With so many end-of-stay activities and rain deluges, it has been difficult for me to find much time to sit and think or write. Yesterday, Thursday, the rain was horrendous until late afternoon, and then it fell again during the night. I’ve given up trying to keep track of when we have electricity or not. It’s really not very important because when the power goes out, our light switch automatically to solar power, and we have two gas burners to use on our kitchen stove. It’s hard to feel at all inconvenienced here at Kundayo.
Even though it was raining buckets all morning yesterday, we met up with our friend Terry Morton at Kituma yesterday for lunch. She’s going back to the States for 2 months for fund raising and leaves on Monday. She does some wonderful work with albinos in Tanzania, and we wish her well. However, everyone who has an NGO, be it a seed program, health clinic, school, or orphanage, does the same thing. Many of the people I have met these past weeks at Kudayo come to Tanzania for several months and then return to their countries, e.g. Holland, Italy, Sweden, the US, to raise funds before returning for another period of time here. There are so many competing hands stretched out for donations that I find it overwhelming at times. My little effort to change the world has focused mainly on providing quality education for a few children and making donations to a very small group of organizations.
Before we met Terry at my new favorite place, Kitamu, John and I had Ray drive us quickly to a few places where one of us could jump out of the car, dash through the rain, and get what we needed. John ran into Moona’s to buy an ACE bandage for my ankle, which has made some crackling noises and hurts more than it did. Then, it was my turn to splash into Gohil’s, the place for spices in Arusha, to make some gift purchases there. John also went to Meat King for our very last bit of beef before we leave next week. We still got to Kitamu before it was time for Terry to arrive, so we ordered juices. John had mango juice, and I ordered a mixture of avocado, beets, and mango juice. It looks like a blood transfusion and seems very popular. So, I wanted to try it, and now I’m pretty sure once will be enough.
By the time we had finished lunch, the rain had let up. Since Terry had come in a taxi because of the deluge, we had Ray detour a bit to take her to her house on our return to Kundayo. She lives in a tidy little triplex back off the road to Njiro. It’s larger than our apartment at Kundayo and has a second bedroom, but it is not more luxurious. I’d much rather live here with other people around all day long, than behind a big wall and gate in relative isolation. However, because Terry’s co-worker, Sister Martha, who herself in an albino, lives in one of the other apartments, Terry chose to live there, too.
The rest of the day passed as usual, with more rain during the night.
Friday morning found me busy trying to finish up the last draft of the talk I am to give at church on Sunday. Originally, I had declined to do this, but then there was some sort of crisis with the other person who had been scheduled, and I agreed to step in. It didn’t take me long to compose what I want to say, but I keep editing and adjusting the text. This likely will continue right up until we leave for church.
Just before noon, I made may annual pilgrimage to my Arusha coiffeur, Aly, who is one of the most fey persons I know. His mother came from Vancouver, B.C. for a 5 month visit, and he was buzzing with news about that. This was the first time in almost 7 years that they had seen each other. Ali reported that his mother spent a lot of her time at the mosque and did not bother him at all about all of his partying and drinking. He is looking more battered and pickled than ever. Also, he now has 5 ( or is it 6?) dogs instead of just two. The newest dog is a sweet Shepard puppy named Simba.
John went his own way to meet up with a young dentist who attends ACC and is now working on setting his own clinic. Dr. Eric Mbele was proud to show John the renovated house which will house his practice and some of the equipment he has purchased. He has big plans, which will likely work out, since by his estimate, there are only 7 dentists in Arusha with a population of about half a million who have the training and equipment necessary for modern dental care.
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| Dr. Eric Mbele's new dental clinic under remodeling |
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| Dr.Mbele's new equipment |
Later in the day, Mama was sitting outside, so I decided to use a chocolate chip cookie mix I had and bake a treat for her. She was very appreciative, but told me that American cookies are too sweet—have to much sugar. She ate two and shared the others with the nearby staff and workers. We chatted for a while before a neighbor showed up to visit and I could return back to our place.
I wanted to use the beef John had bought yesterday in a coconut beef stew but couldn’t find a recipe in which only the spices I had were used. So, I pieced together my own recipe, and it turned out very well. (I just hope I can remember what I did—and didn’t do.) While I was in the kitchen, we could hear really beautiful music—hymns sung in a distinctive African style and harmony. This continued for a long time, followed by a loud session of fervent prayer, and then another shorter time of singing. Later Mazo told us that it was Mama’s church support group, meeting in the lodge’s lounge. I should have known the group was Lutheran by the excellent music.
By 9:00 there was thunder, lightning, and pouring rain again. The electricity went off and stayed off all night. The rain finally stopped before dawn. The only good thing about this weather for us non-farmers is cooler temperatures. We stay in the mid- to high 70s by day and go down to the lower 70s at night. It’s perfect for sleeping.
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