God Did.

Today we came to Bible lesson 37 of 40, exploring the mystery of Christ. At the beginning of the year I posed the question of who was responsible for Jesus' death. Today I posed it again and Anen raised his hand. "God was... because in Isaiah it says that 'it was the Lord's will to crush Him.'" (Isaiah 53:10). Then other students added that it was for our sins and possible because He is the Son of God, quoting other verses we've studied and memorized this year. The curriculum brought us through the Old Testament, from Genesis to Micah, looking at all the foreshadowing and prophesies, the "clues to the mystery of Christ." It was beautiful to hear that the kids have heard God's Word and that it has not returned void. They didn't even need today's lesson, because they already knew!

He's Pretty Cute Too

I met these two goats on the way to church this morning, along the side of a busy road. I stopped to buy some water at a duka (shop) after that. A fellow customer asked me where I was from, then how is America different from Tanzania. I told him it is cooler and there are less goats on the side of the road. I didn't think to mention that American goats aren't usually graced with quite as groovy hair styles as this particular goat.

Then I went to church. It was good to worship and see fellow members of the body. My favorite thought was from Ephesians 2:10, that we are created for specific good works. Here so many missionaries are doing so many good works, that I compare myself and feel like I should be doing more more more. It made me smile to think that maybe I'm here just to teach kids by day and listen to my Greek neighbor, sipping Greek coffee, occasionally by night.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus 

for good works, 

which God prepared beforehand 

that we should walk in them. 

Geckos are Cute Too

Here's another cheery thought... Joah gathered gecko eggs from the playground weeks ago. We share a love of natural curiousities. He kept them in this cup on our window sill. The gecklets/gittens/guppies... what do you call a baby gecko?!!... subsequently hatched and graced our room with gecko joy.

Coming Glory

It's two months and a week until my parents come to visit! It's the same amount of time until my one year anniversary in Dar. As you can see here, they've been training for our climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro. I'm very excited to hug them and share Tanzania and our climb.
I'm a bit run down these days... I've been sick one way or another for two weeks. It makes it easier to be homesick and feel discouraged by my shortcomings teaching. (I'm TRYING to remember what grace is all about, but it's hard to do sometimes.) So, it's nice to look ahead to some rest, familiar faces, and immersion in God's restorative and soothing creation.