Working as a Consultant

Leadership Development

When I finished paid work, one of my options was to set up as a consultant. Many people I worked with have done so, even before retiring and with the advent of the NDIS are getting as much work as they want. That however felt like work so I chose the volunteer route, still “working” and using my skills but consulting by transferring knowledge and skills where they might be most valuable (not that they wouldn’t be valued in Australia but supply is sufficient, whereas in Tanzania, the supply may be available but the resources to contract are not).

Having worked with consultants as well as contracted them, the prepartion is important in terms of defining what you want as the final outcome and ensuring the consultant has the necessary experience to deliver. There are many jokes about consultants. I remember attending a management program in 1993, where the presenter was paid $3,200 daily to deliver the the course. Obscene isn’t it? Good program, great content and excellent delivery but even for government that was over the top. When I asked him how much work he did he told me that basically consultants are unemployed between jobs. Still at $3200 a day back then it didn’t require many days annually to live well.

The United Nations publish their rates for consultants in Africa which ranges from US$79-145,000 annually(AU$120-220,000 pa or AU$120-210 per hour as a consultant) for someone from new to established experience. NGOs base their rates on what they can pay but getting international consultants even at a fraction is out of the reach of the church. UN and other expatriates employed in developing countries receive western salaries which locals could not conceive. In Australia $100 an hour is not a lot of money for a consultant as NGOs and many churches pay rates like this to contract consultants for specific projects. An example was a$200/hour expert to advise on database management in my last job, which BTW was cheap.

One trick I learned when asked to consult to an NGO to write policies about 12 years ago while working, was that once you have done the work once it is only a search and replace to adapt the policy for another client. In the end I did the work through my then employer in the disability agency I worked for, charged the actual cost of typing up our agency policies in the name of the client, added a percentage markup and the client (another NGO) was happy, our agency had developed a relationship and the policies supplied were able to assist the client with a tender. I later went to do some actual consulting for this disability agency (pro-bono) and served on their board after suggesting they needed me on it. Of course, they could have engaged a professional consultant, paid an arm and a leg and ended up with a report to implement which from my work with them would have been impossible at the time. So consulting is not an exact science and you will get different outcomes depending on how the consultant identies the situation and how to solve any problems as the following meme suggests.

My six months in working in Tanzania last year impressed on me the lack of capacity the Diocese of Mara has in basic management and leadership. While senior staff at the diocesan office have adequate skills to manage their portfolios, it was obvious to me that the next level down such as heads of schools, vocational colleges and other institutions were good at their technical jobs but most had been placed in management roles with no training or development. This was not unlike the NSW Public Service of the 1970s to early 1990s that I worked in. Then the changes came.

So on my return this year I negotiated with the bishop to run a Leadership course which would lead to a certificate of Christian Leadership from Bunda Bible College. Whilst not accredited by the government, there are hundreds if not thousands of vocational colleges and other institutes of learning that provide training and skills without accreditation by the Tanzanian government. So out came my consulting hat.

So I have no shame in acknowledging how helpful Google has been in filling the content once I had identified what the important elements of this six week program were to be.

Leadership development, to run over six weeks for one day a week would be unaffordable for most individuals in Tanzania. So in developing and advertising the program I opted to run it on a Saturday so only people who were truly motivated would come in their own time, rather than attending in work time. It wouldn’t distract from schools and other places operations. Compensation was zero (no pay or time in lieu) and the only benefit would be a certificate awarded at the end. I expected maybe ten to a dozen may sign up. Sign up procedures were not as I had expected and it was not till the day prior (12 May) that I had any idea of the numbers. To my surprise I was informed by the diocesan secretary that somewhere between 25-30 people had indicated their interest. The program would alternate between Bunda and Musoma which are seventy kilometres or 75 minutes apart. This meant three weeks for travel for people in each location plus cost of bus fares. The first week was at Bunda.

I developed a program based on a very simple management or supervision program I had done in the 1970s as a newly graduated nurse and for which I still remembered the acronym, so it had it’s desired impact even fifty years later. I have since donemany management courses and a Masters in Management so I had the necessary knowledge, but more importantly the experience to faciliate such a program.

In reading for preparation I read about culture. The first week would include a session on guilt/innocence culture (in which we in the west operate) and the honour/shame culture (that many African and Asian and other societies operate in ) and its impact on leadership.

My major concern about running this program was about participation and involvement and would I have enough material to share? So great idea but lots of doubts prior to week one along the following lines.

Week one had my doubts melt like ice on a hot day. Not only did 25 individuals attend including twelve who travelled to get there, but the level of engagement was outstanding. I did emphasise to all that this was not a compulsory program, it was their own time and I would not be offended if they chose not to attend again, especially if they thought there was no value in the time spent today.

On arrival at Bunda Bible College, I instructed all desks to be removed from the room. What will we write on I was asked. I explained this was not a classroom, I was not a teacher and the learning would come from their participation. Great reluctance to comply as this is a culture that expects didactic learning and in fact that is how sschool students learn (chalk and talk).

My first topic on World Views or how culture affects leadership extended over three hours, much more than I had anticipated. The discussion was insightful for me. A separate blog will come about this once I process everything that I learned. The following slide raised a lot of issues as we role played scenarios and discussed the difference between how they operate as opposed to me in various facets of behaviour – communication providing the best examples.

Other subjects covered included Management or Leadership?, What is a Leader?, Jesus as a Leader, My Role as Leader, How Does God Want Me to Lead?
What Does Mara Diocese Expect of Me as a Leader?, Leaders – born or made? and Leadership styles. Presented on 15 of the 25 slides and the wrap up was generally positive as each was asked to identify one learning from the day.

^{How the room was set up on arrival}

The actual set up

_{Participation}

^{Cultures and their attributes – from a Biblical lens}

A follow up email a few days afterwards with a copy of the slides and that was week 1 done and dusted. I received eight or nine replies thanking me for the day and telling me they were backing up for week two, a fortnight after the initial session.

Session two (they are fortnightly) was on 27 May. The topic was planning and I find planning boring, so I was hoping I could present material that made it interesting. Amazingly thirty four (34) turned up for session two and three from the first session did not return. Eight of the new attendees were from one school which did not get the message as their head was away when news was circulated.

Topics covered in this session, after a brief review of the previous session included What is Planning?, Types of plans, Strategic planning, SWOT Analysis, Long- and short-term plans, Budgets and planning, Forecasting, Contingency and Risk Plans. As boring as I thought this sounded I had sponges sitting before me soaking this information up. A few videos, working in groups to consider aspects of a SWOT analysis and lots of discussion made this as interesting as the subject of planning could possibly be.

Completing as much planning material (as I could deliver) I opened up again on culture. Again this led to quite animated discussion and disagreement, which in this context is almost unkown. More material for said blog about worldviews, culture and leadership. However we were thirty minutes over my planned conclusion but they were engaged!

_{SWOT Analysis exercise}

^{Feedback after the group exercise}

The last two weeks have been routine and busy. Another laptop which I arranged to bring across was handed over to the Bunda accountant who is very impressed after using it for a week. On Sunday 21 May I preached my second sermon on Ruth at the English service. It is only four chapters but jam packed as a tragedy which blossoms into a love story and history of the ancestry of Jesus.

Nickson receives his “new” five year old laptop from Nguti the IT wizard here

The day after the above photo was my birthday and I was unwell. The day following I spent time at the Coptic Centre on a drip and confirmation that malaria had struck again. Twenty four hours later fine, but tired. It has been a wet as opposed to dry, wet season so the mozzies are in force.

The weekend was quiet but I did entertain the IT guy for dinner together with Juliana who has moved into the bishop’s house. Marriage is on the agenda for both of them so in this culture arranging meetings like this is par for the course (and it was suggested I might facilitate this).She came to take a job and the bishop has offered her a spare room. He is her Godfather (not in the mafioso sense).

Nguti and Juliana after dinner

I have also been trying to get the MU Hostel finalised and visited there a few times. The staff has decided to replace the roof with funds left over from donations before COVID which are still in Australia. This involves getting fundis to quote the work. There was more money than anticipated so apart from the roof, some painting and other work will improve this hostel no end and make it much more pleasant for the twenty plus girls who live there.

A new matron started and is a fascinating woman. Disabled since birth, she trained as an pastor and was someone I saw ordained last August. I gave her a goat, purchased after the service which was part of the offering. She told me she raised him until he was big enough to sell then bought a amle and female kid with the proceeds and banana plants to start a garden. Two days later when I visited again here she was with her treadle sewing machine, telling me she was a tailor previously. She preached at the Wednesday afternoon service and has a big booming voice. Heard her again in the cathedral Sunday and she is good in presentation and ceertainly appreciated by congregants.

Not your average Anglican pastor.

Footings down all dug by hand in two days

Women are equally employed and work probably harder than the guys. That’s 20kgs of dirt

An overnight to Bunda to arrange two meetings on Friday including a video conference to Australia with the principal of the Bible college to discuss IT in theological education and contributing to a workshop for bookkeepers working in all institutions. The surprise there was that what was to be a workshop for Bunda only turned into a whole diocese workshop with over 25 there. Nickson, the Bunda accountant did an amazing presentation (all in Swahili) but was confident, well organised and had good material.

And that is the fortnight.

A Public Holiday, Bible College Visit and Farewell Dinner

April 26 each year is a public holiday in Tanzania celberating Union Day which marked the beginning of modern day Tanzania as Zanzibar and Tanganyika merged to become a united country. The Shalom Opening had originally been scheduled for this day, however arrangements canged once it became clear a public holiday could not be the official opening of a school.

Our tour group had a late morning and did not have to be at Bunda Bible College till 9am. A lazy breakfast at our motel was the order of the day.

Breakfast was western style with crepes can you believe it?

We were greeted at Bunda Bible College by a large welcome sign and warmly received by the Principal Canon Alpha Lugoley, his staff and over 70 full time students with an honour guard.

A church service in English commenced proceedings with the tour group and the Archbishop of Sydney, Kanishka Raffel together for the first time at a scheduled event. This allowed students at the college to demonstrate their studies in a practical way as they led, prayed, read the Bible and preached as well as sang. The student choir did their thing, including a song thanking Anglican Aid for their support. A number of our group commented on hearing the word sponsorship in a song for the first time.

From there the group broke into three. A number stayed to hear the Archbishop speak to students and undertake a tour of the facilities. The Roberts family including 15 year old Ruby headed to Bunda Girls School where Ruby dressed in her Roseville College uniform spend the day with girls. Her school has a relationship with both BGSS and Shalom primary. Her family had brought a suitcase of books from Sydney to donate to the school library, which is in need of books in English. Apart from books, Ruby brought letters from girls in Australia which Bunda Girls students will reply to and Helen Hoskins will deliver on her return.

The impact of this visit on her is captured by journalist John Sandeman in his article on The Other Cheek

_{Somewhere is Ruby mobbed by girls excited to have her on campus}

_{^{Education Secretary Misoji,Ruby, Principal Tupone, Libby and Craig Ruby’s parents presenting books to BGSS from Roseville College}}

Another group of three accompanied Helen Hoskins who took them to Shalom Primary School unannounced. Only students boarding were in attendance. The small group left impressed at the standard of English of these young children. Both schools are English medium schools, highly valued in Tanzania.

A number remained at BBC to hear the Archbishop speak to students and field questions. John Sandeman reported on this in his blog on The Other Cheek

After lunch a number returned to the hotel to rest after what had been a busy five days. Others ventured to the Girls Brigade Centre established in 2010 by CMS missionary Helen Hoskins and now project managed byAnglican Aid.

Robin Vonk came with a shopping list for his three daughters and ordered dresses for them from the GB Centre. The photos show the result.

^{Robin’s daughters showing off their dresses hand made}

^{Mary, Mary and Magdalena made dresses in order from youngest to oldest daughters above}

The evening had a planned dinner and formal handover of Helen Hoskins’ house to the diocese dedicated by the Archbishop of Sydney. Prior to this interviews were conducted with the bishop of Mara and Dange Wangoya a 73 you still lecturing at Bunda Bible College. The significance of the interviews is that both men cam from the same remote rural village still only accessible by 4WD or motorcycle, no electricty or water and very remote. Both men studied overseas. Sange gained degrees in Oakhill in London and a Masters in Wycliffe Canada and Bishop George obtained a PhD in the USA. They spoke about the role that missionaries played in bringing the gospel to their areas and how both were impacted by missionaries. Bishop George speaks about Helen Hoskins as his first Bible Teacher.

Sange Wangoya, Bishop George being interviewed.

Helen Hoskins spoke about her forty years in Tanzania and the various houses she has lived in before constructing the Strawberry Pink Villa. The Other Cheek provides much more detail about this.

Following this an emotional Arcbishop Kanishka Raffel spoke movingly stating “Helen, some of us have known of your work for as long as we have been Christians,” Archbishop Kaniska Raffel replied. “That’s certainly true in my case.  

“We thank and honour you for your 40 years of service in this country. We know you are not a super Christian but a faithful and obedient one.”

And finally gifts were given as the evening concluded with a fashion display highlighting the new clergy collars which will debuat at local parishes and hopefully synod 23.

_{English and the Bible were not the only thing Bishop George learned from his first Bible teacher}

_{Jamberoo and Albion Park parishes are neighbours}

A 7am departure for Mwanza next day for those flying at 11.30am concluded an early evening.

GAFCON Conference Kigali

While in Tanzania last year I worked with bishops of three local dioceses within two hours of each other which are all GAFCON aligned. The schism in the global Anglican church was finalised early in 2023 when the Church of England made decisions which the Global South and GAFCON provinces comprising over 80% of the Anglicans globally refused to accept. The Church of England is mother to most of these churches in Asia, Africa and Latin America. They are firmly saying no to revision to fit modern culture. A daily summary of the conference can be viewed which gives a flavour of the four days.

My early arrival was unnecessary as the job I had expected to do was made redundant before I arrived. The Rwandan organisers had everything arranged and were fantatstic.

This allowed Saturday as leisure and so we visited the Genocide Memorial, a week after the weeklong “celebration” memorialising the genocide of 1994 when 1 million (one million people were slaughtered in a genocide only paralled by the Holocaust and Srebrenica in Yugoslavia. I had rushed through here on Good Friday 2014 so it was good to take some hours reflecting and understanding how this genocide occurred. No photos once inside. So little to show apart from the following of the outside and a lunch we had with three international students from Malawi, Ethiopia and Canada after the memorial visit.

_{This is Kigali}

_{Many books on genocide}

_{1st time ever on a boda boda but supplied and one per bike}

_{Kwibuka 29 a sacred memorial}

_{A Malawian, Canadian, Ethiopian met an Australian and Tanzanian}

_{Malawi Australia Tanzania Ethiopia Canada}

My week of the conference is summarised in photos. Many feature Alpha Lugoley my travelling buddy. He is principal of Bunda Bible College and apart from a week in Kenya last year had never been out of Tanzania. I pushed him to meet people as he is naturally reticient and shy so it was good to see him interacting with many. Enjoy the photos. BTW + denotes Bishops and ++ denotes Archbishops.

_{Craig Roberts giving away books}

_{Bishops George and Musa with their Mama Bishops}

_{+Vithalis TZ, ++Rafell Aust+George Tz}

_{Archbishop Kanishka Australia keynote}

_{Australia – +Condie Chair GAFCON Aust and Michael Kellahan Director}

_{Archbishop Kwashi -Nigeria inteviews Craig Roberts Youthworks Sydney CEO}

_{Alpha and I interviewed about the post conference tour}

_{Archbishop Henry – Nigeria & Alpha with former Archbishop Akinola a founder of GAFCON}

_{Ret Bishop Don? Nova Scotia Canada}

_{Archbishop Kanishka Rafell -Australia and Alpha Lugoley Principal Bunda Bible College Tanzania}

_{English Service}

_{Primates Ndukuba Nigeria and Mbanda Rwanda Sunday church service}

_{Archbishop Henry – Nigeria & Alpha with former Archbishop Akinola a founder of GAFCON}

_{A Mexican embraces a Tanzanian}

_{Two Aussies a Mexican & Tanzanian}

_{Clark USA}

_{Nigeria Australia Mexico Tanzania}

_{Alpha Lugoley Tz & Lucy Australia}

_{Congo meet Tanzania}

_{Nathan Australia and Alpha Tanzania}

_{Dave Secco West Aust & Alpha}

_{Westminster graduates catchup}

_{Tanzanian mama bishops}

_{Lunch with the Nigerians}

_{With the Bishops from Mozambique}

_{Uganda Australia Tanzania}

_{Bishop George Tanz &ABp Kanishka Australia}

_{Australians meet Tananian Bishops}

_{UK meets Tanzania}

_{Tanzanian Bishops and mamas}

_{Tanzanian Mama Bishops}

_{Dancing Bishop of Southern Cross Australia}

_{Amazing Rwandan Choir}

_{Amazing Rwandan Choir}

_{The view from my room}

_{+David Parson Bishopof the Arctic}

_{++KR Australia and Nigerian MC}

_{Two Aussies & 2 Congolese bishops}

+_{William -Congo. Shakespeare of Africa}

+_{George Tanzania & Alpha}

_Tanzania

_USA

_{Australia photobombed++ Foley Beach}

_{Bulli Michael Williamson presents a gift}

_{Archbishop James Seychelles}

_{Bishop Barham Rwanda}

_Namibia

_{Bishop Samy Egypt}

_{Kanishka Australia}

_{Don – Gander Canada}

_{Darren Las Vegas – Chapain}

_{Tim and Linda Ireland}

_{Bill Salier Australia}

_{Tea on my balcony}

++_{Mbanda of Rwanda}

_{Alpha and ++Kwashi – Nigeria}

_{Alpha Lugoley Principal Bunda BC}

_{Aussies Tess and Jen}

That is the wrap from GAFCON in Kigali. Next post will be about 18 crazy Aussies trusting me to show them Tanzania.

The Long Trek to History in Kigali

This will be the first of a number of consecutive posts following my two weeks away from Musoma from 13 April when I left for Kigali. I finished my last post referencing a tour I had arranged for eighteen Australians attending the GAFCON Conference in Kigali who had added on a trip to experience and view the church in Africa. If you went to Kigali and thought you had been to Africa you would be seriously mistaken.

Most Africans live in rural towns and villages. In Tanzania 37% of the population live in urban areas according to the 2021 statistics. This is up from 5% in 1960, and 30% in 2013, so you can see that urbanisation has a long way to go, compared to Australia which had an urban population of 81% in 1960 and 85% ten years ago. Gross Domestic Product per capita in 2021 was US$822 for Rwanda and $1100 for Tanzania.

6 minutes

Kigali however exuded sophistication and prosperity unknown to me except in South African cities like Capetown and Johannesburg. As one US delegate at the conference commented he could have been in a resort in Florida, given the luxury at the Radisson where I stayed. Other delagates at the six other hotels would have experienced similar grandeur. However Rwanda has just 18% of its population in urban areas so compared to Tanzania it remains almost rural in all areas. Kigali does not represent how most Rwandans live. It is however more developed, its service industries have staff whose English is excellent and who appear to have had excellent training. The streets are wide and grand, there is no rubbish and more than one attendee compared it to Singapore. But if you go to Kigali, venture outside 10kms and see the real Rwanda.

“Focus on the journey, not on arriving at a certain destination,” is a quote by Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield as he was presumably as he was hurtling through space enroute to the International Space Station. The journey to Kigali started on Thursday when I left Musoma by Bajaji for the 8km ride to the bus station where I boarded the bus to Mwanza for an overnight stay. At Bunda I was joined by Alpha Lugoley, principal of the Bible College. Our stay in Mwanza was at the Anglican Guesthouse, basic but cheap at $AU12 a night with no hot water but a bed and a TV with one station and a fan.

_{Bajaji ride}

_{Lake Victoria}

_{Rural Musoma}

_{Rice is grown in the wet seasons}

_{Alpha my travel companion}

_{Rural Bus station}

_{School is out}

_{Buses carry freight}

_{Mwanza Bus station}

_{Our hosts met us}

The bus ride to Mwanza was uneventful. At $6 it is expensive for locals but there is no tax for visitors. The guesthouse provided the perfect stopping point and a meal was had at a local restaurant which is rented out by the Anglican Church whch has a number of commercial premises attached to its compound.

_{Hostel Manager}

_{Fish for dinner}

After dinner a stroll around Mwanza. Our accommodation is two minutes from Lake Victoria. We managed a sunset and a visit to St Nicholas Church which is the cathedral. The Diocese of Victoria Nyanza (DVN) was established in 1960 as the second Anglican Diocese in Tanzania when it was still part of the church of East Africa comprising Kenya and Tanganyika as it was then called.

_{Inside from the gallery}

The new St Nicholas

_{Sunset over the Lake}

_{Owned by a rich person}

_{An evening study session at St Nicholas}

Bishop Zephaniah Ntuza kindly loaned us a car and driver for the next leg of our journey to the Rwandan border with only petrol to reimburse him. Very generous.. A 5am start was necessary for what was to be a long day driving of fifteen hours with a border crossing included.

_{5am start}

_{Sunrise over Lake Victoria}

_{Rural Tanzania western side of lake}

First stop was a ferry crossing at Busisi where we passed a new bridge being constructed. When completed in 2024 this bridge of over 3kms in length will allow all transport year round access to international destinations in Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda. Pictures tell a lot of the story of our journey to Rusumo Falls Border.

_{Rusumo was our destination}

_{Breakfast stop at 11am}

_{Biharamulo Diocese stop}

Enroute we passed the newest diocese formed in 2017 of Biharamulo so we stopped in for a toilet stop and to gree the bishop if he was in. It turned out there was a meeting in progress and a number of visitors from other parts of Tanzania were in attendance but the bishop did greet us.

_{The Biharamuo Cathedral}

_{Bishop Vithalis}

_{Alpha and Vithalis}

_{Drivers waiting for their people}

^{We do this all the time in Australia right?}

_{A passing scene}

After seven hours of driving including breakfast at a dodgy cafe (I had mild food poisoning in Kigali) we arrived at Rusumo Falls border in the rain.

The border crossing was fairly straightforward. One building that did everything. First to the Tanzanian desk to exit and have my passport stamped and then to Rwanda which now being a Commonwealth country allows free entry visas to citizens of the Commonwealth.

However I was not ready for what was to come.

rom Mwanza to Rusumo was 375kms and the seven hour drive was not surprising. However the passenger bus was we were told a few hours. Even Google maps hasn’t figured out African roads don’t have consistent driving conditions. The 154kms to the convention centre took eight hours by bus! And no toilt stops!

_{The land of 1,000 hills and a million smiles}

_{Boda taxi at the border}

^{Rusumo Falls which has a hydro-electric station and is the border}

So focussed was I on the journey that I barely took any photos. My water ran out early on the trip (Oh how fortunate was that). We seemed to stop at every village enroute to Kigali and let me say the villages are not that far apart, to allow passengers on and off the bus. The slow trip could be sped up if tickets were issued on the bus. Each passenger receives a printed electronic ticket issued from an EFTPOS size machine which indicates th start and finish of the journey and the cost. This is no doubt an anti corruption measure which I remember being promoted when I visited Rwanda in 2014.

Arriving in Kigali, we had to find a taxi to transport us to our hotels ready for the conference two days hence. All in all a long but good day. Arrrived in The Land of 1,000 hills and a millions smiles. Dinner with Alpha and bed.

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bula matari, breaking rocks, exploding myths, retyrement, retirement

Palm Sunday 2023 and the Lost Sheep

The flight to Tanzania was flawless and Qatar Air and Doha Airport are great. Doha Airport was named best airport globally in 2022. No emptying cabin baggage (ie computers) in the transfer area. The arrival in Dar Es Salaam was not without incident as the five laptops in my luggage had me taken aside to empty out my bags and convince customs I was not selling them. Then checkin was complicated as I was told I could not have them in my checked baggage so had to carry them in cabin baggage! Getting to the hotel wasa nightmare. I walked there once that is how close it is but roadworks made it a 30 minute taxi and 47 minutes next morning.

Having arrived in Musoma Wednesday April 28 with Easter approaching it was clear that Lent is still a big deal and the Easter bunny is not. My trip from Mwanza was punctuated by a brief visit to Bishop Zephaniah Ntuza of the Diocese of Victoria Nyanza.

Dinner with these two.Couriering from Australia to Godwin in Dar and from Deborah to Musoma.

Bishop Ntuza and I lining up for a photo

My favourite sunrise

Our early morning runs are now more manageable with these leads

I am leading a group of 18 Australians who will be at an Anglican conference in Kigali who will come to Tanzania on a lightning tour to visit churches and understand how the church is functioning in a developing country. My visit to the Bishop was to meet him as our final morning will be spent visiting his diocese.

I moved back in with my friend Bishop George who was glad to see me and again have comapny in his lonely role as his wife continues in Dodoma, 1,000kms away. However she arrived for Easter holidays on Saturday night so is here for two weeks on school break. BTW she teaches a class of 235 grade 6/7 primary students with one other teacher! The bishop did ask if they learn anything or is it just chilminding?

I am back walking the dogs with Bishop in the morning. However, having housesat (read dogsitting) for two daughters in Adelaide and Sydney, I have learned a thing or two about how to slow these German Shepherds down. So my gift to Bishop was two dog leads which puts us in control of these sprinters. After two morning walks, we were less run off our feet and both dogs appear to have learned that they can no longer drag us as we control their power through our writs.

It rained non-stop my first three nights here and a funeral for a clergy person an hour and a half away that the bishop was to be at on Saturday proceeded without him as a bridge was under water from the rain. However in this agricultural society, no one complains about it being too wet.

So Palm Sunday was both of us going to the English service. However enroute we were picking up a man he had known for over thirty years who was a leader in the church that he forst was appointed to as a minister and who helped him greatly. He hasn’t graced the inside of a church for decades, having slidden into alcol abuse.

So we were 20 minutes late having waited for this man to get ready. However it was interesting when time came for Bishop to say a few words and he asked this gentleman up and told the congregation his story about how helpful he had been and how he had backslidden and was now returning to church! A big clap from the congregation. It was a lesson to behold as someone was welcomed back as the lost sheep.

The sermon earlier talked about struggle and so it was a theme that fitted in nicely as this man in his late 60s or maybe even 70 was welcomed back. The fact that Bishop made his way to bring him highlighted the humility of this man who has a pastoral heart for people.

Overheads enhanced sine my last time

The lost sheep welcomed back into the fold

Flooding preventing people getting to a funeral

The other pleasing thing was that the overheads using a projector and computer has been enhanced since I left and they have figured out the way to overcome problems. I left having agreed to preach Easter Sunday.

I am here until mid July. My goals on this visit are:

• Facilitating a Leadership Development Program for senior staff here over three months
• 22 April leading 18 people on a tour of 4 dioceses for six days
• Completion of the Strategic plan
• Completion of Bunda Girls School buildings (it started in 2013 so it will be nice to see it finalised)
• Completion of the Strategic plan for which most work was done last year.

So my focus at this stage is getting all details of the tour organised before focussing too hard elsewhere.

Aussie Visitors and a Sheep Story that only the photo makes believeable

Sunday started with Anglican Aid staff member Chris Cooper coming down to preac at the Cathedral here in Musoma. Tim Swan the CEO was speaking at Rorya Diocese’s Cathedral about an hour an a half away.

After church Chris and I went back to where I am staying, walked to Lake Victoria and met Tim Swan and then went to lunch at Matvilla with three bishops. All six of us had Tilapia (I am sure that came as a surprise). It was a working lunch of sorts as various issues were discussed. We then drove to Bunda where the three Aussies stayed at the home of a retired Australian missionary who has been unable to get back since 2020. The whole group of about a dozen had dinner while the locals went off to their accommodation. Alpha Lugoley, the principal of Bunda Bible College stayed back at my suggestion as Tim and Chris’s visit was about visiting BBC and discussing scholarships and the development of the college. This allowed an opportunity for Alpha to explain issues at the college as next day will be busy.

Monday started early for the 7am chapel service which was excellent. Students even had an Anglican Aid song they composed. Video and lyrics Then after “chai” we walked the grounds of a college spread across sixt acres and the Anglican Aid people discussed the infrastructure needs and locations. Tim left Chris while I accompanied him to Shalom Primary School, constructed by Anglican Aid since 2017. The development since my last visit here in 2019 has been astounding and the school looks great. Met the builder who is onsite constructing a classroom and had a chat to him and commended him on the quality of their work.

Principal Alpha, Chris AA(L) &Tim Swan CEO AA (R)

The College students and staff

Tim speaking

Then back to college for lunch before a visit to Bunda Girls School. A real flying visit as Tim and Chris had a three hour drive from here so time very limited.

The band

Welcome to Shalom

National Anthem

New Hall

The Multi purpose Hall

Where is Australia?

From BGSS we made a quick stop to the Girls Brigade Sewing Cetre which explains what it does. Village girls come in for a year and from never having touched a sewing machine are sewing within two months as some of the examples we were shown testified. This helps girls who may not even have been able to start secondary education and be destined to early marriage and life in a village with no skills to at least have a chance of earning an income. Apart from sewing they are taught the basics of business, keeping records and pricing work.

After the formalities, Tim was presented with a cake to mark his visit which he duly cut. The girls then asked if they could sing a song which being acapella was displaying the natural ability of these girls’ voices and rythm. After what was a rushed visit Tim and Chris bade us farewell as they headed to Mwanza to arrive before dark.

A song and a photo

A cake

Welcome to the GBTC

The rest of my week was flat out. On Wednesday I have the morning off for a retirment course I am doing on Zoom back home. I got into the office at 11.30am and asked to meet in the Bishop’s Office with the Link Officer and Bunda Bible College principal. Three international students have run into visa issues and were going to be deported. I did assist them to find a solution.

Bishop and I visited a former disability program about 8kms south of Musoma which is a white elephant. After operating since 2003 and the Dutch funders building a massive complex to provide community based support to children and adults with all sorts of disabilities, the centre closed at the end of 2014 when funding ceased. One of my tasks is to assist the diocese find a solution. The buildings have not been repurposed as the bishop wanted to ensure the funders are involved in any decisions about future use. I have a meeting with the national coordinator coming up to discuss the options.. Truly depressing when I have seen a similar program Anglican Aid established on the western side of the lake which meets so many needs for families with children with disabilities.

On Thursday I arranged a meeting to discuss the development of a newsletter for overseas partners to tell of the many things happening in Mara Diocese. It has the approval of the bishop so the link officer and Diocesan Secretary were involved in how to get it up. The website is down so Bishop rang a young volunteer who maintains it. While on the phone the error message changed to site down for maintenance. He came in later in the day and I met him briefly. He was to return Friday for a meeting to discuss the newsletter and website further.

Musa the Bishop of Rorya turned up as arranged for a two hour lesson on Google Drive and how to make best use of Google features. That was time well spent.

The week finished with a meeting to discuss the farm with the Manager Annarose. She is also responsible for parents in their nineties who want to return home to their village. A real difficulty for her given both have had strokes in recent years and mum requires total care. The farm issues a re being slowly addressed. Sunflower harvest looks good and she has lots of ideas about progressing things there.

And Friday afternoon was spent with Mwita the young guy who will work on the newsletter. I went through the various things that should go into it. He will not only do the graphic design but also the reporting by interviewing the staff and getting the stories. I left him at 4pm as I am facilitating the English Bible study each week. It had it largest attendance since I have been here. It is alerting me to many issues that need help in the church here.

He is 28yo, graduate of a university in graphic design and unusually knows Apple products.

As I type the weekend is coming to a close. Saturday was a visit to a village where 25 people has been baptised in the morning after a week of evangelism. Bishop goes out on Saturday afternoon to do some teaching and be a presence among the local community. Sunday he goes out to confirm any who are ready and teach again.

Lunch on Sunday with Sange Wangoya and his wife Mary. A beautiful couple, each with amazing stories. I will post about them on Facebook.

I heard what sounded like a baby crying as I was typing and after searching the house went to the window in my room to see a sight I won’t see again in my life. Gifts are never knocked back. I got given a chicken once in Congo but they did swap it for something I could travel with. Too much to write about here so hopefully a separate blog. The photo tells the story of the village showing appreciation to the bishop.

Yes this sheep and a goat stood on a thirty minute journey on rough rural roads on top of the vehicle to come home with Bishop.

Just Like That a Month Has Gone!

An interesting, peaceful but very busy week. Church as usual on Sunday. It was a shorter service than usual as the main choirs were away singing at a fundraiser. After church as I was speaking to people a man who was born with albinism approached us, bent over and out of his gumboots pulled an empty tube of SPF60+ sunscreen, seeking donations to buy more.

Albinism is seen in adults who survive childhood without being kidnapped and butchered by witch doctors Well what can you do? The TZS 10,000 is a lot of money for people who may only earn 400,000TZS a month (AU$225 is a very good income) so it was nothing to give him the $6. I saw the same tube later that week sheltering from rain for exactly TZS10,000.

Lunch on Sunday was at Afrilux where I have eaten each Sunday since arriving but this time with Bishop away, I took the pastor of the English Service and his wife to lunch and had, as usual tilapia but baked which had a tomato based sauce on it. Not as good as fried tilapia.

Adram and Roy Sunday lunch

Roasted tilapia

One of a number of albino adults in Musoma

Bishop was away at his village after getting a call from his dad who wanted to see him. He mentioned Monday and Tuesday were public holidays so I started working at home Monday in preparation for the workshop I was presenting at on Thursday and Friday on strategic planning. I rang the Diocesan Secretary about some issues about the workshop as he was translating, only to find out the holidays were Tuesday and Wednesday so off I went. I located what must be the only locksmith in town to get a key cut. Enroute the public reserve was populated by hundreds of Muslims bowed down under large tents in what I understood later to be the beginning of Eid at sunset that night.

Monday flew and before I knew it, the workday was over after 5pm. I walked home and found a hairdresser and had a cut for 3,000 TZS or $2. I left a tip with both the cutter and the woman who massaged my scalp with oil after the cut.

Tuesday and Wednesday were holidays for the Muslim festival of Eid which celebrates the end of Ramadam.I went into the office late morning as Max was working and I needed some assistance from him Lunch was at the Serengeti Resort, a bar that serves food. A muslim man was there with a bottle of red wine and a bottle of coke. He was alone – it was apparent after sometime. I saw something I have never seen before: the Coke was a mixer for the red wine. I saw it with my own eyes!

After work haircut

Key cutting

Eid ceremony

Bishop was back Tuesday and it appears his father is having some health issues he wanted to share with him. Over one of our regular after dinner conversations he mentioned a building the diocese owned which had been vacant for years since his arrival which previously housed a disability program supported by a Dutch NGO. The upshot of that discussion was to arrange a call to the disability program on the western side of Lake Victoria which coordinated 21 disability programs for the Dutch rather than them setting up an office here to see if this program could be kick started again.

After breakfast we had a long conversation with Aggrey from the Karagwe Disability Program. He was confident this program could be supported again by the Dutch and he will arrange an introduction to the new manager there as he has retired.

I had given Bishop an old phone and we spent time this morning putting the Google Fit app on it and showing him how it worked. He is very health conscious and has stopped using sugar since I commeneted on its negatve effects. We decided to walk to church for the 3pm Wednesday service and walking home were caught in a torrential storm. It rained during the service, stopped, we then got to the shoe repair guy on the street outside the cathedral where he had his shoe repaired. It rained there again as we waited so we sheltered under the shoe repairer’s shelter, had a corn on the cob from a young student he knew who sold these for some extra money (TZS 200 = 12 cents!), then made our way to town when it poured again while we were in another shop. After stopping Bishop then found a milk vendor. Street vendors purchase from suppliers and pasteurise it on the street over charcoal stoves. The milk is warm as it is poured into an empty water bottle. TZS 1000/Litre or 65 cents.

Milk for sale

Harvesting storm water

Wet after a rainy walk

When it stopped 30 minutes later we walked across to another store to buy a pillow and the heaviest rain of the day hit with thunder and lightning. The power went off briefly. After about 30 minutes when it eased off we just walked in the rain to the amazement of locals under shelter. Bishop mentioned they are more scared of rain than motor cars.

Shoe repair shop

Corn seller

Note the recycled tyre sole

Fixing Bishop’s shoe

Goat for lunch

Red wine and coke

POLIO

While polio is unknown now in Australia, I do remember at primary school kids with leg irons who had polio in the late 1950s. The evidence of polio here in Tanzania is evident in a number of people I have met who are pastors at the cathedral who still limp or walk with difficulty, all the result of polio in their childhood. All in their forties which suggests polio was still rife here in the 1970s if not later.

The photo above of the shoe repair man is a good story. Afflicted before five with polio, he survived and is now married with children. He had a shoe shine business and in 2019, a visiting Englishman provided capital for him to make sandals as well as repair shoes and keep shining. So the covered area you see is his “shop” and to the left you can see his hand pedal tricycle which gets him around.

The Strategic Planning Workshop

This is the first pressure I have felt since being here. 28 Archdeacons and area deans were gathered to learn about strategic planning. Few had English so I was working through a traslator, Max, the Katibu or Diocesan Secretary. Google Translate has been my friend. It dawned on me Tuesday that my overheads could be duplicated then translated using Google Translate. This assisted greatly as Max was able to refer to the OHP while I had my tablet with the English slides on it.

We managed on day one to get through what components are required in a strategic plan finishing on the process of developing one and a visual of the matrix from vision to tactics which support strategy.

The big surprise of the day was the introductions which were just an icebreaker asking for tem to introduce themsleves, their area of birth, number of siblings and favourite food. The number of siblings was a shock as one after one identified 8, 9, 10, 12 siblings from one mother. One pastor was one of twenty born to one mother. Another was born to his polygamous father’s ninth wife and counted 32 boys. I asked later about the girls and he didn’t know but thought altogether there were over fifty children. His story will be a separate blog.

Day two started with them developing a personal plan to get some practical experience, then we did the SWOT Analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) and it highlighted the endemic poverty these men come from, their uncertain incomes where $40 is a good income monthly and their need to farm in sometimes harsh environments when drought prevails. However they did well to identify all the components of the SWOT analysis and a good morning from my perspective was accomplished.

After lunch we had the chair of Mothers Union address them on the trial of a successful program mobilising communities using the Church and Community Mobilisation Process (CCMP) which has been around Africa for decades and in Serengeti has seen eight savings and loans groups start since 2019 which operate like community banks. Two of these in a large town have 28M and 31M TZS ($19,000 and $21,000) in the economy providing loans for members. This has seen many small enterprises established and increased economic conditions for many.

Her session started with her bringing a wooden box about 30 cm long and 10 cm deep. It was a money box used by the village S&L Groups. It was at that point I understood this was starting something kids in Australia learned from Kindergarten which is how to save. Remember the Commonwealth Bank deposits and the weekly banking which taught us to save. As she spoke, I didn’t need Swahili to understand that most pastors found this something that would be helpful for them. We assume a lot and here I was witnessing many understanding for the first time about saving for the future and borrowing for investments.

The response to her teaching was overwhelmingly positive and hopefully there is a takeup for MU to train people in many villages in the concept.

Groupwork

Groupwork

The workshop room

Reporting back

Reporting

Engageded in discussion

Australian Moneybox

Group photo

Tanzanian S&L Moneybox

I concluded with a hastily developed evaluation in Swahili, the main question being what will you do in the next two months as a result of this workshop. The translated responses will be interesting.

Day one I was absolutely wrecked and not so much after the second day as I was more confident. However overall a fairly positive outcome.

Saturday as I write this was a quiet morning then off to lunch at Rehema Cafe which is only open by booking and ordering ahead by Friday. The three English GOMAD volunteers were there and we talked about COVID and two of them have had COVID three times, both early on and prior to vaccinations being available. Apparently it is rampant in England at present. Hannah the 19 yo nurse saw a colleague aged 19yo die in April 2020 within three days of being vaccinated. She was the only one of the three not to have had it.

Late afternoon was spent at a Bible Study the bishop attends. Very formal structure and this week was a sort of time of rememberance for one of the members whose father in law died two months ago and a gift of cash being provided as a means of showing their support and affection for her and the extended family.

Tim Swan CEO of Anglican Aid is visiting and I catch up with him tomorrow at Bunda as he visits the college there and also the secondary and primary schools.

A busy but satisfying first month.

Life in Musoma

Routines

After three weeks my routines are fairly well established. On weekdays the bishop and I rise for an early morning “walk” with his dogs which are alsatians named Tiger and Simba. They are really Rin Tin Tin I and II on steroids. Rather than us walk the dogs they run us. 2.5kms in less than 20 minutes is faster than I have run for years as these dogs drag me along. My heart rate reached 179 on one run and consistently is above 160. I have learned how to control the dogs and am getting a consistent pace of between 140-150 on average. Saturdays is dog washing day and there is a public government run dog wash where you dip and wash your dogs in a chemically treated bath to kill parasites, fleas and whatever else dogs need to be treated against. I went the first Saturday but told Bishop I needed a sleep in. About 80 dogs a day go through so he likes to be first so there is no waiting. A good service for about 30 cents AUD for a dog.

Off walking the dogs

Saturday is washing dog day

On return waiting for the treat

After walking the dogs we are back for a shower, breakfast and off to the cathedral for morning prayers. I did bring my stove top espresso maker with me for real coffee (there is only so much one can do without). Well it has been a hit with Bishop and Mama Bishop when she was here the first week. So the usual routine is while I am in the shower, Bishop is feeding the pigs, puts the eggs on and I put on the coffee and toast and by the time Bishop is out all is ready for breakfast and then to the cathedral for 7.30 am morning prayers for all staff.

My 20+ year old pot has travelled with me before – 3 months in South Africa in 2009.

After prayers everyone lines up. It has taken me a few weeks to realise that the order in which people line up is heirarchical. So the Canon of the cathedral, other canons and lay canons, followed by senior staff, other staff and the students from the vocational college all line up as I follow the bishop in greeting them all. So after three weeks I have learned enough Swahili to say good morning or how are you and the appropriate response. However it is not automatic yet and the canon who follows me sometimes prompts me as I am thinking. The girls from the college were laughing at me one day this week as I responded “shikamoo” to one of their responses – the greeting from a younger person to an older person to show respect. Repeating greetings to 50-60 people daily has helped.

Staff then head off to he hostel for a subsidised breakfast. I usually bring a coffee bag (Vittoria) and have a coffee while Bishop has something else to eat. Occasionally I will have a chipati or chicken broth.

Anlican Retirement Village clothes go a long way

The morning greetings after prayers

The workday commences at 8.30 and concludes at 4pm. All staff are given an hour daily to pursue income generating activities, in recognition that church slaries are minimal.

Monday of week three had me start work on a presentation for week four on planning and community development for all senior clergy to encourage their communities in developing income generating activies to lift their communities’ incomes and alleviate poverty. It will also assist pastors who get barely AU$30 monthly to look at how they can establish income activities.

After only 18 days my data package of 37gb ran out. I went to the Vodacom shop to get a new bundle and walked out with an MPESA account. This was developed by Africans, in Kenya I think as a money transfer system using mobile phone technology. It has revolutionised African economies. I loaded funds into my MPESA account, bought my bundle using it and left funds in there to buy my next bundle. It was interesting seeing ANZAC day in the news on Monday and how it has returned to pre-pandemic times.

Tuesday 26 April is a public holiday in Tanzania, remembering the union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar making one country. It was a quiet day but in the afternoon we drove to the cathedral, parked and walked to Nyasho Markets where I got my shoe bargain the previous Saturday. Bishop didn’t know this market and was surprised at its size. Clothes, shoes and all sorts of household items. I went into one of the myriad men’s clothing stores and for 21,000 TZS bought a pair of jeans and two casual trousers/dockers. The clothes come in containers from developed countries and like the shoes make their way to the local markets from the capital. So people walking aroung in designer named clothes are not wearing Chinese knock offs but genuine brands, often almost new.

Men’s clothing

Lounge furniture

Making lounges

Mirror and windows manufacturer

Anything plastic

Masaii crafts and medication

Wednesday was a meeting with Arthur the development officer and Martha the Mothers’ Union secretary to discuss funds available from Anglican Aid and encouraging them to plan priorities to request the use of funds. One of themusts I suggested was completing a fence for the girls’ hostel, opened in 2019 by the Archbishop of Sydney. The rest of my day was spent on developing the workshop material. at 3pm all are off to church for the Wednesday service before heading home. This was to be my last day in the office this week.

Food and Diet

Unlike developed countries, food is a necessity, not consumed for pleasure but to ensure life. So food is fairly basic and plain. Those who are aware will know I have been on a keto diet since 2019, which saw me lose 15 kgs. In this environment I went from a high fat, low carb diet to massive carbohydrates, low fat and enough protein.

For most rural Tanzanians a diet of ugali, a tasteless, odourless dish made of cornflour is a staple along with beans and greens. Meat is a luxury and will be usually chicken. Living with the bishop I am aware that he is providing more meat than he himself would normally eat. Christina the housekeeper is an extraordinary cook and I love her beans. Beans are a staple here, along with plantains which Bishop loves. Meat and fish provide additional protein and always there are greens. Dessert is fruits of the season. It was bananas when I arrived and now it is the biggest passionfruit I have ever seen. So I am not starving, despite Bishop’s wife who rings to ensure he is feeding me enough (he is). So far I am not aware of any weight gain.

We have managed to eat out a number of times since my arrival, after church on Sunday and occasionally during the week. Fried tilapia and chips is my standard meal out. It is a great fish.

Despite having gas, Christina prefers cooking beans on charcoal

Prepping the fish

Daughter Eliza comes to work occasionally with mum

Pasta is a luxury

Greens, potatoes and fish

Some of Bishop’s pigs

Tilapia and chips

Tilapia

Thursday and Friday were Diocesan Council and while I had much to do, was encouraged to attend and I am glad I did. While the agenda and business papers were in Swahili, Google Translate and Ezekiel, the English speaking principal of a school who sat next to me helped me follow all that was going on.

Thursday was a later start as staff from outlying areas, some three hours away arrived for an 8am service in the cathedral, prior to breakfast then a 10am start. The two days helped me understand better the structure of the church here and the many challenges it faces. Day one ended at 4pm, the chair indicating the agenda next day was light on and so this provided time for people to catch up with each other before dinner. Day two had another sheaf of papers on the tables and clearly there was a lot to discuss. Like till 7pm when the meeting closed and a number of staff commented to my astonishment that it was an early end! Apparently these meetings have been known to end as late as midnight and 1am. Everyone has an opportunity to speak and express an opinion. All in all very respectful, civil and democratic. Bishop is someone who clearly wants to hear each opinion and no one is rushed.

Diocesan Council day 1

Kitchen caters for 60

The catering team.

Chatting after dinner in the dark

Headquarters of Mara Diocese

Sarah and Joyce

Sarah and Joyce are teachers I first met in 2014 when both were much younger. Since then Sarah was promoted to Principal at Bunda Girls Secondary School after the founding principal left during COVID as her husband moved. Joyce left after two years, returned to university to get her degree and returned to a primary school in Musoma before being promoted to principal of Shalom Primary School in Bunda. I was able to given them both Anglican Aid’s 20/21 Annual report which had a Bunda Girl on the contents page and a prayer diary that featured Shalom students on the cover.

Saturdays since I have been here are fairly quiet days. Twice Bishop has left me here alone as he went to villages overnight. I have eaten at Rehema Cafe each Saturday. It is the only western cafe between Mwanza (4.5 hours south) and the Kenyan border (2.5 hours north). It is located in the church compound and provides work for women as well as a sewing centre where I have had shirts made on revious visits. Its customer base has been shredded by COVID as most western people working in the area left to go home during COVID. Heather the English missionary is back and they are doing a menu on order so there is no wastage. Today was curried fish and a vanilla milkshake. Others had a wrap.

I walk to Rehema and this takes me through town and the central markets which are as interesting as any I have visited. The pictres tell the story.

The nurses school does their washing on Saturdays

Central Markets

Original scales

5 shillings for the innards

Motorcycle taxis abound

Sundays is church and all the music. It has been four hour services the last two Sundays and while this seems long, it is normal here.

The English service at 7am

Reverence in prayer

Men’s Choir

Grace and her assistant at Rehema Cafe

Inflation

While news reports indicated Australia has an official inflation rate of 5.1%, here in Musoma prices are going up with each purchase Bishop makes. My guess is that inflation here is running at around 15%. Three purchases in the last week are the anecdoatal evidence that support this view.

• Bottled water is bought in dozen lots for households. The recent purchase made resulted in the TZS 4,000 rising to TZS 5,000 or 25% up.
• Cooking oil is a staple for most households and has risen from TZS 28,000 to 33,000 or 18%.
• Gas for cooking has risen by TZS3,000 to 59,000 or 5%.

Petrol price increases have been blamed for these increases.

Transport

On my first visit here in 2014 there was little in the way of private transpory for most people. The better off may have owned a very late model Japenese car imported when 10-15 years old with very few kilometres on them. The lift I had to church this week owned a Rav 4 from about 2008 with 57,000kms. He imported it from Japan for US$4,400 but landed with freight and taxes he paid close to USD$11,000 for a car barely run in.

The big changes however came with the advent of cheap Chinese motorcycles which are owned by many. This has resulted in a proliferation of motorcycle taxis and groups of motorcyclists parked under the shade waiting for customers or like in Australia cruising the streets for a fare. Many people seem to have their preferred rivers and just ring for a lift. However these motor cycles act as couriers delivering goods for many businesses. It is not unusual to see them loaded up with goods for delivery.

Daniel travels 60kms on dirt to come to work weekly

A “taxi” stand

Courier

And Taxi

Names and Heirarchy

EconYou will have noticed my reference in this blo to Bishop rather than the bishop. That is because over here anyone with a title is known by that title rather than by their Christian name. So Bishop is la proper noun ike calling someone Peter. If you don’t have a title you are generally referred to by your last name. So leaving church this morning, I asked Max (Katibu is his title) what was the first name of the assistant priest. He knew his last name but had to go and ask him for his first name (Fredy). So I am constantly called Lay Canon or Canon by people because that is how I am introduced. All sounds unusual but that is how society operates here in Tanzania.

Women are still very much down the heirarchical ladder here. In any queue they will always allow men to go first. In 2018, I was lined up at the tap waiting to wash hands talking to a woman who had returned from USA for her father’s funeral. As we arrived simultaneously at the tap, I beckoned for her to wash her hands. She declined and I insisted. I was shocked when a Tanzanian woman who has lived in the USA for twenty years said “No you must go first. In Tanzania men always go first!”

Church

The Anglican Church here maintains a liturgical approach to services in an African way. The formality is focussed on the ceremonial aspects of church in the vestments, processions and formality around communion. However, services are full of music with people who can sing both with music and acapella. The services are long and that’s not because of the preacher. At St John’s Cathedral it is usual to have seven choirs, some of which lead singing for ten to fifteen minutes. My fourth service was the shortest at 21/2 hours because most choirs were away singing elsewhere.

So life is fairly predictable. I expect there won’t be much change to routines. Work will be the major challenge as I work through the list I have been given pf things to look at review and deliver. This week I am doing a two day training workshop for senior clergy on planning with a focus on community development in the rural areas. I have also been ased to prepare a course on development for students at Bunda Bible College so that they understand how it all works and can assist their communities in economic development.

COVID-19

Early in the pandemic, after closing schools and various institutions, Tanzania stopped collecting data, testing people for Covid and kept the economy open. The former president understood in a developing country the economic damage could be worse than the pandemic. So after most foreigners left, schools and institutions reopened. Churches never closed even at the beginning. Anecdoatally it appears there were many deaths in the cities of Dar Es Salaam, Arusha but the rural towns and villages anecdoatally saw little COVID. Only one named death has been mentioned in Musoma, a businessman who contracted it in Dubai and brought it back with him. There are suggestions that herd immunity was established in early 2020 as the virus swept through the population and aged and vulnerable people succummbed. However the mean age of Tanzania is 18 years so it is possible many had a dose, were not sick but established resistance. Rates of immunisation are very low.

Starting Out Week 2

Easter Monday being a public holiday saw the bishop and I returning from his village where we had spent the previus evening. A separate blog is coming.

Tuesday at the office was spent still getting my head around everything. My meeting with Arthur on Thursday had left me thinking about a young woman who he had lined up for studying at the local sewing centre here in Musoma run by Mother’s Union. Anglican Aid had previously supported the renovations at their hostel and provided equipment including machines for the classes. I had on an earlier visit proposed they relocate from the small room they were in to a vacant room elsewhere to accommodate all the girls This actually happened in front of my eyes on the day. It seems many here are happy to take advice when given for what was obvious to me. It seems a nudge helped them to see that there was a better option.

Small dark room replaced by

This larger classroom with natural light

Glen and Dominique and their three kids worked and lived here for over ten years until COVID struck. They packed up and left the country as did most westerners at short notice. They were back to say goodbye to many they worked with over the time here (Glen was principal of the local Anglican Primary School), pack up their remaining goods and give their kids and themselves time to close this part of their lives. A formal farewell was held for them on Wednesday, separate from the farewell the previous week by the school staff.

Outside location ideal

Some of the guests

The guests of honour

Listening to speeches

The bishop speaks

Dominique responds

An emotional Glen responds

Presentation

The farewell was held in a covered area near the hostel and kitchen which is where many meetings are held in this climate. There were a number of speakers before the bishop spoke in glowing terms of the service the family had renderd to the church and how Glen hasd raised the standards at the primary school where he was principal. He brought professionalism and diligence and modelled leadership that teaching staff had rarely seen. Glen was quite emotional in his response. Big thing saying farewell to a part of your life you have invested in for so many years. CMS, his sending agency are to be commended for faciliatting this return visit.

Compassion International is big in Tanzania. I have been to countless churches and heard the staggering numbers of kids supported by them. In most churches Compassion is the biggest program operating. In Musoma there are about nine Compassion Programs, each operating with over 200 kids, a manager, social worker and accountant. That’s over 2,000 kids in this town/city alone. This week they were running a conference for the Lake region here in Musoma so the bishop was attending that Wednesday and Thursday. So dinner was at the conference centre down the road from where he lives. We had dinner with the two bishops from nearby dioceses and it was also an opportunity to meet staff from other churches in this region.

Dinner with Mwita and Musa was great. I know both of them from my time at Anglican Aid and both are fine men. We chatted over old times and I learned a lot about the Anglican Church in Tanzania as Mwita was Provincial Secretary prior to becoming a bishop. It was a late night, lakeside in a beautiful location. The resort is basic and needs funds spent on it but cheap. Food here is excellent.

Tilapia was the order of the day for all four of us

Grace didn’t make it t the Compassion program as a child. She is a young woman whose education was disrupted by her father’s death. Arthur had told me the previous week about how the tailoring centre here and Bunda changed lives dramatically of girls unable to continue to secondary education because they did not pass the national exams or due to family finances. He gave examples of how parents prefer their daughters to attend the church program as opposed to the government vocational centres where girls from villages fend for themselves in towns and cities. The Mothers’ Union here provides a hostel with a matron so village girls are not without support.

Grace was due to start at the sewing centre in February, one of four scholarship recipients but was responsible for providing a uniform and some other basic things like mosquito nets and food. Up to the last days her family was not even able to raise $12 to contribute so did not start. After pondering this over Easter I told Arthur I would cover her costs for the scholarship. He was taken back as he only mentioned her as an example of girls whose lives have little future if they cannot get some sort of training.

Next day Arthur walked in to my office with Grace. He and some of his staff decided to support the additional money she needed for the add ons and her mother agreed to provide food monthly (girls cook for themselves to keep costs down). Grace’s appearance tells you all you need to know about village life. At 25 years old she looks much younger than her years. She is undernourished. She left school in form 1 aged 18 years old after her father died (that sentence tells you a lot about educational opportunities in Tanzania). While education is “free” the additional costs result in many not continuing as students must supply uniforms, books and materials. On Easter Sunday I met a primary school teacher who has a 173 kids in her class – and she was smiling! Two friends of Grace from nearby villages were in the office with her having collected her from the bus station. They have had two months in town and will help her settle in.

Martha is the secretary of Mothers’ Union in Mara, having taken over after the untimely death last year of Dorothy apparently due to diabetes. She is an ordained minister who serves at the cathedral on Sundays. I was able to give her my old laptop (2017) which I replaced last year for MU use. As I spoke to her and Arthur apologising for its age, Arthur told me this was the most modern laptop in the diocese. When I saw his I realised what he meant, still running windows 7 on a 4kg laptop which looks about 10-12 years old. Martha is new to computing so will as Arthur suggested enrol for an hour a day in the basic computer class next door at the vocational training centre.

Friday was a meeting with the manager of Buhemba Rural Agricultural Centre (BRAC). BRAC is owned by the diocese and comprises 1,000 acres of land which includes a training college on it as a separate entity, providing diplomas in Community Development. It is a huge asset which is not realising its potential. Annarose retired in 2021 as District Commissioner for the area and was offered the role of manager of BRAC. In its heyday in the 1980s it boasted a dairy that provided over 1,000 litres of milk daily and cropped hundreds of acres which provided income to the church. Following the departure of the missionaries who helped establish it, it has failed to maintain the momentum of the early days.

Martha and the laptop

Arthur who is a 30 year stalwart of the diocese.

Annarose from BRAC

Annarose has a big job and I have been asked to assist her with plans to get this farm functioning and helping her with a strategic plan. It has several business units – cropping beans, sunflower and maize, honey production, sunflower oil, cattle grazing and actually producing sunflower oil for markets. I have previously been to BRAC twice and the potential is hge. It has an underground water tank of 1 million litres and a large reservoir. Both need work to drought proof cropping.

In working through the issues, mortification set in when we spoke about finances and accounting practices and I was told the CPA there is still using books (as in paper) to keep accounts. In discussing this with Arthur who by this time had joined the meeting this is common across the diocese. Another task to look at. Reports are prepared in excel. Any accountants out there reading this who would be interested in a voluntary job?

The weekend came and went quickly. Lunch was planned at Rehema Cafe Saturday where the three English GOMAD volunteers were lunching and a couple, Roman and Rebecca who had been here since 2015 but are now in Rwanda serving with Wycliffe Bible Translators as they cannot get residency permits again. A separate blog at some time about their work which translates oral languages into written form using the Bible as the subject.

The bishop was teaching in the afternoon after morning baptisms at the cathedral so I went shopping to the markets after seeing what the GOMAD people had bought. I came back with Merrell runners for TZS 35,000 ($22) and almost new. The markets get clothes imported from USA, Canada and elsewhere and resell thse. It is huge. The shoes I bought were almost new.

Some of the 19 baptisms Saturday morning

Siblings

I was going to write about the work day routines and diet but will leave that for next week.

The shoe bargain

New Beginnings

Induction at Mara Easter Week 1

Its has been a busy week here in Musoma. Arriving by local bus from Mwanza (4.5 hours) I learned a lot from just a bus ride. I gave up my seat to a woman with two kids she was standing trying to hold as the bus weaved along the main road avoiding hazards. Lots of young blokes who didn’t even look up. This is a strongly dominated male culture.
Bishop George met me at the bus station and took me home. I am living with him while in Musoma. His wife Janet who teaches in Dodoma came home early for Easter to greet me and head back to Dodoma (20 hours on a bus) on Easter Monday. Christina is the housekeeper who cooks, cleans and does all things domestic. There is a 24 hour security guard at the gate and at night the guards are armed.

Bishop George and his wife Janet

Christina- Cook extraorinairre

The house at night

I had the house to myself on Saturday and Sunday as they went to a village for confirmations and it was too far to travel back Saturday night. I went for a walk up town and cvisited the markets and bought one or two items. A plate to sit on top of the gas stove will allow my stove top espresso maker to keep me in decent coffee.

The heat has surprised me and I did sleep a lot on the weekend. Not sure if it was the heat or effects of jetlag. The weekend also brought news from my wife that she had tested positive for COVID on a PCR after two negative RATS. While concerning she was assuring me she had only mild symptoms. How I have not contacted it as my daughter and two grandkids contracted it in the days prior to my departure and I had significant contact with them the previous weekend at my grandson’s birthday party.

I downloaded Duolingo, hoping to learn some basic Swahili given I am here for more than just a week as have my past visits been. I gave up by Monday, but Glen a former missionary here who is back for ten days to say goodbye after the hasty Covid departure said he would see if there were any books they had when they were learning Swahili.

The first day in the office surpised. I have an office and a title – Business Manager – somewhat embarrassing and I did ask who made way for me to have sucha big office. Katibu (Diocesan Secretary Max) told me it was a meeting room and as I was a “big man” I deserved a big office. By week’s end it was all making sense. The photo of the office says all you need to know about the state of administration not only here but generally in Africa. A meeting with the bishop outlined the tasks he had in mind for me to work on in my time here. The list seemed intimidating initially but as the week went on it was clear I am seen by him as a change agent.

A big office for one

M works in the Link Office

Two Eddies and both Lay Canons

My induction proceeded with introductions to all staff working in the diocesan office here.. There are many departments and significantly a number of younger staff. The diocesan office now has a legal adviser, given litigation is becoming an issue and also to deal with land issues and contracts.

I spent most of Tuesday in Mother’s Union Board meeting. Significantly from that I learned that MU had done training in 2018 on a Church & Community Mobilisation Program (CCMP) and two groups have already saved TZS 30 million (Tanzanian Shillings) or about $18,000 which was used to finance small projects on a loan basis to community members. This is significant and the bishop is keen to have this roll out across the diocese. Reading through the financial statements I was also questioning how accounts are presented and individual cost centres not showing as P&L centres. This is an area to address with finance who was at the meeting. Over the Easter weekend (Thursday, Friday, Saturday) Janet and a number of MU members visited remote villages with gifts of food and school supplies for distribution to needy children and their parents.

Wednesday was sermon preparation day. But first I had to sort out my online access to the bank as I had been locked out due to too many attempts at my passowrd. I ended up having to go to town and but an international bundle for the phone and ringing my bank. Amazingly it only took 10 minutes but the bundle did cost $30 and was needed as I didn’t have SMS for my Australian number to receive a code to verify it was me making the changes.

The Bible readings for Sunday were Psalm 118:14-24, Isaiah 25:6-9, 1 Cor 5:7-8 and Mark 16:1-7. By day’s end I had the outline completed and an idea of what I was going to say.

Maundy Thursday was a meeting with Arthur who has three jobs in the diocese. It went for three hours and it seems he and I will work together trying to help manage his workload and put in systems that will help him. I manged the completion of my sermon and used Google translate to translate it into Swahili. The bishop was impressed at the accuracy of the translated sermon. The subject is The Shroud has Been Lifted. I also wrote a blog on the absence of Easter Bunnies and eggs in Tanzania. It struck me that there is no commercial advertising of Easter. The blog can be located at the link above. At 3pm a service was held in the cathedral with lots of music. I took a video of a song sung by the bishop’s secretary. It is absoultely amazing when you think these singers have no formal music training.

Arthur the Link, Education and

M is Arthur’s assistant

Maundy Thursday worship

Good Friday was church at 10am (English) and at midday a service of the last seven sayings of Jesus which lasted three hours. First time I have ever heard of this type of service but lo and behold Darling Point Anglican in Sydney had the exact same service but with nine last sayings. Church is very liturgical and this would have been a high holy day. Again excellent music. In this context the liturgy is remembered as I observed even young children reciting responses. No prayer books in sight. I downloaded a Swahili song book earlier in the week and was able to attempt to sing some of the songs in Swahili.

Glenn and Dominique who were missionaries here for ten years are back to say goodbye and sort out their goods before going home. A short trip of ten days, they took the bishop and I for dinner to a local restaurant which allowed a time of saying goodbye. The school Glenn led had a farewell for him earlier in the week and formal farewell from the diocese will take place on Tuesday before they head home.

Dinner at Matvilla with Glen and Dom and kids

My diet here is totally changed. I have been doing keto for over three years and the diet here is totally the opposite. High carbs, high protein and low fat. Fat in fact is only in the oil used for cooking and any fish or meat. In the week here I have eaten an extraordinary amount of beans and am surprised at how tasty they are.

Christina the housekeeper here knows how to cook. Rice is an accompaniment with most meals and either a small amount of meat, generally chicken but once we had beef. Spinach as greens and plantains (cooked bananas) are regular side dishes and maybe 100 -150grams of meat on any day. On the days eating out I order tilapia, a freshwater fish from Lake Victoria – arguably the tastiest fish in the world. The house is literally a 200 metre walk to the largest lake in Africa.

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MU ladies on their way to villages

Tilapia

Perhaps the biggest change is walking the dogs or should I say the dogs running us. It is a brisk 2.5 km circuit as the dogs pull us along. I haven’t exercised as hard in many years. My heart rate is getting to 160 according to my Fitbit. My thighs are feeling it. On Saturday the dogs get a wash that essentially dips them in public dog bath and has chemicals for parasites, ticks and allows them to be scrubbed down. This happened before sunrise so they get the first bath. 80 to 100 dogs go through the same water on Saturdays for 500 TZS each.

Central markets

Central markets

Communion wine is stored in a water bottle

Adram pastors the English congregation

Magnificent sunsets abound on Lake Victoria

Easter is the diocesan auditor – a new position

So it has been busy, tiring but a great start. I am lookning forward to the next few months.