Last week we finally had the long awaited “launch” event of the delicious yoghurt!  On Wednesday, the mamas and I spent the day preparing signs, and organizing things for the event. Thursday was the big day, and overall I felt it was a huge success! Things were a little slow to get moving, but once we started things really took off! 

David (the owner of The New Sahara Café) agreed to allow us to distribute free samples of the yoghurt to customers. So, I spent the majority of my time at the café giving out samples in small cups and informing customers about the health benefits with a sign/information prepared in Swahili. We received rave reviews and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the yoghurt. Many people were asking me where they can buy more, so we directed them to the yoghurt kitchen which is only about 4-5 minutes from the café. I think David was also impressed with how much the customers enjoyed the yoghurt, so hopefully he will consider purchasing a few liters of yoghurt from the mamas each week to sell at his café!

David and I all set to promote the yoghurt!

Staff at Sahara enjoying the yoghurt

Thursdays and Sundays are market days in Ngaramtoni so things are very busy! We took advantage of this by also distributing samples to people in the market.

I’m very pleased with how everything went and believe we generated a greater awareness regarding both the availability and health benefits of the yoghurt!

Busy Market day in Ngaramtoni!

On Friday I was ready for a relaxing day after a busy week. I was kindly invited to Mama Anna’s home for the afternoon which was a wonderful experience and will definitely be one of my favourite memories from Arusha. Her daughter Pendo met me in Ngaramtoni where she informed me we were going to take a piki piki (motorcycle) to their house because no dala dalas go up that way! After being in Tanzania for three months, I still had never taken a piki piki which is extremely rare as they are a very cheap/common form of transportation. Come to think of it, I’ve never been on a motorcycle, so Friday was a big day already! Their home was a lot further than I expected, but the ride was quite enjoyable. We went through forests, maize fields, a maasai village, etc!  

Once we arrived, Mama Anna greeted us with open arms and was so happy to show me around her home. I was so amazed, they live on a beautiful large piece of land with a farm where they have a cow and grow maize (corn), beans, and have a banana tree. Their house is made out of soil with an iron sheet for the roof. Following the lovely tour it was time to prepare lunch!

Mama Anna's house

Mama Anna Cooking

Cooking green leaves

Karibu Chakula

It would be hard to travel to Tanzania – a land renowned for its hospitality – without hearing the phrase karibu chakula (welcome – join us for some food) at least once. If you do hear it, you should try to accept this invitation to dine with Tanzanians as a treat not to be missed. The first step is hand washing. For this, the hostess will bring around a bowl and jug of water where you hold your hands over the bowl while the hostess pours water over them.

                Next comes the meal itself which frequently centers around ugali. To enjoy it Tanzanian style, you take come ugali with your right hand from the communal pot, roll it into a small bowl with your fingers, making an indentation with your thumb, and dip it into whatever sauce is served. Eating with your hands is a bit of an art I have yet to master. You are never to use your left hand to take or give food, as it’s destined for ablutions and is considered unclean, no matter how much you’ve washed it

                Except for fruit, desserts are rarely served; meals conclude with a second round of hand washing. Saying chakula kizuri or chakula kitamu are ways to let your host know that the food was appreciated.

                  The above description was followed almost exactly at Mama Anna’s. It was also really neat to be involved in the whole process of food preparation. She has a small hut behind her house that is used to cook/prepare food. We first began my preparing the mboga (vegetables). This consisted of shredding carrots and tomatoes, chopping onions, cabbage, and green leaves from the pumpkins they have growing in their backyard. Then, we had to fetch some fire wood to make the fire to cook the food.

                Once the fire was burning we put in the onions with oil until they browned slightly followed by the carrots and green leaves, then came more oil and salt (Tanzanians really love their salt!!) While the vegetables were simmering for a while we began heating the water for ugali which is relatively simple to prepare. Once the water boils, you add maize flour and stir and stir and stir until it becomes like a stiff porridge. Although it doesn’t have much taste I’ve really grown to love it and everyone tells me to eat lots and I will be strong! People in Tanzania love it when you eat a lot, the more you eat the happier they are! It is very different from N.A where, especially for young girls, there is a desire to be thin and more “lady like” to eat less. Here, it is the complete opposite; Mama Anna has already told me what to eat and how much in order to get big stomach, because this is “better!”  It’s actually quite refreshing how people here view food, and I’m quite confident that eating disorders are completely unknown to Africans!

                Later in the day, Mama Anna’s husband arrived, and we had a very nice conversation about Canada and Tanzania. He told me to come back soon with my whole family and we can stay at their home!

So, Friday I rode my first piki piki through tight bumpy forest type paths, was welcomed to a house made of soil, saw the farming of many different crops, cooked fresh food over fire, and enjoyed a delicious Tanzanian meal with some wonderful people. I really enjoyed myself, and I would say that it closely resembled a typical day of many Tanzanians! I definitely won’t forget this day!

Me and Mama Anna's Husband

On Saturday, Chris’s friend Kendra from Canada arrived! This was extremely exciting and it’s great to have a new face around Sakina Campsite! She will be here for two weeks, and Chris has lots of great things planned, so I’m confident she will love her time here. In fact, Friday we are going to Zanzibar for a little holiday to end off our time in Arusha. We will be in Stone Town for two days, and Kendwa for another two days. I’m really looking forward to some relaxation and beach time, and have only heard amazing things about Zanzibar from those who have visited.

Church in Tanzania!

Sunday I had my first church experience in Tanzania! The director of Home of Hope (school I volunteer at) is also a pastor so he invited me to come along. It was definitely a unique experience. I’ve heard some pretty crazy stories about church in Tanzania from some friends who have attended, so I had myself prepared for anything. Although the service was extremely long (over three hours) and entirely in Swahili, I did enjoy myself and luckily a nice man beside me helped translate some of the prayers. The whole service was extremely upbeat and had a very motivating, joyful vibe. The first hour or so was all singing and dancing. Everyone was smiling, laughing, clapping, it was very uplifting and I enjoyed watching the kids dance in the isle! For the remainder of the time, different people came up to the front to say prayers or announcement, and Pastor Herry gave his sermon. Although I had a very hard time understanding what he was saying, the passion and energy in his voice really said a lot. You can tell he really enjoys what he does!

                At the end of the service Herry introduced me to the church and asked me to say a few words. I tried my best to use the little Swahili that I do know, although there were a few smirks/chuckles, everyone seemed to understand and was extremely welcoming! 

Herry's church

Singing and dancing

Kids dancing

Herry delivering his sermon

               

“Babu Loliando has a miracle cure”

                A couple weeks after arriving in Arusha, Chris and I started hearing about this “Babu” guy who apparently can cure you of any chronic disease. An area called Loliondo has become very famous in Tanzania (and apparently in many other parts of the world) due to this miracle cure that is given by Babu which can apparently cure you of any chronic disease including cancer, HIV/AIDS, ulcers, etc. Babu (real name: Ambilikile Mwasapile) is a 76 year old retired pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania,

Anna’s husband was telling me all about him and said that over 7000 people per day from all over the world make the journey to visit Babu to take this “miracle medicine.” The curing plant that is used there is called Carissa edulis from the Apocynaceae family. The former pastor insists that for effective healing, one has to get to his home clinic and drink one cup of a concoction of that herbal medicine. Furthermore, he has to prepare the medicine himself and one has to pay 500Tsh, equivalent to 35 cents of American dollar. The acclaimed Babu’s healing power may fall into the category of superstitious beliefs aimed at cheating death through miracles. Human beings fear death more than anything else, and that is why healing always seems like a sacred profession.  In the modern world the mission of healing people is left to the practice of medicine, which is solely based on scientific treatment. With all the advanced medical technology we have, still human beings die at the hands of medical professionals, and that is where the opportunity for other forms of healing emerge. Therefore, apart from scientific medicine, we do have other forms of healing, including traditional healing like Chinese and African, which depends on herbal medicines and other therapies such as acupuncture; as well as spiritual healing.

 Apparently people with HIV have gone to Babu and claimed that they were cured! However, I’ve heard that the medicine can “mess” with the CD4 count in ones blood so it looks as if they don’t have HIV anymore, but they actually do.  Personally, I have a hard time believing these healing wonders of Babu, and witchcraft medicine that we have come across here in Tanzania, but some people believe very strongly in him, and many claim that they have cured them of many chronic ailments. But anyway, he is now offering hope to desperate people. Let us see how far the whole thing will go.

Here is something I found on the internet that Babu said:

"I am like the hand of God. He has instructed me to do this. It first came as a dream in 1991, later in 2009 when I first administered the healing drink to my first patient.

Wonder medicine

Thereafter, he was tested for his illness and found to have been cured. That is when other people started coming here. I officially started this work in July, last year."

He administers the ‘drug’ to the high and the mighty in Tanzania and the ordinary people at his Samunge village, Sale District in Loliondo.

The cleric claims he discovered the wonder ‘medicine’ two months ago.

And deep into the Ngorongoro National Park where the village is situated, Mwasalipe threatens to rival President Jakaya Kikwete’s popularity owing to the large crowds that gather in this tiny village.

According to media reports from Tanzania and by the BBC, Mwasalipe’s concoction consists of a poisonous plant in the area known as Elamuriak.

The ‘drug’ reportedly cures terminal diseases such as cancer, high blood pressure, HIV and Aids and diabetes.

The drug is the reason thousands of people have braved the rugged park roads and spent chilly and dusty nights around his compound for the past two months to book an appointment with him.

According to the BBC, Mwasalipe, 76, a retired preacher with the Lutheran Church, is an instant hit in Tanzania.

And the news of this miracle cure is spreading like bushfire with reports in the local media and even blogs and facebook updates partly fuelling his popularity.

However, the ‘medicine’ is no ordinary drug — it is only Mwasalipe himself who can administer it. It ceases to be effective if administered by anybody else.

"It has to be administered by babu himself. I can tell you I have witnessed people who have been healed," adds a Tanzania in one of the social network sites.

The crowds have been growing by the day since the retired cleric began administering the ‘medicine’, which is in liquid form and given out in a cup.

And the Tanzanian Government has been forced to provide security to the cleric by deploying police to control the large crowds.