Dear Friends in Christ,
In less than half an hour my ride will come and I will join the rest of the group for the trip to O'Hare Airport for the first leg of our journey. We're arriving plenty early --- partly to be sure we get through security ok, but also because we will be meeting up with members from a number of other congregations who are taking the same journey we are. (An early arrival gives us a little time to get better acquainted with each other.) Also represented on this trip will be Bethlehem, DeKalb, First, DeKalb, St. James, Rock Island, St. John's, Rock Island, and Faith, Moline. Some of our time will be spent together and some we will split up into congregational groups to become better acquainted with our individual companion congregations. Please be sure to pray for all on this journey -- for safety to be sure, but also for deepening faith and growing relationships with one another as well as with the people we will encounter.
Yesterday when our group was commissioned we were reminded that we are 'ambassadors.' Ambassadors of Christ, to be sure, but also of all of you. We go representing you and we do carry a large piece of you with us. You can be sure that we will be living deeply into the experiences of these next weeks in order that we might come back to share it all with you. You can also be certain that you remain in our prayers as we go.
I need to double check my bags before I head out the door, so I'll say good-bye for now. We'll do our best to keep you posted on this journey through this blog.
Between now and when we see you again,
Mungu akubariku (God bless you!)
Pastor Janet
Monday, June 30, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Tanzanian thoughts
Hamjambo, habari gani? (Hello, how are you?)
As I was cleaning out a maple tree farm from the gutters of my garage and unclogging my downspouts Wednesday afternoon, I was thinking about two things. Our exciting trip to Tanzania coming up in about five short days and Matthew 13: 3-13 , The parable of the sower.
Unlike here where everything grows everywhere, even in the cracks of the driveway, Tanzania has difficulty providing some of the basic crops because of poor soil conditions. But while I was looking out over all the green lawns from the garage roof, I realized that we will be visiting with people in Tanzania who have hearts of good soil. And they are yielding crops, some a hundredfold!
Maybe some of the seeds that may have dried out in my own heart, like the maple seeds in the dry part of my garage gutter, will come alive again during our exciting life-long relationship with our new partners in Christ! I look forward to our trip and look forward also in sharing the wealth that we will bring back to Salem.
Kwaheri, Asante sana (Goodbye, Thank you very much)
Steve
As I was cleaning out a maple tree farm from the gutters of my garage and unclogging my downspouts Wednesday afternoon, I was thinking about two things. Our exciting trip to Tanzania coming up in about five short days and Matthew 13: 3-13 , The parable of the sower.
Unlike here where everything grows everywhere, even in the cracks of the driveway, Tanzania has difficulty providing some of the basic crops because of poor soil conditions. But while I was looking out over all the green lawns from the garage roof, I realized that we will be visiting with people in Tanzania who have hearts of good soil. And they are yielding crops, some a hundredfold!
Maybe some of the seeds that may have dried out in my own heart, like the maple seeds in the dry part of my garage gutter, will come alive again during our exciting life-long relationship with our new partners in Christ! I look forward to our trip and look forward also in sharing the wealth that we will bring back to Salem.
Kwaheri, Asante sana (Goodbye, Thank you very much)
Steve
Monday, June 23, 2008
Communications
Hamjambo Rafiki yangu!! Habari?......
Hello My Friend!! How ya doin’?
Well, the departure date for our trip is fast upon us…. In less than a week now, we will be boarded on Ethiopian Air and headed for Ethiopia where we will spend the night before boarding yet another plane that will land in Kilimanjaro. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would be looking forward to those kind of connecting flights!!
As we enter into the final week of preparations for what I believe will be our life-changing journey, I am reminded of what one of our primary purposes will be for this trip: communication. Establishing relationships and communication with our companion Kijenge Lutheran Parish will be both promising and challenging.
You may have noticed that I am slipping a few Swahili words and phrases into this blog entry. To prove the point of communication challenges to be sure, but to also show that our phrases and words are their phrases and words. A different language to be sure, but oh the meaning is the same!!
What I do know is that we have a common thread and bond of the love of our Lord, Jesus Christ and our Mungu…. God. With that in our hearts, we will do just fine in communicating the important things!
Please sign on to the Salem-Kijenge Udugu blog regularly while we travel so we can also communicate with you all, our experiences and messages. Because we do take you all with us in our thoughts and hearts as brothers and sisters in Christ.
And finally, I would like to thank all of you for your support—whether that be in prayer, in spirit, in conversation, or in financial support, I would like to say Asante sana…. Thank You Very Much!
Kwa jina la Baba, na la Mwana, na la Roho Matakatifu…. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
Cindy
Hello My Friend!! How ya doin’?
Well, the departure date for our trip is fast upon us…. In less than a week now, we will be boarded on Ethiopian Air and headed for Ethiopia where we will spend the night before boarding yet another plane that will land in Kilimanjaro. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would be looking forward to those kind of connecting flights!!
As we enter into the final week of preparations for what I believe will be our life-changing journey, I am reminded of what one of our primary purposes will be for this trip: communication. Establishing relationships and communication with our companion Kijenge Lutheran Parish will be both promising and challenging.
You may have noticed that I am slipping a few Swahili words and phrases into this blog entry. To prove the point of communication challenges to be sure, but to also show that our phrases and words are their phrases and words. A different language to be sure, but oh the meaning is the same!!
What I do know is that we have a common thread and bond of the love of our Lord, Jesus Christ and our Mungu…. God. With that in our hearts, we will do just fine in communicating the important things!
Please sign on to the Salem-Kijenge Udugu blog regularly while we travel so we can also communicate with you all, our experiences and messages. Because we do take you all with us in our thoughts and hearts as brothers and sisters in Christ.
And finally, I would like to thank all of you for your support—whether that be in prayer, in spirit, in conversation, or in financial support, I would like to say Asante sana…. Thank You Very Much!
Kwa jina la Baba, na la Mwana, na la Roho Matakatifu…. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
Cindy
Tanzania Journey
With just a week to go before we set off for our journey, our excitement is growing. Cindy and I have been setting things out to be packed and deciding on clothes for a couple of weeks now, things being binoculars, first aid kit, flashlights, hats, camera,extra batteries, and the list goes on.
This trip is something that I never thought about or dreamed about being a part of in all the years I have been a member of Salem, and without being said a trip I will never forget. The opportunity to see and be a part an other culture in worshipping the Lord is very exciting.
Another reason for Cindy and I to be excited is that this will be an early 25th anniversary trip for us, May of next year will be 25 years together, WHAT A WAY TO CELEBRATE!
As Pastor said in her sermon last Sunday it is the five of us that are traveling, but all of you will be with us in our hearts on this trip. I wish to thank everyone for the prayers and support that you have given to all of us, the interest that you have shown with your questions and well wishes is greatly appreciated, as well as your continued prayers for our safe travel.
As much as I am looking forward to this adventure, I look forward to returning home and sharing our experiences and stories with all of you just as much.
Hopefully, we will be able to continue to update you through the web during the trip.
In Christ
Scott
This trip is something that I never thought about or dreamed about being a part of in all the years I have been a member of Salem, and without being said a trip I will never forget. The opportunity to see and be a part an other culture in worshipping the Lord is very exciting.
Another reason for Cindy and I to be excited is that this will be an early 25th anniversary trip for us, May of next year will be 25 years together, WHAT A WAY TO CELEBRATE!
As Pastor said in her sermon last Sunday it is the five of us that are traveling, but all of you will be with us in our hearts on this trip. I wish to thank everyone for the prayers and support that you have given to all of us, the interest that you have shown with your questions and well wishes is greatly appreciated, as well as your continued prayers for our safe travel.
As much as I am looking forward to this adventure, I look forward to returning home and sharing our experiences and stories with all of you just as much.
Hopefully, we will be able to continue to update you through the web during the trip.
In Christ
Scott
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Arusha, Tanzania here we come!
In about 10 days from now, we'll be boarding a plane (then 2 more after that!) with a final goal of the eastern coast of Africa. Steve and I are most anxious to learn about our new friends in Arusha. Just how do they live without WalMart, Walgreens or Starbucks - or even watches on their wrists? I understand a most common saying the Tanzanians like to impart is while we have the watches, they have the time!
Much of their day is consumed with life sustaining efforts like drawing and transporting water, and cooking over an open fire and washing in a tub or at the river's edge - unlike our own lives where we simply turn on the tap, quickly flip a switch on the stove or microwave to cook, and throw a load of clothes into a clothes washer - perhaps all in between ball games and telephone calls.
It'll be most interesting to see what parallels we will find between our lives that appear so very different. An obvious common ground is our faith as Christians. How that faith is demonstrated in everyday life may well be different.
We trust the journey will be fruitful to all. Please keep us in your prayers in the days ahead!
Much of their day is consumed with life sustaining efforts like drawing and transporting water, and cooking over an open fire and washing in a tub or at the river's edge - unlike our own lives where we simply turn on the tap, quickly flip a switch on the stove or microwave to cook, and throw a load of clothes into a clothes washer - perhaps all in between ball games and telephone calls.
It'll be most interesting to see what parallels we will find between our lives that appear so very different. An obvious common ground is our faith as Christians. How that faith is demonstrated in everyday life may well be different.
We trust the journey will be fruitful to all. Please keep us in your prayers in the days ahead!
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Preparing to Travel
Dear Friends in Christ,
Welcome to the Salem-Kijenge Udugu Blog. It is our hope that we can update this regularly while we are in Arusha, Tanzania for our upcoming companion congregation trip. Please visit often, especially between June 30 and July 14 for news on your travelers.
As I write, we are less than three weeks from traveling to Arusha, Tanzania. While there we (Scott and Cindy
Graves, Steve and Sue Worley, and I) will become acquainted with the many vital ministries of the Arusha Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania. We will also have several days of visiting with and learning from members of our companion congregation: the Kijenge Lutheran Church in Arusha. I have been fortunate to be able to travel to this part of the world twice before as an official representative of the Northern Illinois Synod. This time I am especially excited to be able to focus on one congregation and its people and to wonder with all of you about what the relationship we will share will look like.
As we go we will be bearing gifts. Our doll makers have supplied us with 10 Raggedy Ann/Andy dolls. Joan Graves is making duplicate banners (like those hanging in our narthex) which read "He is the Vine, We are the Branches." We are having a nice pen engraved with the words: Kijenge-Salem Udugu (Udugu is the Swahili word for 'partnership.') as a gift for their pastor. In addition, other small gifts will go with us as signs of our commitment to this new relationship.
We've had our shots, our passports are in hand, we've tried our hand (or rather our voices) at a little Swahili, and we're starting to think about packing. Please be praying for the group over these coming days as we prepare to go and later as we journey. Pray for good health, for resilience, for open hearts and minds and spirits, and that a spirit of joy and adventure might be a part of this journey. Pray most of all that God's own hand might be on this venutre and on each of us that we might be open to God's own amazing gifts.
On Sunday, June 29th, the group will be 'blessed' and sent off at the 10:30 service. Join us then as we all begin this new venture together.
Pastor Janet Hunt
Welcome to the Salem-Kijenge Udugu Blog. It is our hope that we can update this regularly while we are in Arusha, Tanzania for our upcoming companion congregation trip. Please visit often, especially between June 30 and July 14 for news on your travelers.
As I write, we are less than three weeks from traveling to Arusha, Tanzania. While there we (Scott and Cindy
Graves, Steve and Sue Worley, and I) will become acquainted with the many vital ministries of the Arusha Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania. We will also have several days of visiting with and learning from members of our companion congregation: the Kijenge Lutheran Church in Arusha. I have been fortunate to be able to travel to this part of the world twice before as an official representative of the Northern Illinois Synod. This time I am especially excited to be able to focus on one congregation and its people and to wonder with all of you about what the relationship we will share will look like.
As we go we will be bearing gifts. Our doll makers have supplied us with 10 Raggedy Ann/Andy dolls. Joan Graves is making duplicate banners (like those hanging in our narthex) which read "He is the Vine, We are the Branches." We are having a nice pen engraved with the words: Kijenge-Salem Udugu (Udugu is the Swahili word for 'partnership.') as a gift for their pastor. In addition, other small gifts will go with us as signs of our commitment to this new relationship.
We've had our shots, our passports are in hand, we've tried our hand (or rather our voices) at a little Swahili, and we're starting to think about packing. Please be praying for the group over these coming days as we prepare to go and later as we journey. Pray for good health, for resilience, for open hearts and minds and spirits, and that a spirit of joy and adventure might be a part of this journey. Pray most of all that God's own hand might be on this venutre and on each of us that we might be open to God's own amazing gifts.
On Sunday, June 29th, the group will be 'blessed' and sent off at the 10:30 service. Join us then as we all begin this new venture together.
Pastor Janet Hunt
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