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HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!
It's New Year's Day. Spent last night at Hotel Tilapia, in Mwanza, rather than going to Tunza, which apparently was less than busy. We were surrounded by Indians, dressed in their finest. They outnumbered the wazungu 4:1. It was fine, had a nice meal, but we all ended up doing different things. Saw the new year in, however, with Tom, Mary, Anna (Spanish volunteer at Watoto) and Lorna. Had some Kili beer, had a double Glennfiddich. U2 came on the soundsystem and a some fireworks lit the night sky.
A NEW BEGINNING!
I begun 2007 with a fresh ontology (way of looking at the world). I went to the local, Buswelu church with Tom, which was more interesting and uplifting than the Catholic Mass in Gedelli. Here, a packed congregation, witnessed a mzungu donating hundreds of thousands of shillings towards the building of a roof for a new church building. Tom had been planning it for some time! I had to stand up and be introduced to everyone, having scrawled a quick history about myself. I declared that both my Mum and Dad (are) Christians, that I was brought up a Christian, but that i lost my faith in late childhood/early adulthood. I suggested that i might find God that day.
Put simply, I did!
Not at the church, and not at the Rverend's house afterwards where myself and Tom were invited for lunch. But at around 4pm, in Buswelu centre, outside Mama Joani's Duka, i was met by Bernard, a local guy and a Christian, who persuaded me to take a step forward. I had met him once before, outside Hisani, on 22 Dec. Witnessed by Tom and his good friend, Furaha, I was challenged by Bernard in no uncertain terms. With a great command of English, he recognised in me a lack of spirituality, which I admitted had been missing for a long time. Ever since I have been in Tanzania, i have become closer and closer to opening my heart and until this meeting, i had resisted. Suddenly I relented. With Bernard's hacking away at my 'barriers', i finally decided to give it a go... and make the first step. I closed my eyes. I put my head in my hands. The trinity (Furaha, Bernard, Tom) each prayed for me. And I woke anew - i think(!) Didn't feel any different, but it was a powerful moment. I later prayed myself at 20 minutes past midnight, after the New Year had been ushered in. I didn't know the 'lingo' but i tried nonetheless.
So who knows what will happen now? The challenge starts here. A new belief starts here. Mum - you were right. My atheist friends - stick with me. I am still Phil, but possibly changed.
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