Hey guys,
Per usual, as I am completing my time in a country, I write a blog listing my favorite memories of my time there. This month has certainly been an interesting one, so here goes!
– Travel Day. In my previous blog http://kevingottlieb.theworldrace.org/?filename=travel-days-attitude-perspective-shift I talked about the crazy few days it took to get us here. It included several (very long) bus rides, two flights, and waiting around for things to happen. Nothing new on the Race, of course, but it makes for a fun story to tell.
– Our lodging. This month, we stayed with our contact, Pastor Paul, and his family. They live in a village that is situated on a hill outside of the town of Mwanza. It takes a literal hike to get to the house but the view from our window is amazing. I was able to look out on the rest of the town.
– The children. Because of our location in the village and because we stood out as Americans, we became the local tourist attraction for the children. Every day, children would show up at our door, waiting to play with us or just sit with us. Every time I went outside to practice my guitar, an audience formed right away. We would also teach the children English and they would teach us Swahili. Quick lesson – “Rafiki Ongu” means “My friend!”
– The Church. This month, part of our ministry was to help Pastor Paul at his church. We would preach sermons, lead Bible studies, and sing songs, among other things. We also were asked to lead a week-long seminar where we could choose topics to discuss. It was a great chance to be able to minister to the congregation as well as practice skills such as public speaking and guitar playing.
– The Hospital. One of our ministries this month was working with a local hospital and visiting the sick. I wrote a blog about this experience [include link] where I talked about some of the people I met. Check out that blog for more details but suffice to say that it was a powerful experience that opened my eyes to those who live in situations much less fortunate than myself.
– The Food. This month we were so blessed to be living with a family that cooked for us. Every day, we were served three meals, and let me tell you, these meals were delicious and it varied from day to day. Some days we had rice, other days, we had noodles, or potatoes, or even fish a few times. The only thing that was consistent for every meal was beans. I think I put on a few pounds from this month.
– The People. One of the things that is endearing about Tanzania is the friendliness of the people. Wherever we went, people would greet us and shake our hand. People loved talking to us and asking us questions. During this month, we also got to do some house visits. Just like the Dominican Republic, the people were so welcoming and would invite us into their house with a smile on their face. One of the women that we met was quite interesting. Her name is Monica. [Include picture] She is 101 years old and has 24 children! She had her last child when she was 61. She doesn’t really seem that old, though, because of her energy. When we visited her house, she was out hoeing the garden and she would climb down the mountain to go to church every Sunday. It was so cool to meet someone who has that much age and energy combined. It gives me hope for when I’m that old.
– The countryside. Nothing short of spectacular. One of the most beautiful things about Africa is the amazing landscape that God has created. The sunsets here are amazing and I loved sitting outside watching the sun set from our balcony. Also, during our travel day to Malawi, our bus went through a national park and we got to see some of the wildlife up close. It was crazy!
Anyways, these are just a few of the highlights from Tanzania.
For the month of March, our squad is in Malawi! Confession: I didn’t even know Malawi was a country in Africa until they told me a few weeks ago. I’m actually posting this blog from Malawi and let me tell you, this place is awesome! I’m excited to do ministry this month which will involve working with the street kids and orphans of the capital city of Lilongwe. Keep us in your prayers.
And, in case you didn’t hear, I’m FULLY FUNDED!!!!! Thanks to all of your generous giving I will be definitely finishing the Race. Thanks for keeping me here and stay tuned for more exciting updates from a country that is truly one of Africa’s hidden gems.
