Mwandege

This is the village where I live. You probably won't see it on any map--but to give you all a point of reference we are south of Dar es Salaam.

My first week here has gone well. I've been into Dar three times now--quite a bit more than expected! But Nicola has had a lot to do before leaving for KIGOMA (got it right this time--last time I called it kidogo which means 'small' in Swahili, oops!, although it IS a small city). I'm not sure how often I'll be coming in after this, but if you don't hear from me, don't worry because I'm fine, just staying in the village. It's a nice village--mostly almost all Muslims. We hear the call to prayer five times a day, but we are at last making inroads here. The base has a preschool that is basically free (they just pay for a uniform and a notebook), and with really excellent teachers. They teach the children to pray before meals, and then when they go home and sit down to the family dinner, they say "we can't eat until we thank Jesus for the food." Small missionaries.

I had a fantastic talk, actually, last night with Rahab, the main preschool teacher. We took a moonlit walk through the YWAM property and shared our hearts with each other. Talked about people's perseptions of what Africa is like--all bush bush with wildlife and huts and only like three people--people come here and are surprised to see the cities and the cars and all the people. Such a distorted view we get from watching PBS nature shows--we think we've seen all of Africa or South America (I'm remembering a show I watched lately on the Amazon jungle), but we have no idea how most of the people live or what things are like. It's a beautiful country, Tanzania, for the trees and wildlife, but even more so for the people--they are so kind and welcoming and have embraced me from the start. I thought it would be weird coming here as a mazungu (white person), but you know, I feel like I fit in better here than I ever did in India, even though I look more Indian than African, you know? Still the children will stare at me, and the other day I was on a daladala (small bus) and the woman next to me had a baby in her lap who kept looking at me with big brown eyes, and reaching out to touch my arm. But it's like there is a place for me, here. I am different, but I am inside. In India I felt like I was different, and always outside. This is in part true because of the caste system and because you must be born into it and foreigners are always foreign and will never be in the castes. Anyway, I love it here. It has been a wonderful experience so far. Last night after our walk, I came back to my room, and my roommate told me "I think you are African." I have never been so touched.

Jason has been able to call me on my cell phone--it is so wonderful to talk to my beloved! Thank God! He is always encouraging me and lending me his strength. I have a wonderful husband. God saw that it was good!

Yesterday I went to church in Dar with the base directors/leaders--Jeremiah and his wife Beate. Beate is from Germany, and Jeremiah is from Kenya. They are sweet people. I have had many long talks with Beate and been blessed to see her heart for Africa. After church we (Nic & I) were invited for tea on the veranda. (Lips would be fine, ma'am [ring a bell for anyone--sorry if that was over your head]) Well, it wasn't a verandah but a picnic table in the shade of their mango tree, which was even better. Lovely

The other day I learned how to sift rice. It's quite the process, and I spilled quite a bit on the ground, pole sana (so sorry). It takes a lot of technique, and I'm still very new at it but God's grace is with me. Someone asked me how I get all the stones and chaff out of the rice at home if I don't sift it like they do----and it was difficult to explain it comes that way from the store. A sign and a wonder!

I have been a bit discouraged by the fact that I have no deliveries yet! Jason reminds me that God has ordained this, and that He has set up deliveries and it's not by my power or wisdom or strength that they will happen. I was very close the other day, adn then I didn't deliver. It was frustrating to think about and look at, but today was good. I was outside after breakfast, talking to Kassia, and one of the men from the DTS walked up and told me: "I had a dream last night, and when I woke up, God told me to tell you. He has called you here, you are supposed to be here NOW." I was moved almost to tears, but people here don't cry so much, so I stifled it. God is good. I have not been forgotten. I was not mistaken to come here. I need to walk in that--pray for me that I will see things as God sees them and not as I usually see them. I'm so small (kidogo) and He is so big (kubwa). Thank you for all your prayers.