A Weekend To Remember.

Friday we canceled our afternoon Swahili class and Tim and I went with Kidege, Natalie, Flo, and Omega to the Catholic orphanage. Once again I have no words that will describe the experience except to say that the images will stay with me for a lifetime. (Pictures will come soon.)
Right after Tim and I got back, it was time to go to Luka’s house for supper. First, Luka’s house is beautiful – tile floor, blue and white walls, a chicken coop he just built that day, etc. We got to see the kids again and this time we were able to meet Rehema (Solomon’s oldest daughter who goes to a boarding school in the Kilimanjaro region). You could tell that Eme had been working for quite some time because we got a Thanksgiving-style feast. There was meat, fancy rice, small fish, sauce, cooked pumpkin leaves, jack fruit, pineapple, and mangos (and possibly more that I have since forgotten). As we were getting ready to leave Luka gave out a general invite for all of us to come back anytime. Then, as I was saying goodbye to everyone, Eme shyly said “Sara, karibu tena” (Sara, you are welcome to come again). It warmed my heart – each time we see Eme I can tell that, even though we can’t talk most of the time, that we’d get along quite well. Our feast was just that and it was a beautiful night in the company of new family here in Tanzania.
Then Saturday we lost power for most of the day/night. So Natalie, Flo, Anna, and I had a night hanging out by candle light, playing/listening to guitar and just talking. Several other people rotated in and out of our circle (Anne, Steve, and Bariki). It was a good time – we just spent the night as newfound friends and enjoyed each other’s company. I think that a big part of the beauty was that we didn’t need power to enjoy ourselves. So often in ‘developed’ nations we rely on electricity so much that we don’t know what to do with ourselves when it goes out and even though we are all from America or Europe (with the exception of Bariki), we had no problems finding something to do. I guess that is just one of the many ways that Tanzanian culture is wearing off on us – we place a greater value on human relationships than the ability to use electricity to separate ourselves and create barriers to relationships.
We went back to Mabugeri on Sunday (where there had been the violence against the Massai. This visit was much different from our last visit – you can tell that things have settled down quite a bit - on our drive into the village we saw Massai walking around and in town. When we got to the church, we had tea and maandazi (half cake). Then we hung around for awhile and waited for church to start. Church went along as usual and after church we went outside to shake hands. While we were doing this, one woman stayed inside and started to cry out hysterically. After the pastors gave their sending blessing, they headed back inside to see what was going on. Slowly we followed. When we got inside we saw a woman sitting on the ground crying out and almost convulsing. The pastors and evangelists began to pray over her – they shouted things like, “In the name of Jesus, leave her!” “Come Out!” and “By the blood of Jesus leave!” It took quite some time. A few minutes into this whole ordeal, Steve and I noticed the kids that were in the church were being shooed away from this woman, so we decided to keep the busy in the back. While we were playing with the kids, two mamas (probably about my age) came over and started to talk to me. They asked where I was staying, if I am studying, and welcomed me to visit again. Then they started to ask if Steve and I are husband and wife, I quickly told them no and they explained that I was by myself and there were three boys so they didn’t know. After the woman stopped, we went for lunch and then headed back outside to say goodbye and leave. Once we got into the car we asked PH what he though of what happened. He told us that he wasn’t sure if it was possession or if it was post-partum hysteria, since she done this before and had threatened to kill her child once.
Looking back on the day it is amazing to reflect on the hospitality we are shown anyplace we go. On our last visit, we brought them food to help them out and this time we were each given a plate of 5 or 6 maandazi, tea, and water before church and then each given soda, water, rice, beans, and meat/sauce for lunch. They are still in the process of recovering from everything that has happened but we are told that the school has reopened and half of the stolen cattle have been returned. But it amazes me how much people are always willing to give – even when they may not have much. So many times we have tendencies to keep the best things for ourselves and to keep to ourselves. That is hardly the case here – people will greet you and give you what they have to offer.
I have come to notice one difference between here and El Salvador that I think has drawn my heart even closer to this place … here I have never once felt unwanted. In El Salvador I haven’t really felt like this either but many times we get looks as we drive that are kind of saying ‘what are you doing here?’ But here no mater where we have gone people will come greet us, wave and/or chase the car as we drive past, or just send a genuine smile our way. It is a dichotomy at times – to feel like a complete alien but to also feel welcome and wanted. I love this place and, like I told Anne today as she left LJS for her home for the next 4 years, I will be back here someday, somehow. There is a beauty here that seems to find its way into your heart and it becomes a part of you that you simply cannot deny.
Peace.