Thank for your thoughts, prayers, times you’ve check the blog to see if there is a new post. Yes, things were very busy. So, I have an overview of these last couple weeks, and then I will come back to various highlighted days to fill in the gaps with some pictures and stories.
On 27 November, my research team arrived in Tanzania. This is a subgroup of our larger CollECT (Colloquium on Epistemology, Contexts, and Texts in Africa) from VID Specialized University in Norway (where I did my PhD). The group was established by my doctor father, Knut Holter, who came, in addition to 2 Norwegians (Tina and Rebecca), and a Zimbabwean/South African (Zoro). We are working on the next Norwegian Research Council proposal dealing with the Bible and the Maasai. This time, with a focus on sustainability and land. So, this was a listening trip. (Don’t worry Wartburg folks, if funded, I can do this from Wartburg after this Marie Curie fellowship!)
The other focus is that we had 4 others join us from Tanzania, Zambia, and Uganda, as part of our CollECT anthology project, for which, I’m one of the editors. Due to budget cuts, we focused on the contributors from East Africa with reading and constructive feedback to develop the chapters. As I did the majority of the logistical planning and execution for both groups, I’m glad it ended up being a smaller project than we originally hoped for. Budget cuts and the increased cost of airfare after COVID meant that our collaborators from South Africa, Madagascar, Ethiopia, and Egypt, as well as an additional Norwegian, were not able to be here. The planning and adjustments (the Ugandan missed her flight due to a 1.5 hour stopping of traffic for a presidential motorcade!) meant long days and that I didn’t get much sleep the whole week. However, all our objectives were surpassed, sometimes in amazing ways! But the night after the last group left, I ended up with the flu and 24-hours of my body trying to recover.
I was better just in time to welcome Arne, a family friend who just completed 3-months in Namibia for a study abroad. Arne stayed for 5 days, which were filled with great conversations. As his course was on conservation, environmental management, and policies related to national parks and wildlife management, I was able to expand my understanding of concepts that are relevant to my research yet done in a very different way. More on Arne in the catch-up blogs to come.
This summary post also includes two HUGE developments for my research project:
1) This last Tuesday, I was able to meet with Bishop Elect Godson Abel and receive not only his blessing for my project but also a generous invitation for permission to work with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania—Northcentral Diocese churches, schools, and related groups.
2) I received the final clearance from COSTECH, the Tanzanian research authority—a process I started in the end of April—over 7 months ago! This means that I don’t need to arrange for a departure, probably a flight out and probably to Sweden, at the end of a 3-month visitor’s visa! Hallelujah! I paid the $300 online, and I will pay a $500 research visa when I return to Tanzania after Christmas travels.
Stay tuned for more photos and stories from some wonderful days!
Pray the Internet gets fixed on Monday! I’m burning through data with a hotspot on my phone to use the Internet.
Mungu akubariki! (God bless you! in Kiswahili)
Mikitamayana Engai! (God bless you! in Maa)
What a blessing that your illness was after the group left and you were feeling better in time for your next commitment! I pray you stay healthy there.