Day Sixteen: Asante sana

John met eight day old Laurel Strand this morning.

Laurel seems very alert and interested in John.

Hongera sana, Katie!

[Congratulations!]

John spent the morning visiting and packing before moving on with another host.  

He spent the day with Ben and Char Kilgore, who planned to visit a farm and give John a view of rural Minnesota. 

 This evening John is attending a fundraising dinner for Iringa Hope, where he will tell his experiences of developing a microfinance cooperative at his parish in Ugesa.

John with Bega Kwa Bega Coordinators Bo Skillman and Rev. Don and Eunice Fultz.

John with SOTV member Judy Anderson.

Next he will spend a few nights at the Miller's.

I'm going to pause in the telling of John's story and say a word of thanks to all the supporters and volunteers who have worked so hard to make John's visit both a wonderful experience for him, and also an experience that deepens our partnership in so many ways.

We are still joking about The Schedule, which is filled from morning until night. But all these events have a purpose -- they build and strengthen our partnership.  There's a balance of large public events that give John exposure to the whole congregation, and then there are many small gatherings where John can engage more deeply, telling his stories and answering questions about his life in Tanzania.  Guests at these small gatherings always walk away with beaming smiles, so grateful for the time they have spent and the things they have learned.  

There's also a balance between spending time with the many friends who met John in Tanzania and the many donors and supporters who may never travel there and are meeting John for the first time. We also tried to balance events where we Americans learned about Tanzanian culture with events where John would be more able to understand our American culture.

In all these gatherings, we are grateful for John's adaptability to American customs and -- especially -- time consciousness.  He is a wonderful representative of his homeland and the Iringa Diocese, and he is so graciously adapting to our American ways. 

We are also grateful that he understands he was invited for the purpose of building this partnership.  He has been tireless in doing everything we have asked of him in that regard.

We are also grateful for the many people who have worked to make this visits and its many events happen.

Asante sana, auction donors who contributed $10,000 last January in the hopes that we would have three guests this fall.  (We are saving the funds left over from John's visit to invite again Mfaume and Paulo another year.)

Asante sana, all who welcomed John at the airport and on his first afternoon here in Minnesota.

Asante sana, all who were guests at our small group gatherings.  Sharing a meal and comparing our stories builds the partnership on both sides -- by helping our partners understand us, and we in turn are better able to understand our partners.

Asante sana, Shepherd of the Valley staff, who so warmly welcomed John that he said he felt like a part of the staff.  They also offered great logistical support for the many events on the schedule. Special thanks to Trip Sullivan, Dannelle Bautista, Mim Campbell and the children's ministry staff, Katie Heilman and the youth staff, Merilu Narum, Omar Reyes and the sound techs, Greg Nonweiler and the facilities staff, Carol Read, Mark Ertl, Kristen Holien (best Msaidisi ever!) and Sam Heiting.  Thanks to all the SOTV Pastors! Thanks to Kari Slotten, Jennifer Maxwell and Greg Nonweiler for the time you spent explaining your work.

Asante sana, Pastor Paul and Margaret Harrington for a wonderful day at Luther Seminary and at your home.

Asante sana, Randy Hurley for your role at Adult Forum and our Tanzanian Dinner.

Asante sana, Jeanne Fifield and Mrs. Kelly for the wonderful experience at Rosemount Elementary, and Dawn Aase for the great visit at Shannon Park.

Asante sana, Paula Swiggum, Joseph Mbele and Hannah Hanssen for the visit to St Olaf College.

Asante sana, Bishop Peter Rogness for the honor of an hour with you.

Asante sana, Rev. Gary and Carol Langness and Eunice Fultz for honoring John with your presence at our Tanzanian Dinner. Thanks to other Bega Kwa Bega Coordinators who attended several events -- Rev. Tom Nielsen, Bo and Juli Skillman, Ken and Birdie Olson, Rev. Julie and Dan Rogness, Beth Hanson.

Asante sana, Kim and Rheis Jensen, for the construction tour!

Asante sana to all who have hosted John in their homes or on day excursions -- Richard and Joan Dornfeld, Mollie and Lyn MacLean, Susanne and Brad Miller, Jim and Sonja Odland, Nancy and Richard Nonini, Judy Anderson.  Asante sana to my own family for being the clean up crew every evening we had guests.

Asante sana, Sandy Olson, Ken and Lisa Loher, Randy and Kari Hurley for your help with the Tanzanian Dinner set up and clean up.

Asante sana, those who are selling Tanzanian handcrafts at the holiday boutique and last week during Godzone -- Judy Anderson, Lisa Anderson, Dawn Aase, Kristen Holien, Connie Messner, Pastor Diane Sponheim, Char Kilgore, Susanne Miller, Bobbi Bainbridge.

Asante sana to our Tanzania Steering Committee, who planned and executed all the events on the schedule -- Mollie and Lyn MacLean, Joan and Richard Dornfeld, Brenda Krueger, Pastor Diane Sponheim. 

Asante sana, all.