Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Greetings All,

It has been a couple of days since I last wrote. On Monday, I went on another sort of Safari, to Moshe. (You could look it up on a map). Very long day for a day off. We toured the TPC Sugar Factory, where they make sugar from the Sugar Cane, very interesting. They use all of the sugar cane, not only for sugar but for powering the plant. Over 18,000 acres of sugar cane. Before they harvest it they burn it to make it easier for harvesting without leaves and to protect the workers from snakes and other animals that hid in the fields. I wasn't allowed to take pictures inside, but I took a lot outside. It is like a little city unto itself, several churches, stores, little factories, and more (like the arsenal in that it is self-contained and has gates).

There is a small town near there that Ev. Materu and his wife came from. We went to both their homes, and brothers homes. Took lots of family pictures for them, now I have to down load them on my memory stick to print them off for them.

We were to have dinner at Pastor Mushi's that night, but he cancelled a half hour before because he was far from home. It worked out just, fine. It was nice to have a quite night.

Tuesday, I was come into the office and communicate with on the computer, but Pastor Mushi wasn't feeling well. So I just relaxed at Pizza Point, read, worked on pictures, and my sermon for Sunday. Oh, yes, I found out at 6 a.m. that I had no water in my bathroom. They were fixing on the water mains the day before, and thought all was well. So they brought in huge buckets of water into my bathroom, mostly cold for the toilet, but some very hot for bathing. Never a boring moment for me in Tanzania or in America for that matter.

Tuesday, too, was a side trip to two orphanages at 4:00 p.m. There I gave them all the red t-shirts from the Perry's and $100 for food that Grace (my host at Pizza Point) prepares and takes to them. As I have said before, she is truly a woman of faith and compassion. I took lots of pictures of this orphanage that cares for 68 children. It was very modest, but well cared for facility. In fact, they are expanding in order to house another 24 children.

From there we went to an infant orphanage, again very well maintained facilities, but so many children in need. Over 38 children, 2 years old and under there. There is no charge to the children or their extended families. They are very self-sufficient with doing projects that provide income: renovating desks from the university, hosting visitors in lodging, and much more. We met two college aged students who were there volunteering to care for these children, one from Germany and another from the Netherlands. It was getting late.

However, I got back just in time for Tuesday night dinner at Pastor Mushi's at 8 p.m. with his very large blended family. He and his wife, were married two years ago after there spouses died. It was very nice gathering. I too gave the family some gifts, they were very appreciative to have guests. Guests in Africa, mean blessings! Imagine that, I am a blessing. Got to bed late.

Wednesday, I received a text message from Pastor Mushi asking if I was going to Sermon Prepartions today at 9:30 a.m. It was 8:50 a.m. when he texted me. I quickly went and arrived in time to wait. It was a very nice meeting, as we read the texts and shared in debate form. Everyone is to say what they hear and then debate or prove it to the rest. Interesting concept. Then whosever response they agree to take, those persons need to construct a theme sentence. We studied Mark 4:26-29. We discussed where in the parable is the GRACE of God? Imagine, a discussion on grace. What is grace? I tole them I teach on this often. We too, discussed Costly Grace vs. Cheap Grace. They wanted to know more. They were unfamiliar with Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Then we had lunch.And I am now sharing with you.

I am awaiting word from my traveling companions arrival. I was in Sermon Preparation Meeting when they should have arrived. I thought I was going to the airport to meet them, but then what do I know. One has to be very flexible in Africa, I know I have said that before. It will be nice to be in conversations I can fully understand again, although it too has been very humbling as an outsider. And that is good too!

In His service and yours,

Pastor Mark