I’m Becoming a Hobbit–Monday April 29th
Cathy again:
After the weekend “off”, Bill wanted to get an early start on the technology work he had lined up at the Bible College today, so he had Daudi pick him up right after we attended morning devotions with the Diocesan staff. Shaw and I stayed behind to have breakfast with the Bishop. (First Breakfast). We were then going to meet with the Bishop, but first the Bishop needed to go to the Cathedral to do a short study with the Cathedral Vestry, who were attending a seminar today.
We got to the Cathedral and I was going to go over to the Bible College (the Cathedral campus backs up to the Bible College campus) but was told no, we must join the Bishop and a few of the Cathedral staff for Chai. Chai was real chai, already made with milk and sugar, chapatti and chicken soup. (Second Breakfast.) I then joined Shaw and the Bishop to give greetings to the vestry. After giving greetings, I finally was able to go over to the Bible College (Shaw stayed with the Bishop; he was going to show the Bishop in more detail the the on-line training he is offering to the Bible College).
I got to work on catching up on my blogs around 10:35 and helped out Bill with configuring some of the virtual work stations on the new server we are installing. After a while, I indulged in some of the tea and cookies they had waiting for us in the Internet Room. (Elevensies…or there about.)
At 1:00 pm we went over to Emmanuel Bwatta’s house for a lovely lunch of rice, fried potato chips, beans, stewed beef and avocado slices (still in the rind), accompanied by soda, juice, or water and bananas. (Lunch. Dinner?)
More tea or coffee and cookies mid-afternoon at the Bible College, then back to the compound for showers at the Sammons (British Missionaries here for two years with some very clever solutions to living conditions in Kasulu. Follow this link for a lesson in dealing with water or the lack thereof in the compound http://sammonsinafrica.blogspot.com/2013/03/bucket-management.html ). Daudi picked us up for dinner at Pastor Manyaga’s house. We have enjoyed his hospitality on every trip that we have made to Kasulu.
One thing I can not emphasize enough: the hospitality of the people of this country. Unless we ask specifically to only be served one meat dish (preferably beef) we will be served both chicken and beef. Meat is not a normal part of the average Tanzanian’s diet and chicken is the most expensive, special meat, beef is less expensive. It’s rather as if everyone is serving us a crown roast everyday. And it would be very rude not to eat at least a little of most of what is offered.
On the work front, Bill finished all of the new server configuration (I helped with a little of the more mundane boring parts). He also set up two new work stations to replace the original “pc1” and “pc2” we installed 6 years ago to handle tasks (like printing) that could not be done through the thin clients and arranged for power to be brought to a couple of spots for the new computer for the Staff Room/Teachers Lounge and the wireless routers that will assure that the computer network is available everywhere in the Bible College compound.
Shaw Mudge, an old friend and missionary from SAMS who is traveling with us also has been making progress, meeting with the Bishop and starting to work with teachers at the Bible College who will be on-the-ground advisors for the on-line seminary training he is offering as an supplement to the Bible College curriculum. He is also spending time in the library exploring the resources here so that he knows what is available to the students, and to try to learn how Swahili tables, etc. are presented. Here he is taking pictures of resources for future reference purposes. He plans to adapt the curriculum he has already designed to better meet Tanzanian needs.
We came back from dinner to find that Winifred, our house lady had cleaned our very muddy shoes from our Sunday hike. Thank you, Winifred! And an early night to bed after a full day.