David y Pascale -- Africa Trip

It's Monday night and we're making final preparations. Just unlocked two old blackberries so we could insert local sim cards once we land. Working on a blog so our family and close friends can keep track of us. Hasta luego!

It seems like our to-do list gets longer instead of shorter. Tomorrow is going to be key for finalizing everything so Thursday can be focused on packing and off we go....

A little more than 24 hours away....
We received the last of our shots today. Meningitis on the right arm and typhoid on the left (can hardly lift left arm right now). This along with those we've gotten over the last few weeks; malaria, yellow fever, hepatitis, tetanus. One would wonder whether we're really going on vacation....

Seems like there is still so much to do, but I'm sure it will all come together at the end. Patty is trying to get at least a few hours in service and I'm finalizing a few things for work. Will check in later.

Trip to airport and check-in were a breeze, however flight is delayed by 1 hour. however we have a 3 hour layover in Istanbul so hopefully no problem with connecting flight. Patty is already falling asleep so hopefully she can sleep most of the flight, otherwise its going to be a long 9 hours.

Nuestros pensamientos estan con la congregacion, pues tiene la asamblea manana. Que bien que hay dos para bautizarse. Hasta lueggo!

It’s now Friday 10 pm local time (3 p.m. NY) and since I cannot sleep on a plane I’ve been up now 32 hours and will likely be 3-4 hours more before we finally see a bed.

We left JFK an hour late at midnight and arrived in Istanbul, Turkey at 10 a.m. NY time (5 p.m. local). Do not recommend a 10 hour flight to anyone; but at least I had good company. One hour layover and on another 7 hour flight into Nairobi, Kenya. We’re staying at the branch through Sunday night so two Bethelites will pick us up at airport.

Had our first good experience: I was seated next to an African man about 35 years old. Struck up a conversation before we even took off. Turns out he is from Somalia and ended up in Kenya as a refugee in the early 90’s. Three years later his family was able to go to U.S. (Los Angeles, CA) when he was 17. Then in 2006 he married a woman here in Kenya he met through an uncle. She is still in Kenya and he comes for 1-1.5 months each year. They also have 2 small children.

I assumed he’s been unable to get wife and children to U.S. , however about the time he could bring them he was no longer sure he wanted to. He had found that he and his wife argued a lot when he visited and through phone calls.

Just talked about marriage in general and then finally pulled out the Bible. Turns out both he and his wife are Muslim but we discussed about 10 scriptures relating to Jehovah’s view of marriage, etc. He kept saying “Yes, that’s right”. So since I had loaded the little netbook with WT Library I looked up a few articles and he read from computer and then we discussed! Probably spent a couple hours until he fell asleep. We did though agree that we would meet his wife and kids at airport when we landed. They live in suburbs of Nairobi so who knows, perhaps we’ll be able to meet up with them later and have opportunity to talk with them together.

Well, we still have about 2.5 hours before we land. More later…

3:30 a.m. (we are 7 hours ahead). We just arrived at our room at bethel. After 38 hours with no sleep we are both beat and going to bed.

Norma, nuestras oraciones están contigo!

Yes, that's right. Slept 11 hours and so now 3 p.m. Our timing is perfect, found out that bethel has their 'Family Night' today, it's like a talent night. 120 bethelites here, most of whom work with translation. map=276233 lat=-1.3635898626734972 lon=36.859416300000014 zoom=7]

Yes, it's very late; or early. However, since we slept until 3 p.m. not really tired yet. Well, we missed bethel family night, sigh... Woke up, shoemade a sandwich, cleaned up, got ready, then called reception desk to find out where it was taking place. Turns out it had started at 2 p.m. and was almost over, we were so dissapointed. However decided to run over anyway and glad we did, it was just ending but we were able to meet many in the family. A couple invited us over and we talked for several hours, he's been at bethel 34 years and his wife 10; she was actually the doctor at bethel in Argentina where they met and married 10 years ago. She was excited to talk in Spanish. Left and just before we got back to our room we met a special pioneer couple who are at bethel temporarily for translation work, anyway they insisted we come to their room and had a great visit with them also. We now know we're going to have a great trip, the brothers are wonderful!!! Someone told us people here are not real 'huggy/kissy', perhaps because we were hugging everyone Anyway, they seemed happy to reciprocate so maybe we'll leave a little spanish culture behind...

Attached is a young brother we met, already have one adopted son... We'll bring back a really funny video of him also.

Had a great day today. We both went on bible studies this morning, Patty on an 18 year old (Barbara) who is baptized but finishing book. I went on study with her 15 year old brother (Robert).Then attended meeting at 11 a.m. and Patty went out in service while I took a nap (neither of us slept well last night, hoping we can finally get our 'clocks' set to time change).

We then went to dinner with same couple who invited us over last night, Viraf y Graciela Barucha. Nairobi reminds me of Quito, Ecuador, obvious by apartments, homes, cars, malls, etc., that there are a LOT of people with money (see photo of territory where Patty preached). At the mall we saw advertisements for 2 bedroom apartments (nice areas) for between $800-$1,000. I could not believe it!!!!!! Viraf says the money comes from corruption which is rampant. An example, recently passed law that you have to get permit to paint outside of your house... so people paint in the dark now However, less than 1.5 miles from the branch is Kibera, the largest slum in sub-saharan Africa. Over 1 million people live there and average place is 10'x10' and houses 5 people. Sadly, we have many brothers there also

Off to bed soon as we need to get up at 5:15 a.m. to catch flight to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where we will be until 8/1.

Attached are some photos:

1. Viraf y Graciela (car is replica of his 1969 VW, which he refers to as his 'first wife'.
2. Territory
3. Sign in territory
4. group of young ones, Barbara is in middle with red streaks

Monday, July 25

Today was rather uneventful.. Up at daybreak to catch flight to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Much easier to see the poverty here based on route to lodging. Africa continues to remind us of Ecuador in so many ways. Got checked into the resort where the conference (for work) is being held on Wednesday and Thursday. We had made plans to work in service with a missionary couple tomorrow, but we’ve been unable to make contact with them today.

Tuesday, July 26

We were unable to link up with missionary couple so went into Dar es Salaam (Dar). Dar is the capital of Tanzania and has over 4,000,000 people, 70% of whom don’t have electricity or running water. The poverty is clear to see driving down the road (we have video we’ll share once we arrive home). We found a place to get a bite to eat, then decided to take a small 3-wheeled ‘taxi’ home since it was cheaper. It also turned out to be much faster since the traffic here is terrible and these things weave in/out of traffic like motorbikes (at times we were literally praying we did not end up in a ditch as we were very close trying to pass cars on the side when there really was not room…)J.

We were able to make contact with a sister who agreed to pick us up for meeting at 6:30 p.m. (English). There are three English congregations in Tanzania, two here in Dar and one in Ashua. Why English? Mostly to preach to foreigners living here for work, etc. The meeting went well, not much different from one in Mount Vernon. They announced last night the location of the English DC which will cost $1,500 just for the venue. Imagine only three congregations here in Africa having to raise that amount, especially when the poorest brothers just earn $1 per day. One can really understand the need to donate generously to the worldwide work to assist our dear brothers in such lands!! The brothers and sisters were warm and loving as we expected. We met an older brother (70 plus??) who has been in the truth his whole life. His father was the first one to learn the truth in Tanzania in 1932. He was serving faithfully during 22 years of ban (1965-1987) and his faith, zeal, and love for Jehovah and his work was evident in every fiber of his being. A photo of him and his wife below. Also attached photo of me and young bethelite and one of Pascale and a few sisters.

Patty made arrangements to work in service with several sisters on Thursday (she’s going to have a long day if she works with everyone). We finally made arrangements with the missionary couple and so Patty is going to meet them at the branch tomorrow at 8 a.m.

Wednesday, July 27

Finally able to get internet today so hope to make another post and attach some photos. We are at a nice resort for the large business meeting I’m attending with attendees from USA, Europe, and many different parts of Africa. However, at every turn it’s obvious we are in a developing country (lights went out several times at meeting last night and again at the conference). Also, we’ve been told here at the resort that the internet is available, when it is not L Finally, they acknowledge there is a problem and they are working on it (manana, manana) J

Anyway, we had breakfast and then my conference started and Pascale headed out to meet sisters for service.

This motorized rickshaw is call a "bjaj". Patty wanted one for service in New York.

The father of the older brother below was one of the first to learn the truth in Tanzania.