Visiting Tanga parish

7. Oktober 

Question: how many passengers do fit in a big Toyota SUV? Well including the driver and one guy in the front, 4more passengers squeezed in the second row and six in the back, that makes 12... and a very joyful ride on one of these "good Tanzanian roads" Doctor Peter and some of his co-workers picked us up in the morning to bring us to Tanga parish about an hours drive from Tumaini. Tanga is one of the younger and smaller congregations in UKD with 5 "streets" (area to small to be called a village). 

 Though located in a wonderful landscape the church, the estate and the whole village is in an appalling state.  The loo is a hole in the ground covered by a fence and  the roof as well as the walls of the church need some work to be done.we were heartily welcomed by pastor, his evangelists and church elders. Nevertheless to me the congregation to me seemed to be extremely blessed- if not in a financial then in a social way.  There seems to be a extremely good amount of mutual care and responsibility. The chain is always as strong as its weakest link, so the community takes care of those who struggle- cultivating their fields etc. 

Main issue it is to keep the parish activities going as long as possible- regarding the tiny funds they have. Of course partnership to them first of all means to be financially supported (as a parish - independently from the diocese) - so there were several hints were they think our money could be invested best. But getting on in our talks we already widened our horizon by telling one another about our own parishes, their riches and struggles. After a good Tanzanian supper with loads of rice and the obligatory chicken we waited for Doctor Peter to pick us up again ... and waited and waited ... as the sun was about to go down around 6 David hired a local driver and his "car" to get us home. Thank goodness we made it. This "car" had neither bumpers nor seat belts, one door couldn't be closed, nor the windows, the lamp indicating there is sth wrong with the engine was on all the time and each time we had to go over one of the multitude bumps and whole I feared to completely ruin the fuel tank.

But hey: here we are. We made it!