Tanzania 101

I've arrived! Safely, and in one piece as well.

Tanzania is beautiful. Reminds me a lot of Mexico, except more humidity and fewer people. The base is outside the main city, so we have room to breathe and some small farming operations, and trees and (apparently) monkeys--baboons actually-- that they're trying to be rid of. (Sorry, Phil & Jen!) I haven't seen them yet, but I have seen guinea fowl, cows, and goats. One very pregnant goat caught my attention today on my way into town. It looked like she had a two-by-four stuck in her sideways.

Anyway, the clinic is at the YWAM base, and they have two or three midwives (one isn't currently working, but she's on base), and two doctors (husband & wife). I met the doctors last night--they had us over for dinner. Who's us? Nicola & I! Nicola was one of the teachers on my Birth Attendant school in Perth/India/Timor. I knew she was here in Tanzania, but I didn't know she'd be meeting me on my first day! she's been staying at the base here, waiting for me. Soon she'll head out to Kidogo to work with Marine Reach--community profiling and doing whatever else she's doing. It's been so good to see both her & Ulani on this trip. She's just the same as she's always been--unchanged, like Bilbo after fifty years with the One Ring.

Dar Es Salaam (proper) is a bit out of the way, so I don't know how often I'll be coming here. Often enough to recharge my phone card and call Jason, so any info you need about me can be gained through him. :) If he wants to disclose it, that is.

Last night was my first night here. After we had dinner with Joel & Deborah, I did a bit of journaling (so I don't forget what's happened) then fell into a deep, though hot, sleep. I woke up in the middle of the night to some stupid mozzies (mosquitos) buzzing round my head. It's the worst little whining buzz, eh? Anyway, I was swatting at them in the dark and missing every time, and finally they stopped. I figured they'd had enough blood and couldn't fly any more and wandered off somewhere. When I woke up in the morning (today), I don't have a single bite! God's good. While they were driving me crazy, I started singing (in my head because I didn't want my roomies waking up thinking I was insane) "Some may trust in horses, some may trust in chariots but we will trust in the Name of the Lord." I sang it that way as well as "Some may trust in antimalarials, and some in mozzie nets, but we will trust in the Name of the Lord." He's so good to me. I know this is going to be an incredible time. It's been ordained from the beginning. I'm just walking into it.

Jason had the grace to remind me yesterday with an email about "Mexico Flexico". Not that I've started to stress out about things or whatever but it's a good reminder to carry with me, as I've just arrived and I'm sure something eventually could become stressful before I leave. Something I find myself continually saying, not sure whether more to myself or to God is "Tu me ves." (You see me.) Don't know when or where that started, but it's like whenever I feel the enemy trying to bring doubts about things, I just keep saying, "Senor, Tu me ves." And it's a comfort to my heart. He sees me, He has seen me from the beginning, I'm in His hand and His will and walking out under His wings and His blood.

Some people were asking me a few questions I couldn't answer before, so here are a few answers: What kind of language is Swahili? My previous reply was "An African language", but I'll ammend it to a language based on Arabic. I don't know anything but two tiny phrases in Arabic, so I didn't see the similarity, but I have it from a good source. Although it's considerably easier to learn than Arabic. Second question: What does Dar es Salaam mean? Haven of peace.

Twende. Dios les bendiga.