Rich's week 1 of 2nd trip

Hi Folks,
Habari ya Assibui,
Had a very uneventful flight, arrival and the first 4 days at the village. Oh I should mention that the 30 hr flight was extended a bit due to the unexpected stop in Kenya to drop a man having a heart attack, behind my seat. A cabin search for a doctor was made and we dropped into Nyrobi as there is a better heart hospital there. There was no room for a gurney in the isle of the KLM flight to lay a man out so we elevated him across the seats. He couldn't turn the corner on the stretcher to exit the airplane door so that was interesting as well, Tipping the pour gent vertical almost gave me a heart attack. Back in the air after refueling I arrived at Kili airport to be greated by officials wearing face masks and official forms inquiring as to H1N1 virus and if we felt sick we should go back where we came from. I had no intention of THAT!!!!

This never happens - I was the first one to get my baggage off the claim area - YEAH. Wow!!!!! However, This is not always a good thing as I found out 2 minutes later. Being the first to Customs, they all were ready for Good old #1 passenger and they were going to do a very complete job. (Its best to wait a bit until there is a line and then when things get backed up a bit, you might get waved through without inspection). Well the nice man opened my 70 lb 4' duffel and proceded to remove washcloth dolls from First Lutheran Church, photos, button toys from my sister's classroom in Michigan, age 1 to age 6 shirts and pants collected in Milford, etc. all very expensive and then finally he hit pay dirt. TOOLS and Screws, hidden in the bottom!!! He said I would have to pay to take this bag out of the airport. I argued in Swahili for a bit (the baggage line now is starting to back up) I switched to English as I only knew how to say hello and coffee please, in Swahili. They started a second line and people were starting to be waved past and out to get transport to Arusha. I was taken to a back room where interagation of my need for dolls and button toys and screws were to be used. He said this was valuable stuff and that the Tanzania Government has to place a VAT tax on the bag of supplies. I continued to argue about them taxing the orphans in Tanzania - I thought I had a great argument - after all he was just trying to get a bit of cash for his CHI fund (his own use). He wanted 100 USD. I showed him my wallet, I had 7 bucks - the rest I had hidden. He was not happy. I ended up walking out into the lobby and getting $30.00 USD from My driver who was waiting for me. I exchanged it for 40,000 Shillings and gave it to the nice man back in customs. He gave me an unofficial reciept and I was good to go!! I was so thankful that the driver had money, that the line was getting hundreds deep by now and I was blocking trffic and that he didn't look in my other 2 bags which contained all my expensive power tools. T think I would still be there. God is good so keep me in your prayers, I almost needed a heart hospital myself after that!

Stayed only the first night at the lodge and the next day immediately purchased 30 sheets of 4 x 8' plywood stock to build wardrobes at the village. I ordered a pickup truck to haul the plywood from down town to the edge of town where we transferred it to a large truck to make the trip to Mbuguni. I paid for pick up, hauling - unloading, reloading, hauling and unloading again at the village site. I sure miss Consumer lumber in Spirit Lake with free delivery! This took all day. By evening I had the plywood stacked at the village and I took the first sheet placed it on the table to layout cabinet number one and proceded to cut it out. The power had been off all day so no time was lost there. I was like a little kid with a new power tool. I had enough to keep me busy for weeks. My joy turned to sorrow (just like the song) in about 2 minutes however. It seems the plywood manufacturer saves on cost by only gluing the edges of the sheet of plywood. When I made my first cut 10" inside my first sheet the plys opened up like a fan. NO GLUE THERE!!! I made a second cut only to have the 7 plys completely de-laminate. Time to rethink! You don't get refunds in Tanzania. I'm still rethinking and reordering, and re-praying, and wondering if STEMM in Sioux City will cover my $600.00 plus junk delivery. God is Good. This is HIS project I keep telling myself. I'm glad the Architect was with me so I had moral support and lots of laughter over (we'er not in Kansas anymore) I may have to organize a STEMM (TASTE of AFRICA Dinner) fund raiser back home to cover my blunders.

So I spent 2 days placing fence posts instead of cabinet work - was without a vehicle for the duration as the Architect was trying to solve problems of his own with the Government in Arusha - (This is hopeless). Walking to the site and back only takes me 1 hour in full sun at 95 degees F. I now have the skin color of a true Tananian as the dirt sticks nicely to my face and any exposed skin and along with the sweat plus the humidity which is increasing reminds me of a sauna gone bad. I gained back some weight the last 6 weeks but I think it all disappeared on me after two days in that heat. We had to move the fence twice - seems the villagers didn't like the location I started at and after a 1/2 day meeting with the Architect we moved to a new location right down the center of an old ox cart path. Nice and HARD and compacted soil to dig thru. God is Good. I think he must want to test something in the depths of my inner being. The men I work with are so happy to have me back. - I am called " REEE-CHARD! I look up when I am called every minute or so. That's it on the verbal communication end of things. We laugh constantly at the littlest thing especially at my practiced method of using hand signals to explain what is to be done. I have now perfected the art of arm, hand, leg, and finger signals to explain fence layout and construction. Laughter is always accompanied by a little hip action to music wafting thru the site.

The local Lutheran church, 30 feet from the fence, practices their music ministry and dance moves, outside with an amplifier that would make Bob Floss Smile. Their dance session is about 6-7 hours long. Of course, yours truely, stepped up to the challenge and tried to dig holes to the beat of the music with exagerated hip action. I had 100+ kids laughing and eventually got invited to dance with the music team. That really stopped all classes at the church as kids were hanging out the windows watching the muzungu make a fool of himself. I declined their offer of full time employment as a Praise and Worship team member and went back to digging holes for which I have been blessed by God in that fine art instead.

I arrived back in Arusha to go to church Saturday night and will be back at it on Monday Morning. God is Good.

Blessings,
The very tired Fundi Richard - but having a hoot of a time.

Richard