Going to church on Sunday is a bit of an effort. It means taking a dala dala/”costa” bus to Arusha for about an hour. This morning, after getting on and standing for a bit, I was able to take a vacated chair rather soon, one single seat on the left side of the aisle. I’m thinking that it is good for me to be getting on the bus before the village Tengeru; lots of people get on there. Soon, we had double wide people standing in the aisle, so people from the back getting out had to somehow squeeze between people, pressing everyone to the windows. One of the young women standing next to me in the aisle, asked me in lovely English, “Can you help me?” holding her purse and bag out. Of course, I’m willing. So, this time, I was the stranger holding the purse of a stranger (see post for 2023.09.10). On the bus was an audio system and screen that played Swahili gospel music. So, with all the people dressed up for church, there is music to get people in the mood. (Though, I’ve always wondered about worship music being background music!)
It took over an hour with all the stops, so I arrived just as The Arusha Community
Church was getting started. The Korean couple did a lovely job leading the worship, an American presided over the worship, and a Tanzanian woman preached. The majority are Africans, yet there are clearly others from global contexts, Asians, South Asians, and European descent folk.
I wasn’t quite sure where I would catch the coaster bus back, but I had a general sense of what might work. It does mean walking across some busy roads. One tip is to be downside of the traffic stream from a Tanzanian crossing the street! On the way back, I found the crosswalks, but there is no obligation to stop for pedestrians. Fortunately, one stopped, but then there is no guarantee that the driver coming the other direction will stop, so I could be in the middle of the road waiting to cross the other half of the road (a skill I learned in Pakistan). The last crosswalk actually had a stoplight and crosswalk signal. Though, the Tanzanians did not wait for the signal to cross. I found the area where the “conductors” are doing their hustle to get riders onto their van/bus, and I got on a nice coaster bus, sitting next to a mama with two small and very well behaved children on her lap.
When I got off the bus, I met an elder woman walking up to the gate with a heavy shopping bag in hand. I offered to help her carry the bag, and she asked if I was sure, because the bag was heavy. I was game. So, I walked with her up to her home on campus, and we chatted. I met, Mama Pray, the nurse director on campus. She is also a widow with one adult daughter.
What was lovely was the connection! I’m looking forward to tea times with her, practicing my Kiswahili. However, the other thing that is encouraging for me is that I’m in malaria land, and I’m in a part of this country where I didn’t know the local medical resources are. Now, I can check in with Mama Pray! What a providential meeting at the gate!
Finally, for those who “met” Joseph in post 2023.09.08 and 2023.08.31 (who got my WIFI set up), the wonderful news is that he has a job interview next week for a government job. Please join us in praying for a “fair” interview, one where there is not a nepotistic-shoe-in candidate, where he doesn’t even have a chance to shine. So, pray that Joseph can have a fair chance to be evaluated with his training, skills, experience, hardworking temperament, and wonderful spirit. Lord, have mercy.
Mungu akubariki? (God bless you!)
2 children in 1 lap..either very small, close in age, and/ or a large lap.