Arrived Safely in Tanzania

Well here I am in Tanzania and what a place. I am not sure where to begin.

My flights although long were very good. No turbulence to speak of. The route to Amsterdam was over Edmonton, the top of Hudson's Bay, Greenland and then Iceland. Unfortunately it was cloudy and I was unable to see these new sights.

From Amsterdam to Kilimanjaro it was a new day, and not cloudy. I saw the Alps, the Mediterranean Sea and the endless sands of the African desert. When I was over Libya the view of the horizon was in two colours only. Brown sand on the bottom and blue sky on the top. Amazing!

I was met at the airport and taken to a hotel for the night. I thought I would be spending a few days in and around Dar es Salaam, but was given different information when I arrived. I was told that I would be picked up at 6 15 am and be taken to the bus station to go to Moshi.

The bus station was crazy! Traffic jam like you have never seen in a very small place. Buses moving forward 20 feet and then backing up 25 feet, crossing in front of other buses. It was very interesting to see.

The bus trip was about 7 hrs and I sat with a girl named Daisy. She answered all the questions that I had about Tanzania and what I was seeing.

The weather has been overcast, but warm. My body seems to be a bit damp all the time from a mild sweat. I have not seen or encountered any mosquitos or biting insects as of yet, but I have been using the bug repellent. That might be why, as a couple of other volunteers have been quite bit up in their time here.

I am staying at a hostel just out of town 20min walk to the road where the bus stops. I have never seen or stayed in a hostel before, but I was very pleasantly surprised. It is very nice and clean. I was welcomed by Hannah and felt very much welcome.

Yesterday, Gracie - Hannah's sister took me to Moshi and showed me around town. She took me to the bank, to the internet cafe, to the local produce market and to the other market. It is very interesting here - along 2 blocks, on the sidewalk, outside the shops there are people, both men and women, sitting at sewing machines, sewing clothes.

The women's clothes are just like on tv. Long colourful skirts, beautiful tops, some women were in the fields working in these clothes. You see women carrying large bundles or 5 gallon buckets filled with water on their heads. Oftentimes without using their hands, just balancing it on their heads. Amazing to see!

The people for the most part have been friendly, courteous and polite. The kids that I have seen seen curious about me, I think because my skin is so light and freckled. I can't wait to start work at the orphanage.

On monday I will be starting my language and cultural training. That will be good as people keep saying "Hello" and "how are you" and I don't know what they are saying or how to respond. Hannah and Gracie are trying to teach me, but I need to write it down to know what it means.

More will make sense after next week.

Prayer request: My hostel hosts - Fredrick and Hannah are from Kenya and they have to leave their children with Hannah's mother while they work here in Kenya. They would like to be able to work in Kenya and be with their family. This is possibly in the works for January - please remember them.

Also Hannah is going home to Kenya on Sunday morning as there is a parents' day at her daughter's school on Tuesday - please pray for safe travel for her

I thank God for bringing me to this place and placing me with these people. Fredrick was a youth pastor in Kenya and he has worked in the slums of Kenya with the drug addicted. He has offered to take me and show me this during my time here. I also thank God for Hannah and for the welcome she gave me. It was genuinely the love of Christ that I felt from her.

Sorry, I didn't upload photos as I forgot my cable at the hostel.

Take care all of you and God bless you.