Get Your Motor Runnin’
It’s Thursday, July 17th, I think. We are on our way somewhere, and of course I have no idea where we are going. We just stopped at a village close to Bishop Jackson’s home to get this out. My reception was good on the way to his house but right in his compound I don’t have any. I’m hoping that I won’t have to go very far to be able to have internet on a regular basis.
I left Mwanza on Wednesday before 6 am on a bus headed to Dodoma. Now, until you’ve actually been to a large bus park in Africa in the dark you have no idea! No way to explain it and can’t take a picture so I’ll leave it to your imagination.
I got on the bus and selected my seat. Where you sit is oh, so important on an African bus. Then I ended up with a guy sitting next to me that was super-sized. At least I had a window and half of my seat!!!! I kept telling myself that it’s just 9 hours but was feeling like an old tube of toothpaste. The question of the day was, “Will my ipod last 9 hours? If not, I may NOT!” When the guy next to me put his seat belt on and it began to feel like the twilight zone!!!! Really a seat belt on a bus in Africa!!!!
About 7 am, there was a beautiful African sunrise. I tried to take pictures but it’s difficult when riding on a bus. The pictures don’t do it justice.
We arrived in Dodoma safely and then it was time for my next bus. This one was quite large and colorful not to mention totally pack before we got very far. I thought, “If we keep going there will be people on top!!!!!” It takes about 1-1/2 to 2 hours from Dodoma to Bishop Jackson’s house and getting there is a story of its own that I’ll try to write something about later.
There is a small village right here near Bishop Jackson’s house and then a little larger village about 3 miles down the road headed to Dodoma. There aren’t any homes very close to the house so the stars are awesome!!!!!!!! It reminds me of Meto, Kenya.
This morning it was very cool, low 60s. There are lots of trees around to gather under for shade during the day, but no plastic chairs. I’ve already started to have withdraw. I may have to buy a few chairs for sitting out at night and looking at the stars.
We will leave this morning around 10:00 African time to go somewhere to meet most of Bishop Jackson’s clergy. We will be spending the night, me in my tent. On Friday, we will be fasting and praying and I guess making plans for my stay here, or as they say in Africa “putting together a program”.
We will be renting motorcycles for the weekend so this has the makings of an adventure!! I’m planning on checking out the cost of motorcycles here. Hopefully I can purchase one to use while I’m here and then leave it for Bsp. Jackson.
I had better finish my packing for the weekend. We will come back Saturday evening and then go into Dodoma for church on Sunday so I guess I’d better get my motor running!
I was hoping to have the rest of this week to rest and scope out everything but it looks like that will have to wait till next week. I’m already looking forward to Monday.