It has been seven weeks since writing. My holiday to Europe was full of interesting surprises with initially the cancellation of my flight from Tanzania by KLM and still waiting for insurance to finalise my claim.
I met Linda in Southampton and together we cruised to Denmark, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Sweden, back to Denmark (Copenhagen), Norway (missed all of it), Iceland, Lerwick (Scotland), Newcastle and back to Southampton (30 days in all).
The cruise was more relaxing than intended. On July 12 all passenegrs staying on past Copenhagen (where many were exiting and others getting on) underwent a COVID test. I tested positive and spent nine days in isolation while Linda was able to enjoy her time without me. I was asymptomatic, other than a slight runny nose for a day or two. I stayed in the isolation room, jogged on the spot for 40 minutes daily, ordered liberally from room service and read lots and watched 4 movies. I totally missed the four stops in Norway and first two ports in Iceland and got to know my neighbours from chats on the balcony. A lovely couple from Florida who we had dinner with towards the end of the cruise.
We left the ship in England on 29 July for Heathrow. Linda to Australia and me to Franfurt for a flying visit to German family I had not seen for twelve years. Following five full days in Germany, I flew to Riga, Latvia, mainly to catch up with an 88 year old cousin to obtain more family history on my father’s side. She was a lot more open on this visit than my previous visits and I learned a lot about my father, his family and her as well living, with my grandparents on the original farm when the Soviets arrived looking for uncles (three of whom subsequently captured went to Siberia and not for a holiday).
Back to Tanzania leaving Riga on Sunday. I arrived in Mwanza Monday night 8 August after five airports and four flights. I flew Tuesday to Bukoba to do a favour for a friend from another agency who had some projects in Lweru Diocese and also for a meeting with a disability organision in Kagera Diocese on behalf of Mara Diocese. The disability meeting opens a possibility to commence a disability program in the Musoma area but there is a LOT of work. My visit to Lweru was fascinating as I visited families which had been gifted a cow for nutrition purposes as well as income generation. One of the families I visited had a child with sysmptoms of kwashiorkor so milk will assist in overcoming protein deficiency once it has calved.
I also visited a number of churches where my friend’s agency had put roofs on churches which is the most expensive part of a church building. Locals make the bricks and construct the walls but the cost of iron sheeting and timber often sees these buildings damaged in heavy rain. My last church visit the people gave me a chicken and a bag of nuts as a token of appreciation (thanks Lucy) as I was the ARDFA rep in their eyes.
Back across the lake Friday. Two meetings in two days and two days to get there. I saved a day by flying direct from Dar Es Salaam to Bukoba otherwise it would have been a full week away.
Back to Musoma late Friday afternoon and feeling “at home.” Bishop’s wife and son and youngest daughter are here for all of August due to the national census. Biblical in its organisation, each person returns to their home and the country effectively is shut on Tuesday 23 August as thousands of census collectors visit each household in each village across the nation, tablet in hand to personally interview each household member. Schools, colleges and universities are closed for the month instead of the normal July break. It seems to be a mammoth and very expensive task as census collectors spent 11 paid days being trained.
I preached at the English service on my first Sunday back and my first week back has been frenetic. Then to the Cathedral where an ordination service commenced at 8am and finished at 2:36pm! It was some service and whilst long, the penchant for music was in full force as twelve choirs including mainly visiting choirs sang. There was a mosh pit as these choirs and congregations came together and sang and danced in praise. Unlike English churches where a song may be 3-4 minutes in length, some of the Swahili songs stretch out to 10-12 minutes so ninety minutes minimum is all song. Then the ordinations which were held in two parts. Deacons which is their first ordination comprised nine men and women and then priests who have generally been ordained as deacons for some time and this was much longer for the six men and women. Photographing them from behind the bishop, the solemnity and emotion were clear on their faces as hands were laid on them as the bishop ordianed them.
The service ended with the usual auction and I bought two of the three goats as ordination gifts for two of the women priested. Both are women who suffered polio in their younger years and have overcome adversity to attend college for three years, supporting themselves in the process while still raising families as single mothers. The commitment is extraordinary against a background of poverty and disability disadvanatage.
I had planned to summarise my first week as well. It has been busy but will defer for another week.
AfricaEddie 