Happy 26th wedding anniversary
to us :o) we're celebrating a little early, going away for the weekend, up a mountain where its cooler, hopefully....with all the power cuts (no fans, nothing electrical at home) we are melting: last weeks' lovely gift needs eating, even tho' the marshmallow pictures look far too nice.... spot anyone you recognise?
YUMMM
I put the butter next to the fridge, not in it, for an hour or so...don't want to keep opening the door and warm everything up; we're surprised not to see any ants floating in it - you should have seen the pizza: I thought all the little black bits were simply seasoning :o( oh well, folk eat all sorts here!
Nice flowering bush eh, to mask the water tower, now emptying fast as we await the overdue rains - winds are blowing from the north and causing "dust devils" that swirl, snap and overturn things! We thought Dodoma was dusty....
In the office with us this week we’ve had
Andrew from Uganda to help out with all matters financial and ease that hat off
Jez’s head a little; we’ve also been interviewing for the new finance officer
to join the team and had 6 hopeful candidates in to meet, praying Gods’
guidance over each: sadly we had to let the last one go. Pilot Kerstein has spent the week flying the medical staff from Haydom
Hospital to surrounding isolated areas, while his wife grows their baby (she also works with a local “women’s
project”).
Also this week we've been preparing for the visit of Aviation Authority inspectors so that we can renew our AOC for the next year. After such a big year of transition its going to be interesting to see what happens! Steve, our Ops Director is in Mbeya (about 800 kms south
west of us) and the
engineering is about 400 kms south of us - for many years it has all been under one hanger roof in Dodoma!
Jez often “works remotely” with Steve in the south of Tanzania (next to lovely wife Debbie, left in the piccie), who is
taking us out “out of the office” and shares about how he serves with MAF:
“I flew Dr. Erick from Mbeya along with a
dentist and nurse for this visit. No patients were seen, rather the time
was spent touring the facility and talking about how they can help with eye
consults. Since another great need in the area is for dental work, it is
expected that a dentist will come on every clinic as well. Dr. Erick is
very impressed with the facilities and says that with what is presently there,
he could provide even minor surgeries. Future plans for the dispensary
include an operating theater, but until that is in place, cataract surgery will
not be possible.
The Mercy Medical Missions dispensary has
been operating less than three years. It is
located near the town of
Kapenta near Lake Rukwa, just below the escarpment of the rift valley; this
dispensary is the only medical service available to around 100,000 people
in this valley area. Kapenta has no government dispensaries, and is in
fact more isolated than most villages in the area. The district capital
of Sumbawanga is about 2 ½ hours’ drive away if there are good conditions (for
those with access to any vehicle). MAF helped with clinic flights
previously with Ifisi Hospital in Mbeya. There are around seven
predominant tribes inhabiting the area, including a large influx of Sukuma
people over the past several decades.
Kapenta is in the part of Tanzania that is
“famous” for witchcraft activity, missionaries will attest to the overt
spiritual struggle taking place in and around town. They work with a
local
pastor who has a strong personal testimony and calling to work
here. The clinic endeavors to have an evangelical impact, with prayer
conducted with every patient, Scripture offered, and Christian videos
played in the waiting area.
We have been flying to Ngwala only every
other month, and that only in the dry season. Kapenta airstrip (photo here) is
maintained by the the missionaries there, and as such should remain useable
year-round.
This work represents a worthy and valid
effort on the part of MAF and the partners. Despite perceptions of
“advancement in infrastructure” in Tanzania, the residents of these villages
are still very isolated and forgotten, and only a short 45 minutes’ flight from
Mbeya."
Right.
Must go and pack:o) Have a good weekend.
Fond love to all, Jez and Carina xx
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