WE HAVE A LIMITED WIFI CONNECTION. PHOTOS WILL BE ADDED LATER.
The first cup of chai came through the hospitality of Ciwila’s thermos. I went to morning prayer and afterwards, I greeted Happy, one of the students sponsored by the Pohle family, who were part of the Cross of Christ mission team in 2012. I got choked up greeting her, because I know how meaningful this relationship has been for the Pohle’s, who have shared stories about visiting her enkang (family settlement, also known as a boma).
I hurriedly finished packing and saying farewells, as the Fribergs texted me they would arrive between 10 and 11 am. Well, they showed up a 9:55 am! On the way through Monduli, we stopped for chai (#2), and some had chapatti (like a thick tortilla fried in oil). Then it was up and over the Monduli mountains, and down into the valley below. The road is much better than it was years ago, but still at times, Steve needed 4-wheel drive to get through the rough spots and dry river beds.
Steve was carrying a bed from one of the Maasai young men from his area who was working as a guard in Arusha. When the rent of his little apartment went up, he thought it wasn’t worth it to continue working in the city. So, when we dropped of the bed, we were treated to chai (#3).
After a quick visit to a church, for which Steve and Bethany helped coordinate a work party from Luther College, we completed our drive to Ketumbeini. Bethany thought that she should first take me to visit Mama Laiser, who is a retired teacher and helps Bethany with the Napok beading mama project. She and her husband, Johanna, had two daughters in the first class of the MaaSAE Girls School, Elisipha and Enoti. While I never taught these two, I did help them get into university. Elisipha has now earned a master’s degree in community development from a university in Uganda and is seeking employment, while Enoti is one of the first Maasai women doctors in Tanzania, working at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center (KCMC) and specializing in eyes. (KCMC was founded by the father of Greg Mortenson, known for his book, Three Cups of Tea.) So, my fourth cup of chai was with a little lunch of beans on spaghetti while greeting Mama Laiser.
We talked about the development of the Napok beading mama’s project. The amazing news is that they have just secured land from the district. Maasai women are traditionally not allowed to own land or cows. (As this is a socialistic country, no one “owns” land, but those who have a 99 year lease are generally referred to as owning land. ) There is a local NGO that is working with Maasai women to help them understand their rights according to the law. Through seminars and hearing stories of the few pioneering Maasai women, slowly there has been advancement for women’s issues, such as legal recourse for domestic violence. We discussed more issues about the development of women and heard illustrative stories.
Then, Bethany and I walked the 15 minute journey over dust and rocks to their home. I’ve been here for a short visit, but now we’re overnight guests. We planned our camping trip and started our packing before dinner of spaghetti. A not too cold shower refreshed us before bedtime under mosquito nets.
With blessings,
Beth