At 7:00 a.m.???

On our way to Karatu, we crossed the Great Rift and headed up into the highlands, with it's hills and valleys, lush with trees, coffee plantations, and cornfields.  It was beautiful and the cooler climate was popular for German settlers in the last century.  But the middle of the town is still lined with concrete storefronts with crazy English names (Paris Grocery Store, Las Vegas Haircutting) and the streets off the main highway are red dirt.  When dry it gives the town a dirty feeling; after a rain there is mud everywhere.  But tourists on their way to a safari in the Serengeti or a visit to the Ngorongoro Crater pass through this town, and it has been the base for Hosanna's mission trips.

In the middle of the town stands a very impressive building...and perhaps the biggest.  It is the new Karatu Lutheran Church, replacing a smaller building that ran out of room for the many people that attend two services on a Sunday morning.  Our church helped a little with it, but have left the majority of the building to their own people who can supply the money and manpower, even if it does take a few years.  Hosanna concentrates on the smaller and more poor villages surrounding Karatu.

Our team walked to the church after breakfast to attend the 7 a.m. service.  It was already packed,  at least 500 people.  The music was rocking, the people dressed up, and I am sure we were a curiosity. The windows weren't in yet and there were birds flying overhead....not to mention the roosters crowing during the service.  Many of the farmers bring their "first fruits" (produce, roosters, chickens, etc.) for their offering, which is auctioned off at the close of the service, and the money given to the church!

The service was somewhat traditional, and in Swahili.  The sermon was translated for us by Karashi, though, and I wonder how many others understood the English.  We were called up in front of the church and sang a song in Swahili which I had taught our team (remembered from camp when in high school!),  "I have decided to follow Jesus"....  three verses.  We looked on at the smiling faces and I am sure they thought our accents were hilarious.   But the African music was fun to hear! Wanting to capture the music somehow, I tried to do a discreet video.....