Afrique à la japonaise ... Japanese Africa

Hier matin on est allé au marché au centre de Dodoma, et l'après-midi on a visité la maison d'une des 'houselady' de mon frère. Essayer de faire l'Afrique en trois jours c'est un peu comme les japonais qui essayent de faire l'Europe en trois jours.

(Another guest post from Ben, probably the last... read on) Yesterday morning we went to see the market in town, and in the afternoon we went to visit Elisabeti's house. I'm not convinced that 'doing' Africa in three days is any more valid than the Japanese 'doing' Europe in three days, but at least I tried!

Cette photo exprime un peu pour moi cette idée de pouvoir 'voir' l'Afrique en tant qu'occidental. Depuis l'intérieur de ma grosse bagnole. En sécurité. Même si je sors de la voiture, c'est quasi-impossible pour moi de vraiment appréhender la vie africaine depuis l'intérieur.

This photo is a kind of allegory of my thoughts about being able to 'see' Africa. From the comfort and safety of a big car, (my wealth, my worldview). Even if I get out of the car, it's pretty much impossible for me to really understand african life 'from the inside'.

On est allé voir l'école (maintenant l'ancienne école) des enfants aussi, sur des routes poussièreuses.

We went to see the kids school (well, ex-school now), along dusty, bumpy roads.

Cette photo exprime une des choses qui m'a frappé le plus ici en Afrique, c'est qu'il y a des natel partout. Et pas seulement dans les mains des blancs. Je crois bien que le réseau ici est meilleur qu'en Angleterre.

Ici j'ai choisi une photo de ma belle-soeur dans la maison de sa 'houselady' car je me gène d'utiliser des photos d'africains à qui je n'ai pas demandé la permission. Je me gène même d'aller chez des pauvres pour prendre des photos, c'est comme aller dans un zoo.

C'est que je n'avais pas besoin de venir ici pour être douloureusement conscient de la pauvreté dans le monde. Je suis convaincu que tout comme notre génération regarde 200 ans en arrière et se demande comment les esclavagistes et les anti-juifs pouvaient se considérer comme chrétien, les chrétiens de 2100 (s'il y a encore des chrétiens, ou même des humains), se demanderont comment nous avons pu supporter - et même justifier - l'état actuel d'inégalité dans le monde.

(Réflexions moins philosophiques ici)

This photo sums up the thing that has surprised me the most here in Africa: there are mobiles everywhere. And not just with the rich and the white. I think the coverage here is better than in the UK.

I chose this photo of Libby in the houselady's 'mud hut', because I'm not comfortable using photos of Africans who's permission I didn't ask. I'm even a bit uneasy about going to poor people's houses and taking photos of them, it feels a bit like going to the zoo.

The thing is, I was already accutely and painfully aware of poverty in the world before getting here. I'm convinced that just as this generation of christians looks back 200 hundred years and wonders how slave owners and anti-jews could possibly consider themselves Christians; in another 100 years, if there are still any people, and any Christians, they will look back and wonder how Christians of our generation managed to turn a blind eye to - and even justify - the current state of affairs.

(Less philosophical stuff here)

'African' experience ... l'expérience 'Afrique'

Je crois que je commence un petit peu l'expérience afrique à l'envers. J'ai commencé depuis Heathrow avec Kenya airways, dans un 777 super modern, avec chacun son petit écran vidéo dans le dos du siège devant. Malheureusement, c'était un vol de nuit, torture pour moi qui ne sait pas dormir assis.

(Guest post from 'Uncle Ben', find the other half of the story here, here and here).

Well, so far, the 'african experience' has kind of started the wrong way round, as I flew with Kenyan airways from Heathrow, in a wide bodied 777, with personalised inflight entertainement and what-have-you (though it was an overnighter, which is torture for someone who's no good at sleeping upright. Now you need to hop over to my blog for the travel side of the saga...

J'ai retrouvé les autres 'gars' (Pop, Daniel, Joshua) à l'auberge des 'Passionista fathers', vers 11h du matin. On a décidé que quitte à être fatigué, autant l'être dans un cadre idyllique, alors on est parti pour 'White Sands', un centre vacance/plage/restaurant etc..

I finally met up with the rest of the 'lads' (Pop, Daniel, Joshua) at the Passionista father's guest house, at about 11am. We kind of decided that if I was going to be tired, I might as well be tired in a nice place, so we went of to 'white sands', which is a posh private beach/restaurant/hotel/resort kind of setup.

Comme vous voyez le temps été merveilleux - avec un gentil vent venant de la mer, et le cadre était vraiment super. Les autres m'ont gentiment laisser roupiller quelques temps sur une chaise longue avant qu'on s'est attaqué au buffet, qui était aussi délicieux. Comme on m'a dit, "tu commences par le mauvais bout, ça pourra difficilement être mieux par la suite".

As you can see, the weather was lovely (you can't see the breeze), and the surroundings very nice. The others were kind and let me snooze a bit on a deck chair before having the food, which was also very nice. As someone remarked "I'm afraid it's going to be a bit downhill from here".

Il y avait aussi quelques surprises sur place, dont 4 acrobates qui faisaient des trucs incroyables (photos un autre jour peut-être), et un groupe de musique absolument incroyable de super bonne qualité, mieux que certains trucs que j'ai vu au Jazz. On est retourné au Passionista's vers 19h du soir. Au bout de 60h avec que 5h de sommeil, je me suis endormi directe - jusqu'à 5h30, quand on a dû se lever pour avoir le vol suivant... mais pour savoir la suite, vous devez retourner sur mon blog!

Extra treats during the day (this is Sunday 27th I'm talking about) were some acrobats (maybe I'll post those photos some time), and an absolutely amazing music group, who were REALLY top notch. We got back to the Passionista father's at about 7. After only 5 hours sleep in a the 60 hours since I got up on Friday morning, I crashed out straight away - for a 5.30 start next day... hop back over to my blog for the next bit...

Caleb's class

 

Reception class.

Bethany's class

 

Grade 2 with their teacher Miss Presley.

Joshua's clas

 

Here is grade 3 with their teacher, Mr Prewandowski.

Josh

 

Just so I don't leave Joshua out, this is him at his desk at school. Last week I went into school to take some pictures to put in our memory book.

'Tili

 

Our cat is obviously determined to come with us to Kenya. She spends most of her day sleeping in a box. I think she is trying to make sure she doesn't get left behind! She is actually going to live with our neighbours next door and their dog!!

Bethany

 

It is interesting to me to note that Bethany is quite fashionable if she can be. This is inspite of the fact that we have no TV and we are very far removed from the fashion world. It must be that Hannah Montana DVD!

Caleb

 

Photographic evidence that Caleb is thriving despite his antics! This is Wednesday night last week whilst I was away in Dar and Daniel took the kids out to the pizzeria. I had a flying visit to the doctor in Dar, the joys of living in the middle of the desert, it means it is a long way to go to the Doctor. Praise the Lord for a flight both ways, although when I got there I was sick as a dog, throwing up everywhere. Obviously I am not good at flying. On the way back I sat next to the pilot, fixed my eyes firmly on the horizon and was fine. It is very reassuring being flown by someone whom you know personally.

Farewell

 

Farewell

 

Boys having a tug of war!

Farewell

 

Best friends!

Farewell

 

The back view!

Farewell

 

All the children that are leaving and their T-shirts.

Farewell

 

On Saturday night we had an informal farwell with all the MAF international staff. There are two families leaving Tanzania and two others relocating within Tanzania. Yes there are two family members missing from this photo, but they were around. The Children all received T-shirts with the handprints of all their friends. It was a lovely evening, but also very sad to realise that we will be leaving this very close MAF family.