So, on Saturday, I met up with Ritha and got on a Dala Dala (a converted van used as public transport, onto which two dozen people are sometimes smooshed) headed for the bus station. There we boarded a large charter bus headed to Moshi, about 2 and a half hours away. Bus stations in Africa have become markets, with people walking around with large baskets of snacks, drinks, electronics, shaving kits, and more balanced on their heads. They toss things up to the passengers who hand money down. These kinds of unofficial economies are what keeps places like Tanzania thriving. Then we got off at Moshi, caught a smaller bus to somewhere without a name, and took another Dala Dala to Mamba Village. I'm so glad I was with Ritha because I couldn't understand a word people were saying except that they were calling me "mzungu" (white person) and sometimes "chumba" (fiancee). I didn't see any rings though, so I had to politely decline.
We finally arrived at Mamba, which is nestled into a beautiful valley surrounded by massive mountains, and headed to Ritha's house, where she lives with her sweet grandma, great aunt, two sisters, and mom. They fed us a lunch of rice, some kind of meat that I believe was beef, and delicious fresh bananas and avocados. I am pretty sketched out by meat in general and they kept piling it on my plate. I ate all I could and then Ritha's mom said, in Swahili, "The food is very bad? You are not eating much." So I felt terrible and made myself keep eating it because it is an honor to be given meat in a place where it's a rare commodity. I also drank some tea, which I was sure was giving me a bacteria infection because of the water quality, but I am still feeling fine, thankfully. Ritha's family was very kind and welcoming and showed me around the village until the Msuyas (an older couple who came to visit us in Iowa last summer) came to pick me up and take me to their house.
At the Msuyas', we had dinner and then everyone who stays in their house gathered around the living room table and we prayed, read the Bible, and sang familiar hymns in Swahili. It was so great to sing the same songs I grew up with in church in another language. The whole theme of this trip was seeing firsthand that God is everywhere and is a God of all people, regardless of language, geography, culture, or personal circumstances. This is one of the things that I've always known, but visiting Mamba made me know it firsthand, from experience. The next morning we went to Mamba Lutheran Parish for Church and it was one of the greatest things I've ever done. The church is beautiful, and I got to sit in on Sunday School, where the kids yelled out answers to their teachers' questions in happy unison. What really drove the connection to my church and family home to me was seeing the quilted banner that several ladies from my church made for Mamba hanging on the wall of the church. The banner has a photograph of Mamba, a photograph of First Lutheran, and reads, "Imani Moja- One Faith". I got a little teary seeing Fairfield in the middle of Africa, and seeing the global Christian community firsthand. This is what Christianity is supposed to be about--people from all over the world loving each other and helping each other however they can, regardless of any external factors that tell them they are different. I loved the African church music the choir sang, and hearing the familiar hymns sung in beautiful Swahili. I gave the dresses to the parish and had to awkwardly say a few words on behalf of the church in Fairfield. Afterwards Ritha and I headed out, and her mom gave me two beautiful Kangas (pieces of wax printed Tanzanian fabric)--one for me, and one for my mother. All in all it was a wonderful experience and I'm so glad I got to worship with people I have little in common with except Jesus. The people of Tanzania are so warm and hospitable, and it was great seeing life from a village perspective since we've been living in the city.
Lala Salama! (Sleep Well)
Jenna
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