In Search of Significance: Back to Africa: The First Few Days

My Mom and I!

I woke early Wednesday morning, July 22nd, to start my journey back to Africa. I met up with my partner, Zack Minea, around 6:00AM at the MSP International Airport. Zack is also a Saint John's 2015 graduate and he will be with me for the next coming months. After saying the very hard goodbye to my mother and father I passed through security and boarded the plane to Chicago. Little did Zack and I know that the journey to our destination was going to be a very long one. Once in Chicago we had a six hour layover before boarding our flight to Amsterdam. From Chicago we went to Amsterdam and then down to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. The layovers in each place in between were no fun being that they were all over 5 hours long. We landed in Tanzania around 9:30PM on Thursday night and had to buy a visa to pass through customs. Once through, we were elated to find that our bags were waiting for us in the baggage claim (you never know if your bags are going to make it and when traveling to Africa you really want your bags to make it!). However, the international airport in Dar Es Salaam is not open 24/7 so we had to spend our ten hour layover outside. Once we were allowed to enter, we made our way to the gate to board our final plane to Mbeya, Tanzania where two monks were waiting our arrival.

Brother Agustin and Brother Toematon brought us to the monasteries sort of 'safe-house' for the rest of the Friday so we could rest and begin our long bus journey on Saturday. We attended lunch, dinner, and evening prayer there and then found our rooms so we could rest for the night. For food we ate English potatoes, which were not a favorite, as well as ugali (aka 'pop' in South Africa) which is maize meal. In addition, fish, beef, beans, and rice were there for us to eat. I enjoy ugali mixed with stew/beans and of course the meat, fish, and rice were wonderful as well. In the afternoon we went into town and grabbed a beer with the monks and sat and talked. At 6:00PM the cities electrical grid was shut off in order to save money and energy. Considering it is winter here (even though it feels like a Minnesota summer) it gets dark fairly early. So Zack and I took this as a sign to go to bed.

The Tanzania and Zambia
border

On Saturday we rose early to start our bus journey to Mpika, Zambia where we would be picked up by the Katibunga monks whom would bring us to our final destination. Brother Toematon dropped Zack, Brother Agustin, and I off on the side of the road in Mbeya in order to catch a bus to the border of Tanzania and Zambia. This was where the uneasy and uncomfortable feeling set in. Being two white men in a place where some have never seen a white person is an interesting experience. Quite like being a fish out of water. It did not help that we were carrying all of our clothing and items in big packs. You can imagine all the stares we were receiving. After about 30 minutes of waiting, the bus came. The bus fits around 20 comfortably, but that doesn't mean they stop there. At one point, Zack and I counted 35 people. Some sitting, some standing, some in the aisle. Not only were we crunched, but our bags were thrust under our feet as well. From my experience in Africa the cramming of buses is common.

Traveling by bus in Tanzania and Zambia is a slow process for a few reasons. 1) There is only one major road that passes through it and it is a one lane highway. Yes, one lane. So the drivers have to pass cars often and passing semi-trucks can be quite daunting because of the oncoming traffic from the other side. 2) The bus stops are often because when one person gets off the driver wants to wait for another to get on in order to make money. 3) Africa is just a really big place in general so the distances between cities are large.

Kwacha: Zambian currency

Once we reached the border of Tanzania and Zambia, Zack and I were quickly overwhelmed. Thank God we had a Zambian monk to help guide us because finding the way on our own would have been near impossible it seems. We had around 15-20 people surround us instantly. Many trying to sell things like bananas and nuts, others wanting to help us carry our bags, and some just wanting to see and hopefully touch our white skin. That sounds funny, but it's true. For some reason, the kids and young people thought it may be different then their own, but soon realized that it was not.

Some kids from the village playing soccer.

Many people were hoping to exchange money with us. In Tanzania they use shillings and in Zambia they use kwacha. So we needed to exchange our United States dollar for kwacha. There is an exchange bureau, but we found this out after Zack had given one man 20 USD in exchange for kwacha. The man said the exchange rate was 3.5 kwacha to 1 USD. The correct exchange rate is actually closer to 7 kwacha to 1 USD, therefore Zack lost a little bit of cash, but we are going to mark it down as more of a learning experience.

Before picture of Zack and
I. We will take an after picture
once we come home.

The border was an interesting place that was extremely busy. People and cars everywhere. The gates to each country were wide open and there were no guards there to check passports so people would walk right through. However, there is a border post where you can go in and buy visas to allow for extended stays. Being the good people that we are, Zack and I went in and forked over the $50 in order to obtain a 90 day visa for Zambia. We will have to come back in October, but we are not worrying about that right now.

After we entered Zambia, we had to board another larger bus that would take us to Mpika, Zambia. Once again, our bags were tossed under the bus to be squished between everyone else's. Luckily, Zack and I could carry one on with us so we put our computers in the carry on bag and boarded. The bus ride seemed to last forever. We stopped at many cities and towns along our way to Mpika as the day drew on and night came. Eight hours later we had finally arrived in Mpika. It was pitch dark.

Our room with our beds and
mosquito nets

Two monks from Katibunga drove up to help get our bags and drive us to Katibunga. Katibunga was about an hour drive from Mpika down a gravel road that was a bit broken up because of the recent rains. Nonetheless, we were able to safely arrive in Katibunga around 9:00PM on Saturday night. The monastery is surrounded by a village made up of many huts. The city of Katibunga is out in the bush (deep country side of Africa). There is the village, monastery, a school, and a small medical clinic. The entire place is absolutely beautiful. Zack and I will be sharing a room while here which actually is quite nice. It helps having a familiar face in an unfamiliar environment. We have two beds, a bathroom, and a table in our room. Not much, but a monks life is a simple life after all. The beds come equipped with mosquito nets which are nice and comforting to have. The bugs are not too bad and there aren't too many, but we have seen (and killed) some spiders, beetles, and cockroaches.

Today, July 26th, was our first full day in Katibunga and Zack and I could not be happier. Our journey to this small village in Zambia was a tough and a bit uncomfortable in both physical and mental ways, yet completely worth it. We are happy to be here and look forward to helping out in anyway we can. We do not yet know what we will be doing, but we will try a few different things this week and see what we enjoy.
It is late now and even though the monastery has their own self-sustaining electricity I will be going to bed soon. That's all for now.

For as Saint Francis said "Preach the bible always. Use words if necessary."

I intend for my actions to speak the words of my God.