Jambo from Dodoma!!

Jambo (hello),

Last Friday, we arrived safe and sound into Dar es Salaam. It was like arriving into Kerala, the state in India where our families are from. Lots of green, coconut trees, the airport is small but well organized. As soon as we left the airport, we experienced the Tanzanian heat and humidity. What a contrast, we thought from Philadelphia....

We had two people awaiting our arrival, Robin Apleby a missionary from Australia and Salim, our taxi driver. From there, Robin and the two of us got on a seven hour bus ride from Dar (what locals call the capital city of Tanzania) to Dodoma, the legislative capital. It was a sweltering, bumpy and yet, a scenic ride. And sorry you east coasters in the U.S...its pretty tropical and beautiful here!

At around 6:30 pm, the bus pulled in to Dodoma and Iri, a fellow missionary, was there to receive us. Thank goodness, because we were dead beat It took us another twenty minutes to get from downtown Dodoma to Msalato Theological College. Our new home was all set up, with beds made, and malaria nets surrounding the beds and drapes and a living room set. Thanks to our fellow missionaries who had set up everything before our arrival.

That night we had a lovely dinner with Iri his wife, Kate, and Robin. We were taken aback by the warm hospitality and felt so cared for. How great. God's abundance. How blessed we are!!

The next couple of days we went gallivanting into Dodoma, buying pots and pans, groceries, all the basic necessities to run a home. We have been so blessed to have Sandy and Martin with us, for they the ins and outs of Dodoma, how to bargain and of course, can speak great Swahili. We even got all our Indian spices, and in fact a couple shop keepers have already invited us for dinner. Looking forward to getting to know them.

Over the past week, the staff of the college and the missionaries who serve as theologians, English profs and the like have had us over for dinner. Again, their hospitality has been truly gracious. On Sunday we went to the Anglican Cathedral and attended the English service, where we met other missionaries, from other parts of the communion and other denominations as well. On Monday, we had our first staff dinner, a mouth watering spread of Tanzanian delicacies, during which ,we and three other missionaries were warmly welcomed. The next day, we had our first staff meeting which was important because we got to see the inner workings of the college.

What else? Hmm, actually a lot. Some days we don't have running water, nor do we have electricity...but in the scheme of things, that really isn't the world is it? Most Tanzanians get by on the bare minimum.

In any case, its been so great to meet Tanzanians, such an honor and a pleasure and they are so grateful that we have come. We get to meet the students on Monday, and both of us are certainly a little nervous and excited at the same time.

On Sunday we have been invited by the Bishop to attend the wedding reception for his daughter. Another gift...

Our address by the way is:

Ranjit K. Mathews and Johanna J. Kuruvilla
Msalato Theological College
P.O Box 264
Dodoma, Tanzania
East Africa

You can just put that into your GPS...and you should be fine!

More to come...

God Bless....and Kwaheri (good bye) for now.