I lost a post. So sorry Carolyn. I answered all the questions and then was capsized by technical difficulties. Since it is 2 a.m. I better post what I wrote earlier and go to bed. We begin flight tomorrow early afternoon OH time.  I am delighted to hear that I will get to meet a couple of the Belizian visitors. We are curious how their trip has been. Any word?

Final meeting this afternoon at 3:30 and we were blessed with Monkeys! We have been told all week that there were monkeys who lived on the hill above the diocesan center, but only Mary Bower had seen one. About the middle of our meeting however three monkeys graced us and hung (literally) around the rest of the meeting. when we ended we scared one off the roof and into a tree. I am not positive what we committed to for the future of our relationship but those were beautiful monkeys.

The other distraction - tangerines. To call them by a common name belittles them. The peel had more juice than most we call good in the U.S. The flavor was tart and sparkling. They were an experience.

And at the risk of sounding a complete aesthete, we had bamia (okra) tonight! It was great. Bamia, monkeys, tangeAwesomeRines. (I am quite sure that the general secretary, Canon Peter Kihiyo, called his wife when we were on our way to church to tell her to locate bamia for our dinner)

Can you imagine a sung liturgy in a mud church with 40 people? Can you imagine the choir of such church, say St. Mathew's Kubuku, practicing twice every week, singing two (what I would call) anthems? Can you imagine hauling water on your head for several miles to make mud to make bricks for your new church? Can you imagine building your church for four years and just have the walls over four feet tall? Can you imagine a mud road leading to your church packed with vendors on a Sunday morning because half of the population is Muslim and needs to work on Sundays? How much would it cost to miss a day of work and go to church?

Canon Kihiyo invited me to preach, which felt like an honor early in the week. By Saturday night the honor had worn off. I was moved by Joseph’s tears in Genesis 45. (See 8.2 post, Bishop Jumaa used the Joseph/Jacob story is ’73 visit). The passage says that Joseph could hold his identity from his brothers no more, dismissed all assistants, and wept so loudly that “all Pharaohs’ house heard.” That is a lot of pain being released. And didn’t Joseph, in power and privilege amidst one of the wealthiest nations on earth, feel some of the same things we feel in connection to people in the developing world? Joseph had food and stuff but no family. Joseph had power but not community. The only word that has planted itself in my memory this week is “umoja” (umodga). I suddenly realized that I was hearing it all the time. I asked and it means “together.” If you only learn one Swahili word, umoja would be a good one. This word sums up much of the experience of the last six days. People are just together.

The three (Sarah, Patty, Ann) who came back from Hendeni deanery last night were aglow with their experiences. There visits were imagined by John Mtambo, a layman who Brendan praises, and the three adored. He apparently suggested to the churches that they have visitors plant trees so that there would be actual fruit from the relationship (there will be nameplates for the Patty avocado tree, Sarah Mango, and Avocado Ann. They were also accompanied by the only living priest who visited d OH in 1973, Matia (Belinga sp?). He is in his late 70s and because he promised to see them off tonight in Korogwe, caught us right before we left the diocesan center, said goobyes, made the three cry, and caught his bus for the two hour trip in the dark back to his home. They were also accompanied by Joyce, who is head of the Women’s union and their praise of her was equally marvelous. Look for the report from the Hendeni three.

The bike shop gave me two spoke wrenches which I didn’t want to give them away with out showing how they were used. So I commandeered a fella’s bicycle trued his wheel while he watched and gave him the wrench. New twist at least on the pushy American tourist theme. I also got to true the Kihiyo’s sons wheels tonight.

What a privilege to be on this trip. I wish my soul and mind were big enough for it. I will help how I can to see that we build this relationship over many years. We need it and Tanga Diocese needs it and the world needs us.

Thank You Diocese of Ohio for this trip.

Daniel

Photos courtesy Joe Bridges