Today was our day to relax and recover from all of our travels to get here. We’ve been able to greet many of our friends who have come by to see us and we did do some separate things as well. Cathy went with Editha (Bishop Makaya’s wife) to the market. I went over to a recording session of the Tumaini Choir (Tumaini means “hope”). This was very interesting. Festus Ntahindwa who I have known since I first visited Kasulu in 2005 is a brilliant electronics tech. He is the one who installed the solar power system that we purchased for Kasulu Bible College in 2006 and Festus has also been the sound engineer for Kasulu Cathedral Choir for many years. Tumaini Choir is another choir that sings at the cathedral. They were recording the background vocals today for a new song they are working on. The interesting part is the studio that is setup for them to record in. 
It’s basically in what would normally be the living room of Festus’ home. The entire room is covered with sound proofing, including the door of his home, which has two panels, and inner and an outer one to cut down on exterior sound. It was great to see what he has been doing to make some very high quality recordings of the choirs. I’ve have some of his previous recordings and was wondering how he pulled it off. The thing that impresses me about many of my friends here in Kasulu is how resourceful they are. I don’t know of many people I have met that can do so much with the limited resources available to them. But here in this modest home, Festus had created a sound studio that works quite well.
Tomorrow we will go to Msagara parish to meet up with Bishop Makaya, who will be there for confirmations. At some point I know he is expecting us to sing. Cathy and I are preparing some songs, one of which has a chorus in Swahili so we can get the entire congregation involved. It’s always a pleasure to be available to do this during our trips to Tanzania. The worship here has so much “life in Christ” in it. 
It’s exciting and animated. I’ve often wondered what caused us in the western churches to loose our joy in the Lord during our worship. Now don’t get me wrong. I appreciate times of “solemn celebration” (though the terms do seem like opposites to each other) if for nothing else but to “be still” and know that the Lord is God. But I do believe that it’s possible to break out of the old mold every once in a while, or as one person told me years ago, “Bill, one of these days you are going to bust loose (in worship). I want to be there when it happens”. The friend who said that to me had noticed my hesitancy to take that step forward and take the risky chance that others might not understand what is happening when I really get “lost in wonder, love and praise” to God. Coming to Africa, I can see that my friend was right in identifying my hesitant heart. I’m still not sure I have ever broken loss as she probably envisioned it. In Tanzania, they really know how to loose their inhibitions and express joyfully their love for the Lord. I don’t know of anyone who has come to Tanzania with me who has not been deeply touched by the worship they have witnessed here. I’m sure there will be something special to report on tomorrow night.
Tonight we will have dinner again with Editha and then I’m sure we will go to bed early as we have a bit of a drive and a busy day tomorrow. I’m looking forward to it, and to sharing what we have experienced with you tomorrow.
Bill
Finish then thy new creation; Pure and spotless let us be:
Let us see thy great salvation perfectly restored in thee:
Changed from glory into glory, till in heaven we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before thee, lost in wonder, love and praise.
Words by Charles Wesley, 1747
The pictures inserted in this post are from our travels from Dar Es Salaam to Kasulu today. They show you a bit of our journey, but there is a different story to tell you than just where we have been. It’s more about the future and where things are going here. Years ago Cathy’s and I had the pleasure of working with Jon and Jama Colegrove of Musicon Ministries, authoring a string of Christian themed musicals for a high school age choir. I wrote the songs, Cathy wrote the lyrics and Jon arranged the choral parts. I think Jama created the most amazing part of musicals. She wrote the book and spun these diverse groups of songs into coherent and believable stories of redemption and new or restored faith in Christ. One of the musicals was called “A New Road”. It was about a high school age boy who was feeling the pressure of decisions about his future; what career path to choose, what college to apply to and what is life really about anyway. 
You get the picture. The story portrayed a main character who was struggling with the “make a decision” pressure that I think most of us can relate to if we think back to our late teens. Do you remember what it felt like to be so uncertain about what to do and what to choose for our “life’s goal”? It was a cruel time I think. Who really knew what they should be or want to do at that tender and vulnerable age. And in the end, my guess is that most of us over the age of 30 are doing something quite different than what we aimed at during high school.
I was struck again today about how so many changes can come along that bring us down a new road or a new adventure in faith. That certainly is my testimony as pan through my memories of plans made, hopes dashed and new beginnings that oddly enough came in the nick of time like provisions falling as manna in the desert. I think these events were just there to show me who’s tender care I was really in and who’s plan was superior. Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. These words were a specific promise of restoration to the Israelites who had been exiled to Babylon. 
Even so, this word of God applies today as we look at how he brings us out the darkness of our given situation and into new light to see the new direction we should take. In a very real and tangible way, I see that happening in Kasulu. We arrive in Kasulu today over a new road. Literally a new paved road that now stretches about 2/3rds of the way from Kigoma to Kasulu (with future plans to complete the entire route). Then on top of that, I’m sitting here in our bedroom with electric power running, 24/7!!! That only came about in the past few months as I understand it. 
Things are changing in Kasulu and much for the better. Six years ago when I made my first visit, electric power came at a premium through privately owned and maintained diesel and gasoline generators. 3 hours per night was the basic rule and then lights out. And we were the lucky ones living in the DWT compound. Outside in the greater Kasulu area, when the sun went down, so did the light. Candles, oil lamps or flash lights were what people had. Charcoal was the only cooking source as well. I understand from my friends here in Kasulu that other things are changing as well. People are moving into Kasulu. It’s growing as the promise of “better times” prevail with the addition of electric power in the area.
Yes, I am stretching it a bit to somehow put this into the context of a faith story, but I know that our friends here have earnestly been praying for these things to come about. And who can blame them for doing so. Most of use who live in north western Connecticut in the USA can relate to what it is like to have the plug pulled out (some for 2 weeks) as we did battle with the loss of conveniences like heating, lighting, communications and yes, Internet! These temporary inconveniences suffered due to the freak October snow storm have been a the way of life in Kasulu, but now that is changing with a hope of a new prosperity to come. And I’m excite about what this means for the ministry of the Diocese to the people in this region of Tanzania.
Bill
