A day in Iringa

"Babu" Israel Kiponda

 

Our groups don't usually spend too many days in Iringa, the big city in this region of Tanzania, preferring to spend our limited time in the villages of our partners.  On this first leg of the trip, I have two nights in the city.  It becomes a rather hectic day of renewing dear friendships, checking in with diocese and Bega Kwa Bega friends, and some rather hectic dashes around the market to purchase things we want to take as gifts to our partners, then arranging the logistics of transport.

 

Today was not much different from other first days in town.  I started by attending morning devotions at the diocese head office.  Rev. Lusungu Msigwa was a helpful translator.  It occurred to me that often when translating from our English speeches to Swahili, our translators sometimes speak for longer than we do -- explaining something we've said that might not mean the same thing to our audience.  Msigwa is the master of hearing a paragraph of spoken Swahili and translating it to me in English in one sentence or two.

 

After meeting with Msigwa and General Secretary Nayman Chavalla, discussing schedules and coordinating future meetings, it was time to go to market.  M y companions and guides were Rev. Eva Msigwa (no relation to Lusungu), the new pastor of Tungamalenga Parish, and Dr. Barnabas Kahwage, and Rev. John Mhekwa, always a helpful friend. 

 

Three times during our marketing we ran into Baba Kiponda.  He served as our beloved group translator several times and was always thorough and most entertaining.  A retired pastor, he now works with an ecumenical group to translate the Bible into the tribal language of Hehe.



 



 

It was so lovely to spend the day with Pastor Eva.  She and her husband Bryson have three children.

 

Amid checking on the purchase of medications, mosquito nets and bikes, John was concerned that one of my shoes had a crack in the heel.  He insisted that I get it repaired and took me to this man's open air shop near the cathedral.  Twenty minutes later, we were walking around again.

 

 

We learn so much when we spend the day together.  This year, as happened last year, we had a long discussion about the purchase of bikes for evangelists.  They use them to serve the congregation, pedaling from village to village for teaching, preaching and pastoral care.  In the past we have purchased brand new bikes, ten speeds, shiny. Last year some of the evangelists told us they preferred to have what we call used or reconditioned bikes like these.  Out in the rough area of Tungamalenga and especially on the hilly roads of Makifu, the reconditioned bikes last longer than the shiny new ones.

 

 

I didn't have a vehicle yet on this day, so we had the small challenge of how three (John, Eva and I) could get eight bikes back to store at the Lutheran Center where I stay.  I wish I had a photo of John riding one bike while rolling another at his side.  Two of the shop employees did the same, while Eva and I opted to walk our bikes back.  (No, I didn't try riding in my long skirt.)

 

 

At the end of the afternoon, in the golden light atop a hill overlooking the city, Eva and I sat and talked and talked.  It was good.

 

Then I slept off my jet lag for about twelve hours.  That's why I'm a little behind time this morning, getting ready for the trip to Tungamalenga.  When the Land Rover and truck arrive, we'll load bikes, go back to the market area to pay for the medicines and mosquito nets, and both vehicles will be full. Then we're off to the villages, and you won't hear from me again until I return to Iringa the day that our first group of 14 travelers arrive there also.

 

Safe journey, Pastor Chris, Jim, Bruce, Ken, Jenny, Becky, Connie, Phil, Jeff, Brenda, Jeff, Kaitlyn, and Bib Jude!