God Keeps His Promises....

In the wee hours of the morning, right as the sun was coming over the horizon - Steve and I were in an airplane flying over Kenya... as the light brightened the ground beneath me and I could see through the clouds to what was below I quickly put on my ipod to the song 'Here we stand' by Newsboys and listened as my eyes just flooded with tears!

God keeps his promises, 8 years ago He called me to this land - East Africa and here I was with my husband flying over what I truly believe to be 'our nation' that God has given to us! This is the place God has great things in store for us and our family... we literally can only stand in awe at all that is to come...

When we landed in Dar it was pouring rain, but by the time we got our visas and baggage and got outside it was sunshine and warmth greeting us from all sides - it was glorious!!! We purchased tickets to Arusha for Tuesday morning (a day earlier than planned = YaY!) and waited for our driver to pick us up. I spotted the Friendly Gecko sign and waved at him, his name is Jacob and doesn't speak very much english but thanks to our trusty english/swahili dictionary and phrase book we got him talking a little bit (as I was humorously smashed in the back seat with 3 large suitcases and a broken window that wouldn't roll down - lol I was still smiling!!!) Oh yes, my seatbelt was broken as well so I just had to pray a little harder as we weaved in and out of traffic barely missing buses, cycles, and PEOPLE that were literally everywhere! We also saw a lot of people walking through the slower/stopped traffic trying to sell things.

Once we got the Friendly Gecko over an hour later, the director was not there and we were feeling a little clueless  because our phone & the internet was not cooperating and we couldn't even find a clock anywhere, but then again we're on Africa time now and God's teaching us trust & patience so we survived. Eventually we found some european volunteers and they directed us toward a western restaurant which we got to by bajaji (like a car build over a motorcycle or something (has 3 wheels), anyways we survived that and had a nice lunch: cheeseburger, french fries, and pepsi! I know, not very adventurous but we thought we'd have a treat then commit to the culture (haha) although I'm a little worried because it would seem eggs, beans, & veggies are staples and pardon the bluntness but do they WANT everyone to be gassy 24/7 cuz I just don't see any other way around it?! lol, other than that our tummies are still doing fine and we're in good spirits if not just a little tired yet :) I think we'll get the hand of the time change very quickly though.

This afternoon we are going with one of the guesthouse's volunteers (Flora) to the Help 2 Kids orphanage to hang out with their 30 children so that will certainly be exciting and then dinner with everyone at the guesthouse tonight at 6pm (but remember our time here is 8 hours later than what it is back home in Iowa).

We appreciate your prayers, traveling was awesome apart from being excruciatingly tired at the aiport in London before we took off for Dar but did just a little sightseeing in London for Steve (since I've been there) and he really enjoyed that so it was worth it :) Very smooth sailing and actually slept pretty well from London to Dar which was great cuz that meant it was actually night-time in Dar as well so our sleep shouldn't be too far off now :) this is going to be quite the adventure and will certainly be over MUCH too soon but I still can't wait to get home to see my little princess.... it really hurt to say bye to her :'( but I hear she's having a BLAST hanging out with grandma and grandpa (my parents) and watching her new favorite person = DORA (lol)

(sweet little girl, I believe this was Angela, at the Help 2 Kids orphanage the our guesthouse works with & supports - a portion of proceeds from our stay goes straight to them!)