Planting Land Cruisers

I know I posted only yesterday, but I must share Tim's news from last week ...!

Fifteen local farmers gathered together in Kayenze last week! Tim left town on Tuesday with Esther, after teaching at the Bible College in the morning. They waited an hour on the daladala (local bus) in town for it to fill up with people. When it was full, they left. After two daladalas and stopping twice on the bumpy way to do a bodged job on the steering when the bus broke down, they finally arrived!


The Kayenze church building

The teaching on Conservation Agriculture in a Biblical context was spread over two days and shared between Tim, Esther, Peter (who gained strength recovering from typhoid and malaria and made it to Kayenze just a day late) and Pastor Amon: a good team! Amon was fantastic as he animatedly talked about his experiences learning with us last year. He joked about how his neighbours had watched and laughed at him planting last year, saying the wazungu (white people) were planting land cruisers! But then he told the farmers of his exceedingly fruitful harvest and how it was he who had the last laugh!


Amon teaching (unfortunately he doesn't look so animated here!)

Peter teaching

As is often the case, it was difficult to get things started on time and to get everyone there. But there was a good group of farmers who were keen and eager to learn the new methods of farming. Tim also enjoyed the time he was able to have staying with Peter, Esther and Amon, sharing in prayer for the whole project and also sharing some good meals and conversations together!


Farmers gather at the seminar

Tim came back on Thursday afternoon (when the bus had finally filled). With no breakdowns on this journey, the only mishap on the return was stepping on and traumatizing the chicken placed near his feet. The girls and I thankfully welcomed him home after our own eventful few days of minor sickness and electricity problems which had lasted the three days he had been gone. We realised the problems were not simply the city cuts (which are still bad enough) but also some kind of leakage at home. An umeme fundi (electrician) is "on his way."

Saturday was disappointing as the second part of the seminar Tim had planned to do in Kisesa had to get postponed. Also, the meeting I had planned for the Upendo wa Mama group didn't happen as none of the women could come. I waited and waited on the steps outside the locked primary classroom! But while I sat in the school yard, the cancelled seminar meant Tim could take the girls for a final farewell to our friends, Tim and Joyce Jarvis, who are moving back to the States this week after living here in Mwanza for many years.

Farewell for the Jarvis' with Mwanza International Community Church

And now, the preparations begin for planting. Today we sorted out bags of seeds and I went to find some small banana trees ("children" as they are referred to here!). Fields will be checked out this week, and then let the planting commence! As always, there is something exciting and hopeful, something loaded with potential and anticipation about this time!

And you never know, maybe a  project Land Cruiser will sprout!



While the seminar went on inside, children gathered outside
with a church member for their own time of learning!