Haraka, haraka, Haina baraka. It’s a Swahili proverb meaning “Hurry, hurry does not bring blessing.” Mark and I recently had the blessing of being able to slow down, not hurrying through our days, as we spent two weeks in Tanzania. We traveled with former Saint Annians Mark and Julie Cutler, who had lived for 2 years in Tanzania about 15 years ago, as volunteer teachers in the village of Monduli. Our trip included safari, interactions with students and teachers, worshiping in a Tanzanian Lutheran church, and rest at a secluded resort on the Indian Ocean.
And blessings, lots of blessings.
The blessing of people. 
It was wonderful to reconnect with Mark and Julie. Through them, we got to know some local Tanzanians who teach and administer the schools where they had taught. Our first week in Tanzania was spent living in a guest house at the MaaSae Girls School, helping out in English and Mathematics classrooms at MaaSae and at Moringe Secondary School, shopping at the market in the village of Monduli, being welcomed into Tanzanian homes. During the week in Monduli we were invited for dinner with friends of Mark and Julie. One invitation was to a Maasai boma in the hills outside Monduli.
The blessing of rain.
We had been expecting hot, dry weather, but the “long rains” came early while we were there. Local people said the rains were a great blessing. For us, it meant mostly thick dark mud that clung to the soles of our shoes; long sleeves and umbrellas; and timing our travel --always by foot-- to take place in between the long spells of heavy rain. But we also were aware of how precious rain is, and how needed for crops and animals and people. We saw people lined up at village water stations. We saw women carrying 3-gallon pails of water on their heads as they walked miles back to their homes. We saw donkeys and bicycles and motorcycles loaded with 5-gallon plastic containers of water, for a family’s use. In each home where we were invited, the first thing we were offered was water to wash our hands. Precious water, collected and carried and definitely not taken for granted.
The blessing of animals.
We got to see lots of animals, including elephants, giraffes, lions, rhinos, hippos, zebras, wildebeests, many varieties of antelopes, monkeys, and lots and lots of birds. One place we visited was Ngorongoro Crater, a self-contained eco-system that is home to thousands of animals. It looked and felt like the Garden of Eden. In the Ndutu region we stayed in a 3-room canvas tent, with a morning view of giraffes and sunrise through acacia trees. During the night we could hear lions roaring a kilometer away.
We are grateful for safe travel, safety in the midst of an unfamiliar environment, safety while still being near the wild animals.
The blessing of time.
The pace of life in other places truly is slower, easier, than the pace most North Americans live by. It was a blessing to slow down, to not organize our days according to a To-Do list. We are grateful for the blessing of time for spiritual renewal and physical rest. We are grateful for the blessing of being reminded of what is essential in life -- connections to people and to nature, gratitude for safety and for the hours of each day
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