trips.schrull.us

Thursday, October 11:  Today was our last full day in Kasulu.  I hope to go back an cover some of the days thay at missed blogging about later, but in case I don’t, the quick run-down was:

 

Sunday, Oct 7th – Two church services where Bill and I both shared and we sang two songs.  The first, the 6:30 am service at St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Kasulu, which we left early so that we could drive to the second at Musagara, a church that we have visited serveral times before and where Bill’ borther Canon, Herman Kapama is pastor.  (Bill, Duadi and Herman Kapama were all made Canon’s at the same time 4 or 5 years ago).  Bishop Makaya returned for Dar es Salaam and Kigoma and the three of us, Bob, Bill and I enjoyed dinner in the Guest Hostel Gazebo.

 

Monday was spent mostly at LTC.  I did some blogging, Bill continued to work on technology and Efram introduced us to a taylor so that Bob could get the kitangi he had bought last week into shirst for himself and Elsa.  Emmanual Bwatta who is curently serving as Principal/Dean of LTC returned from Dar es Salaam, as di (NOT all) of the students.  Dinner was with the Bishop and Duadi.  We went out to the Kasulu Motel, which always serves a good meal.  Oh, and did I mention that the rainy season had started?  We had a massive rain/thunder storm in the early evening and the three foot deep gullies along side the road were completely filled with swiftly running water.

 

Tuesday, Bob shared at chapel instead of the regular Bible reading and discussion. We were again down at LTC.  Bwatta blindsided me as he did the first time I came to Kasulu when he was. Kasulu Bible College Principle and asked me to teach an English class to the diploma students.  The class was an hour and twenty minutes long, and I was NOT prepared (I’m not a teacher, I’m a computer applicaion engineer, who happens to speak English).  I came up with a quick lesson plan that started with the different vowel sound that combinations of vowels can have in English compared to Swahili and discussed reading and listening with “English” eyes and ears, instead of Swahili eyes and ears.  Encourged them to get as much exposure to reading and listening (and speaking) English as possible (including giving them some web-sites that have news in English read slowly).  We did some conversation:  I went around asking each student about his family and gave them the opportunity to ask me some questions.  I ended the class by giving them a homework assignment of writing two paragraphs about changes to life that the rainy season brings for them to hand in to their regular English teacher a the next class.  (I won’t be correcting them! And I did ask their teacher’s permission first).

Dinner was with KCC (Kusulu Cathedral Choir).  They shared some of their songs with us and we shared one with them.  After we all ate, they shared some of their hpes and plans with us.

 

It rained lightly overnight in Kasulu.  It utterly rained up in the hills by Musagara and Mkanga, where there is a six month old church that was having confirmation and installing their Pastor on Wednesday.  The road is not paved and the clay bed was slippery in spots, especially on the hils where we would get stuck behind very slow moving trucks.  Bob preached,  we shared two songs.  I hope to come back and blog more about the service later.

Dinner was at the Dhana’s.  As always, Olivia over did herself with making many many different dishes.  She also gifted us with matching dresses that she had made for Abbie and Evelyn!  (She said that she didn’t make anything for me this time.  She lied, but I didn’t find that out until tonight.)

 

This morning Bob and Bill went down to LTC where Bob preached at the morning service.  I stayed up in the compund to represent our team at Chapel.  I also has some things to go over with the finance department and wanted to start organizing for packing.  We ended up having to go to town to get more funds from the ATM to pay for various Guest Hostel/Car expenses.  I organized what I could but found that yesterday had really wiped me out.  I kept wanting to take a nap.

Bill picked Bob and I up to take us down to the LTC Canteen for lunch and we spent the afternoon down at LTC.  Bill finished up his various technology chores and we came back up to the compound to rest and shower before going to a small farewell gathering at the Bishop’s house at 7:00 pm.  They have done some major remodeling of the inside of the Bishops house and the living room and new dinning room is set up much better for gatherings.  We enjoyed another fine meal, therewas discussion about the past two weeks, and thanks from the Bishop.  Then we were presented with shirts for Bill and Bob and a dress that matches Bill’s shirt for me and something (I didn’t see what) that matches Bob’s shirt for Elsa.  The evening ended with farewells.  Most of our friends will be heading to a wedding tomorrow morning.  A few will have to stay and provide coverage for the offices while so many are away, to we will be accompanied to Kigoma only by our driver.