Advent Blog from Dodoma, Tanzania

"Referred to in Tanzania as Christmas Trees they bloom at the start of Advent"

Karibu! It is hard to believe that we have been in Tanzania for six months already. Time is flying by.

"Wendy meets the Lockes"

14 November we travelled to Dar es Salaam to meet Wendy Gichuru at the airport. Wendy is our United Church of Canada (UCC) point of contact. It was great to finally meet her face to face and talk about Tanzania. The next day we drove back to Dodoma. While Wendy was here, we took her to visit some projects that the UCC is supporting, dealing with women gender issues, in Kiteto, and then to the Morogoro Women’s Training Center.

"Zanzibar Sunrise"

On 17 November we attended the Round Table meeting of CCT and their partners, on the island of Zanzibar. It was a great opportunity to meet the CCT Partners and learn more about how the partnership works. We were pleased to see the significant way the United Church’s Mission & Service fund supports the CCT financially as well as by providing two wonderfully gifted missionaries to serve with them in Dodoma. Our Hotel in Zanzibar called the Azanzi was in a beautiful setting looking out over the Indian Ocean and the ocean breeze provided a very welcome respite from the extreme heat.

"Linda ventures into the Indian Ocean"

We’re looking forward to our first Christmas in Tanzania. We have been thinking of buying a can of fake snow for a little touch of home. Ron’s sister and her husband are coming to visit and will be here to help us celebrate. As we approach the Christmas season, we are anxious to learn how Tanzanians herald the birth of Jesus and look forward to joining with them in celebration.

"Our Dodoma 'Sparkle Up' " 

Our Swahili lessons continue. We have a tutor, who comes to our office after work, three times a week, to teach us and I think we are improving. We are able to go shopping and do the necessary things.


Ron’s work on the new CCT website has progressed well. On 3 December he posted it to the web server, albeit with a limited amount of content. Now the Department Heads need to get information to Ron so it can be entered and viola, CCT will have a new, updated web page. Have a look and let us know what you think…. http://www.cct-tz.org/


The HIV/AIDS “Land for Life” project that we are championing is still waiting for land to be granted by CDA so that work can begin. The solar LED lights have been ordered and are on the way from Light Up the World.


We wish everyone a joyous and blessed Christmas season!

Bwana asifiwe!