Arrived at Kilimanjaro National Park

We left the KIA Lodge this morning and went to the town of Moshe.  There we attended church at the Lutheran Seminary Chapel at Maramaku Universary.  We were introduced to the congregation and smiled and nodded because we did not understand a word of what was being said. Pastor Melissa was embarassed to be asked to explain what we were doing there.  She represented us well, so I don't think she needed to be embarassed at all.  The offering was very different than anything with which we are familiar.  During the service, people came forward with their offereing and placed it in one of several baskets.  We were told later that each basket represented the area where they lived.  People gave whatever they could.  After the service, there was an auction of 2 chickens, 3 liters of cows' milk, assorted vegetables, bags of mangos, avadacos and stalks of sugar cane.  Many of the people greeted us warmly after the service.

 

After church we came to the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro and checked into our hotel where we had lunch.  After lunch, we went on a great hike where we were shown how many local families live.  They have small plots of land, so they grow corn, bananas, coffee, avacados, sunflowers for oil and everything they need mixed all together.  There is no space to leave rows between the plants.  The hike ended at a waterfall.  It was a fun afternoon and it really did feel good to get out and hike after spending much of the past 3 days sitting in one form or another.  Tomorrow we head for Mto wa Mbu (Mosquito Town).

 

We've been thinking of our friends Jan, Chelsea and Tracy who have been unable to join us yet.  One flight was cancelled in Chicago and another was canceled in Amsterdam.  Hopefully they will catch up with us tomorrow.

 

Carole and Steve

Prayers, please!

Jan, Chelsea, and Tracy were supposed to leave Chicago yesterday afternoon and arrive here tonight, but due to a mechanical issue with their plane, their flight was canceled and rebooked for the next day.  Prayers for safe travel for them as they leave a day late and join us Sunday night.

Peace,
Melissa

Kilimanjaro in the distance

WE SAW THE MOUNTAIN!!

Great first day in Africa, transitioning from Chicago to KIA Lodge near Arusha, Tanzania.  Van trip to the market in Arusha provided a chance to practice bargaining skills. Back at the lodge caught a glimpse of Kili (aka Mt Kilimanjaro)--made our day.

Steve & Ruth Sweetser

A few pictures to tide you over

A relaxing day around our hotel means a good time to show you a few pictures of what we're up to at the Kia Lodge!

We arrived at the Kilimanjaro airport in this GIANT plane!

Beds at the Kia Lodge, complete with pretty flowers

Matt and Melissa after a long day of travel

Breakfast together

Our huts!

The pool

Pretty flower!

Are we there yet? YES!

Now we've seen the Greek Isles, the Mediterranean Sea and the Sahara Desert, at least from 30,000 feet! The flight was on time and it was fun meeting up with the rest of the group.

We are really in Tanzania! The birdsong is beautiful. No traffic. No TV. It is very overcast today so we have not seen Kilimanjaro yet. Other mountains are visible in the distance. The landscape is more arid than we imagined. Didn't expect as many cacti and dry grasses.

Each hut pictured is two rooms. When we arrived last night, the bed was turned down with flowers on the pillows. The bath has a nice shower and large sink. It's not very hot, but it is humid.

Carole and Steve

Be yourself, everyone else is already taken. -Oscar Wilde

We Are In Africa!

It is currently 10:30pm Tanzania time, and we are happy to report that the first twelve of us arrived in Kilimanjaro this evening, right on time.  Flights were smooth and on time, and luggage made it unscathed.  It feels great to be at a gorgeous hotel right now, having eaten a delicious dinner, sitting outside on the patio by a bonfire.  16+ hours on airplanes makes you grateful for solid ground, fresh air, and a nice bed to sleep on.

The first of us met up at O'Hare yesterday afternoon, and met the rest of the first round of travelers in Amsterdam.  We did some serious wandering around the Amsterdam airport before getting back on a plane and heading down to Kilimanjaro.  Everybody is feeling good, though tired, and we will all be grateful for a good night's sleep.  Tomorrow should be a relaxing day around what appears to be a beautiful pool (with a view of Kilimanjaro!) - swimming, games, and general relaxing while we wait for our last three group members to join us tomorrow night.

Thanks for all of the safe travel prayers, and we'll check in again soon!

Love,

Matt, Stephanie, and Melissa

Thoughts from our first night

The first group has arrived in the Arusha area.  We have just now settled in the Kia Lodge, enjoying dinner.  Not that we really needed to eat, as we were given 2 meals and snack on each flight.  KLM does provide for its passengers very well in the area of food!  Everyone made it through customs, even Mark, who failed to procure his visa ahead of time. :)  All the people we have met have been very friendly and happy to see us.  It's interesting that the power occasionally goes out, and when it does, it is REALLY dark.  We are looking forward to seeing the area in the daylight and will now sign off and try sleeping lying down instead of sitting up in an airplane seat.

Jambo!
Judy

Relaxing at the airport

LET'S GO

I am ready, my stuff is packed, and my hair is the shortest it has
ever been. Let's go to Africa!

-- MTB

all packed as well

I, too have just finished packing. Yes, Melissa and I have matching luggage but that was NOT planned. I'm wondering how hers looks so small, while mine looks so giant. Perhaps we'll do a little Johnson/Bills luggage evening out. I'm glad to be all done and ready to take a deep breath and hopefully get a good night's sleep. I'll see you all in Amsterdam (or Africa)

All packed!

Now all that's left is cleaning up the apartment.  I can't believe we leave TOMORROW!

Peace,
Melissa

Greetings from Amsterdam!

We've safely arrived in Amsterdam. Our flight was almost 2 hours late leaving Chicago, but otherwise uneventful. Our room isn't ready yet, so we are going out to see the city. See you on Friday!

Carole and Steve

What's in a name?

At the end of Friday night's Bon Voyage Pig Roast, members of our traveling group were all saying goodbye and goodnight to one another.  We realized something that evening:  for some of us, we would not be seeing one another again until we meet up in the KIA Lodge on Saturday night...IN AFRICA!

Every day has been a "goodbye" day since then.  Friday night, I bid farewell to members of our group who I wouldn't see in worship this weekend: "See you in Africa!"  Saturday night, I said goodbye to other group members after evening worship: "See you in Africa!"  Sunday, I said goodbye and good afternoon to other members of our group after morning worship: "See you in Africa!"

The truth is that I will meet up with some of our group at the airport in Chicago, and we'll all travel together beginning Thursday afternoon.  And we will hook up with other members of our group in Amsterdam on Friday, and fly the rest of the way to Tanzania together.  And then we will wait eagerly to meet up with the rest of our group in Tanzania on Saturday.

But it is much more fun just to say, "See you in Africa!"  So hopefully, this blog will be your way to join us - to fly with us and experience Tanzania with us and meet up with us (at least in the virtual world) as often as we can manage it.

And so we say to you what we've been saying to one another these past few days: "See you in Africa!"

Peace,
Melissa

getting ready

      I wish i were as organized as i should be.....i'm still "getting there".  It won't be real until the plane takes off.  I'm looking forward to being able to participate in and experience a sense of the mission work that the Friberg's and other missionaries like them are doing.  Also, anticipating seeing some lions and cheetahs and other wildlife in their natural habitat.  Thanks to everyone for your prayers for safe travel and a good experience.
Jan

Getting Out of Here

We’re crazy busy too trying to get everything packed and ready to go.  We’re watching our grandkids today and they are running through piles of clothes, vitamins, shoes, etc. on the floor of the living room and dining room.   Tomorrow is my last day at work, so it will be hectic. 

 

Compared to Melissa, we had not identified Tanzania as a “must see” destination.  But we have wanted to travel and see as much of the world as we could.  The opportunity to help others combined with going on safari was too good an opportunity to pass up.  We have a wonderful group of travelers, and I treasure the opportunity to get to know them much better.

 

Carole and Steve

Getting Started

Our apartment is a crazy mess right now.

Somehow, packing for a 17-day trip to Africa means turning the whole house upside down, tracking down work gloves and flashlights, travel-size shampoo containers and extra shoes, water bottles and duct tape. I have my big bag mostly packed, and a backpack ready to be stuffed with everything I might want during two eight-hour flights (one from Chicago to Amsterdam, one from Amsterdam to Kilimanjaro).

Yes, crunch time has arrived. I have three days left after today to cross as much off of my work to-do list as possible, to finish packing, to restore some semblance of order to our home, and to finish packing so that I can ship myself across the ocean on Thursday.

This trip that has seemed so far off is now so very near. I've been wanting to travel to Tanzania for close to ten years now, and I'm now only three days away. This is going to be huge. And life-changing. And I can't wait!

Peace,
Melissa