A beautiful view

By -
Our guests: Dora, Naftal, Mufwimi, Anjelina

One of the true blessings of this partnership is the transformation that happens when we travel to experience another culture. We see the world through a new set of eyes, we gain a new perspective, and we come home to view our own lives and homes and communities through the perspective of another.

When we bring guests from Tanzania to Minnesota, we receive that blessing again, being able to see our own lives and surroundings through the eyes of our friends.

Doctor Mufwimi and Dora Saga, Pastor Naftal and Anjelina Ng'amillo arrived yesterday. Though tired from 24 hours of travel from Dar es Salaam through Amsterdam to Minneapolis, they eagerly greeted each person who came to welcome them. Several times they reflected on the long journey and commented that they had a new appreciation for the journey we undertake when we visit them. "What is it that brings you to make this journey again and again," they asked in wonder. We agreed that it is the partnership we share through the Gospel of Christ that calls so many to make this journey in one direction or another.

After a restful night's sleep, we went exploring today. There was a brief stop at a grocery store, then a tour of the church building and a chance to meet some staff members, a walk at beautiful Jensen Lake, some time for rest, a tour of the Global Health Ministries warehouse in Fridley, dinner with friends. They had many questions about how we build our homes, so perhaps next week we will make a visit to Home Depot.

At one point I asked, what is the most surprising thing so far? your houses, was the immediate answer. Then, the good condition of your roads and cars, and there are no people walking except the ones who walk for excercise.

We were grateful that a beautiful October day greeted our guests with sunshine, and we are grateful for the beautiful view they bring to our lives.

Comments

  1. FadhiliOctober 23, 2010 at 1:52 AM

    we are very happy that they arrived safely and able to have wonderful moment with you. Will continue to look into this site for updates. In God we trust

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Idodi Secondary School

By -
Image
July 10, 2017 On Monday we headed out to Tungamalenga and Makifu parishes, ready to be offline for the next eight days.  Our first stop was at Idodi Secondary School.  Idodi is the first village we come to in the parish, and we have about 75 students attending the secondary school. Headmaster Christopher Mwasomola welcomed us to his office for an introduction and update. He said that Idodi is known as a community school -- the infrastructure is built by the community (in this case, heavily supported by a group known as Friends of Ruaha) and teachers are provided by the government.  Fun fact: the Friends of Ruaha at one point received a donation from Roy Disney, whose name is included on the dedication plaque for the school's library. The school was registered in 1999 and has 889 students, 437 girls and 452 boys. There are 41 teachers. The government supports salaries, books, lab equipment, desks, and other basic supplies. There are 11 non teaching staff, with only tw
Read more

Safari 2013: the journey of a lifetime

By -
Image
Safari in Swahili means journey. We'd like you to consider taking the journey of a lifetime with other Shepherd of the Valley members next summer.  For two weeks in August, you could be ambassadors from our congregation living among and getting to know our partners from Tungamalenga Parish. What's a journey like this look like? We'll fly from Minneapolis to Amsterdam, then Amsterdam to Dar es Salaam with a short stopover at Kilimanjaro (alas, it will be dark and we don't get off the plane at Kili). That's about 24 hours from start to finish, with a four hour layover in Amsterdam. Arriving at the Landmark Hotel just before midnight, we get a good night's sleep in Dar before the eight to ten hour cross country bus ride to Iringa. notice the US and Tanzanian flags on the dashboard of the bus?   Highlights of that cross country ride include driving about 100 kilimeters of the way through Mikumi National Park -- and if we're lucky, we'l
Read more

Karibuni sana

By -
Image
Pastor Naftal & Anjelina Ng'amillo In just a couple short weeks, we will be hosting guests from Tanzania. Pastor Naftal and Anjelina Ng'amillo from Tungamalenga Parish, along with Dr Mufwimi and Dora Saga from the Ilula Lutheran Hospital, will arrive in Minnesota October 21 for a stay of just over two weeks. What better way to welcome them than to learn a few words in their language? Karibu sana or, if you are addressing more than one person, Karibuni sana , means "we warmly welcome you." It's pronounced like this: KAH ree boo SAH nah or KAH ree boo nee SAH nah. Jambo means "hello." Another greeting is Habari, which is more like "how are you," to which a Tanzanian might respond Nzuri [good], Salama [peace], or Njema [fine, well, good] and then they might add, Habari yako [and how are you?]. When Tanzanians are in a gathering, like at church or at a meeting, and they rise to speak to the assembly, they almost always start by say
Read more