Happy Christmas 2012

2012-12 Ebe Christmas message from the Brinds 44MB from Ebenezer Church on Vimeo.

A week in the life of the Brinds.

The rains have come to Mwanza

You might think this is a waterfall....well it was on Wednesday, but there's not usually any water flowing here (picture taken from the car park at Isamilo Lodge Hotel).  When it rains in Mwanza, it really rains.  We're grateful that the rains have finally arrived which really helps farmers in this part of the world.  It's also cooled everything down a lot - Mwanza's a chilly 18 degrees right now!!

How to help people in Mwanza...??

How to appropriately help people is a problem that is grappled with by missionaries, aid agencies and governments for many years, and I'm not going to provide the definitive answer here!  We've com to Mwanza to make a difference in providing access to pain free emergency dental care for those who currently have no access in rural Tanzania.  We've also come to be Jesus hands and feet where we are, to bring in God's kingdom to situations we encounter, but it's not as easy as you might think.

Though by western standards as volunteer health workers / missionaries we are not particularly wealthy, here in Tanzania we are among the better off in society.  That makes us a target for people coming regularly to ask for food, money, jobs, visas to the UK etc etc.  It would be great to be able to help everyone, but decades of failed aid has shown that giving handouts simply puts people in bondage - a kind of 'Aid slavery'.  Rather than developing their own skills, their own economy, their own prospects, in most cases giving hand outs just promotes dependency.

What about church development?  It's easy for us to come here and attach ourselves to a small local church, start preaching, invest in the church, do our best to help teach people about God and his kingdom.  But does that actually help in the long term?  In Mwanza where the Christian message has been preached for many years and there are an abundance of good African led churches, a white missionary can actually do a lot of harm coming in and taking over.  Not understanding the language and culture well, plus the perception that being and the 'white man's' church can help an individual's financial prospects makes it difficult to get involved in an appropriate way.

I'm at a risk of sounding cynical here.
I'm not cynical.
But I am careful.

We want to build something that is lasting and sustainable.  That takes time, relationships, understanding culture and language, but most of all it's the relationships and trust that is built over time that carries the most weight.

We are not the ones to solve the dental problems of Africa.  Africans need to do that themselves.  We can just be agents to help train and equip this transformation.  We are not the ones to evangelise Tanzania - there are many great evangelists here already.  but we can have a significant impact by empowering others who are working faithfully for God.

Take Peter, one of our night guards, for example (in the picture at the top reading a book with Hannah).  In addition to working for us he is also a church pastor for a church he began four years ago.  He studies hard, loves people, gives of himself to build God's kingdom through this local church.  He's doing something that we can't do so well because of the cultural and language barriers, but we can support him in his work.
Another of our colleagues, Mr Simba is part of a small group that feeds more than 50 homeless people every sunday night and run a street church service for them.  They've been doing this for many years, loving and appropriately helping the poorest of Mwanza's residents, loving and providing where there is need.  Our white skin and preconceptions are barriers to us helping these people, but we can and do support Simba as he works faithfully.

If I've learned one thing over the last year it is to be one who is quick to listen and learn, but slow to speak and act to solve others problems.  It's a great challenge and sometimes feels as if we are moving so, so slowly.  But it's the way we need to go if we are really going to help and make a difference here.

Paul

A Big Bug!

Mwanza is a pretty warm part of the world, so at home we always leave the windows open (though they are covered with mesh and have security bars), and during the day we leave the doors open to help keep the house cool.  Inevitably some of the local insect population come in to inspect the property from time to time.  Here's an example of one such bug, which can give you a painful sting.  Normally they just leave us alone, but can get a bit stressed when trapped in the house.

This one was fortunately quite amenable to being caught and released shortly afterwards.  Isaac in particular enjoys inspecting the bugs that come to visit.

KVCC Church

Here are a few pictures of the church that we attend here in Mwanza.  It's called KVCC - Kirumba Valley Christian Centre and is an active, growing community church.  We want to be involved in an African church community where we are not treated as the 'white missionaries' who are expected to do everything.  At KVCC we can be part of the body and celebrate the diversity of God's kingdom along with our brothers and sisters.

Car Theft!?

In any city, in any country of the world, theft is commonplace.  I know people who've had cars stolen, I've witnessed someone breaking a window and stealing a radio from a car.  I've even come across car tyres being removed and stolen.  Never before have I seen someone steal part of the standard trim of a vehicle.
The piece removed from both sides of our car is a black strip of rubber, about 3 metres long, which helps to waterproof the join between two panels.  At least it's the dry season now, but we're going to have to look into getting a couple of new rubber strips before the rains come....and glueing them to the car!

Hannah the Fundi?

Fundi's (skilled workers) are an integral part of day to day life in Tanzania and provide a vital service.  In fact if you need a job doing, the usual method is to ask friends if they know a 'fundi' that they would recommend who will do the work for you at a fair price.

For example, you want a new set of clothes?  Then go to the material part of the market, buy some kitambaa (material), take it to your tailor fundi who'll measure you up for the required clothes and a few days later you pick them up.

Have a water pipe leak? Then call a plumbing fundi to come to fix the problem.

Need a broken down pig pen fixed?  Call a building fundi who'll come to recement the floor and replace the rotten termite infested wood.

Need some furniture?  Then photograph or draw the item you want and find a furniture fundi who'll make it for you from wood, metal, foam or whatever other raw material is to hand!

It seems that Hannah has aspirations to become a fundi, in particular in situations where a screwdriver is the required tool.  She was quite excited when the breadmaker packed in a few days ago and quickly set to work helping mummy and Isaac in trying to take the breadmaker apart.  Unfortunately the job proved to be a little too complex for our 15 month old.  Fortunately, we asked a friend who recommended a fundi who is able to fix random electrical appliances (depending on whether he can fabricate a spare part), even ones that aren't readily available here in Mwanza.  So the breakdmaker is currently off receiving some TLC and hopefully will be returning to us again soon.

Boat trip on Lake Victoria

Among the benefits of living in Mwanza are the generally good weather and being right next to a beautiful lake (though not being able to swim in the lake is a shame).  A couple of weeks ago we went on a boat trip at sunset around some of the islands close to Mwanza with a number of Bridge2Aid colleagues.  

Sacrifice

There's a lot I could write about the last 5 weeks since my last blog post.  It's been a challenging time for us as a family as we've lived on two different continents and experienced some of the sacrifices that come with the life we have chosen.

Five weeks ago I left the UK for a really busy time in Tanzania and Kenya including visits to Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Bukoba and several mine trips.  Because of such a busy travelling schedule (along with a few other considerations) we decided that Beth and the kids would stay in the UK and have more time with friends and family.  5 weeks is the longest Beth and I have spent apart in our married life.  During this time Hannah learned to walk and has really developed her ability to communicate.  Isaac's ability to think and problem solve has moved on.  Small things to miss, but significant.  Sacrifices that we and our wider family make by being in different parts of the world, living the lives we have been called to live.

I'm reminded of the far greater sacrifice that is the basis of us being here in the first place.  1 John 3:16 says "This is how we know what love is, Jesus Christ laid down his life for us."  His ultimate sacrifice not only demonstrated love, but also invited us to become part of his family, to be loved and love in a similar self sacrificial way.  We are here because God first loved us.  We respond to that by being people who love God and love people, and we demonstrate that as we seek to make a difference to people in pain in rural Tanzania.

Yes, there are costs and sacrifices to be made.  Of course, our sacrifices are small in the grand scheme of things.  And for us the time apart is now completely eclipsed by the joy of being together again in our home here in Tanzania.

Paul

video update April 2012

End of UK trip

The blog has been a little quiet over the last few weeks while we've been enjoying time in the UK with family and friends. high points have been
Seeing People
Seeing People (needed mentioning twice - such a high point)
Giving and receiving hugs (in public without being culturally inappropriate)
Eating lots of yummy food
processing the last year in Tanzania

Low points....
Rain, cold, rain, more rain, cold, wet .....need I say more?
losing sleep, feeling unwell, and being a little too busy some of the time


This weekend Paul travels back to Tanzania leaving Beth and the family in the UK for the next few weeks.  Bridge2Aid has been busy over the last few weeks preparing for our next training programme in June.  We also have a recent publication in the British Dental Journal, a copy of which we can email you if you'd like to see it, on the rationale and background behind the work we do in Tanzania.  Email Paul on paul@bridge2aid.org if you'd like to see a copy.

Kwa heri Uingereza.  Tutaonana mwaka ujao. 

Paul

Kids

We're looking forward to seeing many of you in just a few weeks time.  Here are some recent pics of Isaac and Hannah so you can all recognise them!!

Siafu

Here in Tanzania there's all kinds of wildlife to keep you on your toes.  Today, meet Siafu - biting ants.  They aren't as big as in Hollywood, but they certainly can bite!  After rain, it's quite common to see trails of Siafu around the place.  Paul has already had the misfortune to step in one of these trails, to find Siafu running up and down his legs and biting him all over within seconds (OUCH!)
Anything that gets in the path of Siafu is attacked, so on this particular day we had to divert their path with kerosene to keep the chickens and pig safe.

Here are a few (slightly blurry) shots of the Siafu making their way across the garden.

Getting a Driving Licence

Yesterday I went to get a Tanzanian Driving Licence......

In theory this is a simple procedure since the British driving licence in recognised here in Tanzania.  So far I've used my UK licence, but every time I'm stopped at a traffic police check point, questions are raised over why I have not yet transferred over to a Tanzanian licence.  Yesterday was the day to get the ball rolling...

Taking our good friend John Simba with me (John works for Bridge2Aid and is an older Tanzanian gentlemen which would be a help in getting respect and getting things done quickly), we headed off early morning to the Tanzanian Revenue Authority (TRA) driving licence department on the second floor of a large office block.

First stop, a paperwork check.  Of course there was a queue for this (as in every other situation), which Simba navigated his way around on my behalf.  After finding that we needed more copies of some documents, we headed off to get the necessary docs photocopied, and returned to the same paperwork check desk.  Success.

Next stop, another desk, another queue where someone else checked the paperwork and gave us an approval number.  A little wait here though since the man we needed to see here had gone for morning tea.  

Once that was completed, we headed to 'Biometrics' (queue again - Simba is brilliant and politely queue jumping on behalf of the 'doctor who had lots of work to do so couldn't stay in line all day') where they entered our data onto the computer system, took a photo, fingerprints and signed the documents.

Then we were directed to the police station.  Upon entering, we by passed the front desk, Simba knowing just where to go, passed the guard room with those who had been locked up overnight staring out at us and headed into what I can only describe as a scrapyard.  Whenever anyone had a vehicle that the police decide to impound it is brought here.  Sometimes there are lengthy court cases, often those who have had their vehicles impounded just have to pay a fine for their release.  But what seems to happen is vehicles are just left there.  In amongst the rows of pikipiki's (motorbikes), fallen apart old police cars, and general scrap, sit two offices for driving licences.  

We entered the first where I thought I was to 'receive a test on my knowledge of road signs' (after the obligatory queue).  There was a big poster on the wall with all the signs for Tanzania.  The man behind the desk looked at my paperwork, looked at me, and signed, approving me for class B and D licence (cars and minibuses).  Not the most arduous test I've ever had.

Next to the other office at the police station where they gave me an official number for my licence.  Apparently at this stage they used to take the applicant out to drive a vehicle for a 5 minute on the road test, which doesn't happen now. 

Then back to TRA for them to enter on to the computer system the number given me by the police.

Then back to the police for a final check that everything was in order.  At this point we had to wait outside for no apparent reason (since there was actually no queue).  Simba and I have some idea why, which I'm certainly not going to post on a blog.  I'll leave you to try to work that one out.

Then back to TRA for them to check they were happy and to print off a bank slip for the payment

Then a trip to the bank to pay the necessary amount, where we were given a bank slip to prove to TRA that we had paid

Then return to TRA for final approval.

I'm now waiting for the licence to be printed and it should be available within a few days.

Thanks to Simba, all of the above was completed in a 'record' four hours!!  Had I actually waited in the queues I'd have got through about half of this by the end of the day.  Simba, you're incredible - thank you for all your help.  I literally couldn't have done it without you!!

Next Blog post.....'Siafu'

Beth on DVP

Over the last couple of weeks, we've hosted another Dental Volunteer Programme with UK dentists and dental nurses coming over for two weeks to help train clinical officers in emergency dentistry.  This time, Beth got stuck in and joined the team training the clinical officers.  She was based in the rural district of Geita (about 4 hours from Mwanza) where there is a huge need for dental services.  The team did a great job and have left behind 5 trained clinical officers who can now offer a tooth extraction service to those in their villages who suffer with dental pain.

Rainy Day

Lots of people waiting for treatment

Happy patient

Seminar in progress

Some of the team in Geita

Clinical officer in action

Mwanza Life

A few shots taken around Mwanza to give you a feel for life in the big city.

Bus service 'daladala' 

Makongoro / Airport road

Newly prepared road (we live on the first turning right)

Aga Khan Mosque

Traffic light and 'Takataka' ladies (rubbish collectors)

Ndizi (bananas) cart on Nyerere Road

Local Butcher

Steps to Dental Clinic

Happy kids at the Bismark Rock on the shore of Lake Victoria