Merry Christmas everyone!

It's the morning of Tuesday the 27th, my Christmas greetings are a little late, and the jetlag is still lingering one week on. I'm still heading to bed at 9 PM and waking up at 5 AM.

Today the team (well just about half of the team) is going to get together in Portland for a little reunion. I'm working on creating some photo and music DVDs for all the memories of the trip. I'm really excited about providing a platform for some of these talented musicians that we've met. Here's an MP3 of one of the guys we had the privilege of meeting. Emmanuel Lasu is a Sudanese living in Kampala. He and his sisters just cut an album that's receiving some airtime in the capital city of Uganda. But the album is really spreading throughout the disjointed south where the Sudanese are energized by the uplifting music and grateful lyrics to the "Mama land" and to the Southerners that stood up to the injustices of the North.



(Yes that's a G-Unit shirt and a "Support our Troops" ribbon!)

Emmanuel Lasu - Track 1

We had a great time with all these local artists, who are full of talent but have been unable to make money because of the smaller markets there and the widespread pirating. I'm hoping that within the next year we can make a Lahash compilation CD. And don't forget that the Amazing Grace CD will be ready for purchase soon! All the proceeds from that CD will go to the kids and their care.

I've been deep in thought the past couple days about this disturbing article from the Wall Street Journal. Unanswered Prayers: In Swaziland, U.S. Preacher Sees His Dream Vanish
It's the story of the author of the Prayer of Jabez and his "calling" to Africa from God to tackle the problems of AIDS and poverty. There are many disturbing aspects to the story - for instance - how do we trust people when they claim that they are called by God? And do Western solutions work in Africa - can the overwhelming interest and compassion of the moment translate into progress in people's lives on the ground? I guess the main lesson from the story is that humility is essential. I'd love to hear your comments on the story.

I'm going to be with many of you this next week in California for Jason Knott's wedding. I hope to share some of the photos and stories! When I return I'll be working with Karin Rosain and others to move forward on these projects - and I'll be putting together a video summary of our trip.

Home for Christmas
The team has arrived back to the various places they came from. Laura and I flew in late Tuesday night to Portland and were greeted by a team of friends and family - it's great to be back and see everyone.

The past couple of days I've been around Portland, and I'm wading through the 12 video tapes, 3000 digital photos, and 6 music CDs that we aquired over the past couple months. It's been quite a trip, and I must stop and thank God for his care and mercy on us as we traveled. No item was stolen and no one was injured (well seriously injured - there were some motorcyle burns, sunburn, and blisters. We traveled thousands of miles by bus, ferry, plane, taxi, train, and on foot, and we survived the journeys. We met with many new friends, and many old friends, and connected and formed lifelong friendships. The plans and meetings went exactly as we planned them. No one was seriously sick (Mike was down for about 2 days with something). We carried digital cameras, an iPod, video cameras, and they survived the trip. We were able to send emails and keep the blog updated with news and photos throughout the trip. The list goes on and on. We really don't deserve the kindness that God showed to us on the trip, and I can't express how grateful I am to God for leading us.

I'm heading up to be with my family for Christmas. The next couple of weeks are going to be busy though. We are going to produce 1000 tapes of the Amazing Grace kids to distribute in Uganda and Sudan. I'll be meeting with many of you to discuss the trip and future involvement. And there will be progress on the Lahash organization. I'm also working on some website and book summaries of our trip - and I'll be editing some video (including the Amazing Grace video). Eric Chapman has a website of his portion on the trip - and Jo French has a blog that continues her work in Dodoma.

Nick has sent me a bunch of updates from Kenya since we left. One of the young ladies that we talked to about her sex work has decided to leave the work and is convincing another friend to leave. Nick's been helping with some food and rent for this dear young girls as they struggle to earn a living without prostituting themselves. We need a team of friends that can email these girls, work with Nick to provide some micro loans, and pray for them. Nick was roused out of bed by some knocking on his gate the other night. One of the young women had just been drugged, raped, and all her clothing stolen. Nick went down to the hotel, bought some clothes, and went to the police station and hospital with her. For many of these girls they are just inches from death because of the sex work. Please let me know if you'd like to be a part of the team to build up these young women, pray for them, and help us figure out a way they can earn money apart from selling their bodies.

There have been several people who've emailed about supporting the kids in Dodoma. Thank you all! We should have the logistics of this program set up soon. There is a similar need in Rwanda if anyone is interested. For those that missed the details of the program - we are setting up a sponsorship program where orphans who don't qualify for Compassion International will be sponsored through Lahash. We are hoping to find local sponsors in each of the countries in order to involve the local populations with their needy brothers and sisters. And the great thing about this venture is that it is built on the existing Compassion framework in both Tanzania and Rwanda!

I know I'm a bit behind on emails, I'll try to respond to everyone in the next couple of days. Thanks for your patience.

In the next couple of days I'll also have a concrete path forward for each of the projects on what kind of assistance is needed where.

- Dan

We are heading out in a few hours to the airport to fly home. We have about 36 hours or so of transit time. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone when I return. Thanks so much for experiencing this journey with us. We love you all!

- Dan

Christmas Cards and Curry
Location: Kampala Uganda
Time: 6:19 PM

That large glowing sun in the sky is setting on our final evening in the beautiful capital of Uganda. I'm sitting next to Tim Bata, a Ugandan musician who helped with the Amazing Grace CD. He's just finished a couple new songs that I'm about to sample.

We went to church today at Makerere Christian Fellowship. It was a bustling Pentecostal Sudanese community. The evening before we had purchased some Christmas gifts and Christmas cards in the local tourist area.

Well, we stepped into church and the pastor was a softspoken man from Ezbon's home town. But he shifted his tone partway through and began to speak pretty straight and direct to the four Western visitors.

"I don't see Christmas in the Bible," he said. "There is no specific way to celebrate Christmas. So maybe the way we celebrate isn't the correct way." He seemed to be staring right at us at this point. "Why do the people in the West give Christmas presents to people that don't need them? They feel a need to buy things for family, for parents, and for friends. There are billions of dollars spent on presents! Instead of this tradition why don't we have a day where we preach the gospel and take care of the needs of our poor neighbors and strangers?" It made sense what he was saying - especially after all we'd witnessed the past few weeks. It kind of does seem ludicrous to buy another stuffed doll for my niece who has two closets full of toys. What are we really doing? Is it necessary? Why can't we just show love with a simple note or a simple meal - then share the excess money with those that need it? As I sat there I began to formulate some different plans for next Christmas.

He then went on to criticize Christmas cards and the lazy messages of prosperity. "If I sold cards they would have truth in them and people probably wouldn't buy them!" Yeah, probably not. I guess it's nice to have a time where we focus on loving family and friends, but can't we stretch ourselves and think about people that may actually need our dimes more than our prosperous families? It's definitely something to think about.

We had some curry for lunch, some spicy Indian cuisine from Kampala, and then walked around town a bit more. We are going to miss all of these friends so much. The beautiful people of East Africa. The large genuine smiles. The open homes and lavish meals. The long talks by lantern light. The immense hearts of each of these friends that push their health and finances to the limits in order to care about the orphans, the widows, and the sick. The hilarious laughs. The simple lives that focus on family and God. The prayers of the churches for our team. The crowds of kids that come to greet and shake hands with dirty palms. The singing. The greetings that people ask to share with our home churches, our families and friends. The hope - through the present day sickness, war, and poverty. The hugs. It's been a special group of people we've been able to meet, and we have lots of great memories.

We fly out tomorrow for a quick stop in Dubai, and then separate once we land in New York. Please be praying for our trip. And be praying for the upcoming direction of Lahash. I need lots of prayer support. I'd love to have some volunteers help me with administration, guidance, and finances. It would be great to get a team of people that commit to supporting these projects so that the ventures can operate smoothly. I would love to talk about the trip and show some of the videos, music, photos, and share thoughts. May God bless all of you. With insight, with courage, and compassion. May God's love be enough for life today.

- Dan

Journal Entry
December 5th, 2005
Tanzanian Train Ride

It's tough with all the attention to keep humble and care about everyone. It is impossible to be anonymous. And it's tough not to judge people. There are so many deficiencies in the daily life here. Things are inefficient, outdated, broken, and abused. People are late. Things break down and the electricity and water supply are sporadic. Chinua Achebe's mantra "Things Fall Apart" rings in my ears. The health industry is struggling. Life is uncomfortable. People litter.

And then combine all those deficiencies with the infatuation people have for Americans and the sense of smug superiority creeps in.

We see the vulnerable underbelly of Africa now. And when there is exposure or vulnerability or nakedness, it is easy to take advantage of the situation and be selfish, arrogant and abusive. Africa is naked, we have seen her shame - now the question is where to from here?
How do we love her orphans?
How do we care for the HIV positives?
How do we listen and understand?
How do we speak hope?
How do we offer ourselves - without imposing our conditions?
How do we treat this tired sickly hungry naked Jesus?
How can we as priveledged, honored, healthy brothers and sisters reach out a hand and answer some of the prayers whispered tonight?

One final reunion with the Sudanese friends

Yesterday we had a wonderful reunion with the friends from Sudan: Susan, Ezbon, Stephen, Sarah and others. We hopped in a rented minibus and drove East to the jungle areas of central Uganda. We found out that there are about 10,000 or so Sudanese living here in the swamps and forest near the Nile. They are refugees from the 1950's all the way up to the present day. Unfortunately the United Nations and others haven't visited these communities or offered schooling or other assistance. We were informed at one point that we were the first Western visitors they had ever had.


We were visiting the area because a delegation had come to Susan asking for some encouragement, guidance, support and prayer. We were there to observe with Susan and the others. There is a community of about 250 orphans and about 1000 widows living there. We had a really warm welcome from the Sudanese community, and gave some speeches, ate some mashed bananas called "Matoke", tough chicken, French bread, and Cassava. Susan is such an inspirational woman. Everywhere she goes she organizes the women into associations with leaders and instructs them on various spiritual and life issues. "Raise chickens and sell them in Kampala," "Take care of the orphans among you - don't just favor your own children," "Meet together for fellowship and prayer," "Get a balanced nutritious diet with lots of greens." Basic information but the women in the community gather around her and put her words into action.

The community there has a large list of needs: Schooling for kids (many of the young girls are uneducated and go into the town to work as prostitutes), Bibles and reading glasses, pigs to start pig farms, blankets and on the list goes. The community hasn't been idle though, and we saw some coffee plants (pictured above) that they are using for a cash crop. The friends there were also growing vanilla - I had never seen a vanilla vine before.

So now its winding down here. We will go over to Susan's home tomorrow, and then to church with them on Sunday here in Kampala. The weather is hot here, I'm sweating as I type. And the mangos and passion fruits and bananas are delicious. We are all in the strange world of transition now thinking of Christmas suddenly, talking about Wal-Marts, family, friends, snow and so on. But we are excited to tell all of you more about the journey. We have lots of video, about 2500 digital pictures, and thousands of stories. Thanks again for reading. And please pray for the new friends in central Uganda - the Sudanese refugee community there. And please pray for us as we are about to fly back. We love you all, see you soon!

- Dan

Full Circle around the Lake!

We made it back to Kampala. One final bus ride of about 8 hours and we've arrived to familiar sights once more. I'm guessing we've traveled at least 6000 kilometers at this point - and we are very excited about the prospect of some rest and seeing family and friends.

The time in Rwanda was very refreshing for the team. Emmanuel's wife Francious and her sister Orane were so kind and hospitable. We had some wonderful times together talking and laughing (we've laughed so much on this trip it's amazing).

Saturday we met with about 100 orphans - or so we were told. When we arrived there were probably about 200 or more kids plus caretakers. We stepped in from a Kigali downpour, and into a steamy school room where all of the kids were waiting eagerly for us. We gave some introductions, took some pictures and video, and then then sun came out. We all went outside and gave balloons and cookies to the pressing crowd. Emmanuel's ministry - ERM - is trying to find sponsors for these kids. It was daunting seeing the crowd and wondering how their needs could be provided for.

One of the clear directions for Lahash coming from this trip is the need for care and support of kids that miss the typical Compassion International window of support. There are many kids that are orphans that don't fit into the category for sponsorship for Compassion. The beautiful thing about this trip (one of the many) is that we've connected a team of experts in Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda - who have expertise with Compassion but just need a framework to operate with in order to provide for these kids. I'm really excited about moving into this area of support for these kids from the Rwandan genocide, from AIDS, or from other natural causes. All the dots are there, they just needed to be connected.

On Sunday we visited a little charismatic Rwandan church with three choirs. It seemed as if the whole church was involved in at least one of the choirs. After the service we were served some more delicious Rwandan cuisine. It's so amazing to realize the hospitality of the East African people. With little or no notice they kill the last chicken, rush to the shop to buy some potatoes and sodas, get some tea ready, and serve a feast just out of love and appreciation for the visit. We really didn't deserve the kindness that we were shown.

Monday we took a break and visited Lake Kivu. The beautiful mountain lake is situated between Rwanda and Congo. The water was refreshing and we swam and laughed for most of the afternoon. The lake is just below an active volcano, which was spouting steam high into the sky. We took Emmanuel and Francious kids to the beach, it was a great time for everyone.

Tuesday we drove back up to Uganda. We will be here in town for the next 5 days, and then we are headed back home to the U.S.

The final event here in Uganda will be to meet up with Susan Tabia from the Amazing Grace orphanage and see a gathering of widows that have been asking her for assistance.
Thank you so much for all of your prayers. I personally have been overwhelmed by the support and care that you all have shown. Thank you for praying with us through the trip. It's not quite over, but so far we have been taken care of and I will say blessed by each moment. There have been no major sickness, nothing stolen, and the team is united and we've come out of the trip as great friends. We've seen so much, and many of the days there has been a sick feeling in my stomach as we have seen the sadness, the sickness of humanity, and some of the most desperate people on the planet. But we've also been priveledged to share the moments with the special heroes of Africa. And we've learned from them and our faith has grown and we have seen how much God has blessed the people of the West. And we've seen how our lives can be used right now to bring hope and healing. None of us have any special skills that are worth mentioning. But in emergency situations people don't have to have all the credentials - just the willingness to step up to the challenge.

I just have a couple more posts left here on this blog as we wind up the trip. And I'm so grateful that you've been able to share with us in the journey. We have all seen the reality on the ground here. I hope that in the upcoming months we can join together - both the East African friends reading this and also all the friends in the West. I hope we can join together as communities and share all of the gifts, faith, hope, and education that we have. These problems cannot be tackled without some sacrifice from all of us.

Please be thinking of any of the projects or ministries that you would be willing to partner with. There are urgent needs right now. We have the orphans, widows, and the leper community in Sudan. We have the families, orphans, and prostitutes that need prayer and some financial assistance in Kenya. We have the orphan kids from HIV/AIDS in Tanzania. And we have the 200 or so kids in Rwanda that need sponsored. If you'd like to send a monetary donation at this point for any of these projects, you can send a check to: Dan Holcomb, P.O. Box 442, Trout Lake, WA, 98650. Or you can send a paypal donation to danman@publicpixel.com. Or you can get your family, friends, church community, or school to partner with letters, gifts, and prayer.

When I return to the U.S. we will be finalizing the organization of Lahash, and making sure there is a proper system of support for these faces and stories we've encountered.

Thanks for reading and for your support everyone! May God be with you today. And continue to pray for the team and for the needs that we've highlighted.

- Dan

The two faces of the Land of a Thousand Hills

Rwanda is a gorgeous country. Pleasant weather, the gentle hills, the fresh fruit and sugarcane are very evident from the moment you arrive. The Rwandese are very friendly, although they are a bit more reserved than the rest of the people in East Africa. I'm chalking that up to the French influence on the culture.

We have been staying with Francious Sitaki and her family. We have been eating delicious meals here - and we recently discovered why: Francious is a "food scientist" which means each of her meals are nutrient rich, and very elaborate. We've had Matoke bananas, tree tomatoes, homemade yogurt, special rice dishes, Rwandan kababs, deep fat fried bananas, and on and on. The chai here is spiced with a special plant that grows here in Rwanda - they call it ChaChai. Very delicious stuff.

Kigali has been experiencing rapid growth since the Genocide. The roads are the nicest we've seen here in East Africa, and some of the homes and suburb areas are incredible. There is still the ever present lower class, but the upper class seems to be thriving here - without the looming corruption of other nations.

We've had wonderful times so far, lots of laughter, great meals, and amazing views of the countryside. And as Brian Warren pointed out in the comments, Rwanda boasts that it produces the second best coffee in the world (right behind Columbia). I guess you'll have to take their word for it, I'm not much of a coffee drinker.

Ahh, but below the surface - there is a dark shadow that chills the streets. The Genocide from 1994 is utterly disturbing to me. It's so hard to comprehend that these gentle beautiful people went insane and one tribe almost exterminated the other. 1,000,000 bodies were butchered here. I think it is easier to think of wacky German scientists killing the Jews or Gypsies, or maybe the war hardened Japanese killing the Manchurians. But here in Rwanda two tribes that speak the same language, share the same culture, same land for who knows how many years, and only differ slightly in looks and height, collided during the rainy month of April eleven and half years ago. Kids killed their parents, friends killed friends, church goers chopped up fellow parishioners. For 100 days the country was headless as the Hutu tribe lead by the youth of the Interehamwe butchered the helpless Tutsis. It just doesn't seem possible.

But it did happen. We've been to the Mille Colline Hotel (where Hotel Rwanda is based from) we've seen where the 10 Belgian peace keepers were killed. We've seen many churches that turned into sepulcher's as the frightened civilians who sought safety in God's temples were massacred.

This morning we visited Nyamata Hospital, a health center that Emmanuel Sitaki is connected to. Then we visited the Nyamata Genocide sight, which was a church. On the 14 of April 1994, up to 10,000 people sought safety in the church and surrounding area. The church was riddled with bullets and then the mob entered killing men, women, and children. We saw the alter cloth which was stained with blood 1 1/2 feet deep. We saw a wall that was used to crush babies. And then we entered the crypt. Thousands and thousands of skulls and other assorted bones were crammed into several dark chambers underground. I can't describe the feeling of being in there. It was so sad to comprehend the madness that took place.


The people all have stories. The pain is there for almost every citizen. And sometimes the evidence is physical. Women have AIDS from being raped. Some people walk around with machete scars on their faces. Some are missing limbs. The Tutsis still are wary of another outbreak.

We are all processing this as we move along. It's sometimes hard to laugh, or enjoy the moment knowing the history. The two faces of Rwanda are so violently contradictory.

The people though at the moment are so courageous and in general full of hope. The Tutsis have moved back en mass, many neighbors have forgiven their fellow neighbors. Tourism is picking up. The church here has decided to jump full board into reconciliation. We see Tutsis and Hutus working together. And so we have hope for the nation, hope for the children, and hope for humans. That we can change, that we can put aside the darkness of our past, that we can seek peace, hope, forgiveness, love, and compassion. That God can give second chances even in a nation of murderers.

I am in awe of the Rwandans. I can still point out grudges from gradeschool and high school. I can point out things I can't bury in my life. But for the friends we've been around, there is joy and laughter in the everyday conversations. Little giggles and warm handshakes. It's encouraging to know that life can go on even through the saddest valleys.

Tomorrow we are going to see about 100 or so orphans from the country. Emmanuel's ministry is trying to give them a chance at education, food, and a long life. We are going to visit with them, and then hopefully head over to Lake Kivu sometime this weekend. We are going to worship with a local church. We are going to enjoy life with the fellow Hutus and Tutsis here. Please pray for us. And pray with us for this land and people.

- Dan

Location: The rolling green hills of Kigali Rwanda
Time: 11:14 AM

We arrived in Kigali Rwanda. Wow. The journey was for sure the most tedious and grueling transportation experience of my life - okay for a one time shudder - but I hope to never do it again.

We woke up early on Monday morning. We stayed up late talking with Jo and playing with Pastor Amos' kids - so we were running on about 4 hours of sleep. Then we rushed off to the train, and first the van died on the way over, and then we ran out of petrol. So we quickly transfered into a taxi, making it there just in time. But then we found out the train was late, and we ended up leaving an hour and a half late.

We took 3rd class on the Tanzanian railroad. We had an assigned seat, but that didn't mean much. There were at least double the amount of people than seats, and so everyone was smushed in together - piled up on seatbacks, sleeping under the chairs, and for Disa, kids peeing on her feet!

Add to that the luggage. Some of the kind fellow travelers were taking advantage of the moment and decided to transport their family's grain harvest for the year - by train! So there were piles of bags of beans, corn, and rice cutting off circulation loaded up in the ailes. Unbelievably patience building. The train had no air conditioning, and no rules for train stations. People would have to rush through the obstacle course in between the seats carrying bags of potatos and jumping off the train just in time.

We started our odyssey at 9:00 AM Monday morning. Our train ride ended 3:00 AM Tuesday morning. From there we were dumped in a dark field, and piled into a matatu minivan to drive about 1 hour north. We then were dropped in a bus park and told to wait until 6:00 AM. We crammed into another minivan, and that ride had about 30 people occupying 14 seats! Finally we reached the border with Rwanda, and had to take a taxi the last 20 kilometers. We walked across the border, and then hopped onto one more minibus until Kigali Rwanda. We ended up arriving at about 4:00 PM Tuesday. Pretty insane. And with all the confusion we had basically no time to sleep or eat. Just a few snacks and a couple nods of exhaustion.

Coming into Rwanda was breathtaking for all of us. This country is incredibly beautiful. The people are very gracious French speakers. The kids along the road yell out "Bonjour!" which is very different from the rest of the region here. The country is just endless lush greenery dipping and rising with muddy rivers in the valleys and banana trees covering the hills. The weather is much cooler than Dodoma Tanzania was.

We met with ERM President and Founder Emmanuel Sitaki's wife here in Kigali. The team here have been so kind, even though we stumble through the language problems of having English, Swahili, Kirwanda, and French words all swirling around.

We stepped into an internet cafe to update you all, and this afternoon we will be touring some genocide sights. It's almost impossible to imagine these smiling lovely Rwandans gripped in the merciless massacres of a decade ago. I can see how some people claim the Holocaust was fabricated. Just 10 years on you can't imagine the horrors happening here. But they did happen. As we drove into Rwanda, our taxi driver described his job as a UN lorry driver finding body parts and dumping them into a mass grave near the border. There are estimates that 1 in 3 of the people on the street here took part in the genocide. You just can't even imagine the pain that must still reside deep down - the memories - the guilt.

Emmanuel's family is caring for about 10 orphans, one of them is living in his home. Francine's parents were both killed in the Genocide in 1994. And many more of the orphans we will meet here were orphaned during that time. Emmanuel himself lost several dozen family members - only his mother is left.

We need to head out, but please pray for us. We are pretty tired right now, and about to see some pretty awful locations and here some sad stories. Please pray for this country and the immense healing that is needed for both perpatrators and victims. Please pray for ERM's ministry that it will have the support needed to reach out to all those who need help.

- Dan

Location: Dodoma, Tanzania
Time: 4:25 PM

We have just a few more hours here in Tanzania's capital. It's been a very refreshing few days here. The weather has been sticky, the sand hot and dry - but the friends and Mennonite church here have been so welcoming.

We've been staying with a Pastor and his wife and family. This family is Jo's primary contact here in Dodoma, and they've been very kind. Pastor Amos is head pastor of a mennonite church. The church is a type of hub of activity at all points during the week. Prayer meetings, choirs, compassion children, widows, and HIV positive people sit on the porches or busy themselves inside with activities. It's so encouraging to see a church step up and really try to be a loving active presence in the community. It's something Nick and Dr. Oronje have yet to see in Eldoret.

We've done a lot the last couple of days. Friday was another round of home visitations for HIV positives. It's hard to know what to do in some of the situations. One home we visited we found a husband and daughter standing around in a sweltering two room home. We ducked into the second room and the mother was lying in the dust practically naked. She could barely speak or shake our hands. Her name was Zainab, and she was seriously ill with HIV complications. Her family members had no clue how to help her, and the only food she had was some porridge on the ground in a cup covered in flies. Her body hadn't been tended to and so her legs were stiff from inactivity. We spoke with her (or more to her) and then Nick gave some suggestions to the family about some better care, and then we left. Later that evening two church members agreed to take her to the hospital.

HIV is killing everyone. But it seems to be especially catastrophic in the uneducated poor. We talked with one woman yesterday who was HIV positive. She was sleeping with another man - who was married. Because she didn't have the courage to stop sleeping with this man (thus cutting off any income - her husband and child had already died) she was almost certainly giving the virus to the man, his wife, and then - we discovered the man's wife had a new baby which was breast-feeding. Basically she was murdering three people.

Tanzania has been refreshing to see the church so active in combatting the epidemic. But the government is a little behind the Kenyan government in terms of support and training for the HIV positive community. Tests still cost money here. Jo and the Mennonite church have come in to subsidize these costs, and to provide some basic food staples for the affected.

I've decided to partner with the church here in Dodoma in providing some basic care for orphans in the community. Compassion is a great ministry, but it only takes care of kids from family units. Orphans are not allowed to be sponsored. So we've discovered there is a whole other class of kids that are even more desperate and needy - without any support right now. The team here is so professional, and they've had several years of experience with compassion. Another really cool thing is that Pastor Amos wants the Tanzanian community to be involved in the project as well. So we are going to offer $7 per kid per month, and he will find Tazanians to provide the other $7 per month bringing in a total of $14 per orphan kid. This is just about the same amount of money that makes it to each Compassion kid ($16). So we'll start off with a project of 10 kids here in Dodoma. If you'd like to sponsor a kid, or even all ten of them (for $70 per month), let me know - email me at dan@lahash.net.

Thank you everyone for the prayers. We've felt very encouraged for the past few days. We head out tomorrow morning to Rwanda by train. So the next update should be from there. If you'd like some other things to pray for, here are some:

1. Pray for the dear friends we are leaving behind here. We really connected with everyone in Dodoma, and will be sad to leave. They say to greet all of you friends and family.

2. Pray for our team unity as we venture into the genocide history of Rwanda. We want to understand more about the history and conflict of the little nation, but often it can be very taxing to ponder the brutalities. There is also a little homesickness setting in for some.

3. Pray for the desperate deserate HIV positives of this city. There are so many that need help. And its tough to know which fires to put out where. Jo and the church members here are quite competent, but I would say undermanned with all there is to do.

4. You can also pray that there will be a team of people that will decide to support the orphan kids here in Dodoma. Amos' vision is to bring the program to 50 kids eventually, and Nick would like to start a similar program in Eldoret. Education is just about the best option or gift a western person can give to the community here. It's extremely practical, and it ensures hope for the upcoming generations. Nested in the caring loving church community here, its beautifully life giving.

Thanks everyone - may God's love be with each of you.

- Dan

World AIDS Day
Location: Dodoma Tanzania
Time: 4:32 PM

We arrived safely in Dodoma (the capital of Tanzania). We traveled with Jo French, a friend who is living in working here in the dusty center of the country. The landscape reminds me of my experiences in Juba Sudan as a kid - very dry and dusty.

The bus ride took forever, and we have an even longer leg of the journey on Monday when we will be traveling by train and then bus to the capital of Rwanda - Kigali.

Tanzania is quite a country. I've been here once (it was only for one night) so its great to spend time with the people, and learn so much more of the history and culture. The nation shares much in common with both Uganda and Kenya. All three countries speak Swahili, and share trade and food and culture. Tanzanians pride themselves on speaking the most "correct" Swahili though.

Today is World AIDS day, which fits very well with our mission here in Tanzania. We've met with the Mennonite church members here who are running a grassroots HIV/AIDS assistance program which is just taking off with the work of Jo French. She's helping visit clients around the city, and they're just finishing an office and a small shop to help raise money for families with AIDS positive members who need the help.

The church here is also a hub for Compassion International. I don't know why I've mistrusted Compassion in the past - some wierd experience somewhere I guess. But folks, for all of you who are sponsoring kids through this organization - let me tell you it works, and it is an amazing program. It helps 35,000 children here in this country go to school, have essential health care, and break fromt the bleak poverty of their families. The staff are competent, gracious, and motivated. Its a really good program. If you have any doubts, come over for a visit, or you can take our word for it.

The picture below is Disa recieving a briefing from the Compassion International staff. Most kid's donors come from the U.S. - thus the Tanzanian and USA flags on the wall in the backround.

The sketch below is from the International Tribunal for the Rwandan Genocide based in Arusha Tanzania. 11 years on the team is still wading through the massive testimonies and evidence from the Genocide to figure out just what went wrong and who is guilty. It was a bizarre scene with judges in wigs and an international cast trying to make progress despite the Kirwanda, English, French, and Swahili language barriers. The prosecution and defense have been in court for many years, and it seemed like they were bored of the task. We listened with headphones in a little booth for several hours the other day.

It's been great to see Jo and the team here and all the hard work they've been doing in Tanzania. Nick (from Eldoret) and Jo are pictured below.
Tanzania is doing a lot right. Everyone loves the government (okay not everyone, but it sure seems like it). And the Christian/Muslim relations are phenomenal. We went to a seminar today with a crowd of Christians and Muslims at the Mennonite church. A Muslim named Adam ate lunch with us and both religious communities had praise for each other. One of the pastors told me that the Tanzanian church has decided that direct confrontation and preaching is not a loving response to their Muslim neighbors. So they engage in simple dialogue, don't argue, agree on some basics, and let their good deeds and kindness work for them. It was so encouraging after seeing some of the hostility in the United States, Kenya, Sudan and Egypt in the past. I think peace is possible between two religous communities.

We continue on with the trip. With just about 3 weeks left, we are enjoying the moment, but missing all of you. It's been a wonderful journey so far. And there have been a lot of laughs, tons of new food and new sights. The photo below is of a hedgehog that Laura and Disa picked up while we walked to the bus the other morning! The afternoon before there were monkeys playing at the same spot.

Thanks everyone!

Please pray for the following:

1. Jo French and the team here in Dodoma. That they would have the understanding to know what to focus on and how to prioritize their time.

2. That as AIDS day comes to a close that the planet (especially the Western nations) will get serious about this disease which kills millions and could be dramatically reduced with just a tiny bit of interest. The UN is asking for a donation which would cost each person in the West two cups of coffee, or the military spending of one day. Our priorities seem a bit off, especially when holding these AIDS orphan kids who deserve better from us their brothers and sisters.

3. That our team would be unified and full of love for each other and be humble servants of the communities we are in.

4. That our travel and meetings would be safe and productive.

Much love to you all!

- Dan