The After Feast

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Dear Pumpkin Pie Blog Readers,
You can give thanks wherever you are and we in Tanzania have so much to be thankful for: generous family & friends who are sending books and money for postage, letters, prayers, & encouragement. We thank you all! We had Thanksgiving at our site in the village of Maringo of 3,000 not counting livestock. These homes are family compounds with several generations living together up and down the little valleys. We talked to all our CA family on Thanksgiving and they had gathered at Emily & Paul's in SLO, some even in the motorhome. We invited other CPVs in the region to join us for a potluck dinner which was a modified "TZTG". On the menu was a So African charonnay or "pombe", sparkling juices, indigenous chicken "kuku", potatoes directly from our field "viazi", vegetarian pasta & spinach dish "tembe na mchicha", bread, as the rolls were all gone, "mikate", and chocolate caki...needs no translation. Pumpin "boga" is only available seaonally and that would be in April. Oh, yes and coffee "kahawa". We also had pineapple"nanasi", banana bread "mikate ndizi", eggs "mayai", and Irish soda bread for breakfast. Due to the distance and dirt roads, 3 arrived via bike - a 3 hour ride uphill, and 1 on a local dala-dala. Everyone has to stay overnigh as there's no transportation after dark. So, just like many of you, the party did continue. For a centerpiece I made a cornucopia out of brown wrapping paper and found seed corn and fresh veggies, added lots of candles, kerosene lanterns, and English speakers and we could have been home in the USA. Dec. 1 was World AIDS Day and we had our 1st event scheduled...an information table (with red balloons) at the Dispensary. We made posters to advertise and 98 people attended - a great turnout. All the printed material disappeared quickly and soon we only had balloons to hand out and they loved them.
We have to give thanks to the Peace Corps and the American people for sending volunteers to help all over the world for it is "the toughest job you'll ever love." And, we thank the TZ people for welcoming us and giving us the opportunity to experience their country and culture. Asante Sana! Love, D & W

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