Tales from a Three-Room Schoolhouse: MKs in Paradise

Last week I got back from a trip to Tanzania's capital, Dodoma. Literacy and Scripture Use workers from all of our locations in Tanzania and Uganda met there for a workshop, and I went along with the Gilmore family to teach their kids during the week. Dodoma is tiny compared the the country's biggest city, Dar es Salaam. But being the administrative center has its perks, especially for us small-towners. For me, our outings were doubly fun, because I got to experience them alongside some wonderful kids who don't often get treats like these.

Restaurants--that's what we were looking forward to. Nor were we disappointed! As soon as our caravan pulled into Dodoma (after a two-day road trip), we headed straight to the Chinese restaurant(!) at this big hotel to satisfy our munchies. The Gilmores and I made it back for dinner one evening, too.

Then there was the Pizzeria. An Italian couple doing orphanage work in Dodoma opened up a restaurant last year--and we are so grateful to them! Aside from fabulous food, the place is also the home of The Awesome Playground (Braden's title).

We could even go to an ice cream parlor! Called "Aladdin's Palace," it offers themed soft serve ice cream, such as the favorite "Jasmine's Jewels."

Thanks to our friend and colleague Marcia, the kids also got to play on a Wii--something they'd tried only once before.

With only four full days in Dodoma, it was hard work to pack in everything we wanted to do. But we rose to the occasion! Our only regret was missing a return visit to the pizza place (and Awesome Playground). So I'd say we did a pretty good job.

Even the car trip itself had its highlights. (These kids are used to lots of car travel.) The shot below was taken during one of the road's lowlights... a 40-mile stretch where you drive on the bumpy ground beside the under-construction road. It took about 2 hours. So we had plenty of time to discover each other's music. Here is the Tirzah & Camden band--a lip sync, air guitar spectacular. Stuffed animals joined in later.