Ellen the Brave Beats the Baboon Burgler Back with a Pack. Huzzah!

View of two not so wild animals and the Tarengire Conservation Area

Chip Chump at Ongorongoro

Maasai Mamas

We sat together in the preschool, worn benches resting on dirt floor, the tin roof shading us from the sun. In the small room we could hardly have been closer; culturally, we could hardly have been further apart. On our third visit to Losimingori, a Maasai village not far from Arusha, I had requested that there be an opportunity for me to meet with the women and here we were. I was thrilled.

On our initial visit, the women had been a quiet backdrop to the warm and welcoming meeting Tim and I had with two elder brothers of Tim's university student, Wilson. It was a meeting I will never forget - Tim and I sat inside the round thatched hut, listening, sharing tea together, watching their eyes, earnest and full of the dream of having a secondary school for their children. On our next visit, we met briefly with a larger group of elders who pointed across a long low valley to the opposite hillside where they had set aside land for a school. We were accompanied by Angelika, a German nurse who has lived in Tanzania and worked with the Maasai for 28 years, and has established two schools. Fluent in Swahili, conversant in Maa (the language of the Maasai), with a rough and ready friendliness, Angelika builds bridges wherever she goes. We ended our visit with laughter and smiles as she let loose with a traditional Maasai "yeeeeow!!". She brought the house down. It was fabulous. I still hadn't really met any village women much less talked with one.

But this third visit I had made a point of inviting a female interpreter, Wilson's wife, Rosey, who is a rare example of an educated Maasai woman. And I had made a point of requesting to meet with some of the village women. And here we were, all of us daughters, sisters, mothers - much the same, worlds apart. I asked them the same questions we had asked the men. What did they want for their community? Why? What changes did they hope would come to the community? I cared very deeply to know what they would say.

I was surprised to hear that, as much as they wanted a school, they wanted a church more. They wanted "good things to start happening" in their community. I know the momentum is for building a school. I also know there are already two churches that are not too far away. I know I don't fully understand, so there are more questions I will ask the next time we meet.

As for a secondary school, yes, the women want one. One of their first questions to me was whether girls would be allowed to attend. (The question itself speaks volumes, doesn't it?) When I asked them what changes they hope a school would bring, two women spoke for the group saying, "We have no voice in our community. We want to have a voice, we want to be part of making decisions. Right now only the men have a voice." They wanted their 14 and 15 year old daughters to have choices in marriage. They wanted their children to be able to earn a living for themselves.

These women know what they want.

After our talk, they led in a prayer, then we stood outside talking, waiting for the men to finish meeting. They wondered about my hair. Was the black thing (my scarf) part of my hair? I took it off and shook my hair out for them to see. We talked jewelry (the Maasai men and women make fine, colorful beaded jewelry), we talked children, we talked about my next visit. When they heard our three children were grown, one of the women offered me one of hers. (I know, I know.) I could see her intent was one of generosity within the culture that is hers.

In case you're wondering, I didn't accept.

(-:  We're not in Kansas anymore, Toto.

I can't express what a privilege it is for me to have met the people of this community. I am grateful beyond words.

Intrepid Explorers

Eating in Africa. Second Edition........ Did you know that it is a quite common and socially supported practice to go without lunch? This idea is regarded as the norm and Africans are quite calm about the whole thing, as opposed to the view of this American who was raised with the idea of "three square meals per day" as being the only way to live. In fact, I'm beginning to understand that in eating three full meals a day (not to mention after school snacks, mid morning coffee, "elevensies"; afternoon tea; midnight sandwiches) , we Westerners are viewed as overdoing it a bit. The word gluttony comes to mind... but no one has come out and said it.  People here are too polite.... I think I'll go see what's in the fridge.....   (-:                                                     

Supply Train 2

Thanks Gert, Anne, Jeff, Mark, and Nick for making it all the way to the other side of the planet to visit us and replenish our supply of cheesecake. Okay, so maybe you had other reasons to come her as well. For example Dr. Gert Keiper conducted a reading workshop at a primary school; Anne gave a workshop to teachers of the Deaf; Nick and the rest of us visited a Compassion International home for teens off the street; Mark donated his shoes to a worthy recipient (still unknown); and Jeff provided running commentary during the Cheetah vs Hyena standoff. (Did you know hyenas will follow cheetahs around hoping to feast off of one of their kills? Did you know cheetahs won't eat meat that has been touched by any other bird or animal... including hyenas? Did any of us have any idea that hyenas were as smart as they are ugly?) What a great visit. We even got a peak at the preliminary games of Grandma vs. Snoozing Lions outside of the latrines marked "Diabled Gents".  No end to the excitement here.  (-:

My brother Dave and my sister-in-law Ellen arrived a couple of days ago. Their smiling faces are a blessing to us. Plus! They came rolling in with the supply train. yes. Brownie mixes, cheesecake mixes, extra Airborne, a couple of good DVDs and childrens books for the library project. Oh. We are in heaven.

As you would expect, there is quite a bit of sadness to struggle with here when we see people we are fond of and respect living in distressing situations. Poverty, sickness, lack of opportunity for example. People in these situations have as many responses as there are colors in the rainbow: determination, courage, anger, heartfelt prayer, discouragement, hope, despair, strength, bitterness. Some doggedly search out the tiniest of opportunities with a patience that is beyond me. Sometimes we are seen as that opportunity. Consider this saying -  "Wazungu (whites) are like a river. You can dip your bucket in and take water from it, but it isn't diminished. It just keeps flowing." 

As for how we approach the opportunities here. Well, we have many opportunities to hand out a few loaves and fishes. We are doggedly pursuing the One who calls us to do that. Surely the few sardines in my hand can become a feast when in His hand. Pray for that when you think of us. 


It sure is interesting living here.

(-:

Update on Matt. He's back in DaDaab, Kenya, getting another young American man settled. Next stop for him may well be a school in Nairobi that takes in drop outs. Apparently when he interviewed there, they took him on a tour and introduced him to several classes. When they told the kids he might come and teach P.E. they all cheered.

Play is valued the world over, eh?

more on meals...

Friends of ours who've been here 30 years shed more light on the meal deal. People in developing nations have a "feast or famine" way of approaching eating. If the food is available, they'll eat a lot. If not, they can go without food and take it in stride...

Stride or no stride, you'll still find me under the bed.

Daily Bread

I know about poverty. I've read the statistics. It's different when poverty has a face. Here at the university we are somewhat isolated from poverty. Students and professionals wear clean, stylish clothing, carry cell phones, interact as students and faculty do at universities in the U.S. So I drop my guard here. Poverty is pushed into the background.  When it finds me dozing, it pounces.

Case in point: I’m spearheading a library project at the primary school adjacent to the university and recently arranged to hire the teachers there to do the card inserts. Their salary is woefully low and the extra income was welcomed enthusiastically. The head teacher, Conrad, and I met briefly to plan the logistics of our Saturday work day. I suggested that the teachers bring their lunches since we were planning to work the entire day. He did not understand what I was asking. So I rephrased my suggestion and saw that he was a bit perplexed still. After a third reiteration it became clear to me that he was not comfortable with this request and sidestepped the whole issue by asking that I speak directly to the teachers about it. Luckily, before I plunged us all into similar discomfort of group proportions, I ran into the librarian/teacher. Dear Ayubu was a very adept go between. He relayed to me that no, the teachers did not want to break for lunch. They preferred working straight through. Really? (Images of lunchless American teachers striking filled my mind.)

Okay, then. No lunch break.

Finally it dawned on me.

They do not eat lunch.

Get it?

As a matter of course, the teachers do not eat lunch.

I confirmed this with Tim’s teaching assistant by asking what meals were typically taken in Tanzania… particularly by teachers. (He is a former teacher) Some do have two meals during the day. Some don’t. In some schools tea is provided mid day. Some do not eat at all until evening. This is their daily routine. Dignified, professional, employed teachers do not have enough money to eat three meals a day…

This is when I go to our little house, shut the door, and crawl under the bed. 

Books to Kids

This primary school is unusual in that it has a mini collection of library books. But they were not being circulated. Being the book lover that I am, this was a painful thought. So I put my hand to the plow and with a couple of good helpers have gotten a library project underway. They are categorizing and labeling the books and we've gotten library cards made for the kids. Once we started, 20 more boxes of books materialized from the storeroom. What you see in this picture is the white lady reading a library book to one of the classes in the hopes that students and teachers will get turned on to reading. It's also an excuse to wheedle my way into interaction with these great kids. Really fun, although the American accent is hard for them to understand. I'll have to brush up on my E. African accent while I'm here. The was one I brought to use with my lesson....it's the only one that I've seen in the school. Tim and Jenna have a plan now to get a map into every class in this school.

Kili Climb

Yes, there is now irrefutable proof that I don't know how to act my age. I tried to be sensible up until two days before the other four were due to leave for the Mt. Kilimanjaro climb. At that point I couldn't stand it any longer and decided that in spite of my temperamental I T band (if yours doesn't hurt you probably don't know what your I T band is.....) I was going too. Some people just never grow up. I had brought a knee wrap and a back wrap.... which ended up on my other knee... (necessity really is the mother of invention). Along with a bottle of ibuprofen I was set. Thank goodness the oft repeated directive was to go very slowly in order to allow our bodies to acclimate to the rapid increase in elevation. No one had to tell me twice. Rain forest, moor, heather, and portions that looked like a lunar landscape were all included in the scenery we passed through. Enchanting. By law, we had to hire guides, a cook, and porters. Yes! So the only thing I had to carry was my own carcass. It was common to see our porters welcoming us into camp with rousing African call and response singing and dancing. WE LOVED THAT! Keiper team made it to the summit. Amy, Matt, and Jenna actually set foot there while Tim and I stayed at the high altitude camp to "watch over the equipment" (translated as watching over the inside of our eyelids).  It was an experience to remember....especially since I will not be doing it again. Thank you God for allowing us such a unique and delightful experience.

Home

We waved goodbye to Amy, Matt, and Jenna today - Matt back to Kenya, the girls to the U.S. Jenna says that home is wherever we are together.        I miss "home".                                                                                                  

Enjoying the beauty in Africa. A morning at the Mennonite Guesthouse. September. Nairobi

Hi Andie, Pam, Tara, Sherryl and Nic! (people who have this blog linked to their email via Reading List or Follower) Hi Debbie and Sid! (friends who check in to this blog and respond via email) Hi anyone else. I love hearing from you. At this point home seems like a tiny speck on the horizon with the big wide ocean of Africa surrounding us. I'm not complaining, mind you. It's just how it feels sometimes and hearing from you keeps me connected. I woke up to the chir-up, wahwahwah, hooo-hooo, and rup-rup-rup of the birds. As I set the laundry outside I saw this other worldly sky through the trees. It was something out of Star Wars or Lord of the Rings. Set in a pink and blue morning sky, the full moon was setting over the mountains. This scene was framed by our trees which feature leaves that flutter like feather dusters in the breeze. Thorn bush hedges, a low bunch of clouds dressing the tops of the mountains.... it was enchanting. I'm often captured by the beauty here and God waters my soul with it. A friend from Uganda once said, "Don't you have beauty in America? Visiting Americans are always exclaiming how beautiful the mountains are and taking endless pictures (which we also had done)." This gave me pause. Mmmm... is this a characteristic of Americans? I think, yes, valuing the beauty of nature is a common characteristic of Americans. I like that about Americans. I also like that Americans are often very generous, like to laugh, and are hard working. That would be you who are reading this. Yeah. It's nice living in a country where generally the U.S. and Americans are appreciated.... which, comments about picture taking aside, is true in Tanzania. A professor here told me," If America and other Western countries removed their support, Tanzania would fold." (I don't refer to the "United States" because many people don't know us by that name. We're known as "America" here.) Because the Europeans were colonizers in Africa the relationships with those countries are a little more complicated. Mmmm...from feather duster leaved trees to the colonizers of Africa. I've taken you on a mental rabbit trail.Good morning!