Vom

Well, it has been quite the few days since I wrote you last.  Thursday we took our final test.  It was a little nerve racking but I think we all did ok.  We haven't received the results yet.  I kind of hope we don't until we return from Zanzibar.  Gets the blood going.  A little excitement on our trip.  Thursday night was a huge adventure.  Steve and I went to town and by the time we returned I felt pretty terrible.  I tried to speak Swahili with Moreto and Kadeghe to no avail-chemsha bongo like crazy.  I tried to go to dinner but turned right around and even walked out on the new American student Douglas as he was talking with me.  There is no stopping to talk when vomit wants to make a visit.  Turns out, there is this strand of the flu that passed through the secondary school last week and I was the lucky person to bring it to the language school.  I have never vommed so much in my life.  Happy thanksgiving.  So I skipped out while the other Wartburgers watched this Masai video and vommed until about 2 in the morning.  Friday was spent in bed while I slowly recovered.  It did give me time to think.  I thought about the ways I have been changed and challenged here and decided that it is too early to tell.  The challenges are evident: being faced with solitude and also more community than I am used to, finding help in the stranger, trusting people, living more simply than at home, learning to live in peace with people I may not particularly like, accepting hospitality when my Western self just wants to do it all on my own, seeing flaws in myself like my self absorbed-ness, realizing a little more clearly to where I am called was even hard and the list goes on.  But I am not sure yet how I have been changed by this.  Other students here can easily name a lot of ways in which they have changed but I can't.  Really, I know I have somehow and I will be able to see it and name it eventually so it doesn't bother me.  Honestly. Hamna shida.  It is just interesting.  I guess I am not as introspective as many people.  Different strokes for different folks.  

Today, nimepata nafuu. I am doing much better.  I am certainly not 100%, as it is still a little hard to eat but after an entier day in bed drinking nasty salt and sugar water I am feeling pretty good.  I was a pretty relaxing Saturday.  Read a little in the morning.  Then spent a long time in the afternoon in Morogoro.  I will defs miss the dala dala.  Random community at its best.  Sara and I went to get some money for Zanzibar, but he trip turned out to be super long and wonderful mostly because we didn't want to leave the city knowing that it would be one of our last times there.  So we walked around and came around this kanga shop.  Hung on the door was a yellow kanga with two maps of Africa on the left and right and a huge picture of Obama in the center: "Hongera Barack Obama."  The bottom says, "Love and peace have come from God." HA! Of course, I went in and got this.  Peter and I are going to split either side of it.  It is super good and it led to a really nice conversation about unity between our two continents with the shop owner.  People are so hopeful that there will be an improvement in relationships.  I hope so too.  After this we just spent a long time walking around.  It was really nice.  The dala dala on the way home was the smallest one we had ever ridden in.  Mr. Hand Some was the name on the back.  

This evening, after tea, I just spent a long time in Jimmy's room with him and Moreto and a couple of younger students who I don't know.  We listened to music and talked about Moreto's 400 girl friends.  Way good.  It was a nice room with electricity.  Jimmy's pretty upset about us leaving and I am too in some ways.  

All of us will certainly miss the times like these but I think we are doing a good job preparing to go home.  The reverse culture shock will be something but we are kind of all excited to see how we react to it.  I guess talking to people about the US and hearing from them a few of the good thing that it has done has made me a little more level headed in my criticisms.  I am curious to see if my response coming home will be a loud opposition again to a life style of consumption and fear or a gentler withdraw from participation.  Maybe somewhere in the middle.  We'll see.  This thinking is certainly sparked by the tragedy in Long Island.  I feel more shock than anything.  I just think I don't know how to respond.  This entry was a lot of stream of consciousness so I am sorry if it was hard to follow.

Random culture thing: Luka is trying to play cupid between these two evangelists who tots dig each other.  But a problem has arisen.  There is a dispute between the families about the bride price.  Mch. talked to Sara and I about it today.  Apparently this happens a lot.  There is certainly value in tradition and this one used to be rather playful and brought families together but now it makes it very hard to marry.  There are a lot of children born out of wedlock because of it.  People simply get fed up and they give up and either leave each other or go against their family's will.

Quick about today

First, I forgot to mention yesterday that the men served nearly everything.  That was odd.

We returned to the village in the hills today.  It is a shame. I can never remember the name of the village by the time I write.  Oh well.  The beginning of our time here was somewhat odd.  It began again with the hospitable welcome but very few people were around so we just sat in the old church-a grass roof building held up by wood.  The elder pastor who we travel with from time to time fell asleep next to me in the chair.  Many of the people from yesterday joined us on this journey.  After the excitement, we were all very tired.  But eventually Steve and I sucked it up and walked to play with kids.  Nearly none were afraid of us since they had met us before and by the time we left Sara was surrounded by girls asking her to stay.  It is obvious that the children feel most comfortable around women whenever we go.  Steve and Peter and I have ot seek the kids out while Sara is flocked to.  But the kids always end up warming up to us.  We just have to show them a few tricks.  Well, Steve shows tricks, I just show off my double jointed thumb and the nasty inside part of my lip ring.  That's a winner.  Every single Masai child makes the same noise when they see it.  Something like "eeeEEEEEEEEE."  It's like they had a conference.  We did meet this young kindergarten teacher today-Francis.  He was a lot of fun to talk to.  I just pretend that I know something about soccer and then wait for the conversation to steer toward Obama.  He was also really interested in colloquial English.  Things like "gonna" and "hafta" and "come'ere."  Apparently he is quite the teacher.  I guess many of the children from this village go on to primary school with no problem.  Many already know how to read and write when they get there thanks to him.  Some even skip the first grade.  People in these villages are often so bright.  

After worship we had an auction to raise money to finish this church.  Older men came from five surrounding villages because they consider this their church.  They raised nearly 2,000,000 tsh.  Incredible.  Hopefully this will inspire people to go back to their own villages and start campaigns to get more local churches.  There is such pride in the place of worship.  People are so dedicated to the community and are so willing to work hard for the growth of the people around them in the Church.  This is demonstrated in the incredible giving but can be felt in interpersonal relatinships, hospitality and worship itself.

The choir at this church is amazing.  They compete and do quite well.  It is the one that I wrote about which is led by a young girl and they write their own music.  So good.  

When we enter villages we are strangers.  When we leave, close friends.  

The day I ate matunda ya pori.

As Pastor Hafermann said on the way back to seminary this evening after worship with the Masai, "Today was like walking into a giant family gathering."  From the beginning, this day was something different.  As the Mchungaji mobile rolled on into the village we were welcomed not by the usual crowd of women and children, but by the village men.  So many moreni and wazee came to shake our hands and welcome us to their village-which just felt more close knit than the normal community.  This was really one of the first times outside of soko that we have been able to sit with the men for a long time.  Hospitlaity in the form of food was extended as usual. The Masai are incredible.  Tea and goat met us soon after entering.  If I can find goat in the US I may consider giving up the whole vegetarian thing for good.  We caught up on the news of Kilosa and other current events and were brought by Johanna-this giant beast of an evangelist-to see the riverbed from which the village gets it's food.  Right now, there is little standing water, but if one digs just a little bit she is able to strike a lot.  The cattle were brought through as the tour continued.  Everything revolves around the cattle.  Church even speeds when we can hear them coming and waits for many to be watered before it begins.  This, of course, has given birth to a strong relationship with the animals.  They are treated with very much respect.  

On the way back, I kind of fell behind to try to find people to talk to.  There were some moreni herding with whom I spent some time.  Then I found these two young kids, maybe 5 or 4 staring at the other wazungu as they walked by, so I snuck up behind them and growled.  The shot off so fast.  The moreni behind me were cracking up.  From time to time, rumors spread among kids that we are vampires and things.  So I live by Zero Mastel's "If you got it, flaunt it!"

Church took an especially long time to start today as there were many registering for baptism.  This was fine because we were able to get to know people through Steve's picture taking and fly catching ability.  Ha.  He does amazing in the villages.  It is so cool to see.

Worship was held under the shade today.  This time the men sat on one side and the women on the other.  Sara gets to be an honorary man when we are in these situations.  Anyway, there were these beautiful trees under which we sat.  The congregation was split under two small groves so we were quite spread out.  After the introductions of the guests (ritual hospitality) and a very passionate speech from this older minister about Mabogeri, we went ahead and butchered the song, "Hakuna Mungu kama Wewe."  Wartburg choir strikes again!  

There were a lot of baptisms again today.  From all age groups and both sexes-wazee, moreni, watoto, and mothers.  People are so happy to be baptized. Christianity is so vibrant here.  Peter noted that the sermon called to mind a new testament image as Mch stood in between the two shaded areas and preached to a bunch of people just sitting and resting in the heat of the day.  We could actually understand most of the sermon today.  Which is good because we take our final exam in two days.  Communion in this village, and in some other Masai places, really feels like a meal.  Especially among the young men, who talk when they receive it as many are doing so for the first time.  It is very inviting.  I really like that after baptism and communion, Mch explains what just went on.  This really makes liturgy the work of the people.  We could take a page out of this book in the states.  So many people just do the sacraments or listen to the rest of the liturgy with very little understanding or reflection. Here, people's brains are engaged and awakened by these things.  They really come to understand and find meaning in these things.  In many of these villages the literacy rate among adults can be between 40% and 70%.  The verbal teaching is so important and Church becomes so vibrant through it.

After service, there was dinner and a show.  We finally got the warriors to sing and jump for us.  Steve has s video, I sure he will post it.  If not, I will show it to you all when I return.  

The village is in the stages of establishing itself and it needs 2,000,000 shillings to buy some land.  They are very close to it.  So we got a tour of the land, full of trees and sand.  A beautiful place.  I really hope they get it.  On the tour we spoke to this somewhat awkward evangelist who honestly just doesn't realize that we can't always undersand him.  So he will just talk and talk and talk.  Ha.  It was another enriching day.  

Oh and last night, after sitting around for a while I decided to head to the common room...good idea. I sat down and said hi to this young person thatI have never seen before. Celuscious is his name, his aunt works in the kindergarten here and he is in form five at the secondary school studying history and swahili and english. We spoke for a real long time about government. This kid was brilliant, very interested in obama and what I thought about everything, But also had so muc insight on everything. And he told me about his struggles because he is from a very very poor family. He told me about going to school and how blessed he has been to be the first one in his family ever to make it into secondary school.  There was even a time when he had to go home for months during the year because his family needed help, but he still managed to pass his exams.  Very bright.  The exams are very strenuous here.  There is not enough money in the nation to send every one to school so after primary school there is a national exam for enterance into secondary school.  Then there are exams after form 2 and then after form 4 to enter into 5 and 6 which is basically like junior college.  After that, you are basically drafted by the government to go to college.  On top of it there are a ton of fees and corruption as someone with amazing grades and no money will not be permitted to continue but a Bush type can go on.  Like a more extreme version of donating a wing in the US.  People's future depends on this stuff so hearing about the difficulties is wrenching.  

But ten minutes into the conversation he said "Tim, I think we are friends. I want your phone number and email and adress. When you go home, we will still talk." This is how friends are made here. it takes like 10 minutes. People treat each other differently here. Good night.

Got tired towards the end of this...sorry

Today was a very normal day.  It may be one of the last and I really appreciate it.  We are all so mixed right now.  We leave in like 18 days or something.  I am getting excited to come see you all and perhaps make better sense of what has happened here.  Yet, I am of course going to miss this.  It is odd to be in this state.  I figured it would be close to leaving the states but it is very different.  Anyway, today we had Elibariki and Omega as teachers.  It was kind of a frustrating day. Sometimes Swahili just doesn't come.  But Bariki is patient and Omega is good at sleeping in his chair outside so it was fine.  We talked a little about black magic in the afternoon and they told us all bout people riding strainers around like witches ride brooms and riding hyenas like cars.  They were really curious about witchcraft in the US so we told them a little about the occult.  Quite an interesting afternoon.

The other day I forgot to write about Friday and Saturday.  Friday, Sara, the Swiss students, Omega, Kadeghe and I went to the orphanage.  This is run by the Catholic Church.  It is amazing in Tanzania the way that religion falls into all other aspects of life. It is especially connected to social work.  Wonderfully showing the image of a God who serves before being served and who asks us to do the same.  

What an amazing experience. Wrenching if you let the fun subside. So we just up the fun level. I don't know what it is, but it seems that in everything that I do with kids, the craziest ones are attracted to me. In the summer I thought it was because I am the only one who gives them the time of day. But maybe there is a natural attraction now that I think about it. During church too all the craziest ones flock to me. And as soon as we got there, this kid, Kasiim, with newly peed in shorts ran to me and said shoulders shoulders in Swahili. All the others found these soft gentle kids and I got a wild man. It was amazing. I am not complaining at all. I wouldn't have it any other way. Others get annoyed but that is really what I like. I just threw him in the air, and used him as a wheel barrow and yanked him off the fence a bunch of times and ran around with his pee pants on my shoulders.  This kid was incredible. The other kids were wonderful and eventually they came but he got really jealous and stole my hat, so I keld the others but played with him. Freakin king of the playground. We are going back next week.  The experience really exceeded expectations. Afterward, we spent the evening at Luka's place.  Way fun. It was a feast, fish and goat and rice and beef, ugali. Fresh mangos from the trees outside, fresh pineapple and jackfruit. Oh and Pepsi. It was so nice.  Luka is really amazing. and his house is beautiful. he has been building it since 2003 and many of you probably helped him with it.  It has been harder than normal to get to know Luka this term because he had a lot on his plate with getting married and the two deaths, but recently we have connected much more.  

Saturday Peter and Steve and I spoke at length with Barry from Australia about religion.  I don't think he is particularly religious.  He was particularly glad to hear about our perception of religion here. We talked about he resistance to conservative Western Christianity and about how back home the anti-imperialism Christianity is taking root among students.  

Sunday I asked Mch about the theology here. He said that they are not very much for the lofty theologians.  Theology of the cross and practical contextual theology is more central.  I will think about this more when I write the religion paper.  

Kilosa and possession

The worship at Mabogeri today was so encouraging.  This is the village in the Kilosa area where there was the great conflict just weeks ago.  I have written extensively about it so I won't go into the details of the conflict itself.  I will say that today was something wonderful.  That is not to say that the conflict has gone away, but there seem to have been improvements.  There is much to be done, but today was a day to rejoice in what has been done thus far.  For example, the goats are basically all gone.  Yet, half of the cattle have returned.  Granted 800 were stolen so there is still a huge loss, but these little victories are certainly things in which we can meet each other in joy.  I feel like we have a very special bond with this place.  

The first time that we came, there was no way that the normal hospitality could have been shown.  Today was different.  As we entered the village, there were even Masai men out and about.  They are not hiding as intensely anymore.   So, the hospitality which was shown today was incredibly radical.  We were welcomed by a small group, not because the masses were in hiding but because they were preparing for ibadaa.  Just two weeks afer our first visit, we were welcomed with plates and plates of half cakes and cups full of the Masai ginger milk tea.  We met the familiar faces and caught up like old friends, as best we could.  When we walked away to play with kids, they followed us close behind with benches and found shade for us.  Now that we can talk to them hospitality is even easier to see and understand.  It just amazes me, we were so welcomed just TWO WEEKS after all the trouble.  I can't even express it.  After service we were welcomed again to the table for a huge meal.  These people are so resilient.  Hospitality is at the center of who they are!  I asked Pastor Hafermann if there is something in the Tanzanian cultural roots that creates this hospitality or if Christianity has something to do with it.  He said Tanzanian are ok but really the Masai are the ones for whom hospitality is most central.  This is very obvious.  So I asked where it comes from and if there is some sort of myth at the root.  If it is a reflection of foudational cultural stories or theology or just a result of life.  Of course, all of these things can be answered with a yes.  Things are never so easy.  For the Masai, there is practicality at the root.  People may travel to see them for three days on foot with little food.  Hospitality is shown because it is a necessity.  This harkens back very much to the biblical narrative where another traveler once said that "Foxes have holes and birds have nests but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."  They work for the other and make themselves vulnerable because they realize that people are very important and that there could be a loss of life if not for their hospitality.  Mch. mentioned also that the story of the midnight visitor in the NT is central to these people's understanding of God.  The Masai do not turn people away.  

Church today was something else.  It is still clear that there is a sadness in the air and many of the people were very thin and tired.  But burdens were set at the door for Church and picked up with a new strength when it ended.  Pastor preached on the antitheses in Luke.  Focusing especially on the "I no longer say to you an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth..." part.  This needed to be said in a village so hurt.  And it was amazing to see the young warriors nodding to this!  with no compartmentalization, church does something different to people here than at home.  People won't listen to this service and then pick up their guns right after church.  At home people will hear this in church and then go directly to vote for a war happy candidate.  yuck.  Oh, and the Wartburg Kwaya or the Obama four sang again today.  Getting real tired of Sanctuary.  But the people are always happy to have a guest kwaya.  

After service was so interesting.  While participating in the auction we could hear a deadened shrieking in the church.  So we followed everyone inside where a young woman was convulsing and screaming on the floor.  It appeared to be a possession.  She kept saying that she wanted to kill her children.  Apparently, she has been this way before so the pastors think the demon may be depression.  But either way, she needed something.  So the pastors and the evangelists laid hands on her and began to cast what ever it was out of her.   They claimed her in the name of Jesus so many times.  Mch says that when he has seen possession the people have bodily control to a certain extent but no vocal control.  This is why mch says it may have been possession: at one point when Mch was skeptical he said "I don't even think she wants to be healed." The voice screamed but the head pleaded for healing.  So they laid hands some more and after much screaming she calmed down.  In the past she just calms down but this time she repeated that Jesus is Lord and that she belongs to Him. The whole while Steve and Sara distracted the children in the church while Peter and I helped to clean up.  The overall attitude was not one of amazement but that it would be better to carry on with life as normal.  So that is what we did.  Personally, I don't know what I think about possession, something weird happens and I will make no judgement either way, but I do know that that woman was suffering.  Peter and I both felt physically driven to prayer which rarely happens to me and a great huge love for her overcame us both.  Regardless of what happened, she needed attention and love and found it from the faith community.  It was an odd experience to say the least.  I don't know what to think.  I just know it was odd and strange things happened in that church and within the Wartburg students...

Being for the benefit of Mr. Maybee

 Good evening all! I hope this finds you well. Today was another incredibly normal day.  I am simply writing because I realize that in three weeks I will not be here anymore and kind of want to capture most of what happens before I leave.  

It is so stinkin hot right now.  I was totally prepare for the heat and at home I really like it.  But it is crazy. I don't think I have stopped sweating in 48 hours.  The weather would not boher me so much if it weren't for the word that we have to accomplish during the day.  This is very good sitting around and visiting weather, but not good trying to pick up on new subtleties in a foreign language weather.  Ha.  But that is life I guess.  It is just odd to melt all the time.  To lay in bed for a nap and wake up twenty minutes later in a pool.  Really though, it doesn't take away from the incredible exerience at all.  Just makes it slower.  

By the mid afternoon lessons were kind of a joke.  We  are all ready to take our test and not stress about it anymore. In the last few weeks we have all improved immensely and since time is becoming short we spend most lessons just having discussions with our teacher Kadeghe who is this really incredible kid.  He is always willing to talk about Masai life and is so fun in the villages.  

Most of the day was spent in sweaty rest but this evening was really wonderful.  Steve and I went to go climb the water tower and watch the stars come out.  He got to the top and I asked how it was, "A little scary." he said as I was half way up.  At that point, hanging about 15 feet above the ground on a thin rusty ladder, I remembered that I am not so into heights.  The world kind of faded away and I froze. I haven't done that since I was really little.  Strange, I have overcome a lot of anxieties here: picking up chickens, being bit by crap, lonliness and solitude-the list goes on and on.  I guess heights isn't a fear that one just quits, ha.  SO after Steve peed from the top and almost stinkin hit me he cautiously climbed down and we headed to this open field by a baobob facing the mountains.  The stars were so bright and numerous.  Everything was so huge.  The montains fading against the night was beautiful.  It is a strange thing, seeing the stars from this angle.  They are noticeably different.  We watched shooting stars for about an hour and headed back to talk to Eliude a little bit.  We have almost an entire may term left, but it feels like we are leaving so soon.  The teachers and our other friends too are beginning to get all tender and sentimental-gross.  

Couple of days.

Habari za siku nyingi?  Life here has been a very good kind of normal.  Yet, with three weeks left, I am finding myself appreciating these normal times more and more.  It is the community that I will miss in less than a month.  People at home simply don't sit in the back of a truck for hours and talk.  On Monday, I was on my way to a little solitude time when I saw that Jimi the driver was sitting in the back of his truck with Samuel so I went and sat with them all afternoon and talked about what I will tell people when I go home.  Everyone knows we are leaving soon and it is getting kind of tender...sick.  Ha, but they are also calling our stuff.  So that is good.  I am looking forward to returning with the clothes on my back and a few books.  

Tuesday was a really wonderful visit.  Kadeghe came along to a village that he had never been visited before.  The hospitality was immediate as always but a little different as he was treated as a guest as well.  I asked him why the Masai love guests so much. His reply was simply that guests are very important people.  I like this. The fact that there is no great reason suggests a great reason.  People are simply important.  The things that are closest to us are often hardest to express.  Why did you fall in love?  Why do you want to work in your field?  These are the hardest questions to answer, and this is a very profound thing.  People just matter.  That is all.  Wonderful.  Tuesday was also very special as I really spent almost the entire time speaking in Swahili.  We sat with Mwangelisti Philemon and talked about his work and soccer and Obama.  It is good that we are now able to piece things together and respond fairly well.  Nothing has helped like sucking it up and talking to people.  It is really good. Worship was so hot.  Some of these churches are like easy bake ovens with window light bulbs.  I know you are all suffering from the cold at home but here it is stinkin hot.  I kind of like it until typing a blog draws sweat from my brow at 730, an hour and a half after sundown.  The four Americans along with Pr. Hafermann are being called the Obama five wherever we go.  And yesterday we became the Wartburg kwaya.  We all knew sanctuary so we just sing that and Peter goes over the top of it after Sara sings it solo.  It's amazing what no practice can do.  We sounded  surprisingly good and got a lot of the wonderful quick tongue movement squeel noises that we are all trying so hard to perfect.  After service, we bought Philemon a goat.  What a good guy.  When the evangelists come in December for the conference, we are going to play futbol with him.  Well, Steve is well the rest watch.  If Pr Hafermann plays, I am in.

Today we experienced very purposeful hospitality.  It was even more immediate than I think we have ever experienced.  In every village, people come from everywhere when they see the car come to greet us and welcome us, but this place had tea waiting which was new.  We bond so well over the meal.  In some more awkward visits, we kind of wait and pray for the tea to come so we can have table talk with people.  Thus, today was quite a relief.  It is funny, time here is so laid back, until it comes to welcoming guests.  We get welcomed so quickly and ushered around everywhere with an urgent excitement.  Sitting around before the service, talk turned to Obama as always and we listened as Pr. Hafermann explained the two chamber legislative system.  Ha. very nice.  Then we made friends with this kid, maybe 4 years old and Kadeghe, speaking Kimasai, tried to convince him to come to America with us.  He promised him nice wazungu friends like us and candy.  Ha, creep.  But I got the opportunity to play with the kid during service a lot, I think his name was Zaitoi.  The Kimasai names are very hard.  I wish it was as easy to make adult friends.  That we could just make faces at people and hide their money and tell them how strong they are.  Oh well.  It was nice to get him in trouble during the service...he he he.  But I have noticed that older kids are more drawn to me.  Who we would consider middle school aged in the states.  There are always a bunch of boys that crowd around me to talk about soccer and school.  So there you go.  The others are way good with the other kids.  Fair enough.  Ok.

Welcoming the masses to prison

Today was Peter's third strike.  His third time to prison in the past week.  Uh oh.  Today we were welcomed as five white faces and Luka in a sea of guests to the youth prison to celebrate the affirmation of baptism for six young people.  How hospitality is so wholly extended to so many people in such a place is beyond me.  We associate prisons, especially youth ones with such negativity, but we don't often see the faces and the life here.  There are still people growing and developing and falling for the indescribable liberation of the gospel.  The church on the grounds is perhaps the most beautiful one that we have ever seen and it was built by those ignored people who all happen to be our age.  Certainly many of them have done bad things, but is this any reason to forget about them.  No one deserves that.  I think I want to explore prison ministry when I return.  Back to hospitality, simply the logistics of it are incredible as it is usually expressed in sharing of food and life over table conversation.  There were easily 200 congregants today and before the service many of us enjoyed tea.  After the service I sat next to a teacher and had a really wonderful conversation while every single person was afforded a large plate of spiced rice, meat and vegetables and a bottle of soda.  I am still troubled by the justice of this expression of hospitality but can deal better with it since every person gets to eat, they just hold a special meal on Sunday.  

As I sat in the service and looked at the simple wooden cross at the front of the sanctuary, I could not help but think how much more meaning one could derive from it in this context.  Christians follow a Lord who was executed by the state.  A prisoner.  An enemy of Rome.  Christians follow a Lord who's death set an insurrectionist free.  A Lord who forgave thieves from his own throne of death.  As this ironic symbol of salvation hung from the front of the church, I wondered if many had thought this before from my seat.  That each of these young people is Jesus.  The least of these.  From the looks of it, the workers at this prison see it.  They seem to treat the inmates with dignity and respect.  This is rehabilitating.  

During the actual service we watched two nicely dressed young girls, a young boy in a suit, a Masai child in full dress and two inmates in their bright orange affirm their baptisms.  Such a diversity.  It really speaks to the people here and the way the gospel is understood as a leveling tool here.  We all kneel, we are all affirmed together.  Umoja ni nguvu. Na mtu ni watu.  There is so much care for all the stragers among the people here.  This is real hospitality.  It is not only the food but what lies underneath.  It is the welcoming of two inmates and a masai warrior into the adult family along with three more well to do children of God.  Hospitality is about welcome for the strangers all around.  And they are everywhere.  

Unfortunately, I was rather tired today so the rest of the service was spent in and out of sleep. Fortunately, the son of an evangelist was sitting next to me so I got to fend of the tired by poking his face through his chair and trying to quiet his laughter.  Once again, he was way impressed with the lip ring.  What a good idea. 

tatu

Our third wedding was markedly different from the last two.  This one took place on prison grounds.  The prisons don't look so menacing here.  They are very open.  The inmates work all around the site.  I have mixed feelings about this as it smacks a bit of slave labor but it also rehabilitates as the inmates are learning skills and discipline.  Also, the prison workers and their families live on the grounds.  Nice houses, each with its own satellite either for television or extra-terrestrial research, line the bumpy road.  It presents itself as a surprisingly welcoming atmosphere.  The wedding itself was incredibly joyful.  We were first taken to the groom's mother's house for something of a miniature feast with ice cold soda.  All visits are getting so much better as we are able to understand much of what is said to us and respond at least somewhat appropriately, and this one was especially wonderful.  We were greeted by some familiar faces and guided from our seats in the back to special seats among the choir where we had quite the view of the action.  Like we never have before.  The choir draped in loose purple robes were dancing to the music and singing with an unmatched vigor when I suddenly realized that my friend malaria still had a little in store for me.  I quickly went to the vehicle and found the reserve roll of savior paper and clenched and ran to the self standing toilets.  Behind three doors were three holes in the ground with blocks on either side for comfort. I had actually been looking forward to conquering these beasts but when I opened he door there was a surprise beast waithing for me.  Out of fated door one there was a long thin green snake who took one look at me and moved very fast to the near corner.  No thank you. I magically had no need to use the hole any more.  So I stepped back a few feet.  Weighed my options with facing the snake head to tiny terrifying head just to ease a fair amount of discomfort and walked in dejection back to my seat.  When later described to Pr. Hafermann and Luka their guess was that it was either a green mamba or a tree snake.  I am content not knowing.

From our seats we can see the bridal party praying with the two pastors and some evangelists.  The party is bigger than we are used to.  It consists of the bride and groom, best man and maid of honor and a ring bearer and flower girl.  They slowly walk as their way is paved with boisterous cheers from the congregation, bride and groom with the traditional straight faces and unmoving arms.  The straight faces are apparently to signify that they are not happy to be leaving their families.  Interesting tradition.  It was a good thing that they were facing away from the family as there were a couple of occasions when the bride, faced forward, sweat being wiped off by her maid of honor, would crack a smile.  The service continued as normal, just more "professional" I guess, and louder.  When we sang a hymn, the pastor who is related to the groom would stand up and dance and speed the tempo up.  A nice favor.  I have noticed here that people are not afraid to make music sound better.  They have no problem standing up and speeding the tempo when the song has become an unnecessary dirge.  

Neither the bride or groom write their own vows but use the traditional hymn supplied ones.  The exchange of the rings is followed by the bride reaching over and intertwining her ring hand with his.  They stay clasped together for a while to allow the minister to place their hands in his for a blessing of the union.  

Now what I really like about weddings here is that there is still the ministry of the eucharistic sacrament.  The wedding serves as the service of word but the sacrament is not ignored.  There is a visible connection between the marriage and the community of faith as we gather around that table of holy hospitality.  After all, that is what the wedding is if it is held in the church.  It is a statement that this union is being made under the care and attention of the faith community.  The wedding is the work of the community and a gift from God.  Just like that meal.  What can I say, I'm a sucker for sacraments (in all their diverse forms).  The weddings here don't belong to the couple, they belong to everyone around and in this there is great joy!

After the wedding, the couple drove off together to the house about 300 feet away while the congregation played instruments and followed the car the whole way.  We mostly danced and watched this enormous baby sit on a motorcycle.  All in all a good day.  

A day alone

When Ruhid and Mamka returned last night from Nairobi they brought news of the election.  They had the incredible privilege of experiencing that seemingly salvific American moment in Kenya.  Kenya ran Wolf Blitzer all night long and everyone stayed up for the event.  There were parties where djs would mix "Obama" into popular songs.  People were dancing and there was a constant pulsating chant of his name.  When it was finally announced people took to the streets.  Even in their stuffy meeting, champagne was poured for all.  The Pres. of Kenya even declared the following day a national holiday and nearly everyone is claiming some sort of relation to the man of the hour.  I just really hope that people everywhere realize that all that activism and work that they did to get him elected cannot stop if any progress is to be made.  These things take so much work and a ton of time.  We are trying to climb out of a very deep hole.  And we can't just do this alone, domestically.  The world must work with us.  We have to form mutually beneficial relationships with nations like the ignored ones in East Africa.  

I met a new student today from Australia, Barry.  He also had much to say about the election.  We talked about the work and time it would take but he was concerned with the symbol.  That democracy could actually work gave him and his comrades hope for their own change.  That is good.  But not complete.  

I stayed behind today while the other Wartburgers went to a Masai village so that I would not have to enjoy the fruits of this parasite out in the bush.  Instead, I attended the long course graduation and luncheon.  They were both very good and I got to talk with all the leaving students.  It was very good to say good bye.  I showed up late to the graduation which I thought would be informal.  Everyone was dressed in their best and I showed up in a t shirt with a toothpaste stain and yesterday's jeans. oops.  But it went completely unnoticed. There are certainly formal occasions here but it seems that people are just happy to be around each other so condition of clothing and all those things simply don't matter.  

In the afternoon Kadeghe and I met to discuss Masai life and religion.  I will write another entry later with the details of the conversation.  The rest of the day was spent with music and friends.  I fiddled with some drums and recording some things and spent the rest of the day catching up with Ruhid and Nathalie who just returned from Dar.  She waited outside of an office for five hours to get her permit and still didn't get it.  Bureaucracy is verys strong here.  I think I will think it rather ridiculous when US citizens complain about our bureaucracy.  Ruhid went to the immigraion offices everyday for a month to get his permit.  They would say they were working on it and then just chat with each other.  This is not that patient "people are more important" Africa time.  This is painful abusive bureaucracy time.  It is a time that says that we are far more important than you.

Over all, a good day.  It was quite the welcomed change of pace to spend one day alone, just getting better.  While the community is incredible and we can learn a lot from it here, it can be overwhelming to the Westerner.  But, now I am ready to get back to work and to dive back into community.  

Learning Solitude

It becomes quickly obvious while involved in religious life here in Tanzania that there are no women pastors and we have only met one woman evangelist.  In an act of poor assumption, I simply thought that this was a reflection of a more conservative theology.  While there are certainly differences in theology here (especially when concerning things like interfaith work and the ease with which theology of the cross and a suffering God of hope) this is not really one of them.  It is more of a cultural reflection.  There is no ban on women pastors.  It just simply does not happen.  Pastor Hafermann told us that it is very difficult to live alone as a woman in this cultural first because the values rely so intently on family and second because a woman must be careful of harassment.  So, we were told that men tend to be pastors because it is just more acceptable to general society.  This is both troubling and relieving. I am happy to hear that it is not a reflection of foundational theology but troubled that a woman has to choose her cultural values over vocational calling. I can make no real normative judgment because I have not met a woman here who has told me that she wants to be a pastor and I am not one of those women.  Yet, from my standpoint and cultural understanding, this is a very conflicted answer.  

Well, I am still enjoying malaria.  I think the best way to describe it is that it is like having the flu, if the flu was cognitively trying to hurt you.  Like it had an agenda and was in the mob and was out to get you because you had done something to it's family.  So it is coming at you with the mob.  Right now, I am up and down.  Some moments are really good and others not so much.  It has been nice to lay around for the last couple of days.  I actually got some work done, like last night I wrote my candidacy essay.  Pretty happy with that.  I did go to class yesterday but had to leave periodically to look for medicine underneath the trees. We got to talking a little bit with Kadeghe about Masai life again (it is way nice to distract the teachers at this point). We asked about the jumping and one person suggested maybe a genetic predisposition.  I don't really buy this because then the differences between the races become more concrete and we have the danger of slipping into measuring skull size.  Plus, I think Kadeghe had a good answer for why they are able to jump so high: When they are in the herds they have to jump to count all the cattle and to communicate with each other.  It is very practical.  

I've noticed something over the past couple months having to do with the issue of boredom.  We have often asked teachers what they do for fun or recreation time.  The answer always starts with a puzzled look and clarifying questions.  We then get replies like, " well, there are night clubs."  Kadeghe and Moreto's answers always have to do with women.  It is clear that the main event is simply sitting around and talking.  Getting to know people.  There is something unique about living in a place so unlike home that you don't even have the simplest options of recreation that you had once held so close.  I can really say that I haven't yet experience boredom.  At home, I could always busy myself, but even when all work just melts away here and I sit in silence, I am never bored.  There is always a visitor to greet or a thought to think.  It is hard for US-ians but I think we are learning solitude over loneliness and boredom.   

Runner up.

I apologize for ignoring this for the last few days. It seems I've come down with a touch of the malaria and really have not been feeling myself.  I will get you all updated beginning with Church on Sunday.   The language school students led the Swahili service on Sunday morning. Of course, it was the graduating long course students who did all the talking, we short course students just sang in a choir.  We felt somewhat out of place at first because choirs here at churches rarely move their way to the front of the Church.  Normally, they sing from their spots but we moved right up front. Ha. Yet, it turned out just fine as the song we were singing (and attempting to dance to) is a favorite among the people here so the congregation was way happy for that.  Of course, our choir was destroyed by the secondary school choir.  Music is everywhere here. It is ingrained in people and places in a way that is absolutely indescribable.  I found it quite interesting that the songs sung by the secondary school choir did not really have a religious theme but were about AIDS.  There were also guest artists there selling their CDs and singing for us.  I am not sure how I feel about selling things in the middle of worship but the music was quite good.  The last song, there was even a little music video for us where Jesus made this guy put down his gun and then they danced around together.  Also, we didn't have communion. At home, I would not really notice if there was a weekend where I didn't receive communion but here it has become so important to me.  I think it is because of the idea that we have the presence in such a tangible way.  It is a reminder that God is so present and is in and throughout everything and everyone.  It is also very unifying.  We all kneel here, there is no fast food communion line.  It is amazing to see men and women, Africans and wazungu, rich and poor, everyone kneel together as one family joining each other around the table where we all experience hospitality.  This meal centers us around the hospitality of God so that all other meals can be a reflection of that hospitality.  This is the ritual hospitality that I came to study.  Expressed most fully in the eucharist.  It extends very far here to the meals and community time which surrounds worship, even into everyday life.  Generally, people here are treated with very much respect. As humans and not as commodities.  Yet, people here are like people everywhere in many ways.  And this sin does happen from time to time here. It is periodically visible in the way in which workers are treated.  Though, there is still a joy in most workers here that I simply don't see at home, there is a respect for the worker here. A pride in work.

Monday was a normal day of classes.  Kadeghe is our teacher this week which is really good.  Since classes have become less, I am beginning to see a lack of retention of the language.  It is a little more difficult than I expected but it is still ok.  We are all able to understand what we hear.  The problem rests in speaking. oops. Monday night, when we had laid down to go to bed, Pastor Hafermann stopped by to let us know that we needed to decide between the four of us who wanted to go with him to the youth prison for devotions and who wanted to go with Luka and do some building.  Steve and I chose building with Luka.

This is where the trouble started. I felt a little odd on Tuesday morning but thought little of it and headed out to build.  Mistake.  We began by buying supplies.  Luka pre-ordered everything, but very little of it was actually available.  We had to wait a long time for the cement to arrive and then go to a couple different places for the tin roofing.  This took a good chunk of the day, but apparently, it can take days sometimes to get all of the supplies so we ended up just fine.  We headed out on our way, picked up a bunch of other builders (one of whom was Samson, the man that we saw get baptized on that first weekend) and stopped first for lunch.  There are these amazing chips cooked into eggs, almost like potato omelets.  With chili sauce, these are incredible.  Unfortunately, I kind of had to choke it down because I was quite ill by this time.  So we arrived, took the materials off the truck and measured the foundation.  I was more trouble as I was worth, though, as I couldn't really do much.  But it all turned out well.  Obama came up so I spent most of the time talking to the Masai from Melela where we were building.  There are always two topics that come up. Obama and my lip ring.  Good talking points.  So, we worked less than I expected but it was still very good.  It is amazing to see how excited people are when we come to build a church for them.  They inspect everything and are there to help a lot.  

But as soon as I got home I got out of my clothes and into bed where I currently am.  It has been about 24 hours in this bed and I am going a little nuts.  Hopefully I will be out of it tomorrow.  Welp, see you later.

A giant plate of meat.

It has been a while since the last entry as Tuesday and Wednesday of last week were so significant but somewhat draining. So let's just get up to date. 

Thursday was finally another day of Swahili courses. The language learning is a bit rockier than I had anticipated. This is probably due to the other busyness that is going on.  We have little time to simply hang around and speak with people. After talking with some people, I think our semester is a little different.  There is much going on that Pastor Hafermann has to attend to.  First, there was the death of Solomon.  Then there was Luka's wedding. The Kilosa issue exploded. And now Luka's step-mom has passed away.  These stressful things are certainly wearing. But we do get the unique opportunity of seeing life as it happens here. To exist with others in the humanity. Really, this has given us the opportunity to not simply see the separated otherness of poverty in an orphanage (still very meaningful but different) but to see poverty on a Wednesday. Poverty of body and spirit.  This has made studying hospitality all the more radical as the line between hospitality and justice must be crossed.  Hospitality creates a space of freedom where guest and host alike are invited to exist as fully human with each other.  A place where they join together to recognize, appreciate and employ their own and the Other's gifts, thus realizing their interdependence in the body. Now, and I believe always, hospitality is imperative.  The other here must be welcomed and feel that they can be joined to another, and still respect "otherness" and have their own respected.  We all need each other!  This is why "discerning the body" is a phrase of hospitality in action.  Hospitality is not simply social nicety but firm spiritual and societal necessity.  It is an act of justice in that it begins the desire to work for the well being and dignity mutually of both parties in the interaction.  For instance, at Kilosa, the specific rituals of hospitality were not able to be employed but we still experienced a deep hospitality as we were welcomed into the other's humanity.  Now, hospitality has sparked a search for justice as we are thinking of ways to advocate for the Masai in the Kilosa district.  The big issue is that they are being bullied off their land and they need to work their case through the justice system.  Unfortunately, there is very little that can be directly done to alleviate the troubles.  No school to be built, no simple act of "service" will offer an end to the suffering.  Even the food we brought will only last a little while and people will still be hungry and hiding from persecution.  We would like to apply for that "Projects for Peace" grant. But this is not something that can truly be helped by a May term building project.  It's different than that.  We are stuck now but I know that a creative solution will be reached.  Now we are simply advocating for their well being and standing in spiritual strength with these displaced people.

Anway, we think this semester is different.  Trying for many people around us.  Which allows us to offer rest and hospitality to others here.  Like when we fill a car with Pr. Hafermann so he can have a small amount of time to simply exist in joy with other people and not be bogged with these many troubles.  Even then there is some tragedy in the air.  As in Friday when we drove to our teacher Kadeghe's village.  We were on the road and saw a man lying down on the side with his legs on the road. Dead. It was a very troubling image. Very. There was no evidence of attack or accident.  He was simply dead on the side of the road.  I don't know what else to say about it.  Just very disturbing.  

While it is disturbing and hard there is a different joy here. One that is focused on the other and not on object materials.  In Kadeghe's village we experienced just that.  The usual music welcomed us into community as did tea on arrival and a walk around with a bunch of kids.  But while some hospitality is obviously just a matter of finishing the ritual motions, the hospitality in Kadeghe's village was incredibly heartfelt.  It was so natural and a result of a two way interaction.  They were more active in welcoming and in really getting to know us and they were allowed to do this because we did not clump together as usual but spent the day apart with the others.

Real quick observations: we've been talking to Omega a lot about Islam.  There seems to be a popular attitude that we should and need to live together in peace. Yet there is certainly a distrust portrayed in the refusal to believe that Muslims everywhere don't use magic as some do here.

Also, it is Obama time. Everyone here is ridiculously happy. We are no longer greeted with Habari...but with a simple OBAMA!  The newspapers have reported very favorably as Kikwete has congratulated the pres elect and is seeking to work very close with him.  There is a little talk about his being black but more talk is focused of working with the United States to end poverty, fix world finances and end the war in Iraq.  There is so much joy!

Yesterday we (Peter, Steve and I) went to the rock gardens with Kadeghe, Moreto and Omega.  We have grown quite close.  It was so interesting to talk about normal things around drinks and not in the context of a learning environment.  We had long conversations about relationships, AIDS, booze, Obama and Masai life.  They are so eager to learn about relationships in the US and were disappointed to hear that you can't simply go say I love you to a girl in order to pick her up.  A little more involved than that.  And in Moreto's infinite cool he asked the waitress for her number.  Smooth fella.  The night was concluded with a giant plate of meat.  

You can't not feed someone

The Waswahili village we worshipped with today was pretty standard.  There are mixed feelings at this point over the standardness of the village visits.  We always absolutely love to go, they are the best part.  It is odd having the villages demystified as they have become.  Yet, it is also comforting as we feel like friends with people now.  We are seeing many of the same faces and are really beginning to form relationships and be more ourselves.  Like today, as soon as we entered the village I exited the car and after greeting our friends and the elders, went straight to the kids, not to blow bubbles in their faces which they absolutely love, but to talk to them and play ball with them.  This is much closer to what I normally do at home, unlike the awkward sitting in a white bundle that we usually do in the villages.  A very good visit.  The hospitality was a little different.  We spent much time standing after the service with no one to take us around or anything.  This is very uncommon.  I really didn't mind it.  It made it feel like home, but this is not common Tanzanian hospitality.  Mch. Hafermann told us that Luka would normally get on people's case if they left guests standing. Ha. Different strokes I guess.

Now a quick word about something that has been troubling me.  We eat a lot of food and are treated very well at the villages.  I understand that this is part of the culture and is really quite beautiful.  Yet, I question the justice of this while there is so much malnourishment and sickness.  I know that hospitality is certainly show amongst the community toward each other.  But still, the conscience begins to speak.  I asked Pr. Hafermann about it on the way to the village yesterday which was experiencing very much suffering.  I am still pondering his response and will certainly explore this with much depth and energy, but for now, this is a paraphrase of what he said: First, no one is ever turned back.  If someone comes around and there is food, she must be fed (Luka often has to provide for people while he is building.) Remember that the host gets to eat too! Everyone shares and the guest gets no extra.  (The entire village certainly feasts when we worship together.) No one is ever put out.  The table is just made bigger.  Often, guests offer things too, like money.  The reality is that the people simply don't have the option to eat well every day of the week so it is saved.  Sunday is special for everyone.  

So that is all for now. 

it was not leavened because they were driven out of the land of Egypt and could not wait

There is a tribe of pastoralist Masai people who were given land by the government inside the Kilosa district.  The Church is very active among these people.  In the last number of years farming Waswahili people have been moving further into the bush, closer and closer to the rich land given to the Masai.  There has been animosity from the start which has heightened as the Waswahili population has grown.  In Tanzania, from time to time, there are conflicts as farmers want to take land away from the Masai people.  The Masai need good land for their cattle and goats.  They also take very good care of forests and care for trees with great gentleness.  Very recently there was a dispute as the farmers have tried to push the Masai off their land and the local government, police, and popular opinion is against the Masai people.  As a result of the dispute, between 6 and 9 people have been killed (Waswahili and Masai), 400+ cattle have been stolen along with nearly all food and wealth from the Masai who are currently in hiding and being beaten by police and farmers with no help from the government.  This is characteristic of the government.  For instance, in 2004 when the land met with famine the government cut the Masai out of aid distribution because, "They have cows."  Fortunately, the ELCT does much to help when the government is less than willing.  Not to mention that the Masai handle these situations very well.   

We were awoken with word of travel. The safari for the day to the Kilosa district had been approved.  The first stop was to Morogoro market where we picked up half a jeep full of food for the people stuck in hiding who have lost everything.   There was a nervousness about everything today.  A tangible urgency which bespoke the seriousness and solemnity of the day surrounded the vehicle.  Conversation mostly stuck to the situation in the Kilosa district.  Pastor Hafermann told us, "The higher ups and government folk say that it is fine now, that nothing is happening. I wouldn't be so sure."  The paper has been considerably one sided thus far, placing the blame primarily upon the Masai people.  There are also tales circulating outside of the papers which rumor that Masai have been killing pregnant women and tearing the babies from the belly.  This is all completely false.  As a general rule the Masai are very gentle people and if there was really a problem they respect life enough to run someone through with a spear rather than perform cruelties as above.  The trip today had three purposes: Advocate so the Masai can stay in the area, ensure food and water for when they get to stay, and dispel rumors and advocate for peace.  

As we drove through the Waswahili area we were met by quizzical and grim faces.  As if everyone was asking, "Why would you go there. They are killers, you know."  If only they would have known of the food for the people in the back of the vehicle.  The faces and the eerie fact that there were no Masai to be seen anywhere, even until we came right to the church drove Hafermann to admit, "Even I feel uncomfortable."  Cattle wander with no herders because they are hiding.  The current crisis couldn't have come at a worse time.  The ground is dry and dusty with drought.  On their own, the cattle have little chance.  Not to mention the people.  

Upon our arrival we were greeted only by the evangelists and a couple of older warrior age men.  Only one was wearing the traditional garb.  It is much easier to hide if the clothes do not betray the man.  We discussed the problem and quickly learned the truth.  There was a land dispute and a young Masai man was shot to death by a group of farmers.  The boy's friends watched him die instantly and immediately rose against the killers, in passion, killing six.  There was no premeditated revenge on the part of the Masai as the news is falsely reporting.  Soon, seven giant truck loads of cattle were stolen.  The regional commissioner soon came out with a statement stating his desire to take the land and turn it into a national park (it would be a sorry one).  The army came into the village to bring "justice" and behind them came the thieves.  These people, men, women and children, have nothing now.  Families entire cattle and goat herds have been stolen along with food and other goods.  No one does anything about the farmers who began the problem and have brought it to a long term deadly place.  They are just concerned about the warrior boys.  The "trouble-makers."  

We walked to see where they had hidden the little food that they managed to keep and as we were walking we all stopped to watch a large flatbed speed deep into the village.  This particular truck has come into the village every day to steal but the Masai can do nothing about it.  That would dig their hole deeper.  These people are watching as they are forced out of their government given land and slowly killed by thievery.  Yet there is a hope there.  An indescribable hope.  People, mostly women and a few elders came out of hiding hesitantly and watched everything around them with suspicion.  This gave way to joy as they were able to come together as a community for something positive-to be the Church together-for the first time in a long time.  The Church is full of women, who are generally safe.  They laugh and talk and welcome us.  The love and relief is sweet as we breathe each other in inside of that warm church building.  Life as normal in this situation brought so much peace and relief.  I understand now more than ever the purpose of the living Church.  I have never seen a people so desperate for community.  

We sped through the service as we were told that the women want to return to hiding.  When we came to communion the Exodus came into mind.  The NRSV says that the Hebrews were "driven out" after the final plague.  This being so, they didn't even have time to let their bread rise.  I have never appreciated eating the wafers more than now.  These people are being forced out by Pharaoh but have paused for each other and for God.  Not out of blind obedience but out of necessity. Beautiful.  Painfully, refreshingly, mystically beautiful.  We joined in unity over the eucharist, ended the service.  Rejoiced and thanked God together outside as we spoke for a while and played with many of the kids while Pr. Hafermann and Luka worked out the distribution.  

I will write about hospitality meeting desperation tomorrow.   

Sunday was an interesting day. I was supposed to go to the Roman Catholic church with my friend Jimi.  Sadly, I missed the boat.  Whoops, I will have to go another time.  Maybs this weekend.  I am interested to see this flavor of Christianity as even the Lutheran Church here is pretty high liturgy.  Way good. So I spent most of the day working on the hospitality junk and Kiswahili.  At this point I can't really totally tell if it is going well. There are days when I can pick up on nearly everything spoken about throughout the day and others where I can hardly remember how to greet.  I am sure it is fine, it is just odd to move this quickly through the basics of a language for a three month experience.  Very difficult to pick up on some things.  But it is nice that the general population has little expectation when it comes to our skill.  They are so used to mzungu with no language.  So that's good. Keeping expectations low all around the world.  So yes.  There was some excitement in the langauge school as we had a run in with a cobra. The video is posted on Steve's blog and youtube under cobra killing.  They had to coax it out a hole.  It attacked Sachin but he whacked it out of the air and into the ground with a rake.  It ran into the bush but some of the workers and Jimi beat the tar out of it.  Quite interesting.  

Today there were no snakes just a burst of change.  We leave in forty days.  Realizing this has made me examine why I came and ask if it is like I expected.  It is nothing like I expected. Better in a lot of ways but personally I have been a little out of it.  I have felt a little empty.  While doing some reading I came to see that this is due to what can often be a selfishness in study abroad.  So much of what we focus on is what we are getting out of it and finding ourselves.  This is good in many ways but has certainly become overwhelming for me.  It is difficult to explain.  I can try.  I have done things like largely forgotten about justice.  I have asked myself so much about me as is expected of study abroad experiences that I forgot to ask about the other.  In all my thinking about hospitality I have ignored hospitality as a two way street and often involves role reversals.  I have done little to exist with and for anyone other than myself.  Little have I even questioned the mix between hospitality and justice and whether the hospitality as expressed in Tanzania is an absolute or even relative good.  In a country with malnutrition and hunger rates so high does abundant table hospitality for American students justly have a place?  How is he guest mutually responsible to the welcomer?  Where can we as visitors serve?  I ask this not because this place needs it so badly, everywhere needs companionship, community and assistance, but because as Christians and guests in general we are called to work to appreciate and facilitate and grow the fullness of abundant humanity.  I am thankful that I have reached this thought at this point because this desire to act is spurred on by numbers and statistics but by the love that has formed.  It is time I stop worrying about what I am getting out of this and start asking what I am putting in and how that relates to what is needed.  I am tired of consuming things, experiences, people and God for my own gain.  What this means and how this realization will change things, I am not certain.  But the questions have been raised and that is good.  

So tomorrow we are supposed to go to a very active Masai village, Kilosa.  It has been in the news a lot recently in rather slanted stories.  We are lucky to hear the opposing side.  I wrote how the Masai are kicked out of many places and largely disrespected.  This is the village in which two Masai men were murdered by local farmers.  They retaliated by killing 7.  They were retaliated against by having 400 cattle stolen (their holy livelihood).  The police and local governments are only focused on bringing the Masai to "justice" and ignore that the farmers are pushing them out of their land, began the mess and have committed the most recent act of violence.  The police try to raid and capture the village men.  And when one is found he is beaten.  Tomorrow we will go to a church full of women as the men must stay in hiding and stand with them before a God who shows no partiality.  They are not free to travel so we will try to bring food.  But don't worry moms we are not going if there is a sign of danger. The area of the church is very safe. And it has been quiet for days.  They just need food and church.  I will write more tomorrow. 

Jumbled mysticism

On Thursday Peter and I had quite the experience.  Along with Pastor Hafermann and Luka, 5 other pastors, 2 other evangelists, an elder and a prophet we rode for 4 hours to a far off Masai village.  This village recently experienced the death of their spiritual leader who was a heavy drinker and deeply involved in magic.  Things that I would be and am very skeptical about seem to abound here.  Things like magic and prophets and possessions.  It is hard right now because I am not sure what to think. We have seen and heard some strange things.  There is something odd in the world.  Ok.  The prophet that traveled with us is from Kenya.  As soon as we met with the other travelers we could tell who the prophet was.  He had deep distant eyes full of both mysticism and welcome.  He claims to have visions of Jesus.  The first one told him to go to his people (Masai) in Kenya to tell them about the love that they can experience in Christianity.  Then Jesus told him to come to TZ.  He is very well respected and not at all legalistic.  His message, while convicting, is full of grace and peace.  He always says that he comes expecting to gain nothing, he simply wants to help the people and has been led by Jesus.  At first I was worried to hear about the leaving of traditional magic.  But there are very practical reasons to leave it for Christianity.  For instance, the magicians often curse people and try to hurt them with religion. They steal cattle to perform curses and they treat the women negatively.  Anyway, what had happened with the death and the spiritual leader was that the prophet, one year ago, had told the village that if they do not leave black magic and if the leader does not stop drinking in order to do magic, the leader will not live to see the long rains.  He died of liver failure two weeks before the rains began.  So this visit was one of reconcilation, to be sure that the people know that the prophet didn't cause the death. The prophet gave a 3 hour message letting the people know that there is love and peace in God.  And he warned against drunkenness and spoke about respecting elders.  We realized that he is very much like an old testament prophet.  He simply speaks truth to power.  The OT prophets would say "If you don't stop doing destructive and oppressive things you will be destroyed."  Well, of course.  If you keep up oppression there will be an uprising or if you continue poor relations with other nations you will go to war.  Our prophet says "If you do not stop stealing and drinking, you will die and you will die soon."  There is a mysticism about his accuracy but really the messages make sense.  I was really something.  He was very well received and many people were baptized who could not be baptized but wanted to when the laibon was alive.  I will write more when it really sinks in.  I don't know what to think.  Odd things happened and happen all the time.  It is an exciting time to be here.  We have not seen them but there have been many demon possessions and laibons conducting destructive religious rituals are softening, some tribes are on the edge of war and there is much hostility toward the Masai from local farmers.  There is so much happening.  Something good needs to happen for these people.  There is still much hope though and they want peace.  We shall see.  I will be writing a lot about it in the future.  Especially concerning the recent murders and animosity surrounding displacement, magic and cattle thievery.  This is jumbled but there is a definite connection between the way the Masai are treated and the way the Native American is treated.  They are pushed off their land, made to fend for themselves but still idealized in some ways.  Ok. More later when it all sinks in.