"My first three weeks of study leave in Tanzania were hectic, exciting and challenging. Highlights included: sharing worship and hospitality with a Swahili speaking congregation on a vast sugar plantation and a newly planted (and extremely remote) Masai congregation; tracking both David and Elaine Macha in their excellent daily work of church pastoring and HIV/AIDS education; and meeting the family of Rev Patrick Maanda who some of you met 2 years ago when he visited us.

The rest of May and early June was time catching up with the family who hadn’t seen me for 3 weeks (!) visiting extended family at weekends and various churches in the East Midlands area and 5 solid gardening days getting ready for the Ratby fete. From Mid June I’ve been at a retreathouse in Devon having time both on my own and also with others focussing on worship. July will then be time for writing up reports, more church visits, developing computer skills and a family holiday.

Things learned so far. Gecko lizards are your friends when mosquitoes are around; Malaria is as big a killer in TZ as HIV/Aids; development issues in Africa are more complicated than you first think; most elephants die because their teeth fall out; our Western obsession with punctuality and organisation can hamper the work of the Spirit!

Things experienced. lively colourful, rhythmic worship; generosity in the midst of poverty; roast goat (part of Masai hospitality); Tanzanian bus trip (‘Dala dala’) chocka with adults, children (on my lap) and sacks of maize; a day at a Tanzanian courthouse waiting for justice for a pastor’s wife; the North Devon coastal footpath; being chased in a land rover by an elephant.

New Things Done. mobile phone texting; preaching in Swahili and once (on Trinity Sunday) translated into Swahili and then from Swahili into Masai - three spoken languages but one shared language of love. Driving a car in Tanzania (not for the fainthearted); bass guitar playing; getting to grips with my Greek New Testament again.

Thanks for all the practical support, prayers and expressions of interest. I look forward to sharing more when I return!"