Sour Milk and Donkeys

On our third day in Tanzania, we met up in Dido, where there's an intersection of roads and many shops. The women of Kirangare keep their Milk Store in Dido, with the freezer Zion provided with Lent 2024 offerings.

Loveness is the shopkeeper, and she explained that the store buys a 5 liters of milk for 5,000 Tsh ($2 USD) and sells it for 9,000 Tsh (about $3.50). The 4,000 Tsh ($1.50) gain pays for rent and electricity. The store sells other frozen items, like frozen yogurt and chicken. This store and freezer makes keeping cows, which is women's work, much more profitable. The milk will of course keep longer, so it's ready when the buyer wants it, not just when it's fresh. Also it's easier for buyers to find the shop or even call Loveness, than to find a cow keeper to buy from. It may encourage more women to keep cows. Kirangare's women thank Zion.

Then we took motorbikes (tika tika, in Swahili) down the mountain to Marindi. Marindi is one of Kirangare Parish's four preaching points. There we were welcomed joyfully, with singing and dancing. We exchanged introductions, greetings, and gifts. Beautiful fabric for us. A quilt and simple cross necklaces for the people of Marindi. We sang and danced in celebration. 

Then we meet the donkey keepers. Zion provided for 10 new donkeys for 10 Marindi families, and they came and shared with us what they are able to do with their donkeys: transport goods to market and sand to their homes and the church building for construction, haul things for neighbors and make some money. The donkey keepers shared their gratitude with us, on behalf of Zion.

Next Marindi people involved us in laying tile for the new altar area in the church building. Each one of us took a turn laying a tile. Mary also shoveled cement. Meanwhile, there was singing and dancing. 

Afterward we went outside and named two donkeys: Jay and Joseph. Of course, not being donkey people we named the male donkey Jay and the female, Joseph. The people corrected us, and the donkeys swapped names.

A feast was spread before us and we ate chicken, beef, rice, chips (French fries), dried banana, and watermelon, with water, mango juice, and ginger soda, which was too strong for Connor. 

We motorbiked back to Dido and the Milk Store. Wendy demonstrated how to make frozen banana ice cream. Then Loveness served us tall glasses of sour milk. I preferred mine with two heaping tablespoons of sugar, a double shot of vanilla, and a generous amount of cinnamon. It was like drinking yogurt. We sat on the porch and talked and watched life go by--motorbikes carrying huge stacks of plastic lawn chairs, donkeys hauling sand, the seamstress working next door, all while the neighbor kids shyly watched us watching them. 

Before we left for our host families' homes and rest and dinner, Pastor Fue gathered is in the shop and invited me to pray for and bless it.

The whole day was a blessing. Praise God!