Saturday, July 30

Today is a day of rest.  We are just hanging out at NGEST, which has a new name, "Africa International University."  Much better name.  We are staying at Elizabeth and Sam Ngewa's home on the campus.  Sam actually isn't here.  He had to go home to his village because an uncle died.  But Elizabeth is fun and we are having good theological discussions with her.  She also is a good cook!

I am feeling better.  My cousin Sheila's sister is a nurse in Nairobi.  She knows all the good docs and she sent me to a good surgeon.  He said the conservative approach is best and so he gave me some new medication that is already helping.  Thanks for your prayers.

Here are some pictures for you to show we are still alive. By the way is anyone reading this!? Please let us know YOU are alive!

Women from the village come down to the edge of Lake Victoria to bathe and to get water to irrigate their garden.

Sheila, John's cousin who was born in Kenya and has served in Tanzania for thirty years. And Sonya, Sheila's daughter who is serving as a teacher in a village 13 hours away by bus. She came home for the graduation. Both are full of joy and love and God's strength. They are my new heroes!

John with Buto, Sheila's very capable handy-man and with Jeremiah, a pre-med student.

July 29

We finished our last class at Nassa Theological College yesterday morning. Saying good-bye to these faithful pastors was hard to do. We flew into Nairobi last night and drove through crazy traffic for two hours before getting back to Elizabeth and Sam Ngewas. Fortunately our driver was skilled and we made it safely. John has not been feeling well so we went to a doctor here today that was highly recommended. He gave John some meds and we hope John will feel better soon. Pray for him.
Driving back from the doctor's office we passed so many people living in slums that it was heartbreaking. The vastness of the poverty is overwhelming.

Blessings,   Sylvia

July 26

While walking back from our classroom this morning, I followed a small boy herding two very thin cows, a woman carrying a huge load of sticks on her head and a church choir that burst out into perfect four part harmony. At the house I saw a pack of mongoose running through the brush.I didn't have my camera for any of this! Drats!

Here are photos of  the road from Sheila's house down to the classrooms, the flowers along the way, and the persimmon tree in the back yard.  Also is a photo of four elderly pastors who were honored at the graduation. One was 100 years old. Two had leprosy when they were younger. They had served the Lord faithfully for decades. The woman kneeling in front of them is one of the professors here. She is offering to wash their hands before supper.

Our class was challenging this morning. I taught on the worth of women in the kingdom of God. Some of the men have a very traditional view of women and their roles. John then taught on what an egalitarian Christian marriage looks like. Some of the men seemed open to this.  Hopefully we helped others see how Jesus honored women. 

Blessings,   Sylvia

Sheila Dilworth's House

 

 

 

Classroom

Hi all,
We had our first day in the classroom today. There are around 25 pastors and businessmen and NGO administrators here. They all have graduated from Nassa Theological College. They are here this week for an alumni seminar and we are the guest lecturers. This is where culture shock is hitting me more and more. The poverty that these pastors must endure is heartbreaking. Most of these men have families and live in very rural conditions. Most have little access to health care. Their stories are overwhelming.

John taught today from 2 Corinthians on the ministry of compassion.  I  taught on the worth of children in the kingdom of God. I was nervous!

John's cousin, Sheila is taking good care of us. She has lived here in Tanzania and raised her children here. She is a great source of knowledge and joy.

We took a walk last night and the stars are amazing!  We saw the "southern cross" which of course you can only see from the southern hemisphere. God's beauty is all around us.
Blessings,   Sylvia

The Serengeti

 We had a fabulous day in the Serengeti. Saw a whole pride of lions, 12 of them in all, just feet from our car. A little scary!  Tons (literally!) of hippos and every other kind of animal you could think of! I'll let the photos speak for themselves.
 Love, Sylvia

Graduation Day

Today was the big day here in the village and for the college; Graduation Day!  It started last night with killing a cow for the feast and the ladies were up early this morning cooking beans and rice over open fires. People began arriving at the grassy center of the school and were seated on benches and chairs under the big acacia trees and tarps. The graduates and the professors and John (!) all slowly walked/danced in to music. By the time the program began there were over 500 people sitting about. Many, many children!  John did a great job giving the address to the grads and had a terrific interpreter. Choirs sang and danced, grads gave their stories, we sang several hymns in Swahili and there were many prayers. Three hours later the graduation came to an end and then out came the huge bowls of rice and beans and well done roast beef.   Imagine feeding five hundred people by cooking over open fires and you can have a sense of how hard all the ladies worked. No papers plates or Costco here!

John spoke with genuine love for the grads and they all appreciated his words.   I was VERY proud of him!

Love, Sylvia

First Day in village of Bulima in Tanzania

We flew from Nairobi to Mwanza, Tanzania early Thursday morning, July 21.  John's cousin's daughter, Sonya, picked up at the tiny airport and took us out for pizza!  After a day of doing errands with her and her friend, Julie, we arrived late in the village where Nassa Theological College is located.  We were suffering from jet lag so we went to bed  early and slept great.  We woke up to the choir of African birds, crazy roosters and a busy morning.  It was rehearsal day for the graduation ceremony.  We went and John met all his students and friends from the college.  Sylvia got to meet all those wonderful people John had been talking for the last few years.  You can see the graduating class and their wives.  We were pleased that the coming graduating classes are much more balanced between men and women.  We were invited to go and visit John's special student friend, Jeremiah Ngosso,, who always provided a cold soda for him after teaching every day.  His wife Monica and four children are a beautiful picture of Africa.  Pray for us tomorrow as John will speak at the graduation ceremony.

John and Sylvia Made it to Nairobi

We arrived safely and are recovering from a long day of flying yesterday.  Here are some pictures from a stroll around the school of theology.  It just got a new name and now is known as Africa International University.  We are staying with Sam and Elizabeth Ngewe, who are professors here at the school.  Elizabeth is seen with some of the student's children in one of the pictures.  Sylvia is overcoming jet lag by riding in a wheelbarrow!  We are off to Tanzania tomorrow.  Please continue to pray for us.  John and Sylvia