It's Not Always About Us...

So I'm giving you a virtual tour of PHA as of this week. It's so exciting to see how things are progressing. At the beginning, it was hard to see work getting done since it was all about digging the foundations. Now that so much of the building is now walls going up and roofs going on, every day brings new changes.
Some of you may remember Project 640, our first volunteer group that spent a week here in February. They worked on a nursery where we could start raising trees to plant. To date we've planted over 5,000 trees! The trees are very important as there is no shade on the property and there are serious erosion issues that will be helped by the trees. As they are thinned out they can also be used for firewood.

The 640 will be surprised to find that the little trees that were planted (like these here)...




...are now this big in just 5 months! It's really unbelievable how fast things grow here! All along our huge fence the plants that were inches tall in February are now almost to the top of the fence in places. Good water, good sun, cool nights...a perfect combination!



Wouldn't you like to come and volunteer? You can, you know. Just contact Peace House Foundation and they'll get you set up, no problem!


You can sit here in the morning or evening, sipping tea, and looking at Mt. Meru in the distance. This candlabra tree is actually a giant cactus and is the only one on the site. It's fantastic!

You will retire at night to one of our comfortable guest houses. Although you will be on-site and able to participate in the daily school activities, the guest houses provide a quiet respite in the evenings.

Your guest house does have a kitchen, but you'll want to take some of your meals here in the dining hall with the students and get a sense of typical Tanzanian fare. Breakfast here is typically tea and bread and maybe some uji (like runny Cream of Wheat). Lunch includes ugali (like stiff grits--filling but not a lot of taste), beans or rice, sometimes cooked veggies. Dinner is a variation on lunch, but may include a sauce made with meat or cooking bananas. Fresh fruit (whatever's in season) may be available as well. Eating with the students will also give you an opportunity to get to know them, ask questions, and give them time to ask questions of you.

I do like this picture a lot. It's the road going through the teacher housing. It looks like we have an actual town going up here! It looks so cool! Actually, PHA will be a community when it's done, which I like very much. I like the idea of all of us being a part of something so new and raw and uncharted.

Brick-making in action. We actually have a brick-making machine that makes 2 bricks at a time. We also have the manual way which makes 1 brick at a time. For either way, they shovel cement into a form, pull down a press/lid, and then lift the form and slide the blocks out on a board. It's a time consuming process for sure.

The administration/classroom building has finally hit ground level (after working on 8 ft. deep foundations). The tiny blue shed in the background is the guard house for the maingate.

By the way, I'm taking no responsibility for the quality of this pic. I'm having to upload each pic 3-4 times (at around 2 minutes per upload) and I just can't explain why some pics cooperate and some just turn ugly on me.

The same is true for the dorms. Now that building is at ground level, things will look like they're moving very fast (and maybe they really are!) It's a bit intimidating to see the footprints of such large buildings and think of the number of students that will be living in them!


Here's our house, getting more done every day. It's funny--they've put in the wooden door jambs, but the walls are still rough blocks. Interesting.




Whoops--does this pic mean I slipped something in about us? Sorry.

OK, that's it. I have some more great pics, but after 3 days, this is as far as technology here will let me go and so I'm done. Really, it's much more interesting in person--come and see for yourself!

Some More Stories from Tanzania

If you've been reading us, you will have heard about the O'Neils. Steve is the former head of Minnehaha Academy who is running Haven of Peace Academy in Dar es Salaam. Haven of Peace is Christian mission school that attracts a great mix of missionary, diplomat, and Tanzanian students. They just celebrated their one year anniversary here in Tanzania.

They have been a tremendous inspiration to us as they have shared their experiences and faith working in their lives. They were such a blessing, too, because they were with us as we worked through the theft issue a few weeks ago. We have really enjoyed getting to know them.

Denae, his wife, has started her own family blog at Tales from Tanzania. Their stories about their lives there are definitely worth reading.

Another Nairobi Moment...

At the boardwalk zoo, Ava and I found ourselves surrounded by a group of Kenyan students who were on a field trip. A teacher asked me, "Could we have a photo?" We are often asked to take people's pictures here, but I had to tell him, "Sorry, I don't have a camera with me." He replied, "No, no, we have our own cameras." Sure enough, 3 adults dug out their 3 cameras. Then they just stood there, looking at Ava and me. I said, "OK, so give me your camera and get in a group and I'll take your pictures." And then he said, "No, no, we want to take a picture of YOU." So they all gathered around Ava and I and took quite a few pictures of us with the group, with smaller groups, etc.

We went to the zoo to take pictures of animals. They came to the zoo and took pictures of us. Too funny! Then it occurred to me--this is what celebrities have to do all the time. People watching them, following them, acting as if every little thing is so very interesting, and then asking for photos. Honestly, it doesn't happen very often, but I was definitely amused by the whole event!

A (Surreal) Trip to Nairobi

We spent 3 terrific days in Nairobi with no drama or trauma and had a great time. It was a bit surreal, though, in some ways--we did get our fix of Western culture, African-style.

Of course, if you come to Africa, you expect animals, and one thing this place does is deliver them in a way that America just can't ever match. Everything back in the States is very..."safe." Which is good, but sometimes not exciting (see our former posts about the Snake Park). Here in Africa, they just don't spend so much time worrying about being too safe--hence the fun!

We went to a "boardwalk" (zoo) and to Noah's delight, these cheetahs were more than willing to cooperate by getting up close and personal. The other animals we have already seen on safari but this was a big treat. At one point, they both jumped up and ran across the field.

We also visited the Langata Giraffe Center, where very endangered Rothschild's giraffes are raised. The platform is about 15 feet off the ground and the giraffes are very gentle (and slimy). Next to the center is the Giraffe Manor, an English manor home built in 1932. For a sweet $400 a night, you can have a giraffe reach his head in through your 2nd story window to say "howdy." The center did an excellent job of teaching about conservation and uses donations to help Kenyan students afford transportation to come and see the giraffes. It's a sad fact, both here and in Kenya, that so few children actually ever get to see the animals for which their countries are so famous, yet they will eventually make decisions about wildlife management, population management, etc.

The Sheldrick Trust was founded by David and Daphne Sheldrick (he was the original warden at the Tsavo Parks) to help rhinos and elephants orphaned by poachers. Here at their center (open for only 1 hour each day) visitors get up close and personal with the 7 baby elephants that are currently under their care. The infants are raised and then sent out into Nairobi National Park with armed guards during the day to learn how to live in the wild. Eventually they are released into Tsavo National Park. Poaching in Kenya continues to be such a problem that all elephants and rhinos in game parks are monitored! They did also have a "baby" rhino (3 years old and much too big to be allowed near the guests) who is spending his days in the wild (guarded) and nights back at the center. I wondered how it helped that these elephants were so used to people and seemed to enjoy them--but once freed they are not likely to come into contact with people, the way bears, etc. are in the States. The elephants were the definite (animal) highlight of the trip for all of us!

Not that the rest of the family was overly interested, but I loved our stop at the Karen Blixen home. You'll recognize it from "Out of Africa" because they used the actual house for the exterior shots. It's hard to imagine this house, now in a very upscale neighborhood, being out in the bush. Back in the day it was very luxurious (her original furnishings are still in the home) but by today's standards it's very small and spartan. I loved the movie and have read a couple of her books, but I'm now wanting to read a good biography of hers. The move is very misleading, I think, about her personal life, which was terribly sad and tragic. We ate lunch nearby at another "coffee house" built in 1908 by a Swedish farmer who later built the Blixen home. No one who tried to grow coffee here was successful--the altitude was blamed (Nairobi is at almost 6,000 feet) but it's actually the soil acidity that was the problem. Karen, the suburb named after her, is a very posh place--absolutely beautiful!

Now the surreal part--Nairobi really is very beautiful--it reminds me very much of Southern California in the vegetation, which is lush and green everywhere we looked--and also in the size of the white stucco, Mediterranean-tiled castles perched on hills behind massive gates everywhere we went. In the visitor areas, it is amazingly wealthy--real mall, ala The Galleria, water parks, movie theatres, mini-golf, great restaurants--all for a price. It really was amazing--very Western, albeit with some definitely African quirks. It is easy even in Arusha to insulate one's self from life and the daily interactions with Tanzanians, but in Nairobi, it is possible to have virtually no contact with anyone but expats. Because Kenyans begin English in primary school, everything is in English--news, signs, etc. We did hear Swahili being spoken, but often, even between Kenyans, the language of choice was English.

The surreal part, once we downed our mochas and headed out around town, is that Nairobi is an African city and millions are desperately poor. On our return from the boardwalk zoo, we crested a hill and spread out as far as you could see in either direction, were the Kibera slums, where over 1,000,000 people live in unimaginable conditions (these are the slums from the movie "The Constant Garener"). The contrast between the wealth of the few and poverty of the many was hard to take in. It's here in Arusha as well, of course, but we were left with an unsettled feeling, especially once we stepped into the mall, well-insulated from whatever unpleasantness might be lurking outside.

Just to clarify--I ate those Oreos right up, thank you very much! And loved the chance to go to a movie. And if you ever get the chance to go to Nairobi...take it! But it's not how the vast majority of people live on this Earth, much less in this corner of the world. And that bears remembering.

I'd love to tell you about the great restaurants we ate in, but (sad to say) the highlight foods were (in no particular order)...pretzels, Skippy peanut butter, Oreo cookies, and Ritz crackers. AND they were all fresh. And yummy. And expensive. And yummy. Between Nakumatt (Target) and Uchini (Cub Foods) the kids were in heaven. I should mention their reaction as we entered Nairobi: "Look, Mom! A stoplight! Look! An overpass! Oh my gosh--a 4 lane road!" Guess they've been away from "civilization" as they remembered it for a while! Another highlight was a real movie ("Cars") in a real theatre with real popcorn (the word "real" kept popping up from the kids a lot this week) along with mini-golf and a real pedicure (OK, that last "real" was mine and it was heavenly). As you can see, Noah finally found himself at home here, happily comparing prices on the Oreos and Ritz crackers.

For the Men in Your Life

I loved our pastor at our home church in Bloomington. Rick was a great leader--he always challenged our congregation to get out and LIVE your faith, however that might be. Every Sunday I would listen to his sermons and always came away amazed at the challenges that he put to me personally, challenges that were always wrapped in the grace that all of us desparately need in this world. So both Mark and I were so sad when we learned that Rick was moving on to another calling.

You can read more about his new endeavor at Phoenix Risen. It's a small group individual counseling/life management/transition for men that I think fills a huge need in our culture in the States. The longer I've been married, the more I've seen the discrepancy between the relationships I have with my friends and the types of relationships Mark has. I've seen so many examples of men feeling isolated and struggling alone with issues that are not "men-only"--but the way that men are attempting to face life's challenges and the support that they derive from their friends, colleagues, and family memebers is vastly different than what women experience.

Anyway, take a look at his website. If you know someone who is struggling, pass the word along. Mark and I can personally vouch for his expertise and ability to touch people's lives in a truly meaningful way.

A prayer from Mark

Hello all,

p.s. I sat to write this as a description of my life here so far, but I think it actually came out as a prayer.

I realize that you all have not heard from me for quite a while and I apologize for that. I have let Carla carry the load of recording our adventures and emotions. I know you all agree that she has done a superb job of it too.

It is almost the one-yeare anniversary date of my mass-voice mail message to the teachers and staff at MMW that I was leaving Minnetonka to come to Africa, and almost six months since we have arrived here. As I look back on this year, it seems a life time, not the usual blur that is the passing of a year. I really wonder sometimes who I am becoming, but I know that I am being transformed. When it is not scary, it is the most exciting time of learning and growth that I have had in my life. If you could see me, maybe you would recognize me, maybe you wouldn’t.

Let me tell a couple of stories to illustrate the changes that are happening in me/too me/for me. Without remorse, fear or timidity, the most important stories have to do with the ways that my faith in God is being strengthened by this time here.

For much of my life, I have pursued notice, affirmation, praise, reward, attention with the zeal of a workaholic. Those of you who know me well can well remember times when these selfish desires manifested themselves as controlling behaviors, or over-speaking when I should have been listening, or impatience with those who weren’t on board with what ever my idea was, and a bitter biting sarcastic tongue for those who I felt had what I wanted, and etc. I realize that this was not my whole character, and don’t want to misrepresent myself, but when I pray for forgiveness in my life, it is for the kinds of things listed above. When I am feeling judgmental toward others, I will say things like “you can tell a persons character by how he responds to challenge/stress/difference of opinion”. Unfortunately, this phrase has condemned me as quickly as it condemned the person I was hoping to hang with it.

So, if my character (one of competition, judgment toward others, selfishness) is being exposed by moving to Africa, how and why and what will I do about it seems to need answering. God has not challenged me with my prideful and sinful nature directly, but has shown me clearly that He is worth pursuing, not that which I thought was important before. I find it nearly impossible now to count the times that God has answered my prayers in direct and clear ways. With all the bravado of Gideon, I even prayed last fall “God, I don’t want to be seem to self-important, but if your really want me to go to Africa, it would be nice to if this fleece was dry tomorrow while the ground was wet around it.” The next day, a woman we know who was born and raised in Tanzania called to talk to Carla and told her that she had awakened during the night with this sense that God wanted her to pray for us and to give us a call the next day. So she had prayed and then called, but wondered if we knew what He might have been meaning. This call was when she learned that we were making plans to go to Tanzania.

This weekend, more of our things were stolen, and I recall the story of Gideon again. Gideon built up an army of 10,000, but God made him send all away who set down their weapons to drink, leaving him with only God and a few hundred soldiers with which to fight the battle because God wanted Gideon to recognize that God had provided the victory. God wants me to put my trust in HIM, not in what I can acquire. He wants me to look to him, to give him the glory when it goes well, not seek it for myself. He wants me to trust His promise that he knows all challenges known to man, but promises not to allow a challenge too great for me to handle, and He promises to always provide the strength to do it. I was quite worried about my role of judge and jury over these stolen items, but God was concerned about my salvation. I felt alone and discouraged, but He provided strength, encouragement, and support. Through the miracle of modern technology, many of you knew of our struggles. The prayers and emails of support today have been almost overwhelming. God also let this incident happen when He knew our good God-fearing friends would be with us to offer direct support, encouragement, prayers, and guidance. And, God is teaching me an important lesson related to my sinful nature here as well. When I sought glory for myself, I usually took it by causing pain to others. When I look to him for his support, He gives me a reward (peace and encouragement) that is far sweeter than those false ribbons and trophy’s I have spent my live pursuing.

The other thing that has been happening to me is that God has been affirming the skills, talents, experiences that He has provided me. I hear God say to me “Mark, through me you are able to support the ministry of others. (He has provided many opportunities already for me to be the role of supporter and encourager) You are able to help others see Me and understand Me (and I’ll prove it to you by having you preach to this congregation of missionaries in two weeks). You are capable of facing great challenges, of assuring that the right thing is done, even if it has great personal risk to you to do so. Mark, I called you here.” He has comforted and affirmed me in ways I either never knew before, or I that ignored the messages He was sending while I sought affirmation from the wrong sources.

Now, please don’t be mistaken here. I am still too quick with a judgmental comment, with MY answer, with my self-righteous anger, etc… Like Paul, I continue to do what I don’t want to do, even when I know better. Maybe I’ll never completely throw off the pursuit of human affirmation, but I am being taught here that my faith is real, that my God is real, that His work in me and in the world is real. I am frustrated by my how little I know about Tanzania now, about what it will really take to get Peace House Academy off the ground. But one Tanzanian here gave me a pretty good clue as to HOW to do it when he asked me, “Mark, do you pray about the school?”

So, everything I know about the world has been stripped away. Everything is different and strange now, but I am able to see Him and therefore, myself more clearly. You ask, what is the lesson of my adventure to Africa so far? Trust God, and when I forget, I know that He will remind me again.

I pray that you see and know God so that we can encourage each other to pursue Him. Please continue to pray for us as we are for you.

Mark

A Bright Spot in the Weekend

With the wretched events on Saturday, we had a late start on our planned activity, a hike up Mt. Meru. We started late, but it was a perfect way to take our minds off of what had happened and enjoy the beauty of Tanzania with good friends. The hiking skirt is a new thing--but we were going through villages so shorts are not an option. That's our friend Steve O'Neil and his daughter Anna, who is Cameron's age. The Tanzanians are the requisite followers that seem to accompany us wherever we go. The trees behind us, interestingly enough, are pine--real pine--with raspberries--real raspberries--in the undergrowth. A little slice (and scent) of Montana surrounded by banana trees! AND, they're about 10 years old, to give you an idea of how fast things grow here.

This is the extent of the wildlife we saw. The kinyonga (chameleon) is an endless source of fascination for our kids and terrifyingly disgusting to Tanzanians. They will not come near a chameleon and those we passed while carrying Viper on our heads were horrified. It has something to do with the color changing that makes people believe that they can "steal" a person's "color". They also do not like the way the chameleon's eyes rotate independently. But our kids love 'em. Viper here rode all the way home before being released in the yard. In these pics he is black--they change color in response to stress and temperature, not background--but he was kind enough to show off a range of colors, from spring green to almost teal with white spots.

And here's the group. The Hillmans--including a rare photo of Noah--he's just TOO busy to stop for a picture--and the O'Neils (Steve and Denae, Anna, Benjamin, and Thomas). We count them among our blessings here. We have had a great time getting to know each other better here at language camp, the kids (who all match up in age) have been so busy we've hardly seen them, and they were a tremendous source of support this weekend. We're already looking forward to our visit in Dar to see them! Their stories of their own experiences in Tanzania and their farith journey are inspiring and give another insight into life here and attempting to discern what God's purpose is in our lives. They are starting a blog that you can read at http://www.sdoneil.blogspot.com/ or click the link at the left on our blog called "Tales from Tanzania" (do give them a little time to get it up and running, though).

The Ugly Side of Life.

This has been a very difficult month for us, and this weekend has been the worst weekend since we’ve been here in Tanzania. Among the many challenges in living here is learning to adjust to having workers—gardeners, guards, housekeepers, etc.—in and around your home every day and night. I think we’re like most people we know (back home) in that we tend to be pretty trusting with people. As Christians, we tend to see people first in positive terms. The idea of looking at everyone you meet as a potential threat or problem is something that we would never think of doing.

Until we arrived here. This morning we discovered that someone had stolen 4 pairs of shoes (the kids’ shoes we had purchased in the States for the them to grown into while they were here since good durable shoes are almost impossible to get), an expensive backpack, a sleeping bag, and two sleeping pads were stolen from our garage while we’ve been at language camp. All of the things had just been unpacked from the shipping container and were in the process of being organized, so there is no doubt that they’re gone. Like everyone else who has workers, our housekeeper has access to our home when we’re not here, so he had access to our garage from the inside of the house. The garage “locks” with metal rods that slide into the holes in the concrete at the top and bottom, but Mark found out that he could open and close the garage from the outside. When he went into the garage from the house this morning, he had to shove a box out of his way that was blocking the door.

We are pretty sure our night guard (hired through a company) is responsible. If you read a couple posts back, you’ll remember that we also had our camera stole from our car. We lock our doors every time we leave the car in our yard, but if I were to get out trying to manage groceries, 3 kids, a barking jumping dog…well, you can imagine that I may not have been 100% perfect. Nights are very noisy here, and although Yasini (our housekeeper) lives onsite, he doesn’t get up and check every noise he hears. And Mark was able to open and close the garage without me hearing it in the house. So there you have it. We contacted the company and they came out with the guard and talked to him and our housekeeper and our gardener. Immediately they wanted to point at our housekeeper with the keys. We listened, they said we should take everyone to the police station and let them sort it out. The concern we have is that we’ve not heard any positive stories about the police here and seriously doubt that they would do a thorough investigation once they know we have a housekeeper in the house. There are also issues with corruption in using the police, too. Later, we heard from our guard (via the housekeeper) that the “word” among Tanzanians is that the company is not terribly reputable and that guard services can often be a handy front for theft.

But it doesn’t guarantee that he stole the things. Or that the housekeeper did. Or the gardener. But someone did. We don’t need a police report, or some type of justice done. We just need people to stop stealing our stuff. Although we do appear (and are) very wealthy to the Tanzanians here, the truth is is that we can’t afford financially to replace the things that were stolen. Besides which, we need to be able to have some modicum of trust for those that we employ at our house.

And there’s the worst part of the whole situation—because this weekend we feel like we’ll never be able to trust any Tanzanians. How can you be friends or have a relationship with someone who appears to be genuine and friendly, and then hits you up for money or steals from you? Cultural differences aside (and the asking for money and things is a cultural difference in the way friendships and money are seen here—something that we are working to understand so we aren’t offended or put out when it happens), we still are left with the feeling that we will have to look at every person we encounter as a potential thief, or someone looking for someone to gain from us. Hire people, work with them, for them, whatever—but never trust them. Is that really what life is going to be like here? If it is, how does anyone stay? Because right this weekend we want to leave, and it’s the first time we’ve felt this way since we’ve been here.

We have told the company that we do not want the guard back. We will have a different guard this week and will look at other guard companies on Monday. As for our housekeeper and gardener—we still don’t know if we should just let everyone go and start over (with people we don’t know and won’t trust now anyway) or what. Our housekeeper is a particularly complicated matter since his whole family lives here and letting him go will cause a terrible disruption to their family, including having to remove a child from school and possibly have a very difficult time getting him into another, as well as loss of income, home, etc. If we could prove something, we’d have no trouble making that decision, but having his family onsite with us is making it difficult to see things objectively.

Tonight, we have padlocks on a closet where we keep our purse, wallet, money, and camcorder. We have padlocks on our garage and on the door from the garage to the house. We have 2 padlocks on our front gate. We have a padlock on our back gate to the back compound. We have a padlock on our workshop and padlocks on each of the rooms in it. We lock our car doors, and have metal gates over the wooden doors in our house. And things are stolen. This, apparently, is life in Tanzania.

This, too, will pass, of course. Things are just things. Things happen to people. Certainly far worse than this has happened to many people. But the deep sense of—I don’t what—disappointment, fear, cynicism, anger, frustration—over how it seems life might be, how it seems people might be, how we go about getting past these feelings—that’s the challenge, I guess. We’ll see how we make out.

Habari kwa Shuleni

Hamjambo!

Tunakaa shule ya Kiswahili. Tunahudhuria darasa kila siku. Darasa linaanza saa kumi na mbili na nusu mpaka saa kumi na nusu. Tunapumzika saa sita na nusu mpaka saa nane na tuna chai saa nne mpaka saa nne na nusu. Kila siku tunajifunza vitu vingi. Kila jioni tuna fanya kazi ya nymbani pia.

Watoto wetu wanapenda TCDC sana. Wanapenda kucheza kwa rafiki wao. Cameron anajifunza Kiswahili kwa muda saa mbili au tatu kila siku. Noah anajifunza Kiswahili kila siku pia, lakini kwa muda saa moja. Ava anacheza tu.

Chakula kipo kizuri sana. Tunakula mboga na matunda mbalimbali, na pia wali, supu, nyama, mkate, na vitindamlo. Watoto wote anakipenda chakula. Baada ya chakula cha jioni, kwa kwaida Cameron na Noah anacheza puli.

Tumechoka kila usiku kwa sababu tunafanya kazi bidii! Tutakapomaliza, tunafikiri kwamba tutahitaji likizo! Labda tutakwenda Nairobi—tutaona.
Kwaherini—tutaonana baadye!

(If there is anyone out there actually capable of giving me feedback on my Swahili—don’t.)

Hello!

We are at Swahili school. We attend class every day. Class starts at 8:30 until 4:30. We have a rest from 12:30 until 2:00 and tea from 10:00-10:30. Every day we learn a lot. Every evening we have homework, too.

Our children like TCDC a lot. They like to play with their friends. Cameron studies Swahili for 2-3 hours every day. Noah also studies Swahili every day, but only for 1 hour. Ava just plays!

The food here is very good. We eat different kinds of fruits and vegetables, and also rice, soup, meat, bread, and desserts. The children like the food. After dinner, Cameron and Noah usually play pool.

We are tired every night because we are working hard! When we are finished we think that we’ll need a vacation. Perhaps we’ll go to Nairobi—we’ll see.

Goodbye—see you later!

In rereading this, I’m seeing that everything I wrote I was taught in the beginning session, which means I might master some of this session’s lessons in the next 4 months! We are very blessed to be able to be here learning. The pace is exhausting, but we strongly feel that learning Swahili is such an important part of living here. People here are so pleased when you speak their language, even when you do it badly. Here in Arusha we can get by pretty easily basically speaking English, but we have had to rely on Yasini to translate for us a number of times with repairmen and it’s frustrating not to be able to understand or participate in those conversations. We’re also learning so much about how Tanzanians think and view the world by the way their language is structured. It’s interesting to hear them describe themselves as “people-oriented” or “relationship-driven” and then learn how certain aspects of the language support those views.

I suppose if we leave Tanzania in 3 years, we’ll be able to say goodbye to all our friends in Swahili, because that’s how long it’ll take us to master it!

I found this description of Swahili on another random blog...

"The rythmn of the voices here is like a synchronized melody. Each syllable flows off the tongue with an ambiotic drum like sound. Close your eyes and listen to the sounds of raindrops filling your ears and feel them melt upon your skin. The subtle, smooth, rise and fall of notes..."

Beautiful, isn't it? I love the imagery. But I have sneaking suspicion this person has not had to attempt to parlay these impressions into a functional conversation with a fundi to get their water tank fixed. Or tried to understand what the heck someone was explaining about their electric bill. Or wondered if they told their gardener to take tomorrow off or never come back to work again.
I'm not saying the language isn't beautiful. Hearing so many languages and accents here in one place, I actually love to hear people speaking their own language (I often wonder how American English sounds to people who aren't familiar with it). But in the circumstances I've mentioned above, when I close my eyes, I'm not feeling raindrops--it's more like a "deluge of sound, pelting the skin with a melody that fills the ear with seemingly random sounds, which are at times almost within one's grasp, before slipping away and pouring past in a torrent of confusion, leaving a sensation of bewilderment."

Hail to the (Former) Chief

Peace House Academy had another notable visitor today to look at our progress and hear more about our mission here in Tanzania. Scott Augustine, PHF's founder and chairman, is explaining our work to former President Benjamin Mkapa. President Mkapa's administration was instrumental in allocating the land where PHA is located.

It was a proud moment to be able to show him the construction progress and also to share with him more fully and personally our vision for what we hope to accomplish here. Our mission of educating AIDs orphans and establishing opportunities for entreprenuers to develop businesses is one that has generated a lot of interest and has tremendous potential to make a change in so many lives! The day concluded with lunch, which was served by the President and his wife! Truly, Mr. Mkapa's attention to our project is a great blessing!

A Quick Update

Well, I wish I could write volumes about life here recently but I can't...

*Rachel left last night for home, and the house seems a bit empty today! She gave a little concert yesterday and we had a chance to see the children say goodbye to her. Some were teary-eyed and clearly loved having her there. We really enjoyed having the opportunity to have her stay with us--the time flew by! We will be keeping her in our thoughts and prayers as she prepares to head to Buenos Aires and then Hong Kong for studies this year.

*Mark and I have both been sick with some type of upper-resp. crud for about 3 weeks. Mark seems to be on the healing side finally, but I just get worse every day. Antibiotics are not helping and I can barely stay awake during the day. Cameron has also been coughing terribly but seems to have no other symptoms. Ava woke this morning with sniffles and coughing...blech. I'm just so tired of being tired and stuffy and groggy. I will admit, though, that my down comforter and matress from home are helping immensely! At least emotionally.

*We are going on 3 days with no electricity. I'm at an internet cafe right now trying to catch up on emails. No electricity is more of a pain in the neck than an actual emergency...although we'll be heating water on the stove tonight (thank goodness for our gas stove) to wash in since we have no hot water. By tomorrow afternoon, though, we will be starting to lose whatever's in our freezer (meat) and some stuff in the fridge, which will be costly, as meat is one of our bigger parts of our budget. If the power comes on today or this evening, we'll be OK in that respect. Our phones are also almost out of charge, so I'm off to find a place where someone will let me plug them in to charge them. *sigh* Not to feel bad--our friends in Dar have not had power for days and days--they are on rationing, 24 hours on and then 24 hours off, but something's wrong with their house power so even on their "power days" they are ususally without power. Whenever you think you are being dumped on, look around--there's always something that will make you feel blessed. This is the longest we've gone without power since we've been here and since it's a problem somewhere, not rationing, we do have the pumps working so water is coming in.

*We are leaving Sunday evening for another 3 weeks at language school. We are nervous about our progress, feeling like we've just struggled so much with the language, so we'll see. We'll be home on the weekends to get laundry done and for a change of pace. The O'Neils from Golden Valley (now from Dar es Salaam) have 3 kids the same ages as ours and will also be there so we're looking foward to seeing them and catching up on life here and there.

*We celebrated 4th of July with other displaced Americans, having a BBQ, red, white, and blue sugar cookies, and even sparklers. It was a lot of fun and helped take our minds of the 4th of July evening that we love so much in Bloomington. The weather, though, was pure Montana--probably 60 degrees, clear skies, bright moon, completely dark, out in the woods, so Mark and I felt a bit homesick at the same time.

*We are looking forward to Scott Augustine arriving tomorrow evening. Scott is the founder and chairman of Peace House Foundation. It's always good to see someone from home and he'll hopefully be a big help to Mark in negotiating some of the more legalistic aspects of brokering a working agreement with the Lutherann Church. We will be welcoming Joe Storms on July 28th who will be working on some photography work for PHF as well in the 2 weeks he'll be here.

With the lack of electricity at this point, I'm not able to post pictures so you'll have to wait for those. We also had the misfortune of having our camera stolen from our car, so that has been an enormous loss for us. We do have a camera that we keep under lock and key for PHF use, but we don't use that for our personal comings and goings. So personal pics in general will be a bit infrequent for quite a while. We did purchase a TV and stereo now that our dvds and player are here. The Tv doesn't get a lot of use (we only get 2 channels) but the stereo has been wonderful to have music again in the house! But, those purchases also mean the camera will have to wait. Theft is just one of those things that's a part of the fabric of life here...something you have to come to grips with personally or you'll go crazy. We'll let you know how to do that when we figure it out ourselves! :-)

Until later...

IT'S HERE.

This may LOOK like an ordinary lorry, but no...it carries the most anxiously-awaited cargo since the latest Harry Potter installment. It's carrying approximately 315 boxes of books for PHA, donated by Books for Africa in St. Paul. Here it comes....


Oh, did I ever mention it also contains OUR STUFF?! The stuff I once said wasn't important, the stuff I once said all of you should get rid of (well, that's not true--I said pare it down), the stuff that has been stuck in customs since mid-March...has finally arrived. Did I remember what was on it? You bet I did--you don't pack and inventory 60 boxes without knowing what's in each one! Is there anything I've looked at and thought, "Now why did I pack that?" No way! From dishes to spatulas to cough drops (we're all hacking away right now) to my down comforter to family photos to legos, everything is absolutely perfect! What were we most pleased to see? Well, Cameron has his books, Noah has his cars and action figures, and Ava has her dressup clothes. I've got a down comforter, and Mark...well, he's usually happiest when we're all happy! Oh, our mattress! Actually he was gone all day so he hasn't really had a chance to absorb everything, but he has been itching to do some camping and we're set now with our tent and sleeping bags!

This view of the container looks a bit empty, doesn't it? Actually, most of our stuff is at the front (under Noah and Ava). Behind the wooden frame are the books for the school library and resource center. At the time we were packing, it seemed like such a lot and we were worried we would run out of space, but since we didn't pack the actual container we were surprised that there was extra room. Which is probably for the best. Trying to find places to store things is a bit difficult. We have a pantry behind our kitchen which we'll organize more efficiently, but the rest of the house is pretty inefficient storage-wise. Each bedroom has 3 big cupboards--two with shelves and one with a rod and shelves. The shelves are very deep and with not a lot of space between them. Above them (7-10 ft. off the floor) are big cupboards--great for sleeping bags, etc. but not so great for things you might actually use often. And Arusha just hasn't gotten around to opening an IKEA here (although we have met a lot of Swedes). We also have to keep an eye to the new house at the school site which will have even less storage than this one, so really here less is more! The good thing is that there's very little here to acquire so what we have shouldn't grow too much in the next few years!

So tonight feels like Christmas--which is good because it's technically winter and actual Christmas won't look or feel at all traditional (but I did pack some decorations!) and we feel blessed again with so many comforts and reminders of home.

A Thought (and a Book Recommendation)

"People go to Africa and confirm what they already have in their heads and so they fail to see what is there in front of them. This is what people have come to expect. It's not viewed as a serious continent. It's a place of strange, bizarre, and illogical things, where people don't do what common sense demands." --Chinua Achebe

Which of course is both the joy and frustration of living and working here! But I'm particularly drawn to the idea that we view things based on what we already imagine them to be like--and not just here, but in so many walks of life. In fact, when we are most frustrated, we realize that that's usually what we are doing!

By the way, Achebe is Nigerian and his book "Things Fall Apart" is considered one of the great African classics. Great book club book or just a good read!

PHF News Updates

For those of you who followed our "Golf 100 Holes" event in June, Marc Papineau and Dana House have now raised a total of $161,446 for PHF!! What a great feat--thanks guys!

PHF will also be hosting its annual Colors of Hope fundraiser on October 28th. It will be held at International Market Square with Don Shelby doing the honors again as emcee. If you've attended before you know what a great event it is. If you haven't attended, please consider setting that evening aside and joining other PHF supporters for a wonderful cause. I guarantee you won't regret it!

Also, Project 640 is a group of terrific, dynamic, hard-working, passionate Chicagoans (Chicago-ites?) who are constantly working in overdrive to promote the mission of PHF and are having a great time doing it. They were here in Arusha in February and will be returning in 2007 as well. You can read about them on the PHF website (click the Project 640 link) or go to their own website www.project640.org.

The PHF website at www.peacehousefoundation.org has all the latest PHF news or send an email to info@peacehousefoundation.org and ask to be put on the mailing list for our newsletters.

Here in Arusha we will say goodbye to Rachel on July 5th and welcome Scott Augustine, the chairman and founder of PHF as he arrives to take a look at our progress as well as meet with business and church leaders in the community and in Dar es Salaam. On July 28th we'll be hosting Joe Storms who is going to be doing some photography of the students supported by PHF.

Things are happening!

And So It Begins...

You all remember Ava--sweet little girl with the head of yellow curls? Last week she asked to have her hair braided in little braids all over her head. Looked strange, but she loved it. We took the braids out a couple days later and she slept on it and the next morning she had...straight hair! Of course she loved it and has been asking for straight hair since. So this morning I blew her hair out and she wanted her picture taken for the blog. This is the pose she chose:

Every woman reading this will recognize that "need" to have her hair be something other than what it was. I personally have spent my entire life hating my hair and would change it before changing any other aspect of my appearance. But I started in junior high...Ava's only 4! Maybe she's just enamoured with the idea that she can have her hair do different things. Her hair is much longer now, which she also likes, so the curls are not as bouncy as they used to be. And, because of the time spent outside, she wears the ubiquitous ponytail every day to avoid tangles so we are seeing less of them anyway.

By the way, we think the Cameron and Noah clean up nicely, too! Cameron is also undergoing a hair revolution and I'm fighting the urge to take charge and cut the front. He's decided to try growing it out quite a bit longer. I frequently chant to myself, "pick your battles, pick your battles," knowing that adolescence is coming!

The Hillman Clan

Here we are--all present, all looking at the camera, no one grimacing or looking (too) pained--all in all, a pretty good shot! Given, that, don't be surprised if it's also the Christmas shot this year! :-)

Another guest post from Rachel

Hello everyone!

I have been having a great time in Tanzania! Teaching at St. Margaret’s has been going really well. Almost all of the kids – even the very young ones are able to play “Hot Cross Buns.” Now, some of them have learned “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” and the older children are learning to read music. It is difficult for them because they have never been exposed to sheet music before, but I am confident that they will at least know the basics by the end of my lessons. A pleasant surprise - St. Margaret’s has assigned a teacher to follow me around and take over the music lessons after I leave. I’m glad the recorders will be put to good use!

One of the things that I really enjoy about Tanzania is the interesting street life. I especially enjoy going to market here. Everything is so fresh and delicious. It is also a very interesting learning experience – you never know what you will find at the market! On our last trip, we discovered chunks of “clean” dirt that are frequently eaten by pregnant women. I guess that I had always incorrectly believed that dirt is inherently dirty! Carla was brave enough to try a bit and reported that it tastes just like the garden variety.

Other than fresh fruits and vegetables, I am not altogether very impressed with Tanzanian food – it is very bland! Most of it is also not designed for nutritional value but to fill your stomach – a lot of carbohydrates. However, I have discovered one traditional Tanzanian food that I like very much – feed corn! That’s right – the stuff that is fed to animals in the States. Women often roast it by the side of the road and charge around $.10 per ear. It is surprisingly addictive.

This Thursday, Carla and I are planning to take an all day trip on a camel through a Massai village. We may be very sore on Friday – but how can one pass up such an opportunity?

Anyway, as you can see, things are going very well here, and I really appreciate your thoughts and prayers! Take care!

Rachel

How is Rachel Doing?

Well, those of you who know her...






I think this seems to sum it all up.

And these little guys seem to think
she's doing an OK job as well. They're patiently waiting to learn that old standby "Hot Cross Buns."





Learning the fingering for "B" and hoping to add "Mary Had a Little Lamb" to their repetoire.



P.S. Rachel's doing GREAT!!!

Happy Father's Day!

Actually, we kind of forgot Father's Day until it was announced in church, which is fine with me. I'm not a big fan of holidays which to exist only to stress someone out because they have to "do" something to somehow prove their love or devotion. But what better way to celebrate than by throwing on an African man-skirt and having a good ol' barbeque?

And since this particular barbeque was not lighting well, Mark is taking lessons from Elizabeth, our housekeeper's helper, who is a whiz at lighting these tiny jikos!

Please feel free to share your thoughts/fashion suggestions on Mark's attire. We are a bit concerned.

Remember What I Said About My Stuff?

Well, forget it. I miss my stuff. I want my stuff.

As you know, we sent a shipping container from Minneapolis at the beginning of February to Tanzania. We were told it would arrive by mid-March, so we figured mid-to-end April. The container holds 15 pallets of donated books (each pallet has 20 boxes weighing at least 75 lbs.) for the school and our personal possessions--among these are a digital piano, a trumpet, our kids' clothes and shoes for the next 3 years, personal toiletries/medications, our "kitchen" (dishes, silverware, pots/pans, knives, etc.), the boys' complete lego collection, DVD/CD collection, a DVD player, mattresses, bikes, and approximately 30 boxes of personal books.

Through a clerical error, the paperwork for the shipping container was marked to clear customs in Dar es Salaam and was placed into a secured area at the dock. We were advised to avoid doing this as it was more time-consuming and expensive than going to the smaller port of Tanga. After 3 weeks of trying to sort this out and being told the authorities were not going to release the container to Tanga, we decided to go ahead and just have the container go through customs there. The company that is handling the customs clearing here went to Dar to make sure the paperwork was in order.

Last week, we were told the crate was close to being done (which may or may not be true). So we were VERY surprised when we received word that the container was en route to Tanga. Against the wishes of TRA (the Tanzanian tax authorities), who have now levied a $10,000 fine against the shippers for moving the container. Additionally, there are also dock fees that are owed because the container has been sitting in Dar. The shipping company has not taken any responsibility at this point for any of the difficulties that have happened.

Now all of this is just material stuff. We've been getting by without it. We had 2 house fires in our history that put "stuff" into perspective. And if the ship sank or exploded, I think I could handle it, really. But this...I don't know if it's clinging to something that's not important in the larger scheme of life, or a sense of helplessness, or what. Some things could be purchased here, although at exorbitant cost (kitchen stuff). Some can be brought over again from the States, but at cost (clothes/shoes/DVDs/CDs). Some can't be gotten here or delivered (books). Some are not replaceable.

This latest turn of events marks the lowest point to date morale-wise since we've been here in Arusha. It's not Tanzanian inefficiency--it is a company that has mismanaged everything from the beginning. We are so looking forward to watching a movie on the weekend, or reading a book, or being warm under comforters, or playing with new friends with toys, or being able to function more efficiently in the kitchen. Now we don't know what to expect or really how to advance the issue. Our shipping guy here is working to try to get the container released while TRA fights their battle with the shipper, but we're feeling pretty dismal right now.

So the moral of the story is either give it all away because it just causes pain later, or grab it all up and keep it tight because you could lose it. I can't decide tonight.

Wana Jenga! (We are Building)

Construction continues--the actual administration building foundation's are being dug and walls are going up everywhere! This is the headmaster's house (note the beautiful flowers on the farms in the background!) It really is a spectacular view at this time of the year. Sunny and green everywhere! You really should come to see it! But trust me--skip the rainy season! :-)

Cameron's Final Project

The international school that the kids attend is an inquiry-based learner-driven program, so there is a big emphasis on the student creating the framework for learning and using what they've learned. Today Cameron's class are showing their final primary projects (they will all be in secondary school next year).
The project began with a central idea--"Humans have an impact on the world around them." From that the students had to develop their own research project and focus. Topics ranged from indiginous peoples farming to pollution. Cameron chose farming techniques and soil conversation, a topic that is very important here and one he knew nothing about. The key is that everything was student-lead. Other than meeting with him once a week and monitoring his progress, we were hands-off, as was his teacher. At the show this afternoon he displayed his work.

Cameron worked to develop his guiding questions that would direct his research efforts. This part was challenging for him, as he has been used to having a teacher tell him what to do or how to organize his project. It was frustrating for him when the teacher wouldn't tell him he was doing it "right" but would ask him questions designed to direct his next steps. But off he went to work!

His final display included a powerpoint presentation (which included information and photos taken around the Arusha area and on the PHA site of erosion and good/back farming practices) a science experiment writeup showing the amount of soil loss from different farming techniques (the jars in the photos show the soil runoff), a journal that all his work product and learning/planning, and his planner, his overall framework for the project. Yikes!

We are so proud of his effort and the level of work that he produced. It was an 8 week project and the biggest academic task he's ever tackled (and one that wouldn't be attempted in such an independent way at home until at least 8th grade). He spent at least 3 hours a day on it 6 days a week! Way to go Cam!

My first week in Tanzania

Hello, everyone! Hopefully, this will be one of many guest posts that I make on Carla's blog! I have had an amazing first week in Tanzania. I have wonderful hosts, the weather has been beautiful, and everyone has been so friendly.

As you can see from Carla's previous post, teaching at St. Margaret's has also gone well - I plan to start teaching some of the older kids how to read music later this week. They are such quick learners and are very respectful of adults. Every time I enter a room, all of the students stand and say in unison, "Good morning teacher" and when I say good morning and ask how they are doing, they reply "We are fine, thank you. How are you?" It is so cute.

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about how best to use the resources that God has given to me. While this was something that I had thought about occasionally in the U.S. it is very difficult not to think about it here. Every day on the street I see children who do not have enough food or proper clothing, I am confronted with clearly suffering and diseased beggars in town, and yet I have so much. How should I respond? I am still working that out and probably will be for quite some time! However, my time here so far has been a good reminder that all that I have been given is not mine, and thus is not mine to hoard!

However, it has difficult not become a little cynical after being asked for money time and time again. I don't like that because some of the requests are probably valid, but after so many requests, I find myself holding tighter to my money and possessions than ever. While I cannot give to everyone who asks for money, when I do give, I want to do so joyfully.

Anyway, I hope things are well with all of you! Take care!

Rachel

Rachel Visits the Snake Park

So how could we NOT take Rachel to the Snake Park? Out of respect to our readers, we have not posted pics of our last visit, which was feeding day. In which several mice and a bunny met their Maker right in front of our eyes. Sadly, nothing that exciting this time.

No, we did not arrive by camel. Ava just loves to do this and Rachel was more than accommodating. Does she look scared? She took off her glasses--maybe so she didn't have to look down?


There always seems to be some new twist to the Snake Park. Today it was "hold a baby crocodile" day. Cameron was a bit nervous, so we're telling him to hold it over the pit in case he drops it. You'll notice the pit is not deep, nor is it covered...the better for young children to reach in grab something when their parents are distracted, I guess. They're baby Nile crocs, the world's largest croc, and although tiny now, they do have some wicked teeth!



The olive snake seems to be just about the only non-threatening thing at the Snake Park. Ava's definitely interested...no fear there! But since we saw this particular snake swallow a mouse a few weeks ago, I wonder if it's not somehow sizing her up for lunch...


Even Rachel proved to be brave and intrepid! Funny, I guess I forgot to mention this part when I told her about things to do in Africa...she's a terrific sport in more ways than one...she's letting me put pics of her on my blog!



And finally for those of you who wonder just where Mark is on this blog...well, he's working so hard all the time we just can't seem to get a picture of him! But he did emerge out of the workshop for this occasion and manhandled the local wildlife with the rest of us!


And one last note for those who might wonder why I'm not in the scene--well, HELLO! These pictures don't take themselves, you know! And I'll go on record stating that this stuff with lizards and snakes doesn't bother me in the least (well, not the poisonous ones) and I've chased down plenty of both in my lifetime!

Rachel's Here!

Here's Rachel! Fresh from Minneapolis, she arrived safe and sound Thursday night in Tanzania. Rachel is our first solo volunteer and a member of our home church (Peace Lutheran). She is giving recorder and music lessons to students at St. Margaret's Academy, a primary school near Arusha. St. Margaret's was just celebrated for having the 4th highest test scores in the nation--test scores are the only measure of a school's quality, so this was a big honor for them.

Although the students in Tanzania can sing beautifully and effortlessly, they have little formal music instruction and no opportunities for playing musical instruments. They were so excited to learn that a music teacher was coming!

Like all students, it's hard to resist the tooting and honking that seems to go on in every classroom, but they are enthusiastic and very keen to learn. These are the Standard 6 and 7 students, most of whom are between 12 and 14 years of age. In one 40 minute lesson, they have learned that old stand-by "Hot Cross Buns". The Standard 1 and 2 students (6-8 years old) will need a bit more practice!

Rachel will be teaching 3 days a week. During each week she'll see all 350 students twice so that all students will get at least 7-8 lessons. The recorders and music that she's collected will be donated to the school in hopes that they will be able to somehow continue music there.




In case you're wondering, St. Margaret's is not a PHF-sponsored or affiliated organization. Rachel will also be working on PHF things as well; however, she had been awarded a scholarship from her college and because we had known her, we were able to establish a connection for her. She is a unique case in that respect. We are thrilled to see a familiar face here and her first two days have been great! Check in and you should see her guest-posting about her impressions and experiences while she's here.

Those Tanzanian Blessings

Blessing #1: Arusha Community Church. Our church is interdenominational and represents Chrisitian faiths from around the world. It's unusual in that it is lay-lead and has no pastor, the idea being that this format keeps the church more ecumenical, rather than Lutheran or Methodist, etc. There are always a number of pastors attending as well as excellent lay preachers! What makes it a blessing is the way that we have been so warmly welcomed into the church. It has been a source of support, information, and faith-building that has helped us tremendously. Everyone has come here from someplace else for a variety of projects and it creates a diverse dynamic that's really exciting to be a part of. I attend the women's Bible study (last week there were 22 women from 19 countries), Mark attend the men's study, and we also do a study with the people in our neighborhood.

Blessing #2: Isaya. He's the man in charge of planting the trees and orchard at PHA. But he's doing such amazing things everywhere! At the site he has told his workers that since they are working at a school, they are also students. He has a rotating system of work so that all the workers have a chance to learn about how trees are planted, raised, and cared for properly. When they have learned a particular skill, he moves them onto another task and moves another group in. In that way, he's helping to teach these workers techniques they can use with their own farms or on other jobs. He's very interested in all aspects of the PHA project and has offered some good suggestions for future planning in terms of planting. He also works with his village and nearby villages to improve farming techniques and move toward organic farming. He is also building a dam with a turbine that will create its own electricity to run the pumps to carry water to a village and a secondary school. He also has been working with Cameron this term on teaching him about soil conservation and farming for Cameron' big school project. He is a true gift from God, not only for PHA, but for all the people whose lives he touches with his efforts and compassion.

Blessing #3: Our staff. Yasini (our housekeeper) is helpful on all fronts. He works hard, helps with our Swahili, and is a great father to his children and friend to ours. Nda (our gardener) speaks no English and has only spoken Swahili for a few years (he is Maasai and came to Arusha from Ngorongoro a few years ago). Communication is time-consuming but he is always patient with us. He works hard every day all day with almost no direction from us. We have heard many stories of housekeepers and gardeners that have to be monitored constantly in order to get minimal work done. Both Nda and Yasini are above reproach in that respect. Godfrey (our night guard) puts in a 12 hour shift nights a week on our porch. Ava and Happy (Yasini's daughter) run to the gate to greet him every evening and he spends the first couple hours every night playing with the kids. He has become part of our family as well.

Blessings abound here, as they do everywhere, even in the midst of the hardships of life. We are blessed to be here in this beautiful country, surrounded by extraordinary people, doing what they have been called to do. What more could we ask for?

I Missed This Episode on Martha Stewart

Buying meat here can be a challenge. Chicken tends to be fine, but the beef is generally very tough. It takes a lot of long slow cooking to make it chewable. I was trying to figure out the best way to tenderize tonight's dinner when I came across this tasty tidbit on the internet....

Tough meat is tough. I propose that sterilized maggots be used to tenderize tough meat such as wild game birds and lean cuts.
Maggots generate a potent brew of tenderizing proteolytic enzymes. Sterilized maggots would be added to a fresh cut of tough, lean meat and allowed to work. Before cooking, the meat would be gently heated from below, encouraging all maggots to evacuate. The supremely tender meat would then be prepared and served. The tunnels left by the maggots would also allow better penetration of sauce / marinade. The diner would never know.

OK, I've eaten a number of things in my day (including the famous Rocky Mountain Oysters) under the heading "it's best if I don't know what it is before I eat it." But as God is my witness, if I EVER found this out, I'd be returning my eaten meal post-haste. How in the world do you sterilize a maggot? As if that would make the whole thing more palatable. Right now, in my very limited kitchen, I'm pretty sure I can find at least 10 items I can use to run holes through tonight's main course. And how does he know the maggots will evacuate (oh, it's a "he" all right--you can bet on that)?

I think I'm going to take a pass on this little kitchen tip. And to make up for this gruesome post, I offer up my friend Lindsay, who publishes delicious recipes on her blog at www.mainegirll.blogspot.com. You can recover from my post by checking out her recipe for cochinita pibil (pork tacos in orange and annatto marinade) which sounds absolutely fabulous.

by the way--I realize this has nothing to do with the previous post about Tanzanian blessings. I just couldn't resist.

In the course of a lifetime, what does it matter?

I had a post all (mentally written) about paying my electric bill today and my trip tomorrow to fix my voltage regulator...

But what good would it do? I'd just perseverate on how I was feeling, which doesn't do me any good. And you, dear readers, get yet another installment of what's wrong with Tanzania. Which is exactly the impression I struggle against every day.

So I (again, mentally) tossed that post and have committed myself to actively looking for the blessings that are present here every day.

So there.

Meet Sydney

Introducing Sydney! We think she's pretty adorable. The kids have been wanting a dog, but I was just not at all interested in a puppy (I successfully resisted their pleas for the Dalmation puppies advertised at school, not to mention the ongoing "it's going to die, Mom, if we don't take it" chorus whenever we see a dog/puppy on our trips around town--they're probably right, of course, but I can't save every dog--can I?). Anyway, we had been asking around for anyone who might know of someone who would have a kid-friendly dog. Our vet called us Friday and told us about Sydney. She lived with 5 other dogs, and was great with all of them but fought constantly with their dachshund. Finally, the woman just couldn't deal with it anymore. She arrived Friday evening with the battle scars of her encounters with the dog. We were a bit nervous about her and Ruka--Jack Russells can be very tough dogs and if she was used to fighting... sadly, we've learned that Ruka is quite the bully. Not content to simply sit on the bookcase or table and hiss, he stalks poor Sydney through the house and attacks unexpectedly. Poor Sydney won't even make eye contact with him! I suppose they'll eventually come to some sort of arrangement. Anyway, she's adorable and friendly and portable. I don't know about her watchdog potential--but just having a dog around can be a deterrant, and Tanzanians are often especially leery of "mzungu" dogs--since all Tanzanian dogs look pretty much the same, a dog that resembles a particular breed makes them nervous. Let's hope!