Kirangalo

Yesterday was a very relaxing day for most of the team.  Synod business that necessitated a meeting between the ELCA and ELCT pulled Bishop Mike, Cindy and Barbara away for the greater part of the day.  That meant we enjoyed a leisurely morning, splitting off into different groups and doing different things. 

Aaron, Mary, Bernie, Connor and Pati took a walk that led them off the campus a short way to a local shop in the village.  We purchased sodas (600 Tzs each—about $.30) and sat in chairs provided by the shop to enjoy some conversation.  While we were sitting there, a small girl about 4 years old walked by and we took pictures to show her her image on the camera.  She enjoyed it enough that she ran off and very quickly came back towing her toddler brother after her.  So we took his picture as well, showing him the camera with his picture.  And next thing we knew, her mother came by and also posed for pictures.

Carrie Beth and Shelby walked around the grounds and journaled about their experiences to date.  

Mike, Tom and Linda took advantage of the time to relax in their rooms.

In the afternoon, several of the group waged a fierce dice game of Farkle which ended just before the ELCA/ELCT group arrived back at 3pm.  We very quickly loaded up Barbara’s car with supplies that had been earmarked for Mazimbu, the hospital that has partnered with the surgical team for the past two years.  Because space in the car was limited, Aaron, Connor, Tom, Mike and Bishop Mike had to stay behind at LJS while the medical staff, along with Pati—who has worked with the Mazimbu staff-- made the quick drive to the hospital.

Matron Deograsia Seguru and the rest of the Mazimbu staff greeted us warmly and asked after the team members from past years.  Our medical staff enjoyed the tour of the hospital and seeing a Tanzanian medical system. 

While the group was at Mazimbu, Aaron, Mike and Connor went for a walk on the campus and met a school nurse, Bibi, who welcomed them on behalf of Tanzania and gave them a tour of the grounds.

After our visit was concluded, we met the rest of the team in downtown Morogoro and shopped the congested city streets, soaking up the sights and sounds of urban East Africa, buying sodas, crackers, chocolate and bananas at the market.  Our evening ended with dinner at a local restaurant that boasted Indian and Chinese food.

Our work today was in Kirangalo, a village about 20 minutes beyond Ngerengere.  We were able to plan ahead and were granted a pass to drive through the military base between Ngerengere and our work site.  This is a really big deal.  Tanzania has very strict rules that have severe penalties for photographing anything military and nonmilitary personnel are not allowed on military property.  If our application for a pass had been disallowed, it would have added more than an hour over bad roads to our travel.  As it was, the pass required a military escort through the military base.

Although we were expected, the church grounds were deserted when we arrived, except for two Masai men who were so happy to see us.  Very shortly though, another Masai man arrived on a dirt bike with 10 plastic chairs strapped behind him.  He was followed by the arrival of a villager with a wood chest bungied on behind HIS seat.  Tanzanian ingenuity at its finest.

Aaron recognized that there wasn’t a latrine for our use, merely a sparse brush screen.  He improved the facilities by digging a hole, but had to use only the tools on hand—a hammer, knife and Frisbee.  Much later he learned Barbara had a shovel stowed under her seat!

Our system worked as well here as in the other villages and we were able to screen 90 people of all ages.  During our day, we had many interesting conversations with the villagers.  One very old woman asked Shelby and Carrie Beth “what tribe they were from?” Aaron introduced the game of Frisbee to several children and Pati helped the boys learn how to throw underhanded to make the disc fly.  Cindy used a double stethoscope to let several children listen to their own heart.  Bernie was touched by the many numbers of people that told her they hoped they would see her again.  Mary remembers the flirting baby of 6 months that kept peeping at her and smiling through his wrap.  Tom enjoyed watching the whole scene and being available to help whenever a need arose.  Connor was proudly using the new words she learned and was able to use Swahili to say “Stand here.”

As we were leaving and saying our goodbyes, the children of the village flocked around Carrie Beth and Shelby, grabbing their hands and openly showing affection.  They followed us down the road when we left, running and waving to us and our last sight of the village is their smiling faces.