A Visit to Tanzania
First let me apologize that it has been so long since I have written you. I know many are anxious to hear all that transpires. We have been out of the city for almost a month and had little access to the internet, please forgive me. I will break this into more than one update for those who don’t have the time to read the entire thing.
We traveled back to Isoka the first of July spending most of our time trying to secure materials for our work. There isn’t much to be found in Isoka so it is necessary to travel about an hour to Tanzania to shop just across the border. I am not a real fan of that experience so I asked a local if I could pay him to escort us, he kindly obliged and said he would not charge that we are brothers. In Tanzania they speak Swahili not English, their currency is Schilling not Kwacha, and there must be 100,000 people on this 3 block area. As you near the border the masses begin along with semi trucks and passenger buses waiting to cross the border. The closer we get to security we become surrounded by men attempting to change our Kwacha into Schilling. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out they are con men. We wait our turn and finally get thru the first gate, which is where the real challenge begins. You enter an area of parked vehicles waiting to be cleared, some have been here weeks, the area is lined with more semis and buses and there is no clear path of travel. Our situation is complicated by the fact we are pulling a trailer which makes the necessary maneuvering next to impossible, along with the fact you are never quite sure what the guy in front is doing or what the guy behind wants to do. How is my blood pressure you ask?
After a bit we finally make it thru the second gate and are approaching our final gate when I hear a knock at the window and this official looking gentleman asked if I had my papers checked? No! What papers, I was told I didn’t need to check any papers. I asked if I could pass thru the next gate, park, and walk back to have them checked, he agreed. In the mean time our escort was telling me not to pay attention to this guy, that wasn’t necessary. In this environment there is so much corruption you are never quite sure what to believe; so at the insistence of our escort I proceeded without checking in. Did I hear you ask about my blood pressure?
As we began our necessary shopping our man, Brown, was taking us to various shops, naturally he was doing all the talking. It didn’t take long to realize he was getting a kick back at each of these shops, but remember we are brothers. There is something about someone thinking I am an idiot that really frustrates me and man was I frustrated. So much so that I decided to abandon our trip and return to Isoka. We had one final stop for fuel. I pulled into the station and he said no go to the next one, so I did. You don’t want to hear the whole story but he conned me out of another 85,000 Kwacha (about $20).
What’s that about blood pressure?
We begin our journey back across the border; about mid way once again we were stopped and asked did I get my papers cleared. I said no but ok. Again Brown said to go on; not being sure what might happen since I didn’t stop on the way over I decided to take my chances. We made it back across.
Since we had missed lunch we decided to stop for a drink and some crackers. I decided to buy four cans of Fanta; I drank one and put three in a small cooler. I was so aggravated at this guy I didn’t talk to him the whole way back to Isoka. Can you believe the guy drank two of my Fantas! Oh the blood pressure.
I am trying to pray for the guy but am not quite there yet.
The really funny thing is since we didn’t get all we needed; Cyndi and I had to return the next day. We hoped we could find what we needed on this side at a small hardware store. They didn’t have any toilets, which I am pretty sure the family coming would enjoy. So back across we go. This time I hired a young man, whose family owns the small store, to escort us. He was most helpful. When we returned with him he actually took us around the back of the secured area thru a field right up to his back door.
So you don’t think of me as criminal we really were told we didn’t need to have any papers to cross. I suspect because we were pulling a trailer they thought we may have been making a big haul.
I would ask you to consider praying for Lowe’s or Home Depot to consider a location in Zambia.
Seriously we ask that you pray for the people of Zambia. Their culture has taught them we are white Americans, Muzunguos, therefore rich and the answer to their problems. It is just natural to them to try to take advantage of us. Our prayer is they would have the opportunity to hear truth; that hope is found in God alone through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
I no longer count on my own goodness or my ability to obey God’s law, but I trust Christ to save me. For God’s way of making us right with Himself depends on faith. Phil. 3:9
We traveled back to Isoka the first of July spending most of our time trying to secure materials for our work. There isn’t much to be found in Isoka so it is necessary to travel about an hour to Tanzania to shop just across the border. I am not a real fan of that experience so I asked a local if I could pay him to escort us, he kindly obliged and said he would not charge that we are brothers. In Tanzania they speak Swahili not English, their currency is Schilling not Kwacha, and there must be 100,000 people on this 3 block area. As you near the border the masses begin along with semi trucks and passenger buses waiting to cross the border. The closer we get to security we become surrounded by men attempting to change our Kwacha into Schilling. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out they are con men. We wait our turn and finally get thru the first gate, which is where the real challenge begins. You enter an area of parked vehicles waiting to be cleared, some have been here weeks, the area is lined with more semis and buses and there is no clear path of travel. Our situation is complicated by the fact we are pulling a trailer which makes the necessary maneuvering next to impossible, along with the fact you are never quite sure what the guy in front is doing or what the guy behind wants to do. How is my blood pressure you ask?
After a bit we finally make it thru the second gate and are approaching our final gate when I hear a knock at the window and this official looking gentleman asked if I had my papers checked? No! What papers, I was told I didn’t need to check any papers. I asked if I could pass thru the next gate, park, and walk back to have them checked, he agreed. In the mean time our escort was telling me not to pay attention to this guy, that wasn’t necessary. In this environment there is so much corruption you are never quite sure what to believe; so at the insistence of our escort I proceeded without checking in. Did I hear you ask about my blood pressure?
As we began our necessary shopping our man, Brown, was taking us to various shops, naturally he was doing all the talking. It didn’t take long to realize he was getting a kick back at each of these shops, but remember we are brothers. There is something about someone thinking I am an idiot that really frustrates me and man was I frustrated. So much so that I decided to abandon our trip and return to Isoka. We had one final stop for fuel. I pulled into the station and he said no go to the next one, so I did. You don’t want to hear the whole story but he conned me out of another 85,000 Kwacha (about $20).
What’s that about blood pressure?
We begin our journey back across the border; about mid way once again we were stopped and asked did I get my papers cleared. I said no but ok. Again Brown said to go on; not being sure what might happen since I didn’t stop on the way over I decided to take my chances. We made it back across.
Since we had missed lunch we decided to stop for a drink and some crackers. I decided to buy four cans of Fanta; I drank one and put three in a small cooler. I was so aggravated at this guy I didn’t talk to him the whole way back to Isoka. Can you believe the guy drank two of my Fantas! Oh the blood pressure.
I am trying to pray for the guy but am not quite there yet.
The really funny thing is since we didn’t get all we needed; Cyndi and I had to return the next day. We hoped we could find what we needed on this side at a small hardware store. They didn’t have any toilets, which I am pretty sure the family coming would enjoy. So back across we go. This time I hired a young man, whose family owns the small store, to escort us. He was most helpful. When we returned with him he actually took us around the back of the secured area thru a field right up to his back door.
So you don’t think of me as criminal we really were told we didn’t need to have any papers to cross. I suspect because we were pulling a trailer they thought we may have been making a big haul.
I would ask you to consider praying for Lowe’s or Home Depot to consider a location in Zambia.
Seriously we ask that you pray for the people of Zambia. Their culture has taught them we are white Americans, Muzunguos, therefore rich and the answer to their problems. It is just natural to them to try to take advantage of us. Our prayer is they would have the opportunity to hear truth; that hope is found in God alone through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
I no longer count on my own goodness or my ability to obey God’s law, but I trust Christ to save me. For God’s way of making us right with Himself depends on faith. Phil. 3:9
posted by Tommy and Cyndi at 10:50 PM
3 Comments:
i love you daddy. and i'll wait patiently for your next blog. :)
Interesting how in our culture they did something they shouldn't have. It drives us nuts. Yet in their culture, they did exactly what was expected of them. See you soon!
chad
Hi. My name is Audrey (Cunningham) Finney. I graduated with Chad & was friends with both your boys. My husband and I live in Nashville but were visiting my parents (Jim & Cherri Cunningham) a few weeks ago in Paducah. We stopped in The Parlor and I was blown away with the news that Ryan gave me of your whereabouts. I am thrilled & honored as your Sister to write and hopefully encourage you as you serve our God. He has changed my life in a dramatic way and I will forever be blissfully indebted. Blessings to you guys in the name of Jesus and STAY THE COURSE!!
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