Happy 16th birthday, Anya! I’m celebrating your birthday for 32 hours this year!
Happy birthday, Corrine! (My sisnter-in-law)
After packing my gear that will stay in Tanzania, it was about midnight. I thought I’d get about 6 hours of sleep, but the jet-lag-3:00-am-demon came to visit. I perhaps got a hour more of sleep, but I just got up early for the big day of my paper presentation.
On the way to Makumira, I sat across from Knut in the van so we could talk through my dissertation report. He gave me overall encouraging words, but we also talked through some strategies to address some of the issues identified in the report. The defense is less than a month away (May 2&3), so it is very helpful to be able to talk over things that I can strategically do in preparation.
My presentation was first on the agenda. However, just before the presentation, I realized that I didn’t have my iPhone! Ack! I just had to let it go for now and get through the paper. Fortunately, later in the morning, Knut received a phone call from David, our driver friend. He said that he found my phone in the vehicle! (He dropped it off at the hotel later that evening.)
Dr. Simone Zillich-Limmer was moderating the session for my paper. This German systematic theologian and philosopher has been at Makumira for 2 years. So, the Euro-American representatives include 2 Germans (one other historian joined us yesterday); Knut, the Norwegian; Dag, the Swede; and me, the American. Most others are Maasai, but there are 3 other people groups from Tanzania represented.
My paper went well. It was meant to stimulate conversation, and it did. However, it was different than I expected, but this is the amazing part of collaboration with others; the thinking is bigger! While I didn’t convince the Maasai of either of my two proposals for rendering YHWH into a new Kimaasai Bible translation, I did accomplish the overall goal of getting the conversation going. And I learned some more along the way. Dr. Simone did invite me to follow up with her about publishing a revised version (now that I have feedback) in a collection that she is editing. This is an honor, as she is a bright woman.
She ended up moderating the impassioned discussion on the Maasai womanist (beyond Caucasian feminist) paper. I told her I appreciated her wisdom in managing the chaos, and that I was glad I wasn’t moderating it!
Knut also presented a paper. It also stimulated a lot of conversation, but not for what he said, but for what he didn’t say but what many of the Maasai wanted to hear! Fascinating!
Neema was able to join us today. She is one of the 6 Maasai women pastors. But there’s a special connection with Neema, as I was able to get her connected with the path to seminary. She now has 3 kids, including 8-month-old twin girls! We need more Maasai women pastors!
However, I did joke (in poor taste) that the nice thing about oppression of Maasai women means that there is no line in the ladies restroom at a conference for Maasai theologians and pastors!
I ended up missing lunch trying to help Bishop Mameo get his online visa application to the USA processed. Bad WIFI and a power outage complicated the process. I will never forget the year he was born, as I entered it at least a dozen times!
The conference was over. Lots of good discussion, and in talking with some of the participants, it was valued. Thank you, Norwegian Research Council! (You might see the little Norwegian flag on the water bottle in front of Knut. I had some of these flags and brought them along to thank the Norwegian tax payers!)
Arriving back to our hotel in Arusha, I wanted to get over to Moona’s pharmacy and get the remaining amount of Malarone malaria prophylaxis for our July trip. Yes, there are hawkers, but I also saw our friend, Fausti.
Fausti sells maps, post cards, and a few other souvenir trinkets. I got to know him when we lived here. It is great to see Fausti and catch up a bit on his family. The side benefit is that the other hawkers don’t bother me. I did buy a tourist map that I didn’t need for way beyond what he would have asked, but it is tough times now in low tourist season.
Knut and I were invited over to dinner at our friends’ home. I’ve known Justo and Janet since 1989! He was my first Maasai friend.
Janet is delightful. And she makes food that is a kind of African comfort food. Perhaps it is just nice to have a home cooked meal after school cafeteria food and hotel breakfasts, but really, I know it is the love that flavors the food.
I write this in the lounge of my hotel. The WIFI is pretty good tonight. The TV in the corner playing for nobody isn’t as loud tonight. I can still hear the rain outside the sliding glass doors that go to the grassy courtyard.
Tomorrow is my last day. So, with my Facebook messaging attempts to make connections for the last day, I was successful with one of two. However, a former student in southern Tanzania also messaged me asking me to sponsor me to further education. I tried to encourage her and connect her with the bishop (that I helped with the visa application, as they are in the same region), but relay that due to being so far removed and all the requests that I receive, I only work through scholarship committees at a couple secondary schools. I left her with a blessing, but now it is time to go. The flying bugs are now swarming around me.
With blessings,
Beth