2nd Module - Discipleship Training

We were rather concerned when the 2nd module of our Discipleship Training Class was fast approaching, but the class material was just not "coming together." When the day arrived, our team prayed together one more time. . .and we just did not seem to have an answer from God. So, Bob decided to go outside and walk around.

Bob walked several buildings away to the classroom, and to his surprise found several NEW attendees already waiting--very un-Tanzanian to be early. Bob returned to the house to tell us, and then we understood--God was not working with us on new material particularly because He had a different plan!

We came to understand that there were several pastors at the large Ministers Conference the week previous who "heard through the grapevine" that we were having another class. Although they knew the Discipleship Training was meant to be for a small group, by special invitation, they were desperate and bold enough to "crash the training." Surprise!

Though this wasn't what we had planned, God knew what He was doing. Since one of the key concepts of discipleship is about making more disciples, our class had the wonderful opportunity to begin doing that now. And so, we enlisted members of the first class to help us teach the new class members. They got hands-on experience, and they did it! What a blessing!

Clothing Vendors on Market Day

We observed the clothing market, which sported everything from used Western-style clothing from abroad to the tribal cloth wraps folded neatly in stacks of various colors for the local tribes--red for the Maasai, blue for the Iraqw, and brown & black for the Barabaig!

By far, my favorite site was the shoe market area. I think tire shoes are pretty cool. In fact, I own a pair! But I never considered the "manufacturing process." 

We stopped for a few minutes and watched as the young men struggled to cut apart a large tire, preparing it to be fashioned into these sturdy black sandals that can put on quite a few miles!

Back to Katesh...on market day

After our day-safari to Lake Manyara, we headed straight back to the village of Katesh, at the foot of Mount Hanang. As we neared our destination, we noticed a large number of people travelling to the outskirts of the village. Bayo explained that it was the Market Day. Only one day each month does this village have an open-air market. So we thought we would drive through to see what wares were for sale this day.

We were fascinated to see the convergence of cultures--the old, traditionally-dressed tribesmen next to the young men taxi-ing shoppers back home on their motorcycles (called "pikipiki"). . .and then, of course, the strange Americans driving through the market as if it were another safari trek.

Regal Giraffe of Manyara

On our way out of the park we had a great viewing of a number of beautiful giraffe, all trekking near the shores of Lake Manyara. This regal mother and her baby were on their way to join the rest of the "herd" of dozens of these graceful creatures feeding among the trees.

They seemed just as curious about us as we were about them as we paused to admire them and snap their photos.

What a joy and privilege it is to travel to the remote areas and observe God's incredible creation in all its diversity and beauty. I am reminded of the account in Genesis where God looked upon all He had created and pronounced it "very good". . . our observation would add "truly amazing!"

Lunch break at Manyara - Part 2

Also during lunch (coincidently, the ONLY time visitors are allowed out of their vehicles), we looked and spied several lions. Can you spot them? Glad we had those binoculars!

There they are, beneath the tree! I was happy to see them...way over there...happily lounging from the heat of the day and unconcerned about the light-skinned picnickers nearby.

And then it was time to hit the road again to see the rest of the park.

Lunch break at Manyara - Part 1

We pulled into the park's picnic area for a quick bite of lunch, notice the binoculars in the middle of the table. We didn't want to miss a single opportunity to catch a glimpse of the wonders God had prepared for us.  While eating, we were greeted by another one of Tanzania's beautiful birds.

This little fellow landed just inches from us, perching on the end of our table waiting for hand-outs.  What striking colors and contrasts!

Day Safari in Manyara - Part 2

This is one of the few times that I have been privileged to see hippos. 

Because we came early in the day, before the heat of the sun was too unbearable, 

many of them were grazing by the banks of the lake.

Once the sun gets hot, these creatures, which are very susceptible to sunburn, 

spend their days wallowing in the pools.

Warthogs make me laugh. They are such comically ugly animals, but they too were on the hunt for good food, kneeling right down and digging wildly into the earth with their snouts.

One of my favorite African birds, the Crested (or Crowned) Crane loves the dry plains, where it can snack on plants, insects, and even lizards.

Day Safari in Manyara - Part 1

As a kind of belated birthday celebration, the AIM team decided to take me for a one-day, self-drive safari to Lake Manyara National Park. Manyara is beautiful, with terrain that varies from wooded streams to dry, grassy plains.

The elephants we saw at Manyara were smaller (or younger?) than others we have seen in Tanzania, but that didn't keep us from stopping for a few minutes. Since they were so close, we enjoyed watching the whole family of them as they ate and observed us.

Even the baboons seemed to be taking a day off, sitting in the shade and grooming each other near a small hippo pool.

Field-Direct Prices

As we entered the plant, we walked among large sacks of rice.

We watched as the raw,

whole rice (spread across the floor) was scooped by the bucketful and handed to the man on the make-shift scaffolding. He would then pour the rice into the hopper. The machine would husk the rice, and the clean, warm, white rice would exit at the bottom of the machine into another bucket.

The cleaned rice was then taken to the men at the scales who filled the large sacks with 100 kilograms (220 pounds). When the sacks are full, they are tied off and ready for sale.

Once again, Bayo took advantage of the 30% savings of buying factory-direct. He took a 20 kg sack home, which he says will likely provide his family with the rice they need for the next 4-5 months!

Magugu Rice - Tanzania's finest

About halfway back to Arusha is the village of Magugu, 

known throughout East Africa for high-quality, aromatic rice. 

The fields are golden and ready to be harvested. 

Bayo showed us how the grains form and how they simply fall off the stalk when they are ripe.

We took a few minutes in the village for a "tour" (ok, really more of a look-around) at the processing plant. As we arrived, we had a difficult time knowing where to park the car, since tarps covered with drying rice blanketed the front property...right up to the road.