LOL!

Loads of love ... or laugh out loud!?! I'm going for the latter, it's kept us sane this week and WHATTA week we've had. I wasn't sure we were going to get through the ever increasing mountain of work - but that's why we have weekends and evenings, right :o)

Anyhooooo now, thankfully, we are en route to the UK; did you like the above plane's registration! We're having a weekend in Dar es Salaam before our main flight, just to catch our breath and thank God for all His enabling and intervention during the past 7 days!..... We shall now have 9 different beds to enjoy before returning to Tanzania for a week's work at MAF's new Arusha Base, arriving back in Dodoma 21st October by which time we trust we shall know who will be buying the MAF properties and of our next step after Christmas, yaaaaaaaaaaay!

Before we swap one continent for another here are some local sights, neither unusual or out of place, although they'd be bizarre to see in good ol' Blighty!

Obviously whilst we're away life will continue on here in Dodoma, although not for the Beckwith family who soon leave for their big adventure in pastures new at MAF Meereba. Just Pierre and the McKelveys remain, working a few more weeks to enable the smooth up and running of the newly formed Central Aviation Services: CAS, now doing the engineering maintenance in the hanger where some of the ex-MAF staff are being employed to work for a Tanzanian, MAF's ex-chief engineer Heri: Halelu-JAH. Jez has been helping to manage the process. They will continue to take care of many previous customers and partners and more importantly MAF's 2+1 aeroplanes when they need to fly in from Arusha/Mbeya for their essential checks, repairs, etc. enabling the vital work to continue, particularly in isolated communities only (sensibly) reachable by air.

Here a Gospel message is being shared under the shelter of the wing.... whilst the medical staff meet other needs and provide innoculations, weigh babies, supply medicines, etc. MAF fly many of our mission partners to these villages, several days each week.

Well it could be a few weeks until we're in touch, unless it's in person of course :o)
I'll have my ipad mini with me if you want to message or say a quick hi!

Hoping we won't need one of these at any time!

BIG HaPpy BirThDaY greetings to these two. Lucas was 4 Thursday and Asher will be *~21~* next Thursday
Add their birthdays to our recent celebrations = 100!

As well as a big birthday next Thurs-day Rosh Hashana begins: Hag samach for all who'll be celebrating Jewish New Year! Shanah tovah.



Right then, time to go.
God bless you and we'll see each other later.
Tutaonana baadaye!
Love Jez and Carina xx

Cuppa?

Any one for tea?! Recently we saw this, adverting "fine tea". Have you noticed its registration?! Good eh!

The cow is 'dry' so we're drinking lots of black tea this week, finding it rather refreshing, helping us through what feels like a mountain of various tasks, wearing a variety of 'hats'. With our local and international finance staff members gone Jez has been number-crunching, sorting/authorising/paying bills and local staff salaries (not as straightforward as one would think, writing budgets and re-presenting properties for sale to the open market, along with the other jobs awaiting more attention. Our computers have been giving us grief, losing whole swathes of contact names and addresses ... similarly our marvellous-MAF support-team back in Folkestone office seem to be in short supply of the addresses too. No prizes for guessing what we shall spend the weekend fixing/updating. Praise the Lord for a capable hubbie! Now did you know Jez used to be an aircraft engineer, first in the RAF and then at Yorkshire Light Aircraft, based in Leeds? I expect he'd like to pop that 'hat' on too, just for good measure! (ooops looks like he's forgotten his safety boots!)

Our poor ol' gardening helper has been off sick: typhoid and malaria, so there's been little attention given to the hard, dry ground along with dead, crunchy leaves which blow and swirl all around us, through the mozzie window screens+nets and into the houses/beds! After an hour or so one can write names on the table and shake out a pillow or two: achooo!! Even so we do love the lack of rain here and the continuous warm temperatures (for now anyway, whilst it's still bearable!), providing us with lovely fruit - here's some that hasn't reached the mouths of those precious Safina children: passion fruit! Blended together with avocado it makes a delicious and nutritious drink, highly calorific I don't doubt. Our avocado trees are lovely and leafy but no sign of fruit yet; the mango tree has loads of small fruits forming - the wind frequently knocks them off and onto our tin roof making a right ol' clatter!! We did, rather amazingly, have a short and oh-so-sweet downpour a few days ago, according to the locals it was totally unheard of in Dodoma at this time of year, at least until late November : "maybe God is changing things" we've heard said!

And this picture's here just because the colours match - and yes, folk do say it here, though more often than not its "hamna shida" but means basically the same!

Onwards and upwards then my friends!
May God bless your weekend.
From Jez and Carina with love

"Come on and celebrate...

..His gift of Love, we will celebrate..." Well hello from us both, back from a week of R&R on Zanzibar! We won't 'bore you' with the details, but will let a few piccies give you a taster from my birthday and our 25th wedding anniversary celebrations and of the beautiful setting (more on FB o'course!), 'picturing' the first and current President "welcoming" us to the island - Karibu!

With his safe return from Afghanistan Oli and Lizzy were able to fly all the way across to join us for a long weekend before returning to the main land to see some animals in a game park.... or 4! On my birthday we all went snorkeling with dolphins and an array of beautiful fish in some crystal clear waters before a celebratory meal together in the "loft" ....pictures follow with views outwards across the atoll to the exclusive Mnemba Island and blissfully-warm Indian Ocean!

So after having a few "inspiring" days to relax and talk with the Lord about the next step, following completion of our assignment here in Tanzania, we spent some days with the newly formed MAF Tanzania team, up in Arusha - more to follow in our imminent newsletter. Three faithful families remain with us in Dodoma to finish up essential aircraft maintenance and handover.


Below shows team meal: us with MAF's 2 full-time + 2 part-time office based staff, facilitating 3 pilots+families

Rather than an 8+ hr dodgey-drive we were thankful for a MAF flight back to Dodoma, with pilot Jarkko who dropped equipment and us/picked up the medics/pastor and took the 3 day Kilimatindi medical/evangelical safari...pilots don't just fly the planes, they push/pull, refuel, act as luggage handlers, flight attendants, safety officers and prayer warriors, plus more! Some views along the journey home, showing some settlements over the Arusha region and my front-seat view/approach to Dodoma.

Now back in the office here our work this week has been mostly administrative - the formal offers to purchase of all the properties have been received, collated and forwarded for final decision, which we believe will be to the glory of God and best usage after MAF departs from Dodoma, maybe before the "short rains" commence in December. Then there'll be all the other assets to sort.... I'd better crack on... sending love and greetings to you for a happy weekend,
until next week then....
Jez and Carina xx