Author: Velkommen

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

First, Happy Birthday, Elenn (my sister).

Last night I realized that my self-imposed quota of two nights with a sleep-aid was over; I didn’t sleep well and woke up multiple times.

A shower with a steamy (an electrical heater at the spout) was sufficient in heat and water. The temperature is managed by controlling the water flow.

After breakfast, I met my PhD student colleague, Zephania, and together with Knut, we were driven by David to Makumira. However, David was pulled over for supposedly passing a car in a no passing zone. He paid the Tsh 30,000 fine (about $15), and we discussed that yesterday my driver, Amani, was hassled for a bribe. The policeman took Amani’s driver’s license, and Amani had to pay some “chai money” to get it back! Ugh. So, I discussed having a dash cam on the front of vehicles. I won’t be surprised in July, when I see David again, that there is a dash cam on his vehicles!

The conference today is about the Maasai and the Bible, funded by a Norwegian Research Council grant. However, we started half an hour late, because the bishop wasn’t there. It is respectful to wait for the bishop.

Bishop Massangwa and Pastor Nangole

Of the 18 people in the room, I knew half of them quite well. Several are my informants, but they are anonymously referred to in my dissertation, according to Norwegian Research Council requirements. One I’ve known since 1992, another from 1997, and others I’ve been on safari with several times to Maasai-land visiting churches.

I presided over the morning sessions. So, I had to figure out how to manage the agenda and add a 10 minute break (which undoubtedly would grow to 15 or 20 minutes). It ended up reasonably well with a shortened lunch break.

The sessions were 1.5 hours each with some breaks between sessions–but not always. So, from 9:30 until 6:30 we listened and discussed papers and presentation, except for the hour lunch break. The topics gathering the most steam were polygamy, are Maasai women respected?, and traditional Maasai music that has inculturated the Bible. The last one had some excellent video of Maasai choirs with traditional dancing.

I did learn some, but also affirmed much of what I’ve been working on these past four years. I also made some great connections. The Maasai woman pastor, Rebecca, is a wonderful advocate for Maasai women. Her feminist/liberation theology and spirit is inspiring. I look forward to keeping in touch with her, though she is from southern Tanzania.

I started helping one Maasai friend with his online application for a visa to travel to the USA. We hope to find time to finish tomorrow.

I talked with the Swedish Bible teacher at dinner. He knows I’m moving to Uppsala, and he has even lived in the apartments at Johannelund. We were talking Sweden–but NOT in Swedish. (Sorry Catharina [my Swedish tutor] if you’re reading this. I really am quite insecure about speaking Swedish to native Swedish speakers.)

Getting back to the hotel at 9 meant putting the final edits (thanks Marv) into my paper. Then I read it out loud to know how long it would take. It took 35 minutes, and I have 45 minutes for the paper and 45 minutes for discussion. Then, I was able to print out the 17 pages and be ready for my presentation tomorrow at 8:30 am.

The evening closed with a birthday email to Anya. She turns 16 tomorrow, and I’m not with her. But she gave me permission to accept the invitation (after originally declining it) to come here. So, pray for her on this special day. And thanks to the Middleton-Youngs for making it a special day.

Oh, I still have to pack up all the things that I’m going to leave with David. It doesn’t make sense to haul things back to the USA and bring them back in July. I need to get to it!

With blessings,

Beth

The night was good, but I would have liked to sleep longer. But I have plans to meet a driver at 9:00 am.

David Mtui (my friend who picked us up from the airport) introduced me to Amani (which means peace). I’m going to Monduli.

It is always interesting getting to know a new safari driver. He starts with, “Is this your first time in Tanzania?” Over the course of the next half day, he gets a glimpse of the reality that part of my heart lives in Monduli.

First I stopped to visit Rebecca.

Rebecca is an amazing woman who has taken the little that life has given and multiplied it and made it beautiful. All along the way, she has leveraged her life and goods to be a blessing to others. Now, her new bakery is thriving. Her son is soon to be working as a safari guide/driver for German tourists. This is a strategic move to serve the German-speaking clients because there are few German-speaking safari guides. Rebecca taught her son to not be afraid to tackle difficult things–like the German language.

We caught up since our last visit, on family and friends. Her niece is Anya’s age, so they were playmates as kids. They still enjoy playing together in recent visits, but it has changed to card games. There are friends and babies to hear of, but we also mentioned the babies we lost about the same time to miscarriage. We talked about our work. For her, the price of a bread slicer has greatly increased, so that hasn’t been secured yet.

I will see her in July, as she will be the cook for our group when were at the Girls School. We will be well fed! She bakes the best rolls I’ve had in all of Tanzania.

Then off to the MaaSAE Girls Lutheran Secondary School (MGLSS). It was so good to see former colleagues and former students who are now teachers and staff.

I have four former students who are teachers and staff. There are still at least four teachers from my teaching days.

I received a tour of the new administration building and the new solar panels.

Now they have solar power to reduce their electricity costs and provide lights when the power is out. This is so great!

I also had a serendipitous meeting with an American administrator who is helping to start a new high school on the west side of Monduli. They are in their first year in a science focused school. He is also a missionary kid (MK) from Asia who wound up in Tanzania. Great connection, we could have talked all day, but it was time to move on.

I had lunch at the Snake Park. This was our Friday night hangout for the expatriates in Monduli. Jean, Marv, Sarah, Eric, Anya, and me had many fine nights of camaraderie that is magnified when coping with some of the challenges of Africa.

The Snake Park is hard to describe. Think of a Giligan’s Island motif for overlander safari campers. This is the low-cost tenting safaris for young adults on a gap year or budget travel. So, there is an aspect of a college bar, but also an 18-wheeler repair shop, camel rides, Maasai mama bead market, Maasai cultural museum, but don’t forget the snakes. Think of the reptile gardens in African fashion. Anya could say “boomslang” (the name of a green and black snake) before she was two.

The second serendipity was running into Lynn and BJ, our beloved owners of the Snake Park. I chatted a bit while my driver went back to get his driver’s license from the police man by the highway at the entrance to the Snake Park. The police are very thorough regarding checking vehicles, which seems more like an assertion of power rather than safety issues.

Because my Tanzanian cell phone SIM card expired since it was last used this past July, I have been limited in contacting people. I do have an SMS international travel package added to my AT&T account, so I can text, but I’m not sure how much it will cost Tanzanians to text me. I don’t want to burden them with a high expense. So, I’ve been trying to email and even Facebook message to communicate. Amazingly, I’ve been making connections today.

The rest of the day was pure joy! First, Nanyokye, my former student, came to see me at my hotel.

She is one of the first two (if not the first) Maasai women doctors. Her story is one of that me that keep me connected with Tanzania when things seem so difficult and crazy. She came from a very traditional Maasai family where even her father didn’t go to primary school. She astutely realized that education was the path out of poverty and was one of the most disciplined students I have ever met. She didn’t go home for breaks, because of risks of going home, but studied. Even so, she kept respectful of her father and the good aspects of the Maasai culture. Now, she is thriving as a doctor at the Arusha Lutheran Medical Center with a supportive educated Maasai husband and a toddler daughter. She generously supports her large family, thoughtfully retains much of her Maasai culture in her family, and integrates a deep faith in meaningful ways.

Nanyokye and I then caught a taxi on the way to Ilboru. She jumped out to take a dala dala (vans with sardine-like packed in passengers) home, as I continued up one of the horribly bumpy roads. With extreme care, the taxi driver only scraped the undercarriage once. That is pretty amazing if you would see the road.

I was invited to dinner by Mark and Linda Jacobson.

I could wax about their 30+ year service in developing one of the leading hospitals in Tanzania and microenterprise projects with women, but tonight we were friends who have shared in life with both loss and joy. After the first miscarriage here, Linda just opened up to Eric and me both. At the third miscarriage, she met us at the hospital. The word was that I was the head doctor’s wife’s little sister, so I think I got some special treatment from the staff. But I was her little sister then. After Eric’s passing, Mark wrote a letter to Anya telling her of how much he held Eric in high regard. This is a treasure, and it moves me to tears in appreciation.

We laughed, we pondered, we wondered together as the electricity went on and off perhaps a dozen times. This is the other thing about Africa: it draws you together.

Travel tip on cell phones: In Europe and Africa, the cell phones use a GSM platform. So, I have an AT&T account. T-Mobile also has a GSM platform.

Travel tip on cell phones: Add an international package before you go, otherwise, you’ll be paying higher rates for each message and data usage.

Travel tip on cell phones: When in country, turn of the data to avoid both unknown data usage (some apps try to make connections even when not running) and minimizing the battery drain.

I did wake up 3 times, but got back to sleep. It was a not good-not bad night. (Wasi wasi in Kiswahili). But I was able to take a shower (after getting the faucet knob back on) with enough warmth in the water to make it good enough. I got downstairs just as Steve Friberg was arriving. He lives out in the bush, serving as a medical doctor. (Anya and I camped with their family last year on Mount Ketumbeini,  See post from July 25). I am bringing back some beads for the Napok beading women’s micro-enterprise project. Steve invited me to join him at the Arusha Community Church weekly discussion group that meets at this hotel. We’ll if I can be invited to eat goat neck with the Maasai elders (read male elders), then I suppose joining the men for a morning breakfast would be OK. Nathan Simonson was there, so it was great to see him. It was his dad, the late David Simonson, who started the MaaSAE Girls Lutheran Secondary School, and Nate served in the general contractor role for the building of the campus. So, we had many connections with him when were teaching at the school.

Just as that session was finishing, Knut came down for breakfast. I was able to introduce Knut to Nathan and Steve. There is something meaningful but indescribable for me about the goodness of making connections from different parts of my life.

As I finished up a second cup of tea as Knut had breakfast and we discussed plans for the day, I then connected with Pastor Saning’o. He is the new District Pastor.

If you read the post from July 19 about the amazing retirement celebration for Pastor Nangole, now you know of Nangole’s successor. My church’s mission teams are arriving July 16 and one group will be going into the rural areas. I wanted to go over our agenda and talk through the details of meals and other logistics. There isn’t much in restaurants or guest houses in some areas, so we have to plan carefully. Then we have to be flexible, because life is always an adventure in Africa and things never go as you have planned.

The morning was amazingly productive! That is unusual for Africa!

Meanwhile, Knut met with the staff and was able to arrange a switch of rooms. He’s writing a paper these two days, so a conducive environment would be helpful. His room is down the hall and overlooks the grassy courtyard. Mine overlooks the parking lot, with an angle view of the courtyard. However, I have no WIFI in my room now. At least it is free and available in the lobby.

We went on a few errands. I wanted to try to get Tanzanian shillings out of an ATM as the airport ATM didn’t let me do that last night. In the meantime, I stopped by Shabir’s curio shop to introduce Knut. Shabir is a good one to know if we need to get some cash exchanged.

However, I ended up buying a painting!

I loved the vibrant colors and the mama motif. I have found that buying a work of art by a local artist is one of the joys of my travels. Anya would be surprised that I made a spontaneous purchase, but over the years, I realized that I wished that I had purchased this one painting of Nepali women in Kathmandu, Nepal, in 1992, so perhaps that was in the back of my head when I spontaneously bought this painting.

However, none of the ATMs would take my Master Card Debit Card, so then I started wondering if I should have paid US cash for the painting. Well, after lunch and an online chat with my CapitalOne bank, I tried the ATM again. It still did not work. So, I went with my VISA card that has a 3% international transaction fee.

Tanzania is the opposite of Norway in many regards, but one that is so clear is the pedestrian right of way (Norway) and the biggest-one right of way (Tanzania). In Norway, you just have to get close to a curb to have the car stop for you. In Tanzania, you have to take your life in your hands when crossing the road. The one official crosswalk by the post office is gone!  So, I try to take the route that will have me crossing on calmer streets. Knut is an experienced international and especially African traveler, so he’s not fazed at all.

We had pizza for lunch and discussed a bit more about my PhD project, especially with regard to publishing it afterwards. So, through Knut, I’ve been extended an offer to publish my dissertation after some revisions that take into account the critiques from the defense committee. (They are officially called “opponents!”)

Knut went to work on his paper, and I took my shillings to get Malarone, the best malaria prophylaxis. It is available over the counter here for only $2.10 a pill, so cheaper than in the USA.

Hawkers are pretty prevalent in the clock tower area and some can be relentless in trying to sell stuff. My basic Kiswahili sometimes helps. And it helps to not look like a tourist. I have my modest dirt-skirt on (yes, with REI cargo shorts underneath for my passport), and I don’t wear white. It is most often tourists who wear white in Africa. But on the way back to the hotel from the pharmacy, this guy started walking next to me and talking. He started asking many questions, too many questions, keeping up with my brisk (non-tourist) pace. Eventually, I abruptly stopped and walked into the Kase bookstore. I bought a nice handmade card with a Maasai warrior on it.

While walking along, the sights, sounds, and smells are very different. I know that I’m “not in Kansas anymore,” when I see four dead chickens strapped to the small rack behind the seat on a bicycle. I wish I could have taken a picture, but the speed of the bicycle is only one issue. I also pretty conscientious of being a respectful picture taker. See the travel tips below. The other image was a woman bent over at the waste and cutting the grass with a hedge clipper.

I’m getting settled in my new room. I hand washed my travel shirt from yesterday with camp soap and hung it in the window to get a breeze.

The WIFI was out in the evening, so I’m posting these the day afterwards. However, I was able to stay up until 9:30 pm the first full day (amazing!), talking over geeky biblical interpretation things with Knut at dinner.

Lala salaama. (Sleep peacefully.)

Travel photo tip: Ask permission before taking pictures.

Travel photo tip: If you want a picture of a market or something public, take a picture of your friend. If your friend is barely in the corner of the photo and there is a huge area of the market, mission accomplished!

Travel photo tip: If you will be in a community for several days, keep cameras out of site or just take a few photos of friends. After 3 days, then you have more of a relationship. Still ask to take pictures, but now the people are friends not strangers in a human zoo. Finally, if in a group, designate 1 or 2 people to take photos for the whole group. Then, you will be mostly interacting relationally.

Travel photo top: Don’t get a new camera just before going on a trip. Make sure you have plenty of time to get to know your camera and use it effectively.

Travel money tip: Get a credit/debit card that has a 0% international transaction fee. If you’re in the Seattle Area, BECU has one, but Capital One has one too.

Travel money tip: Bring more than one card in case the first one doesn’t work. Debit cards have less fees on this side at Tanzanian ATMs!

Travel money tip: Make sure you have previously registered your international travel on each card you take out of the country with travel dates and countries. Some cards let you do this online. Some require that you call the number on the back of the card.

Travel money tip: Make 2 photocopies—front and back—of the cards you are taking along. Take one with you, so you have the customer service number if you card is lost or stolen and leave one with a contact back home. Do this for your passport too!

Travel gear tip: ScottEVest. Mine has 17 hidden pockets. Safari vests scream tourist and the pockets on the outside say “target” to pick pockets.

Travel gear tip: Connect things of value to your body by a lanyard or chain.

Travel gear tip—for places with sketchy water: Water filters. I have two with me.

 

With blessings,

Beth

The flights were uneventful with some but not too much sleeping. I met my PhD adviser, Knut, in Amsterdam and flew the last leg of the journey with him. Part of the flight was a beginning conversation about my PhD dissertation. (It was officially accepted about a week ago, so I will defend it in Norway on May 2-3.) He was very pleased with the report, written by my defense committee. (See the post from Feb. 23, 2016 to find out more about my “opponents.”) I’m relieved that he is pleased.

Upon arrival at the Kilimanjaro International Airport (with all our luggage!), I was able to get on the airport’s free WIFI and send a text to Anya that I made it safely. (The WIFI worked better here than at Sea-Tac!) Then, we were picked up by my friend, David Mtui. He owns a safari company and drives too. It is great to have a safe and trusted drive. The greatest risk to health here is not malaria, snakes, or lions, but rather auto accidents, especially at night. As the sun goes down at 6:30 pm all year round, there is a lot of darkness in every evening.

I had asked “the dangerous question” to a couple missionary friends: “I have an extra bag, what can I bring for you?” So, on the way to Arusha from the airport, we stopped at the Tumaini University Makumira gate, where we met Randy Stubbs, who oversees the only music BA in the country (with more people than California!). I brought 18 pounds of Costco sized chocolate chips, almonds, and craisins (donation from Leslie and Gary), as well as a violin bow, tuning pegs and a few other supplies for strings, (donation from LaDeana). I told them it was “like Christmas at Eastertime.” Randy’s family have extended us hospitality, even staying at their home, so it is great to be able to return the blessing.

Somewhere in the mix, I got some mud smeared above my ankle. This is Africa. Life is always an adventure here.

Our hotel is close to the clock tower area of Arusha. It is good for walking around for banks and making connections. Knut stayed here earlier as part of his research grant. He likes the view from his room’s veranda overlooking a grassy courtyard. Unfortunately, we were both given rooms on the side overlooking an ally! But, Knut will deal with that in the morning. I’m off to clean up a bit and get to bed.

Travel packing tip: Pack an extra pair of travel underwear (that can be washed out and dry overnight) and a T-shirt (such as dry-weave or clima-lite fabric that can also dry overnight) in your carryon. If your luggage doesn’t arrive, you have a clean pair of underwear (“chupi” in Kiswahili) and a clean shirt for the next day. In the past, this has come in handy when Anya was little threw up on me on the plane, and the time we were stuck in Nairobi for an overnight.

Travel packing tip: Take a picture of your luggage, so if it doesn’t show up, you can show it to the lost luggage people. I guess if you were really concerned, you’d have brought along a print out of it to attach to the form!

Travel jet lag tip: I used to be skiddish of pills, but after dealing with vertigo and almost getting sick from lack of sleep due to jet lag, I now take a sleep aid for the first two nights. I still wake up at night, but usually I am able to get to sleep again. After two nights, I’m good.

Travel jet lag tip: I also bring Melatonin to help get my circadian rhythm on this time zone (10 hours difference). Take it at bedtime. I actually started this the day before I left (a tip from Tom R).

With blessings,

Beth

This is the eve before my 8-day trip to Tanzania. My sister-in-law, Corrine, and my niece, Meagan, are up from Cupertino, CA, for the weekend too. So, the day was filled with packing, errands, and special times with family.

It started by getting the silk painting banner studio set up at church. Anya has a huge role in this major project!

The artistic gifts of Christy Lindell have established a tradition of sharing a colorful silk banner with our mission partners in Tanzania.

We continued with the art theme by visiting the Chihuly Glass Museum in Seattle.

After an afternoon of packing a second suitcase with gifts for Tanzania (12 pounds of chocolate chips, almonds, and craisins; 7 soccer balls; soccer jerseys; a carbon fiber violin bow with replacement tuning pegs; 480 blue knuckle bandages; and more!) and all the final preparations (like getting Swedish flash cards synced to my iPhone), we were off to a birthday celebration at The Melting Pot.

Anya and her aunt Corrine share the same birthday (different year), but I’ll be gone for the official day. I’m off to present a paper at a conference in Tanzania, funded by my PhD adviser’s Norwegian Research Council grant. At first I declined the invitation, because it is Anya’s birthday (and a whole lot of jet lag for 8 days of travel). But because we usually end up celebrating Anya’s birthday before or after her birthday week, as it seems to coincide with spring break and many friends are out of town. So, she encouraged me to go for the special opportunities this trip affords.

So, actually, my day started revising the paper that I’m to present. What is this paper about? Ok, here’s the geeky title, “Is ‘The God who Rules’ Adequate?: Stimulating Discussion on the Representation of YHWH in the Kimaasai Bible.”

The next 8 days will have updates of the journeys–mine and the paper’s. I may be a little limited with Internet access, so while I hope to post each day, I may not be able to.  If you’d like to be notified of a post, one easy way is to scroll down on the left navigation and click on “Entries RSS.” If you choose “Subscribe to this feed using Live Bookmarks,” it will add a bookmark to the bookmark toolbar of your browser. I believe it notifies you when there is a new post.

With blessings,

Beth

It was a fantastic day today! The weather was perfect!

I was invited along on a hike to Rattlesnake Ledge in the Cascade Mountain foothills.

I had some time to get some Swedish learning, travel preparations, chores, and cleaning done. My sister-in-law and niece arrive tomorrow from the Bay Area. But, my essay isn’t finished! Ugh!

Then off to Anya’s track meet (I was listening to Swedish audio lessons while watching. I wonder if people thought I was a bit bonkers as I would mumble my Swedish responses!)

Anya made a new high in pole vault. She actually improved her personal best by 1 whole foot and cleared 7 feet in only her second time competing!

We were blessed with a dinner invitation to the Middleton-Youngs for grilled salmon. They are so kind.

With blessings,

Beth

The weather for the past two days has been exceptional! I got my travel hammock out again! Life is better in a hammock!

Today, the wonderful weather meant that the sunshine would dry my travel clothes that I soaked in Permethrin for mosquito/malaria prevention.

The sleep sacks get treated too. Anya’s sleep sack is a special one that our friend and Anya’s sewing mentor, Christy taught Anya how to paint silk with Anya’s own design.

To the left of the sleep sack in the picture above is my well-traveled “dirt skirt.” This Value Village find has been to Tanzania perhaps half-a-dozen times. It is the perfect color to disguise the dust. The polyester fabric is fit for the rugged travel and hand washing, and then it dries quickly. It even has functional pockets! But the best part is that it is a full enough skirt for me to wear my REI shorts underneath. The cargo pockets are perfect for my passport and things.

Unfortunately, I realize that it is hard at times for me to figure out which year some of the pictures are from, because I’m wearing the same skirt! However, this year, I will have new sandals!

With blessings,

Beth

I’m starting a new chapter of what has become predominantly a travel blog. As there is quite a bit of travel coming up, this is a great way to keep in touch with my family and other friends.

Memorial services are full of mixed emotions for me. On Sunday, March 20, I attended my uncle’s memorial service in the San Jose area. My in-laws graciously hosted me and my father, who flew in from Minnesota, to remember his brother.

It was important for me to be there to support my Aunt Connie.

Connie relentlessly advocated and cared for Rand after a massive stroke 10 years ago–as only a retired elementary school principal and loving spouse can. I developed such an admiration of Connie through her care-giving journey. She is an amazing woman!

In the midst of the sorrow, there was the joy of being with family. I had a great connection with my cousin, Kiki. I have seen her only twice since I was 16, but this was an enriching connection. I came away so grateful for my time together, and for the graciousness of my in-laws.

I did take a bit of time to also see friends from Tanzania, Jim and Judy Bangsund. Judy has a special place in my heart for her depth of welcome the first time I met her, but also for her care of me after the first miscarriage in Tanzania. She drove four hours round trip to be with me and bring homemade Irish soda bread.

My extended family wasn’t very close, as we were scattered over the USA, and a chunk of my childhood spent farther away in Hong Kong. That was one of the things I appreciated about marrying into Eric’s family, as they regularly gathered. Now as nieces are getting older and a work relocation, it is a little more fractured. However, this weekend renewed an awareness of the cosmic connection of family, even if the gatherings aren’t very frequent. This is part of the reason why I’ve tried to rally my siblings to meet each summer in Minnesota. Fortunately, an end of June trip is planned to nurture the family connections.

With blessings,

Beth

It has been a while since I posted. In January, I was feverishly working on my dissertation. I pushed so hard that my left sciatic nerve was rebelling. However, on January 20, with my adviser’s approval, I submitted my dissertation. Whew!

Shortly afterwards, I learned who would be on my defense committee, and I’m very pleased! They are:

• Fernando Segovia, a Cuban-born faculty member at Vanderbuilt and the 2014 President of the Society of Biblical Literature. I’m honored to have an SBL president on my committee! I quote him a few times in my last chapter! (I hope I interpreted him correctly!)

• Madipoane Masenya, a South African woman who oversees the largest Old Testament program in Africa. I know her from conferences in South Africa and in the USA as I attend the African Biblical Hermeneutics (philosophy of interpretation) sessions. I use a method (contextual lens) that she has used, so she should understand my approach.

• Marta Høyland Lavik, the internal member from Misjonshøgskolen (my institution), who is a great selection due to her research on African biblical scholars and her use of qualitative research in biblical studies. She understands the methods and issues in my dissertation.

So, for my inter-cultural project, I am fortunate to be blessed with representations from Hispanic Roman Catholicism and African Pentacostalism which comprise huge percentages of World Christianity. Thus, I am pleased that my dissertation committee of three includes two from the Global South.

My planned dates are May 2-3 — if my dissertation is accepted by the committee. There is a chance that they will send it back requesting work on some issues with a 3-month deadline to re-submit. I’m cautiously optimistic that it will be strong enough to be accepted thanks to my adviser’s careful reviews and critiques.

Now my “face is set to Uppsala.”

I’ve been a bit reserved on the public communication, because there was still a process to go through. Last week, it was announced that I was the finalist out of the four semi-final candidates with strong academic backgrounds. I’ve been informed that the Board of Johannelund will make the final decision on March 11. So, I’m walking by faith–not by contract.

There are a zillion things to do to get ready (which I won’t bore you with), but right now the two main things are:

1. applying for the European Union equivalent of the “green card” which is a “blue card” and
2. getting Anya registered for school.

Yes, my journey has changed from what I expected. However, I again see God’s faithfulness and Providence. Our former Missionaries in Residence at Trinity Lutheran College wrote of their journey with a huge step of faith to return to Asia in their mid-50. While they already had struggled to learn 2 languages during their work in Southeast Asia, they were now tackling the very difficult tonal and character-based language of Mandarin Chinese. People asked “Why?” While they were responding to God’s call to mission, they said that this huge step of faith “keeps them dependent upon Jesus.” So often, we can get comfortable in our professional lives and the way we manage them. They didn’t want to close the doors to opportunities because of fear of the challenges. They knew that whatever the challenges, God would be with them and God is faithful.

With blessings,

Beth