Return to Maguha

Fundraising auction.

Some of my choir girls.

PH preaching to the choir.

Mchungaji Dunia

Wednesday we went back to a village that we had been to much earlier in the trip and whose choir we had seen at a village or two recently. It was the Massai village atop a hill. It was a village I had fallen in love with before. It was the first village where someone pointed out that I was the only girl sitting, eating, and talking with the men. It was the village where one little girl flipped her eyelid inside out and made funny faces at us, reminding us that people are people no matter where in the world you are. It was Maguha.
Our most recent village simply solidified my love for this country. When we got out of the car, we greeted people as usual – but I got a pleasant surprise when several of the girls remembered my name and greeted me by saying ‘habari Sara.’ I knew at that moment that this was going to be a good day. The village was having a fundraiser to put in windows and floor so they had invited all sorts of elders from neighboring villages. We went in to have tea and some rice flour maandazi-type minicakes. Then we went out on a walk with some of the pastors and evangelists that had come to the village as well. When we got back from our short walk, it was just about time for church. We made our way into the church. As the service went on – which was long and hot, like all the others – I was reenergized when I heard little voices next to me calling out my name. I turned and some of the girls in the choir had been calling my name. From that point on I was almost inseparable from the choir. For the remainder of the service we made faces at one another back and forth across the aisle. When the service and auction (the church raised 2 million shillings for their projects) was done I went over by them and they had several pictures taken with me. They did the usual take/look at pictures and videos, touch the skin on my arms and feel my hair and time flew by. Before I knew it, Pastor Duniani came over and asked me if I was going to leave here today and told me that it was time for lunch (at about 5:30pm). After dinner/lunch I went back over by the girls and we were right where we had left off. Soon enough PH came over to tell me that we were going. The girls asked him if I could stay there until tomorrow. My heart absolutely melted. When I got into the car we waved goodbye frantically at one another and as we pulled away, they started to chase after the car. The choir will be at the KKKT (Lutheran Church in Tanzania) year-end seminar in two weeks. As we drove away, I started to think about how the day had an impact on me.
Today the last little bit of my heart fell in love with this country. It is so extremely difficult to explain what life is like here, but I will try so please bear with me. Life is simple. It revolves around relationships with other people rather than accumulating material possessions. It can be difficult at times but you are surrounded by people who understand your struggles and with whom you have the strong relationships that are able to be support through everything. Generally, life is communal – people live for and with one another. People will give you whatever little they may have. Hospitality isn’t just a kind thing to do, it is expected. People seem to trust you until you prove them wrong. Spirituality is huge and encompasses all aspects of life – whether it is formal religion or more loosely held faiths. People here live the message of the Gospels – love your neighbors above all else. People are patient with foreign speakers and will take the time to explain things in a different way/speak at slow pace just to be sure you understand them. People are welcoming and encouraging. Time isn’t something you race against, it is just there. Material possessions exist to help you survive – not to show some status. People always seem happy to spend time with one another.
Like I said, it is quite hard to express in words what life is like here because at times, it is so very different than life in the States. But I have most definitely fallen in love. For me, this hasn’t just been three months studying in a new, neat place. This has been three months of my life that I will never forget and that have motivated me to return some day soon. My heart is here with these people now and will probably always be. After this, I will never be quite the same and for that I am eternally grateful.
Peace.