Kitabu Kinaendelea Kupigiwa Debe Nebraska

Mfanya biashara au mtoa huduma hufarijika anapoona wateja wakija tena kufuata kile walichokipata kabla. Imekuwa hivyo kwangu kama mwandishi. Mimi si mfanyabiashara, bali ni mwalimu. Uandishi ni sehemu ya ualimu. Ninafarijika na kufurahi ninapoona watu wakifaidika na maandishi yangu.

Ninaandika ujumbe huu kuelezea ujumbe juu ya kitabu changu, Africans and Americans: Embracing Cultural Differences kutoka Nebraska, jimbo mojawapo la Marekani. Waumini wa kanisa la ki-Luteri la Marekani, ELCA, wa sinodi ya Nebraska wana programu ya kuzuru Tanzania iitwayo vision trip, kujifunza masuala ya utamaduni na maisha ya wa-Tanzania na kubadilishana uzoefu, ili kujenga mahusiano na maelewano.

Mwaka hadi mwaka, waratibu wa programu wamekipendekeza kitabu changu hicho. Leo nimeona chapisho la mwongozo kwa ajili safari ya mwaka 2018. Humo, kama ilivyokuwa miaka iliyopita, kitabu changu kimeendelea kupendekezwa kwa wasafiri:

For those persons wanting to more deeply explore cultural differences between Africans and Americans, the book Africans and Americans by Joseph Mbele is recommended. This book is available at: www.africonexion.com

Tafsiri kwa ki-Swahili:

Kwa wale wanaotaka kufuatilia zaidi tofauti za tamaduni baina ya wa-Afrika na wa-Marekani, kitabu "Africans and Americans" cha Joseph Mbele kinapendekezwa. Kitabu hiki kinapatikana www.africonexion.com

Ninafurahi na kushukuru kwamba watu wanaona umuhimu wa kitabu hiki. Kingekuwa hakina manufaa, wangeacha kukipendekeza tangu zamani. Niliwahi kukutana na baadhi ya hao wasafiri wa Nebraska katika safari ya kwenda Tanzania wakiwa na kitabu changu, kama nilivyoandika katika blogu ya ki-Ingereza. Ninafurahi kuwa kitabu changu kinasaidia lengo la kujenga maelewano baina ya wa-Tanzania na wa-Marekani.

Kitabu kwa Wasafiri Watokao Nebraska

Leo nimeona taarifa kutoka sinodi ya Nebraska ya Kanisa la Kiluteri la Marekani, kuhusu maandalizi ya safari za kwenda Tanzania. Safari hizo zimefanyika tangu miaka iliyopita. Kuna sehemu iitwayo "Preparatory Reading," na kama miaka iliyopita, katika sehemu hiyo kitabu changu, Africans and Americans: Embracing Cultural Differences, kimependekezwa kwa wasafiri hao:

For those persons wanting to more deeply explore cultural differences between Africans and Americans, the book Africans and Americans: Embracing Cultural Differences by Joseph Mbele is recommended. The book is available at www.africonxion.com.

Kwangu kama mwandishi, hii ni habari njema, ingawa si mpya. Viongozi wa programu kama hiyo ya Nebraska wana uzoefu wa miaka mingi wa kwenda Tanzania. Wana uzoefu wa utamaduni wa Tanzania. Kuendelea kwao kukipendekeza kitabu changu ni ushahidi kuwa wameona kinawafaa wa-Marekani wanaowapeleka Tanzania.

Watu kutoka Nebraska wanaosairi kwenda Tanzania nimewahi kuwataja katika blogu yangu ya ki-Ingereza. Ninajisikia kama vile, kwa njia ya kitabu changu, nina uhusiano wa kudumu nao.

Nimeandika nilivyoandika, ingawa ninafahamu kuwa kwa mujibu wa utamaduni wa leo wa Tanzania, tunaogopa kuambiwa tunaringa. Ninaamini kuwa ni sahihi mtu kujivunia kazi yake na mafanikio yake, kama wafanyavyo wanamuziki wetu, ambao aghalabu tunawasikia wakitamba wanapoandaa albamu au wimbo wa kutupagawisha. Tunapowasikia wakisema hivyo, tunafurahi na kusubiri kwa hamu.

Lakini ni ajabu kuwa tunaona si sahihi kwa mwanataaluma kujivunia kazi yake. Lakini ninaona tujikumbushe kauli iliyomo katika "Azimio la Arusha" kuwa katika nchi yetu, kazi iwe ni kitu cha kujivunia; na uvivu, ulevi, na uzembe viwe ni vitu vya kuvionea aibu. "Azimio la Arusha" linazungumzia kila kazi yenye manufaa kwa mtu na jamii.

Kama kichekesho, ninakumbushia methali iliyomo katika riwaya ya Things Fall Apart ya Chinua Achebe: "The lizard that jumped from the high iroko tree to the ground said he would praise himself if no one else did," ambayo inamaanisha kuwa ukifanikisha jambo, usichelee kujisifu mwenyewe. Labda huo ndio utamaduni tunaouhitaji.

Waumini Waikumbuka Hotuba Niliyotoa Lands Lutheran Church

Niliwahi kuandika katika blogu hii kuhusu hotuba niliyotoa tarehe 11 Aprili, 2015, katika mkutano wa waumini wa Sinodi ya Minnesota ya Kusini Mashariki ya Kanisa la ki-Luteri la Marekani. Nimeona ripoti fupi ya hotuba katika jarida la kanisa la First Lutheran la mjini Red Wing, Minnesota, The Spire (July/August 2015) uk. 4. Ninaiweka hapa kwa kumbukumbu yangu.

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CANNON RIVER CONFERENCE REPORT

In April some representatives from First Lutheran, United Lutheran, and St. Paul’s Lutheran attended the women’s Cannon River Conference in Zumbrota. There was a very thorough explanation of the history of the beginnings of the Lutheran church in this area of the country, so there was less time for the main speaker, Joseph Mbele, a St. Olaf professor.

Besides teaching, Professor Mbele works with groups in the area to mediate cultural conflicts. He asked us to look at the positive and the potential in all people; do not rush to judgment. What is natural in one culture may not be correct in another, and what is an issue in one culture might not be an issue in another. 

For example, in Faribault the storekeepers were upset because the Somali men stood in front of the stores or nearby and talked. The storekeepers felt this was loitering and bad for business. In Africa this was the custom to talk together outside stores and it was considered impolite to make a quick purchase and leave. Americans are very concerned about being on time. In Africa it is considered rude to rush by people and not talk to them, and in small villages many are related. On the way to a meeting an African might stop and talk to a number of people, and probably will arrive late to a meeting.

Other examples: In Brooklyn Park other residents were complaining about loud music. In Africa everyone in the small town is invited to a wedding and no invitations are sent out. Child raising views are quite different too; Africans take the phrase, “It takes a village” quite literally. Everyone is supposed to help watch the kids while Americans believe they should only watch their own children and don’t want any help from other people. 

Professor Mbele wrote a book about some of these differences, Africans and Americans: Embracing Cultural Differences, which we purchased for the church library.

The next meeting of the Cannon River Conference will be held in April 2016 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Red Wing with United and First assisting.

Respectfully submitted,
Nancy Thorson, FLCW President

Tumechangia Kanisa la Venezuela

Leo kanisani kwetu hapa mjini Northfield, kanisa Katoliki, tulikuwa na padri ambaye anatumikia kanisa fulani nchini Venezuela. Huyu padri ni m-Marekani, na kwa miaka yapata arobaini, mapadri wa-Marekani wamekuwa wamisionari katika kanisa hilo la Venezuela. Hata paroko wetu aliwahi kutumikia kanisa hilo kwa miaka mitano. Ananivutia kwa jinsi anavyoijua lugha ya ki-Hispania, na anawahudumia waumini hapa Northfield wanaotumia lugha hiyo.

Huyu padri mgeni alitoa mafundisho mazuri, na katika kuelezea utume wake Venezuela alituhimiza kwa maneno matatu: "Pray, say, pay." Alifafanua kwamba tusali kuwaombea waumini wa kanisa lile la Venezuela, tuwaeleze wengine kuhusu hali halisi na mahitaji ya kanisa lile, na tutoe mchango kulisaidia kanisa lile.

Niliguswa na maelezo yake, nikangojea muda wa kutoa mchango. Kilipopitishwa kijikapu cha mchango, nilikuwa tayari nimekwangua vijihela vilivyokuwemo katika pochi yangu nikavitumbukiza humo. Nilijisikia faraja na furaha kwamba vijihela hivyo vitakuwa na manufaa kwa kanisa lile la Venezuela, hasa kwa kuzingatia kuwa dola, hata zikawa chache, zinakuwa ni hela nyingi kwenye nchi kama Venezuela au Tanzania.

Mimi kama muumini wa dini, naiheshimu dini yangu, na dini zote. Ninafahamu kwamba zote ni njia wanazotumia wanadamu kuelekea kwa Mungu. Ni safari, kama safari ya kupanda Mlima Kilimanjaro. Kuna njia kadhaa za kufikia kileleni Kilimanjaro. Na itakuwa ni wendawazimu kwa watu wanaochukua njia tofauti kuanza kugombana na kupigana hadi kuuana kwa msingi wa tofauti za njia wanazochukua. Kwa mtazamo wangu, ni wendawazimu kwa watu wa dini mbali mbali kubezana au kugombana.

Ninaziheshimu nyumba za ibada za kila dini. Niliwahi kuelezea katika blogu hii nilivyozuru nyumba za ibada za wa-Hindu, nchini India. Leo nimechangia kanisa lililoko Venezuela. Lakini sibagui. Kuna wakati niliona taarifa kuwa wa-Islam wa sehemu fulani Tanzania walikuwa wanachangisha fedha za kukarabatia msikiti wao. Nilipeleka mchango wangu, kwa moyo mkunjufu, ingawa mimi si mu-Islam bali m-Katoliki. Nitaendelea kufanya hivyo.

Ninachojali ni kuwa wanadamu wote wameumbwa na Mungu, na Mungu hana ubaguzi, kama nilivyoandika katika blogu hii. Ninafurahi kumiliki blogu, kitu ambacho kinaniwezesha kueneza mawazo yangu na kupambana na mawazo ambayo nayaona ni sumu, hata kama yanaenezwa kwa jina la dini.

Nimerejea Kutoka Kanisani

Nimetoka kanisani kusali, na ninaona ni sawa tu kuandika habari hiyo hapa katika blogu yangu. Hii si mara ya kwanza kwangu kuandika habari ya namna hiyo.

Kwanza napenda kuwajulisha ndugu, marafiki na wote wanaofuatilia habari zangu, kwamba afya yangu imeendelea kuwa bora. Zaidi ya huu mkongojo ninaotembea nao, uonekanao pichani, hakuna dalili ya tatizo. Naendesha gari mwenyewe, hata umbali mrefu. Natembea na mkongojo kwa kuwa daktari anataka nitembee nao. Nina kila sababu ya kumshukuru Mungu.

Kama ilivyo kawaida, katika ibada ya misa ya leo tumewaombea watu wote. Tumewakumbuka waumini wenzetu wanaosali makanisani, misikitini, na katika nyumba za ibada za dini zingine, tukiombea amani ulimwenguni. Wa-Katoliki hatujiombei wenyewe tu, bali wanadamu wote.

Kila Jumapili, tangu Baba Mtakatifu wa sasa, Papa Francis II, alipotoa waraka wake wa kichungaji, Laudato Si, tumekuwa tukisali sala yake ya kuiombea dunia:

A prayer for our earth

All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe
and in the smallest of your creatures.
You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.
Pour out upon us the power of your love,
that we may protect life and beauty.
Fill us with peace, that we may live
as brothers and sisters, harming no one.
O God of the poor,
help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth,
so precious in your eyes.
Bring healing to our lives,
that we may protect the world and not prey on it,
that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.
Touch the hearts
of those who look only for gain
at the expense of the poor and the earth.
Teach us to discover the worth of each thing,
to be filled with awe and contemplation,
to recognize that we are profoundly united
with every creature
as we journey towards your infinite light.
We thank you for being with us each day.
Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle
for justice, love and peace.

Leo Papa Francis yuko upande huu wa dunia, ziarani Cuba, akiwa njiani kuja Marekani na kuhutubia bunge la Marekani na pia Umoja wa Mataifa. Kuna msisimko mioyoni mwa watu, wanapongojea kusikia mawaidha ya kiongozi huyu aliyejipambanua kwa kutetea wanyonge na uangalifu wa dunia hii ambayo ni msingi wa maisha yetu na ya viumbe vyote.

Ziara Chuo Kikuu cha Kanisa Katoliki, Songea

Kama nilivyoelezea tena na tena, napenda kutembelea vyuo ninapokuwa Tanzania. Soma kwa mfano, hapa. Ni fursa ya kujiweka sawa katika ufahamu wa nini kinachoendelea, changamoto zilizopo, mikakati ya kuboresha elimu ya juu. Napata fursa ya kujadiliana na wahusika namna ya kushirikiana na kuchangia vyuo hivi. Tarehe 21 mwezi Julai, mwaka huu, nilitembelea tawi la Chuo Kikuu cha Mtakatifu Augustin, mjini Songea. Chuo Kikuu cha Mtakatifu Augustin ni mradi wa Kanisa Katoliki Tanzania. Ni mtandao ambao tayari una vituo sehemu mbali mbali za nchi. Kwa taarifa zaidi, soma hapa.

Hapa kushoto naonekana na Profesa Donatus Komba, makamu wa mkuu wa chuo hicho mjini Songea. Yeye ndiye alikuwa mwenyeji wangu siku ya ziara yangu, akinitembeza kila mahali na kunipa maelezo.

Hapa kushoto naonekana nikitia sahihi katika kitabu cha wageni.

Hapa kushoto ni jengo la utawala. Chuo cha Mtakatifu Augustin kina mipango mikubwa ya kupanua mtandao wake. Kwa upande wa Songea, tayari Seminari Kuu ya Peramiho imeshafanywa sehemu ya Chuo Kikuu, kwa masomo ya falsafa. Wanaofahamu taratibu za seminari za Katoliki wanajua kuwa tangu zamani, mapadri walitakiwa kusoma masomo ya kawaida tunayosoma sisi wengine, na baada ya hapo kwenda seminari kuu kusomea masomo ya teolojia na falsafa.  Basi Peramiho sasa ni sehemu ya Chuo Kikuu, kwa masomo haya ya falsafa.

Kanisa Katoliki jimbo la Songea limetoa majengo yaliyowezesha chuo hiki kuanzishwa. Chuo kina mipango ya kuongeza majengo. Nilionyeshwa sehemu mbali mbali, kama vile madarasa, kumbi kubwa, na maktaba. Nilivutiwa kusikia kuwa, mapadri wastaafu wamekuwa wakichangia hazina ya vitabu vyao katika juhudi za kuitajirisha maktaba.


Tayari, chuo kikuu cha Songea kinaendesha masomo ya aina mbali mbali. Mimi kama mwalimu wa "Literature" nilifurahi kusikia kuwa hilo ni somo mojawapo katika chuo hiki, na nilifurahi kukutana na mhadhiri wa somo hili.



Kwamba hiki ni chuo cha Kanisa Katoliki haimaanishi kuwa wanaosoma, kufundisha, au kufanya kazi hapo, ni wa-Katoliki tu. Chuo hiki kinawapokea watu wa dini na madhehebu mbali mbali. Angalia, kwa mfano, orodha ya wanafunzi wapya kwa mwaka huu.

Nilijifunza mengi katika ziara yangu hii, na hapa juu nimetoa dondoo chache tu.







Mdau jipatie taarifa zaidi kwa kuangalia video hii inayoelezea ufunguzi wa chuo hiki: