THRIVE Retreat

I just got back from a most precious trip to Cape Town. There I was blessed to attend a retreat for missionary women conducted by Thrive Ministry. My co-teacher, Sarah, also came, and it was wonderful to experience both the retreat and the beautiful place together.

Thrive Ministry is all about supporting women working overseas, and one way they do that is by holding these retreats (funded mostly by donors) where we can come together for refreshment, teaching, prayer, worship, companionship, and simply to be loved on by all the amazing volunteers who come from the US to serve us (Wow!).

For me, the teaching sessions seemed incredibly timely. And as I processed thoughts and connections--particularly about trusting God because of who he is--I benefitted from times of counsel and prayer with retreat volunteers. My small group became a special place for sharing and praying with other missionary women and our leaders. I left with scripture passages to ponder, books to read, worship music to enjoy, and friends for the journey.

I loved clambering around on these rocks in Camps Bay.

Sarah and I had decided to spend a few extra days in Cape Town, and I think that was the perfect complement to the retreat itself. That place has so much natural beauty, and so many opportunities for exploration! We strolled along beaches set against the backdrop of Table Mountain, climbed said mountain (and I survived), rambled through the breathtaking Kirstenbosch gardens, toured the cape (partly by bicycle), took in sunsets, met penguins, ate one delicious meal after another... Yes, it was amazing.

When I remember think back to my prayer requests before the trip, that I would be ready to hear from God and that I would come back refreshed and refueled... I'm floored by how he answered, beyond my expectations.

To my friends in the States, if you have a heart for God's work around the world, this ministry is a uniquely strategic way to support his workers, from any organization. Do any of you ladies love to listen, pray, and encourage people? Or do you have talents you can use to pamper others? (They try to offer treats like hair styling, massages, and pedicures at these retreats.) I'm going out on a limb here, because they didn't ask us to do this, but I'd like to recommend volunteering at a Thrive retreat as a very meaningful "mission trip". These events are held all over the world as well as in America, for furloughing missionaries.

Click on the logo above to learn more about the ministry or to explore ways you could be involved.

Gearing Up for a New Year

How do you take on a new year when you've been exhausted by the old one?

I refueled by getting out of town.  I love my work in Musoma, but I find it hard to rest well here.  For that reason, I try to plan periodic get-aways... and I was overdue!  In fact, I nearly didn't go at all, with finances being tight.  But various friends encouraged me to go, affirming my own conviction that a good break would be wise.  Now here I am, just arrived home again, and I am so thankful that I listened!

So where did I go?  I went to a retreat/conference in Kenya for Christians working in East Africa.  It's held every New Year at the Brackenhurst Conference Center outside Nairobi.  The center itself is gorgeous, with all this lush green grass everywhere.  You step out of the car and feel like peace is creeping in through the air you breathe.  And the food--!  You eat so well, so often, it's just pure bliss.

Photo from the conference website; I forgot to take my own!

One afternoon a group of us went for a walk in the surrounding tea fields.  I've always liked seeing the fields as we drive through Kenya's hill country.  The uniform height of the low bushes makes the hills appear to be carpeted.  We even met a British woman whose family planted the first tea in the area a hundred years ago.  She told us all about the process of growing, picking, and processing the tea--it's quite fascinating!

As great as all that is, the true refueling came from hearing the Word of God skillfully proclaimed every morning and evening.  Ken Mbugua, a young Kenyan pastor, taught us earnestly and passionately from Joshua and 1 Peter.  I found myself longing to truly anchor my mind to eternal things instead of being constantly swayed by temporary things that demand my attention.  That is what I want in the new year, to keep my focus on our great future hope, to work and pray with heaven in mind.

The trip had its challenges.  We were only a day's drive from Musoma but at a higher altitude and without the mitigating effects of Lake Victoria.  Basically, my friends and I suddenly found ourselves  in a place 20 degrees (F) cooler than warm-all-year Musoma.  Of course, we had brought every article of warm clothing we own.  (In case you're curious, for me that meant digging out socks, two long sleeved shirts, two light sweaters, and one sweatshirt... which got soaked by the rain the first night & didn't dry for another couple days.)  It's kind of fun to experience a little cold, such a novelty!  The fact is, though, that out of eleven Musomans there (6 adults, 5 kids), eleven of us were sick at one point or another.  Glad I thought to bring cough drops!

After the conference we spent a few days in Nairobi before heading back home.  In spite of one day when several of us got really sick (cause still unknown, food poisoning having been ruled out), we still got to enjoy our favorite Nairobi treats.  Treats such as eating out at restaurants and buying home & school supplies unavailable in Musoma.  We even got to see The Hobbit, a treat some of us had long been hoping would be possible!

I am very grateful for this trip, and I hope I can begin this new year well!

I Took My Parents "Home" with Me!

When I returned to Tanzania this time, I had the huge pleasure of bringing my parents along for a visit! I'm so thankful they could come and see the place where I live and meet my friends.

Mom and I in London Heathrow's Terminal E, my other home!

Lunch at a cafe on the furthest tip of the Musoma peninsula (my house is across the bay, at the foot of the hill).

These fisherman came in to the beach while we were there.

Dad samples some Lake Victoria tilapia masala and ugali (the local corn mush staple).

We visited the translation office and participated in the devotional/chai time. 

Saturday was our local Missionary Fellowship gathering, and Dad shared with us all.

We visited a couple Tanzanian homes; Mariam prepared us quite a feast!

Musoma is very close to Serengeti National Park.  We went for a fun overnight trip.  It was my first time, too!

Yeah, that elephant just walked right by our vehicle!

There is no way I can choose from the photos I took in the park without making this an impossibly long blog post.  Maybe there will be a facebook album one of these days.  However, I did put some video clips together, to give a brief glimpse:

All in all, we had a fun, full week in Musoma.  (I think my parents also got a good taste of East African public transportation as we made our way from Nairobi and back!)

Now taking reservations for any others who want to visit my corner of the world!  :)

Face Time is Precious!

Recently I returned from the first trip of my furlough.  I got to see relatives and friends I hadn't seen in years--even some colleagues from Tanzania!  It was a blast.

Family trip to see relatives in Michigan

Throughout the trip one thing stood out clearly to me:  Face time is so important!  I am so thankful for the internet--things like skype and facebook help a lot--but it's still no substitute for actually being together.  To be honest, I find it hard to keep track of my friends when I don't feel part of their lives anymore.  The good news is that even a brief visit can help so much!  And even if I leave again, I take fresh memories with me.  I think it's the only way to fight time and distance.

That said, my heart is heavy because I know that in the next few months I won't be able to see everyone I'd like to see.  On one hand I think, "This is my chance!  I only get furloughs every few years.  If it doesn't happen now, when will I make it happen?"  Those are the times when I get out a road atlas and start plotting a trip around the entire United States.  On the other hand, I look at the time I have and ask myself, "Should I really spend it in a car?"  It's tough.

Guess I will rejoice in the visits I do get, and I'll trust that there will be others next time!

How to Use Up Your Last Hours and Shillings in Africa

For some reason international flights from Nairobi always seem to leave at 11:00 at night.  You fly through the night and land in London (or this time, Brussels) first thing in the morning.  Maybe the idea behind the scheduling is that passengers can sleep during the flight and arrive at their destination with the whole day ahead of them.  Obviously this would be based on the mistaken assumption that passengers are able to sleep on the airplane.  Or the whole thing was devised by someone who flies in those British Airways first class seats that stretch out practically flat inside their own little cabins.  I will never forgive the airlines for forcing the rest of us to walk past those tantalizing berths on the way to our places in the economy sardine tin.  Someday, someday, I will spend my 10 hours in luxurious comfort... maybe?

Anyway, flight times being what they are, I've had the whole day to kill before even going to the airport.  Yesterday I weighed my options... to keep my guest room for the day or to have a little bit more money at my disposal?  To eat in their dining hall or at the ArtCafé in Westgate mall?  That made the decision obvious.  Nothing against the Mennonite guest house; it is God's gift to the missionaries of East Africa--beautiful, relaxing, and good food--but still, come on.  So I got up in good time this morning, showered and packed, and checked out well before the normal deadline.

Strategy time.  My last day in Africa also happens to be the last day before my bank finishes processing this month's money.  With careful examining of my account balance and meticulous calculations involving the current exchange rate and international withdrawal fees, I determined that I could indeed take out the money needed to pay the guest house (I'm sure they're happy), pay the taxi driver who will take me to the airport (kinda necessary), and have a little left over besides (joy!).  Exchange rates lately have been very kind to Americans living in East Africa, and I am grateful.

Once at the mall (a mall!) I went into the attached Nakumatt, mainly from habit.  (Have I mentioned Nakumatt before?  It's a wonderland.  Think VeggieTales' "Stuff Mart!")  There I wandered up and down the aisles, noting things I should get for my house... next year.  Counting my Kenyan shillings, I did buy a couple small things: a gift I somehow remembered and a little bag of Doritos.  Because it's so thrilling to be in a place where cheesy chips are available.  Apologizing, I paid with a 1000/= bill (about $11) and asked for change.  The cashier asked if a 500/= note was ok, and I wanted to bless him.  Fellow Musomans, can you imagine that--not only change, but a choice of bills?

After Nakumatt I made my way to another exciting place you can find in Nairobi--a bookstore!  Is there a better place to kill time?  In my experience, Nairobi bookstores are enchanting because the shelves are usually stuffed to overflowing, so that any attempts at organization are only half successful.  Also, you never know what you'll find in the "New Arrivals" or "Bestsellers" sections (in stark contrast to American stores).  Plenty of happy browsing.  And with my week's "layover" in Holland, I will definitely need another book... prices certainly won't be any better there... so my browsing took on something of an investigative purpose.  I am pretty picky about what books I buy, after all.  A couple candidates turned up: a new Inspector Ghote reprint (books I'd never heard of) or something by Bill Bryson (whom I've been curious about).  Recounting the shillings in my purse--could I buy a book and lunch?  I walked out with Bryson's Neither Here nor There, because I am going to be in Europe, and it's always nice to laugh at other people's traveling misfortunes, for once.  I might even come across some handy tidbits for teasing my Dutch friends; we Americans need all the help we can get.

Lunch at the ArtCafé, and fortunately I remembered to order a strawberry smoothie.  I don't know how they get it so fruity--simply glorious.  I think I may have ordered the same pasta dish I had last time, in January, but I didn't care.  I noticed that the food was not only delicious but truly hot, not just warm.  Hmm, just what have I grown accustomed to?  More careful counting of my remaining shillings, and I determined that I could even get something at Dormans, a Kenyan coffee shop chain.  So I settled myself in a comfortable chair to continue my enjoyable introduction to Bill Bryson (feeling very much NOT in Africa) and ordered a fascinating Mocha Masala (delectable).

Eventually I decided I was ready to leave, and I hired another taxi with my carefully husbanded shillings.  The road outside the mall's exit was crowded, as usual, and I got another chance to marvel at the variety of things held up to your window by peddlers walking the median.  (One must be very careful not to make eye contact, and if possible to watch only out of the corner of your eye.  Then you should be ok.  Except for the opportunistic kids who will, given half a chance, accompany their smiling demands of "Geev me mah-ney!" with hands thrust palm-up in through your vehicle's open windows.)  Items for sale include fruit, sunglasses, handmade wire toys, pirated dvds, banana leaf paintings, and... puppies.  Live, adorable puppies.  Well, I guess it's a good place to tempt foreigners (who can be so susceptible to cute balls of fur).  Never boring.  And now I know where my friends got their wicker furniture.

So I'm back at the guest house with a few hours still to go.  I suppose that's the reason I'm taking the liberty of boring the world at large with the trivia of my day.  Or perhaps I've been regrettably influenced by Bill Bryson.  Oh well.  You didn't have to read it.

Easter Weekend at Kakamega Rainforest

Sometimes you don't realize you need a break until you plan one.  That was the case with me this month, at any rate.  My friends had to convince me to come along.  (The place they'd chosen gives a generous discount to missionaries, so that helped!)  Once the decision was made I was suddenly ready to close school for a little while!

Good Friday through Tuesday were all Tanzanian public holidays, so my two teammates and I could take a nice long weekend trip to the rain forest in Kenya.  We spent most of Friday in the car, and then we still had three full days before our return trip.  We crossed the border and drove to the city of Kisumu--and there was Lake Victoria again.  You could almost imagine the waves laughing--"You think you've left?!"

We stayed in a beautiful, peaceful retreat center inside the rain forest.  In between delicious meals (including meat so impossibly tender I swore off any more Musoma restaurant meat for fear of grievous disappointment) we either explored the grounds and trails or relaxed on the long, wide veranda of our little house.  I think that veranda earned a special place in our hearts!  Not least because the staff would bring us tea and cakes each afternoon. :)  In the days before our trip I had enjoyed the break from teaching, but I didn't think I was ready to start again.  I had to get out of town and relax in God's creation--and then it was easy to imagine school resuming in a few days!

God's creation certainly put on a magnificent display.  We hiked through the rain forest to a nearby river the very first morning.  The sheer density of the forest was incredible.

My neck got a workout as I tried to look in all directions... while walking down the damp, slippery path! Even attempting to be selective about things to photograph, I was whipping out my camera every few minutes.  From the ever-changing view around me to tiny details I would almost miss--just amazing.  I took a special interest in the diversity of fungi.

I returned from that walk determined to incorporate this place into future rain forest studies.  And I don't think many parents would mind taking their kids on this field trip!

Sunday morning we got up before the sun (literally) and made our way up a hill to wait for its appearance.  I think I was awake by the time we got there!  As the sky lightened, my friends and I read aloud the account of the first Easter morning.  Then the sun peeked out above the hills and illuminated the river valley below us.  To think we were looking down on all those tall trees we'd hiked through the day before!  It was truly beautiful, and a memorable way to celebrate Christ's resurrection.

I found plenty to marvel at within the retreat center itself.  The whole place was like one huge garden--with so many different flowers!

There were also short trails in the forest behind the gardens.  You could wander down the paths on your own, and along the way you'd come across benches placed in particularly inviting spots.  As I walked I found myself thinking, This may be the most beautiful place I've ever been in!  For sheer variety--every few steps, something new--I'm not sure I've seen anything like it!

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.

One more treat:  In Mwanza (3 hours from Musoma--almost home!) I had my first cheeseburger since August.  That thing was gone fast!

Retreat to Lukuba Island

Musoma is a nice place, but it's not exactly a tourist destination. There's just not much "to do." We do, however, have one nice place: Lukuba. And Sunday I got to go for the first time.

A few of my teammates put together a day trip to the island and invited me to join them.  The timing was perfect; I needed a get-away.  October was pretty busy for me.  The schedule I was keeping for a few weeks threatened to do me in.  Last week was better in terms of my schedule, but I still felt worn out, the stress of the previous weeks catching up with me.

What a blessing to go to a quiet, pretty place and simply relax!  The privacy sets you at ease.  (Generally speaking, leaving your house means being on display to lots of curious eyes.)  The lunch we were served was delicious, too.  It was like being at a restaurant... something I haven't done since going out of town in September.  I spent the day sitting in the shade on the beach and climbing around the rocky island.

The island is about an hour by boat from Musoma.  Here is my first view of the retreat area.  There are lounge chairs and a hammock along the beach, and tucked just behind the trees are bandas (small cottages) for the lucky people who stay nights.  (Maybe next time...)  The banda on the far right is the little dining hall.

See the monkey?  I took this looking straight up from my chair on the beach.  I was amused, but also nervous.  Sure enough, one of its offspring later peed right on my head!  The cute little buggers are everywhere, and we were careful not to leave our stuff out for them to get.

I went exploring with a simple goal: Get as high as possible, preferably climaxing on a boulder not covered in branches (in order to enjoy the scenery).  I succeeded.  The rock where I found myself commanded a nice view--almost 180 degrees--of our side of the island sloping down to Lake Victoria, with the mainland in the distance.

Day of Mishaps, Day of Blessings

During the orientation program in Dar es Salaam, our group had a free afternoon one Saturday when we could go to an island just off the Tanzanian mainland. We went to a hotel down the road that sends boats out to the island. The tide was out, so we waded part of the distance ourselves, until we reached the boat. Then we could ride for the rest of the trip, which was especially nice since one of our number had found a sea urchin with his bare foot.

a small island we passed on our way

The island is actually a marine reserve of some kind, very pretty. Although the wind was a little too strong for me to call the afternoon "relaxing", it was still a cool place. I enjoyed walking around taking pictures:

"The last boat" came at 4:00 to take people back to the mainland. However, there were far more tourists wanting to return than even the two hotel boats together could carry. So we all congregated in this little cove and waited our turns as the boats went back and forth over the next hour. See the waves in the picture below? The boats are supposed to make their last trip at four because of the incoming tide. Each time they arrived to pick up passengers, the two guys manning each boat had more and more trouble keeping the boat in place for people to climb on.

By the time our group was boarding a boat, the waves were monsters. The tide was so high that you couldn't always see the approaching mammoth until it broke right in front of you. This I unfortunately learned the hard way. The boat was filling, and only two of our group were left. The guys from the boat urged us to hurry, so I made my way through the water (which came up to my hips), holding my bag tight against my chest to keep it dry, waiting for the lady ahead of me to make it over the boat's side. Too late I saw the wave coming for me, and I couldn't retreat fast enough. It took me under, knocking me backwards into the sand under the waves.

A miunte later I was up, still clutching my bag and spitting out salty water. Amazingly, my glasses were still in place. The boat couldn't wait any longer, so I staggered back to the beach to wait with the last few passengers. My mind was focused on my bag and its contents--I had my phone, camera, and ipod with me--were they ruined? My friend from the group suggested I get them out of my wet bag immediately and put them in her backpack. After that was done, there was nothing to do but wait and try to sun-dry. I really was a sight. By the time we got back to the mainland, and I wasn't nearly as sopping wet, a friend told me I looked like a mermaid. Yeah, I suppose they must be pretty pitiful sand-encrusted creatures when they come out of the water!

a precursor to my own little friend

Back at our own hotel, I thought my adventures were over. I showered (a long, exhausting, and not completely successful process) and went down to dinner. When I returned to my room afterwards, it had been broken into and some of my belongings stolen, namely my lovely little computer. As we went through the long evening of identifying what had been stolen, consulting with the hotel staff and later the police, I realized that my little incident on the beach was actually providential--my phone, camera, and ipod were all safe in my friend's backpack, still in her room! I have no doubt they would have been stolen, too, if they had been in my room as usual.

(But do the gadgets still work? In fact, both the ipod and camera survived their dunking. The cell phone had not been as well protected in its outside pocket, and it never came back to life. That just leads to another blessing, though: A week later some friends I saw during my travels shocked me by simply giving me their extra phone! Is that kind of generosity even allowable? Wow!)

Zanzibar

Last week was our break from language school, and my classmates and I spent it in Dar es Salaam.  Shona, my former roommate from Riverside and proven travel companion, was also on break after a big language survey, and we decided to squeeze in a one-night visit to Zanzibar. "Zanzibar"... what an exotic sound that name has!  This island has been a long-time center of the spice trade, and it's only a couple hours by boat from the Das es Salaam harbor.  So off we went!

We enjoyed walking around Stonetown, through its narrow streets and among its many shops.  We were horrible tourists, really--barely bought anything.  Food, however, was a different story.  Good food, different food was one of my favorite things about the week as a whole, and my 24 hours in Zanzibar saw me in raptures over some unique pizza, fabulous Indian food, and delicious, heveanly ice cream.  Oh the joy...

A tour of Stonetown gives you many examples of these ornately carved wooden doors.  Often they are studded with spikes.  They really are everywhere.

We enjoyed watching the sky as the sun made its decent into the channel separating Zanzibar from the rest of Tanzania.  The guys on the narrow strip of beach were more focused on their soccer game.  Shona and I, on the other hand, relaxed in the patio restaurant with some delicious ice cream as our supper.  (I had two different kinds.)

In the morning we went on a "spice tour", not really knowing what exactly it was.  It turned out to be fascinating--an amiable guide led us around a working spice farm, showing us the spices and fruits that have made Zanzibar famous.  He would lead us to a shrub or tree, pull off some leaves, crush them together for us to smell, and make us guess the spice.  We failed miserably, but it was great fun.

Here our guide shows us some budding cloves--the "King" of Zanzibar's spices.

(Photo credit goes to Shona for this one!)

The guide's assistant pulled himself up a coconut tree so we could sample that particular fruit.

Some of the samples from my banana leaf collection basket: Vanilla bean (long, far left), Nutmeg (round, with "pit" visible), Pepper (little green balls on a stalk), "Lipstick Plant" (open it and the powdery balls inside are instant red dye), Cinnamon Bark (looks like a strip of bark!), and Thing-Who's Name-I-Can-Never-Remember (but it smells heavenly, used to make "Channel no. 5" perfume)

Unfortunately, Zanzibar also thrived on the slave trade.  Slaves were brought from the continent's interior to be sold in this island nation's market.  When the trade was finally abolished, the bishop of the time (who was instrumental in halting the practice) built this  huge church on the very spot where slaves were kept and sold.  In the foreground of this picture you can see a sculptor's memorial--several human figures chained together inside a pit.

One last shot from a beautiful place...

My World: Iringa

I am studying Swahili at Riverside Camp, which is located just outside the town of Iringa.  Karibu! (welcome)

As the main town of this region of Tanzania, Iringa has a large market center.  Here is the big fresh produce market, filled with vendors' stalls and surrounded by roads lined with shops selling packaged groceries, baskets, shoes, you name it.

We generally stop at this little gerneral store for supplies.  "Mama" keeps her place well stocked, with jams, cereal, chips, juice mixes, toothpaste, batteries, diapers...

Here is a classic example of the challenges involved in finding a certain place.  I heard about this bookstore and tried to find it on my own.  When I located this building with the name I was looking for, "Book Point", all I could see for sale were the shoes on display.  Confused, I left and told the other students I hadn't been able to find it.  "Oh, it's there," they told me.  The next time I went with someone, and they showed me the doorway next to the shoe stand (there are empty boxes in front of the door in this picture).  Once you go inside, you find a sizeable book/office supply store.  Simple, right? 

There is a little street filled with shops selling all things beaded, wooden and brightly colored.  It's a fun place to browse, but the sellers are used to tourists, so they can be aggressive.

This is Neema Crafts, a project that trains and employs deaf or disabled people.  The bottom floor contains a stors where they sell their handcrafts, and the top floor is a restaurant.  It's a nice place to hang out, and they offer homemade ice cream!  (As far as we know, it's the only place where this treat is available.)

Another favorite spot is this little cafe on the main road, directly across from our normal rendezvous point.  They sell great milkshakes. :)

This is where we gather to return to camp.  You can (sort of) see the sign for Info Iringa, where an English-speaking staff will help tourists find lodgings and plan excursions in the area.  Skynet [Internet] Cafe is currently my sole means of connecting to the internet.  On the black banner is "Vineyard Church"--a local congregation we have visited.  The pastor will usually ask us if he should preach in English as well as Swahili(!), but we tell him we're learning Swahili and want to practice.  The worship music is great.

Hope you enjoyed your tour of Iringa!

(One last shot...  This is another main road lined with shops.  Here you can buy tools, tires, mattresses, hire the services of any number of tailors, and probably do other things as well.)