Nov 13th

Hello (Jambo) to you all: friends (rafiki), families and supporters,

We know it has been a while since we have managed to send an update, as we realize from the requests we have received but not yet had time to answer. I actually cannot recall all that has happened as so much is packed into each day and little time to absorb it before the next event/task/adventure..., and do not know when our last update was posted... except that Christine had written an interim one during our visit to Dar, after our inspiring meeting with new Canadian supporters of our work: Jason and Joey. Yet I know there was a gap before that... so I shall start our story from now and work my way back, until I run out of time.

Our health is now quite good overall. The sniffles we had on arrival passed, thank you all for your concern. But November 4th, Christina suffered a serious bout of illness over the course of one evening and morning. She was "determined" to battle it on her own, but after 3 bouts resentfully agreed to take Imodium... but with time lapse and muscle spasms she was not able to keep much down... however, thankfully she finally agreed to stop and sleep. Of course, you all must know how difficult it is to convince her to stop. She has no patience for when her body will not keep up and function like an Energizer bunny. It was difficult to keep vigil, to try not to worry as she slept away the afternoon, and keep her in bed, but finally she was better and able to take in more liquids and food... we suspect it was food poisoning or a bug of some sort, as thank goodness it did pass... And now she zips about as usual, and we try to be very conscious of taking vitamins, and regular meals with healthy variety of foods.

While Chris was abed, I tried to avoid "Inertia Madness" as I call it... by starting to plan out the wall artwork and educational information for the preschool, with the curriculum in mind and a ki-Swahili dictionary in hand. Here we are putting up ki-Swahili words first in the alphabet, then the English words... I sketched out the back wall mural around the Heart To Heart Africa map logo (which is now on the inside and was on the outside wall of the first classroom last year) to include nature (sun/moon/stars/clouds) and vegetation and wild animals of Africa for identification and counting. Also wanted a rainbow to then have colour words/id on the wall. Numbers were designed to show hand fingers also, so the little ones could track this easier. Also a child with body parts labelled was sketched (it was funny how sometimes these items were omitted or altered by the wakachuro/artist... eg. using a muscular man's body)... also a list of abc potential drawings for wee ones to identify... Anyway, that kept me busy and allowed me to contribute my creative energies while awaiting for Chris to rest... Hopefully photos of the final results will be available soon.... I feel the artist was inspired and has stretched his visions in being allowed to interpret this, but also is learning the self-discipline to follow specific directions, print when his art is required for other purposes, as teaching aids in the school. Today he needs to return for the 5th time to complete all details, print in all labels, and make corrections... but then it should be ready to go! It is amazing!

I will start with how most days unfold for us...

Christine and I started breakfast at 7am (one oclock or first hour of sunlight in ki-Swahili time), as now the hotel is finally providing a quicker better service. Usually we start our mornings with the protein of eggs, fruit and juice, hot coffee with our malarone tablet, and toast with jam... Our present amazing American force of volunteers of Team Rafiki and African Reflections who arrived last week (21 folk in total) have also provided some yummy peanut butter. Then often we dont eat (as the children dont eat) just taking water with us, until our return in afternoon/evening. Chris is often "in her office" (which means on her cell phone) first thing before even dressing, with text messages and voice contact. The early hours are spent taking turns in our wee room and toilet whilst trying to plan our day's program (why we bother, I laugh--dont know, as rarely do things unfold as planned-- AWA Africa Wins Again!)

We hope you are all well. Know that your support, thoughts, prayers and emails are so encouraging and strengthening. Oft we share your words with each other to hear news from home... and laugh at the snowfall reports... Pole sana (so sorry/ki-Swahili) as they say here... Tanja, my daughter in Ottawa, wrote that Chiquita our dog is putting her face into the snow: there are definitely moments when that would be a welcome relief! One just has water exuding from all pores when exerting any energy, so keeping ourselves hydrated is a very conscious daily task. Each day we usually purchase four 1.5 litre bottles of Kilimanjaro water and put them into our wee fridge in the room, which only freezes... And that ice is amazing for the first 20 minutes when we take them out to refill our portable small bottles.

The weather is very hot and humid. This is an important planting season as November is the second rainy season of the year averaging about 180cm rainfall (according to a chart in Bradt's Travel book). Torrential rainfalls just pour from the heavens (oh, a huge ant just dropped onto the keyboard from the ceiling, so swiped it off)... causing the earth to run in red earth streams and rivers, puddling in huge holes in the rugged dirt roads... The red mud sticks to everything. Our vehicle oft looks totally stained in all directions. As soon as the rains stop, the sun comes pouring out again.

Today I am again sitting in the "hot" internet zone within the cement slab, thatched roof mess hall of the Canadian drilling Heritage/Polaris camp about a km into the bush from our Kiguza Villlage Hotel. Christine and I are now trying to complete separate tasks whilst the opportunity is there and to maximize time. She has left me here at 8 am to work on updates and perhaps even send some photos. "Rock" Dwayne Lipus here has been a god-sent, yesterday zipping over many photos to my facebook so I could start to label/date and perhaps then get them on to Peter for the website? Chris went on to Mkuranga to pick up folks and drive them to Kitonga village (15kms south): 2 workers need to complete/install the classroom and bathroom doors after weeks of empty promises, also to pick up the artist/wakachuro who needs to make corrections in following my original design layouts before getting paid, see Super Bob who is installing the gutter system to collect rainwater off the preschool bati/roofs into a 2000 litre drum donated last year, and also Ainess Foya of the Comfort Fund for Children and Orphans, our source of much assistance, interpretation and laughter.

As I write this the tv is blaring BBC news and the huge generators are buzzing loudly in the background. In the next thatched hut come the wafts of lunch being cooked. Most folk have walked in and out getting their pops and water from the upright fridge next to me. Our favourite is to partake of their icecream in the lower half and hot coffee. The juicing machine has a concoction of mango, pineapple and avocado juice. And I try to focus despite the constant in and out of folk. Have just met a doctor from Cuba who had worked for years in Zimbabwe and is now here to give medication at the camp, told him our story re container... Had also spoken to Ali, one of the local drivers who is most concerned that so many volunteers are stifled by the corruption/process in this country.

At the hotel, we are presently blessed with the company and energy an incredible entourage of 20 Americans who arrived last week. They belong to Team Rafiki (friends) with African Reflections organization: many come from Albany. Maria Pool is organizing them to provide medical clinic services in the villages of Kisele/Uzizi and Kitonga while also working with the school children, an agricultural self-sustenance program, and building a dispensary/nursery. This week has been an amazing and probably overwhelming week of gifts for the village in Kitonga. The children (watoto) had practiced songs and dances to welcome them. The first day they were all gathered under the huge mango tree (mti). Then when an enormous parachute was taken out (something they nor the teachers(mwalimu) nor headmaster have ever seen) they went wild with laughter and joy as they streamed over in disbelief! Songs, dances, lessons on dehydration, etc. etc. Also this team is providing food/lunch program while they are here.

The clinics Team Rafiki run daily bring in streams of people: women, children, old and young... It is heartbreaking to see the need and hear of the grave state of these villagers. Originally Team Rafiki were in Zimbabwe but with the political situations they had chosen to come here this year with Maria Pool and Jean Dobbs of African Reflections. I cannot imagine the psychic fortitude needed to be positive in addressing the dire needs of this onslaught/stream, while working with few interpreters and only with the items they managed to pack into their suitcases. Of course, as are we, they also are awaiting a forty foot container... which is presently still on ship in the port! This gift of medical care to Tanzania is scheduled to leave next week to return to their lives after giving up their holidays/funds to be here. Already two children with high bacterial/malaria counts have been sent to hospital, which ran out of quinine, so they had to go and purchase more. One of the babies sent is one we know in Kitonga... please keep Justminta in your prayers... And again such frustration on my part and sadness: I say Tanzania is shooting itself in the foot... not allowing the help to come in as given to assist its people...

We are racking our brains, making connections, going to the port, to try and bring in these supplies. So far, to no avail... but Chris and Maria continue to persist! God bless them!

Container news has been the question of many. It still has not arrived but we know it is on Tanzanian soil. It is an ongoing dilemma soap opera. Apparently is had arrived in Dar October 31st, the email update stating it was "discharged" which we have understood to mean it is taken off ship and is on land in port. However, we did not know until the Tuesday. Either way, it has now been sitting in port for over a week plus... and we were told it needed a registration number in order to proceed with the clearance. Then were told the computers at port were down. Yesterday at 2 pm the registration number was texted from Happy Seiph of Mission and Services, but along with that, the figure of 2,116,000.70 u. Chris is now researching what this all means, possibilities and options, getting advice from this Canadian crew "the field of possibilities" once again... as with all these "blips" in plans...

Deep gratitude must be extended to this Canadian drilling team, especially to Gus Lorenowicz who is so magnanimous in offering us any help/advice/materials he can possibly provide. His smile, calm demeanor and flourescent t-shirts are oft the oasis in the desert! And he makes a wicked coffee with Kahlua too! He says we are always welcome as every spot in this camp is "hot" for internet access. Another gift! Herein issues are tracked as with PayPal wanting to close H2HA account, tracking container, contacting donors for wells, etc. etc.

These past weeks, I have begun to whitewash Darasa (Standard) I classroom which had huge grey cement channels in their walls from repairs last year, and we had whitewash left from out building. After 3 coats, roller painting with branches and twigs for long handles, Chris purchased additional cream enamel paint to comply with school rules to paint the lower half... and also some black enamel paint for the final bottom trim of 8 inches required by the floor... The children gather in all the desks, giggling and watching me paint... I request they sing the moving national anthem "Tanzania"... and I then sing "o canada"... also took a break to teach them dot to dot capturing area.. and they went wild with enthusiasm, so I went back to painting... they sing Bingo and If you're happy and you know it... so I extend it to add in other verses and options... Many bring me mangoes (embe) in thanks and each is treasured with "asante sana"/thankyou and embe mzuri sana-- very good mangoes... they just giggle and chatter, or shyly and proudly walk away... We come home/hotel with bags of these wee mangoes (palm size or plum size) and wash off to enjoy their sweetness....

Chris is often approached for "communication"... elders requesting cell phones... and I just laugh! they often bring her bags of cashews or a big pineapple, then as an aside say "Dont forget communication!"... It is almost as if she is running a black market idea! hahahha... of course, she tells them that all is going to the school etc... very kindly ... but they persist and are not daunted by her answers as the weeks progress..

Internet is coming in and out, so I will try to send this portion, and continue next. It is now 11am and I have been here for almost 3 hours. But as you can see, we have been blessed with the folk who accompany us on this journey here in Tanzania, and also you who are abroad.

Though we cannot always answer emails... we love receiving any news from you too!

Feeling blessed to be here!

Josie

Oct 17th

To all our wonderful friends, families and supporters,

Christine and I will try to send intermitent blurbs on what is happening here in Tanzania.

We have been most fortunate to be located in the Blue Errah Hotel/Kiguza Hotel in Mkuranga 15 km away from Kitonga. Outside our window is a high tech command central of a Calgary based oil drilling company with armed guards congregating day and night. These Canadians have been most kind in sharing of their internet access and other technical resources. Thanks to them we are able to have solid internet connections. But with the busy activities we are undertaking, individual emails are difficult to write. Instead we will try to make connections through such emails.

It is absolutely a whirlwind of activity here. We are presently awaiting Meb from Dar to come and video the progress in Kitonga. We had just purchased the building materials Friday morning, delivery commenced by the afternoon. Bob the Super builder has his crew of 7 there and the base has been dug for the new school room and bathroom extension, then filled to the cement pad... then the outside blocks have now been erected to the height of the roof already last night. The progress is amazing. These fellows dont stop to rest, except yesterday their "rest" was taking the soccer ball donated by Shawn Best from Calgary and having a soccer run!

Yesterday was also the time Christina finally met Maria Pool, the Consulate to the Islands of Seychelle, who is in the area to continue her work... amazing stuff. She is the one that Christina has been talking on the phone with for over 2 years, and told Christina to come visit my villages. The TV fellow continued his taping throughout their walk up and down the village pathway with the village elder Mr. Omari and the headmaster Mr. Mfinanga... Also, met Farida her support.

More to come later....... we will need to clean out the Land cruiser as Anna Mtembei has to come and pick it up for about a week. So we lose our wheels, but the universe has amazing ways to take in order to give... Anna will come with the driver, all the way to Kitonga village, to see it for the first time... so another strong powerful connection.

But quickly about the container... We are tracking its progress HAHU2561587, and so far we know it did leave Montreal on September 7th, on the MSC Endurance voyage #15R, to be discharged in Valencia on Sept 18 and loaded on Sept 24th on MSC Melissa vessel voyage #V838A, It arrived now in Salalah, OMAN on October 5th where it has been sitting for over 11 days already. News is that 12 vessels are waiting at Dar es Salaam port to be unloaded. We did hear that only one vessel was leaving Oman yesterday, but fear our container was not yet loaded and the anticipated time of travel between Oman and Dar, Tanzania was 10 to 14 days. Maria Pool informed us that she also sent a container 40 footer,on the same shipline and her container has been held in Oman since September for over 20 days already. We are trying to pool our resources with "Pool" hahaha, and see if we can move mountains, or at least ships... After all, she is a diplomat for the Seychelles...

We have been slowly slowly (poli poli) trying to tackle the bundle of pen pal letters, having someone to interpret for us to the children, taking time to write info in English... many are so shy of course with us in doing this foreign type of activity... they have a hard time understanding the concept of pets, dogs , cats, but especially rats.... they call soccer football... and their favourite foods are often rice, or ugali, a maize flour paste/porridge... Some of the stories are so so sad, as a boy said his father died last year (poli sana---so sorry)... I am learning just a few phrases in Swahili... it has such a magical rhythmic tone, very foreign to our European languages... But all is well... We managed to do 6 letters one day, and 5 the next under the huge mango tree where the children brought out tables and benches for us... Christina also showed some the amazing H2H slide shows and of course, they are absolutely fascinated.

So much more to tell you. But Meb is coming soon and we still want to clear out the Land Cruiser before Anna Mtembei arrives with her driver around noon.

It is hot and humid, but absolutely wonderful... we need to change our clothes two or more times a day as it can get quite raunchy and fresh!!! The cell phone is difficult to keep going as often it is so hard to find places that sell greater amounts of cell time phone vouchers... and of course, that is Chris' main OFFICE along with her computer.

We have managed to bring up a sample of the water in the ringwell down the hill from the Village and our first test was done two days ago... the first part of the results show red dots which means bacterial contamination. We still need to wait for the full 48 hours to lapse. Maria has stated she will give a generator to the village so water can be pumped up to the school area... and she was impressed with the water tank to hold 2000 liters that ws dropped off when Christina left last year. So so much more... later later...

Our love to you all. We see how much very simple simple tools and containers are needed. Collect as many plastic pails, sturdy ones that you can. The villagers dont keep one at the well, which drops down over 12 feet, so the women have to bring their own on string, or go down to the next village to get a tattered plastic bottom to a bottle on a twine rope. So twine rope, containers, bins, tools, are so vital. I watch the workmen shave a twig/branch to make a handle for a tool here. The ladder I have promised to super Bob the builder after I finish unloading the container, in thanks for his great work , but also to promise to always make Kitonga FIRST when we need his help in the following years to continue building. He just laughs at me... He was absolutely mesmerized when Christina showed him the slide show presentation, watching himself in the pictures and scrutinizing the progress of the building, discussing with seydie any alterations or improvements... Also he wants us to include his company name (we never knew he had one) when he saw it said local construction company.

Labour is assessed not hourly but rather at one third the cost of materials... interesting.

Our love to you all in Canada! Keep us in your thoughts and prayers... A chicken is now coming into this thatched roof outdoor restaurant as we await Meb the videographer... he is running late as the roads area wicked in repairs between Dar and here...

Josie and Christina
the fearless duo!
alias
Gabrielle and Xena!
Or Indiana Josie and Wonderwoman!

P.S. we have a new saying we got from the calgary drilling team and use it many times a day: AWA (Africa wins again!)... as often any plans that are made or schedules set up are nigh on impossible to follow with the pace and time of this world! Hahahah

Oct 14th

Taken from email to our fellow traveller Rachael Bramhall from Ireland who hopes to start a support group for Heart To Heart Africa...

Have you been to any more Kitchen Parties recently? Love the photos I have of you dancing and hope to be able to send them to you whenever I figure out that conundrum from here.

Where are you now? How are you? Just spoke to Happy on the phone who is in Arusha and she asked about you too.

Do you have regular access to email. You will not believe this, but we are now in Mkuranga at the Blue Errah hotel, just outside of the wee village of Kitonga. Internet is not usually available here. however, we have a major high tech station situated right outside our hotel window with armed guards that houses a calgary/canadian oil drilling team... and of course, you know Christine, well, she used her charm to ensure they gave her their secret code access to internet. So now, we have better connections than I ever had even in Canada!!! how absolutely bizarre and amazing! Nothing surprises me anymore about Christine... she can move mountains... hahaah

The school building is already erected from the base with blocks that reach above the windows... the little toilet at the back is being expanded and dug out further. Women of the village take long treks down to the well, and with buckets of water fill a container for cement mixing. The men of the village donate their efforts with sand for the base...

Our container did get out of Montreal to Valencia and then was shifted to another boat to Oman, however now it has been sitting there for 10 days... Do you think it will arrive before we leave on December 15th? tune in for further notifications...

Life is most interesting. I am sure you are having an amazing adventure too... no time for boredom... no rest for the wicked.
hahahah...

The village folk are so genuine and always full of smiles and welcoming. I brought a game of pick-up-sticks on the national holiday Nyerere Tuesday... and it was fun trying to communicate. Today we brought penpal letters from Canada and managed to translate and write back to about 10 of the 300 letters... so will continue to try that daily...

We have been thinking about you and where you are and what you are doing? Perhaps our paths will cross again! Yeah, definitely, to quote Christine... she is wandering about just out of her towel and getting ready after a great shower to go and eat OH YEAH! she says...

Lots of love, we are going to eat! chakula!
Josie
ps write us back if you can!! josie.kvas@hotmail.com

Oct 10th

It is Sunday morning here 8 am. Am sitting in the Blue Errah hotel in Mkuranga south of Dar es Salaam. I hope you have been getting my bulk emails at least. Internet connections are almost non-existent here, but we have totally lucked out... I do believe the universe is on our side, and also propelling us along this pathway, despite ourselves! We are blessed!

Jesse Wellhoefer is a really interesting young man, who had apparently raised a lot of money for the school in Kitonga when he was in Dubai, in memory of another co-drilling team member who had died of malaria... we just walked into the front foyer here last Monday from Kitonga, and this young fella says hi to Christine... she couldnt remember him specifically... then the story came out that the money was raised but never reached Christine. Later we found out it went instead to the Malaika Childrens Foundation... so Jesse is now pursuing this, to see why and how it got diverted... But anyway, he did go out to the village to take photographs and see what is happening...

Our vehicle has been taken away as elections are coming ... but just as well as we had lots of paperwork to catch up on... and always folks are dropping by to do business or put forward their requests for money. It is most difficult to deal with the many requests.We have to just gently say, we are building a school, bringing in the container and trying to arrange for a dig of a deep well... There truly is sooo much need here and they look at us "Mazungu"s as being millionaires. Oh well, they cant comprehend that one would leave home, and just give time and energy... That is so foreign to them when they have to struggle for basic needs of water, food, etc.

We were translating letters from penpals during the week, one teacher to kiSwahili to the students, then back to me in English so I could print them up. It was so interesting. Most of the kids said they liked rice as their favourite food (ubwabwa)... just shows how little they have. One little boy said his father died last year (so sorry--poli sana), and my heart breaks.. Took in a game of pick up sticks... they loved it and it is easy to teach with no language... also took in a frisbee and they just laughed... but must tell you it is broken already... The fellows with this oil drilling company gave us a new soccer ball, and the elder Mr. Omari was thrilled, boy, did he have the moves... didnt think he would give it up for the kids..ahhahaa

Must go for breakfast now that Christine has finished looking beautiful...ready... set go...

Oct 8th

Yes, yes the pace is actually very different here and I am also learning to gel with Chris' pace... Chris is a dynamo, never stopping... often will sit doing her work, shifting between so many facets of the planning stages; I then do other things that are awaiting me/us... and then all of a sudden she is up and running to go... I am glad to be here as oft then I need to stop her and make sure we have everything with us and that we are prepared (e.g., sunhat, sunscreen, wallets, driving shoes, papers etc.). No outing is simple. There is much searching, asking, roundabout driving, and parking. Maps (lamani) seem to be a non-existent entity. Chris is amazing with all her contacts and how things flow in magical ways despite this different pace and world... It is fun!

We opted to stay at a beautiful place Mediterraneo for these two nights before moving on as they boasted internet and copying services along with being on the amazing Indian Ocean front. The gardens here are beautiful and this is truly a treat. The bed has an overhang that has its own mosquito netting. The Masaii guards men very quietly guard various corners, and appear out of nowhere if one ventures to meander through the gardens, especially at night or anywhere near the drop towards the ocean beach. Karibu - welcome is the kind word all about here... and I know to answer at least asante (thank you). Feel very safe at this setting.

Had our breakfast by the buffet seaside was amazing... the rain started pelting down again. Yesterday there was a torrential downpour and the earth ran red with many huge puddles quickly amassing about.... just laughed aloud getting soaked in this warmth and realizing this was like the African torrents as in novels... But today whilst Chris waged war with the internet and printing, I took time to read and make notes on the information gathered about the solar powered well system installed near Kitonga at the Ruvu river in 1997... That took a few hours... but a wonderful setting... all still surreal, yet I feel at home!

We do alot of working "inertia style" where we have to sit, organize, brainstorm, and try to reach by email (with crazy erratic connections and time lags) to cell phones which continually die out from either end, trying to buy calling cards to input extra time but these are only sold in wee wee amounts... with the longest security codes imaginable!! So Chris sits and inputs card after card of long numbers to buy at least $20 of time. Also to be careful of the cell cost to our friends, text messages are often sent instead.

We have now been searching, yesterday and today, for internet printing access, which will allow Chris to print off documents she has on computer for our meetings this Thurs and Fri. Now in retrospect, (you know, clarity becomes 100%,) it seems that we should have brought hard copies in our luggage despite the weight.

Right now after two hours of schlepping up and down a major route in Dar es Salaam (and this is a major city right?) we finally found a wee internet cafe that also prints. However, Chris just gulped at the thought of spending 1,000ksh per copy for a 92 page document (that is almost $100! gone)... So now Chris is beside me trying to print out at least smaller bits/reports and is working with Flower (the names here are wonderful) in trying to save on flash to then input into a separate printer... nothing is as streamlined as in Canada (despite our complaints when our computers crash etc.).

Before this we had just found a fax place after stopping at two major malls. We parked at one mall. Then walked to another. Then walked across the street on muddy sideroads: but the fax place was a tiny hole in the wall across the street amongst these rustic shopping stalls. The sweet girl Habib? tried the fax number, as the letterhead had to be sent to Happy so she could fill out some needed paperwork for the container before 11am... it was already 12, and then somehow after all that, we couldn't connect on the fax. Chris phoned on cell and office to talk to Happy which took quite a while. Meanwhile in the sweltering sauna of this wee place, I was teaching the wee lass Habib how to play x and o, and capturing dot to dot area, and sharing my cinnamon gum, to pass the time whilst we waited. Chris finally connected to find out their electricity was down, so that was why the fax could not go through. So after all the time, task not yet completed, and we will have to go back somehow to do that later.

Anyway, computer time is running out... so will try to send this now if possible.

Lots of love,
Josie
xoxoxo

Oct 3rd

Hello to you all. "Mimi ni Josie." My name is Josie in k-Swahili.... ha ha trying to pick up alittle more each day. The folk here are happy and kind, helpful and many come forward to lend helping hands and connect. They also insist on speaking/meeting me even on the cell phone! So welcoming and excited about this work. Christine has made some incredible connections over the years who fiercely protect and support her. There is much gratitude here for all her efforts!

Little time on compter so will try to follow Ami's wise advice and email to you all any updates whilst there is still computer access. Slow, but the keyboard is less sticky today.

Today has been sheer joy in the abundance given to this work! We got up early for breakfast and the coffee was amazing for a sore throat... Then we arranged to have Jawa come (young taxi driver that Seyde knew we could trust but has minimal ENglish) and pick us up... we needed pickup at 9, but had the receptionist contacted him, translated to ki-swahili, and give k-swahili time: that is 7 is one, 8 is two, and 9 is three.

Then we went to meet Mr Thadeo Mtembei for 10am. He started a private school St. Michaels, which had grown from one class to a huge well known centre attracting students from neighbouring countries too. Taxi cost 3,000 kshillings... Early so went to AM Annex hotel across the road from a hotel he was building for another coffee and papaya? juice whilst waiting. FInally went across road and I met this jovial and spiritual man who loves cinnamon gum, so I gladly gave him a packet I had packed and some cinnamon scented candles. It was great to meet this generous benefactor. Yesterday at 11pm he had texted that he would provide us with a vehicle for our stay, as he had offered such to Christine last year before she left.... Believe it or not, we just jumped for joy, did we want a Land Cruiser (left hand shift/gears) or a Saloon Mark II was the text message?!!!

Well then his daughter left her clothing shop next door (Anna Mtembei, who went to Birmingham UK for two years to study her MA in businss admn) to escort us to their Masasani walled home with guard... and there we met her wonderful grandma... so I learned to greet her "Shikamo mama": respectful greeting for elder woman.. I can say that she was full of blessings, welcome, hugs and kisses at 92... and asked that we say a prayer. We shared special fried cakes and ginger milk tea.

Christine was amazing, and determined: took a crash "course" on the Land Cruiser which we felt would handle the rough roads in and particularly out of town, but also carry loads as needed. We followed Anna back filling up with diesel for 135,000 ksh. about $135. Will see how long that lasts. She managed shifting gears on her left whilst also driving on the "wrong" side of the road navigating through mad traffic and walkers...

We got back to thank Mr. Mtembei on Mafia St. who then said he has rooms upstairs where we can stay, as the hotel is almost finished and they can set up beds in between. Also if we needed storage his guard would take us downstairs and show us a place that is safe. And once the container arrives, he will make a truck available for transport of items as needed to then contact him. As he was going to Dubai for about 8 days, he gladly exchanged US $ the Chris had for a good rate also.

By the time we got back to our Sleep Inn Hotel, we were exhausted. Mr. Mtembei assured us he felt that the vehicle would be safe there with their security, but else to be careful where we parked. Went down to the restaurant and had food at 4:30pm... and litres of water of course. Need a shower badly but wanted to connect again, as may leave this area tomorrow for Tanga, and connections for internet may besparser still.

Anna was excited by our work and spoke of studies she had conducted about help given to Tanzania, how it affected the stock market and when misused. It was most intriguing. Then she had us speak to Godfrey Magoti Mnubi her fiance who was studying for his PHD in Education, in North Dakota. I think we have two more very strong interests and connections. She wants us to come to her wedding in July/August...

I still need to find a safe place to exchange my Cdn funds before we leave, as other places will be more remote and smaller....

I have been trying to eat spicy/hot foods (pili pili) or super spicy (pili pili ho ho)... Love the repetitive nature of the language. It is getting dark now at 6:30 pm... not to venture out especially in this district without escort is suggested by Mr. Mtembei... Anyway, need a shower and then "La la" sleep "salama"... Have apeaceful rest! I need to shake this cold so will have more energy tomorrow for whatever may come our way.