Today we spend a fair amount of time at the Diocese office. I had figured out most of what was wrong with their network, but still wanted to see if I could get the outside wireless access point working properly. Long story short, I came close to getting it working, but there is definitely something wrong with the configuration of the device that I have not yet figured out completely. After doing electronic battle with it from about 10 AM to 1 PM, I figured it was time to put it down, have some lunch and get back to it on another day; hopefully with a fresh mind. Sometimes it just best to be patient and let it wait. I’ve had to do that a lot here in Tanzania over the years. In our culture, we often expect instant results and instant satisfaction. But out here where resources are limited, I had to learn to wait a day or two to get the result I am looking for.
After lunch, we went to the Bible College to continue to setup the new thin client computers. We have all five of them in operation now. I also started to download a new printer driver to get the new printer working from the main server. Interestingly, I found that the Internet connection (which is a DSL connection through the local Tanzanian telephone company – TTCL) is not running all that fast. The download was taking a really long time, or at least longer than I would expected for a “2 Gigabite” connection that we are paying for. I did some testing and found that the Internet connection at the Diocese compound has the same problem. Effectively, the connection speed is about 1/10 the speed of what they are paying for. Hmm??? I’m going to have to look into this further tomorrow, as I’m concerned that they are not getting what they are paying for.
I would appreciate your prayers for wisdom and guidance as I look into this and bring it to the attention of the TTCL rep. Unfortunately, you find quite often this kind of practice of quoting one thing and only giving partial of what was promised happens in this part of the world. I’m hoping I can approach this with patience but also with firmness with TTCL so that we can improve their Internet speed.
That being said, I’m still pleased that we were able to get some more of our planned work done today. We were planning to practice some song together (we know we will be asked to sing on Sunday), but we’ll have to wait until tomorrow and perhaps get some time in the afternoon to do that.
It’s 10:30 PM now, so I think I’ll shut things down soon for a good nights rest. The room we are in staying in at the compound has worked out nicely. Cathy is writing about it in our other blog; http://trips.schrull.us Be sure to link over to it to see what her perspectives on the day are.
Lala Salama
Bill
So this was our first full day in Kasulu. And full it was. We woke up at 6 AM and packed up our things. Through some shifting around and some generous preparations by the folks at the diocese, we were able to move to the compound and setup in a room that is adjacent to the offices. I had stayed in the room before and had inquired about its availability. Apparently it was occupied up to about two weeks ago, but had no bed or furnishings. But today, the Diocese purchased a bed and setup available furnishings, more than enough for us to live in comfortably for the next two weeks. I have to admit that I’m happy to be staying in the compound. Down town Kasulu would have been fine, but there is much less worry about our comings and goings when we are in the compound. We can get up, go to morning chapel and have breakfast without requiring someone to drive us here and there. And there is a spiritual aspect to life on the compound that I appreciate every time I am here.
So with move in process, we went to work first at the Diocese office to look into a problem they are having with their network and Internet connection. Turns out that one faulty network switch and a few crossed wires were the culprit. We fortunately purchase and left a spare network switch here last year at the Bible College. So tomorrow morning I’ll swap out the switch and things should be back to normal.
In the late morning, we drove down to KBC to deliver and start installing the new computer equipment that was funded by St. Paul’s Church. We got three of the five new thin client computers in place with new monitors and setup the new printer. That along with a lunch and rest period in between at Daudi and Olivia’s home brought us up to 5 PM. We returned to the compound and proceded to unpack our things. With that accomplished, it was time for dinner at Alister and Helen Sammon’s home. If you recall, last year we met the Sammon’s here at DWT. They have been here for two year’s. Helen has been the acedemic dean for KBC and Alister, who is a surgeon, has been volunteering his medical services to several hospitals in the area. They are quite remarkable folks who have spend much of there lives together as missionaries in Africa. They are heading home to England soon after we return to the USA. I am glad we are having this time together before they return. I think it may be quite a while before we see them again.
I’m grateful for the day Cathy and I have had together. It’s good to be here. It is also good to be able to offer assistance in a techical area that KBC and the Diocese need. Finding this kind of expertise is hard to come by in this part of the world. Not that I’m polishing any metals; it’s not really about us. It’s the Lord’s doing that we are here at all. If you read Cathy’s post on trips.schrull.us, (http://trips.schrull.us) you will see that it’s not a place we ever expected to be. That is the exciting thing about Christian life. You give The Lord your ordinary and he makes it extraordinary. I would encourage anyone reading this to consider the words from Ephesians 2:8-10
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
The point here is that it’s not all that hard to imagine or find yourself doing. We just need to keep our hearts and minds open to what The Lord would direct us to do. He’s made all the preparations and has gathered the provisions we need. It just takes a mustard seed of faith and the words “yes Lord” to enable yourself for the task. Trust me, I had no idea about how to get ten computer systems, a server, solar power and satellite Internet out to a remote place like Kasulu 8 years ago when this all started. I had no confidence that I could do this right. But I did do one thing. I said yes, and truthfully everything flowed from that one decision. All of the time, materials and financial support came in like a flood. I bearly had time to take a breath spiritually speaking. And it’s been an awesome experience of God’s love and power in our midst ever since.
Wow, it’s 11:30 PM already. Where did the do go?
Yours in Christ,
Bill