Tanzania Partnership

I was very sorry and sad to learn this evening that Pastor Paul Edstrom died this afternoon. Pastor Paul and his wife Ruth have served many people, but to our Tanzanian partnership, they were some of our earliest supporters and most honest and trusted advisors.  Paul and Ruth had served as missionaries in (then) Tanganyika and Kenya during the 1950's, '60's and '70's.  They retired to Shepherd of the Valley a number of years ago, and Paul served as a visitation pastor for many years. There are many people who support our partnership in varied and important ways.  Pastor Paul Edstrom supported our partnership by sharing the aquired wisdom of his years of experience working in Tanzania.  He gave honest advice about what kinds of support could be helpful and what kinds of support would build dependencies.  He helped us think deeply about our partnership, our actions, and unintended consequences. Pastor Paul made me practice my Swahili in between visits, greet...

We received word this weekend that Pastor John arrived home Friday.  Long journey! Baby Patricia was born Saturday, around 12:30 PM Iringa time, via c-section.  We had a chance to chat on Facebook with John today, and he provided a few more details and observations. New Mom Addy is doing well, is up and around, nursing the baby, and baby is thriving.  Baby Patricia was 3.2 kg or just over 7 pounds when she was born. There is hope that Mom and Baby will go home Monday. John talked a bit about how hard Tuesday was, how touching the farewells were for him. "Really, it was so hard to say bye. It is easy to say welcome but not to say bye." Finally, I asked John how he felt about being a father at last. "I did not believe yesterday that I had a baby. Today was the good day when I spent time with her." Blessings to the new family. Kwaheri.

Patricia John Mhekwa was born today via c-section. Hongera sana [congratulations], Pastor John and Addy! Mungu awabariki.

Today was our last day with Pastor John in Minnesota. We are still awaiting news of Addy and the baby.  The latest word recieved was that she was in labor, at the hospital, an ultrasound had confirmed that the baby is doing well, and the doctors are advising that Addy walk and walk to help the labor to progress. We are still praying. In the morning, Rich Nonini helped John with a few more details on the new computer. John's hosts for the last few days, Rich and Nancy Nonini. John arrived at church around 10, and lots of friends dropped in to say goodbye. Susanne Miller taught John a little yoga. Pastor Randy knows he will see John next August when he leads a group of Shepherd of the Valley members to Tanzania. John and Susanne. Ken and Birdie Olson came to say goodbye.  They are friends from St James Lutheran Church in Burnsville, who serve as coordinators in the Bega Kwa Bega office in Iringa. Mim Campbell and oth...

This morning we woke up to an email message from a friend in Tanzania -- Pastor John's wife Addy is at the hospital, in labor!   We are praying for mom and baby today. And we're all checking email frequently, waiting for news. Breakfast with Rich and Nancy Nonini. Ben Kilgore gave John some early morning training on the new laptop, orienting John to software for project management and a database. Judy and John had lunch at Mim Campbell's home.  Mim's neighbor is from Kenya, so John is getting to visit in Swahili. John gets a little practice in childcare, holding Mim's granddaughter Ebba. Preparing for a baby is another one of many things where we have cultural differences.  Traditionally, Tanzanians do not share the news of a pregnancy like we Americans do.  While Americans prepare elaborately with nursery furnishings and decoration and clothing for the child, John told me that Tanzanians would surrepticiously buy only one it...

Sunday morning at worship -- more baptisms. John greets the congregation.  He thanked us for inviting him, for feeding him well, for keeping him warm all the time.   He thanked us for the many things we have done with our partnership in Tungamalenga -- the Mahove water project, the dispensary ward, the many chapels we help to roof, the goat project, the mosquito project, the piki piki [motorcycle] provided for the pastor of the new congregation at Makifu.  He thanked us for the scholarship program, noting that Shepherd of the Valley provides more scholarships than any other congregation involved in the Bega Kwa Bega partnership between St Paul Area Synod and the Iringa Diocese.  He noted that we don't stop at providing secondary scholarships, but also college and master's degree scholarships.  He reminded us that he was one of our first six scholarship students back in 2002, and that he would not have been able to continue his education withou...