We had an absolutely fabulous weekend in Dar es Salaam. Chuck and Eileen were extremely kind, generous and hospitable. Although we had never met, there was no awkwardness. We felt at home with them right away.
Our main purpose for the trip was to talk with them about ministry issues, particularly land issues. We have been looking at land for the orphanage for a while now, but have not been sure how to proceed. Land fraud is a big problem here so we are seeking the wisest way forward. Do we try to purchase land or lease it? We would hate to make a mistake and cost the ministry lots of money. The main problem is the lack of laws, or specifically lack of law enforcement. In addition, the government seems to be resistant to foreign help, making it very challenging as an outsider.
Eileen is an American lawyer who has been dealing with land contracts and issues in Tanzania. It was so helpful to hear about her experiences here and get her advice on how to move forward. She confirmed that the obstacles that we have run into are common. We had lots of time to bounce ideas back and forth. As we seek to fulfill our vision of helping orphans and others in need, we may need to try a different approach and go about it a different way. Most important, we need to pray and ask for God’s wisdom about how to go forward. There is so much to consider. The Reeds are coming in December and although we talk on the phone and through email, it will be wonderful to talk about it in person and get a game plan in place. Lord willing, Chuck and Eileen will be able to come as well so we can have a big brainstorming session all together.
In the mean time, we are still looking at different land options and meeting with officials. We’ll keep you posted on how it goes.
More on our Dar trip tomorrow...
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Interesting. There just has to be a way. Praying God will direct you. Love, Karen
ReplyDelete