Hey there, fellow music enthusiasts! Today, I want to share an inspiring story about a personal journey of acceptance, perseverance, and the power of finding your voice amidst adversity. I am a tone-deaf individual who has faced discrimination in Australia for my inability to hold a tune while singing in church. However, in 2023, during my volunteer work in Tanzania, I discovered a community that embraced me and my unique voice.
Hey there, fellow music enthusiasts! Today, I want to share an inspiring story about a personal journey of acceptance, perseverance, and the power of finding your voice amidst adversity. I am a tone-deaf individual who has faced discrimination in Australia for my inability to hold a tune while singing in church. However, in 2023, during my volunteer work in Tanzania, I discovered a community that embraced me and my unique voice. My transformative experience is due to the Uamsho Gospel Choir at St John’s Anglican Church Musoma in Tanzania. This is the real deal as far as African Gospel music is concerned and the US African American Church choirs look pretty average compared to the enthusiasm that Africans bring to their music and dancing.
My passion for singing led me to try to participate in church choirs back in Australia. However, my tone-deafness became a constant source of discouragement. People urged me to sing quietly or not sing at all, making me feel as though my voice was unwelcome in the realm of music. This discrimination left me feeling disheartened, questioning my abilities.
A Serendipitous Encounter:
In 2023, I embarked on my second volunteer journey to Tanzania, a land known for its vibrant music and rich cultural heritage. Through fate’s gentle touch, I found myself joining the Uamsho Gospel Choir at St John’s Anglican Church in Musoma. This is one of about six choirs at this church. Even small village churches will have one or two choirs. It serves as an activity especially for young people – an alternative to Youth Groups. My first practice was on Saturday 1 July 2023 after a day facilitating a workshop and I was tired. But the vibrancy of the dancing and singing energised me. I was shocked to learn I would join next morning after one practice These guys can dance and have a natural rythm I lack. It is hard work as you will see.
As I nervously took my place among the talented singers, I was taken aback by the warmth and acceptance I received. Unlike my previous experiences, the choir members celebrated the joyful noise of their voices, irrespective of their tunefulness But they were excellent. My first time in the choir was on Sunday July 2 2023 and you can see me in the choir singing here.
Not only singing but dancing to support the experienced singers who sing while the rest of the choir does the choreography.
I quickly realized that the Tanzanian approach to music was rooted in the biblical notion of praising God with exuberance and authenticity. The Uamsho Gospel Choir understood that the essence of singing lies not in technical perfection but in the genuine expression of love, devotion, and worship. This revelation breathed new life into my musical journey, to embrace my unique voice wholeheartedly.
Psalm 98:4-6 – “Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—shout for joy before the LORD, the King.” This passage reminds us that God values the joyful noise of our praise, emphasizing the importance of expressing our adoration without reservation. And here is an example of it from last year at a service I attended (WARNING if your idea of typical Anglican singing is choral music do not click)
Psalm 100:1-2 – “Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” These verses highlight the significance of approaching worship with gladness and joyful songs, emphasizing that our worship should be rooted in authentic expression rather than technical perfection.
1 Samuel 16:7b – “The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” This verse speaks to the essence of acceptance and reminds us that God sees beyond external factors, embracing our heartfelt offerings of praise.
My journey from facing discrimination as a tone-deaf singer in Australia to finding acceptance in the Uamsho Gospel Choir in Tanzania is a testament to the transformative power of embracing one’s uniqueness. Through the biblical texts that support the notion of a joyful noise, I have discovered that my voice, though different, had the power to uplift and connect with others in worship. My experience teaches us the importance of creating inclusive spaces in our communities and valuing the genuine expressions of love and devotion, regardless of their technical perfection.
Remember, dear readers, let us celebrate the diverse voices among us, for it is in the joyful noise that we find unity, acceptance, and a profound connection with the divine. Sing your heart out, embrace your uniqueness, and let your joyful noise resound.
My time is coming to an end as I write. I am in my last week and it has been very busy since my visit to Gesarya in early June. I concluded six Saturdays since May in a leadership program attended by over 30 people. I started writing this blog five days ago and as I wrote I looked back on the last month and realised I would have to write a number of shorter blogs given how busy I have been. I am tired, essentially having worked six days weekly and Sunday here is hardly a day of rest with four hours at church generally.
The Last Month – Leadership and a Graduation Day
My time is coming to an end as I write. I am in my last week and it has been very busy since my visit to Gesarya in early June. I concluded six Saturdays since May in a leadership program attended by over 30 people. I started writing this blog five days ago and as I wrote I looked back on the last month and realised I would have to write a number of shorter blogs given how busy I have been. I am tired, essentially having worked six days weekly and Sunday here is hardly a day of rest with four hours at church generally.
As I reflected in my last blog, I have learned a lot and gained insight into training cross culturally. I cannot help but feel people who come short term to do training and other public events don’t really manage to connect. The last session was on change management, something completely foreign to people in the room.
I was able to get the message across about how much change they have experienced with a few simple photos – of a bowl of water over a charcoal fire being boiled for tea, a thermos and a gas stove top and electric kettle. Cheap Chinese exports have made a huge difference to life here. Many people in town now have a two burner gas stovetop cooker that can be purchased for less than $200. Talk about time saving devices. But the electric kettle is even better as you don’t need to put the tea or hot water in the thermos – you just boil water as needed (provided there are no power outages).
This means no collecting firewood, no pollution from cooking on an open flame and reduced costs. The hostel here still boils water over an open fire so I was able to help the manager see that for 30,000 TZS ($18) she could boil as much water as she liked and save 5,0000 TZS ($4) on firewood or charcoal. Not to mention the reduction in trees being harvested for firewood as well as the environmental effects.
How has this changed life?
The assumption I started with was that Tanzanians were a nation of tea drinkers so when my cup of tea went up with the question “How has making a cup of tea changed since you were a child?” I was told by one person that they didn’t drink tea in his community. A lesson learned.
Bunda Bible College (BBC) held its thirteenth graduation on Saturday 10 June. Unlike last year I was able to take a backseat and assist with some logistics and ensure public relations were improved to highlight the supporters of the college. So in the end when it came time for presentations I was like the stage director up front telling people to stay still while a photo was taken as they received their diplomas and again when receiving their book packages (all graduates received a book pack for future use).
BBC three year Diploma and Certificate graduates 2023
Two days prior I spent the day meeting with the distance students who undertake a two year program in their churches coordinated by BBC. I also interviewed a number to get stories for the book sponsor SparkLit Australia.
SephrozaFrank
Hearing about the lives of individuals and how Christianity has changed them and given them purpose and meaning is never boring. A young girl who fled from her family during the cutting season found refuge in a church where she lived with the pastor for a week after fleeing home having been tipped off by her aunt that this was the day. At 14 years of age she had seen and heard a lot, heard about options in school and fled for her life. She ended up undertaking the extension course and wanted to be a pastor in order to help her community.
In class with TEE studentsTEE students after a day with me speaking to them
My job for the day in addressing the group of 25 who were at the college for a two week residential prior to graduation was to talk about planning, economics of going into ministry and practical things about governance. All in all well received and appreciated by the students. Imagine my surprise when at the end I was asked to set two questions for the exam they would do the next day! I obliged but declined the offer to mark as the exam is in Swahili.
Having arrived on Thursday travelling down with two other staff to Bunda, I planned to stay overnight with young Nguti, the IT guy who was doing some preparatory work at BBC and also the two schools. Basically I had arranged with the travel group to bring in 28 mini desktop computers which would replace the aged PCs at BBC. In order to make this all work, the old PCs were being transferred to Shalom and Bunda Girls Schools for a nominal cost which contributed to the screens required for the mini desktops. So while I was busy talking to students he was involved in his work, moving computers from BBC to Bunda Girls School next door.
BGSS will have over thirty computers once all are set up and running. Nguti with Education Secretary Misoji
We stayed overnight in the house donated to the diocese and Friday morning I as usual made breakfast for us both – boiled eggs and toast. As we were eating as he bit into his toast he took the piece in his hand and said “What is wrong with this bread?” Looking at him and the “bread” and seeing nothing wrong it occurred to me he had never eaten toast in his 29 years. And I was right. So I showed him a toaster and how bread became toast. That incident has caused many laughs as I related it with someone wondering how a person who has been to university and lived in major cities had never experienced toast.
“What’s wrong with this bread?” Note Vegemite.
The Saturday afterwards was the third leadership workshop at Bunda. In the middle of school holidays the numbers were low but the participation was great and it was easier to work with a smaller group of people than the larger groups that had attended sessions one and two. Given the low numbers from Bunda I decided the last three would run at Musoma which saved me travel on Saturdays and meant only those who were really motivated would make the hour and a quarter journey each way from Bunda to Musoma.
The last two Saturday workshops went well. The session on communication was well received especially the activity called Chinese Whispers where a message is given and passed along a line of participants with the last participant telling the group what the message received is. We had two groups of nine and both groups had a different message at the end to the one communicated at the beginning. There were a lot of laughs as each message received was explained and compared to what I had provided. The laughter was particularly loud for the message received “Julius Nyrere was born in Butiama and went to school in Musoma. He walked 26 miles each week to attend school.” This became, Julius Nyrere was born in Butiama in 1922 and died in 1999.” The following week I repeated this twice. The second time because some suggested that doing it in English was the problem so I provided a message in Swahili and the same thing happened. The message in fact was more distorted and examining where it changed, it seems it was the first person to receive the message who changed one aspect of it.
In the end nineteen participants will receive a certificate to be presented at a farewell dinner two days prior to my departure.
I have just completed the third session of the leadership program I started back in early May. The numbers have come down to what I realistically expected they may be when I had suggested it back in April. We had 13 at session three but it did not impact the discussion or interaction and may have actually enhanced learning outcomes.
Personal Reflections
I have just completed the third session of the leadership program I started back in early May. The numbers have come down to what I realistically expected they may be when I had suggested it back in April. We had 13 at session three but it did not impact the discussion or interaction and may have actually enhanced learning outcomes.
Session three was about Organisational Leadership, which I explained to them is a huge topic and one we could only scratch the surface of. A smaller group meant some good role plays and exercises to get my point across. Comparing the organisation to a human body was well understood as we discussed systems and how each of them worked in a system and in smaller systems within the larger diocesan system which employs them all. 1 Cor 12:12ff was the text used to help them understand the concept and a few role plays were easy for them to get the idea.
This all led to how organisational management develops culture and their focus as leaders was to develop a good culture in their workplaces. However we discussed how this is different from the culture previously discussed between African/Asian societies and western culture – collectivist versus individualistic ways of operating.
I advised them that there would be matters discussed that may be out of sequence as it was impossible for this topic to flow and that systems, human resources, communications, finances and change while all separate topics may overlap with this big topic.
Feedback to some of the questions was excellent and I was even interrupted a few times as people wanted to speak and make suggestions (this is a big thing so they are obviously comfortable).
What did surprise me was the readiness for change. People understand they have no strong direction because the diocese has never had a strategic plan. Most had been involved in consultations last year about the strategic plan and I did assure them that the training they are voluntarily attending will help them in the implementation of the strategic plan as each of the heads will be required to develop plans for their own units.
Guilt/Innocence and Honour and Shame
The practical implications of the different worlviews has impacted some of the other things I am doing. Having a greater awareness of honour and shame in this culture has impacted my sermon series on Ruth. The biblical narratives are set in similar cultures so when reading Ruth, looking at the story through that culture changes lots. Boaz honoured Ruth by redeeming her through the purchase of Elimeleck’s land. While we may miss that in our western cultural lens clearly there are other things to understand from a different cultural framework.
From the first session which discussed this at length I have now had a month to process much of what was discussed. Nepotism in our culture (Guilt/Innocence) is always seen as wrong. We are individuals and believe that individuals should all be treated equally. In a collectivist (Honour/Shame) culture favouring people according to the place of honour is a given and it would be shameful to disrespect someone by not honouring them.
Honour has to do with age, position in a family (grandparents, firstborn gender), position in society/church/employment, gender, wealth (land, herds), power and types of honour (good v bad honour) https://honorshame.com/kinds-of-honor/
Some of the discussions we have had have highlighted to me how people in the course with different types of power or status responded to what were for them difficult questions in a group setting. Questions such as you are employing someone and a relative who is qualified has applied and there are five other candidates, some with better qualifications. Who would you choose. Reflecting now, I put individuals in a group setting in great difficulty because on the one hand they knew what the answer I expected was but eventually culture won out but I could see the discomfort they were in. Had I asked them that privately, I would have received the answer I was expecting but in a group setting it would have been shameful to have said the relative would not be preferred. It is just the way things are.
Do we westerners with individualist values have a right to trample culture, even say if it is development aid money that says you act according to our values? It is a big question.
Recently I was at an event for 500 women across the three Anglican Dioceses in this region. There was an opening church service which went for two and a half hours and was great because of the singing. At the end it was speeches of welcome. It took an hour as I sat there understanding that as each person was asked to stand (the three Mothers’ Union groups 100,100 and 300 were stood as groups) I could see how they moved up the honour scale. The office bearers of each MU group from Tarime, Mara and Rorya, significant others who were visiting who were employees or office bearers, through to clergy, choirs, myself, the wives of bishops who were all asked to speak as was I and then each bishop. Each bishop and wife were then brought to the front and given a gift followed by me and a few others. So in the honour scale I was behind the bishops. It is the first time I have understood a number of things like why the bishop insists I sit in the front of the car when we travel together and he takes the back seat.
I also discussed failed leadership. While people may bring dishonour to themsleves or their organisation again it seems like it is not discussed but everyone knows. So a recent employee who was terminated was used as an example of bringing dishonour to the agency they led. Checking in with some of the senior staff wondering if that was going overboard I was encouraged to be open as the culture tends to hide bad behaviour.
So this course I am facilitating on leadership has impacted me as much as I think it has impacted the participants.
A lot of time is spent giving honour in formal settings. The above example took just under an hour and looks inefficient from our western individualist culture but is the done thing here. It also explains all the gifts I received in my early years here when visiting on behalf of Anglican Aid.
We nowhere finished the big agenda and continued the following week. We touched briefly on delegation at session four and had some excellent role plays.
Two sessions to go and I have an accountant doing some basics this coming weekend.
I was warmly greeted by this octogenarian whose ear lobes had large gaps from her years of wearing large decorative piercings and were disfigured by parts snipped off the top. She and her cohort were ahead of western culture where these piercings are all the rage with punks and goths.
Family Matters – Kenya
Marriage (2)
After leaving Sophia, current second wife of the polygamous Mwita Nguti, we then trekked down through some maize fields to the house of Nguti’s grandmother Agnes. Enroute we met Kihengu, who was Nguti’s chemistry teacher in form 4. He attended lessons on Saturdays at his school in order to prepare for exams. Age 47 he is Nguti’s father’s best friend and the two of them had come from the home of Nguti’s grandmother. He has been a teacher for 17 years and now is at Gesarya Seondary School which is local for him. We continued on to grandmother’s house.
I was warmly greeted by this octogenarian whose ear lobes had large gaps from her years of wearing large decorative piercings and were disfigured by parts snipped off the top. She and her cohort were ahead of western culture where these piercings are all the rage with punks and goths.
She greeted her grandson and I warmly and chairs were brought for us to sit outside the house and talk. She produced a range of artifacts from her past to show me how life was lived. Two enormous seed pods, smoothed and polished served variously as scoops for water, bowls for porridge of cups for tea. A large wicker basket with top then emerged and was placed on her head as she proudly showed that even at her age, she could still carry things on her head.
We chatted and as I suspected dishes of beef came out for a snack. After the conversation she showed me inside her house very proudly. Grandma Agnes Nguti was born in what is now Kenya, which gained independence in 1963, three years after the Mau Mau uprising ended (which was the independence war against colonial Britain). She did not know her age but through deduction it is estimated she is 84 years old. She never attended school and has no literacy skills. Kuria is her first language and she has learned Swahili but speaks to family and others in Kuria. She has never been to Musoma and has no idea what work Nguti does. She married and in 1960 she and her husband left Colonial Kenya for Tanganyika essentially for land which was plentiful and settled in Gesarya. Borders came some years later but still the border is fluid for locals who have relatives on both dides.
Her husband Nguti Mwita Nguti died in 1993. He went to bed with a head ache and was dead in the morning. It was unknown what the cause was, but many people died with this mysterious illness around that time which may have been meningitis, according to Dr Google which can result in death within 24 hours. She has eight children four boys and girls.
Her current brick house is about twenty five years old, replacing the original stick, mud and dung house with its straw roof that was home for over thirty years. This house with earth and sand floors has three rooms. Off the room we walked into from the front door were two bedrooms. The public room had a charcoal fire burning and her daughter in law breastfeeding a one-year-old as she tended whatever was cooking.
Her daughter in law, Catherine is twenty years old and married to Nguti’s fifty five year old uncle, Samwel. His first wife died about ten years ago. He was an Anglican pastor but was elected to a local government position and required to step down as a pastor for what is a paid representative role. He has five children from his first marriage, the youngest aged 15 living here.
Through the back door and I noted this house is part of a compound with houses to the left built by her son who lives there and the rest fenced with branches and bricks to provide a boundary. It was nowhere near as big as the house where I spent the previous night. The washroom had no door and through the fence to outside, which was still her land was a large grassed area maybe 15 metres wide leading down to a maize field which she tended. A toilet was to one side, and Nguti showed me the burial sites of his grandfather and the aunt who died in 2013. These were raised, grassed mounds near a tree with mimosa plants growing on top. The crosses had long been destroyed by cows which feed in this area.
Agnes’ compound looking back
The guy collected 60L of water and carries it on his bike
Grandfather’s grave
Closer view of the rear of the house
We saw people carrying water and so headed to the water source. Nguti’s uncle hand dug a well when the government came and bored a public well a few hundred metres further on and so the family has a relatively short 250 metre walk to an endless water supply. We proceeded to the public well where a man with a bicycle filled three containers to the brim, skillfully balanced them on his bike and rode off into the distance with 60 litres of precious water.
Returning to the compound we were met by Agnes who brought out her mobile phone. Nguti laughed as he told me she does not recognise names in the contact list so just guesses, asks who it is when answered and then hangs up if not the person she hoped to call. She relies on grandchildren to locate the contact when they are around.
Back to the courtyard and Catherine was washing clothes in water that was brown with dirt. It amazes me that despite the conditions women wash under, whites come out looking very white.
Carrying waterThis is a water cooler made of sandWashing clothes
We bid her and the others farewell and returned to town for lunch. At the town centre we stopped to say hi to a shopkeeper and I had a stick beek at what she was selling. Lots of facial creams were on display and I kid you not garlic face cream and then I noted a carrot based cream. All Chinese of course. The owner was bemused by my fascination with her stock but no purchases from me today.
A bit further along was a woman whose age was difficult to guess with a stunningly attractive face standing outside. She turned out to be Eliza, aunt of Nguti’s oldest maternal uncle and aged 42 but with facial features of a 25 year old. She is separated and struggles to raise her five children as a sole parent. She came to Gesarya after marriage and has little contact with her own family as it is too far to walk, being about 25 kilometres from Gesarya.
Enroute back to Nguti’s place I saw a chicken broker who basically bought chickens then went to villages to sell them. He made 100% profit per chicken.
Eliza
Beauty secret in Serengeti
Johnny the cow boy
50 kgs to the mill
Catherine and 15 yo daughter of her husband
On arriving I saw Johnny the Cow Boy who tends cattle for the Nguti’s. He gets Saturdays off. Aged 14 he came to live with them from Mwanza three years prior having been helped by one of Nguti’s siblings who learned of his homelessness and neglect and said her parents could have him stay. Anyway he herds 28 cattle daily and is paid 30,000 TZS monthly but some months Mrs Nguti buys him a sheep to help him save. He has two sheep now.
Lunch was goat meat. Mwita thanked me for coming. The previous evening was the first time his wife and daughter and Nguti had sat down as a family for a long time. He talked about the last time white people came to his village about 2007. They could not wait to get out as they appeared scared. Americans, they came over to do a mission and did not interact with the local people who were aware that they were not interested in them.
The goat after breakfastThe goat at lunch
He also mentioned his concern that I did not eat much. This then led on to the size of the American who visited. Nguti remembered that one was so large he barely fitted through the door.
Once lunch was done it was time to depart. The farewells were filled with appreciation for my visit. I was appreciative of the warmth and hospitality and the openness to discuss life here including polygamy.
Mwita’s brother arrived prior to our departure. He is the one who lives with his mother and second wife. He was able to take some photos of us all. We left heading to the next village. Tyre changed, it turned out the spare was very low and when checked had only 20kpa in it. Once we filled it, we headed back to Musoma with lots of debriefing for me taking place as we drove.
The chicken broker – buys at market and goes door to door
We changed the car tyre first thing in the morning. A guy named Chacha came along and wanted to help. After we rang the normal driver and Nguti got instructions Chacha with the hidden parts we needed was able to pretty much change this all himself and earn 5,000 Tzs 9$3) which Nguti said was too much.
Officially according to Google maps the village I am writing about is Gesarya, Serengeti DC Rung’abure Gesarya, which indicates that Rung’abure is the closest village and it sits in the District Council area of Serengeti.
I expect to write a few blogs about this weekend away. I certainly learned a lot and in future writing about this weekend hope to share some of the culture and practices still prevalent in the Serengeti region.
This first one provides the background to how I came to stay somewhere which is only 110 km from Musoma but might as well have been a million miles from anywhere (using a well known idiom for my non western readers). Google maps shows the village, driving from Musoma and also Mugumu which is 18kms away and the nearest service centre. Despite modernity and services being less than 20kms away villages in the Serengeti live pretty much traditionally with newer houses and mobile phones (from $10 a phone) perhaps being the obvious signs of slow progress in this sprawling region.
The road is sealed from Musoma to about Kamgendi Center then is a mixtire of roadworks, gravel and dirtTotal population 2022 census is340,000The town of Mugumu is so heavily populated compared to the district it does not appear on the map
Background
Nguti Mwita Nguti invited me to visit his village when I was here last year after he started working for the church as the IT and graphic design manager three days a week. Prior to that he had “volunteered” at the post office as an intern for eighteen months, unpaid attending to their computer needs. He also volunteered at the diocese managing the website. When I reviewed the website it was not functional as the fee for hosting had not been paid. After discussions with the bishop about the communication needs of the diocese, new laptops arriving and the need to have someone managing IT, Nguti was employed three days weekly from about June 2022. Naturally the Post Office was sorry to lose him but I did suggest he advise them that he was available to undertake their computer repairs on a fee for service basis, which occurred.
Nguti quickly demonstrated his value to the diocese as we reconnected the website and I assisted him with suggestions to redesign it. It isn’t great but it’s much better than what he started with. Here is the current version with a rolling banner which was his initiative https://www.actmaradiocese.or.tz/
We then looked at diocesan staff who communicated internationally, and established email addresses for key staff from the bishop and most diocesan staff including me to be used as official communications and advised international partners.
However his real strengths were in the graphic design of the diocesan newsletter which was a communication channel to the world sharing about the work of the church here in Mara. His other strength was in fixing computers which includes upgrading operating systems so that some of the slow functioning and “broken” computers were again functional with Windows 10 or for very old PCs Windows 7 as the upgrade. Some computers here are 12- 15 years old and at Bunda Bible College some go back as far as 2006. I have a new appreciation for the quality of Dell computers because most of these ancient workhorses are Dell.
We formed quite a bond. He calls me “father” which is a respect for my age (Baba is what many younger Swahili speakers call me). I assisted him with a basic budget. Not much really, but he mentioned it to me this year and how helpful it was for him to realise even with the part time income he didn’t have enough to live.
He is 29 years of age and we have regularly discussed marriage as he is now at an age where he is looking for a wife. However this is hard for him as you will learn from future posts as his life is complex.
He was born in Gesarya, the fourth (living of nine children) aged from 38 to 13. A brother who was born before him died at a month as he was premature.
So as our relationship developed he asked me when I visited in 2023 to come to his village and learn where he came from, his upbringing and meet his parents.
However the more I heard about its remoteness, the less likely an overnight visit to this I thought would occur but providence provided the opportunity on the only spare weekend (2-4 June) I have between now and my departure from Musoma on 15 July.
The bishop is away this weekend and so I have the spare vehicle but no driver to drive to and from the office. The bishop on learning I was planning to visit Gesarya was happy for me to drive myself (he has been surprised at my skills ever since I reverse parked into his carport, something he does now). My only other “safari” as it is called here was to Bunda a month ago on all sealed roads. I had been to Mugumu in 2017 and rememebred what a terrible road it was but lots of roadworks are being done all over Tanzania and I was surprised at the quality improvements in six years.
The other thing Bishop told me is that he has stayed at Nguti’s house when he did confirmations there years ago So I thought accommodation must be OK if he has spent a night there. He had a village upbringing so I still wondered.
The drive out was fascinating as I stopped and spoke to people, took photos and saw the progress in various communities. Having Nguti with me provided a lot of information. There was no rush and given my first time on unsealed roads, the only requirement was to arrive by sunset, so three and a bit hours gave me plenty of time for a two hour journey.
Bad roadBeing graded for upgrade?
Roadworks were taking place on the “highway” as well as town roads as you see below. Note the way vehicles were stopped from driving on new works. The drainage system below was hand dug and rocks moved manually.
The dam below was proximate to roadworks and I was told built by the government. I am guessing for road works. The middle photo had a truck loaded with 40 people and had stopped in the middle of the road. Initially I thought approaching it from the other side it was a catlle truck but as I passed, I noted it crammed full of bodies. Nguti explained it was a cheap form of transport for locals.
People moverAfter two hours the turnoff
As we drove east a steady stream of women carrying sacks on their heads and bags in their handswere obvious for kilometres. I was told it was market day every 2nd of the month and after about 10kms the markets appeared in the distant rise.
Life is hard. Note her feet and sandals
Women do a lot of the heavy lifting, although young boys seem to start their role as cattle herders at very young ages. I have seen them as young as 7-8 years tending cattle.
The monthly markets have traders coming from Musoma and elsewhere selling basic goods such as soap and other personal items, shoes, clothing and other items not available elsewhere. These people do not travel. I was told many here have never been to Musoma and Mugumu, which is
Monthly markets. People come from everywhere
Heading east after the markets we saw many peopleherding cattle. Nguti told me these were cattle bought at the markets. People do not have bank accounts so on market days, people will come to sell produce or animals for cash to purchase other market goods or for other reasons – school fees, medical costs or any other purpose. So markets act here as markets have historically as a form of exchange (bartering) but cash is now the medium of exchange and traders from town are cash merchants.
I stopped a few kms down the road when I saw a man herding as we learned twenty six cattle. I suggested he was just a local herding existing cattle, but no I was told he had bought at the market. We stopped and engaged in a fascinating discussion, which led to the following headline.
Disparities of income
Passing through many villages which were poor we suddenly came across a village and twon centre where the wealth was obvious. This was a local gold mining area where locals were digging shafts and prospecting for gold by bringing up dirt by pulleys and sifting for gold. There is a major gold mine north of here so it is no surprise that there should be depsoits here.
A local gold mineHouses here are much more affluent. Tin roofs are the giveawayThe disparity is enormousThe disparity is enormous
The Serengeti Cow Bank
Commerce here is done using animals as a form of savings. Nguti reckons less than 10% of people would have a bank account. So a total population of 340,000 in 62,000 households is likely to have less than 6,000 bank accounts and that still sounds a lot.
And those who have heard of bank accounts ask why would you put money in a bank when you can buy cows and make more cows? Well that’s not as ridiculous as it sounds.
So our cattle buyer told us he had just purchased these 26 cattle at market for six million shillings (6,000,000TZS) which is about AU$4,000. Even I knew this was an extraordinary purchase. He told us he was a tobacco farmer who had just sold his crop of two acres with a harvest of four tonnes (4,000kgs) at 6,500TZS/kg. My mental calculations confirmed by Nguti’s calculator revealed a total sale of 26M TZS or about $18,000. He would have maybe had costs to come out but that is some harvest.
Nguti did indicate tobacco is very difficult to grow and like Australian wheat farmers perhaps a good crop every 3-4 years make up for the bad years. So he bought cows which will give him more cows eventually. Some cows will be used for marriage (see future post on marriage and the bride price) and other funds may build a house but none of that cash will see a bank account. It will be stored in value in some form of local economy.
From there we continued towards Gesarya turning left at Tarime Rd. Right takes you to the Ikoma Gate entry to the national park. Girls carrying water was a common sight.
Near Gesarya we saw the Anglican Church where this weekend a confirmation service is being held, proceeded into town where we passed the secondary school, constructed since Nguti finished school. He had to walk 12kms each way daily to and from school. We saw the mission preceding the confirmation and which nightly was showing a film based on This is Life which I gather is a series of films with moral teaching. Tonight’s was on marriage, very relevant in this polygamous area. Saturday’s was The Jesus Film.
We then after watching the mission for a short period left the town centre and arrived at Nguti’s fatehr’s compound. This is a square area about 45-50m square with 8 feet high brick walls on all sides or the front has the house walls as the boundary. Inside there were numerous houses and partiially completed houses belonging to siblings who no longer live in the area.
Outside the compound at the rearPanoramic view of the compoundThe original house c1983Panorama 2My roomBehind the doorA view of the moonSunsetToilet and washroom (l)
The compound gave an insight as to how humans and animals coexist. Dung from cows, shee and goats was over the compound and cleaned up daily. Nguti’s dad has 28 cows over 20 sheep of a variety I mistook for goats and goats.
Dinner by torchlight that night was in the guesthouse, the newest looking building with a large area with a bedroom coming off it. It was fully enclosed and lacked air. However I noted that on the plains the temperature dropped quickly and noted the lack of mosquitos which meant I didn’t sleep with a net that night.
My roomA rented buildingwith familyKitchenWashing for dinnerFilm nightRevocatus Gombeya preaching in the town centre
The night finsished with us walking to see the film and discovering a flat tyre. Oh well that’s a problem for Saturday.
People ask me would I climb Kilimanjaro a second time and the answer is a definite no. Would I do this again. Definitely.
This trip started out as a hope that enough people attending a conference in Kigali would be sufficiently motivated to add on a week to visit the real Africa. In the end 18 intrepid travellers signed up. While it was a tough week travel wise with late arrivals in Nairobi after a week of conferencing and an early morning start from Nairobi on that first morning, most people seemed to have survived (is that the right word) a busy schedule.
So the last morning needed some discipline to have everyone on the bus ready to leave by 7am. And the tour group was ready, the driver was on but where was the bus owner? He had been a bit too leisurely as I hunted him down and eventually we were on the road by 7.07am. Some needed a “short stop” as the Tanzanians called it so about an hour from Mwanza we stopped at a petrol station I had stopped at a a bus trip which had facilities.
Our “short stop” stop. Buses operate as freight carriers as well as passengers
Eventually the outskirts of Mwanza, Tanzania’s second biggest city emerged in heavy traffic and street side markets as we made our way to Mwanza International Airport to drop off Kim, Jim and Lim as they identified themselves from university days for their flight to Bukoba. Lucy Lim is Executive Director of Anglican Relief and Development Australia and cut her teeth at Anglican Aid for five years prior to being appointed as the first full time director of this fledgling Anglican development agency, which I had worked with since 2013. The two agencies complement each other and are not in competition serving different Anglican communities in Australia. The Roberts family were also dropped for their flight as they extended their stay on the island of Zanzibar. Final group photos and farewells.
Farewells to six of our fellow travellers while the rest of us head off to Nyakato Bible College. Bishop Ntuza (left 2nd fromend) met us to direct us to the college
Our final official visit was to Nyakato Bible School which we had heard about the previous evening from Helen Hoskins who had taught there forty years previously. As we made our way to the city outskirts it was not difficult to imagine how isolated Nyakato would have been forty years ago before the advent of sealed roads, motor vehicles, electricity and other infrastructure. Now a bustling city, Nyakato could be described as being a village back then. However here was this reasonably well preserved relic surrounded by suburbia and traffic with a welcome party to greet us singing of course. The access road could not be navigated by the bus which stayed on the road as we walked up the track to the college chapel and grounds. Speaking to Helen Hoskins two weeks later she commented on how well preserved building constructed in the 1980s were, an observation not missed by me.
The chapel photo through a window as it is under repairMeeting students in the churchNyakato classroomStudents were keen to be photographed with usNyakato view
Again warm hospitality, choirs, an introduction about Victoria Nyanza Diocese and lunch. We each were presented with a college T-shirt and were able to provide gifts to senior staff of the diocese. Craig Roberts and Dominic Steele spent time over lunch explaining how QR Codes work as Anglican Youthworks donated free resources able to be downloaded on WhatsApp. As the college has n internet this will be a challenge.
Three others due to fly out that evening came back to the hotel with us to wait while others booked in and relaxed by the pool. Jodie McNeill had been chasing an African drum and Misoji at the diocese rang to let me know she had found a drum maker in Mwanza. She was asked to send him down and we would reimburse his boda boda fare even if the drum was not purchased. Thirty minutes later the African version of Uber Drums rolls up with a pair of drums of different sizes. Sold. Both of them. Another person enquired and he said he could get more. This time he came prepared wit a larger number but sadly only one further sale made. Getting through cistoms was no problem (this is writtentwo weeks after the entourage returned). Declared and waved through. Mandy as a music teacher was most excited and the sales guy hand makes these himself.
The Drum Maker and Boda Boda Driver demonstrateTwo happy customersand a very happy drum maker
Dinner that night was a casual affair. The Malaika Hotel sits over Lake Victoria with spectacualr views. Bishop Ntuza and Bishop Johnson Chinyong’ole from Shinyanga (three hours distance) joined us as Archbishop Kanishka Raffel was also staying the night.
An African sunset over Lake VictoriaBishops Chinyong’ole and Ntuza with Raffel centre
2024 beckons as I ponder doing it all again. An evaluation survey will inform the positives and negatives and where improvements can be made. It was great organising this and great to see the excitement of locals who valued people coming to visit and learn. For some locals old friendships of twenty plus years were renewed as Doroth and Fional serendipitously met people they had known from Dodoma when they lived there as missionaries.
People ask me would I climb Kilimanjaro a second time and the answer is a definite no. Would I do this again. Definitely.
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.”
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.
Somewhere is Ruby mobbed by girls excited to have her on campusEducation 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 madeMary, 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 teacherJamberoo and Albion Park parishes are neighbours
A 7am departure for Mwanza next day for those flying at 11.30am concluded an early evening.
18 travellers some with specific interests, so on Monday, day 3 of the tour the group split into two. 13 plus myself travelled the 75 minutes to Mara Diocese in Musoma. Five visited Rorya.
The group visits two dioceses
Mogabiri overlooks the Serengeti plainsAccommodationDining room at Mogabiri
18 travellers some with specific interests, so on Monday, day 3 of the tour the group split into two. 13 plus myself travelled the 75 minutes to Mara Diocese in Musoma. Five visited Rorya.
In Rorya Lucy Lim Executive Director of Anglican Relief and Development Australia with the Kellys visited Nyamusi, a village where they had supported the church in a feeding program at a school and where a mission had recently taken place and a church established.
Robin Vonk’s family has provided sponsorship to a now 17 year old youth for over ten years. Through some perseverance he was able to negotiate a visit to the young man and his family and spent the best part of the day with him as well as visiting the main centre where child sponsorships are co-ordinated by the Mennonite Church.
Robin greeted by students at the local village near ShiratiRobin meets the young man his family has supported for over ten yearsRobin with the family of his sponsored child
Meanwhile the group to Musoma had a varied day. Greeted in the bishop’s office where the customary signing of the visitor’s book occurred we then visited the Mother’s Union Sewing Centre, the cathedral and to the old cathedral for a meeting with heads of departments. The speakers each spoke for 5-7 minutes outlining the roles of Youth, Evangelism, Mothers’ Union, Education, Link and Development and Secretary’s departments to give an overview of governance and structure.
The English congregation meets hereAbel Obura Youth DirectorMax the Diocesan Secretary outlines his role
Rev Jotham Odongo in his seventies and retired spoke of the early days and the role Australians had in developing the church and building the actual building we were meeting in.
Bishop George and members who visited Mara Diocese
We then went across the road to Rehema Cafe and Tailoring Centre Lunch was a western style meal (the only western cafe for hundreds of kilometres) and some people had measurements for shirts and skirts taken to be hand tailored and delivered by Wednesday.
The sewing centreJohn measured up for a shirt
After lunch visits were arranged to two villages. Mothers’ Union or Umaki took a group to Kiabakari about 40 minutes south on sealed roads. Four of us visited Mugango with a short stop at Nyakatende on the way back. This provided an experience few tourists would ever have of seeing village life. At Mugango we had a welcome afternoon tea in Pastor Francis’ earthen floored house and then went to the church where choir members sang for us. Pastor Francis has a Jonah like story which can be viewed here translated to English.
We visited a youth program where brick making was developed as an income generating activity. From digging the clay, forming it and letting it dry before baking in a locally made kiln this prepared us for Nyakatende.
Pastor Francis’ houseMugango ChurchChoirBrickmakingCraig Roberts tries his handat making bricksThe kiln for baking bricks
From Mugango to Nyakatende which was unscheduled but requested by the Bishop. This was interesting for a number of reasons. The church building is basic but the pastor walks 20kms to the church as the house they commenced building some years ago used unbaked bricks. Well the rain came and depsite having the walls up to window height, all the efforts were washed away with the rain.
Nyakatende ChurchWhat’s left after the rain caused the walls to dissolve
Meanwhile the group visiting Kiabakari met Mothers’ Union choirs and visited a church being constructed.
Then back to Mogabiri for our last night. There are many things I have seen transported on motor bikes but the following photo is the first tme I’ve seen a bike transporting a cow.
Bishop Mwita Akiri arranged a farewell dinner for us together with many staff and clergy. Dominic and Catherine Steele celebrated 30 years of marriage and this was recognised by the bishop who congratulated them. Dinner ws an extravagant display of hospitality.
Bishop Mwita his wife Mukami with Catherine and Dominic Steele
The following day was to be a Serengeti Drive to Bunda while I made my way there separately for the opening of Shalom School. The plan to load the bus this evening was thwarted by looming clouds so an alternative transport for the bags was hastily arranged.
To view journalist John Sandeman’s take on today visit The Other Cheek
Sundays is church in Tanzania and it is a big and sometimes long event. We had church, gifts and a lavish dinner from our host. Mostly in pictures.
Three cathedrals in Rorya, Tarime and Musoma and three village churches in Tarime. Services ran for an hour to three hours in the cathedrals. Visitors visited the following churches (Taken froma whatsapp message)
Jodie McNeill – Musoma with Kim Kelly, Mandy and Eddie
David Morgan Rorya Cathedral preaching with Jim K, Lucy Lim amd Michael Charles
Rev Robin Vonk Tarime Cathedral preaching Dr Dorothy Prentice Tarime Cathedral 8.30am translator John Sandeman Tarime GAMASARA Parish Barbara Stephens Tarime GAMASARA Parish 9.30am Craig Roberts Tarime KITAGASEMBE Parish 9am Elizabeth Roberts Tarime KITAGASEMBE Parish Ruby Roberts Tarime KITAGASEMBE Parish Fiona McLean Tarime NYANSURURA Parish 9.00am Kevin Barraclough Tarime NYANSURURA Parish 9am Steele’s 9.30am Tarime
The photos tell the stories although Rorya and Tarime photos are scarce.
Rorya is a Diocese which was established in 2010 out of mara Diocese. It covers one government district and on my first visit in 2017 had no electricty and water was fetched from a nearby creek. Anglican Aid has undertaken some water projects supplying wells including one in a village near the cathedral. The first bishop died in 2020 and Bishop Musa Yamo Masala (Musa) was installed as bishop in 2021,, having come from Mara Diocese where he was principal of Bunda Bible College
Unfortunately the group going to Rorya had a flat tyre five minutes from the church but still got a full service with unbelieveably 15 choirs.
To exerience some of the music at Rorya just click and watch two conservative middle aged Sydney Anglican men transformatively worship like the locals click above. This may change worship music and style in Sydney for the better. Apparently Lucy Lim was airlifted by the locals but I am told no visual evidence of this is available.
Robyn Vonk preached at St Luke’s Cathedral in Tarime with Dorothy Prentice translating for him.
Robin Vonk and Dorothy Prentice on the steps of St Luke’s Cathedral Tarime with the translator
Meanwhile in Musoma Jodie McNeill preached and gave an invitation to anyone who would like Jesus to be their good shepherd. A young man responded and Jodie later had the privilege of baptising him after lunch after the Dean asked if he would be willing to do that. I took photos and videos so the following will give a flavour of what all others experienced in cathedral worship.
Interviews of visitors during announcements – Kim Kelly, Helen Hoskins (translating), Mandy McNeill and Jodie McNeill. Rev Canon Gaspar Kasanda translated the sermon.
CommunionThe Fire choir
Videos can be viewed by clicking on the links below
After the service the church elders provided lunch and a time of greeting each other. A meeting about partnerships occurred (at their instigation). The hospitality extended to gifts being given to each of us.
Then the young man who had made a public commitment in response to the message was baptised by Jodie the video of which can be seen at the link.
Prior to leaving Musoma, the group visited the Bishop’s house (where I am staying) before heading off to Tarime in threatening weather. Apparently it bucketed down hail as well as rain during the choir festival, put on especially for the Archbishop of Sydney. We arrived in miserable conditions in waterlogged grounds. 500 young people were in the church on the property singing away. Those there described it and the rain in superlatives.
Bishop Mwita Akiri, his wife Mukami and daughters Mugure and Mbayo hosted all 19 of us in their home for a late dinner. Akiri’s home he built many years ago but was based in Dodoma for over ten years. His wife and daughters still live there but came up (1,000kms by bus) to greet us. Again prodigious hospitality under a covered African alfresco sky.
Mukami, Mugure and Mbayo AkiriA purple shirt? Not on our tourBishop Mwita Akiri welcoming us to his home
For journalist John Sandeman’s take on the day read The Other Cheek He was at the choir festival and has photos.
On becoming a tour operator in Kenya and Tanzania. What was I thinking!~
What Was I Thinking? What Possessed them to Go?
Everything about this seems wrong. Everything. What if I could convince people from Australia to come to Tanzania after the conference in Kigali to visit the church on the ground and see the real Africa? It was an ambitious thought for someone not known as ambitious.
From April 2022 I was in Musoma, Tanzania volunteering with the Anglican Diocese of Mara at the invitation of Bishop George Okoth, who I had come to know through my work at Anglican Aid. Prior to departing Australia, I remembered the post GAFCON tour of Israel organised by a pastor from Sydney which was professionally organised by Sam, a guide who gave us lots of insights in the land of Jesus.
The issue for me was Jesus didn’t set foot in Tanzania, I am not a tour guide and this would be cheap as was the 2018 trip to Israel but in areas where 1 star accommodation was luxurious by local standards.
The purpose of doing something as crazy as this was that the Tanzanian church is struggling and its relationships in the UK are tenuous and it needs friends from Australia who might take an interest in partnering through prayer, visits and support through skills and knowledge transfer, training and money. Tanzania at one time had over 100 CMS missionaries here but will soon have one.
The other issue is the Tanzanian church is divided itself. American money, and lots of it is influencing relationship and orthodox bishops are seeking to remain true to the Biblical gospel which is under attack in the western church. Money is a new form of colonialism by imperial powers seeking to overthrow the faith once delivered by them when thy were orthodox.
On arrival last year the task seemed overwhelming and I had lost heart but after communicating with a Sydney pastor who encouraged me I pressed on. I discussed the concept with Bishop Mwita Akiri, chair of GAFCON Tanzania whch counts a dozen members of 28 dioceses. He was supportive as were his fellow bishops in Mara and Rorya Dioceses.
Rather than promoting a tour like tour companies do, this was a personal invitation from the Chair of GAFCON Tanzania and Bishop of Tarime Diocese. The letter was circulated to delagates in Australia registering for the conference while details were arranged. A rough itinerary and two pages of explanation accompanied the letter.
The logistics were complex and I decided the easiest and cheapest option was for people to fly to Nairobi from Kigali after the conference ended and bus it down to Tanzania. A kenyan tour operator who arranged my climb up Kilimanjaro provided quotes and I budgetted a minimum of fifteen by October to be confident of proceeding. However the numbers were thin and that idea was canned. A local bus operator in Tanzania know to the local bishop in Tarime was met prior to my departure in October and discussions occurred about his capacity to runa bus for a week from Tarime to Nairobi and all planned visits in Tanzania until each person was dropped either at an airport in Mwanza or a hotel.
So while numbers were still thin by November, the Kenyan company was cancelled and once 12 people committed I knew it was on. The bus at 29 seats was going to be limited to 18 plus the driver and I. As numbers increased the cost reduced as the bus hire was split eventually by 19 people.
In concert with the bishops an itinerary was planned. The Archbishop of Sydney, Kanishka Raffel had also been invited by Mara Diocese to come to open Shalom School so it was possible the church would be managing two lots of visitors. This was eventually confirmed.
Bishops and their wives at Tarime June 2022 – +Mwita Akiri +George Okoth and +Musa Yamo
The early invitation included an overight in Serengeti and when feedback suggested a shorter tour than the 10 days I had initially planned, this was scrapped in favour of a drive through the park while I was at the Shalom opening.
Accommodation was arranged in Tarime at a farm that the church owned which had basic accommodation and meals in a shared dining room. Rustic would be an apt decription with running water and electricity.
People were responsible for their own flights. Everything from Nairobi to Mwanza was covered except lunch on Saturday. The anglican Church Guesthouse in Nairobi was booked and communications with them was excellent. Costs were paid as they occurred so by February all Nairobi costs had been covered in Kenyan shillings. The Tanzanian costs were all budgetted in Tanzanian shillings.
The accommodation in Bunda was a hotel which I spotted opposite the bus stop and when next in Bunda I visited and saw it was opened in 2020 during Covid. Booking six months in advance was a challenge as they had no concept that people booked so far ahead. As numbers increased a local church contact would update the booking each time.
By Christmas all was finalised and barring a pandemic the only financial risk was each person’s Nairobi booking which was paid in advance.
Wise is a foreign exchange provider which made managing the payments a breeze. Costs were minimal compared the normal banking system and each cost was paid in local currency with less than 1% fees and a mid market rate (Banks in Australia charge a spread of 3-5 percent depending on currency). Finalising the accounts was also a breeze as I was able to download all transactions, filtering them by currency.
Final costs were about AU$800 per person with a minor reduction for married couples for accommodationinBunda. The final group was made up of
The group comprised the following:
Five ordained clergy and three clergy wives
Staff member from Anglican Aid
Executive Director Anglican Relief and Development Fund Australia
A former missionary to Tanzania now retired and her daughter who grew up there. Both were fluent Swahili speakers.
The 15 year old daughter of a clergy couple whose school supports Bunda Girls Secondary School and Shalom School in Bunda
Six lay people made up of a married couple, one female and three males (self included).
Of the nineteen, two were medical practitioners and two were journalists (one of the clergy was a radio journalist before going into the ministry, the other a former SMH and Eternity Magazine Editor).
Our group of travellers ready to leave Nairobi on Saturday morning 22 April 2023
Mhina is the bus ownerMhina and Kenyan driver Philemon
Our print journalist now posts daily on his blog The Other Cheek kept readers updated daily on what he called the Gafcon tiki tour (Contiki Tours were a rite of passage for young people in the 1970s and 80s. I will be posting about daily activities but if you want a flavour of what is to come John’s articles provide aspects of what occurred daily. My blogs will be pictorial more than editorial.
By the way I don’t begrudge travel agents now charging a fee after experiencing the work involved in travelling arrangements.
AfricaEddie 