Easter in Kayanga

Easter Vigil.

Wow it was a long mass 4.5 hours. 10pm-2:30am. They sang everything including the readings. I joined the Bishop because he asked me. I didn’t do anything but I was up there with all the other clergy and altar servers. I did hand out communion. I was extremely tired. Then we had a meal afterwards. I enjoyed the morning mass more because the children danced throughout the entire mass. I then got a bus to Bukoba. I was the first one there at  the bus and sat for an hour until the bus was packed full. The bus does not leave until it is completely full. There is no time schedule for local buses. So I prayed for people to show up so we could leave.

Good Friday

Good Friday.

Went for a long walk then I went with Fr. Robert to an outpost station. It was basically having mass in a barn. I really enjoyed it. The kids sat on the ground which is covered in hay and the adults sat on small wood benches. The mass started with Stations of the cross in which they didn’t have so the altar server took the crucifix which is covered on a purple cloth and went around the room standing where each station would have been. The moment I enjoyed the most is when the people go up to kiss the crucified Jesus. A long line and seeing the kids on there knees crawling forward then going up and kissing Jesus’ feet. I wish I got a picture of it. It was a beautiful rural rustic mass. 

Ihanda Community Resource Center

It is sponsored by Sweden. It is a center for people to gather and get information and pamphlets to get educated in all areas of life. They can learn about disease, government, alcoholism, really anything. The goal is to educate people on there needs. They have weekly meetings where the people will learn something then have a group discussion. There is a TV there to watch the news and other programs. The center has two computers for people to use the internet and find and answers to there questions. The center has a photocopy machine for copying articles to take home. They also have a salon and small store for people to get hair cuts and buy things. It is a way to bring the community of people together and deal with problems that are going on in the community. It is like having a town hall meeting once a week.

                                         This is the resource center right by Mlushaka

 This is the media room where they can watch TV, read pamphlets, discuss topics and have meetings

 This is the salon where people can come and get there haircut and hang out.

 This is the computer room where villagers can check there email and get information.

This is the store where kids can buy, soda, candy or other hygienic goods that are needed.

Every Day Tanzania

 Making Bricks out of mud. These are the molds for making the bricks

 These boys harvested bananas and load there bicycles up walking up a steep hill to town to sell.

 This young man is carrying a couch on his head. It is heavy. No hands and down a steep hill

This is Michael. He runs to me everyday when he sees me. He loves being picked up high in the air.

Nyakayanja

I spent two days visiting Aggrey's village home. We walked every where and talked with everyone. When ever you enter someone's house you get food and drink. It is custom. Lot's of eating and drinking boiled milk that day. Another thing is Joseph is Aggrey's son and I told him I like chapati which is basically Indian Fry bread. He cooks for us when we are in Kayanga. Well he has made chapati the last three meals. When you enter someones house it is also common to receive coffee beans because the coffee is special here. I think clean water is the biggest concern here. Good thing there is a lot of ran and I do see a fair amount of rain barrels. Holy week starts today. So everyone is on holiday until monday.

 My bed has Heman sheets. I'm wondering if this is older than my return of the Jedi sheets

 This is a coffee bean tree. I forgot the type but this is there main cash crop in this region.

 This man's father passed away at the age of 93 he said. We gave our condolences. Coffee beans are on the table for welcoming any incoming visitors

 This is Aggrey and his mother. She is 80 years old and is very active in the field.

Aggrey has 14 cows. He has a family history of raising cattle. Each cattle is worth between $200-300 USD. I notice all the animals here are free range which I think is great.

Hiking with Bishop Almachius

Went for a hike with Bishop Almachius. We hiked for 4 hours which I was impressed with him. He is a good man. When ever we came across children he gave them candy. The one thing that surprised me was when I had lunch with him in his Bishop outfit when he was done eating he pulled his teeth out, grabbed a tooth pick and went after his molars. I guess he is comfortable being around me. The Catholic Church really is the glue to the community here. Everyone goes to church just to meet, hang out, the children have school and play there, there are two choirs that practice everyday. People come just to get water from the rain barrels. The faith is very strong here. People are very dedicated. Mass went for 2hours and then the announcements was another hour. Way to long but the music is awesome. The dancing is great too.

 This is a brick factory. They make bricks by hand. Mud, Clay and then heating it.

 These are the workers who are making the bricks and the molds that they use.

 This is Fr. Hans from Austria. The kids like to follow the white person around.

 This is the shrine of Our Lady or Lute founded by a White Father Order from France.

This is the view of the Shrine from above and they have the stations of the cross.

Village Meeting

I met with the representative from each of the 25 villages and they talked about the problems they have in there village. It is mostly education on how to treat people with illnesses. There also is a need for wheel chairs, crutches and walkers. 

Everyday I am studying swahili. I am trying very hard to pick up the language. Everyone says I am doing a good job of learning. 

I have talked with people from many different villages and they have many stories. There is one child who has seizures and so they took the child to the with doctor. I said no your child probably has epilepsy. The child needs medicine to help control the shaking. I feel a lot of the work here is education and providing the tools they need to excel in life. 

There is a need for environmentalists here. Teaching people how to treat the land. This use to be a densely forested area. But farming has destroyed most of it. Erosion is also a problem here that one can see. The good thing is the universities are growing. People here are starting to get educated. That is good because they listen more to their own people than to white man. However they still need to see results before the believe or even try. 

 KCBRP is building a rehabilitation center for the physically disabled . This will be an education center where the family comes and gets training for one week on how to deal and treat there loved one.

 It is a beautiful view from the back of the building.

 25 representatives came from each village to Kayanga Anglican Church to discuss the problems and challenges going on in the village. We then gave solutions to the problems.

This is Aggery talking to the people on who to educate there local villagers.