Random thoughts from Carrie

Today was “Milkshake Tuesday” a highly anticipated holiday in our world. We have located two places that make milkshakes (not to be confused with a Wendy’s Frosty-because they are nowhere near the same phylum). None the less, it is a fun way to get some calcium.

We have finally connected with the women at the Focolare to find out what we could do to work with students on learning English. First, if you have never heard of the Focolare movement-neither had I until arriving here. In short, it is a Catholic movement started during the World War II by a woman in Italy that has a focus on unity and service for women and men. It can be found all over the world. Here in Iringa, one of the many things they do is to work with school children organizing after-school tutoring. It is meant to help children of many ages who come from vulnerable situations and whose families can’t afford to get them help with their studies. We got a tour on Monday and look forward to beginning next week. Stay tuned as we learn more!

I have had a few thoughts on living in Tanzania rolling around in my brain. So if these seem very random-they are. So bear with me…

Diesel: Most vehicles here run on diesel, including ours. Some run on petro (gasoline) but this is less common. Lately there has been a shortage of diesel. Noel has a much more in depth explanation on his blog, but the short of it is that there is a disagreement between the government and the fuel distributers about pricing so the distributers are not …well distributing. Yesterday there was one station with fuel and there were people lined up all around it, with piles of gas cans and cars waiting in line to get in.We don't know how long the diesel lasted, but each perrson was only allowed 4 liters of fuel (about 1 gallon). Sharon, the kids, and I can pretty much get to where we need to go on foot. We took the car to buy groceries yesterday and tried to stock up on the heavier stuff so we wouldn’t have to carry home another day, just in case. Dale and Noel, however have a little farther to go to get to the University. If this continues, they may have to learn how to take the dala dalas.

Lines of cars and people with gas cans

Smells: When we had been in Iringa about a week, and we were out walking around, my mom and I were commenting on how different Africa smells. Not bad smells, just different. A kind of burning smell. The large majority of the people cook over fires and charcoal is the main thing they buy if they live in town and can’t go collecting wood. If you are driving outside of town, it is not uncommen to see women walking with big bundles of sticks on their head. The sticks look like they are twice as tall as they are-sticking out in back and front of them. Also, the spices, trees and flowers are so different than at home. And then there is the ever present smell of diesel from all the vehicles-which might be waning a bit if no one gets any to put in thier vehicle. However, I have noticed the longer we are here, I am less aware of the smells.

Mama: I am Mama to many people and I am getting used to people calling me Mama. This is a term of respect, so people will ask Dale, “How is your Mama?” and they don’t mean his mother. Or they will welcome me by saying, “Karibu! Mama”  (Welcome Mama)  I have however told Dale, “You may only get away with calling me Mama if you were born in Tanzania or I have given birth to you.”

Look left, look right, look….wait!: This habit confuses me every time I try to cross the busy main street. We don’t ever realize how rote it is to look for traffic left, right, left. However, here they are driving on the opposite side of the road and coming from the opposite direction when you cross the street. I can’t seem to remember to look right, left, right before I cross, so I end up looking both ways about 10 times to make sure nothing is coming (also, because they drive fast, the pedestrians do not have the right of way here, and if you get in their way they will definitely lay on their horn)

Prayers for those affected by Hurricane Sandy as they pick up their lives.

Carrie

Baptizing the Board

Grace and Peace!

I had a delightful homiletics class this afternoon.
It began, as always, with a word of prayer ( I love this part!), led by a different student each time.  They always pray for each other, for their country, for me (as their instructor), for my family, and for my congregation back home in Minnesota.

Today's lesson was about the use of Imagery, Illustration, and Imagination in sermons, and how the use of these can often help engage the listeners and help them apply the lesson of the day to their lives.  (Think Resurrection = Butterfly)

They were having a difficult time understanding the concept of Imagery, Imagination, and Illustration and what I meant in my explanations and descriptions given.  I was trying to help them, the best I could, to understand how to "draw a mental picture", with words (Word Picture), for the listeners, of an idea or concept or lesson they want to teach.  We finally found a phrase in Swahili that helped them understand -"lungha ya picha" - lungha meaning "language" and picha meaning "picture".  Perfect!  Language Picture - Word Picture - this was probably as close I would get, so I went with it.

So, to demonstrate, I tried to use "lungha ya picha" to explain Holy Baptism.  I tried to draw a mental picture of baptism for them, using a word picture.

So, as I've done many times in my youth bible studies over the years, I compared Holy Baptism to a chalkboard, and how Jesus is the eraser.  I even have a chalkboard, which by this time in the lecture, was pretty filled up with my chicken scratch!  So I told them that my words on the chalkboard represented my sins, and that, just like what happens in Holy Baptism, Jesus (the eraser) erases (washes away) my sins.  And then, of course I demonstrated by erasing the entire chalkboard.

I wasn't entirely sure if they understood, given the looks on their faces, but I pressed on with my lecture and we all seemed to have a good time despite the gap in communication.  Until ...

... at the end of class, when we closed in prayer and the students all packed up their bags to leave, one older student, Nazareth, came up to my desk, grabbed the eraser, and exclaimed proudly, "Teacher!  I am going to baptize the board for you!"

We both laughed out loud, shook hands and hugged, because Nazareth understood!  I replied, "Yes, Nazareth!  You may baptize the board!"

And Nazareth (like Jesus), wiped it clean!

Bwana Jesu Asifiwe!  (Praise the Lord!)
Amen!

Rains and Youth Workers

Today, we were invited by Pastor Kinyoa to come to Kihesa Lutheran to see the Compassion Kids that gather at the Life Skills Center each Saturday (about 270 we were told.)

Part of the joy in Africa is meeting people and finding out about their lives and the way Christ is working-never knowing quite what you are getting into. Today was another one of those days. (Hmmmm, the last day like this was the Sending Service of Pastor Koko’s daughter, also at Kihesa. ) We arrived at Kihesa about 1:30pm. The sky had been looking cloudy off and on all day. Rain had been predicted for yesterday and today. Yesterday, nothing came. So I wasn’t really expecting too much today, although we haven’t had rain since September 29^th, and on average there are  4 days of rain in October.

As we drove up the hill to Kihesa, the drops started hitting our car. Turning toward the church, we could see many children, all dressed in the same school uniforms. They were just starting to gather under the large eaves around the church. Eventually we were directed upstairs to Shem’s office. Shem has been around Kihesa for a long time. He even remembers my sister Melissa from 2002. Shem looks pretty young, so I am not sure how old he was then but now he is the Youth Director. He coordinates the Life Skills Center and Christian Education programs for Youth. It was very fun to compare notes on confirmation and Christian Education. The youth here only go to confirmation for one year-but they go three days a week: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. Then they move up into the Youth program.

As we sat in Shem’s office, the rain kept pouring down outside. It was amazing to see the town of Iringa, get bathed in water. Kihesa sits up on a hill, so we got to look down on much of Iringa, foggy and wet, taking in the moisture. Soon Shem brought in Subira to meet us. Subira is the social worker for the Compassion Program, which soon became apparent, was Compassion International. I don’t know how many Youth events/concerts/conventions I have been at with a Compassion International booth. It was so amazing to get to see it in action.

Subira’s job as the social worker is to oversee and keep up with the details of all the kids in the program. Most kids have a sponsor - 182 from the US, the rest from a variety of other countries (including a few from Cuba???) Subira oversees the Saturday program (and the 12 leaders who help run the program). The kids were being fed a meal when we left about 3:30pm. When Subira took us to her office we could see shelves of binders, each with a number on it. Each kid has a binder. Her record keeping is amazing. No computer, no typewriter. The kids will write letters to their sponsors on one form (different forms for different ages of kids.) Then she meticulously copies it twice. Once to put in their folder. Once to send to the headquarters in Arusha, to be translated before being mailed to the sponsors. There are also pictures taped inside the folder. One for each year to see how they grow.

Subira explaining the Compassion files

Subira does many home visits during the week. Most of the children are orphans living with other relatives, living with a single parent, or in some sort of situation that makes them vulnerable. It is Subira’s job to keep up on transitions in their living/schooling situation. I am sure this is not an easy job.

Subira explained that there are two other people on staff: a health worker and one other position I didn’t really understand. They are overseen by committee’s - mostly from the church I think? Subira was a young woman from the general Iringa area. I was impressed with Compassion for hiring someone from the area who would know and understand the culture and the community and it's needs.

Subira and me

I really enjoyed getting to know both Shem and Subira and am looking forward to going back. They have welcomed us back any Saturday. They play games and do crafts with the kids. They would welcome us helping them with English.

While Noel might feel right at home in the academic community at Tumaini, and for Dale worship and preaching is where he thrives: the chance to talk to Shem and hear about the work Subira and her crew are doing is right up my alley.  Not to mention that both Shem and Subira had great senses of humor. Maybe I will share my match-making thoughts in a further blog…

The other amazing thing about today was the rain. It rained for a good hour and quite hard. Sharon commented at supper, that considering how dry Minnesota was before we left, it was hard to remember when we have experienced so much rain. It makes the whole city of Iringa look different - wet roads, wet and shiny metal roofs on buildings. One of the things about being here for three months that I was looking forward to was watching the transition from dry season “yellow season” toward the rainy season” green season”. Shem asked us today if we have a rainy season in MN. We tried to explain winter. We have heard that these last few months of the yellow season are emotionally the hardest for people (and  animals) as they await the growth that will come with the rains. Maybe somewhat like the cold and darkness of our January and February.

Here is a picture of Tobie outside of our apartment by the drainage ditch we have been jumping over for a month now. It was fun to see the ditch with some water in it. Stay tuned for more pictures as we get more rains. Maybe the deep ditches will fill up!?

"Hey Look!  Water!"

Annica's Adventures - Continued!

Hello everyone this is Annica. Lots has happened here and it sounds like there is lots happening in Minnesota too, like some snow, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and all the trees changing colors. Here we are always looking for things to do and so we heard about something called Kibebe Farm. Where every Saturday in the afternoon they have anyone who wants to come play volleyball at their farm. And they have a very large cow milking system where they milk a ton of cows that know their name, where to go and who their milkier is. They milk them twice a day. My favorite part was that they also have HORSES! They have lots, they ride them, and they have a daughter my age that would ride with me, so exited! I did not think I would see any horses this whole trip but here I am getting to ride! I have missed it! It is a very nice farm with many animals and a very large garden and very green. They water most of it and an amazing house! It was really cool and we hope to go back most Saturdays.

"Farasi" in Africa

Now that we are all settled in it’s not as crazy but not as much fun like safari, Zanzibar and stuff like that. I really like to have Kibebe farm and some horses around. Life is pretty normal, some fun things here and there but pretty normal. We are glad for email, Facebook, Skype and this blog.

We have fun trips to the market two or three times a week, it’s very different but very fun!

And Africa all together is very different but very fun. I love how we are in the middle of the city, but we see a million stars at night it’s really cool.

Just yesterday we went to a zoo type of thing with ostriches, monkeys, snakes, birds and more. Well, when we were watching the yellow baboons, one of them jumped at the chicken wire fence and with its long arms and grabbed my sunglasses right off my face! It was scary! I got my sunglasses back after the baboon chewed on them, yuck! I think he liked them, but it was pretty funny!

Annica's sunglasses thief

Hope you all like reading this. We do not have ton and tons to write about, but there is always something!

Bye from Annica

You Preach Like an African!

"You preach like an African!"

This was told to me after preaching at Mkimbizi Lutheran Church this past Sunday, and again, after preaching at chapel at Tumaini on Monday.

To me, this a compliment.  What it says about me is that I show passion and excitement and interest in what I am preaching.  I've been told this before at Fish Lake Lutheran, but never compared to "an African" within the African church and context.

This is part of why I am on sabbatical - to be renewed in my passion for ministry - especially preaching - and that is exactly what is happening.  Yeah, God!

And not only am I being renewed when I preach in various African churches, but I also am renewed in my teaching of preaching (homiletics) at the university.

I have five excited and passionate African students, who vary in age and experience, but who are in love with Jesus and His Word and are eager to tell about it.  Even as I teach them about the need to be passionate about what they preach, and about the need to interpret and study the Word faithfully, and about the need to present it to their people in a way that is relevant and applicable, I too, am being reminded of all these key homiletical "tools of the trade." 

For example, yesterday in class we covered the homiletical concept of the importance of preaching both law AND gospel in our traditional Lutheran sermons.  This is an important topic when teaching preaching, because discerning and understanding the law and the gospel is a critical skill for all Christians, but a hallmark of Lutheranism.  And yet, traditionally, and culturally, African Lutherans tend to lean more heavily on the Law (Old Testament) and the hard teachings of Jesus - thus building up the guilt and the shame that we are plenty good at building up on our own.

So, when teaching this concept of Jesus and his grace and how the gospel brings us sinners His mercy and love and forgiveness, I saw the light go on in their faces.  I saw Yuster and Solomon, and Nazareth and Thomas, and Dianes all get even more excited to preach - the gospel!

So you can imagine how thrilled I was when, this morning, one of the young ladies in my class, Yuster, tracked me down on campus after she preached in chapel.  Excitedly, she exclaimed, "Teacher!  Teacher!  I preached the law AND the gospel!" 

This made my day, if not my whole sabbatical.  She got it.

I hope I can continue to "preach like an African", or if not, at least like Yuster.

"The Law tells us about our need of a Savior.  The Gospel tells us about the Savior that we need."

In Christ,
Dale

Abraham, Mercy and Other New Friends

We have been enjoying our time with the people of Africa immensely. On Friday Miriam, our housekeeper brought her two children with her. I think they had the day off school, but I can't be sure she didn't bring them to have us meet them and play with our kids.

Abraham is Kumi na moja (11) and Mercy is Tano (5). They spoke no English so the language barrier was pretty large. Annica and Marcy did manage some good play time with Annica's Barbie's and American girl doll, Jordan. Tobie and Abraham spent a lot of time playing with games on the Nook and also some "football" outside. There is only a small patch of grass for games, and if they try to play in the parking lot, the guards ask them to move. So the football only lasts so long. We did manage to teach them UNO, although I suspect Abraham has played before. It was fun to use our Swahili for numbers and colors. Although we were not sure how to say "Draw Two" in Swahili.

While it was a very fun day, but both Sharon and I have found that the communication piece when Mariam and Grace (the housekeeper at her apartment) are around all day is exhausting. I think the kids were pretty tired out Friday night too.


Tobie, Abraham, Mercy and Annica

So two different events of this week-end were a nice break for us. First-Saturday night we went to a farm that has Volleyball and tea each Saturday afternoon about 4pm. Our friend, Maragi had said to call him anytime we wanted to check it out. With little going on Sat, this seemed like a good time. When we got there people were very welcoming. Maragi said that you never know how many people will be there and who will be there. While many Tanzanians are known to come, this night it was mostly white people living in Tanzania but with ties all over the world. So all around us we heard English being spoken (Mostly in British and Australian accents-but English none the less.) Tobie and Caleb enjoyed the Volleyball and the chance for some physical activity. Annica discovered horses and possibly the chance to ride a few times when we are here (although they only have one Western saddle that they are not sure if it fits on a horse. She might get to try some English riding) I got a chance to meet some more women from the area. Their kids are all in the International School which has a week off this week, so we got in on a plan to go to the local animal farm/zoo on Tuesday as an outing!
 

Farasi!!

This Sunday morning, Dale preached a Mkimbizi. A church just outside of Iringa. He left at 6:15 to pick up his interpreter and make the first service. No one in our party was interested in joining him that early and it was too far for him to come back and get us. This made it a great opportunity for us to go the International Christian Fellowship church that has English services 2 Sundays a month. I really love listening to amazing singing of the African people and choirs at all the churches we have been to, but it was good for my soul to have a chance to sing some songs in our native tongue-a little Chris Tomlin and "Lord I Lift Your Name on High". Also good to sing with a guitar. I realized I really miss hearing/and singing to my husband playing:) Again, this was a good opportunity to meet more "foreigners" like us. Many of the people there are involved in different ministry/mission opportunities in or near Iringa.

Then Sharon and I had out first "hostessing" event when Pastor Ilomo, his wife Flora, and son Eric came over for dinner. Pastor Ilomo had been in St. Paul teaching at Luther Seminary last year and he came up to Fish Lake to preach and we got to spend some time with him. Although Noel and Dale have seen him many times on campus, it was fun for us to meet some of his family and get reacquainted again. When all was done, Sharon and I thought we did pretty good for our first time. (Although we forgot that most Africans use heaping spoonfuls of sugar in their coffee and tea. We will be better about it next time.)

T.I.A.

Okay, so here's the deal.  Since being in Tanzania for a month and at Tumaini University now for two weeks, I have learned a new mathematical equation.  It is as follows:

5 + 20 + 5 + 0 = 21

I know what you're thinking - that I must have inadvertantly wandered into Dr. Petits Discrete Structures course - okay, maybe you weren't thinking that - but seriously, that course makes about as much sense to me as the mathematical equation I've shown you does!  Allow me to explain.

First of all, you must know and understand the initials, T.I.A.

Upon our arrival in Iringa, one of the very first things Pr. Tom Nielson shared with us as our Bega Kwa Bega host, was this, "Remember, T.I.A.", which means "This Is Africa".  Those initials have since been used and understood many a time throughout our adventures in and around Iringa.

But now, back to my attempt at understanding Discrete Mathematics - or at least my version of it.

As you know, my initial and primary purpose for spending three months in Iringa was to teach as part of the St. Paul Synod Pastor/Teacher Exchange program through the organization, Bega Kwa Bega.

So, I am here and happily teaching one of my two courses, Homiletics (Preaching), to five energetic and excited third year students who are studying to continue on as ordained pastors.  They love my enthusiasm for preaching and passion for the gospel and I enjoy seeing their smiles and eyes light up as I speak to them about the honor and privilege that we have as pastors to tell about Jesus and his love to people week after week in our churches.  They will be outstanding proclaimers of the Word!

However, my second course, and the one of which I spent the most time preparing for - Introduction of the New Testament - has not quite gone as planned.  Again, allow me to explain.

Today marks the completion of the second full week of classes at Tumaini Univeristy and Iringa University College.  I should have had four class sessions already with my New Testament students.  I have had none.

Here's where the math comes in.

I was told prior to classes beginning that I would have 5 students in both of my classes.  I have five in Homiletics, for which I am grateful.  I have not seen any of the 5 in New Testament.

After the first and second sessions of no-show New Testament students, I was told by the Dean of the Theology Department that he had been in contact with one of the students and that they would all be there the next morning at my third scheduled 8:00am course - all 20 of them!

20?!  I only prepared for and made copies for 5!  That's okay, T.I.A., I kept telling myself!  Plus, one of my top five Strengthfinders is Adaptability!  I can do this!  So I begin to plan for 20 students the following morning. 

I arrive bright and early for Tea in my office the next morning, before heading off to greet my 20 students who I assume are excited to begin their study of the New Testament.  I arrive in my classroom twenty minutes early to get the room all set up and write down all the necessary introductory information about myself and the course on the blackboard.  8:00am - no students.  8:15am - no students.  8:30am - no students.  8:45am - back in my office trying to figure out where all my students are.

When I seek answers to such questions, the Former Dean of the Department informs me that I do not have 20 students, but rather only 5, and that they are on campus and should be there for my next scheduled class.  So I'm back to 5 students.  Remember, I had another 15 copies of handouts made for my "20" students and now the department copy machine is on the fritz and I am feeling responsible, but I don't say anything :(  T.I.A.

So, I prepare again for my 5 students - I have never been so prepared for anything!!
I arrive at my fourth scheduled class for New Testament - am much more brief with my introductory comments about myself and the course on the blackboard, thinking that there is a chance that no one will show up this time either.  I was right to be brief - I should have saved the chalk - no students showed.

Now I go back to the Dean and find out the unfortunate news that the five students enrolled for the Bachelor of Divinty Degree that I have been waiting to meet for two weeks, are not on campus, and will not be coming to campus.  For various reasons, mostly financial we believe, these students, though accepted and enrolled, cannot afford to pay the tuition required before studies can begin.  So now, I realize that I am down to 0 students for the course, which means, the Dean informs me, that the course will no longer be offered.

I realize quickly that I didn't come all the way to Africa to teach only one 3 hour course in Homiletics to only 5 students for three months, so I begin asking about other courses that I could teach or co-teach with another faculty member.  The Dean sees nothing that he thinks would work and encourages me to enjoy my light timetable.  I seek out another faculty member in the Theology Dept. who I know is carrying a heavy course load (10 courses!) and offer my help.  He too, is teaching a Homiletics course that I think I could take from him and possibly combine with mine.  He chooses to keep his course but does offer me another - Introduction to Christian Worship.  Which I said "Yes" to immediately because that was one of the courses I initially requested to teach last summer and wasn't granted!  The course only meets once/week for two hours.  So it still leaves me with a relatively light timetable (schedule), but I'll take it.  Plus - now here comes the sum of my mathematical equation - the course (Worship) has 21 students who have already met once, so I can be pretty sure that they will all show up again next week!

So, as you can see, I went from having 5 students, to 20, back to 5, to 0, and eventually to having 21.  Remember, as I do every day - T.I.A!

Seriously, however, I really do appreciate that "This Is Africa"!  I love that their pace of life and living is so relaxed and less stressful.  I love that they put the ketchup in the yellow bottle and the mustard in the red bottle.  I love that if you forget to get your change from the cashier at the local cafe' one day, they will subtract it from your bill the next day.  I love that a traditional Massai man, in full Massai outfit (including sword) makes and serve me my banana milkshake in a small, local internet cafe' every Tuesday.  I love that gas station attendants shake the vehicles back and forth while filling them with gas (for what reason I can't figure out yet).  I love that little African women sweep the gutters and drainage ditches every morning and burn the little piles of leaves and rubbish that they collect, filling the air with haze and smoke that reminds me of Fall in MN.  I love that wherever we walk or drive, people recognize us and holler out to us their greetings (sometimes with hugs and kisses) like we've been lifelong friends.  I love that, as a pastor, and a pastor's family, I, and we, are greeted with and treated with such utmost respect and reverence.  Not that I need that, but it does feel good and I realize the importance of and the significance of the office of pastor in this country, unlike I've realized it or felt it back home.  I love that I've discovered what the Body of Christ truly feels like - broad, wide, far-reaching, diverse, powerful - and that my ministry and leadership style will from now on, reflect this learning.

Yes, T.I.A.  This Is Africa.  And I love it!

Now, let's just hope that my 21 students show up for my Worship class on Tuesday!
I'll keep you posted.

Peace and Grace and Love to you all,
Dale