Safari 2013: the journey of a lifetime

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'll have our first sighting of giraffe, zebra, elephants, and lots of baboons.

 

Arriving in Iringa by late afternoon, we'll check in at The Lutheran Center, a guesthouse and restaurant owned by the Iringa Diocese, and located conveniently just a short walk from the markets, the Diocese head office, and just across the street from our Bega Kwa Bega office.

 

our home base in Iringa

 

For the next several days, we'll explore Iringa and get an overview of the ministries of the Lutheran Church in Tanzania. We'll meet officials from the Iringa Diocese, we'll visit Tumaini University, we'll visit the Ilula Lutheran Hospital and perhaps Image Secondary School. There might be a side trip to Isimila, a stone age site with some archaeological displays and some fascinating canyons and stone pillars.

 

While in Iringa, there is plenty of time to shop and explore the local culture.  Bargaining for a good price on souvenirs is fun, and lunch at the Hasty Tasty Too is a must.

 

We'll take a tour of the Neema Crafts workshop and store. Neema is an Anglican mission that employs and trains people with disabilities. Their beautiful handcrafts are top quality and the restaurant is a great place for a quick snack or a full meal.  The menu includes both Tanzanian and American items -- even ice cream!

 

on the road again

Next up, we drive to Tungamalenga.  We go off the paved roads and down into the Great Rift Valley.  Scenery is spectacular.  Ten years ago, this bus ride took us four to six bumpy hours.  But this road has seen a lot of improvements, since it leads from Iringa to Ruaha National Park.  In August, our trip to Tungamalenga took two hours, and the drive back to Iringa was barely 90 minutes -- the worst of the washboard road had been fixed during the week.  We have been told that the road is supposed to be paved by next year -- we'll see.

 

We'll stop in Tungamalenga for lunch with our partners, and then continue on to Ruaha National Park for two days and nights of amazing sights.  Daily game park drives will thrill you with the beauty of creation.

 

 

At Ruaha, you will stay at Mwagusi Safari Camp. You're in the lap of luxury, enjoying beautiful surroundings and knowledgeable guides.  This is a good place to get your laundry done for the second half of the trip, too.

 

Finally, it's back to Tungamalenga for the best four days of the journey.  This will be where our travelers are greeted with songs and dance and gracious hospitality.

 

There will be a partnership meeting, where we meet with leaders of the parish who have prioritized needs and we discuss and agree on the next year's projects to support.

 

There will be visits to some of the 20 village congregations that comprise the parish.  At each visit, we will learn about the lives, struggles and hopes of the people in this particular place.

 

We will be shown the progress they've made on projects we support.  They will thank us for providing scholarships, and introduce us to students if they are present, or their families if the students are away at school.

 

 

We will worship together, walk together, sing together, plan together.  We will learn a few Swahili words, perhaps even tribal greetings in Hehe and Maasai.

 

We will visit primary and secondary schools in the area, and the dispensary.

 

By the time we leave Tungamalenga, you will feel as though you are leaving family.

Pastor Diane, Humphrey Kahwage

 

 

After a moving farewell, we'll go back to Iringa.  There will be a final day to rest, pack, purchase a few last minute souvenirs, and have any final meetings at the diocese or Bega Kwa Bega office.

 

Then, another long ride back to Dar.  We usually arrive in Dar by mid or late afternoon, giving us time for shopping in the air conditioned comfort of Slipway.  For our last meal together, we dine on the deck overlooking the Indian Ocean at Sea Cliff.  Around 8 PM, we head to the airport for our flight that leaves around 11.

 

From Dar, we fly directly to Amsterdam, enjoy a short layover and then we're back in Minneapolis.

 

Fourteen days to change your life, your faith, your perspective.

 

Want to know more about this journey?  Contact Kirsten.Levorson@sotv.org or Pastor Diane.Sponheim@sotv.org. 

 

Travel information and applications are available here.

 

Final cost will be determined once the size of the group is known. 

 

A travel preview meeting will be held Sunday, October 21 at 11 AM in the Chapel.  Applications are due by November 1st, and travelers will meet Sunday, November 4 (time to be determined).

 

Karibuni sana na safari -- you are warmly welcomed on this journey!