The Team Arrives in Arusha, Tanzania


 Pictured above is the team on a lay over at the Amsterdam airport.  Front row:  Mel Sullivan, Michele Hermansen, Dorothy Washington.  Second row:  Kris Linner, Krista Jannusch, Rachael Huyck, Ann Allison.  Last Row:  Jim Brown.  Not pictured: Jack Swanson

The team has gathered at the airport on Sunday, September 28.  There is a buzz of anticipation and excitement as our preparing  and planning  has brought us to the day of departure.  

Armed with agency and the belief that we have the power to take action in the world, the team is determined to make a difference with an openness to the unknown, with a curiosity that fuels our eagerness to learn and grow and with the confidence that God will produce the fruit from the seeds that we sow in the days, months or even in years to come.

We are venturing onto untrodden paths, so  we pray a prayer from the Lutheran Book of Worship:

"O God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us, and your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ our Lord."

The trip was long, about 17 hours in the air, with a three hour layover in Amsterdam.   With the eyes on the end goal, all soldiered through.   Tired and ready to shed backpacks and get some sleep, we ran into a slight glitch while going through customs at the Kilimanjaro airport.   Michele navigated the issues with a calm strength and after the unexpected delay we headed for Arusha arriving at our hotel at midnight where we were greeted with Tanzanian hospitality.   The hospice team had been waiting for us for several hours and they wrapped us  with a loving embrace.  Reunions of old friends were celebrated and a round of introductions opened the door to new friendships.  In addition, the hotel cook and staff had stayed late to feed us supper which was welcomed after several rounds of airplane food.  Plans were made for the morning  and the warm hospitality turned into a  Tanzanian long goodbye which far surpasses the Minnesota goodbye.

Stretching out in a bed at 1:00 a.m. was welcomed after traveling  on tight airplane seats and a “African massage” bus ride which means bounding around on a bumpy, bumpy road.  Sleep glorious sleep!


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