The last breakfast with Knut at the hotel was another opportunity to learn from his knowledge and wisdom. We talked about the paper I presented and some interpretive theory related to the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament a couple centuries BC. I was thinking how this is rich conversation for us, but few outside the discipline will be interested. I’m becoming increasingly obsolete in my culture, but I believe increasingly important for the critical thinking which under-girds a faithful interpretation and application of Scripture regarding the ultimate issues of life and death, loving God and loving others.
Knut was leaving at 9:00 am with the district pastor from Orkesmut, so I went to bid Knut farewell. I met the pastor and discovered he was the brother of a good friend, Gladness, who also was a teacher at the Maasae Girls School when I taught there. So, he called her on his phone and we got to catch up a bit. Now I find out that her daughters, Anya’s playmates, are in university and med school. Another serendipity! Gladness had a great wisdom and administrative capability as deputy head. She was not just a co-worked, but one who shared life.
I packed up my room, and amazingly my bag was about half full because I left a bag of gear and gifts with David for my return in July. But I did run to the store and pick up a few things to bring back as gifts.
In my packing, I gathered all the receipts from all the failed attempts to get cash at different ATMs. I eventually found an ATM that worked for me.
By departure time, I had mastered the light switch in my room. The non-intuitive wiring has the bathroom switch off when flipped DOWN and the bedroom switch off when flipped UP! Life is always an adventure in Africa!
Then it was time to check out from the hotel and meet Goodluck in the lobby.
Goodluck is Rebecca’s son, the one who learned German (see April 6 post). He was meeting with me for an errand for his mom. But then, I got to talk with him a bit and learn more about his training and plans for working as a safari guide and driver. In his training, his clients thought it was great to have a safari guide named Goodluck! I passed a note to my former house helper through him. Unfortunately, she was not able to come and visit this time, but I had a nice visit with her last July. This is one connection that a Tanzanian SIM card would have helped to make the connection.
While waiting for time to depart for the next connection, I hung out in the hotel lounge and was trying to log into Facebook to retrieve 2 messages waiting for me. Previously, I haven’t been on Facebook much, but this is the best way to get in touch with some former students and other friends here. Unfortunately, the WIFI is so slow it can’t open the messages.
I grabbed a taxi (after some serious negotiation of the price) and went to see Sarah and her family. She lives by the airport because her husband is starting a flying medical business that he is getting off the ground (pun intended). Currently, he is in the USA buying an airplane, which has become a very complex and lengthy process.
Sarah’s oldest daughter can walk or bike to the international school. She has three daughters, but the youngest one at three is the one who hovers around us most. She glommed on to Anya at our last visit, so the girls were a bit disappointed that Anya wasn’t along for this trip. So, I got to fill in with a bit of play, but Anya would have been preferred.
We shared lunch and rich conversation. We caught up on the recent past of work and family. We talked of the future and our hopes. We laughed and reminisced about stories of Eric, his love for spicy food (pili pili) and how it was Eric who was the one who connected us.
I was dropped back at the hotel in time to collect my stored bag, make a few last packing adjustments, and try to log onto the WIFI. There was a chance that former students might visit, and there were still the two messages waiting to be opened on Facebook. I couldn’t open them on either my laptop or phone. Sigh.
At 6:00 pm, Mark and Linda Jacobson (dinner hosts from Tuesday night) picked me up. They were flying on the same plane. What a blessing. Yes, I could have taken a taxi to the Impala shuttle, but how wonderful to have more time to talk with Mark and Linda. Mark is working on developing cancer care in Arusha, because treatments are only available far away. I know how fortunate I felt to have Eric’s cancer treatments only 20 or 30 minutes away.
I made it back to the Equator Hotel to retrieve my stored bag and wait to be picked up by Mark and Linda Jacobson. It is providential that they are on the same flight out to Amsterdam on KLM. They continue onto Minnesota for a gala fundraiser for cancer care projects here in Arusha. It will be a short but important trip for them.
We had a wonderful time talking on the way and arrived at airport in good time. While unloading our bags, I was greeted by one of the pastors from the Maasai and the Bible conference! He brought my PhD student colleague, Zephania, who was on the same flight as me. So, I was able to introduce Mark and Linda to Zephania.
I sat with Zephania for the first short portion of the flight with us both sitting in the inside seats in the middle of the row of four seats. I was told that I needed to switch seats when the flight landed in Dar es Salaam, when some travelers from Amsterdam got off and new passengers got on (after cleaning). I was glad to get an aisle seat, but afterwards, I realized how providential it was to sit next to my new seatmate. Ali got on in Dar. He was flying to Stockholm for a Swedish-funded training on business management. We had great conversations on a myriad of topics: work (his is PVC and some other type of pipe manufacturing, tea (his father’s business), intercultural interaction, Maasai girls education and outcomes, family, travels (he has family in USA, India, and Pakistan; I visited my sister in Pakistan in 1992), and the Rotary club. It ends up that Ali is the point person for all the Rotary grant projects in Tanzania. He gave me his card at the end and said to let him know if I’m ever in Dar. I told him to contact me if he was ever in Stockholm again. After exiting the plane, I was able to introduce Mark to Ali. Over the years, Mark has been connected with several Rotary projects. Perhaps this may be strategic connection for the next cancer care initiative!
With blessings,
Beth