Tanzania Partnership

The very first time SOTV members visited Tanzania in 2002, we were invited to a wedding on our very first evening in Iringa.  We didn't arrive in time to attend the wedding ceremony at the church, but we went to the dance and reception with a lot of curiosity and with the hope that we wouldn't make any social faux pas on our very first encounter with Tanzanians. It turned out to be a lot of fun, just like any wedding dance we would attend here.  There was food, cold drinks, dancing, lots of relatives and people to meet.  I remember that one of the dances was almost identical to "the chicken dance." I also remember how sober and serious, almost stern, the bring and groom appeared at the reception. Weren't they having fun?  Was this an arranged marriage? Why weren't they smiling? We asked our hosts, and they told us this is the Tanzanian custom at weddings.  All the guests are smiling and happy for the couple, but the bride and groom themselves must not sh

Our dear friends Joan & Richard are in Iringa, Tanzania for the next five months.  Follow their blog at http://joanandrichardattumaini.blogspot.com/ . 

Today we had a conference call with Pastor Naftal, Joan & Richard, Bo & Dan.  Oh, the wonders and limitations of technology! There we all were, five or six people in one room in Tanzania (with a laptop running on batteries because there was no power to the home) and another person on the opposite end of the globe on her phone land line.  Magic Jack was the technology used. It took a couple tries to get the audio right.  At one point, I could hear the voice on the other end as if it were pulsating waves of sound:  I-i-i  hee-ee-ear yoo-oo-ou. Hang up, try again. Even once we could all physically hear the voices as we spoke, the limitations of audio but no video became apparent.  Thank goodness for the person in the room who had the awareness to speak: I think someone is hesitant to answer that question....I see that someone is thinking....I see that someone needs to consult with others before responding... No two people can communicate adequately for their respective lar

Eight days is not very long for a journey in Tanzania. From Sunday, September 25 to Sunday, October 2, we virtually ran from one experience to the next. Here's a recap of the faces, places and experiences we had. Our group from SOTV included Joan and Richard Dornfeld and me, Pastor Diane Sponheim. We were fortunate to travel with seasoned Tanzania travelers, Dan and Sue McIntyre, who made everything easier to navigate because of their deep understanding of the culture. We also connected with two couples from Arizona who are new to partnering with their congregation north of Iringa, so we all enjoyed sharing experiences. I wish everyone reading this could experience what we do when we go to Tanzania. Words and pictures only begin to describe the experience of being there. Visiting with these beloved friends, hearing their songs, seeing their dances, and being warmly welcomed by them is truly a foretaste of heaven. Our first day in Dar es Salam and the journey from there to Iringa ar

Pastor Diane bringing greetings to the congregation at Tungamalenga Richard, Joan, and Pastor Diane with interpreter Magalilwa presenting gifts at Kisilwa village congregation Thanks to Pastor Naftal for sending photos! More coming soon. 

Opportunities to learn and serve in partnership are right around the corner! Here's what's coming up this fall: Sunday, October 9, 6:30 -8 PM Not even home a week, Pastor Diane will share updates from her trip to Tungamalenga.  We'll discuss next steps for the Mahove water project, see photos of the newly dedicated chapels at Makambalala and Mpalapande, and get updates on ongoing scholarship, medical and construction efforts. Wednesday, October 12 & Sunday, October 16 Godzone learns about Tungamalenga Partnership this week!  Pastor Diane will share highlights of her trip with the children in large group, and travelers will help children explore three rotation stations, learning about how we partner to construct chapels, and experiencing a Tanzanian child's daily life at school and at play.  Volunteers needed at all Godzone hours -- please let Kirsten.Levorson@sotv.org know if you are available. Tuesday, October 18, 7 PM Learn about the 2012 Journey to Tung

Richard (foreground), Bo, and children Pastor Diane, Joan and Richard sent some quick updates before they left for Tungamalenga on Friday. Our first stop after lunch in Tungamalenga will be to go to Mahove to see with our own eyes what's going on. We'll also have a partnership meeting Saturday. Naftal plans to have us visit 6-7 preaching points [village congregations] in addition to the chapel dedications, and he thinks we can do a partnership meeting in one hour early Saturday morning! The shopping [for items to sell at the SOTV Boutique in November] hasn't been terribly fruitful. Not much time, but we did get baskets today and a few ebony crosses. I hope to grab some of the shoulder bags tomorrow before we leave. Notecards are very scarce. And they aren't cheap! All is well! The days are full! *photo above taken by Dan McIntyre of Peace Lutheran, Maplewood. Dan's observations are always worth a read, check out http://danandsueintz.blogspot.com/ . In