Arting in Musoma!

I tried something new... leading an art activity for adults in Musoma. I shared some of the organic background techniques that I learned during my time in the States. I also shared about my art process... which usually starts with an image that comes to mind, quite often a spiritual metaphor. Then it evolves, through sketches and experimentation, into a painting or collage. Anyone who decides to come back for the next Arting in Musoma will get to layer their own image on top of the background they made this time.

After we were done we had lots of watery paint left over... the logical thing to do? Splash it all over the septic tank with the kids who just came to pick up their mom!

Code of Conduct Guessing Game

 We're back at LVLC!

The first week we went over our code of conduct, to help things start off smoothly. It's seeming to yield good fruit as we near the end of week two.

There are 4 rules in our code of conduct, represented by these 6 photos (2 rules got 2 photos). Can you guess our rules?!

Hongera Mr. Sakwa!

This week Ronit and I had a new experience... Our guard and his fiance have dated for years, but when it came down to negotiations between their families the marriage came in question.

It's traditional for the groom's family to pay the bride's family to allow her to marry. Our guard's fiance is of the Kuria tribe. They still prefer to receive cattle, not cash. His father lives on a pastor's income, so couldn't afford the full number of cattle.

As his bosses and friends we were able (along with the help of our families) to supply the remaining cattle. At first we were excited to go to an auction and actually purchase the beasts. But then we found out her family lives so far away that they agreed to accept cash, avoiding the cost of transportation. So we just gave Mr. Sakwa this envelope with pictures of the cows. It felt a little like handling cattle!

Thankfully, it looks like they will be able to marry!

Art Installation

I don't usually get to make a direct contribution to Bible translation, but THIS week I did. The linguistics department commissioned me for a very important work: visual representation of the many hats worn in their office. There is the linguistics hat, a veiled hat with ivory tower which shows the majestic, peaceful experience of doing theoretical linguistics. The orthography hat, on the other hand, shows the crazy artistic experience of working with people and letters to create a usable writing system. You'll also see the consultant hat, the EC hat (an administrative role of one person in the office, not related to linguistics), the dictionary hat, the coordinator hat, and the cat in the hat... for when they take off all their hats at the end of the day. I enjoyed learning more about the work of my colleagues and contributing to their office. Now it is time to finish planning for beginning the semester with kids... in 5 days!

Rice Paddies in TZ

I've mentioned it before, but it's a favorite walk, so I mention it again! Right behind my house, this path divides the airport field from farming area... a rural feel though we're close to town. Farmers grow corn, cassava, and rice. The rice is what you see all green in the mid-ground.

It surprised me at first to see rice growing here, because I think of rice paddies as something in Asia. But Tanzanian cuisine includes rice, I think introduced by Indian immigrants, and Tanzanians often prefer the flavor and aroma of TZ-grown rice. It's interesting, because the climate isn't exactly what traditional rice farming requires, water scarcity being the biggest challenge. But some farmers in Tanzania have explored and adopted methods that don't require the ongoing flooding of paddies.

Another interesting TZ rice fact. Kind of like rain in Washington State, rice is important enough to hold multiple names. If you're growing a rice plant it's called "mpunga." If you're handling uncooked rice it's "mchele." If you've cooked the rice it's "wali." So you can't go to a restaurant and ask for mpunga or mchele. That would be weird.

The Students Are Rioting

Well, two weeks to go til Lake Victoria Learning Center (LVLC) opens for the new semester. My co-teacher and I are completely comfortable with that amount of time. There are conversations to be had, curriculum to mull over, furniture to move, etc. The students, however... This video clip, filmed one week ago, shows how one family of students is responding to the wait. Their signs and protest call are in Dutch. Translated: We want LVLC!

So Nice To Be Back

It's been a little over a week now, since arriving back in Musoma. I write this from my hammock office in our breezy yard, surrounded by fruit trees.

That part's lovely, but my favorite thing has been to reconnect with people... excited kids, amiable SIL office staff, and friends. I've gotten to share multiple meals and visiting times, all really fun blessings, but this is the only one I remembered to photo...

I went to Pascaria's house for tea, then we got sleepy so they pulled a mattress outside and we napped a bit. We got up when her kids got home and looked at their school books. She started making food whilst we munched on boiled peanuts and sang songs. :-)