First Presbyterian Church
Tanzania Mission Trip
2005


Sent: July 15th, 2005
From: Jason
Subject: Update

In a few minutes we are going shopping at the market, We'll see what neat things we can get to bring back as tokens of this trip to Tanzania. We finished all the projects with the main group this morning at TCRC including the slaughtering of a goat that had been ill all week. Quite an experience for our folks who have never seen livestock slaughtered before. Last night Lori and I took a wild ride looking for calves to buy. We stopped at several places but were not able to find an people ready to sell right then. We got several who said "maybe in a few days." Anyway, after we finished we went into town to get an ice cream treat. When we were ready to go, the truck would not start. A group of Indian merchants relaxing along the sidewalk came over and helped us pushstart the truck. This is not a pickup! It is a Big flatbed farm truck. What a good adventure.

Lori and I have arranged to stay in Mwanza tomorrow rather than going out to NTC for the seminar. We would be there so little time and Micah would have to do so much unnecessary driving, we thought it just wasn't worth the trouble. Besides, tomorrow we can finish the art project with the boys just the way we would like. Then Sunday, folks here will make sure we get to the airport to catch our flight. If we have enough time between our flights in Nairobi, we will try to go to the hospital to see Jane and Judy. Don't know how realistic that is. We'll play it by ear.

At the end of our time here, I am feeling more comfortable about our security. One must take care and be prudent, but it is less threatening than some might be inclined to make out. Like other places we have been, one needs to learn the "lay of the land."

God has blessed us so richly. I know it will be very hard leaving all the guys at TCRC tomorrow. Lori has only had about a dozen proposals of marriage, but no one has gotten down to talking turkey on how many cows she is worth. So I guess I'll be bringing her home with me. I'm just not very successful at this father stuff (from the African point of view).