Karibu tena means welcome again in Swahili. That’s exactly
what I have been feeling since I stepped foot back on the soil of Tanzania. It
feels like home. I have been here before. The people are familiar. The smells
are familiar. The culture is familiar. I came back home. And even though I am
in a completely different part of the country, where I have never been before,
I still feel as if I know it and I feel as if I still belong here.
It has been a little weird though. I haven’t been able to
see any of my old friends or African family that lives and works in
Arusha-where I have done ministry in the past. It almost feels like I am at a
place that feels like home, but I haven’t gone by the house yet to see the
people I care for.
This month we are located in Mbeya city,which is in the
southwestern part of the country. We are living at Nzovwe Assemblies of God
church and our ministry this month is solely being pastors. We spend our days
in the Word preparing for sermons and attending services where the Gospel is
preached. It is a month where we each get to spend our time being filled up by
the Lord. He is meeting us time and time again and filling us up for ministry.
We live in a small compound as 16 women (2 teams), where we
use squatty potties and take bucket baths. The food includes chipotti-which is
like an African tortilla, lots of cucumbers and bananas, French fries, rice,
cabbage and other African food. We end each night with a cup of tea, which is
how I personally love to end every night.
God has truly blessed me so far this month. I got the
opportunity to actually spend Father’s day with my actual dad! He had been with
Here’s Life, a ministry that we have both worked with in the past in Arusha,
and he took a 20 hour bus ride to Mbeya city to spend a few days with our teams
and preach a sermon. Seeing my dad provided so much rest for my soul and gave
me a jolt to be able to continue on the race for the next 5 months.
I will be preaching my sermon on Psalm 23 tomorrow night. Be
praying for that. I will post my sermon notes after I preach.
Mungu Akubariki! (God Bless You)
sisk
