My team has wasted no time in adopting the names as they come, they seem to think they are highly entertaining.
But on a serious note we are out of Africa. Africa was hard. It was exhausting. It was beautiful, its people were beautiful, but I am worn out. Tanzania turned out to be a great month and we had a great connection with the family. They were so good to us and it was without question one of the hardest good-bye’s we have had to say. I already miss that family, but know that leaving is simply a part of the trip. The same church and family will however be receiving a world race team later this year or early next year. Very cool to hopefully keep up with the team whoever that is.
We spent most of our time in Tanzania visitng church members, mainly the elderly ones. It was a very busy month in the beginning but slowly calmed as the month went on, allowing us to spend more time with the family.
The town of Iringa is one of my favorite we’ve been to, and easily had the most white people of any place we did ministry in Africa.
To be quite honest, I didn’t really know what to expect going into Africa and was even a little intimidated. Now 3 months later, I can say that Africa, was Africa. Africa is full of people who are just people. They need the gospel. We were constantly around families who raised children to be good people. Parents who worked to make a living. There was to be sure, less luxury, but life is life, much as it is anywhere. People make the best with what they have. There is poverty in Africa certainly, and to be honest I don’t think we were in some of the worst places, but what I saw in Africa was people being themselves. Some people are happy, some are sad, some are upset at the world, some need Jesus, some have Jesus.
Many people I know come have come back from Africa never again to be the same. They seem to find a joy that lives there and grab hold of it. II can’ honestly say I loved Africa with everything in me. It was hard, and exhausting. I loved a lot of the people we met and sincerely hope to return someday, but I think its safe to say Africa and I need a break from one another.
This month after quite a flip-flop my team will in fact be heading to Vietnam. We will have a smorgasbord of ministries to choose from which is quite exciting, one of which might include getting to play some ultimate Frisbee. I am much more excited about this month that I thought I would have been. At first was very intimidated of Vietnam, but am now very eager to get rolling.
We have two months left of team before splitting up into guys and gals for the last month.
Please be in prayer for us as we travel to Vietnam on Thursday. The Vietnam embassy currently has my passport so with any luck they are nice enough to return it with my visa to their country.
I woke up at 7 this morning in order to try and stream one of the final four games, after a hour and half I decided to cut my losses and just go back to sleep. I am however hoping we get to watch Butler take on Duke in the finals.
Hope everyone back home is well. Miss you all.
Birthday is in T minus 18 days, that’s kind of exciting…..23 fairly lame, but what can you do.
