April 3, 2007

hello prayer team!

i arrived succesfully to tanzania late last night and am now here on the ywam base in arusha. it is beautiful and the people are so nice! they sang me an africa rendition of jesus loves you to greet me at their worship time this morning. please pray for me as i adjust to the time change! i am so tired but haven't been able to sleep well at night.

God bless,
Christina


hello mom and dad,

i made it to arusha! i got in after 12 last night. my flight from nairobi was late coming into kilimanjaro so they left our bags there. when we got to arusha they said, oh you're bags will come in some time tomorrow. i think that is very african because they were so laid back about it, and so slow in taking down our information! and people on the base say that too, oh we'll get to you later. it's really funny. SO, james said they have my bags and are going to try to bring them to town in arusha. i met a girl in the airport who is now in arusha as well, she's from washington state, and she lent me $50 for my visa because i didn't know it was cash only. so that was amazing. three of the ywam guys picked me up at the airport, they had a sign for me and were really nice. then we drove about an hour to arusha. it was on a bumpy road with lush green on either side...and then scattered houses and kioskes. at one point a cow meandered onto the road, and the driver acted like it was no big deal, just swirved for it. the ywam base is off the main road, then winding around in the jungly kinda stuff, and then through a gate. it's a whole little village...two big dormintories, a dining hall, prayer and worship building, classrooms, a small lawn in the middle. it's really beautiful. i haven't explored all of it yet. i share a room with a woman from korea who is on staff, who i haven't met yet. in the morning they ring the bell for "tea" which consists of white bread, a big pot of margarine, and milk tea. the tea was good. there is a DTS group here, and a girl from Nigeria took me on as her friend. there are people from around Africa, candada, england, a couple from california, washington, france, amsterdam. i think i am going to be eating a lot of rice and beans while here, which i like. it rained last night but it's not cold. not hot either. my room has a tin roof so the rain was loud! the ground isn't muddy either, i think cause it rains a little on and off. i'm going to meet with the director today, i think to plan out what i'm doing. so that will be good. and i think i have stuff to prepare for my class. so. i'm in africa! i'm really tired and going to take a nap, but i'm here safe and i really like it so far. we had worship this morning, and it was beautiful. there was a one year old running around and screaming the whole time. he was adorable and loud. last night one of the guys told me, "this is home and i hope it feels like home." and today john told me "this is your family." there's a bible school that sara, the girl from Nigeria is in, and it sounds really intense, in a good way. ok, i'll write more later and see if i can get a phone card. love you both and hope you are well

love
toe