It is 6:30 pm Tuesday, July 27. I am catching a few minutes in the internet cafe on the campus of ELCT headquarters before it closes for the evening. We have had an exciting, eventful and blessed visit to the Southern Diocese so far. Today, the group is just getting back to Njombe from our visit to Lupembe and the area where the Center for Agricultural Development is located. The people in the area are as anxious as we are for it to be going in full force, but much planning and development is yet to do. Carl Bergstrom, Mike Vaughn and Bruce Towne stayed on at Lupembe to talk with the men who are working on the plans. On our way back to Njombe we dropped Dawn Peterson off at Metwembe for her visit with her congregation's (Grace Lutheran in Fort Dodge) companion congregation. They have set her up in a guest house and the entire village is anxiously awaiting visiting with her. The rest of the group, Collen Last, Cayla, Gail and Bruce and Gail Henderson are at the girl's secondary school in Igumbilo. I will be leaving to Songea Parish in the morning with Pastor Neamiah and will be there until Sunday. Pastor Seth asked if I would preach, so I hope they are ready!!! Alice and Jan will be staying in Njombe and working at the school for the deaf that is sponsored by the ELCT.

Not much time to say much about it now, but certainly the highlight of the trip has been the wedding that we "crashed" at the church located in Ilembula near the hospital. It was an amazing ceremony which also included a baptism of the little girl that the newlyweds adopted from the orphanage in the hospital complex. Also, we will be forever a part of their wedding video as of course we had to go to the front of the church and introduce ourselves in the middle of the ceremony! Like I told Mama Atua, that is likely the last Tanzanian wedding that I will be crashing. I say that, but we were made to feel so welcome. Like we have been everywhere we turn. There is always a handshake, a smile, and at the least chai (tea).

That is all for now, hopefully we will get to write more soon.

Asante sana!
Michelle