on our way.....

Farewell to Western Tanganyika

We eventually finished packing, thanks to Daines' help in the house, Paulo in the garden keeping a large bonfire going, and many willing recipients of our accumulated stuff. Life is now in 2 suitcases, and we are having a very much needed 2 days at the beach to take stock. Swimming and sleeping are very healing!
I will post a blog once we are safely home; but then I'll close this blog. Thank you to all who have so faithfully followed our life here through the blog, and for all your encouraging emails, thoughts and prayers. When I say that they have 'kept us going', I really mean it.
Any futureblog - rather than 'sammonsinafrica' -  may be entitled 'sammonslivingaquietlifeinCranham.blogspot.com!!
Sunday 15th June (Father's Day and Trinity Sunday) I will be presiding and preaching in Cranham, at 11am. After the service we will give a short 'slide-show-talk'. (and I hear there will be a glass of wine!).

Last sermon.... and count down

Last sermon

Leaving presents!

Yesterday I preached at the ordination of the new deacons - a huge service, 7-800 people. My last (?ever?) sermon in Swahili! It was a great privilege as the men being ordained were those I have taught, full time, for 2 years. Preaching in Swahili is not something I will miss, but I will miss the big congregations, the enthusiastic feedback during a sermon, and the opportunity to preach for a full 30 minutes!
We have been attending a great round of leaving parties - so far 6 events including Alastair's 3 hospitals, the Bible College and our local church. We have eaten a lot of chicken and rice, given many impromptu speeches, and received a wonderful  collection of leaving presents, including dresses, shirts, fabric, drums, baskets... - a selection shown in this picture.
Now I have to mark an enormous pile of exam papers, finalise all the college admin.... and there's still no sign of packing!

and the Dean came to stay

Stephen Lake, the Dean of Gloucester, has just returned home after his first visit to the Partnership, and in fact his first time in Africa. He was welcomed in full African style, with  local tribal dancing, singing and giving of gifts - there is enormous respect here for 'important people'. Stephen entered into each new experience with enthusiasm - from preaching in the Cathedral at the ordination of priests, to a trip around the local vegetable market. (not to mention staying with us and quickly becoming an expert on the bucket shower system).  
This Sunday I have my last sermon here - at the ordination of Deacons. Our leaving parties and events are underway and will continue apace. Needless to say there's still no sign of us beginning to pack!  We hope to get to the beach at Kigoma for a couple of nights next week before we fly home.

Exam week - and final surgery

Difficult questions!

 It's the beginning of exams for our students, and today 35 of them are sitting an external exam in Bible Knowledge. I have been teaching extra revision classes for 2 weeks, but because it is in English they are really struggling. Exams will continue all through next week, and as 'Academic Dean' its my responsibility to organise everything : buying paper, collating exams questions, ensuring discipline, overseeing the invigilation etc. Therefore not much chance yet for thinking about packing for coming home. However by way of relaxation the other day I used all my scraps of African fabric to cut out a decade's worth of jolly jam pot covers to bring home!

Successful surgery

From Alastair: I am tailing down my surgery commitments as we get ready to leave.  I have one list only next week, and have been looking back over the last two years work. About  700 operations, 40% of them major.  Shunga hospital, where I have worked consistently with Dr Henry Ndege, has the biggest operation  total, but operations by me have dwindled to almost nothing as Dr Ndege has grown in confidence and competence. My visits there are now usually for support and encouragement rather than operating.

Our patient whose femur I repaired by inserting a motorcycle throttle rod  was delighted to have his picture taken standing happily on the injured leg -  now healed, and with the rod out.   

I have also worked a lot with Sister Saba at Kabanga hospital. She is a nun, qualified as a doctor a few years ago. She is very able, good as a surgeon, and has increased her range of operations.

On 30th May, Shunga village sees the celebration of 100 years since the first Christian mission to this area of Tanzania occasion.  We’ll be there with hundreds of others for this wonderful
 

Parish Partnerships

St Barnabas and Kimobwa Parishes

We have just said farewell to our visitors from St Barnabas, who were with us for a week, to inaugurate their partnership with Kimobwa church. For Janet, Martin and Sheila this was their first visit to Africa, and we admire the way they coped so well and took such an interest in everything.  We arranged a full programme for them with visits to homes in the villages so as to understand local farming, cooking, economy  etc which is the substance of life here. The special church service last Sunday was a great event with much celebration. This is the first parish partnership between the two Dioceses, so a historic and important day.

Kabanga church roof donated by Painswick Church

This week we were also delighted to see the completion of the church roof at Kabanga, donated by St Mary's church, Painswick. Church building here is so important with the rapidly growing congregations. Most of the building work can be done by the members of the congregations, using local materials and home made bricks. However the roofing materials are expensive and often a limiting factor to villages where there is little or no cash income. So another cause for celebration between our two Dioceses.
Our big news is that our car is back on the road, thanks to Alastair's patience, hard work, negotiation (and expense). It is far from a resurrection into immortality - but should at least see us through the last 3weeks!
Tomorrow is my last time to preach in the villages - my next preaching will be at the ordination of deacons on my last Sunday here, and after that in Cranham.

Vistors and students

Visiting Nicodemus and his family

The pink shirt group!

We are into our last 6 weeks here, which feels extraordinary (when we have time to think about it!) Life continues apace. We are delighted to have Sarah Miller, a clergy friend of mine, to stay for 2 weeks. Sarah has been sharing the usual round of church, college and local visiting with us, and was made warmly welcome when we were invited to the home of one of my 3rd year students, Nicodemus,  and his family. I am enjoying having a teaching colleague, and we laughed at the clothes co-ordination when she was helping a small group discussion during a class on preaching.
At the end of next week, after Sarah's visit, we will receive a group from St Barnabas, and at the end of the month the Dean of Gloucester will come.

Bride price paid

In the other photo is Ruben, one of our students training on the evangelists' course, with his fiancee.  We were at their church last week, and they were thrilled for the opportunity of an official photo together. They will be married in June. However marriage is difficult for young people here as there is still a tradition of bride price that must be paid by the groom, or his parents. Whereas this used to be in the form of cattle, or crops, it is now cash. The 'price' of an educated girl can be up to 2 million shillings (more than a year's average salary). Several of our students are hoping to marry but think that it will be years before they can find such money. It is a sad and difficult situation for many young people who I know.
Post script : Unfortunately the Easter week has not brought resurrection for our car, which has suffered an expensive and untimely death.

Easter Weekend

Easter Sunday Baptism candidates

Cooking Easter Sunday lunch for us

We wish  everyone who reads this a very Happy Easter.
On Good Friday I was  in the Cathedral - which was very full, 600+ people. The service was 3 hours (plus!), including 7 (not so short) sermons of Jesus' words from the cross. I prepared to preach one as I had been asked, but when I arrived found I was to preach a second one as well! Always take a pen and paper to church I've learnt, and be grateful for the choir singing long songs.

Hoping for a resurrection

In the afternoon we had time to enjoy our favourite walk, and a picnic tea,  following the stations of the cross up a hill just outside town.
On Saturday, I shared the baptism of 31 people, adults and children, in our 'home church' of Mwilanvya, and on Sunday - in the village of Rusesa - baptised a further 18 people, adults and children, including some converted from Islam. I'm rather chuffed as I can now do the words of the baptism in Swahili without the book!
The week has been somewhat dominated though by bad car problems, which necessitated a 2 hour  tow back from Matyazo. It's serious engine trouble, and Alastair is trying to get the spare parts sent here this week ('big end bearings' I'm told). Needless to say this is making life more difficult, but we're grateful to good friends who are helping us out.

Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday in Kalinzi

Yesterday I was invited to preach in a village an hour and a half away, in the hills. We were delighted to find that there was to be a Palm Sunday procession. About 400 people, all dressed in wonderful bright African clothes left the church with assorted palms and decorated branches, and processed over a mile through the village and along the main road. They sang in harmony all the way. It was a moving occasion, full of energy and celebration, and once again a privilege to be part of this vibrant church community. It is now Holy Week, and there will be services in church every day. I'm keeping my head low as preaching on Easter Sunday is enough work for me, but think that I must also prepare an 'emergency' sermon for Good Friday as I am likely to be asked with little or no notice! Today I received my first invitation to preach and lead worship at home - June 15th in Cranham church. It will be quite a contrast!

Food

A special supper in College

Market day

I have been concerned that, owing to the tight budget of the college,  the students diet has been very limited and less than adequate of late.  So today I dipped into our Discretionary Fund (many thanks again to those who pay into it) and are treating the students to a 'slap-up' supper tonight. Stella, the college cook  pictured here, came with me to the local market where we bought vast quantities of fresh veg and 'slaughtered-this-morning' meat. I decided, for the sake of the squeamish or the vegetarians, against putting a picture of the butcher's shop on the blog! As I write Stella and Winifrida are cooking all this on the log fires of the college kitchen. Meanwhile at home we are having macaroni cheese in the company of our German friends from Shunga hospital. (Alastair bought the cheese in Mwanza on his dentist trip) - so we're having a treat tonight too!  I thought you'd like this great picture of the woman selling bananas this morning - she enjoyed posing for the picture, though I was obliged to buy a bunch.

Teeth and essays

The electricity came back on, so no more scrabble for a while! Thank you for many sympathetic emails.
Teeth and essays have dominated this week. Alastair has had various tooth-y problems, including a bridge falling out while eating a particularly hard bit of local maize. The nearest dentist who can do such work is in Mwanza, an exhausting 13 hour bus journey away. (Don't imagine National Express!) So it is a 3 day trip for him - he'll get the bus back again tomorrow.
In the mean time I've been struggling with some rather erudite essays about the small print of theological education - the final assignments for an on-line Postgraduate certificate course I've been doing for the past year. By tomorrow evening teeth should be back in, Alastair home and essays submitted - we'll celebrate with a bottle of Fanta!

Villagers making local beer

Alcohol is prohibited  here in church circles, and thought of as a great sin. It's understandable as there is a big problem of alcoholism. As people have become more urbanised, the population grown and young people can't find work the alcohol problem has increased. Traditionally people drink a potent local beer made of sugar cane. The cane is crushed, so that the juice is extracted, and left to ferment for 3 days. I've declined offers to try it!

Power wipe out

Nothing else to do!

Scrabble a deux by paraffin lamp may appear to be the epitome of the relaxed, quiet life, but actually was the result of complete boredom owing to having no electricity for many days.  (I hate Scrabble, so this is definitely last resort).

Bath time

Electricity first came to Kasulu about two and a half years ago - just before we arrived. Until then most institutions had a generator which they would use for a few hours each evening. The mains electricity, which has been remarkably reliable, has changed the nature of the town, with people now relying on it for education, banking, business etc. The story we hear is that the electricity providers haven't paid their fuel bills, so fuel supply is now cut off. There's no news of when it might start again. One of Alastair's hospitals has its own electricity supply, so they are receiving all surgical patients from the Government hospital in town. Today the Bible college unearthed their old generator and started it up - hence my lap top is now charged for a few hours.
Although it's very frustrating for us, of course most of African life doesn't rely on electricity. None of the villages have power, and even in town it is a luxury for a few people. Here, Rehema, the daughter of one of my teaching colleagues, is having her daily bath without the need for modern technology!

Plans

Many people are asking about our plans for when we leave........... We have our flights home booked for 7th June. This gives me the opportunity to see my senior students through their final exams and attend their ordination. We will return to our house, 'Windycot' in Cranham. We're very excited about this as it will be over 7 years since we lived there, and we will enjoy being in the village community again. I've decided not to apply for a full time parish post again, but rather to have opportunity for teaching and other work around the Diocese, which will give us some flexibility and time for the family. Alastair is very ready to retire (again), and is looking forward to his music, woodwork and other interests.

A typical Saturday!

'Ha' tribal dancing

So we just have 3 months left. We have lots to do, and still feel very settled here. Our colleagues, friends and students are all asking us to stay longer, but although we will be sad to leave all the  people we have got to know so well, we're really looking forward to coming back.
College life, although constant hard work for me has its wonderful rewards - here a picture of the students doing a traditional tribal dance. They are all from the 'Ha' tribe - and their traditional dancing involves a lot of jumping, with bells around their ankles. It's fascinatingly similar to Morris Dancing! 

Becky's stay

Dress fitting at the local tailor

The finished kitenge

 We are delighted to have Becky to stay with us for a fortnight. As it is her second time here she knows lots of people and instantly fitted back into the culture and life.  She has been with Alastair to the various hospitals, who finds it special to have his daughter as his scrub nurse. She has helped me with some English classes in college, and we have had fun teaching adjectives (happy, sad, surprised, afraid....etc) through silly dramas together.
Becky loves the local fabrics as I do, and we have been busy making bags, scrunchies, and even bunting out of my huge baskets of fabric scraps.
She chose some material for a traditional African outfit  - here she is being measured for it by the local tailor on Saturday, and in the beautiful finished dress just 2 days later. 
Becky finished her nursing degree in Oxford last year, and is now a staff nurse in A and E. As a fully trained volunteer with the Oxford Emergency Rescue service she was recently called out in the flood emergencies in Surrey. She is enjoying a restful couple of weeks with Mum and Dad!

Every little helps

A new church roof for Kabanga

 We are well back into the routines and busyness of life and work. Alastair has had a heavy week with long days and some difficult surgery, and continues to be aware of the very basic facilities in which he works. College term has begun for me, with 51 residential students, and I am struggling to keep on top of teaching a full tiimetable.
On our first Sunday back we had a very special church visit, to Kabanga which is 10 km from town.

Proud grandparents.

The village people, who currently worship in a tiny old chapel, with 2/3 of the congregation needing to be outside,  have been slowly building a new church for many years, progressing as they have a little money or materials. We were able to bring them the message that Christian friends in UK - a gift from St Mary's Painswick -  are able to help them complete the roof. This led to wonderful celebration, dancing and singing (and an extra impromptu hour or so of service!)
Another day we visited the family of Cosmas, one of my final year students, in a very rural village. Their house, which had walls made of home made bricks, an earth floor and some basic wooden furniture was spotlessly clean and prepared for us. It was very moving to sit and drink tea with them and receive their generous hospitality. Cosmas' father in the picture is a church elder, and loves to sing hymns and read in church, but he needs glasses. Thanks to friends who have brought supplies of Poundland reading specs we are able to help him. Also, they were thrilled to receive jerseys for their twin grandchildren, thanks to the dedicated knitting project of our daughter in law's Granny and her friends in her sheltered housing in Norfolk.

....and home.

 We arrived home from our epic and fascinating journey around Tanzania earlier this week. The car, our marriage and our friendship with Ian and Frankie are still intact! - and all richer for the experience we have shared together.
From Ruaha Park we drove to Mbeya, and then, via the Zambian border, to the southern town of Sumbawanga. Again we found a mission guest house which had good basic accommodation, and we were able to meet up with  some of our past college students. They are working for the church there under extremely difficult and isolated conditions, and they thought that the arrival of their tutor to visit them was a 'miracle of God'!
From there our journey became more challenging as the roads gradually deteriorated. We drove through Katavi National Park, keeping the windows well shut because of the fierce testse flies! Our last night was in the market town of Mpanda, where we stayed in the poshest 'hotel' in town for £8-00 for a double room (including breakfast!)
The last day home was memorable - it took 11 hours to drive 180 miles owing to the terrible state of the dirt road. We knocked the tyre off the rim on a large rock within the first half hour, but from then on, owing to Alastair's amazing driving skills, only had one episode in the ditch. It has to be the most isolated area of Tanzania, passing only two small villages in 100 miles. We saw 8 other vehicles the whole day, and 4 were in the ditch!
Suddenly in a particularly lonely stretch of road we saw a white man beside the road! Dave was motor biking from S.Africa to Ruanda, but his bike had packed up. He had no phone reception or knowledge of Swahili, so he was pretty thrilled to see us. He came back to Kasulu with us (to cut a longish story short) - stayed overnight, enjoyed shepherd's pie and a shower, and managed to reunite with his bike and get it fixed. He's in the picture above sharing a roadside picnic with us - though the picnic was cut short by the arrival of some rather aggressive looking baboons.
It's good to be home, and hold all our wonderful memories.

Over 2000 miles .....

Relaxing at the beach!

Above the roof tops of Stonetown

... and only one 10 minute welding job needed on the car.
Since the mountains we have spent 2 days in the heat and traffic of Dar es Salam, sorting some necessary business, and then travelled to the beautiful island of Zanzibar where we met with our friends Ian and Frankie Marsh (from Painswick). We stayed in a beautiful complex on the beach, enjoying some sea swimming and walks along the white sands, good meals and some days of luxury - and the excitement of our first English newspaper for many months.
Then we went to Stonetown, the extraordinary Arab-style old city,  wandered through the narrow streets, ate freshly cooked fish on the sea front and enjoyed staying in one of the very old hotels - where we had a 45 foot long bedroom complete with stone bath!
We are now, with Ian and Frankie's company, driving back around the south of the country, with a 'day off' yesterday spent in the remote Ruaha national park. Tonight we are in the highest town in Tanzania - Mbeya - staying in a mission guest house.

Mountains, plains and forests

Mountain lodge

Our journey around the north of Tanzania has continued to be full of wonders, and the same sense of extraordinary privilege we have of making a trip like this. Having our own car gives us great freedom about where we go and at what pace, and having Tanzania resident permits means that entrance to the National Parks, and much of the accommodation is cheap for us.
We spent 2 days in Arusha National Park, staying in this idyllic 100 year old farm house - which we had entirely to ourselves. From the back door we looked to the rocky peak of Mt Meru  - the second highest mountain in Tanzania, and from the front steps we had a completely clear view

"Jungle Jane"!

of Kilimanjaro.  We drove and walked in the park, enjoying its remoteness and the quiet game viewing.
From there we drove south east through very hot, almost desert like plains before taking the winding road up into the Usambara mountains. Here we have enjoyed staying at over 5000 feet where the air is cool and fresh. We have had some wonderful, all day walks through the mountain villages and remaining natural rain forests, accompanied by helpful and knowledgeable local guides. I couldn't resist a cooling swim in the pool at the base of a 100 ft waterfall. Next stop Dar es salam for various bits of business and then to Zanzibar.

Holiday Snaps

We have had a wonderful first 5 days of our holiday, so far driving over 800 miles through beautiful and varied Tanzanian scenery.  The red mud, and bustling market atmosphere of Kasulu was soon replaced by the much more remote and drier area towards Lake Victoria. We then drove to the Serengeti park, spending a day and a half slowly driving through the vast plains, with wonderful views of the assorted game : zebra, impala, giraffe, wildebeest, buffalo grazing together. From there to the Ngorongoro crater, to which one descends 2000ft into the 18km diameter crater, again watching the game in their natural habitat. At Lake Manyara we ate our picnic overlooking a pink haze of flamingos on the lake, while in the foreground buffalos were taking mud baths to cool off from the intense heat. Today we are in Arusha, in the heart of the Masai area, and the common site on the plains is of Masai herdsmen, clad in their red blankets walking gracefully behind their herds of cattle.
We have found 'cheap and cheerful' places to stay, and are self reliant with a little gas cylinder and cooking essentials.It's always easy to buy fresh veg at stalls along the road and most meals have been a variation on the one-pot veggie risotto!
We never cease to be thankful for the privilege we have of enjoying such beautiful places. Hospital and college life feel far away at the moment, and we're benefiting from the rest and time to step back from our work.

Happy New Year

The New Year here is celebrated by Christians with special church services as people thank God for all the blessings of the previous year and commit themselves to serving God in the coming year.  I shared in leading the service at Mwilanviya church - our local 'home' church. The church, which was started only 18 months ago and has featured before on our blog, is still in its temporary building though with a congregation of 2-300. The pastor is exceptionally musical and as I took this picture was leading the congregation in  spontaneous singing and dancing. Beware any church I come back to lead in the UK - I've picked up some new worship ideas!!
We're now busy doing last minute work and preparations for our holiday. We leave tomorrow for nearly 4weeks - we will drive around the north of Tanzania, through the Serengeti and then to some of the smaller game parks and mountains. We have a rendezvous with our friends Ian and Frankie in Zanzibar on 17th Jan. So  - depending on internet - I will post lots of holiday pics and news.

Happy Christmas

Wishing you all a very happy Christmas season, and thank you for all the greetings and emails we have received.
On Christmas Day I was invited to preach at Nyumbigwa - a village about 20 minutes from town. It's a big church with 400+ in the congregation. The service was a great celebration - in a rather unstructured way! - with a lot of dancing, drumming and spontaneous singing. I preached about preparing our hearts to receive Jesus, and my simple acting out of sweeping the house and dusting the furniture caused much laughter and clapping! The picture is of the 'collection' by the altar - there were about 15 chickens by the end, and large baskets of maize, peanuts, avocados etc... As I led the prayer of blessing for the offering I saw out of the corner of my eye the chickens eating the peanuts!! 2 of the chickens and a large hand of bananas are now in our back kitchen.
We have had some time to relax, give each other stockings of little gifts from the local market, to welcome some local friends, and to chat to our family on skype. We have tried to be festive in a British way with a red kanga and candles on our table and a nice meal.