MASAI land....Sunday,we set off,Elke and I early..in her huge four wheeled Toyota truck venturing along the usual pilled holed gutted red/orange dirt road pathways 18 kil. east of Handeni...our landmark was a big hole on the left side of the road and a change of colour from red to off white,beige...we turned left onto a grass path for a few minutes and stopped the truck. Masai children poured out of mud huts and forests, as iffromeverytwhere followed by their mothers beautiful resplendent in white beaded necklaces with silver circles dangling off metal chains...as the humidity of Tanzania hit me like a wall when i first arrived,here the FLIES, swung and swirled around us,humming and buzzing incessantly landing on mouths, eyes, cheeks, into hair, arms legs..clothing, everywhere..there is no relief. Flies that follow the cattle, and the Masai have hundreds of cows and goats,hence dung and flies..millions of them...think flies. We brough a large container of sweets, Elke has been here once before...and promised. three elder Masai men appeared dressed in the colours of the tribe, wrapped in royal blue cloth, magenta,maroon, resplendant,tall, slim,lanky, highcheekboned, each carrying a longstick, never without it...used in ancient times to fend off lions and tigers...nowadays used to move goats and cows from one hill to the next...
The Warriors were away....these being boys and men from age 13 onto about 35, away in the hills with said cows thankfully, I shuddered to imagine the fly fest if they had been here....
WE were honoured guests...following our hosts with children alongside,to nearby hills being made ready by hand and sweat for the planting of maise..to mud huts made from sticks and twigs, with cow dung dried with mud mixed with leaves. metal corregated roofs atop..windowless....mud floors..bedroom areas, for men, and for women and children....They were excited by my picture taking..children and adults alike each one laughing and joyful to see the result of each snap...it occured to me that many of whom had never seen themselves before as they don't use mirrors....
We are taken into their newly built Catholic church....again made of mud, dung, wood sticks...white washedinside....a lineof windows opening along the top, the church about 10 feet high...an alter of cement at the front, awooden cross with Christ, pewsmade of logs at either end a plank of ancient wood slung across six inches from the ground for sitting...an aise down the middle,rows for maybe 80 people...
the three men at the front, the women and children in the pews. babies wrapped around their backs..toddlers naked wandering and weaving amongst their mothers and children...
Hymns sung gloriously and enthusiastically, by women and children...the Bible being read by the chief elder...a sermon, songs,hymns....stunning...a Harry Potter notebook on the alter along with a metal dish for offerings...i will never forget this moment of my life..but again,for also the flies now imprisoned in the beautiful sparce little hurch,humming and buzzing and landing....i know now how little use i would be in a torture chamber...flies crawling into my watchband, under the leather straps of my shoes,my mouth when trying to sing...my eyes......i began to try to think of each landing as sweet little kisses brushing my skin....changing the meaning and thrilled to be a part of such a ceremony with such beautiful people...
After church we were led by the men into the dark mud hut for tea and a meal....much to our amazement the flies did not follow...cool,clean, we were treated to a chai of herbs, cardimum bark...with fresh goatmilk...and a rice pudding...
elke has learned Swahili forher job..immensely interestingconversatin..questionsanswers, great feelingamongst the three Masaimen...and two white women from beyond...
Of course,they need assistance,
I promised to help as much as I could...
ICA is getting a bank account for the Masai...so once again next week i will be sending out information in case anyone out there might be interested in taking this on....
we bid fairwell after lunch....promptly got our right hand front tire mired into a gully and had to run back for assistance....fortunately a big bright busload of guys came along with the Masai men..and in a minute we were out and running again...

So being here, it is a mixture...of meeting many people ...working, assisting as much as I can,learning, absorbing..reading...trying to understand... an experience i will never ever forget....everyone from ICA CANADA...I thank you for this magical opportunity....Iam honoured and blessed to be part of such a wonderful group.... thank you....