Saturday, I climbed the Uluguru Mountains up to the Bondwa Peak with my Swahili Teacher, Baba Sesi. Pastor always feels good when Baba Sesi goes places with me because he is a police officer and if anything happens to me, I am in good hands. So, I guess in a way that make him my body guard? I guess that makes a first for me. Anyways, the best way that I can describe this adventure is through copying from my journal, so that's what I'm going to for the last part of this entry.
Today was church and it was a good service. I'm getting used to many of the songs now, so I was actually able to sing along pretty well. Also, my Swahili is getting better and I'm feeling more confident to try and speak it. The problem for me is I'm a perfectionist and I don't want to say or do something unless I know for sure I'm going to get it right. But, I'm trying to get over that and just put myself out there. The only way that I'm going to get better at this is by trying and making mistakes.
Today, I also went to Kim and CP's house where I made oatmeal cookies. We had to do some improvisation because there was no coconut and no walnuts. We completely left the walnuts out and used coconut milk powder in place of coconut. Also, there wasn't very much chocolate to put in them, but we managed fine. In the end, I was quite proud of the result. It's incredibly empowering to know that I can cook in a 3rd world country successfully!! After baking, we went to the prayer service with other missionaries and I got to sing familiar songs and speak to people freely in English without worrying whether or not the understood me (which is always a nice feeling).
Sunday, February 19, 2012, Morogoro, Tanzania, 7:30am
Dear Lord,
I have awoken this morning to soreness and exhaustion. But, it is totally worth it!
Yesterday, my Swahili teacher, Baba Sesi, and I climbed the mountain to one of its peaks. I woke up at 5am and we left the house at about 5:50pm. Although we arrived on time, our guide, Emmanuel did not come until almost 6:30am. So, we sat and waited until then. When our guide arrived, we learned there would not be a car to take us up to the starting point and I was OK with that at the time.
Our journey began in silence as we made our way up the beginnings of our ascent to and past the Rock Garden. The higher we climbed the more people began to pass. Women with baskets of fruits and vegetables balanced on their heads floated down the mountain in colorful clothes. They chatted gaily and smiled as they moved past us, flowing steadily towards the market. After an hour or so, we left the main road and took a steeper short cut that reconnected with the road later.
Soon, the mountains opened up before us and we could see down into a valley and up the next slope. It was peppered lightly with small houses of farmers who grow their goods on the mountain. I was amazed why anyone would want to grow crops on the steep slopes of the mountain. It seemed so dangerous, but I soon had my answer. The small rivers that flow down the mountain (their beginning point) can easily be redirected with hoses to help water the farms. The pressure of the downward moving water creates enough pressure to keep a sprinkler going and probably doesn't cost a thing. However, this makes the narrow, steep footpaths dangerous in places because there is a fear of slipping.
We continued our climb on for two hours through the maze of farms as the sun ascended into the sky. We passed Morning Side, another adventure waiting to happen on another slope of the mountain. We climbed all the way through brush, following the river for a time until we reached the forest line. There, there was a building built by the Germans to monitor who went up and down the mountain to its peak (apparently there used to be a real road that cars could take to the peak). We stopped there and rested and I shared some food with our guide because all he brought to eat was a small bag of popcorn.
From that point, we continued for two more hours through the dense forest. Vines hung down from the trees and shrubs grew densely in places, making it difficult to pass. We passed butterflies, frogs, lillies, and wild banana trees. The terrain continued, steep in some places and sloping up in others. We passed the old German road to the top, but it's heavily overgrown now.
Sometime around noon we reached the peak which was engulfed by a cloud. I didn't care, though. For me, the sense of challenge and accomplishment was bigger than any mild disappointment. (Plus, I had gotten many views on the way up.) At the peak there are two towers: one for TV broadcasting and one for radio broadcasting. We got a short tour of the place which consisted of some computers and large machines to transmit the signal. I think the man who lives there does so alone. I wonder if he ever gets any company?
At the top we ate our lunch and again I shared with our guide because I don't think he gets paid very much and thus probably can't afford too much food. I had made peanut butter sandwiches, and brought bananas, cookies, and chips to eat. After lunch, we began our descent down the mountain....(sorry had the entry is sooo long and I didn't want to copy everything, so I'm editing some parts out)....
When we emerged from the forest, we did not stop, but continued straight down. In places it was so steep, I had to crab crawl down because my feet kept slipping out from under me. It was slow going. Whereas I had raced up the mountain, I was slow and deliberate about coming down it. We stopped to rest at a woman's house where we bought cheap bananas before continuing our descent. It felt like forever to come down...Finally, we reached the division in the road where Emmanuel continued to the starting point and Baba Sesi and I continued to town. When we finally got on the bus, I determined I would never move again. At that point, it was almost 6:30pm, nearly 12 hours after our starting time. When the bus stopped at the place I usually get off, I realized I still had a 10 minute walk home. *sigh* But, I made it and when I had rinsed myself off, I sat down in my chair and began checking email and Facebook before Skyping with the family.
And that is where I will leave off because from there I just talk about talking with my family and other boring, mundane things. Well, this is where I shall leave things off for today. I hope you have a wonderful, blessed week ahead!!
Here are some photos from the hike:
"But, one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13
May the Lord Bless You and Keep You,
~Christine
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