Day 6: Mwanza

Today was our day to travel to Bukoba to meet our Global Business Partners. But, it seems the plane from Mwanza to Bukoba is "broken" and they need to bring a new plane in. I'm actually glad they recognize the fact that it is broken before I get on it, considering that everything over here seems to be broken. Still we are sad to miss the extra day with them. One of the women wants to have her own salon, so Joanna has been growing out her hair so she can have it cut. Another does batik, another makes ginger beer so we are ready to support their businesses. 7 hours later....we arrived in Mwanza at 4:00 and a small plane has magically appeared if we can leave in 45 minutes. There is a mad dash to change hotels, find lost luggage, notify those in Bukoba, and we jump in the smallest plane we have been in yet to land on our second dirt runway of the day. The pilot is from Belgium and he agrees to let me sit in the co-pilots seat, with the headset listening to the airport banter and discussing life in Mwanza for him and his family and until we reach the beautiful coast of Bukoba. Bukoba is on Lake Victoria, the second largest lake in the world so actually you fly for hours over what seems like the ocean. We are greeted with great fanfare at the airport by Sister Dot, Tere (her administrator of Women’s Global Connection) and the two leaders of BUWEA and our Global Business Partners. Everyone is thrilled we are here. The evening offers sitting outside followed by a family-style dinner getting to know each other and discussing what the days will be like ahead. We are joined by a young missionary and intern of WGC, who will be here for two years working with the women and another professor who is trying to bring water to the village. The real reason for this trip begins.