Life can be hard in Tanzania but as everywhere else children like to have fun.
Draughts is a perennial favourite and a keenly fought contest was witnessed recently. Susie and Nathaniel at Mayega Children’s Centre.

At Buswelu, there was a serious game of cards between sisters Lydia and Ester, part of our Family Support Project.

Busega Scotland’s poster boy, Boazi, has been at his creative best again. After the car he made from juice cartons, and had solar lights, he managed a guitar from a broken badminton racket, complete with sound box. Unfortunately, a little carelessness crept in and the guitar was ‘stolen’ by our Mayega dog, Lion, who also had fun pulling it apart!
Enjoy the photos.

Going to hospital is not normally something to relish. Bukumbi is different. The smiling face of matron, Sr Anastasia Salla, brightens up any day and her commitment to healthcare and the poor of her community is unstinting.
It is not an easy time just now for mission hospitals in Tanzania, as the government favours its own establishments and funding is tight. Despite this, Bukumbi has hosted two health insurance programmes for Busega Scotland and partners. The hospital remains faithful to the project, although the modest premiums have not met the treatment costs.
We have also been able to provide clothes and blankets for new borns, and some medical equipment donated by Fochabers Medical Practice in Moray. Thanks to the practice and our friend Lorna Logan, for her beautifully knitted blankets.

Active and enthusiastic Busega Scotland supporter Peter Hagenbuch, is about to tackle yet another 50 mile walk for the numerous charities he supports. This time it is from his home in Uphall, West Lothian to Dunbar in East Lothian.
This will be Peter’s 27th such walk and makes John’s 15 miles on the Kiltwalk look rather puny!
It is interesting that Peter is walking to Dunbar. This is where the Carney family lived after leaving Zambia and before moving to Garmouth in 1987.
12th November is the big day, and Busega Scotland can be supported by donations at
https://www.totalgiving.co.uk/mypage/peterh2019busegascotland
Wishing Peter all the best.

Big Busega Parties has cracked Antarctica!
An article in John and Christine’s local newspaper, the Northern Scot, led to Charlotte Nicol joining in the project. Charlotte works on a ship that visits Antarctica and she and her colleagues celebrated in a way that will amaze the Mayega children! Charlotte takes up the story:
‘We hiked to the top point of a hill, and on the way down couldn’t resist a quick dive into the snow! Then back onto the ship for a warm tea to thaw ourselves out.

We’ve had a crazy time with the waves, crossing a place called ‘Drake’s Passage’ today, and the whole ship is on a level 5 safety lockdown – we can’t stand or walk straight and everything flying about our cabins’.
So, no party on board ship!

Stade is a city in Lower Saxony in northern Germany, some 45 km west of Hamburg. It is home to two of Christine and John’s closest friends – Liz and Friedhelm Voges. Friedhelm is a great cook, and the couple invited six friends over to celebrate 5 years of Busega Scotland.

Uniquely, Friedhelm baked a Tanzanian flag cake (and Liz is holding up the German flag). We also had a lovely message from our friends in Germany:
‘We are very impressed by your projects. Everyone sends their best wishes – for the big Mayega party and for everything else Busega Scotland does in Tanzania’.
We know that the Mayega children (and adults) will be thrilled to see their flag. What a super, creative and tasty idea.

Volunteer and Busega Scotland Trustee , Jenny Wallen , was introduced to the Mayega Primary School children by headteacher , Ernest Damiano. Jenny will be working with the staff and children to implement a new English reading programme that was donated by Lhanbryde Primary School in Scotland.

Happy Birthday from  the Patterson Family celebrating at a Cancun Mexican Restaurant in Crossville .

Restaurant staff joined in wishing the Mayega children a great celebration!

Happy Birthday ! ??Although we can’t be there in person we are delighted to see the wonderful progress that has been made at Mayega and we shall be thinking of all our friends in Tanzania. Enjoy the celebrations. Love from Robin and Debbie  xx   (from a wind tunnel near Bedford)

– Asante Sana!

Busega Scotland’s roving ambassador, Peter Hagenbuch, has been partying in the US while there on a business trip. Brown’s Chapel, in Crossville, heard about our 5-year celebrations and sent their congratulations to us from Tennessee in fine style.

This was followed by a Pow Wow, near Nashville. A Pow Wow being a gathering of Red Indian tribes for dancing, craft sales and to provide information about themselves. Representatives from the Choctaw tribe learnt about Busega Scotland and agreed to provide us with the most colourful picture so far (it is sure to intrigue the children at Mayega).

Many thanks to Peter for his unstinting support, and to our new American friends for their good wishes.

The date of the Big Mayega Party has been set for Saturday 16th November. The event will celebrate 5 years of Busega Scotland and the work at the Children’s Centre. It will be the culmination of the Busega Parties Project, that we expect to cover all seven continents and up to twenty countries.

The Mayega Party Planning Team consists of Christine and Busega Scotland staff; Pastor Gadlord Deuli (Project Leader), Julieth Godwin (Assistant Project Leader) and Kabula Peter (Secretary). Important items were discussed. The guest list, party games and, of course, the food to be served!
Young Golden, Julieth’s son ,  was supposed to chair the meeting but soon after it started he fell soundly asleep! Some meetings are really boring!