Like every other, month 9 in Tanzania
has flown by. Overall, our three months in Africa have gone by much
quicker than I anticipated, and in less than two weeks we will be
heading to Latvia in Eastern Europe!
Since my parents did not make it out
for the parent trip in Kenya, I spent the first week with team Ascend
the Hill in Arusha near the Kenya/Tanzania border. Still exhausted
from month 8 debrief, I was advised to rest for a couple days before
jumping into any ministry with the team. Their primary ministry for
the month has been door to door evangelism, though a couple times a
week are spent serving at an orphanage and a secondary school.
I am continually amazed by African
culture and how open everyone is to door to door evangelism. The
families we visit are not only eager to hear what we have to say but
many also invite us into their homes, sharing snacks, tea and soda
with us.
Really one of the best things about
ministry that week with team Ascend the Hill was the opportunity to
observe them flourish as a team, in and out of ministry. By the
second or third day of door to door evangelism, the Spirit really
began to move among them, giving each of them specific words for
specific men and women in the community.
Whether it was a group of men needing
to be encouraged by a fellow Christian man, a couple of teenage boys
needing encouragement to go back to church and pursue a relationship
with our Father, or a mother needing prayer and divine protection
from a tormenting spirit, team Ascend the Hill was there to give, and
I am so thankful for the opportunity I had to serve alongside them.
One particularly special treat I had
during that time was in the form of two incredibly cute and adorable
girls Shalon and Mary. I currently do not have any pictures available
to upload, but I will try and get a couple uploaded by the end of the
month for you all to see! Mary is the Pastor’s 4 year old daughter
and Shalon is her 3 year old friend.
Honestly, I can not explain how great
it was just watching them play and laugh! They were always laughing
about something, and even though none of us World Racers spoke
Swahili and they don’t speak English, it was a blast hanging out with
them and giving them piggy back rides. They call Thailand the Land of
Smiles, but honestly those few days I had around Shalon and Mary made
Tanzania feel like it deserves a similar title.
As I have come to learn as a squad
leader on the World Race, every week comes to a close far too
quickly. Though I was grateful to see Lizi and Alyssa make it to
Arusha safely and excited to spend time with them, it also sadly
meant that my time with team Ascend the Hill and being at their
ministry location had come to an end.
Lizi, Alyssa and I are now down in
Morogoro spending some time with team Greater Love. Our last week in
Tanzania will be spent pouring into the team as well as preparing and
praying for a leadership retreat that we are putting together for the
team leaders in Nairobi, Kenya before heading to Latvia! Please be
praying that everything goes well during the retreat and the Holy
Spirit moves in powerful ways!
