Africa the Beautiful

Only three days in and we’re quite taken with the corner of Africa known as Tanzania. Particularly the Kigoma region, on the shore of Lake Tanganyika. We still have much to learn and explore among the red-dirt lanes, straw-thatched roofs, and lush green fields.

Harold & Coni greeted us with the perfect amount of TLC, including Christmas music playing, a wonderful warm dinner, and an evening to just talk and laugh and share about our Father’s work in each of our lives since we were with them in Cape Town. The next morning Jason & I attended our first Sunday service in Swahili. The accapella music, accompanied only by the amazingly rhythmic hands and feet of the clapping and dancing congregation, was refreshing to the soul, to say the least. Jason did a fabulous job as he presented the morning message on Colossians 3 – the difference the world should see in those who have been redeemed. His first – but not last – time with a Swahili interpreter . They asked to hear from me as well and I was able to tell my brief memory of the first Christmas I learned what it was all about … when I was 5, my mom and dad (Mama & Babe – only Swahili words I know yet) gave me a storybook called “The Christmas Donkey” – my personal treasure, and I still remember the innocent awe I had when I realized why we celebrated.

Yesterday brought an unexpected change of plans. Harold has been in quite a lot of pain from a kidney stone, and had to be hospitalized night before last. He and Coni left yesterday for Nairobi, Kenya, the nearest facility that has the means to care for him. Internet and power's been down so we don't have more news yet, but we’re hopeful to hear that he won’t require surgery. For them, this means the obvious pain and set-back of whatever it takes to get well. For us, it means we’ve found ourselves the unsuspecting master and mistress of a home in Africa until they return. Jason will likely be teaching on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and we hope to be involved in Christmas preparations this week with the local community of believers, but with that does come the internal challenge of seeking creative and pro-active means of using our week in a place that is still so new. So, soon it will be our turn to welcome the weary travelers with some TLC … until then, we will be immersed in this new world and look forward to our Father being glorified despite/through this turn in the road.