African Adventures Continued

The last couple of days have been a whirlwind of activity. Friday we traveled all day to get to the hostel where we would be staying for the weekend. Saturday some of us got up at the crack of dawn (5:30) to watch the sunrise. After breakfast, we were hauled off to the place a few miles away where we would be going on the safari. There's only one word to describe the safari- Unreal. It was so fun with our small traveling groups and our drivers. In my group, Eric and the driver kept us plenty entertained, not like we needed to be with the variety of animals we saw. There seemed to be an over abundence of giraffes and impalas. Elephants, zebras, and lions were a little more scarce. We got daringly close to the lions, it seemed to us. They were quite calm even with the small cubs. It was crazy thinking this was one of the last things we would be doing together as a group. Yesterday, we had a worship service at our hostel. It was a wonderful experience, and I felt the Holy Spirit's presence for sure. After ariving in Iringa, we shopped for about 3 hours. We all seemed a little better at bargaining since it hasn't been our first shopping trip although some of us were better than others. Everyone seemed happy with all their purchases at the end of the day even though shopping is always exhausting. Today we had a long day of driving (8 hours) and have finally arrived in Dar.

Even though all of us will be happy to be home, we will miss Africa and all of it's people. See you soon!

Amanda

Adventures in Africa with Kori and Kim!

Hello everybody! Our days in Africa are slowly coming to an end :( We have been having an AMAZING time! Our group has been getting along so well, maybe a little too well sometimes. We have officially decided that our new favorite snack is karanga aka peanuts!! YUM YUM YUM! Our days have been filled with rocky places, ab parties, and teaching our new Tanzanian friends how to speak like an American like saying "Fo' Sho.'" Good stuff. Our internet time is almost done, but we just wanted to let you know that we're doing well and having a ton of fun. We're excited to come home and see everybody but are very sad to be leaving all of the wonderful people we have met and leaving behind this fabulous culture!
With Love Written By Kimberly Lori Neumann and Kori Kay Heidebrink

Big surprise!

Yesterday was my birthday. I didn't want or expect anything while I was here since Tanzanians don't celebrate birthdays' but I suspected wrong. At dinner, one of the travelers walks in with a cake and another walks in with to huge bowls of ice cream which are pretty rare here. A few minutes later, I was given a Tanzanian shirt that said Africa. Then I received two awesome necklaces and a flower to put on my shirt. Adding on, I was given an ebony carving of the word 'Karibu', which means welcome. I also received the best birthday card that I've ever seen. And lastly, I was given a a custom basket weave that said ' Happy Birthday Chris'. I was freaking out the entire time I was receiving these presents. The people have only known me for two weeks and the Tanzanians who don't even celebrate birthdays who have known me for even a less amount of time and threw me a party! I mean, I got a present from the assisstant to the bishop of Tanzania who didn't even know me. These are some of the kindest people that I have ever met and this has been the greatest birthday of my life and I will remember it forever. Asante Sana. Thank you all so much. Don't cry mom.

Chris Masad

So here we are only 6 days left:( It has been and amazing experince!! I can't believe how well we have all got along!! We have climbed moutains, rocks, traveled on dirty roads, moved bricks, put a roof on, painted the dinning hall, and played with kids!! Thank you for all your support!!

Megan Anliker<><

Big surprise:

We climbed a mountain!!

Monday we went to the proposed sight of a youth center outside of Njombe. To see the area we climbed what seemed like a mountian. Our bus couldn't get to the bottom so we walked at least a mile down hill, so coming back it was all up hill and we had previously thought we were in shape but we were proved wrong. At the top there was a gorgeous waterfall. From this waterfall one man managed to build a hydro-electric generator.

Kirstin Wessling

After the mountain we went to the deaf school where we had a brief tour of the campus. The school had about 130 students from primary school to secondary school. The kids each told us their name in sign language and they taught us how to applaud and say thank you so we could communicate with them. After we met 2 classes then we toured the rest of the campus and saw a HUGE tank of ugali. Our stay there was very short and many people wished we could have stayed longer, but time didn't allow it.

Emma Rinehart

Wonderful Experience in Tanzania

Our experience in Tanzania has been awesome! Each day is a new adventure and each day our relationships with each other grow stronger. It is a wonderful group that we are traveling with. Our Tanzanian brothers and sisters have been so welcoming and accomodating.

Our experience with the youth at the Igumbilo Girls' Secondary school was wonderful. We got the roof on the laboratory building and a few other projects done. Leaving there was very hard on Sunday as we formed many new friendships with the girls there.

On Monday we walked and walked but it was well worth it. We hiked up a small mountain, or a large hill and saw a beautiful waterfall. It was awesome!!

Yesterday, we went to Ilembula to visit the parish, hospital and orphanage. Almost everyone's high that day was visiting the orphanage.

We are all doing well and miss everyone very much. We continue to look forward to each day's adventure. Mungu Awabariki!

Update from Njombe

It is July 28th and our group is in Njombe. A small group of us met with others from the Diocese regarding our youth ministry programs. We all had a wonderful experience on Saturday and Sunday as we went to three different parishes and joined them for their youth rallies. They welcomed us with wonderful singing and open arms at each location. It was an awesome (sofi sana) experience. Everyone is doing pretty well, a few upset stomachs but overall we are all doing well. Our brothers and sisters here in Tanzania have been most gracious. We are getting ready to leave now to go to the Igumbilo Girls' School where Cayla and Lincoln will be a part of the presentation of mosquito nets for everyone at the girls' school. It should be a wonderful celebration. Mungu Awabariki! Please keep us in your prayers!! Lynn Egesdal

We finally made it to Dar Es Salem after many hours of being on planes. The 8 and a half hour flight was way to long. Ethiopia was an eye opener. It is much different then what I had expected. There were alot of people sleeping on the streets...more than I thought there would be. The view was amazing though. The mountains are beautiful. Well we are off to eat then tomorrow to Iringa!! Jamie Meyer

And Cindy Wells, too.

Hello! Just a note to say that I arrived safely to Tanzania and was greeted by many of our friends from the Southern Diocese! Soon we will leave to meet the Lasts, Hemmingsons, and Iowa State University representatives. Tonight, we meet with the Ministers of Agriculture, Livestock, Science & Education and perhaps others. Tomorrow, we head for Njombe, by way of the Sokoine University of Agriculture, the partnering TZ university. We worship at the Cathedral on Sunday and then we move on to a series of other ag-related meetings and site visits the upcoming week.

The Bishops Safe Arrival

We have arrived safely at Dar. Cindy Wells and company were at the airport to greet us. Gosh it's a long way here. Dar is very warm and humid, but folks from Njombe assure us it is 40 at night with highs in the 50s and 60s. A full delegation from LUPEMBE were at the airport to greet us also. Took a bus to transport us all. It's now a half hour after our arrival at TEC and we have our first meeting. Tonight it is dinner at the State House. All for now as must get to our meeting. We are all well. Oh yes, we have one bag that has not made it to Dar. We hope it will arrive by tomorrow.
Hello to all. The Bish.

On May 3rd many of the youth travelers participated in an Amazing Race bike ride on the Sauk Rail Trail. This ride was a fundraiser for many of the youth and also a team building experience. Along the way there were challenges that each team had to complete together. One of these challenges was to make ugali and eat it. Bishop Last rode with the youth on the bike ride and participated with them in the challenges.

There are less than four weeks left till we depart for Tanzania.

I Can't Wait!

Only five months and we leave for Tanzania!!