Iringa

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Wow, what a day this has been.

We're in Iringa, packing in a lot of experiences before we go to the villages of Tungamalenga and Makifu.

 
Pastor Chris carried a gift for the nursing school, and others carried nursing textbooks, to be delivered to Dr. Saga's office at the diocese.

 
We spent an hour with General Secretary Nayman Chavalla and BKB Liaison Rev. Lusungu Msigwa, hearing an overview of how the Saint Paul Area Synod and the Iringa Diocese work together.  Chavalla noted the significant support Shepherd of the Valley provides, especially in the area of scholarships.  When you help one student, he said, there are at least ten more who are affected in a positive way.  


 
We spent a couple hours exploring the market area of town, picked up some medicines that had been ordered the week before, bought some Swahili story books for our village libraries.  We had lunch at the Neema Craft Workshop and then shopped at the Maasai Market.  

 
We spent several hours at Huruma Center, an orphanage operated by the diocese.  We delivered the rice, ground nuts, watermelon and a chicken from Tungamalenga, and we played with the children.  Jumping rope, playing soccer, practicing Swahili, sharing candy and stickers, and just hanging out.
 
 
You know it's been a good day when the travelers say (at 10 AM), Wow, that was incredible.  And then again at 6 PM, Wow, I didn't think it could get any better.
 
And tomorrow we go to the villages, where I know the real highlights of this trip are yet to come. 
 
We will probably be out of internet range until next Saturday, spending three days in Tungamalenga and Makifu, then two days on safari at Ruaha National Park, then one more day in Tungamalenga before our return to Iringa. 
 
Asante Sana to all of you at home who are praying for our travelers and for our partnership.

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