One Year in Tanzania

Wow!! This has been on my mind a LOT lately: the fact that I've been coming up to my one year anniversary in Morogoro, Tanzania. So, maybe it's not seven years in Tibet (if you've never seen that movie, it's really good), but honestly, it hardly feels like it could possibly be true. I mean, I just got here, right?? I'm still figuring so much of it all out (though, I have come a long way since my arrival). But, I don't think my calendar is lying and officially, one year ago yesterday I landed in DAR, and one year ago today, I arrived in Morogoro full of anticipation and excitement!

I often think back to when I first arrived in Tanzania. I was so excited because I had been dreaming of doing something like this since God placed this vision in my heart at a Jars of Clay concert when I was only about 12 or 13 years old. Before I left, I compared my experience to Rapunzel from the movie Tangled. She had dreamed of seeing the floating lights for years and years. But, when she finally got to the moment, she was so afraid that it wasn't going to be everything that she had dreamed that it would be. And, if it was everything she had dreamed it would be, she had no idea what to do next because that had been her goal for so many years. I could easily say that before coming here, I had those same worries. However, having lived here for a year now, I can safely say that my experience has far exceeded my wildest dreams and I have little fear of the next step in life (graduate school).

When I left the states, I thought that I was prepared, but really there's nothing that can fully prepare you for an experience like this. When I arrived, I had no friends here, I knew I was going to be the only mzungu (foreigner) at my site, I didn't know a word in Swahili (except Maji), I had never been to a third world country before much less lived in one. I knew that I had to meet Pastor Umba, whom I had not formally met before, and I was so afraid that he wouldn't be at the airport when I arrived. But, praise God he was there!! When I explained my arrival to a fellow missionary about how I came here, she told me that I was very brave. My response to that was: "Maybe. I was either very brave or very stupid!" Of course, bravery or stupidity placed aside, when presented with a challenge of this magnitude, the only choices are to sink or swim. So, I called out to God and trusted Him that by His amazing grace He would hold me up above the crashing waves. And, has He ever done so!

When I arrived, I was so unsure of so many things (even the most simplistic things). For example, how was I supposed to greet others? And, was it considered OK for me to sit out in the living room area to read, or did I have to do that in my own room? Was I expected to help with cooking at Pastor's house? How in the world do you wash clothes well by hand? Where do I buy groceries? How much does a daladala ride cost? And so much more. I have had some wonderful guides through the culture including the Pastor and his family, teachers at the school, other members of the church and surrounding community, and other missionaries. I'm so thankful for the people that God has placed in my life here to help me through my struggles as I come to understand this culture that I have been presented with. It's been a very rough road, and I've struggled with everything from loneliness, to language ineptitude (which I'm still working on ;) ), to cultural frustrations, and even being robbed. But, it's never got to the point where I regretted coming here. In the midst of all of the struggles, I can see that God is making a beautiful thing out of Tanzania and out of me. I've had so many incredible experiences with my students at school, members of our church and community, and other missionaries to count. It's overwhelming, and I often wonder how a person can experience so many new things and change so much in one year alone. I guess in a way, I've been like a baby. I came knowing so little and I've grown so much into the Tanzanian life. Maybe you could call now call me a "child of Tanzania", but I wouldn't be able to accept anymore than that. There's still so much that I don't understand, and I have so much still to learn. So, for now, I take my God's hand and I say "bring it on"! :D

In honor of my one-year celebration, here, in no particular order, are some highlights from photos that I've posted to my blog during my time in Tanzania. Honestly, the photos are but a small reflection of the big picture of what has happened here in Morogoro over the past year. A photo cannot capture the emotions a person feels or the growth that takes place in a person over time. But, they do serve as a reminder of those things and I hope that it gives you, my readers, an appreciation of what God is doing here.

Wesley Primary School

Pastor's House

The house Kjirstin and I are living at currently

My hand-washed clothes

Making chapati

Cooking preparations for the Class VII graduation

Cooking set-up from when I was living at the pastor's house.

Cooking eggs with our new kerosene jiko

Recorders with Class VII

Playing frisbee with fellow missionaries

Visit to Agape Children's Village

Making balloon dogs at school with the visiting missionary team

Visit to a Masai village

Mikumi National Park

Visiting missionary team member and church members

Language School 

Class V singing at the Class VII graduation 

English Choir

Teaching Music and English

Field trip to Bagamoyo

Church Youth Service

Visit to Day Spring Orphanage

Mountain hike to Bondwa with my Swahili tutor

I leave you all with my deepest appreciation for reading my blogs over the past year. It means so much to see how many views I've received at the end of each month, and now the total views have far exceeded 3,000!! Your support of my mission is valuable and reminds me that people do care about what God's doing in other places in the world. Also, any financial support you would be willing to offer is greatly appreciated as I still have a ways to go in funding my last six months of work here. If you want to know more about how to donate, please click the icon at the top that is labeled "How to Donate".

May the Lord Bless You and Keep You,
~Christine