During the last several days, we have seen probably the most spectacular wildlife in the world. We began the safari part of our trip at Tarangari National Park. Dave and Euni Simonson’s family owns the lodge where we stayed. We then visited Ngorongoro Crater and ended up here in the Southern Serengeti area. The national park here covers 6,000 square miles. On our safari trips we have seen elephants, giraffes, gazelles, lions, water bucks, cape buffalo, hippos, baboons, monkeys, zebras and thousands of wildebeest in the middle of their annual migration. We saw two very rare black rhinos in the Ngorongoro Crater. The Crater is about 10 miles wide and 12 miles long and was formed millions of years ago when the land sunk below a huge volcano in that area. The Crater area is like a real life self contained zoo that is home to thousands of mammals and birds. We experienced some other rare sightings today here in Serengeti. We saw a honey badger and saw three very young Cheetahs suckling their mother. Later today, we also saw a Cheetah with six small cubs (very unusual). This afternoon, we witnessed an event that even topped our other Cheetah experiences. We watched as three large male cheetahs (brothers) chased down two young males and their young sister who appeared to be in heat. The older males ran off the younger males and held the young female hostage for a prolonged period of time. This unforgettable scene attracted a number of other characters including five jackals and a couple of hyenas. Even Doc McAllister admitted he had never witnessed such an event in his many visits to Africa. I attribute the success of our wildlife trips to good guides and good fortune. We will leave Africa with a great appreciation for their wildlife and hopefully a few photos to help us preserve our memories for years to come. Gary Nichols ************************************************************************************ The varied bird life of East Africa is an added treat to the safari-goer. When no dramatic mammals are in sight, the birds are--from the huge ostrich to the tiny iridescent bee-eater. The huge predator eagles (we have identified seven species of eagles) are often seen soaring over the plains and the “ walking species” of bustards, guinea fowl and spur fowl are always in evidence. The lilac-breasted roller displays especially vibrant colors. Many vultures add dramatic evidence of the ”clean up crew” on lion kills. The varied niche of the birds in the ecosystem is a study unto its own. Wonderful bird life is an added treat. --Jack

March 4
Tanzania mission trip
Karutu
Lutheran Hostel

God is great!

Sunday we shared the most remarkable worship service I have ever experienced. Picture our team, Irene, Karie, Rex, Helen, Gary, Jack, Bruce and me all seated in a circle. Interspersed between various of us novice missionaries were lifelong missionaries Dave and Euni Simonson, Mark and Linda Jacobson, and representing hope for the future of their own people and country, Nanyoke and Timi. At the head of the circle, Pastor Rhodes at the folding table turned alter, under a Baobab tree that was at least 500 years old. The setting and company alone are enough to mark this as an experience not to be forgotten. But, there is more.

The service started as usual, with the handing out the bulletins. In this case, individually handwritten partial pieces of paper from Timi with the words to a Swahili hymn. Timi then taught us the hymn’s melody and lead us in singing. The resulting song of praise may not have been four part Mass harmony, but with the African bull frogs singing accompaniment and the monkeys and birds as back up singers, it amounted to a moving beginning to the service. Nanyoke then read from Ephesians 3 in Swahili. Suffer not…. After a second hymn, came the sermon. At Bethel we are blessed with a gifted leader and speaker. However, Pastor Rhodes deferred to his small congregation to present the sermon. Each and every member of our mission team spoke articulately and emotionally about how God has changed our hearts during this mission. Through a sermon filled with tears and laughter each of us opened out hearts to speak words of hope and ask for light to guide our paths…. Euni reminded us that “Tears are a gift of the Spirit.”

After sharing peace and serving Communion bread and wine with each other, we presented Bethel’s gifts to Timi and Nanyoke. First Daktari Jack presented Gray’s Anatomy to Doctor Timi, now an Intern at KCMC. Then Bruce presented Nanyoke with Bethels gift of a lap top computer and printer for medical school. Lastly, each loving made prayer shawl was presented. One each for Mark, Linda, Dave, Euni, Nanyoke and Timi (Maasai Red).

The service ended with the sending to “Go in peace to serve the lord” So we did. Thanks be to God!

Mungu Akara

The faith of a teenager

"Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; do not be discouraged, for you will not suffer disgrace; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and the disgrace of your widowhood you will remember no more. For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called." Isaiah 54:4-5

We don't know her name, only her situation. A teenager, told years ago that she would be the second wife of a Maasae warrior. She put her faith in the traditions of her people, trusting that all would be well ... that she would live a life not unlike centuries of Maasae women.

But this teenage girl would be different. We visited her last week alongside Selian's hospice team: Paulina, a nurse and team leader; Emmanuel, a newly graduated social worker; and a Maa-speaking volunteer from the village -- the man who identified the tragedy lurking within this teenager's boma.

She welcomed us inside a very dark hut. Round, made of sticks and mud, no windows for light or ventilation, a narrow bench against one of the walls. She sat next to wife #1, only a few years older but already with the worn look of a mature Maasae woman. The volunteer began to tell the story. The husband had died of HIV/AIDS two years earlier. Both of his wives were now infected, the teenager also struggling with Tuburculosis. Thankfully none of the five children face the same diagnosis ...... thus far.

Paulina patiently listened, asking appropriate questions, offering compassion and strength. We quickly saw something special in Paulina. She is the first team leader of Selian's Hospice Care program -- the first of its kind in Africa and one that is being modeled in developing communities far and wide. Four days a week she ventures into bomas (small family compounds of 3-10 huts) to bring care and prayer to the dying, health and healing for those with chronic illenesses. One day each month she helps to train 200 volunteers from various villages and churches recruited to be the eyes and ears of the Hospice program.

In this small, dark hut Paulina's heart and mind were in full gear. In their native Maa language she counseled the two ladies about their responsibilities, provided and then carefully explained the role of immune-building drugs, gave them enriched corn meal for use in cooking. She also looked into their weary, scared eyes and shared the love of a mother.

I didn't know their faith, but asked if we could pray together. Paulina was already one step ahead of me. She had been asking them about Jesus Christ. For the first time the teenager pulled the shuka from her face, looked directly at Paulina and explained. When her husband was dying a pastor came to visit -- the first time she had heard of Jesus Christ. Over the course of his dying they studied the Bible together and prayed. On his deathbed she was baptized. From that day onward she has found strength in God and God alone. Wife #1 wanted to know more, so she began attending church in a neighboring village. She is now studying the Bible, too, trying to learn as much as she can.

Suddenly my question seemed rather absurd. "Can we pray together?" I had asked. "That's why we're here," Paulina responded. "Will you translate?" I asked, wanting to know if I needed to speak in a slow, deliberate speach. "No worry," Paulina smiled. "God hears in all languages."

We prayed for health and strength, for community and purpose, for fears to subside and courage to reign, for the love of a Father and the love between two new sisters in Christ. After a collective "amen," the teenage girl sitting across from me asked a question I'll never forget. In Maa, of course, but with words that all of us could understand. "May I pray for you?"

We bowed our heads, tears already in our eyes, unable to understand the words of her mouth, but hearing the words of her heart with perfect clarity. She prayed for our health, our families, our children, our safe travels. She prayed for God's protection and care. She prayed that we would remain strong in faith and love. This teenage girl, widowed, illiterate, infected with HIV, daily struggling with the mucous cough of TB, little access to clean water or healthcare, doing her best to raise five children ------- she prayed for us.

That night God led me to Isaiah 54. "Do not fear ... for your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; the Holy One of Israel, the God of the whole earth he is called." Suddenly it became clear. This teenager's warrior husband had died, but she had courageously thrown herself into the arms of a new warrior -- the God she knows as Redeemer and Lord -- the God who has drawn her close and whispered in her ear, "Do not fear, child; all will be well." She believes his voice ... and prayed that we might do the same.

Peace+
Pastor Rhodes

3-March-2008
Bruce Lothrop

It’s been a week now, and the “hands on” portion of our mission work is complete. Our real work has in many ways just started, but for the moment, it’s time to sit back and enjoy the natural wonder of Africa.
Last night we went on a drive in Tarangire National Park. We’ve saw lions, gazelle, giraffes, and herds of elephants. It was truly incredible, and the next few days should bring more of the same.

During the first week, I spent much of my time with a laptop in my backpack and a flash drive in my pocket, hoping to find access to a wireless signal or a desktop with a connection somewhere, or at least an outlet to charge the batteries. I’ve stayed up late downloading and shrinking photos to be posted to the blog (sorry I couldn’t load up more, I know they’re important). Having answered that call, and being in possession of our only remaining laptop, I will steal the opportunity to sneak in one more blog entry, with some final thoughts about our mission work. I think I’ve earned it.

This morning we celebrated the Lords Supper under a Baobab tree with David and Uni Simonson, and Mark and Linda Jacobson, Timi, and Nanyoke. David and Uni have been missionaries in Tanzania for over fifty years, and started Maasae Girls Lutheran Secondary School. Mark Jacobson is the director of Salian hospital, and considers himself a missionary first and a doctor second. Timi and Nanyoke read scripture in Kiswahili, and Rhodes read in English. We sat in a circle during the service. Rhodes served the bread and the cup to Timi, who served it to Jack, who served David Simonson, and so forth around the circle.

We don’t celebrate the Lord’s Supper outdoors often enough. To celebrate in all of God’s glory, with a small group of people can be far more meaningful than celebrating with the largest throngs in the most beautiful Cathedral. Three such experiences come to mind: Worshiping as teenager in the mountains of New Hampshire, my wedding on the shores of Deep Creek Lake ten years ago, and today, under the Boabob tree. This morning we saw God’s glory in exceeding abundance, with a view of the savanna spread out before us. There were elephants.

I’ve been reflecting on the week past. We’ve seen both wonderful and terrible things. We’ve seen Maasae warriors dance and sing. We’ve seen villages with no clean water, with leaders that are unable to address the problems. We’ve seen choirs in amazing finery, decorated from head to foot, sing praises to God in exotic harmonies and rhythms that astound and lift the soul. We’ve visited people in terrible poverty living with HIV and TB whose condition if known, could cause them to be ostracized from their community. We’ve seen elephants play.

The most important thing we have seen this week is people of profound faith and courage who bring hope to the most troubled people in this land. People like Mark Jacobson and the doctors at Salian who save lives, always explicitly working the name of Jesus Christ. People like Jean, Marv, and the teachers and staff at MGLSS, who teach and lead with joy in their hearts, always celebrating God. (If you ever have a chance to have coffee with Jean and Marv, clear your calendar: It’s worth it). People like David and Uni Simonson who radiate Faith and Love every second. In our small effort here, we see what it is like to “Stand on the Shoulders of Giants”. What others do here is possible because of the paths that David and Uni blazed. Most important are the young Maasae who do great work, and prepare a brighter future for their country. Richard, the doctor who travels into remote bomas to examine sick children, and encourages their families to accept treatment. Paulina, the nurse who hikes through the hills (in a skirt) to visit with HIV and TB patients to insure that they have food, and take their medication. The dozens of volunteers in the bomas who help Paulina identify cases that need her attention. Timi, who was raised in a boma, and today is a doctor, respected in his community and prepared to become a leader among his people. Nanyoke, who broke with tradition at great personal risk, educating herself at MGLSS, and is in medical school today. She too will be a respected leader among the Maasae one day. All of these people are filled with courage and faith that awes and inspires us, and we hope, through the pale reflection of our words, inspires you as well. The hope for Tanzania, for our world, and for ourselves is that we can form partnerships with such strong people and accomplish some part of God’s will.

So now we go into the bush for a few days, and digest all we have seen and heard. We will experience the astounding beauty of God’s creation in Africa, and begin to prepare for the next step of our misson, for the end of our journey will be barely the beginning of our mission. Pray for us in our travels, and pray for our friends here in Tanzania.

See you next Sunday at worship (we’ll be the ones who are exhausted).
Peace be with you.
-Bruce

On Friday afternoon the team, accompanied by our new friend Darlene (a volunteer from Minnesota working in the library at MGLSS), drove into the hills to visit with Timi at his family farm. Timi is a you Maasae man who has just complete medical school, and will begin work at Salian hospital in the fall. Bethel Lutheran supported Timi through medical school, and Jack McAllister has been a mentor to Timi. Timi calls Jack Baboo, which means grandfather.

Timi and his mother no longer live on the farm full time, but, according the Maasae tradition, it is still run by the extended family. The farmhouse is a small concrete structure high on a hill, with stunning views all around. On the hill, the family grows corn, and keeps livestock. The fields are plowed each year with a rented tractor, except in places where the land is too steep, and must be tilled by hand. By local standards, Timi’s family is doing quite well.

When we arrived Timi and his mother greeted us quite warmly. The Maasae are an incredibly proud people. Add to that a mother showing off her son who just graduated from medical school… that may have been the proudest Mama in the world. We were all hugged and thanked until we were worn out.

Then Timi’s friends arrived. A group of about a dozen you men in their mid twenties, dressed in bright red shukas (Maasae robes) armed with rods and machetes, and wearing a dazzling array of beads march up the hill. The leader carried a large spear topped with a ball of black osterige feather. One warrior played a three-foot long horn. Not like a trumpet: an actual animal horn. The group chanted and sang, making sounds I hadn’t imagined humans making before. For about fifteen minutes, the warriors marched and sang around the small yard at Timi’s farm, with those of us observing constantly dodging out of the way. I’m pretty sure they would have marched over us if necessary.

The marching complete, the warriors then engaged in ceremonial dance with a group of you women, also in traditional Maasae dress. The men lined up on one side of the yard, the women on the other. The men continued to chant and sing. The women looked on as if unimpressed. According the translation we received, the men first sang about being Maasae warriors, and having no fear. Next they sang a spiritual song, praising God. Then, one or two at a time would step forward and begin to bounce. Each warrior would spend about thirty seconds in the center of the yard leaping straight into the air, as high as possible, in an effort to demonstrate his physical strength. When a warrior performed well, his mates would hold their rods in the air, and the jumper would tap them with his rod. Picture it as a Maasae “high five”. Towards the end of the dance the women began to sing as well, which signified that they were suitably impressed with the strength of the warriors.

After the dance of the warriors we toured the village. We saw a series of springs that provide only dirty water. The more affluent members of the village carry water in from elsewhere. The poor have no choice. We hope that with Timi’s assistance, Bethel may be able to aid the village in drilling a clean will. We saw the cow herds, that represent the villages wealth and prosperity. They are still guarded by you mean who carry spears to fight off predators.

We returned to the Timi’s home where Moma had prepared a large meal of rice, fruit chicken, vegetables curry, and bean. There was plenty of food, and lots of fellowship.

After the meal, Timi’s mother presented each member of the team with a shuka and a huge hug. Each member of the team was also allowed to hold the rod carried by Maasae men. That signified continuing welcome: All of us are considered friends who are welcome in the village forever.

It’s six in the morning now, and I woke up early to watch the sunrise, and tell this story. I hope to have a brief chance at the internet soon, and I wanted to share this with you folks back at Bethel. Although we were the representatives that directly received the gratitude of the family, it was properly meant for all of you. All of you supported Timi through out his schooling and helped a very impressive young man reach his potential in a place that desperately needs him. Please know that you work was very well done, and that gratitude from those you have helped is overwhelming.

1-March-2008.
Bruce Lothrop.

Losinoni is a small Massae village on the slopes of Mt Meru. There is a primary school, a church, and a few bomas. The villagers in Losinoni have a terrible problem: Fluorosis. Fluorosis is a conditions that occurs when the mineral fluoride exists in high concentrations in drinking water. As children grow, bones are built with too much fluoride, and not enough calcium. The symptoms are orange staining of the teeth, and weakened bones. The leg bones of a child suffering from fluourosis bend under his weight. At first they experience pain when the run or jump. Then when they walk. In advanced stages of fluosis, a child’s knees are turned in, his feet are turned out, and his lower legs are visibly bent. He can walk only with great difficulty, and he is in constant pain.
The orthopedic team at Selian hospital can correct the bent bones and relieve the suffering of a child with fluosis for about $350.00, including surgery and physical therapy, and three month of convalescent care (you read that correctly: $350 US dollars). Individuals can be healed, but unless problem of the water supply is solved, the child, will re-enter the cycle of illness, and others will also get sick. The resolution to this problem is a public health issue, not just a medical issue. A rotary club in St. Louis funded a new water system or Losinoni. The new water system draws water from a reservoir six kilometers up Mt. Meru, and stores it in a tank near the village. The water from the mountain is lower in fluoride, and safe for the children to drink.
On Wednesday, a team from Salian visited Losinoni to examine the children for signs of fluorosis. This is part of a routine program to examine children at several villages where they are at risk. Children who will benefit from surgery can be identified. The families are then encouraged to bring the child to Salian. Some families find the expense difficult, although, in Maasae culture, it is the responsibility of the extended family to pay for medical care. Some families see a sick child as a sign of weakness and are resistant to acknowledge the issue by accepting medical care.
The outreach team that day consisted of a Maasae doctor, a social worker, and two therapists. The social worker and therapists were all graduates of Maasae Lutheran Girls Secondary School. Part of the Bethel team accompanied the orthopedic team, as well as two medical students from the University of Minnesota who were visiting Salean.
When we arrived at the village, we were escorted to the Head of the Primary School’s office. This was a small concrete room with a desk, a few chairs and just enough room to fit our group. The Head of School began by welcoming us, and spending 10 minutes listing all the supplies that the government had promised him, such as desk, chairs, black boards and books. In each case, he carefully explained the number of items he should have, the number he did have, and, lest we get lost in the math, the shortage. The message was clear: He would like a significant donation to the school.
Having dispensed with the preliminaries, our doctor and therapists proceeded to examine several children. The first few children examined showed significant signs of fluorosis, some advanced enough to be visible to untrained eyes like my own. The Maasae doctor, and our own Dr. Jack McAllister began to suspect something was not right. They asked the Head of School about the water supply. At first the Head of School hedged, but when pressed admitted that the new water system was not in service. He said that the intake had been clogged two weeks ago in heavy rains. No one had yet cleared the intake. The village was had reverted to the contaminated water supply. Our doctors asked to see the village chairman, the government leader in the village. The chairman was produced. Unfortunately he spoke only Maa, and members of our group spoke only Kiswahili and English. With the Head of School translating, the Chairman reported that he planned to have the water supply fixed the next day. He had no answer for why the problem had not be addressed promptly, despite the risk to the children of the village.
The examinations continued. We saw about eight children who were afflicted. A particularly disturbing case was a twelve-year-old child. He had visible bowing in his legs, and significant scars from where he had had an operation to repair the effects of fluorosis in 2000. Because the village was still using a contaminated water supply, the boy would need another operation.
At the conclusion of our meeting, guest and dignitaries (the Head of School and chairman) were presented with bottle water and Coca-Cola. It was difficult to accept the gift graciously, and not run outside, and hand the water to the children, but we had been carefully instructed to accept all gifts graciously. A few bottles of water would not save any of the kids in the long run, but still the symbolism was a bit painful.
After the meeting, the women of the village put on a special crafts market for us. We spent generously, and bargained poorly.
We then toured the non-functional water tank. This, it turned out was a pitch from the Chairman and Head of School for support for a second water tank for the school, and a larger pipe. Neither of these projects would address the primary problem: The local leadership was not prioritizing safe drinking water for the village. We returned from Losinoni discouraged.
The story of our day in Losinoni illustrates some of the problems that we encounter as we try to support our brothers in sisters who live in poverty. We must help in anyway we can, because the circumstance are often so dire. At the same time, as much as we would like to, we cannot solve problems for others. We need to find partners in places like Losinoni who can take responsibility to insure that good works carry on after we return home. We support people who are capable, and help them achieve what needs to be done. We need to find the trees that bear fruit, and help sustain them. We must also help plant and new trees, and help the to grow to be strong and fruitful. We help to plant trees and help them grow until there is an orchard the bears all the fruit the world needs.
We have such partners at Salian, and at MLGSS. We need to support them, and help them grow. We need to find new people and institutions that can have a positive impact, and we need help them clear the obstacles in their paths, so that they can reach their full potential.
Forgive me if my writing is emotional tonight, but as my new friend Marv tells me, “Africa is an emotional place”

Bruce.

A case of fluorosis in Losinoni

2/26/2008

Habari Zenu!! ( in Swahili=Hello, how are you all??),

This evening as I sat enjoying a Serengeti Lager, catching up with Irene and Helen and listening to CS & N sing Southern Cross, I hoped to collect my thoughts and feelings regarding the amazing experiences I have so far been blessed with during this adventure in faith. I found that there is just too much information to digest. So I changed course and took advantage of a rare and unexpected opportunity to chat with Marv. Although our conversation had absolutely nothing to do with anything in or about Africa, afterward I found some clarity. What I have concluded is that I cannot draw conclusions about anything. About what we may have to offer these proud people—about what I can bring home to share—about our western time-centered lifestyle versus the Maasai relationship-centered culture or about what God’s plan for me is from here.

What is obvious is that truly God is present here- In the Maasai people, in the long-term missionaries at Maasai Girls Luther SS and Selian Lutheran Hospital, and in the amazing yet diverse Bethel mission group putting up with my eccentricities (so far). These are the lessons I have learned so far.

· So far I have much more to learn from all of these people than I can possibly offer to teach them.
· The international language of humor is successful whether you speak the language of understand the culture. Praise God I can still rely on my primary tool for communication. By the way, when you are wearing a Tanzanian surgical mask (used for protection from inhaling TB during hospice visits) you will look exactly like Daffy Duck--and the Tanzanians think so too.
· The relationship –centered culture of the Africans, and specifically the Maasai, is remarkable. Something I hope I can at least somewhat integrate into my own approach to life.
· I was moved by the serenity of the Maasai people. Although suffering from TB and HIV, when I visited with the Hospice team, I did not observe any bitterness or anger. No anger directed at God. No anger directed at their spouses or families. No anger…
· Maasai children are generally even tempered, respectful of elders, are prone to show off in front of adults, have contests to see who can pee the farthest, love to have their pictures taken, love to play Simon Says and will haul off and whack their siblings when no one is looking! The children helped me feel right at home!

“I say to my feet, do you remember Africa? I say to my hands, do you remember Africa?”
--Peter Mayer