You know you're in Africa when…
…you ask a friend what the condition of a bathroom is and get excited when the answer is: there's a real toilet (instead of just a hole in the ground.)
…rice and beans are eaten at least once a day.
…you feel like a celebrity walking down any street because everyone waves at you and wants to shake your hand because you are white. "Mizungu, I am fine, how are you?!" can be heard from all directions.
…any idea of personal space goes out the window on any bus ride, clown cars have nothing on African Matatus.
…preaching sermons are normal life, and you actually start to think giving them is kinda fun.
…you wake up with mosquito bites all over your arm because in your sleep you must have pushed up against the mosquito net.
…playing with orphans and street children is the highlight of your day…LOVE their smiling faces and talking to each other as if we speak the same language.
…you splurge and pay a little more to ride on the back of a motorcycle instead of the usual transportation- riding on the back of a bicycle (a boda boda).
…walking through the grass, you are scanning for snakes because it's not uncommon to see one slithering away from you, or in your kitchen.
…your safari jeep driver opens his car door to throw rocks at a sleeping lion so you can get a good picture. …a lioness stalks, kills and begins to eat a wildebeest right in front of your eyes.
…soccer is constantly on any TV you find and American football is nonexistent.
…it takes a week, 83 hours on 7 different buses to reach your next ministry site.
…a mouse runs over your foot in a bus station "office".
…you are welcomed in as family by some of the friendliest, most accommodating people in the world.
…drinking Pineapple Fanta out of a glass bottle happens daily.
…a doctor diagnoses you as having 'The Malaria'. That day you tell two of your Tanzanian friends and both of their responses are "Ahh, me too."
…rain clouds are a welcomed sight at any time because that means a temporary break from the sun's heat.
…discussions about different strategies for hand washing clothes is commonplace and helpful.
I realize it has been a couple months since my last blog. Hopefully this gives you a little picture of life in Africa. I've pretty much loved it so far. We worked with wonderful pastors in Kenya and Tanzania…loved them, their ministries and their families! In Bungoma, Kenya we visited homes to pray with people, were involved in the church's cell groups, visited an orphanage, put on a weekly chapel hour at a school, danced with the worship team, and preached on Sunday mornings.
In Singida, Tanzania we also visited some homes to pray with people, and I preached a sermon our last Sunday there. The majority of our ministry was spent playing with street children and orphans close to the church. We painted their nails, colored with them and one day brought a computer to watch a movie! I fell in love with a little girl, Natabu (couldn't get the picture to load on here, there one of us on facebook). I got sick with Malaria our last couple days in Singida and didn't get to say goodbye to her, but the pastor has set up a way for me to support her in paying her school fees and giving some money monthly for food/clothes so I will be able to keep in touch with her. He will send me updates and pictures so I will be able to watch her grow up! (A special thank you to Lisa, Deborah and FJ for offering to cover these expenses until I get home and have an income again, y'all are the best!)
After 7 long days of travel, we finally arrived in Maputo, Mozambique last Thursday. This month we will be doing some manual labor: building fences, painting, etc. at a boys home/school. I am currently laying in my hammock, looking up at palm trees and loving every breeze that blows through them. I'm confident this will be another great month.
