Month: June 2016

After booking and paying  for our entry permits in Arusha, we headed towards the Ngorongoro Crater area. When we planned the trip we had not realised that the already expensive park fees were going up substantially on the  1^st of July. We booked and paid in Arusha and then entered the park at 17hoo on the 30^th June. We were apparently  literally one of the last people to enter the park at the old rates, according to the park official at the gate! A SAVING  of a cool $120/R1800… Wow, that was a close one…

After viewing the amazing scene of the crater from the rim we headed towards the Masai village of Endulen where Katie had booked us in at the village hospital’s guest quarters (better facilities and much cheaper than camping in the area).  We passed a number of buffalo standing right next to the road as well as elephant crossing in front of us, hyena and many zebra on our way there.  All in all, a good introduction to the crater area and of what was to come the following day.

We woke up early and headed towards the crater, as it is the most expensive park we had ever entered and we intended to make the most of it! The crater drive down is quite spectacular and we soon realised that we were the only self drive car in the entire area. All other vehicles were Safari (Swahili word for ‘journey’ by the way) tours.

And were we blessed… the Safari guides have ” insider” info sources of where the lions etc. are and yet we drove right into the path of lions a number of times before they did, much to some of the guide’s eventual  consternation. The crater is unique and a limited area so you are almost assured of seeing excellent game.  We also saw herds of buffalo, zebra and wildebeest and even saw a massive black rhino cross the road near us…he/she really caused a traffic jam, as everyone wanted to see a rhino!

The trees, vegetation and general scenery is very beautiful and the whole experience was almost surreal!  We eventually rather grudgingly left the park, just in time, we hoped, to make it through the outer park gate before the dead line time. We had been warned that even a minute late would result in an extra $200 charge!

The road outside of the crater area deteriorated rapidly and 5 km before the gate, with 20 min to spare, we heard a noise under the car. The metal bracket, partly holding our 70 litre extra fuel tank in place, had broken right off and was dragging on the ground.

Marc used spare rubber cables and plastic cable-ties to temporary hold it in place, for how long we were not sure…and rushed to the gate, making it with 5 minutes to spare!

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The next morning we made our way down the mountain on the suggested route and arrived in Arusha , where we stayed over with Katie, a missionary mid-wife from Cape Town, who we only met a few months ago and Anna, a nurse from New Zealand. Both volunteer with Maternity Africa, as mid-wives,  in the town. www.maternityafrica.org

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Left for Arusha and needed to find  a camp spot on the way as the place we had planned to camp at did not seem to exist anymore. Found a spot through google maps called Irente Farm Lodge, near Lushoto village,  based 1000 metres high, on  top of the Western Sabara Mountain range. We love camping with a view so up we decided to go…the owner sms’d directions but we took a wrong turn and ended up driving the scenic route, straight up the mountains, along a very narrow windy road with steep drops, through remote villages. When the children saw us they would shout with  great excitement, ” mazungu”, which is their term for white person, dating back to the 18th centuary. It literally means  “wandering around aimlessly” or one who is lost, as many explorers who arrived then appeared to be…It was fairly appropriate for us at the time as well!  I don’t think that they see many people passing through their village, although it is 10km shorter to the top.

Fortunately we did not meet any cars coming down as it would have been very problematic to pass… It also turned out that there had been an accident between a bus and a truck on the road that we were supposed to have taken and we would have been stuck behind them for a number of hours,  if we had not taken the “wrong turn”…( a God inspired mistake…?).

When we arrived at the top, a friendly local Christian man named Joseph appeared, who quickly took is to see the spectacular sunset from the best vantage point just before it set and gave us some generally good advice. We had the clear sense that God had arranged it all…We make our plans but God really does direct our steps!

We proceeded to camp at the German farm Lodge a few metre down the road. It is run by German Lutheran and has a dairy farm which produces fresh milk, yogurt and cheese. They also run a school for the blind and an orphanage which the lodge, camp site and farm activities support.

We were the only people camping in a forest clearing on top of the mountain and heard the most amazing nights sounds all around us. Owls hooting at each other, bush monkeys chatting etc.

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Spent the night in Dar es Salaam on 17^th June with old family friends, Dave and Angela Scott.  A special couple who live out being a blessing to others. We were grateful to leave our car in their safe hands for the week we would be in Zanzibar.

We arrived back in Dar es Salaam a week later and stayed over with our other special friends, Etienne and Rani and their 3 children. They have been in Tanzania for 3 years and have planted a branch of Liberty Church. It was great to be able to visit their church and witness the good work that they are doing. They were finishing off a series on Joseph and allowed me (Vivienne) to share the prophetic Messianic picture of Joseph, as relating to his Jewish brothers.

We also visited the coastal town of Bagamoyo with Etienne and his family. Bagamoyo is another place connected to the slave trade and the name means – ” Where  I  left my heart”.  Many thousands of slaves were marched through the port on their way to a life of slavery in India, Persia, South and north America etc. Livingston spent time in teh area and witnessed the brutality of the Arab traders including mass murders of the indigenous African people. He diarised much of what he witnessed which helped lead to the abolition of the slave trade near the end of the 19th Centuary, although it only came into effect in Tanganyika  in 1922.  David Livingston’s body left from Bagamoyo back to London

 

 

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The time had arrived for our spoil of the trip…celebrating 30 wonderful years of marriage and living life together.

We caught the ferry to Stone Town/Zanzibar City. Arrived at midday and decided to do a tour of Stone Town, the capital city before heading out to our hotel. Zanzibar is famous for being the birth place of Freddy Mercury and infamous for having being a central point for the cruel slave trade.

We were based in the North Western section of the island at a spot with beautiful beaches, turquoise sea and stunning sunsets. Spent the time relaxing and reading on the beach as well as snorkling around Mnemba Island , which is surrounded by a natural protected reef with stunning fish and coral.

On the boat ride out to snorkling around Mnemba Island, I started chatting to a lady who was sitting near us (actually the only other person I spoke to on the trip of the 25 people on the boat). It turns that she is an Italian Jewess, Antonella, living in Australia who also advocates for Israel. What are the chances …. two Israel advocates, one Jewish and one Christian, meeting on a small boat in the ocean, off Zanzibar. We had a good time together and both felt it was a God appointed connection.

Stone Town

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Gold Zanzibar

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Mnemba Island

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Arrived at Crocodile Camp site, near Iringa town, in the evening, after navigating numerous trucks and buses who often overtake on blind corners, which might explain some of the many overturned trucks we passed on the side of the road… It is conveniently situated off the main road, in the middle of a giant baobab forest. I eventually succumbed to an enthusiastic  salesman who kept dropping the price of a really nice chalet on the River’s edge. (from 120 000 shilling to 40 000 shillings = R295 for the evening).

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Travelled through the notorious Nakonde/Tunduma border into Tanzania. Took us three and a half hours without any queues and any bribes (although they tried…on the Zambian side).

The country is beautiful and people are friendly. About 40% Moslem and 40% Christian, but no official religious census since 1967, so just an estimate.  It is good to see many small businesses as well as the growing of local crops everywhere. The local language is Swahili, 2^nd most spoken in Africa, after Arabic. Hakuna Matata (no worries/problem) is often heard.

The new President, John Magufuli,  is causing waves with his strong anti- corruption stance. See link:  http://www.dw.com/en/top-stories/s-9097. Let’s pray and trust that he remains alive to be an example and inspiration to the rest of Africa.

Marc got his first and hopefully only speeding fine ( $15 – doing 61km/h in 50 km/h zone – no signs!)

Arrived at our next camp site, the Utengule Coffee Lodge, which has beautiful views over the valley. Marc enjoyed a good coffee and I a freshly squeezed pineapple, paw-paw and watermelon juice!

Feeling very blessed to be driving through this beautiful continent on which live, and yet know so little about!

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Arrived at the Kalungu FCE base near the Tanzanian border at lunch time. Beautiful  peaceful spot with clean attractive facilities. Also internet (via local MTN sim on our phone)!!

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We  drove past Shiwa houese and arrived at the hotsprings at Kapisha about 20 km further down the road. It is a very beautiful estate and property.

We camped next to the river into which the hot springs as flow. What a treat to find hot water bubbling out of the ground and it all kept in its natural state! We made full use of the spring and sat/floated in the water at least 3 times a day. (It turned out to be a good place to meet other campers). First people we met were from Stellenbosch as well….a young couple, of which the husband resembled my brother, Philip, and it tuned out his name was Philip!

We also met Ursula, the German Consul to Zambia and Harald her husband, who were camping next door to us. They are a great couple and we immediately related well to them. We are hoping to stay in touch with them, as they are planning to visit SA soon as well.

They gave us some good advice about how to help our Zimbabwean friends, Liz and Weston, fund the solar panels and pump they need, through the Zimbabwean German Embassy.

We visited Shiwa house the following Monday moning.  Jo, the wife of Charles Harvey, the grandson of the original builder and owner of the estate, Sir Gordan Stewart-Brown, showed us around and answered our questions regarding the history of Shiwa Estate.
Five different church groups also meet at various times in the chapel which adjoins the main house.

It is an interesting story as the home is almost 100 years old and quite a job to maintain. They run a massive farming operation with many head of cattle, sheep, goats and chicken. They also grow maize and wheat (non GMO!!) crops. I was given home made marmelade, made from the original citrus trees planeted by Sir Gordan as well as fresh cows milk from the dairy (non pasturised!).

We visited the old hospital which now operates as a clinic. It serves the community on the estate and the wider area as well (about 11 000 people). They do basic basic health care such as malaria, TB tests and treatment and delivering of babies etc. The plan is to convert it back into a fully functional hospital serving the other clinics in the area.

They have established an NGO which is not functioning at present. There are a number of govt. run schools on the estate which are not running well at all. We would potentially be open to play a role in these community iniatives if it is a door God opens for us.

Kapishya Hot Springs

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Shiwa Ngandu

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We arrived at FCE (Foundation for Cross Cultural Education – started by South Africans about 12 years) (www.fce.org.za) near Luyansha at 6pm, just as the sun was setting and in time for supper in the dark, as the power had just gone off. They blessed us with comfortable guest cottage accommodation for our next 3 nights (at camping rates).

8 June – Spent first day being shown around the property and all the various projects that operate from there. It is primarily a teacher training centre which trains up community teachers from Zambia and surrounding nations. They emphasise a method of teaching which is Christ centred and kingdom orientated.  They also have a school (with about 210 children, grade 0 to 9) on the property, which serves the surrounding communities, as well as providing an opportunity for practical teacher training.

They offer certificate courses in agriculture and diploma’s in community development. They have also developed an extensive fruit tree nursery, fruit orchards, veg garden, carpentry workshop and a basic clinic. We met many South Africans who volunteer in the various programmes as well as a few from other countries like India, Canada and Germany.  It is wonderful to see the impact on a new generation of children in the community nearby, as well as the impact on many other communities being reached through their good work.  (I am reminded  of the scripture….”that they may see your good works and glorify our Father in heaven!!”)

9 June – Spent the 2^nd day out visiting other community projects near Luansha (Hands at Work) and Kitwe  (LifeSong –  operating schools for orphan education and also income generating farming activities). Was great to meet Eric and his wife and 5 children who have come to serve the most vulnerable in Africa, all the way from the United States.  The schools are of a high standard and they are impacting many lives for the Kingdom.

We also visited our good friends, James and Sukai who used to work with Hands at Work.  It was a real God appointed time and we hope to see them soon again. They keep selflessly accommodating more vulnerable children in their own home amidst their own challenges (presently  eight children).

We spent our last evening at FCE encouraging and sharing with another couple from SA who have semi –retired from farming and have a heart for God’s purposes in their lives and are volunteering at FCE for a month.

(It was a bonus to get our car serviced and the oil changed by Raymond, an Australian volunteer mechanic at FCE, before the next leg of our trip to Tanzania and Kenya.)

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