Today was the trip to Isimani to deliver bicycles. Isimani is about an hour away by car but a world away in experience.

Our day began this morning in downtown Iringa at the bicycle shop where Pastor Chaula and his hired lorry met the two of us, along with Don Fultz and Dennis Engele. It took a couple of hours to inspect and load the bicycles--and break for lunch at the Hasty Tasty--before we headed out of town. Through the valley between mountains to the end of the paved road, then another 45 mintues down a rocky dirt road, down a narrow dirt track, down a narrower dirt track, and finally Isimani itself up to the front of the main church, where a group of women greeted us with hugs and "trilling." The bikes were unloaded and safely secreted into the church until Sunday.

We were led to Pastor Chaula's home for tea and lunch prepared by his wife and the other women. After lunch was a business meeting punctuated with prayer and singing and the introduction of some of the evangelists and congregational leaders who'd arrived to meet us. Before we said goodbye we arranged to return for service on Sunday, at which time we'll officially present the bicycles.

Isimani is an agricultural region. While Iringa and the countryside surrounding it are lush and green with generous rains, Isimani is dry. Once again, the maize and sunflower crops are failing. It is a very poor community. It is also a community with pride where joy and generousity overwhelm and humble the visitor.