Tanzania Partnership

A year ago, when 15 Shepherd of the Valley members visited Mpalapande for a partnership meeting, we were joined by several friends from Iringa, including Bega Kwa Bega Director, Rev. Peter Harrits, Iringa Diocese General Secretary Nayman Chavalla, and Bega Kwa Bega/Iringa Diocese Coordinator Rev. Lusungu Msigwa. At some point during or after the meeting, General Secretary Chavalla made some comments, including a statement that one of our travelers, Jenny Buckley, was the "intended" of BKB Director Peter Harrits.  Mind you, at the time, there was no formal engagement.  But General Secretary declared that the wedding should take place here in Mpalapande. Fast forward a year, Peter and Jenny were married at the end of June, and included in their wedding plans a celebration here in Mpalapande.  You can read about the elaborate preparations here . It was a beautiful day.  As preparations continued, and as our drivers brought choirs from various villages, there ...

One of the highlights of our visit took place about a month ago, when some 350 people gathered in the Maasai village of Mpalapande to celebrate the marriage of Rev. Peter Harrits and Jenny Buckley. Guests included our Minnesota contingent, a couple carloads of people from the Iringa Diocese head office and the BKB office, and people from many preaching points in both Tungamalenga and Makifu Parishes. It took a lot to prepare for the day. Women from several villages -- both Hehe and Maasai -- spent the morning cooking over open fires. Maasai men prepared a variety of meats for cooking -- goat, sheep and beef were on the menu. Chairs were brought in from neighboring village congregations.  A large tent shelter was constructed too provide shade for the worship service. Absolum Kilipamwambu spent the better part of a week constructing this modern choo [restroom].  There's a men's side and a women's side.  Two days before the big even...

Our eight days in Tungamalenga last month were so jam packed, we still have untold stories.  Here's the day we arrived in Tungamalenga, just in time for the wedding of Daima and Leu.       The wedding processional had just begun as we pulled up to the church in our vehicle piled high with luggage and bikes.  One choir led the way, then came the bridal couple and attendants (above), then the pastor and worship leaders.   Another choir brings up the rear.   Tungamalenga is Daima's home village.  He now lives in Kihesa, a "suburb" of Iringa, and attends the Kihesa Lutheran Church.  Daima and Leu both sing in the kwaya (choir) there, and so the entire Kihesa choir came out to Tungamalenga to sing at the wedding.  They brought a sound system and technician, electronic keyboard, and some fancy dance moves along with the voices.   One fun fact about Tanzanian wedding services -- the bride and groom and attendan...

The very first time SOTV members visited Tanzania in 2002, we were invited to a wedding on our very first evening in Iringa.  We didn't arrive in time to attend the wedding ceremony at the church, but we went to the dance and reception with a lot of curiosity and with the hope that we wouldn't make any social faux pas on our very first encounter with Tanzanians. It turned out to be a lot of fun, just like any wedding dance we would attend here.  There was food, cold drinks, dancing, lots of relatives and people to meet.  I remember that one of the dances was almost identical to "the chicken dance." I also remember how sober and serious, almost stern, the bring and groom appeared at the reception. Weren't they having fun?  Was this an arranged marriage? Why weren't they smiling? We asked our hosts, and they told us this is the Tanzanian custom at weddings.  All the guests are smiling and happy for the couple, but the bride and groom themselves mus...