2018 Journey

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Pastor Wendy, her daughter Anna, and I are getting ready for a journey! Here's the plan, which can always change.

July 9 
Depart from Minneapolis/St Paul

July 10 
Arrive in Amsterdam early morning; depart after a short layover; arrive in Dar es Salaam around 10 PM local time. Catch some sleep at the transit motel nearby.

July 11
Early 7 AM flight to Iringa; arrive 9:30 AM. It's a day to get oriented in a new place, meeting leaders from the Iringa Diocese, walking around the Iringa market, and visiting Huruma Center, the diocese owned orphanage.

July 12
Visit Lutangilo Secondary School. The school is owned and operated by the diocese, and many students receive scholarships from congregations in the St Paul Area Synod. The school is located in the highlands area of Iringa region, so we'll appreciate the four wheel drive vehicle and a driver experienced on these dirt roads. We'll see recently completed laboratory classrooms and deliver a telescope.

July 13
Today we drive to Tungamalenga! It's a two hour journey if the roads are good. We'll be welcomed warmly and we hope to start visiting some of the parish's seven preaching points, or village congregations. We're looking forward to reunions with many friends - Pastor Rahai Mgeveke, Pastor Paulo Massinga, Pastor/Doctor Barnabas Kahwage and his wife Alice, and many more. I hope we arrive in Mpalapande in time to see students at the new primary school.

July 14
More preaching point visits today.  There are village congregations in Namelok, Idodi, Mapogoro, Kitisi, Mpalapande, Kibaoni, and the main station at Tungamalenga.

July 15
We'll worship with Tungamalenga Parish in the morning, and continue visits as our partners plan for us. There might be a meeting with the partnership committee to discuss plans for the coming year. During all of this visit, we spend our nights in comfort at Tungamalenga Camp.

July 16
Today we turn to Makifu Parish.  We'll stay in the same camp/lodge but will be driving along a road a few kilometers farther away. We'll visit preaching points as planned by our hosts.

July 17
Pastor Nejabel Madembo leads this parish along with Pastor Petro Shangalima. There are nine congregations in Makifu Parish: Kisilwa, Mahuninga, Mahove, Ikwavila, Isanga, Makambalala, Malunde, and the main station at Makifu.

July 18
Our last day in Makifu Parish. These friends have been generous donors to Huruma Center, sending many bags of rice and corn along with other vegetables, fruit, chickens and even a sheep.

July 19
Today Pastor Wendy and Anna will go out on safari to Ruaha National Park. They'll stay at Mwagusi Camp, where they'll dine in the riverbed in the evenings, and take a couple game drives each day.

July 20
While the Stegers are on safari, Kirsten will be taking some meetings in Tungamalenga and Makifu.

July 21
We'll all be back together for the drive to Iringa in the afternoon.

July 22
It's Sunday morning and we'll take a quick one hour drive to Usolanga. Most of the drive is on a paved highway. We'll worship here with our newest partners, have a partnership meeting, and visit seven preaching points.

July 23
We're hosted in Usolanga by the pastor's family, staying in rooms in the old parsonage that has been refurbished as a guest house. Women from the congregation come to cook our meals.

July 24
Today we return to Iringa. There might be some follow up work to do, or final shopping at the market, or just relaxing. We'll have our last dinner together as a group - maybe at Mama Iringa's (great Italian food), or at Sai Villa (with a wonderful view).

July 25
Pastor Wendy and Anna depart for Dar es Salaam in the morning. After a 90 minute flight, they will have a driver and a chance to explore Dar for the afternoon. Their flight home leaves at 11 PM.

July 26
Pastor Wendy and Anna arrive in Amsterdam, and then continue toward home. They should arrive at MSP around noon.

Kirsten will stay on in Iringa, assisting the Bega Kwa Bega office as needed. There may be work to follow up from our time in the villages, or meetings in her role as chair of our synod's Iringa Committee. August 6, she'll journey to Arusha with Rev. Peter Harrits, Deacon April Trout, and leaders from the Iringa Diocese, to attend a consultation or meeting between the ELCA and the ELCT. Representatives from 26 Tanzanian dioceses and 20 US partner synods will all come together for several days. She departs from the Kilimanjaro airport on August 9 and will arrive home on August 10, just in time for SOTV's Walk for Water on August 11-12.

Safari njema, travelers!

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