We had another great day in Tanzania! We woke up today to a beautiful morning, and after breakfast, we got on the road to head to Monduli. Monduli is a traditional Maasai area, and it is the location of the Maasai Girls School, where Wartburg Professor (and our trip co-leader) Beth Elness-Hanson taught for several years. It is a beautiful beautiful place, in the hills about an hour’s drive from Arusha, and we are happy to be here.
(And, let me just take this opportunity to give a loud shout-out to Beth. For those who don’t know, Beth is on the Wartburg faculty, but currently on a three-year leave to manage a Marie Curie grant that is focused on environmental education and the Maasai. She has been managing every detail beautifully—SO many details!—and has such wonderful relationships with so many different people here. We are very blessed to have her guiding our way, and we are all learning from her!)
The scenery on our way to Monduli was lovely, and we saw an area outside of Arusha with a lot of new buildings—lots of nice houses under construction. It is an encouraging sign that at least some parts of the economy in Tanzania are doing well.
We stopped for lunch at “The Snake Park”; there is a small Reptile House, a Maasai Museum, and an area where traditional Maasai “mamas” were selling handmade beaded goods and other items.
We brought one of Beth‘s former students, Naiyonde, with us. She and her brother Michael had invited us to their family boma, the name for a traditional Maasai family complex. It was located high up in the hills above Monduli, and the views were absolutely breathtaking. The whole family welcomed us so warmly, with delicious cups of chai, and cups of lashoro, corn in sour milk. Let’s just say it’s an acquired taste.
Her family was very gracious and kind, and after touring the compound, we received a traditional Maasai blessing from her father.
After that, we came down the hill to Monduli proper, and settled into our large, lovely rooms at the Lutheran Guest House, which is next to Monduli Lutheran Church. We will be here for the next five nights. We are looking forward to our first Tanzanian worship service tomorrow; the first service starts at 6:00 am—we will go to the “late” service at 8:30!
Happy Lutheran 