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Ailanga School Project
Picture of the Ailanga Delegates for 2010
Ailanga Delegate Application 2011
Ailanga Adult Chaperone Application 2011
Ailanga 2008 Trip Log
Friday, July 18
Hello from Ailanga!
I am writing this from Headmistress Lydia Mbise's office. The students are all out meeting the Ailanga students.
We arrived last night to hibuscus leis and a wonderful supper at the Guest House. We got everyone situated in their rooms, and we all had a very good night's sleep! We had breakfast around 9:15 - yummy scrambled eggs - and the set out for the Diocese headquarters to meet Bishop Paolo Akyoon and others. Everyone got their first chance to sign a guest book - a regular arrival ritual at every venue! After the visit with the bishop, we went back to the Guest House for 45 minutes or so and then head for Ailanga.
It is amazing what has been done here. Everything is just terrific. I can hardly believe it is the same place I saw 4 years ago. We took a group picture on the foundation of the Science Lab and our students were very proud of the work they had done to help bring that about. We had lunch with the teachers and Ailanga Board members with the usual speeches. It's interesting to watch our students learn what it means to be honored guests!
They are learning to know some of the Ailanga students now. We'll go back to the Guest House very soon for the evening. A very full first day.
Tomorrow we go to Arusha. We'll try to keep everyone posted. I'll try to send a picture from today in a separate email - the connection isn't very fast, so I won't attach it here so this one will get out!
Salama,
Nancy
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Pastor
Faith Lutheran Church
Seattle, Washington
Sunday, July 20
Hello everyone -
We are moving right along through our packed itinerary. ALL the students love all the food, which is terrific. They are a great bunch and good sports, even with a bit of standing and waiting time and long conversations in Swahili!
Saturday we went into Arusha in the morning. Lydia Mbise met us and took us to change money. Judith, one of the teachers, came along as well. (Judith has been here at Ailanga since the beginning.) We walked around in Arusha, and then walked through the Arusha market, which is fascinating, crowded, and somewhat annoying due to persistent attention from people who want money from us. But everyone managed very well, and it was certainly colorful. We'll be going to two other markets during our stay. Most people buy all their food and goods at these large markets. After lunch at the Guest House, we were taken to a special family event, an engagement party at the home of the headmaster of the Makumira Secondary School and the person in charge of all the Meru Secondary Schools, which would make him Lydia Mbise's boss. He and his family are also her very good friends for many years. There were 600 people, all dressed to the nines. We felt a little obvious when we came in! It was very interesting, with a clear addition of lots of Western culture into some tradition Tanzanian customs. We were there 2 hours with some translation help. The kids were AWESOME! What a wonderful group of young people! Even at the length of it, everyone enjoyed the experience. It was a beautiful evening.
We have just finished church an Ngongongare, the church by Ailanga. It went on for three hours, but they went by very quickly! The choir music was terrific. I preached and Lydia translater, and the pastor, Christina Kaaya presided. After church, everyone goes out in the field in front for an auction of the in-kind gifts. Our students had fun outbidding each other for sugar cane, and several people bought us corn (maize) to take back to the Guest House for Mama Kyara to roast for us.
Now we're at Ailanga for lunch and I have to go eat it now!
Salama,
Nancy
--
Pastor
Faith Lutheran Church
Seattle, Washington
Monday, July 21
Hello from Ailanga!
On this Monday morning everyone is attending classes. The first round was Math, History, Geography (which is more like Social Studies), and Bible Knowledge. Now people are in Physics, Chemistry, Kiswahili (we're counting on Bjorn and Aaron to be our translators now!) and Bible Knowledge.
We had a great end of the day yesterday. There was a talent show in the inside field here, Our group held its own, even with singing( the Ailanga students are pretty amazing in that department) and a hilarious skit about the Good Samaritan. There was a short dance time (like two minutes) after the show which was a riot! After the talent show there was an hour or so of good interaction. That just increases as each day goes along.
Last night we finally unpacked and rearranged all the gifts to take to Ailanga. Everyone helps out all the time. It is fabulous.
After lunch there's a sports and games afternoon. It's cold and rainy, so we'll see how that goes!
That's the report!
Salama,
Nancy
--
Pastor
Faith Lutheran Church
Seattle, Washington
Tuesday, July 22, and Wednesday, July 23
Hello everyone!
Yesterday the students went to classes again. Glen and I went with the Ailanga truck into Arusha to buy some computer things. It proved quite an adventure, especially on the way back to Ailanga. The road was blocked a stalled truck, so we had to around on the Ngordoto Lodge road. It was beautiful, but muddy, muddy, muddy!
We brought all the gifts up yesterday. We got them in the school and they set up a table and our students presented each category of gifts to teachers and students. It as very wonderful, and all the collected items that the students worked so hard to get and pack up were very much apprectiated! ASANTE SANA to you all our congregations and friends and families! The sports equipment is a huge hit!
That reminds me: Monday afternoon there was soccer and netball. We had some hilarious times with our students playing with the big - and very good! - Form 4 boys. They did great and had a wonderful time.
At the end of Tuesday we went to the Snake Farm across the road. Some of us (including me) were a bit reluctant, but in the end we all went, including 6 Ailanga teachers. It was a very fun outing, and we saw some amazing snakes and reptiles.
Today we went to Singisi preschool which we wonderful. We taight them "Allelu PraiseYe the Lord" Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes, and the Itsy Bitsy Spider. We then visited a very interesting potter in his studio, and had lunch in the Singisi Church.
We then went to Arusha to get money, and the wandered through the huge Tengeru Market (every Wednesday which was amazing, huge, muddy, and crowded! Now we're coming back to the Guest House.
We'll be on Safari the next three days, so I won't write again until Sunday. Thanks for your support and prayers. These students are really wonderful - I can't say enough about them.
I understand these emails are on the Faith website if you want to tell family and friends: faithseattle.org. I'll try to send a picture or two on Sunday.
Salama,
Nancy
--
Pastor
Faith Lutheran Church
Seattle, Washington
Monday, July 28
Hello from Ailanga!
I'm sorry it's been a week since I wrote anything. We haven't had good email access when we had it, or the power went out or we were on Safari!
The safari was wonderful. We started at Tarangire where we saw loads of elephants, zebra, giraffe, and even cheetah and a leopard! The lodge where we stayed - Tarangire Safari Lodge - was excellent. A fabulous view over the Tarangire River. One student even said she'd like to have her wedding there some day!
That was Thursday. On Friday we went to the ever-amazing Ngoronogoro Crater. It was very foggy going up there, but the day cleared as we went. We saw many lions, more cheetah, and hippos and so on. Longer list later!
Saturday was Arusha National Park. Ailanga shares a border with that. It is very beautiful and was the favorite park for many of us.
Sunday we went to church at Usa River, a short walk from the Guest House. After lunch there we walked to the Usa River Market and then back to the Guest House. All in all, the weekend was somewhat relaxing. (Except for me - I had to preach twice at Usa River!)
Yesterday we went to the Leguriki/Kingori Vocational and Secondary School in the beautiful Leguriki area. After lunch there, we went to Bishop Akyoo's beautiful home. It was so gracious of him and his wife to invite us, and another mark of our strong partnership and friendship. Not everyone who wanders through Meru gets such an invitation!
Today the students planted 110 trees with the Ailanga students on an Environmental Day. It all went great. We've just had lunch and will be heading down the hill to the Guest House soon.
More later - and I still am going to try to send a picture or two before everyone gets home with their 1287 pictures each!
Salama,
Nancy
--
Pastor
Faith Lutheran Church
Seattle, Washington
Sunday, August 3
Hello everyone -
I'm in London and the rest of the group is winging its way to Seattle. (Note: when I checked the flight status it looked like they would arrive about 15 minutes early, so be sure and check before you head for the airport.)
The last few days were very busy, including the long, dusty road to and from Ngarenyuki. (Think Grand Coulee Dam in August!) There were a couple days of mad dashes to Arusha for last minute shopping (and trying to find working ATMs!) The farewell at Ailanga on Friday was wonderful, but it was hard to say good-bye. Our students wrote a terrific poem, and we had a lovely time - including the requisite goat!
This group has just been splendid to work with. They have represented us all with great grace and good humor. They've grown together, and I have been impressed with their flexibility and generosity.
The hardest farewell was at the Guest House when we left for the airport on Sunday. The students had a song for Mama Kyara and the drivers, and Lydia Mbise led us all in prayer gathered in a circle in what had become the soccer field! The students have come up with their own special returning-home theme, but I'll leave that for you to see when they get off the plane!
Thank you for all of your support, and, to the parents, thank you for the gift of these young people. It is a day to give thanks to God for all our gifts. I hope the homecomings are joyful!
I'm home on Wednesday. We all look forward to sharing our stories and pictures!
P.S. I hope you didn't get another version of this email. I was trying to finally send a picture, but I couldn't get it scaled down small enough in a timely fashion and in the meantime lost the email I had written. Oh, well. I promise you will see LOTS of pictures!
Salama,
Nancy
--
Pastor
Faith Lutheran Church
Seattle, Washington
About Our Partnership with Ailanga
In the summer of 2004, 17 students and chaperones journeyed to Tanzania answering an invitation to visit Ailanga Lutheran Junior Seminary. We experienced an incredibly warm and gracious welcome as we worked and played together during the trip. What we learned, or reaffirmed, is that we are bound together by the hopes and dreams that we have for our children. We fell in love with the students, teachers and staff at Ailanga, and they need our help. Our trip to Ailanga marked the start of the partnership that continues today.
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