Home

My first week in Tanzania was actually harder and full of a lot more transitions than I imagined it would be (I think I wasn't really expecting that since I'd already been in Africa and away from home for a month).... the new food was constantly upsetting my stomach, the heat was making me dehydrated/keeping me from sleeping at night/giving me constant headaches, the traffic outside my window was so loud (ugh, and still is! :)) that I could never seem to find rest, I was lonely in a new place where no one really "knew" me, I didn't even know the language of the people.... the new EVERYTHING just hit me and I started having all sorts of "Why did God have to call me to Africa where everything is so HARD?!" thoughts and "I miss my friends and family and dog! I belong in Dallas where I can watch the Cowboys and get Mexican food whenever I want it!" feelings. As I was trying to adjust to everything in my life being new, I needed- was craving, was yearning for- something familiar, something that wasn't foreign to me, something that didn't make me feel like a total fish out of water in a totally foreign and unknown land. I knew that God had called me here- and that He had just said "Go" (i.e. for an unknown/indefinite time period)- but in that first week as I was having such difficulty adjusting I couldn't help but question Him and wonder why He would bring me here to such a hard place when my life had been really pretty good in Dallas.

I cried out to Him, even whined. I wanted Him to come through "on His end" since I felt like I'd done my part in coming. :) .... And then He showed up. Of course. He had allowed me to need- to desire desperately, to cry out to Him- so that He could answer me.

That Sunday (day 8 in TZ for me) I went to church service (an international church) with my new Young Life friends here, and the moment we walked in and started singing songs of praise- people from Africa, America, England, from all over the world- praising Him together.... the Holy Spirit filled that place and filled my soul to the brim....! To overflowing! And I was HOME. The Lord reminded me that He is the Lord of ALL tribes, tongues, people, and nations (Rev. 5:9)..... He is the same yesterday, today, and FOREVER (Hebrews 13:8). While anything and everything can separate us from each other on this earth- and we can feel like total strangers and foreigners in unknown (or even familiar) places- His Holy Spirit never changes.... it unites people of all races, nations, and tongues.... and it brings us to HIM- right where we are- wherever we are.... and gives us a glimpse of Heaven on earth while we await our perfect future with Him forever.

One of the most profound experiences in my spiritual life was in college on a mission trip to Reynosa, Mexico. Witnessing the people and children there worship MY same God with the same love and passion (and so much more!) and in the same Spirit and truth as I did..... I knew that only the Holy Spirit of God could bring together people of such different backgrounds, cultures, and locations to worship Him in unity. No teaching, no traditions, no human "examples" can do this.... only the Spirit of God can bring together people of all tribes and nations to WORSHIP together. To worship with joy and life. To worship with passion and praise.

This same lesson that I learned in Mexico is what also brought me to a place where I can now be at Home in Tanzania. I've adjusted to a lot of the crazy ways of life here (like geckos on the wall and grocery shopping being an all-day scavenger hunt) but it was this moment in church- where His Spirit brought me together with the people in this country (and from all over the world)- that He reminded me that Home is where HE is- where His SPIRIT is- and where He has called me. When I am abiding in Him, He fills my cup to overflowing- in any country and in any circumstance. And He will never leave me or forsake me (Joshua 1:5). His Spirit lives in me (1 Cor. 6:19) and when I am abiding in Him, I never feel more at HOME.


p.s. Thank you for your prayers!! Day 1 and Week 1 at school have been wonderful!! The children are just wonderful, and I am so looking forward to the year ahead in which I can focus on art with them and be a witness of Christ to them! Thank you also for your prayers re: adjusting to the heat.... b/c oh my gosh, the heat is NOTHING to me now! Ha! It's so much hotter in Texas right now than it is in Tanzania and this TZ heat feels like nothing now.... I think the problem was just that I had come from "real" (as opposed to Tanzania's) winter in South Africa and Zimbabwe (where it really is cold!) so my body was used to cold for so long that the sudden heat shocked it and was hard to get used to at first. I'm still not really looking forward to "summer" here, but I know I'll be able to handle it b/c I'm used to Texas summers! And I've been adjusting to all those other crazy things I mentioned up above, too.... :) (and loving it! I love my Africa, just makes for some difficulties in transition when I came from the most opposite place in the WORLD- Dallas, TX) :) So, thank you again for your prayers!!

School starts tomorrow!

School starts tomorrow, and I would love your prayers for this first day and first week of classes! I am starting out teaching 6th-12th grades and will hopefully be adding in the primary grades within a few weeks (it's a full load!). I would love your prayers for preparation, organization, my relationships with my students, my teaching skills, and the first week "first impressions" that are so crucial to the entire year. I feel prepared in some ways for the week yet also not really capable of feeling totally prepared until I actually meet my students and get a feel for how the year will be. I'm really looking forward to all of the opportunities, relationships, and experiences that await me and am very grateful for your prayers that can truly make this year a "success". Most importantly, I desire for my students to see Christ in me and that my life would serve as a witness to them in very real and lasting ways (and that they would see that God is and desires to be a part of EVERY aspect of our lives- including art!).

I was thinking recently about all of the "new" things in my life right now.... New culture, new language, new lifestyle (totally new way of life!), new city, new friends, new food.... and a new JOB on top of that makes for a LOT of transitions and of lot of things to be processing at all times. I pray that these transitions would not keep me from being the best teacher that I can be (through Christ's strength!) and would love your prayers for that as well!

"And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.' Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong." -2 Cor. 12:9-10

Life here so far...

Ok, I'm finally going to try to update here... everything's been such a whirlwind with the transition and learning the city, etc. that it's hard to sit down and process/write about it all. This week I've been staying with some other Young Life people (a couple that also just moved here- Ben & Mary, and a couple that's been living here this year but is about to move back- Amy & Austin)... We've been staying at the Larmey's house (Steve, the YL Africa VP, & Dyan- they're out of town now, getting back next week), and Amy & Austin have been giving us a great orientation of the city and life here.

They've shown us where to shop for certain items.... A lot of daily items are purchased at the "dukas"- the little African markets/shop stalls that carry food, produce, toiletries, hardware, etc. There are a few bigger, more "normal" grocery stores and convenience stores where harder-to-find items are bought (i.e. cheese, cereal- which is about $10 a box!, specific toiletries, etc.). So they've been showing us the ins-and-outs of the city and where to go for what, which is super helpful!

Most transportation here consists of bicycle taxis (there's a seat on the back of the bike above the back wheel for the passenger), Bajaj's (a three-wheeled little covered car/buggy with a motorcycle engine- got to ride in one the other day!), and dala-dala's (buses/taxis- basically they're mini-vans crammed to capacity with people). We've been in a car this week but those will be my main forms of transportation for the year (though one of my roommates has a car- wahoo!)

AND.... yesterday I got to visit my school for the first time and see my house (and meet 2 of my 3 roommates).... my favorite part yet!! The school is absolutely wonderful- it's called Haven of Peace Academy and it is literally a haven! The school has a brand new admin building which is really nice (probably one of the nicest buildings in the country, seriously!) and the campus is just beautiful and peaceful and secluded.... it will be a great "haven" during the day away from the craziness of the rest of the city (not that they won't be crazy days with 300 students, though, of course ;)).

And my house is wonderful!! I have my own room and bathroom and the house has a roof deck that has a view of the Indian Ocean... amazing! We're moving in tomorrow and I can't WAIT to get settled in and unpack everything and finally make it HOME! Exciting new mini-design project for me. :)

Other than that, it's just typical Africa. People are in the streets everywhere at all times.... everyone is very friendly, though it's hard not being able to communicate with most people b/c of my *super* limited Swahili... goats and cows walk around in the streets with seemingly no owners (though they do always belong to someone)... dirt roads everywhere outside of the major city streets... and very humid with lots of mosquitoes.

The hardest thing so far is the humidity and the sun- it's "winter" here now but it's in the mid-to-high 80's with *crazy* humidity which makes it feel in the 90's. I'm used to the heat from Texas and am totally okay with it (I even like it some)... but I'm a little apprehensive as to how it will be when it's "summer" here and supposedly a lot hotter! Without A/C (I'll have it in my home during the summer but I think that's about it) it definitely takes its toll on you. Every day at midday I've taken a nap b/c the sun just drains the energy out of you, making you super tired! I'd love your prayers for adjustment to living in the heat with basically no A/C all day every day and also for continual transition time here and that the Lord forms solid, great relationships with my new friends here. I love it and am definitely here for a while- God called me here so this is my new home :) (and He didn't just call me here for a year, to clear up any confusion for those who still think this is just a "year-long adventure" for me) :-)

Thank y'all and I'll try to post some more exciting stories soon! :)

In Tanzania!

I'm here!! And loving it! I'm pretty tired after a long day- ready for bed, so just going to give some words now to give a picture of my life & experiences here so far .... (sorry for the repeats from Facebook!)

-Making lots of wonderful new friends
-Delicious Tanzanian dinner tonight with ugali, rice, beans, & cabbage
-African market shopping experiences today (wooden stalls & bargaining)
-Only able to speak about 10 words of Swahili (got lots to work on here...)
-A long run down a "street that has no name" (literally.... and it's a major road here too, ha!)
-Hot, humid, & mosquitoes!
-Overlooking the gorgeous Indian Ocean
-People & kids everywhere in the streets all over the city
-And... my favorite- HUGE smiles on kids in the street that just about kill me!! (No language barrier for that one) Words can't express....!


Feeling more and more at home with every experience. I love it. More updates to come soon!

Tomorrow is the day!

So, tomorrow is the day I finally move to Tanzania! I'm leaving in the morning at 7:00am for the airport.... I'm excited, a little nervous, and definitely anxious to meet my new home and life! I'd love your prayers in this transitional time.... don't have any specific requests, just whatever's on your heart- I'll take it! :) Thank you, thank you!! Once I get settled over there, I'll update here with specifics about my new life there. :) And I'll share some stories from these past few weeks.

Love to all.... I'm very excited for this next step in the journey the Lord has me on and cannot wait to see where He takes it from here! :-)