All Home!

They all arrived home safe & sound & running on high energy last night. Talkative & full of stories. They have LOTS of letters for prayer partners. Last night was still a night of "who has what suitcase" with various items scattered between them all.

Was told that leaving for the airport 4hrs prior to the flight was "just right" - any later would have been risky (and you thought your traffic was bad!)

Today is probably a day of sleeping, relaxing & just getting ready to home surroundings again & then they will be busy with many activities over the next two weeks.

MEET & GREET: Everyone is invited to either of the two "Meet & Greets" at Immanuel Lutheran-Harlan. Saturday 30th after the 5:00pm church with cheese & crackers -or- Sunday after the 9:00am service followed with fruit, rolls, coffee & juice. What a joy to meet both Beatric Kingiliwe last night: She is a primary school teacher for upper level/age students. Very knowledgable, well spoken & very strict on the way Swahili is to be pronounced (Rick is still getting lessons from her & she won't let him slack!!) She is a very classy lady. After so much correspondence with Past Wallace Lupenza, it was wonderful to meet him finally also! He is also a wealth of knowledge & has been integral in the agriculture program in Kidugala.  Both of them are staying at the Chipman Farm. If you want to find out what activities to participate in, or if you have anything you would like to share - contact Rick or Cheryl Chipman to find out available times or what is on the schedule.

Getting Ready to Leave-Tuesday

Heard from the team (reception on phone was terrible today & we got cut off once). They will are working their way to the airport now & will be on their way in the air to Amsterdam about 3pm our time. They spent 2 nites in Ruaha. They drove thru a pride of 21 lions! (females w/cubs & 3 males!). We were assured that April did NOT get eaten by any lions. One night elephants came down both sides of the guys' banda to the river-that must have been a sight to behold! They spent last night at the Morogoro Jr Secondary Seminary where Pr Isaac Chengula teaches & the met up w/ the Asst Bishop. Then came in to Dar this morning. They went on a ferry ride to an island today & then to the local fish market in Dar. Just before they left the girls spent some more time at the school & rick went to see Siphael's samaki (fish) ponds. They all went on the hike and also to the irrigation project a few days before they left. Of course it was difficult for everyone on both sides at the going away party.........it is hard to leave.

Pray for their safe travels in the air on the way home & for Beatrice (first time on an airplane!)

Pretty Silent on Communication

Communication has been pretty silent. Have not been able to get through to either Rick's phone or Pastor Wallace's phone. They are working, but the Tanzania lines have been tied up. There was a quick message today at 9:00am our time on my phone from the team that said "we are in route from Iringa to Morogoro" (this would be 5:00pm their time). Assuming that they are really in route FROM Iringa to Morogoro tells me they may already have been to see Pastor Konga & Edina and that they may already have left Ruaha. I would think they would be somewhere to spend the night (possibly in Dar es Salaam) prior to leaving Tuesday night.
I do know that Pastor Wallace's phone is functioning as it still plays Bing Crosby's "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" but it states then that you are unable to leave a message at this time. Could be their location is difficult for reception. Hearing that song made me cool down a little today as I listened to it several times today while trying to get through!!
It won't be long before they are here: Wednesday - July 27th they arrive in Omaha at 4:13pm on KLM flight 5246 from Minneapolis. Anyone who has some time or is able to swing by the gate to greet & welcome them, it would be really nice.
Pray for them all now, as this is the time that some apprehension sets in. Coming home is exciting but also somewhat disorienting also as one starts to think about living to a schedule & changing back to a fast-paced lifestyle & all the things that go with that.

Some "Firsts for Everyone"

Some "firsts" for April: Eating Ugali & sugar cane, driving through rivers, riding in a vehicle with chickens (sounds like that latter has become quite frequent)

Some "firsts" for Patty: This is by far the most amazing for those of you that know Patty, even though she has been there 3 times, she NEVER has done this before...........SHE IS DRINKING REGULAR COKE (warm of course-no ice).

For all 3 girls: Rick was busy with the irrigation. So the 3 girls helped harvest the test plot!

Sounds like they are going to be very very tired tonite. Went to preaching points this morning, going on the hike to "see the rock with the map of Africa on it" (that means they climb a mountain) & Rick was still being taken to see more corn, chickens, pigs & whatever else needs to be looked at. They have met with more of the Prayer Partners& received another chicken.

Miscommunications

The girls took some material to the tailor for dresses-hand signals & several calls from the tailor to Pr Wallace-we will see what they get. also, the girls were going to learn once & for all how to wrap their heads like the beautiful headdresses at the wedding-well......someone came with hair supplies, fake hair & started braiding like the fancy updos at the wedding (it will be interesting to see how they look & how much hair is pulled from their roots when they return!). They are going on a walk today this is about 40 minutes each way (now you know, in TZ you are always told "only 1 more hour" & then 3 hours later.....)
They were at a preaching point this morning & a car pulled up, they had been looking for them to track them down. They were told that "Debbie needs to be wired!!!" (this could not wait until they returned to the church obviously)......hmm, like I'm not "wired" enough already. As you remember, Debbie (Debi) is the autoclave.
Basically everyone speaks Swahili & some have leaned English. Prior to learning Swahili they usually speak a "mother-tongue". There are 2 main tribes in this area Hehe ("hay-hay") and Bena-mostly Bena (speaking kihehe or kibena) so it makes it confusing sometimes when they blend Swahili & Kibena. Now they have Bena names (not sure what they are yet)

April's Gifts & Njombe Wed July 13

April is pretty popular over there-she has received (four) 10ft stalks of sugar cane & a huge entire branch of banana bunches!! Both are so good & sweet but she has to share! The entire team has also received 2 roosters (So that is 2 TZ roosters vs 1 Sun AM/Shelby Cty Fair rooster) & some eggs. The team spent the day (Wed) in Njombe with the Bishop & Asst Bishop & enjoyed lunch together. The Bishop received the stitched wall hanging. He will offically be installed on 10/9 & the Prime Minister of TZ will be in attendance. Immanuel was invited to sent representatives to also celebrate if possible. Besides veternarian supplies-Pr Wallace & Rick also looked into more plumbing supplies in regards to the irrigation system. Thurs he will be in Masilu working on GPS work/plumbing & other supplies needs in regards to that system. Well drilling for Kidugala was discussed with the Bishops office & Seth from Step-By-Step, wells are only drilled from July-Dec it is possible Kidugala may get another well by Dec-more info later upon the team's return. The entire team visited the deaf school & was given an in-depth tour & they presented the school with the projector (they also visited Jacob & Martin). The "girls" purchased some more material to bring back. Communication the past 2 days has been difficult as TZ phone lines have been tied up so but contact was finally made today in a small window of time. It was 8pm when I spoke with them & they had just rolled in from Njombe-long day.

Education: Pigs, English Classes, Orphan Education

The pig seminar on Mon was attended by 35 people & many topics were discussed. While in Njombe today the team went to a veternarian store & the TZ Farmers Assoc (like a co-op) & obtained important items for the pigs being raised in Kidugala. Speaking of pig production-the team was having supper at a secondary teacher's home (he is also the director of the pig project that is run by the secondary students) during their visit the home & the roof started to shake & rumble. When they asked what it was, the teacher said "oh, it is the rats on the roof"-then they heard them run across the roof again making the house rumble (they look like a very oversized cross of a hamster & a rabbit). Patty reports that the Orphan Education Program is getting up & running well & the HEAD members in Kidugala along with representatives at the preaching points/schools are working on a budget along with a possible scholarship program for the upper levels. Rick attended the evangelist English class last night & it lasted until 11:30pm-this class is held year-round 2 nights/week for 3 hours! April attended classes at the secondary school (Swahili poetry & English Class in which they discussed the different meaning of some English words). Yarn & needles were purchased for the sewing center which will make uniform sweaters for the preschool & primary school orphans. Also 2 new soccer balls were purchased for 2 of the primary schools. They are still working on passing out photos & obtaining new photos of the Prayer Partners. All is well/they are all healthy & miss everyone.