Roadtrip to Arusha

My dear friend Lawrence invited me to attend his graduation in Arusha, Tanzania.  He was graduating from a program called LEMATI - in Leadership and Management training.  The program was sponsored by the Pentecostal churches in East Africa, as well as Fida International.  I thought it would be fun to go for a few days to celebrate his achievements.

Wednesday night we left Soroti and spent the night in Mbale.  I was able to attend a small house church or cell group there!!  It is always amazing to fellowship with God's people, no matter where in the world they are.  The next morning we boarded a matuta taxi to the Malaba border of Kenya and then found another taxi to take us to Niarobi.

We arrived in Niarobi at 11 pm and were exhausted... so the journey had to wait yet another day.  While eating breakfast - this was the view of the streets of Niarobi... it's a crazy big city.  So Friday, around lunch, we headed for the Namanga border and there I had an interesting lesson to learn.  I was exchanging money.  I wanted to give 5000 Kenyan shillings... and that's what I counted out... but somehow when the shop keeper was giving me the equal in Tanzanian shillings, it was only worth 4000... I am sure that he took it, because I keep strict accounting records.. and I had seen him fidgeting behind the counter, but even though he allowed me to come behind and look, I had to leave knowing that God sees what is done in secret.  Next time I will accept my balance before handing over the money I want exchanged!

At 8 pm we finally got off the last bus and arrived at the gates of Habari Maalum College, just outside of Arusha.  The director met us at the gate and brought us to our rooms in a guest house on campus.  Dinner was provided... but I crashed early... Saturday was going to be a big day. 

Early Saturday morning I took breakfast with a few guests - including Bishops and church leaders from Kenya and the Director wanted to give us a tour of the college while the graduands rehearsed their steps.

Habari Maalum is huge training and Christian resource place.  One building was strictly designated for books for the blind.  Brail documents are typed out on a computer and printed out on what seems like a dot matrix printer... it's such a blessing to see God's Word being distributed in Swahili!

The next building was a printing press - 4 huge rooms - for publication of all sorts of products and materials.

There was also a media center and a recording studio... so cool

At noon the graduation ceremonies began.

Here are the graduands with the Director, Head Bishop, Fida personnel and more...

Hooray for all the LEMATI Successes!

And Hooray for Lawrence who was the speaker on behalf of his class!

A Kenyan Bishop in the Pentecostal churches.

 Sunday morning I went to a wonderful church - the sermon and the singing was great and I felt very welcomed by many of the Tanzanian people that I had met at the graduation ceremony.  After church, a few of us hired a car to see Arusha before I began my journey back to Soroti.  One of the stops was a Snake Park.  This little critter was fun to get to know.

 Although it's a strange sensation when you begin to feel him constricting around your neck.

 I also learned more about Maasai culture - especially both male and female circumcision rituals.  Men have to be tough - to crying or even blinking or you are an outcast from tribe, considered weak, and not allowed to marry.  The woman's ceremony has become illegal, but it is believed to still happen... the woman are allowed to show tears though.

 Here I am - dressed up like a Maasai woman!

Chatting with my new friends - also graduands - Nestory from Tanzania and Noah, my French speaking friend, from the Congo.

I look tough, don't I?

 And who could pass up a ride on a camel... I haven't done that since I was four. 

 Getting up and down is the coolest sensation, but a lot like a horse!

I was happy to ride high.

 Nice camel!

 This tower in Arusha is the center point in East Africa between Cairo, Egypt and Cape Town, South Africa... it's a big continent!

 To finish my day on the town, I found delicious food.  I ate octopus soup, calamari rings with chips, and a sweet lassi.... ooo, so good!!  The supermarkets also had great things - taco shells, real bakery treats, Reese Pieces, Snapple and more... so hard to leave.

Monday morning, bright and early, I made my way to the shuttle park in Arusha, so I could catch the bus to the airport.  I saw Mt. Meru in full, and Mt. Kilimanjaro from a distance.  I met some sweet ladies from Malta and a business man who lives in Kampala.  The four of us chatted all morning, took coffee together, and by the time I landed in Soroti, the business man offered to have his driver take me to the bus park in Kampala before he headed home.  It was so nice to ride in a private car from the airport because the bus trip home ended up being a 12 hour process.

Trans Cargo Bus stops everywhere along the way, and when it stops, it pauses for what seems like 15 - 20 minutes... I don't know what the are doing along the route, but I will never travel with that bus company again... I was so excited to hit my own bed a 2 am.