African Diaries
Tanzania and Swaziland 2006
STAND FOR AFRICA PARTNER DEVELOPMENT TRIP REPORT
July 17 – 28th SFA Trip to Tanzania and Swaziland
Rev. Dr. Herbert H. Lusk
Jim Tyree
July 17th, Philadelphia, PA
Tyree departs for Dar Es Salaam
July 20th, Dar Es Salaam
Met in the late evening at the airport by our host, Lazaro Nyalandu. Mr. Nyalandu is a leading member of the Tanzanian Parliament.
July 21, Dar Es Salaam
Pastor Lusk arrives in the afternoon from his Presidential delegation duties in Abuja, Nigeria at the Leon Sullivan Summit.
Mr. Nyalandu and two aids give us an overview of the HIV/AIDS situation in Tanzania and we discuss what parts of the country and which ministries we should visit and consider for partnership in this grant program.
July 22, Dar Es Salaam and Arusha
As a result of yesterday’s briefings, we decide to visit a “Sisters Mercy” orphanage in Dar Es Salaam and then travel by plane to Arusha. We visit two “granny” homes in the Arusha area that are supported by “Touch Tanzania” an umbrella organization that supports many of these efforts throughout the country in addition to their own programs. They are providing technical and administrative support to smaller organizations through the country. We are very impressed with the OVC work that we see. We spend most of our day in Arusha meeting local leaders and learning about their relationship with “Touch Tanzania”. In the late evening, we fly back to Dar Es Salaam.
July 23rd, Dar Es Salaam
Sunday morning finds us in a church with 700 in attendance. Pastor Lusk and I bring greetings from the U.S. and explain why we are visiting by giving a brief overview of Stand for Africa. After the service, we spend the rest of the day meeting with area clergy and learning about their challenges in combating HIV/AIDS.
July 24th, Travel day: Dar Es Salaam to Johannesburg
We travel to Johannesburg and spend the night at the airport hotel. We had planned for ground transport to Swaziland that evening but the Swazi border gates closes at 10:00pm before we could get there.
July 25th, Travel day: Johannesburg to Ezulwini, Swaziland
We arrive at our hotel for a noon meeting with Magugu Mncina, the country director for “Book of Hope”. They are the world’s largest distributor of faith based materials in the world and their book of hope division focuses on youth. Magugu gives us a briefing on the HIV/AIDS situation in Swaziland and some of the cultural challenges that the country is facing concerning HIV/AIDS. We are then joined by Robert Hoskins, the CEO of “Book of Hope”. Rob rearranges his schedule to meet us and host us in Swaziland. We then visit two “granny” house ministries in the vicinity.
July 26th, in Ezulwini, Hawane and Bulembu, Swaziland
We visit additional “granny” and extended family facilities in the Ezulwini, Hawane and Bulembu areas. Most of the groups we see in Ezulwini, Hawane and Bulembu are supported in some way by “Lighthouse Ministries”, an umbrella organization that in addition to its own program provides technical and administrative support to smaller organizations. We are extremely impressed with the OVC work that we see. In the evening, we have dinner with Bongani Langa, the director of “The Swazi Church Forum on HIV/AIDS” in Mbabane, an ecumenical group. Mr. Langa directs the country’s organized church response to HIV/AIDS Orphans and Vulnerable Children. He is also the communications advisor for NERCHA. The Swaziland government has established NERCHA (National Emergency Response Councel on HIV/AIDS) which is a government agency created to oversee the HIV/AIDS programs. This organization is a funnel for USAID and Global Fund monies. According to one source I found online, NERCHA along with the USAID office in Pretoria are responsible for the funds that are designated to Swaziland.
July 27th
Travel day from Swaziland to Johannesburg and depart for Philadelphia
July 28th Philadelphia, PA U.S.A.
We arrive in Philadelphia at 8:00pm on United Airlines flight 7126.
