cruiser. Either our translator meets us at the apartment or we head out to pick him up on our way to the church.  Then we bump along together looking for the church we are scheduled at that day. This routine is a little different when Dale preached at larger churches in and around Iringa. The large churches have multiple services and, if it could be worked out, Dale would come home between services and pick up the rest of us who didn’t really want to attend multiple services.

9:00 a.m.
We would arrive at the church to be met by the pastor and a group of elders. There would be greetings and introductions and some touring of the church facilities. We would eventually be led into a sitting area (often in the pastor’s house) to be served “tea”. This would always include tea, African coffee (instant) and something to eat. Could be chipate, could be mandazi, could have hard boiled eggs. This last Sunday there was a bowl of noodles. There is always coffee, but when I think about it, I have never noticed an African drinking coffee. There is always warm milk and sugar, which they use in large quantities, but always in tea. 

    A couple quick asides -

1. One strange thing that has happened to my husband while we are here is that he has become quite a tea drinker. He has even started adding milk and sugar to his tea.
2. The first time we had guests for dinner, we forgot to put out sugar for the tea. Thank goodness Flora Illomo was bold enough to ask for some. Now it is on our “list.”

Touring the church agricultural plot

10:00 a.m.
Before worship the pastors will go somewhere…to robe up. Then we will all head to the church. The churches are always full and people have begun singing long before we get there. We will walk in with all the elders and be shown to our seats, always right up front. They will try to seat elders with some English skills near us to intepret what is happening in the service. The liturgy is printed in hymnals that have been recently printed for the Tanzanian Lutheran Church. We are able to bring a few with us and follow along with the hymns and liturgy. It feels like we skip all over in the hymnal, and I always feel like someone who is visiting our church who doesn’t "speak the language" and how they might feel just like I do. There is usually someone constantly whispering page numbers to us or flashing us numbers with their fingers.

The worship service will include:

• hymns
• liturgy
• choirs (usually between 3 and 6 different choirs-which seems like a lot but really the music is the best part of the service-no offense dear :)
• announcements (usually done by the parish secretary who carries a very important looking notebook)
• introductions  -  in which we come forward and Dale shares about where we are from and why we are in Africa. At this point the kids are fervently praying that he or the translator doesn’t ask them to say anything.
• more choirs and singing

Misigwa is a great translator - following all of Dale's intonations and gestures

• sermon  -  Dale’s sermon style has gotten more gregarious (more African) and he is getting good at short sentences and simple wording. We will see if he continues to stop between every phrase/sentence when he is preaching again at home.

• more choirs and singing

Children's choir singing and dancing 

• Offerings - there could two or three offerings. They have boxes or basket in the front and everyone comes forward. If they have nothing to put in the offering, they put their hand in the basket anyway. It is beautiful symbolism of giving to the Lord everything you have, because many really have nothing to give. One offering might be the general offering and the second for the Sunday School, or communion, or other projects the congregation is working on. Some people might bring forward goods of some sort-eggs, produce, ect.
• more choirs and singing
• Eventually we will get to the benediction.  This however, is not the end. We always leave last with the pastors because we will go outside the church for more singing and the auction. Whatever has been brought to the worship service is then auctioned off. Last Sunday someone bought six eggs and then gave them to us as a gift.  At one church they had a goat that they brought out for the auction. They obviously had a set price they wanted for it and when they didn’t get it the goat went back to his pen for another day.  Better to take eggs back to our apartment than a goat.

Gathering outside for auction and final blessing

All in all this runs about 3 hours - although it never seems that long and we always get the comfortable chairs with backs as opposed to the stone benches.

1:00 p.m.
Then we will greet people and head back into the pastor’s house for lunch. This involved a good amount of time for talking and soda or tea. Eventually the pastor’s wife and her helpers will serve us lunch. I have learned to make sure to bring the kids Nooks or books so they can entertain themselves during this social time.

2:30 p.m.
After lunch we will pray together and head home.

3:30 p.m. 
If we are near Iringa it might be closer to 2:30 or 3:00 when we get home.

One thing I have noticed about the many different churches we have visited is that they each have a personality and flavor of its own - much like the US.  The churches in Iringa itself are very different than the rural churches. The biggest one in town, Cathedral, has three services and sticks to a little more of a schedule.  The churches in town tend to have more professionals and a more formal approach. The church in Illula was also big and more formal. This is where the Lutheran hospital is located and I am sure that influences the make-up of the congregation. The rural churches we have gone to will have just one service and will be more free flowing. A couple of theses churches have had members that are HeHe (one of the local tribes with the biggest numbers in this area) dancing and coming up the aisle with bells tied to their ankles and many others will join in. Just like the US, they are also flavored by their clergy. The pastor at Ilambilole last Sunday was very loose. He was cracking jokes during the service (at least I assume so-since everyone laughed) and was dancing HeHe with all the rest of the dancers.

The enthusiastic pastor joining in the HeHe dancing

 So there is a little taste of a Sunday for the Stiles and the Petits in Africa.

A few other thoughts about coming home…

Things I will miss about Africa:

1. The people!! The venders at the market we have made friends with (Mama Idda, Solomon, Duma, Adam, Magnus, and Helena). The friends from Tumainia and those we have meet at Kibebe (many of the English speaking folks here).
2. This will not surprise my family - Stoney Tangawizi. This is a ginger soda (tangawizi meaning ginger) that has an amazing kick to it. US ginger ale will never satisfy again. I knew I really liked ginger before coming to Africa, but the one thing that has changed in my cooking is the abundant use of fresh ginger. Much to Dale’s chagrin (he is not as much of a fan) I think having fresh ginger in the house all the time will now be necissary.
3. The market - not just the people but the wonderful fresh vegetables and fruit. I agree with Tobie and Annica and will very much miss the abundance of wonderful mangos. Also for the social time to chat with the venders and hear their stories.

4. 

   "Christmas Trees" bloom around Christmas

   The flowers! The weather is wonderful and there are so many flowering trees and bushes. I love all the color and have been thankful to get to experience Africa as it turns from the dry to the rainy season. 
5. Family Time: For me one of the greatest gifts of sabbatical has been the time we have had together. Every night, dinner together, around the table. Early in our time we started drawing numbers so that everyone could tell their stories of the day in are orderly fashion. This practice has been in place the whole time we have been here. The numbers are tattered and have a few food stains. Story time begins as we pass the food and if it has been a particularily eventful day it can last long past when the eating is done! Somehow I hope to preserve this time of sharing and listening when we return home. What a blessing!! Even though Dale and Noel have been gone at the University each day, they are still home in the early afternoon and sometime for lunch. The chance each evening to play a game or watch a DVD has also been an incredible blessing. We have made so many memories as we have experienced Africa, but we have also made many memories sitting on the bed laughing and spending time together.

Things I am looking forward to about Minnesota:

1. Snow!!!

2. Consistent electricity, internet, and water.

3. Not having to boil/distill all our water and bleach the fruit and vegetables we aren’t cooking or peeling. It will be very strange to just brush our teeth with water from the faucet.

4. My own bed and no mosquito nets

5. Dairy - while there is boxed milk my picky eaters are not such big fans. I miss my homemade yogurt and ice cream!

Most importantly - seeing all of you! I am very thankful for technology and how we have been able to keep up with so many of our family. Yet, it will be so good to hug you all, to tell our stories, and to catch up on what we have missed.

Dale asked me if this experience has met my expectations. That is hard to answer because I was very specific about not having too many expectations from the beginning. We both had talked a lot about how we wanted to immerse our children in another culture. We wanted to figure out together how a whole different culture (especially in a developing nation) of the world works, how we fit into it, and how God “lives and moves and breathes” in the people there and thus in us. We knew that would happen best if we could live in it and have time to meet people where they are and really get to know them. We knew it would change all of us - but particularly our children and how they look at life and our world. My prayer before we left and continually through these months is “God…do your stuff in us!” I am sure that stuff is many seeds that have been planted in Dale, in our children, in me. It will be exciting to see what grows from them. Annica said to Dale when they were  together bumping up the hill on “13 Speedbump Road” to Iringa Town, “I know I will come back here someday. Maybe in the Peace Corps. I don’t know – but I know I will come back.”

Tobie's Turn

Hi this is Tobie!

I have been very busy. I went to church today. I saw a friend that was a HeHe (a HeHe is a tribe here in Africa). His name is Noah and he is a student of my dad. He rode with us to church and rode home with us. They did a HeHe dance in church with bells and Noah did it with them. He was very good at it. It looks hard. They move their feet by stomping them and we all clap along.

Noah and Pastor Magova HeHe dancing

Last night we went to play Volleyball. This week we played soccer with all the kids that were there. I scored some goals but I think the other team scored more goals.

Me playing football

I have a new friend named Juma that I met at baseketball at the International School. He is from the United States and lives here in Iringa with his mom and dad. He came over to my apartment last week and we played games together. I taught him to play my new favorite game, CLUE. I am really good at figuring out the evidence.

What I will miss from Africa when I go home:

• Mangos
• Going to market and buying pineapple from Duma (the pineapple guy)
• Milkshake Tuesday (but we don't go to the Maasi guy beacuse the milkshake machine is broken)
• New friends
• Geckos in our apartment

Our friendly, gecko friend on our kitchen floor

I am excited to go home:

• Because I want to play in the snow
• To see my dog Casey
• To sleep in my bed
• And bring my elephants home (mommy already packed them)

What I will not miss from Africa when I go home:

• Rice
• Bumpy roads
• Leaky roofs

That is all. 
Tobie

Hi! From Annica!

Hello everyone, it's Annica.

Tanzania is great! We come home very soon, so everyone is inviting us for dinner next week. We only have two dinners at our house! We have been doing this thing I’m sure my mom talked about Focalori.  Sharon and I, and sometimes my dad, have been working with the pre-schoolers. I have loved it, and made a little friend named Salina. She is seven years old but she looks like she is four because she is like three feet tall. She is the smartest in the class, very good at English, and she and I have made friends every week we have been there. And yesterday we went so they could sing for us because Monday was our last day till they are done with Christmas break. They sang and danced and we watched. It was really fun. They had a drum and used it when they sang! When we left, they all left too. They yelled good bye and chased our car and ran with us .It was cool! On the last day we did English with them, we did review. We would bring stuff every week and we would teach it to them in English. So on the last day we brought it all, and they remembered it all! I will miss them.

My students :)

At the ICF (Iringa Christian Fellowship), the English church, I have been helping my new English speaking friend Rachel, with the little kids during church. It's really fun there are always two twin boys who are about three years old and a little girl about two years old and I got to hold a little girl about one year old! Then after that service, we had an advent carol thing where we sang Christmas carols and made advent crafts. It was really cool. I made this weird star thingy that I never thought I would be able to make. It's AWESOME! And they had Screen printing Christmas cards and Christmas tree ornaments they had a big screen on the wall that had the carols on it and someone playing the keyboard. It was really fun!

We are starting to pack lots of stuff and deciding what we need and what we do not! It’s getting crazy around here! I am done with souvenirs I think? :/ So that’s what’s happing here with packing.

Here is what I will miss in Africa, what I will not miss in Africa, and what I am looking forward to in Minnesota.

What I will miss in Africa:
The friends I made here like Salina, Less, Sister, and Esta.  The mangos, Tuesday milkshakes, super cool trees, having people shouting WOZZOONGO at you all the time, safari and cool animals.  These are some of the things I will miss about Africa.

What I will not miss in Africa:
Having people shouting WOZZOONGO at you all the time, speed bumps everywhere (fourteen on one hill - it really gets old!), rice ,chicken and beans for dinner - everywhere you go! I sure am glad that when we are at our house here so we can cook what we want! These are some things I will not miss in Africa.

What I am looking forward to in Minnesota:
SNOW, Casey - my puppy, all my friends there, horseback riding more, my bed, all my family, cereal - not toast for breakfast, and being able to wear pants again whenever I want!  These are some things I am looking forward to in Minnesota.

Yesterday we went to the Orphanage again. When I got out of the car, Less, Sister, and some other kids were yelling "ANNICA! ANNICA! ANNICA!", and came running to the car! I got to see my friend Less that I met last time we went, and Doris ,but always called "Sister", and Esta, who I just met now. I will miss them. They love to draw, like me, so we always draw and sometimes I think they are better than me! This time we brought paper again, like always, but we also brought pipe cleaners which were a hit! Sister and Less made me many things out of pipe cleaners, and then they dressed me in them! Very scratchy! Then we started to draw. They are great drawers! They are better than me drawing many things! So, that being the last time we could visit them, we said good bye.

 

Less and "Sister's" Decorations

Less, "Sister" and me

Yesterday was also my mom’s birthday, so we went to Sai Villa - it’s a restaurant that sells western food that’s very good! So we got ice-cream for dessert and gave her her presents. It was very fun. I think I want to come to Africa for my birthday again.  My, and my mom’s birthdays, in Africa, were great, super fun! It was amazing! The ice-cream at Sai Villa is the best anywhere! It's great! YUM! YUM!

Happy Birthday, Mama!

Bye bye for now. See you soon!

Annica!

Caleb's Adventures

Hey my name is Caleb and I have been in Africa for the past 3 months.

It has been a wonderful experience meeting so many new people and getting to play soccer at Iringa International School and when I am meeting there I can interact with kids my age who know English.

Last Sunday we went to an advent party and made lots of fun crafts like, Danish star things, screen painted Christmas cards, and much more. It was really fun. I talked with some kids who were very interested in American sports. That was fun.

Making Screen Painting Cards

I've got it!

Playing soccer at Kibebe Farm

I love going to play volleyball. I am getting pretty good at it. It took a few weeks to get used to it but I think I got how the points system works now. Last week I kicked the soccer ball around with a couple of kids. They were much better then me.

I can’t believe we only have 1 ½ weeks left till we are back in cold Minnesota. It has been an amazing journey. It will be hard to leave the people here. I will miss playing soccer with the guys here, but I will be happy to be back home. I have learned so many new things and experienced so many things I can’t even express with words.

Caleb    

First Sunday in Advent

Today Advent begins. I preached an Advent sermon today at the Iringa Christian Fellowship.
This is a group of English speakers that live in Iringa (from all over the world) who gather twice a month to worship together in English. I was asked to preach at the service, which was a lot of fun! It made me realize that I am missing that role in my life and will be ready and refreshed to return to ministry.

Today I preached about the Vine and the Branches from John. Not your typical Advent scripture, I know. But, since I got to pick what I wanted : ) It was fun to preach to a whole new group of people, especially focusing on the idea of “Abide in me and my words abide in you.” As we begin a new cycle of the church year, I reflect on how important it is to take this time, to be still and listen to how God calls us to prepare ourselves for the coming of the Christ child. The cycle of life and death, growth and dormancy have come to me in a new way this season.

Each year in Minnesota this cycle has been characterized by fall. The cooling temperature, trees dropping leaves, birds migrating south. Then winter, where the plants are buried in snow (hopefully) and we humans hibernate in our own way. Yet here, 7 degrees south of the equator, the same cycle rings true but in can be seen in a very different way. When we arrived here the dry season was at the end. When we went on Safari there was very little green in the bush, animals were digging and scrounging for water, and a few hardy flowers were all that was to be found.  Although when we arrived in September the Jacaranda Trees were in full bloom-look up the images on Google and you can see why they have planted so many of these trees that bloom at the end of the dry season to usher in the coming of spring. It is now Tanzania’s spring-the coming of the rains and with rains comes green. The mountains have changed color overnight and it has been amazing to watch the transformation.


Gathering for worship at the Iringa Christian Fellowship



As we begin the new church year and begin to prepare our hearts and minds for Christmas it is odd and yet a bit refreshing to try to do it in a country that does not have the shopping malls, endless adds on the TV (remember we don’t even have a TV), and corny songs on the radio (sorry if you are a fan of “Grandma got run over by a Reindeer”). Yet, at the same time we are missing some of our regular Christmas traditions with our family and friends. It will be strange not to worship with our church family on the Wednesday nights in Advent. It was sad to miss the annual Lefsa making with my family after Thanksgiving (hope Stacy didn’t train in her new recruits too well. We all want our rolling, flipping and eating spots back next year).

We have managed to bring a few of our traditions from back home to here in Iringa. One of the traditions that Dale and I started when Caleb was just a toddler was moving the characters from a small nativity set around the house each night before we went to bed. We would talk about how they were journeying to Bethlehem. As the kids grew older we would talk about how they were waiting to get to Bethlehem to see the miracle that happened there…just like we were waiting for the birth of Jesus on Christmas. Last week, when we were talking about Advent-the kids were surprised that I had not thought ahead to bring the nativity with us when I was packing back in September (what was I thinking???). So being the creative group that they are Annica and Tobie created all the characters from the Nativity out of Toilet Paper Tubes, paper, and markers. Caleb used his duct tape expertise to construct a stable out of tubes and a cardboard box. So tonight at our dinner table, we lit the first candle of the advent candles we collected and the kids found places for the different characters to begin their journey to Bethlehem. They even made Noel and Sharon each a sheep to join in the journey.



Mary, Joseph and the donkey on top of a picture frame

 

The Shepherd and the Angel at Target Field



The Three Kings on a very tall giraffe

The Stable in Bethlehem awaiting the arrival of the Savior

We have found these last few weeks to be a strange time. Caleb and I were talking at the end of last week about how normal our life is feeling here.  We have created space in our apartment. We have gotten used to life without things like radio and TV and don’t think about it. We have a routine of school, teaching, market, sports-that brings a certain rhythm to our lives. The rhythm of Minnesota feels very far away. Yet, we talk often about going home. Who we are going to see, what we are going to do, what food we look forward to eating. It is a strange back and forth-knowing we are going to miss so much of what we have discovered about life in Iringa. But also being ready to rediscover through new eyes, our life in Minnesota. It will take a while to process what we have learned.

Part of the reason I haven’t blogged for a while is that I have been trying to put into words some of my thoughts about Tanzania and the amazing people here. I have decided that some of these thoughts will have to wait until I get home. Until I have had time to process and pray. So maybe the blogging won’t end right after we get home. I still feel God has much to teach me.

Blessing to all back home on your Advent journey. May you find a way to "Be Still" and listen. Listen for the sighs of the mother-heavy with child. Listen for the wings of the angels-come to tell the amazing news. Look for the twinkling of star-light glowing brighter to give glory to a baby that will change our world forever.

Carrie

A Day In the Life ...

A typical day for the Stiles' on Sabbatical....

So I got up early and went to the University with Noel.  He had a class.  I did not.  So I spent the morning grading papers for my worship class.  Their assignment was to write about the theology and practice of weddings and funerals, and how weddings and funerals are worship services that are meant to glorify God, not the couple or the deceased.  They are so good at articulating their cultural and spiritual theologies regarding these, and so many other items concerning worship.  I enjoy reading them, and give out probably too many "100"s for grades, but hey, I've been told I'm an easy grader.  But they are so thoughtful and I want them to feel good about their work and thoughts. 

I took a break from grading papers and walked around the campus to snap some photos of the surrounding landscape.  Everything is SO green after the recent rains, and the campus at Tumaini provides some great views of the surrounding highlands.  It's really been a perfect time of year to visit Tanzania.  This period of our sabbatical - Sept. - Dec. - is the usual transition time between the dry (brown) and the rainy (green) season.  It's been cool to see the gradual change in color.

The hills of Iringa surrounding Tumaini University



The campus of Tumaini taken from 4th floor of new Science Building.

After Noel finished class, we packed up our bags and headed home.  It's not at all unusual to get held up by a herd of cattle or chickens crossing the road (no joke!).  Nor is it unusual for donkeys to stand in the middle of the road staring at you, wondering what you're looking at.  On our way home today, we saw these donkeys - not in the road, but grazing happily alongside the road - just outsidse the campus gates. 


On the way home Noel and I stopped to buy our weekly supply of beer and eggs (what a combination!).  This too, is always an adventure.  We buy our eggs from a local farmer (Simon and his wife, Cecilila) and the beer store is in the heart of the market.  Here's Noel at the beer store waiting in line for Africa's finest - Tusker, Serengeti, and Kilimanjaro.

So we got home and I helped Tobie with his math, made lunch (fried rice - my specialty), and played Kings In the Corner and Rummy with Tobie and Annica.  We've learned so many card games while being here!  All part of growing closer as a family and appreciating the time we have together.

Then Tobie, Annica, Caleb and I went to the market to get pineapple, butter, more minutes for my wireless modem (internet), and a few gifts for mama's upcoming birthday (Dec. 6).

We had a great time.  I wonder if the produce people at County Market or Cub back home will give Tobie a free pineapple every time we come in?  I doubt it.  Today, after Duma (the pineapple guy) gave Tobie another free pineapple, Tobie exclaimed proudly, "That's my 6th free pineapple!"  He's right.  But he is always good about saying, "Asante sana!" (Thank you very much!)  Duma loves Tobie.  Most of the vendors do.

Then, on to the Massai Market to shop and visit with our vendor friends, Lydia, Bono, Adan, and Adam.  It's becoming much more about the socializing now, than the actual purchasing.  They no longer beg us to buy from them.  Instead they are now just wanting to visit and ask about how we are doing and how our family is doing and when we go back to America.  I love it.  And yes, we bought a couple more things, and, as usual, Tobie came home with something free (even in the Massai Market!).

Tobie, Lydia (a Lutheran Massai!) and Annica

I am learning my way around the market, but it sure helps to have the kids with me.  They know it far better than I do and they lead me to all the places we need to go.  They would be fine going there and back on their own, but I'm not sure I'm fine with that yet.  The market is really like a zoo!  Tons of people!  Tons of traffic (pedestrians do NOT have the right of way!)  And lots of noise!  But I love it!  Just not sure I want to send the children off in it without an adult yet.

So we got home and relaxed a bit before supper.  Tonight we hosted Rev. Dr. Richard Lubawa and his wife, Dorothy, at our home for supper.  Lubawa is the Assistant Provost (VP) of Tumaini University (former Provost (President).  He has been with the University and with Bega Kwa Bega since their beginnings nearly 15 years ago and has visited the St. Paul Area Synod four times, including a nine month teaching exchange at Luther Seminary.  It was enlightening to hear about Bega Kwa Bega from his perspective and how much he appreciates the Pastor/Teacher Exchange Program that I am participating in.  We are thankful for these times to sit and eat with and get to know our friends and partners in Iringa better.

Our family with Lubawa and his wife, Dorothy

Lubawa, Dorothy and the Petits

Now home to shower, take our malaria meds, vitamins and calcium pills (Tobie disperses them for us), and maybe play a game of Skip Bo, Clue, or Hearts before bed.  Tomorrow we get to sleep in and rest up before another night of intense volleyball with our European friends at Kibebe Farm.

It's hard to believe that we head for home in two weeks - just in time to enjoy Christmas with our families and to switch gears before returning to my ministry at Fish Lake Lutheran.

Advent Blessings to you all, from East Africa!

Dale

Always Advent in Africa

Usually, at this time of the year, I am all jazzed up for Advent - but not this year.

I'm not sure what our Advent season will feel like this year.  I've been wondering that.  Advent is always one of my favorite seasons of the church year.  I think, because like during Lent, our community of faith at Fish Lake Lutheran gathers on Wednesday evenings for a meal and quiet, reflective worship together.  It's a time of year that really brings our congregation together in very good ways.  So I have been thinking how I will miss those worship opportunities.  Not only do they provide a time of G.R.O.W.ing in Relationships, but they also provide me, personally, with an opportunity to prepare my heart and mind for all that awaits us at Christmas.  That time of preparation for me is so important, in order to stay focused and concentrated on "the reason for the season."

What will Advent look like in Africa?

Well, beyond a small Advent craft night at a local cafe', sponsored by a local non-denominational church, that we've been invited to, I'm not sure we are going to feel the full effect or power of Advent this year.  And I've realized that's okay.  Because I've learned a greater lesson about Advent while living here in Iringa the past two months.  And that is - In Africa, it's always Advent!

I've learned, through my times of worshiping with the Tanzanians, and while spending time with students in my classes, and while visiting with other pastors and faculty at the University, that the need for spiritual preparation is not only an Advent message in Africa, but rather, a weekly message!  I like it!

I think we can learn a lot about preparing ourselves for Christmas, for Jesus' second coming, and for each and every day that the Lord blesses us with, from the Africans.  In general, the African churches are pretty law heavy - they focus much on, and emphasize mostly, the law of the Old Testament, leaving not much room for God's grace and mercy and forgiveness.  So, as you can imagine, the feeling that they have to "be ready" (Advent) is pretty significant.

Interestingly, I've learned that in African Lutheran churches, the pastor will announce that "in two weeks (or next week) we will be celebrating Holy Communion during worship.  We are telling you now so that you have time to prepare for this holy sacrament."

Wow!  I think that is so cool!  Can you imagine me saying in church on any given Sunday morning, that we will be communing next week (or in two weeks) and I'm telling you today so that you have adequate time to prepare?  How many of us take the time to prepare to receive God's gift of grace at Holy Communion?

I love the concept of preparing to receive such a gift (Advent).  Your question might be "why?" or "how?" do we prepare?  The same question was asked of John the Baptist as he proclaimed, "Prepare the way of the Lord!"

The Africans believe so much in the sacredness of Holy Communion and respect it a great deal (not that we don't), that they believe they need time to prepare themselves fully to receive it.  This preparation might involve time spent in prayer, devotion, worship, or confession.  Great!

Now, we spend this time in preparation as well, but we do it during the worship service at which we are communing.  Usually at the beginning of a traditional Lutheran worship service we will spend time confessing our sins and hearing God's life-giving words of forgiveness, enabling us to then freely and wholly worship God with pure and clean hearts - including recieving holy communion.  Thus, we too, have prepared.  So, theologically, in this sense, we tend to agree.  However, in practice, we differ.

Although, our theological similarities quickly fade.  The unfortunate part of the African's eucharistic theology is that, on the downside, if you haven't adequately prepared to receive the sacrament, you will not be allowed to participate.  And sadly, the church elders and pastor are able to make this judgement call.

In my worship class, I've had to bite my tongue as a way of respecting the cultural and theological differences, but it doesn't always work and I guess I don't always bite hard enough, because I can't hear that and not share my thoughts (which is fine ultimately, because it's all part of the cross-cultural experience for them -and me).

They will deny the sacrament to a worshipper in their church if that worshiper has publicly sinned or not adequately prepared their hearts to receive it.  I say to that, that is exactly the reason we have the sacrament - because we are not adequately prepared and because we have sinned!  They struggle with that understanding - they believe that we are sinners and that Christ died to save us from our sins, but they also respect the sacrament so much, that they feel a strong need to protect it - from sinners!  Ugh!  Nonetheless, these theological differences are far fewer than our similarities, and they lead to good, thoughtful conversation, learning and reflection.  Such differences exist between our churches at home as well, don't they?

After preaching on Matthew 24 last weekend at Nduli Lutheran, all about the last days and the return of Jesus (Advent!), I realized that I will just begin my Advent preparation early this year.  After all, in Africa - it's always Advent!

Just some random theological thoughts tonight.  All part of the reason I'm here.  It's all good!

Advent blessings to you all,

Dale

Cooking School

Happy Thanksgiving from Tanzania,

One thing I have wanted to do before we leave, is learn about how to cook some of the common East African foods that we have been fed in the time we have been here, but I have no idea how to make. Some of the great skills we have acquired:

Caleb has learned to crack a coconut with a rock and grate it using a coconut chair. Granted, he is not nearly and fast or efficient with the coconut as Miriam (our housekeeper) or Grace (Petit’s housekeeper), but he is much better than any of the rest of us Wazunga’s (white people).

Mandazi  Grace has made mandazi for us a couple times. These are basically donuts made with white bread and fried in oil on the stove. What’s not to like? You will see women with their little kerosene stoves sitting on the edge of the road cooking mandazi in special pans that remind me of an egg poacher and selling them right there in the street. I wonder if that would pass food safety inspections in the US?

 

Caleb and Tobie enjoying Grace's mandazi-ohhhh hot!

Chapati Today was the day for Chapati. Miriam had volunteered to show me how to make this East African Flat bread. It is mostly flour and oil, with a little salt and sugar thrown in.  From what I can tell, it is pretty similar to a tortilla-except a lot more oil.

It was fun to cook with Miriam and learn from her. She was telling me about how her son Abraham knows how to make Chapati and can make beans, ugali and eggs and has supper ready for her when she comes home. I told this to Caleb and he told me to not get any ideas. I am not sure how much she understood, but we did have the universal language of two mother’s laughing together.

Next up is Dale’s favorite-Samosa’s. These are little deep fried triangles containing meat and maybe a few veggies for flavor.

 

Miriam teaching Annica to roll Chapati

 

 

Check out the knife Miriam gave Tobie!!

 

As for Thankgiving: We will be trying to have Thanksgiving, American style with only Tanzanian ingredients.
So-the rolls are made (thanks Grace), two apple pies are made (thanks to Sharon the expert  apple peeler) and Tobie the champion eater. No wonder he is never hungry by the time the meal rolls around he has grazed his way through the kitchen. The chickens are in the fridge thawing. Hopefully all goes well (and by that I mean that we have electricity so it can all be done approximately the same time.)  I asked what was important to each person. For Dale, I couldn’t find all (read-most) of the ingredients needed for corn pudding. So he will have to wait for Christmas to get it. Caleb loves stuffing, and he is please that I can’t find anything resembling celery since he picks it out of the stuffing anyway. Noel wanted pickes, we are hoping Mango pickles will suffice.

Carrie