November 15, 4:55am
Wake up on the floor of the girls room in Sumbawanga, Tanzania. Realize it’s not my team’s “girls room�, but Redemption’s, another World Race team in the same town. Drag sleeping bag and pillow out to living room to stuff into backpack. Hear the chicken’s start waking up in the room next to the squatty potty. Wait in living room for random taxi to show up outside to drive Nathan Salley (fellow squad leader) and I to the bus station. Move backpack onto couch so Pastor Amos can back up his dirt bike.
6:30am
Backpacks are loaded in the “first boot� of the bus to Mbeya. Salley and I have crammed into our L4 and L5 seats in the last row of the bus. I attempt to move the legs of woman in L3. She’s not taking the hint, so I share one seat’s worth of leg room. Luckily I don’t have to wait long before one of the first big jolts allow me to strategically move my legs and hers about a foot to the right.
9:00am
Two and a half hours into our seven hour bus ride. I’m remembering two weeks ago when our squad was heading into Tanzania and we were all complaining about the random speed “bumps� which were apparently made to resemble Mount Kilimanjaro, which we passed not long after crossing the Tanzanian border. The road between Sumbawanga and Mbeya is a constant dirt road roller coaster ride of bumps and ditches, potholes, lack of road, rained out ditches. There will be no sleep or reading on this bus ride.
11:00am
Woman in L3 and I end our fight for leg space when she departs the bus. Hope comes in three forms-more leg space, fresher smelling air, and arrival at the town that signifies a switch to paved roads. Celebrate with “Nice� cookies. They’re good. You should try them.
1:11pm
This is Africa. And we’ve arrived at the bus station in Mbeya 11 minutes after the time of arrival given to us by the bus company. I had given and ETA of 3pm. Salley and I throw our bags down by a Coca-Cola table and chairs and sit down for some chips (fries) and a couple of sodas while we wait for Freedom’s Fire to find us.
4something pm
Crash in a bed at FF’s (Freedom’s Fire) contacts. Alone. A bed. By myself. Fall asleep reading scriptures about joy.
5:15pm
Follow the sound of a guitar and North Carolina boy singing. Find said guitar and boy surrounded by crowd of children. Spend the next glorious hour singing worship songs, surrounded by Tanzanian children, watching them smile and laugh. Reminder that “ministry� isn’t just going to happen when I’m with my team, in “ministry time�.
8:30pm
Sitting in the living room, surrounded by amazing people, listening to the guitar, amazed at life in Africa right now, disbelieving that time here is almost up.
(above) chillin with the kids at our church in Sumbawanga
