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TO CAROL RE. EDUCATION FUND

Hey Carol ,
 I have already told Fr Priscus. he will check his e mail. I will send you a picture of Juliet on your E mail. education is one of the greatest gifts.The knights of St Jude in Tequesta are also contributing to the education fund.

I SAW JESUS IN MOSHI TOWN

Thursday I was waiting for Fr Priscus to do some business at a shop down the street. I was taking in the passers by, the workers loading and unloading trucks, the merchants selling their wares in stores on the street and from vehicles parked on the street. I was guarding our truck which was loaded with irrigation hose, a large sack of rice, a large sack of watermelon and pineapples, a large carton of Tanzanian beer for a coming event and 3 computers we had taken for repair which were inside the truck. Security is important in any big city. Suddenly something very unusual caught my eye.

A man had passed me from behind and was passing to the side of me between the truck and the sidewalk. I was standing behind the tailgate. He was a mature man 40 or 50 years old. From behind he appeared to have only feet. I could only see feet hanging suspended from his torso. I don’t know if he had his legs tied up or he had no legs and had just anomalous feet with no legs, but what was very obvious was that his feet did not work but were just suspended from the bottom of his torso. I was so shocked when I realized how he was moving down the street. He was using his hands to suspend his body and was walking on them and what amazed me even more was that he was using flip flops on his hands. I felt tears welling up in my eyes in my upright body with two functioning legs, arms, ears, brain whatever. I wanted to run after him to give him some money as he disappeared down the street but thought that I should not abondon my security detail of watching the valuables on the truck. I thought, “Whatever you do to the least of mine you do to me” I knew I saw Jesus. That very special man will always be in my heart and prayers. I saw Jesus. 

MAASAI NEIGHBORHOOD

The highly detailed pics are inside the Boma which is very cleverly 

 designed. This first pic is right near the clinic

cows at the entrance this family yard

Sr Asteria asking permission to take pics

inside  the boma

the entrance

two residents

the back yard shed

Sr Asteria with Mt Meru in background

boma and rather ordinary house....modern influence

village blvd

TO ELENA

The food is so much like Puerto Rico. Plantains rice, bananas,papaya,chicken ,pork,goat,corn meal and porridge's, and all the rest Just like Mom"s cooking.

TO ROBIN and others

ULTRASOUND REPORT

                   The ultrasound teaching has been progressing. The pace of course is slower than I would like because of the other duties of the Nuns.

I have seen very little pathology, probably because the hospital in Ngarenaroibi is still not equipped with a surgical suite and serious cases go to Moshi, one hour and forty-five minutes away. Sister Ernesta is progressing well. Because she is a physician she has the background to place things in perspective. OB is the most that we do but as people hear about the Ultrasound capability they come asking for Ultrasound for abdominal pain. I have yet to see any pathology in the abdomen. I think most are suffering from reflux. I have had some trauma cases but have seen nothing like organ damage. In Ashengai there is definitely a higher volume. I have seen ascites in an alcohol abuser( 20 yo) ( Sister called his family) we sent him to Moshi. We also saw some testicular abnormality in the fetus of a hypertensive mother who was also sent to Moshi because of her hypertension. The Internet helped me place the fetal abnormalities in perspective. I find that my medical experience is often helpful to the doctors. Two heads are better than one. I have done very little with cardiology so far. I am hoping to do more with three weeks left. The Internet has been a great aid to the doctors. They eat it up. Fr Priscus is working intensely with Carol DeAngelo from the Cardiac Hospital Foundation to get a generator that will be able to supply power to the proposed operating room with automatic kick in if the yet unavailable power line kicks out which then routinely do in Asengai. The generator is approximately 25 K. I might add that the hospital is only three years old.  In start up mode. I will place a list of needs later. Any X ray for starters. There is none. No EKG. I am hoping that others will follow me here .A computer expert could do a lot. I could use one myself. There are very comfortable quarters in Sebuko with fr Beatus the superior who is the most gracious host. Someone could spend a few weeks there, enjoy the area and still find time to do some teaching. This is just an off the cuff assessment for now. Fr Priscus hopes to make some comfortable accommodations for visitors in Ngarenaroibi to upgrade things there. The hospitality for me has been wonderful from some great Priests and Nuns.  

HOME AWAY FROM HOME

On My walk with Sr Asteria today around the Maasai neighborhood she was asked many times who is the” European” you are walking with. She explained that I was doing Ultrasound at the Dispensary. I saw a man coming with a big smile and rosary around his neck greeting us and welcoming me with hand shakes. He was a member of the remote Christian  community which is a Catholic outpost where the priests travel to celebrate Mass on Sunday. He invited me through Sister to come on Saturday and speak to the members. I declined since Fr Priscus is planning to pick me up on the way back from Moshi on tommorow. He was very gracious. I told Sister to tell him it was always a joy to see a joyful face like his. I felt like I made a new friend. Thank God for the Universal Church.  

TO ELENA

Hey Elena,

       I was thinking about what you said about what Nanny Moriarty would think about my stories about the Maasai and seeing houses out in the middle of nowhere. For the benefit of others Nanny Moriarty was that very special woman in my life who after raising her 7 children took me into her house and polished off her mothering skills on me. My grandfather died when he was 63 and she was about the same age at the time. I was eleven. She lived till ninety-nine. She is one of the great loves in my life. She was born in 1890 and saw the coming of the automobile, road paving but also many of the things that I am seeing here  in Africa today. I remember pictures from the past when I was a kid, which gave me a glimpse into the times that preceded me. As I walked with sister Asteria around Ashen Gai which is a highly Maasai area I was convinced that I had to write about Elena’s remark. The roads are all dirt. They have no maintenance to speak of. There are pothole mud holes and double passages that were the idea of someone avoiding some pothole or rock or fallen tree. The houses are very individual with totally practical characteristics that seldom correspond to esthetics. People are walking to and fro before the nightfall to finish their day tasks. Animals are grazing everywhere and anywhere. Men are gathering and talking. Life is so different than us in our houses in Tequesta with so little sight or knowledge of our neighbors barricaded with the air on behind closed windows. When I was walking around the neighborhood with Sister tonight  some women actually stopped her to ask who is that. She had to explain many times about what I was doing. I fell like a celebrity already. Many said they would come to get an Ultrasound. Life here is a vision of our past as I now experience it. What have we gained and what have we lost. Perhaps convience but have we lost relationship and togetherness. 

THE SISTERS WITH ULTRASOUND MACHINE

VISIT WITH EMILY MOSHA

On Wednesday Fr Priscus and I drove to see Emily Mosha, Fr Benedict’s sister who lives in Pofo. As we left the main road which was tarred, we hit the usual wavy, rumpled, rutted  adventure in driving command performance. After a few kilometers of this adventure we  arrived at the new church which I presented in the pictures. The people in the pictures which I was not able to name are Emily Mosha, the Pastor, Fr Fulgence and the Project manager. The Boys and girls in the pictures I add today are those African children who when they see a white person yell to their friends. Un Zugu Unzugu! Which literaly means a European. They almost always say “ Give me money or give me present. Fr Ihedeus actually preached against this practice when I first came. He said That I don’t have money to give. When some older boys asked me in front of Father, I asked him to tell them I already gave my gift. It was at the hospital where they could come to be treated when they get sick. Fr Priscus entertained these young boys and girls with jokes and we had a lot of fun so I took their picture while waiting for Emily to finish talking to some people. She road with us to direct us to her house. She had walked to the church from home which was at least two miles.We proceeded to a turn which took us on a road which was narrow and just between the fields on either side. We turned right then left getting narrower and narrower until the road was only wide enough for one car. Every time we made a turn I thought we were there. The area was very pretty. We finally arrived at Fr Ben’s house which was very nice looking. The living room was large with chairs around the room up against the walls with a large table in the middle. We had some tea and talked to Emily who is a very sweet lady. After a while  she left to get the food which was being cooked at her brothers house. We ended up with a banquet fit for about ten more people. Later Fr Ben’s younger sister came to say hello. I was glad that Fr Priscus was there because she did not speak English.We had still to buy things in Moshi before going back so we had to leave after a couple hours. To make the return 2/1/2 hour drive back. I have delayed sending this because I wanted to upload the pictures but have not been able. Hopefully I will send the pics in the future.

POFO CHURCH UNDER CONSTRUCTION

I visited the site of the New Church under construction in Pofo, Fr Ben's  families' parish. The funds were donated by a member of  St Judes Tequesta. Fl.

LIKE A BIRD ON THE BRANCH

On  the way back From Sanya Juu where we left Sr. Emily, Fr Thedeus decided to take a little more adventurous  road back home. The road at first seem better than the usual washboard with udulating contours and challenging ruts mixed with pedestrians goats cattle and parked on the road cars. The road was as a matter of fact just the oppiosite. There was no one else on the road. As we progressed it became what Fr called a cattle road. Their were big bumps, ruts, stream beds challenges even for a cow. We saw a house and stopped to ask directions. A woman came to the door and recognized Father because she was a member of the local Catholic community where he goes at time to celebrate Mass. Another woman came  who was holding a 3yr old child who when he saw me started screaming hysterically as if I was the devil himself. We all started laughing about as hard as he was crying. I felt sorry for him but the mother calmed him down and Fr went over to help. When father reached out his arm to him he grabbed it like a drowning man to a floating log We got some directions and as we were leaving he waved at Fr.  And then waved to me. I was again a racial anomaly but so pleased with that little boy waving at me. After putting on the four wheel drive we made it out what only approaches what may be called a drive way we headed down the cow path shake , rattle and rolling past mostly wilderness with an occasional house or shack with a candle shining from inside. I was amazed that people could live in such wilderness with no running water, except what they can carrying on their head from who knows how far, no electric next to nothing. We passed a Maasai boma or coral with thatched shelters shaped like pieces of tootsie roll on end.  They are inside the coral which is formed by piled up thorn branches that would keep any enemy away, but are to keep the cows in. As nightfall was beginning I wondered what they do in the near darkness until bed time. I could only pass with a sense of awe. It reminds me of a bird on a branch in the middle of nowhere, the Lord takes care of them and so He takes care of His people. And I ride by in a four wheel drive with a sense of awe.

FR BEN's SISTER

Father Ben’s sister Sr Emily made a surprise visit to see me yesterday. When I got to the hospital after lunch Sr. Ernesta informed me that I had a visitor. I could not believe who she said it was. I was embarased that I had not contacted her sooner and that she should travel on those terrible roads to see me. She came to see me in a bus  which is defined here as a minivan packed with people. She left at 8am and arrived here at 1:30 pm.She lives about a half hour on the other side of Moshi. I invited her to come to the rectory to have some lunch and meet my African family. We got her some food and had a great time talking with the nuns and priests about Fr Ben. She knows him to be the same Man we all do and we enjoyed talking about his outrageous qualities. I can’t wait for him to read this.Fr Thedeus and her were familiar with each other because he used to say Mass at a parish in which she taught secondary school for 27 years I might add. The Nuns offered her to spend the night at the convent but she felt she had to head back to her home. We drove her on those terrible roads too where the tar roads begin so she could get a “bus” back to Moshi Town as she called it so that she would not be too late. We made arrangements to meet next week on Wednesday when Fr Priscus will make a trip to Moshi. She is a very charming Lady who has that great awareness of human nature perhaps that comes from all those years with secondary students. Her face reflects her sweet nature and faith.

PLACENTA

I was headed on a walk with Sr Daria on Sunday and we came across a women and a cow and a calf. The woman was holding something long and anatomic looking that stretched almost to the ground. I asked sister, what the heck is that? She said, That is a placenta. I said, Wow! that is a newborn calf. A big surprise for an old city boy like me. The calf was walking and hanging around the mother. Sister asked the Maasai Lady if I could take her picture. She told me that she does not want her picture taken. I said that is ok. What women would want to be remembered holding a placenta. I mean tourists can get out of hand. What was I thinking? Actually I was more fascinated by the fact that a new born calf was walking around after just coming out of the womb. I took a couple of pictures of the calf with Sr. Daria standing near it and the cow. As we continued our walk Sr. told me the lady ask for 1000tsh that is about 30 CENTS. I figured a picture holding a placenta was worth a lot more than that for a woman. I mean what if she became famous on the internet as the woman with the placenta. What kind of comments would her friends come up with. There is Tilly the placenta girl.

Or How is iT hanging today Tilly? Or HappyBirthday Tilly what’s the calfs name. The Maasai people are always getting asked to have their picture taken by tourists because of their unique way of dressing and their unique stretched earlobes, their necklaces and the mens dress with something like a dress as I mentioned previously in this writing. Some work in tourist places where they charge money to be photographed. I am sure the ordinary Maasai gets tired of being asked by strangers if they can be photographed. I would. I guess they compensate by hoping people will just go away when asked for money. 

FR BEATUS

I went to Sebuko, which is the very large house where the formation house is and where there are many bedrooms for meetings and residences for the priests. It is very similar to monasteries in the states and Europe. It was most likely built by Europeans. It has running water hot showers, electricity from power company and generator backup. It comprises 150 acres of active farmland, which the Order uses to raise money by selling crops and to supply food for the candidates at the formation house and the priests in residence.

The Head of the Province in this area is Fr. Beatus with whom I had the privilege of joining for supper two days. He is a very exceptional man, holy Priest who was a delight to be with. He was talking about the importance of relationship in African culture. If you go to some ones house they will not let you leave without offering you something. It is almost mandatory to accept something. He described to me a ritual that takes place between and son and a father that he has disappointed. The son will ask a wise person to accompany him to the father. He will invite the neighbors and friends to come with him. He will ask the fathers forgiveness and when he grants forgiveness he will present the father with a glass of beer. Another example is the ritual of bringing two leaves of the isale (Swahili word) tree to a person you have offended and he can not refuse you forgiveness. Before Christian forgiveness was adopted. This ritual was in place. One of the motivating factors was the fact that that the elders would threaten the sons and daughters with a curse With Christian forgiveness now in the picture the ritual has been redeemed and forgiveness and love has supplanted fear and threats. His gratitude for Christianity is expressed so warmly in what it has done for relationships. He expressed the beauty of sharing with another individual that you always receive something from each person that you can not get by yourself. I have also felt that everyone here is very concerned that I am happy and well taken care of. The Nuns insist on carrying my things when they see me carrying something as well as the priests. Elders  are not supposed to be left to do things for themselves. It is also that I am a guest. I may move here..

PHYSICIANS VISIONS

On the way to the hospital I stopped on the way at the convent to use the solar supplied electricity with my voltage converter to use my electric shaver so that I can skip the mess of shaving cream and pichures of hot water slashed on the face to get the shaving cream off. I saw Sr Dr Ernesta in the garden behind the convent where the Nuns grow their own food. We talked about the other clinic where I had brought the Old Ultrasound machine to teach the three Sisters there. We had done 9 OB Ultrasounds yesterday found some twins and a Post due mother with hypertension who had a fetus with a bilateral hydrocele of the scrotum. We sent her to the big medical center in Moshi. As I finished talking to her I looked down and saw that she was barefoot and walking in the rough  small volcanic chips of stone that are common here.They have very sharp corners and edges. That sight or vision will always remain with me when I think of these holy Nuns. 

AFRICAN FRUSTRATIONS

Talk about a loss of a since of control. Yesterday I was waiting at Sebuko for Fr Priscus to pick me up at 5pm. At 7pm as I was sitting in the priests dining and gathering room alone with my packed suitcase ready to take the ½ to 45 min drive back to Ngarenaroibi I had a sense of African time. When Fr arrived he was very sympathetic about me an impatient American having to wait so long. He had been at a family funeral about four hours away (dirt road time) and had a problem with the bearing on his truck and had to sit watching the truck loaded up with large bags of produce and iron reinforcing rods so that nothing would be stolen. He had dropped off the computers that Jay Dunn had donated that needed some tweaking and the place was closed by the time he got there. That meant another two-hour trip back some other day from Ngarenaroibi. I remember when we first moved to Tequesta that most shopping had to be done in West Palm Beach. Moshi is a lot longer drive on the continuously unbelievable African roads. Driving back in the dark on the squishy recently rained on roads caused me to prepare my soul for motor vehicle mishap. God was kind again. I arrived “home” just hoping that prostatitis would not set in from bouncing on the front seat. I felt fortunate to have been able to take hot showers in Sabuko without having to use a bucket and pitcher. Hopefully I can now move on to more interesting topics now that I am over my spoiled American whining.

THE WEDDING

TODAY I attended an African Blessing of the marriage. I arrived at the usual 7 AM Mass in my dungarees and sat behind the couple at least in their fifties. I had no idea I was at a wedding until after the initial prayers they were asked to come forward and pronounce their vows. There were friends who were placing flower like things on their necks that looked like Hawaiian Leigh’s. When they had finished reciting their vows there was heard a whooping sound from everyone like the sound Indians used to make when they were going to attack some settlers in an old cowboy movie and some clapping that lasted only 15 seconds or so. It is the traditional Tanzanian way of showing approval. It was comical to my American ears. The couple were married for a long time, The husband is Muslim and the wife Catholic.

In Tanzania the husband has to sign a legal contract to bring his children up Catholic. The Law states that if he does not do this his marriage contract is dissolved. This husband as I observed at the Mass was very devout. He is very zealous in studying the Gospels and is expected to convert to our Faith

THE LITTLE BOY

The little five year boy who was i n for malnourishment was discharge yesterday. Thank you for your prayers

THE LITTLE BOY

I went to the ward last night to check on the little malnourished boy. Sr Daria said he is improving.
    I have many patients every day who have pains on the left or the right in areas where I know I cannot  comment because of bowel which ultrasound cannot penetrate. Xray is needed here to do upper GI series, barium enemas, etc. The problem is electricity. The solar power donated by some generous Italians is great but is limited to conservative usage. There is some promise from the government of electricity in a year or so. There are poles on the ground around here but everyone says it is because elections are coming soon. Fr Priscus is appealing to Carol for a bigger generator to supply more light and water.

BRUCE SCHMIDT

Everyone pray for Bruce who is going to Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for some serious hip repair by a very specialized doctor to handle his complication. Pray for sucessful surgery that will enable him to walk like a pro.

Christianity

Fr Thedeus was talking about the benefits of Christianity to his Tanzanian Culture today. He told me about a local tribe who had a custom of
honoring a  dead  king by placing his dead body on a rack suspended over a fire to dry the body out to preserve it and the body was placed over a goat being cooked for the mourners to eat. If that was not bad enough a beautiful woman was found in the tribe bound a tied and buried alive with the king. He told of a Missionary Priest who called the police when this was about to happen and saved the womans life.
He is very appreciative of the benefits Christianiy has brought to this country.

The MAASAI 2

I sent Norma a bunch of pictures with myself present in the pics last night. You can see just a small snow cap in the one of me with the cows and the earlier single shot. You may be able to realize our height compared to Kili which is at 20k ft. There is a pic of the massai girl with a baby tied in a wrap on her back and a little one with squished eyes from skin swelling. That 5 yo is suffering from malnutricion. The Mom says she fed him only ugali (corn meal) and rice. He is about the size of a three  y.o. She said she had no milk. She said her husband has three wives. Sister Daria said the little one is in danger of dying. I did an ultrasound  on him and found a reflective liver . His heart was fine so maybe he will make it with the care of the sisters. I hope to get a pic of the young Maasii with his sword and short dress like attire. The goat pics are coming soon.

THE MAASAI

 Yesterday I had a Maasai Patient a woman who had her ear lobes sliced and stretched into long thick string like loops. The Maasai are a curiosity to all travelers because of this unique thing that the Tribe does to the Men and Women. The women wear many rows of beads that make the look like princesses. The Men dress in something like a dress and most have sandals made of cut car tires. They carry a sword on their side. The Massai are primarily cattle herders for this reason are not poor. They move around to accommodate the need for food for the cattle. This area has quite a few and they usually come to the hospital on market days combining what is often a long walk for two purposes. The Men have very fine facial qualities and good presentation of themselves. They sleep out in crude shelters they make from vegetation in the area. I see their cattle corals, which are piles of thorns trees branches that would stop anyone because the thorns are about three inches long  Fr Thedeus says they also have many wives like the Muslims. Yesterday I heard a strange sound outside in the front of the hospital. I went out and saw a Maasai woman standing near the road making this strange noise which I could see by her wiping her eyes was crying. Sister Elizabeth inquired of a Maasai Man what was the matter. Her Mother had been admitted earlier that day with some serious problem with her throat and tongue that she could not talk. When the young woman went to see her mother she was so sad seeing her like this that she came outside and became overwhelmed with sadness. I felt badly for her.

        Norma told me that you want some pictures of me in the wilds of Africa. I plan on taking some soon and they will be with a heard of goats especially for my friends at Martin Memorial who love Goat stories and in honor of Fr Benedict who is the inspiration for my mission here and who was a goat herder when a little boy. You may also see some of the sheep here that have black heads; brown fleece and thick bulbous tails that Fr Thedeus says are a most delicious delicacy. For those of the squeamish among you just remember that Jesus killed fish and cooked them after the Resurrection for His Apostles. Ff Priscus says they will do me the honor of letting me kill a goat for a meal. I told him I never have actually killed an animal. He said he would help by counseling me so that I can adjust to the real life away from MacDonald’s restaurants and Publix Meat counter.

     To Carol: Fr Priscus is trying to reach Fr Calistus about the water pump. The Nun you mention said she would write you this weekend.

      To Elena: I had sent an Email a while ago to congratulate you for receiving the Bronze Star for your last tour in Iraq but I just noticed that is was not sent. How proud can a father be? I am trying to be as strong as you in training the Nuns to do ultrasound as you were training the nurses and staff to be prepared to do trauma surgery. How successful you were. Thank you.

Dear Jack

Was great to hear from you. Glad to hear about all your doings with the boys and marcy's prowess with games. I am proud of her keeping up her running and competitions.
     I have t tell everyone the experience of drive to Moshi on the dirt roads which are about 45 minutes to an hour and the crowded roads that are somewhat paved and also packed with pedestrians, markets, bicycles,cattle and anything else you can imagine. Fr Priscus is somewhat like me , he doesnt like delays. His weapon is his horn and his "ace in the hole" is that his car can threaten anyone who even takes a step towards his vehicle  to move back.
Of course the roads are only two lanes so there are tense moments passing on a blind curve to find a timber truck in the same lane you are in bearing down on you. There are people on top of luggage racks of buses. There are men standing inside vans with their heads out the window. There are men standing on a load of lumber hanging on to a bar bouncing up and down with the load. Pedestraians  seem to have no fear. We pass within inches of them and they don"t even turn their head. The dirt roads are the epitomy of shake it up baby. Fr's strategy is the faster you go over the bumps the less chance you have of the tire hitting that bump on the ground. It is a numbers game. I have repect for toyota trucks. Give my love to Marcy and the Boys.  Love ,Dad

SHOCKING POVERTY

     What is shocking poverty? Walking yesterday with Fr Thadeus I saw again the scattered homes where people are living in the dusty land and scattered fields around here. American eyes see something like a waste land. I saw a boy and his dad out in what seem like the middle of nowhere using a hoe or kind of hoe fork to break down the soil to prepare for planting which every one is doing now because we are getting signs of the rains beginning. The houses are leftovers from when the state run cattle farms which failed to prosper faded away. They are a sight for our eyes but provide some shelter for the families who carry water on pails and things from the market on their head. The mothers leave there kids at home in the dust alone. 3year olds and 5 year olds which says something about the security of the place. What could anyone take. To them the dust the unpainted walls are just home. Father Thedeus talks with them jokes with them and makes the kids and mothers laugh. I am almost ashamed to take pictures lest I make them feel like an object of pity or anomaly or outrageous spectacle. Who am I to judge and project for them what I think is a way to live.

Blogger Pictures

SPARK PLUGS

Gx160;bpr6es (ngk)
GX240, Gx340, GX 390 bpr5es (ngk)
Gx 270 Bp6es Ngk
 the generator is a Japonese "Elemax" bought around 2006 or 2007
The best plugs are Champion. They should be able to convert those ngk numbers to champion.
Father says he is very grateful. He would also like some drill bits for metal. There are some cheap ones at Home depo. They also have some good brands. I would go to Ace hardware and ask them for the best brand. There is one in stuart on us 1. God  Bless
Ngk is a Japonese brand
The Gx160 is the best recommended plug
Father says he is very gratefull.

to Carol

 The sisters are well. today when i was talking to Norma  on aim over the computer at the convent they were saying Hello Mommi and telling her that I am their father and they are taking care of me like daughters. That was sisters Daria and Elina. They are so sweet. Sister Ernesta is going to Moshi for learning conference tommorow.Fr Thedeus will check the number of the spark plug later.I will send it in the afternoon tomorrow. Thank you so much. today Fr Priscus and I walked for two hours. It was great. I am getting back in shape after slacking since I got here.

SUNDAY MASS

This is for all those Catholics that leave Mass after Communion. The choir is the First thing I noticed when I came into the Church, other than the fact that the women sit on one side and us men on the other. They sing the most beautiful acapella harmonies not like anything I have heard before. It is so beautiful it brings tears to my eyes just recalling it. While they are singing they are moving their hands legs and bodies in the most gentle unified motions while standing. It only communicates the Joy and unity the Mass gives. The Priest sings most of the parts of the Mass and the congregation answers in song. Some parts are there own songs and some are right from the Gregorian chant. The Sermon was not all that long but it was about an hour or more before communion even started. At the offetory the entire congregation filed up to put their money in the basket row by row. They had already given the chickens, rice and other things the pastor has requested them to give for the Nuns and the Priests on a regular basis. The singing after communion continued for some time while everyone was seated then a long period of silence. After this there were ten minutes of announcements saving the expense of  paper notices. The Mass ended after an hour and a half. No one left early and I have to admit my boney rear end and “not in shape knees” were glad to head for some cushioned furniture, with no thought for brunch at Jupiter Resort.

PRIEST MECHANIC

Last Night around the time to put on the generator Fr Thedeus headed for the garage to put on the generator so we could have some light for the evening hours. He was there quite a while and nothing happened. I decided to go check on him and found him pulling the starter cord with no result. He said he thought the petro (british for gas) was bad, as is often the case with deliveries to this rural area that is not even a town just a village. He drained the carburator bowl to get any sediment out. We tried again.No luck. He decided to change the spark plug which he said was a cheap Chinese one that Fr Priscus mistakenly had bought. He used the tools like a pro, which I have come to realize he is. He oversees and is the go to source for all mechanical problems that occur around here. Fr Priscus says His whole Klan is like that. Some other Priests in the Order from his clan have the same abilities. I find much of his day is occupied solving these practical problems. Fr Priscus is looking for a manager to start assuming this role. Fr Thedeus’s Father was a stone mason. I told him we have that in common. My Dad was a stone mason among many other things. 

Correction

Thanks to Chuck Sprauer's research I have the correct website address for cardiac Hospital foundation. www.tanzaniancardiachospital.org
Thanks Chuck. Great to hear from you Buddie.  and Elena and Carol. Carol is right the people are the best. I am glad you are loving your work Elena. Work is a privilege.

ELEPHANTS

Yesterday I went walking before dark with Fr Thadeus to the North through the fields to help him with his blood pressure by walking. He told me he was watching for elephants, He said the elephants would come running after you and pick you up with there trunks and stomp on you. He said they can run very fast and you would not hear them coming. They come and eat the crops when it is season. The fields are mostly just planted now so there is not much danger now.He told me that some of the people in the past had herded the elephants with dirt bikes and trucks to a high hill top which had a cliff and drove the elephants over the cliff to kill them. They killed about six. Fr Priscus has gotten funds from the Tanzanian Cardiac hospital foundation for an electric fence to keep the elephants away. Please see their website for pictures. I tried for about an hour yesterday to upload a picture of some patients for Mark Torreano but was constanly cut off the Zane network which is faithful to third world performance which exceeds the limits of American patience. See pictures at tanzaniancardiacfounndation.org 

Water

There are many beautiful things about this  place but there are some great needs as you might guess. The greatest need is water and power. I f Iwalk on the dirt road to the west of here or in any direction I will pass a house where the children are outside covered in dust. Their clothes are absolutely covered in dust. The older ones of course going to school are clean because their mother walked whatever distance to a stream and carried the water back to the house in a bucket for them to wash in the water that cows and other animals have waded in to drink and do other things. The ground here is bone dry except for the fields that the farmers are able to divert to the field. There is great competition for these small streams. One of the parishioners, Joseph, has to get up in the middle of the night to divert the water to his fields because his neighbor diverted his stream to the neighbors property. Some stream beds are constantly dry because of diversion. Fr. Priscus has a plan. His plan is to make a lake to store the water. He has already dug a hole which he will line with something like a swimming pool plastic liner to store the water from the stream. He is focused on improving the water situation to help the people. Enjoy your shower and supermarket food. Comprehensive water conservation is needed here.

good to hear from Martin South

Great to hear from Chucks and Patty.There are goats every where.I saw two young ones on the way back from the hospital. One was baaing a lot with his brother and I was drawing closer when I saw the mother and thought better of it. I had goat meat for supper last night. We eat supper at 8:30 pm european style. When in Rome do as the Romans do. I have not had reflux yet. The food is very home grown and natural. It feels very compatible with my body although the meat is tough because the animals are walking everywhere. The roads are all dirt here and you will find many cattle sheep and goats being herded to some grass strips anywhere to feed.The dogs are just workers.  No one treats them like pets. I am tempted to treat them like pets but they show no sign of recognition of my dog loving qualities.
       I am working with the Nuns reviewing the wonderful course that my student Christi gave me. I am also starting to go through Sandra Hagans book and add my comments. W scan only a few patients a day because the nuns are very busy. Sister Ernesta took the book to study tonight. If I don't finish training by the time I leave Maybe someone can come and take over. You could learn to eat Goat meat, Chuck.
      I will try to send some pics at some point. My camera is working sometimes. The Massai men wear something that looks like a dress. I am sure that will go over well with some boys back home. The mountains are beautiful. I am sure we are at  least 5k feet. It is 55 or so in am but gets warm for long sleve shirt in the day. it is dry high altitude weather. Fr Thadeus say the weather does not change very much all year long with the exception of some rainy seasons.
   Well so much for now. Jack

THE FIRE

Clarita  the house cook and resident a young woman in her late twenties came in in her demure way of telling one person quietly that the fields west of us were on fire. Fr Priscus the 48 yo Pastor jumped into action with a branch with thick branches beating out the fire on the edge of the eight to ten feet flames fanned by the high winds and the dessicated vegitation of straw grass from years of drought. Fr Amadeus and I followed but soon returned when we realized he in his sandals and me in my good shoes were of no use. The concern about the goats pen and the sheds near the fire was now mitigated because Fr Priscus had redirected the fire to the newly cultivated fields where it would die out. The scattered houses in the area were also protected by their cultivated fields.At least five acres had burned. No firemen to call. Just a Priest Manager who has a positive attitude about every thing.  This incident took place on28 sept. Last night we had a repeat fire in an adjacent area. no ill effects. Thank God for the cultivated fields.  I will try to begin writing more frequently. There is so much to tell. I am trying to spent all my time being avaiable to the very busy Nuns. I will just say. I had the experience of seening the Doctor, Sr Ernesta swabbing the floors of the hospital during off hours. Stuart Cardiology and Cardiology Asssociates take note. Jack

FINALLY TO START

I hope to begin now that I have internet. I am looking forward to relay the very different life I have found here. Internet is very slow. to send a message takes forever. we only have power in the evening and my computer is now low. More later

Father Ben's Birthday

 Tanzanian's celebrate their saints name name day in stead of their birthday. We overwhelmed Father Ben at the end of Mass today with Happybirthday he is getting Americanized. He was Happy.

SEPTEMBER 9, 2010

Today I purchased my anti malarial pills  which I will take two days be fore I leave.