April 15, 2008
Dear Supporting Congregations
Greetings from rainy and muddy Tanzania! We are in the middle of the raining season and it is really raining this year. Despite being tired of the muddy roads and paths and gloomy days we are all thankful for good rains that are needed for the crops and to recharge the ground water and springs.
As I have written you earlier we are nearing the time to leave Tanzania. My contract with Heifer is up on June 30th and we will return to USA on July 3rd. I am starting to feel in limbo and have started to mentally disengage from my work here in Tanzania. I find myself thinking more and more of the USA instead of here. I think that this is being done unconsciously as I prepare myself for the transition. It will not be easy leaving after living in Africa for close to 30 years, 25 of those in Tanzania.
I still have a few items of work to do before leaving such as conducting a follow up visit to Heifer Mozambique to see how their fish farming work is progressing; revising and translating a trainer’s manual for natural resource management programs; writing a turning over report for Heifer; and some last visits to some of the regional zones.
Some good news is that Jesse has been accepted and decided to go to Minnesota State University at Moorehead this fall. He still has to pass his exams at the International School and he is studying now for these. He graduates on May 24th. Chris has gotten a new job at Erik’s Bike shop in Maple Grove and he really likes it.
Our plan is to be in Minnesota for July and August. Kari is currently job hunting and we will see where we end up after that time frame. I will be visiting supporting congregations during the fall. We can work on schedules for that after I return to USA.
I wrote a final report to ELCA on the 25 years of our work here. I did this early because I thought things might get hectic here as we get closer to leaving. I have attached it for your information. It was a good experience for me to reminisce and try to put 25 years of experience into a report. I tried to make it readable by including stories and memories. I hope you find it interesting.
Yours in Christ
Dennis Murnyak and Kari Hartwig
April 23, 2008 at 1:21 pm
[...] to the United States in July. You can find Dennis’s final report of their ministry here and a letter from Dennis here. It’s been an amazing journey and well worth the read. Our congregation has supported the [...]