Sometimes when we don't hear God's voice, He orders circumstances to 'guide' us! I believe that happened to me recently. For some reason everything connected with me getting my work (or entry) permit had the heading "delay" written on it. There have been so many delays that before we even had a chance to submit my application, the expiration of my visa was looming in the immediate horizon! Agh...I was pretty nervous (understatement)...then a co-worker Paul told me that he discovered a brother in Christ that he had not seen for years works for Immigration!
I really don't think that was a coincidence...so when Paul asked Davis if it would help if I visited some friends in Tanzania, Davis recommended that I fly and stay at least a week and I would possibly receive a 3 month visa upon my return. He even gave me an acknowledgment letter to prove that my permit is in process...just in case!
Even though the timing seemed strange (two weeks before we are closing the office for two weeks for the holidays!) I accepted that this trip was to be a gift from God and began to look forward to the blessings He had planned for me and for the Makali's...
So when the pilot said Mount Kilamanjaro was out the left side, I grabbed my camera and shot the only thing that even remotely resembled a mountain...think what you want, I have decided that is the 'real deal'!
These are two photographs that Pastor William shared with me as soon as I entered his home. He is so excited that they have installed a water tank for the preschool building! I don't blame him, that really is quite exciting!
My first morning I explored the yard and took this shot of the Makali home...that first open window is my room! You will see the inside shortly...
Martha posing near the 'floor plan' of her new preschool building. She is praying that she will have the funds to complete it by February. God prompted me to donate $100 towards her dream - when I entered Tanzania I fully expected to pay $100 for a visa and guess what! They did not require a visa for me to stay a week...so once Martha explained what that rock formation was, I quickly made the connection! (By the way, Amanda, it reminded me of those cool Lego house plans you used to create!)
Here is Martha posing in the tight space she now uses to teach 3 levels of preschool kids. She has 3&4 year olds, 5 year olds and 6 year olds. They are all at different levels so she is very creative in the way she segments the children and keeps age-appropriate materials on hand for them...
Her bookcase, full of all types of materials...
And of course, the blackboard! Her daughter Upendo (you will see her soon) helped us pose these shots!
As promised...here is 18 year old Upendo with her mom. We decided to look in the dictionary to see if there is any place in it that supports the African pronunciation of the word mosquito. They actually pronounce it phonetically (moskweto)...but according to Webster it is actually pronounced meskido...but then Upendo pointed out that Webster was American and that we actually need a British dictionary...
...but when we went to the internet cafe I tried to find any evidence that the Brits pronounce it the African way, and could find nothing...we all had much fun for the balance of my stay teasing each other about these little pests!
Martha decided that since I like this plant that I should have a picture of Upendo and me in front of it...okay...and since I don't look half bad, I decided to comply!
This is a plant that grows wild...Martha picks the leaves and makes the BEST greens I think I have ever tasted...pretty cool, huh?
Okay - as promised...here is my room...it was clean, cool and so comfy. And I even had a desk! That was an addition since my last stay...in fact when I stayed one night back in June, I think this room was being used more as a storage room than a bedroom...definitely a bedroom now!
Although...no place for my clothes. Rather than keeping them folded in my suitcase I spread them out each day and rolled them up each evening!
I asked about these bananas which are for cooking. They are different than the eating bananas. When these get ripe, they do not taste good...but, yummy, they sure do taste delicious when cooked...
...in fact, she picked some and cooked them up that same night...
...yummy, they were so so good. This is Martha laughing at me taking her picture! (the one she took of me was not flattering and since this is my blog I get to discriminate!)
I took this photo from my bedroom window...this mother and daughter have such a precious relationship that I just had to capture this sweet moment as they were walking and talking and laughing...they laugh so much it delights my heart!
And did I tell you that William is a pastor? He loves to preach and teach...and he has so many stories that he could keep me entertained for days, I am sure!
Sunday Martha and I walked to this church...sorry I only have one shot and this one before the 'overflow' room was full...Martha seemed a bit nervous when I pulled out my camera...but I was pretty impressed that this small church outside of town was pretty high tech...what you can't see is the TV in the overflow room so that we could watch the goings on inside the main room (which is what I shot in this photo)...the sermon was entitled "Empower Your Mind for Your Glorious Destination (or Destiny)"...even though it was delivered in Swahili, Martha translated for me and I was blessed - not only by the sermon, but by the whole service! We were given an awesome opportunity to pray according to Ez 21:27. When many of the congregation filed forward and then came back to their seats, Martha explained that they were getting anointing oil to pray under the anointing...she went forward to get some and shared with me...I prayed for God to 'ruin the schemes of the enemy' to block my visa...
...that night Martha made fish - so good! The reason I had to shoot this picture is because the sun had gone down and the lights don't work in her kitchen so she was cooking in the dark! But she was using the flashlight on her cell phone to help her see what she was doing (can you see the phone in her hand?) Even though I basically took this picture in the dark, I am amazed how good it came out! Can you see to the left in the picture is the raw fish and to the right are the cooked ones? and in the background you can see her 'shelving unit'...which is basically a couch and two chairs stacked on each other!
Here is the final product...a delicious meal of fish, greens (yup, from the yard!) and rice...
Okay, this shot was not too bad, so I kept it! Me eating the fish...Martha loved to take photos of me eating...later she told me that when people enjoy her cooking it makes her feel good, maybe that's why she wanted to capture the moment!
Is this a handsome family or what? L to R are Upendo (18), Martha (the mom), William (the dad) and Emmanuel (they call him Ima). They also have another son, Victor, who is in college in the states. Ima just completed his college education in the US last year and is busy acclimating back into TZ culture and looking for just the right employment to engage his amazing intellect.
These are the four who spent lots of time together all week. I told William I was grateful that he was gracious enough to leave the house every day so that I could get time with Martha! She and I discovered we have much in common; an interest in health and nutrition, an immense love for our children, love for children in general, and many common views about life in general.
...and to my delight I discovered that Upendo is an interesting, bright and wise young woman! I kept having to remind myself that she is only 18! We had such fun together walking, talking and laughing.
And, oh by the way, I got my 3 month visa at the airport in Nairobi! And I did not even have to use that acknowledgment letter! Thanks so so much to all of you who have been praying for me! Now I have another 3 months to walk that entry permit through the process at Immigration!!!
Our service today began with a very fun 'contest' (after a time of praise and worship of course!) Our Senior Pastor and his family asked question after question about facts surrounding the birth of Jesus...in the photo - to the far left is the first-born girl, our pastor John Wesley Nguuh and his wife, Pastor Josephine...
...and one of the twins...
Here are two women who thought they knew the answer to the first question; "Who was the emperor at the time of the birth of Jesus?"...each person standing was to tell someone nearby their answer...then once the answer was given all who were correct (Caesar Agustus) remained standing. They were then eligible to answer the next question; "How many wise men visited the baby Jesus?". Those who knew that the Bible does not specify a number remained standing for the next question "How long was the prophetess Anna married before her husband died?" and on it went until only 7 were left standing...
...here is a fuzzy photo of six of the seven...
...number seven was this little guy! We discovered later that all the adults left standing are in the church's discipleship program - kudos to the program! and the disciples!
Our pastors asking a question to pare the semi-finalists down to 5...the number of sweets for prizes...
..and the big winner got a cake! Presented to him by the 'other twin' who was in charge of the prizes...
Here are the 5 semi-finalists receiving their sweets...
Pastor Murimi delivered a captivating message entitled "Choice for Destiny", and many today made the choice to spend eternity in Heaven...Hallelujah!
While we all sang "We wish you a merry Christmas..." one of the kids was doing his best to cature it on tape!
Singing, laughing and worshiping with brothers and sisters in Christ was the best way I can think of to start my Christmas day!
