In the past year, almost 200 Bega Kwa Bega travelers visited Iringa, deepening relationships and understanding, and collecting stories of accompaniment. Here’s a sample of the feedback provided through our post–travel survey.
What were your key take-aways and learnings?
- I have a deeper understanding of our companions’ joys and struggles
- I learned to be flexible about the schedule and agenda for the day
- I experienced gracious hospitality, warm welcomes, and made genuine connections
- I’m still pondering the intersection of poverty, faith and joy
- I practiced the fourth pillar, patience
- Had I known how exhausting the trip would be, I probably wouldn’t have gone. I am truly glad I didn’t know. (From an octogenarian who also said, “Go in your seventies.”)
When asked about itineraries and logistics, travelers shared…
- A growing dissatisfaction with the long drive from Dar to Iringa, and a preference for domestic flights and train options
- Pleasant surprise at the awareness that BKB can pay many expenses online, so groups only need to withdraw and carry cash for meals and gratuities
- Great appreciation for Lutheran Center staff, Mukuta drivers, and diocese interpreters
- More awareness of the need for downtime in the schedule
Travel Prep – what helped, or what do you wish you had focused on more?
- #1 – more Swahili practice!
- More conversation about navigating cultural differences
- Understanding acceptable attire, especially for women in the culture
- Appreciated all the money handling, budgeting tools
- Wanted to get to know fellow travelers better before the trip
- Seriously, do not overpack
- Appreciated having a BKB guide meet with the group for a pre-travel session
Pricing
- Most groups’ costs were in the $4,800 – $5,200 range, excluding added excursions to Zanzibar or Arusha. Was it a good value? YES!
Did your group get adequate support from BKB in country?
- Iringa office staff checked in with the group at least once a day, often more frequently
- Good troubleshooting when problems arose
- We borrowed sleeping bags from BKB, and also the camp toilet
- Interpreters were helpful and caring, more than just translators, also cultural guides
What stories are you telling?
- Stories of generosity, radical hospitality and gratitude
- The companionship’s impact over time, especially with scholarship support
- Witnessing grassroots evangelism and a growing church
- Being welcomed into the community as family; we are church together, globally
If your church hasn’t sent travelers in a few years or you want to keep up the communication between visits, please reach out! The BKB team of volunteers & staff can pass messages back and forth, can host Zoom meetings, and can visit your parish on your behalf to collect information, take photos, and monitor projects. We’re here to support you!
I am deeply grateful for the travelers who shared their stories, impressions and feedback. Thank you for affirming what is going well and lifting up some things that need our focus in the new year. I’m giving thanks for the blessing of travel, connections, and the opportunity to walk together in Christ with our siblings of the Iringa Diocese.
Asanteni sana,
Kirsten Levorson
Director of Bega Kwa Bega
