LIFE is VERY HEARD

Just like the trucks, bajajis sport mottos on back. This one made me laugh... because life IS heard! ...It's hard, but it's quirky and makes you laugh too. And, we are heard in the hard times.

I waited patiently for the Lord;
And He inclined to me,
And heard my cry.

Psalm 40:1

Something New

We had a day off school this Thursday... and for the first time since I came to Tanzania I made a picture. It's inspired by my bathroom window. The mediums include African fabrics, crayon, paper bag, acrylic, ...and glitter, thanks to generous glitter donors!

It was a refreshing time, creating, seeing which mediums would supply the colors I wanted, with music and sermons providing a soul soundtrack.

Other things that are new:

• The Simbiti people group near Musoma are starting to read their language for the first time, including passages from Luke. Read more.
• We are reading James and the Giant Peach AND The BFG in class.
• A group of girls who struggle with hurt feelings and little fights explained to me yesterday that they have been praying together and with their moms, and that the friendship disturbances have waned!
• Kara, one of our five housemates, went back to the states, as had been planned. We have a new temporary housemate. Transition!
• I plan to start helping with a program that works with local village kids once a week.
• I can speak a little bit more in Kiswahili, thanks to my quick language studies over break.
• Pineapples aren't as acidic as in the USA, so I can eat half a fruit with no sore throat.

Featured Updates

I've updated my slideshow, to right. You will see photos of the kids before break, during Fruit (of the Spirit) Day and Medieval Day. Also, there are photos of Thanksgiving and Christmas Break in Iringa.

Also, I would like to invite you to view this Christmas Greeting from Wycliffe President, Bob Creson. It's a good reminder even to me of why I'm here! Also, if you want more detailed stories about Bible translation, you can always go to TheTask.net, on the list link to your right. I just read one about a people so proud of their newly developed alphabet that they carved it into the arch above the entrance to their community.

Merry Christmas!

Just a quick "hi" before the internet cafe kicks me out!

Merry Christmas!

Here I am Christmas Day at a vegetable farm called Masafiyo Vegetables... "Praises Vegetables."
I praise God for His vegetables, for the peace of nature, for friends He provides (see Bev and Katy eating their vegetables!), and for Emmanual, God With Us, Jesus.

Colorful Kids

Term 1 is winding down. Next week is the last, and will be full of Christmas Production practices and Medieval Day, feast included. It's been a term full of learning for the kids and me. They've learned about multiplication and Medieval Times and the mystery of Christ revealed throughout Genesis. I've learned all that AND about 8/9 year old minds and social interactions. They are amazing kids, very curious and humorous and intelligent. I hope to enjoy them even more next term, and to teach better, now that I have an idea of what I'm doing! I continually need Christ to be my sufficiency, supplying the wisdom and patience and love that I do not have in myself. (2 Corinthians 3:5,6)

Here are two colorful pictures from last week, one during Spirit Week, on Fruit of the Spirit Day... All come as a fruit! I was a mango if you were wondering... the most glorious of all fruits. I eat at least one a day. The other photo is of a rainbow that showed up Thursday morning. Half the school came out to see it!

International Thanksgiving

So Thanksgiving dinner number one was graciously prepared by an Irish woman whose family has decided that Thanksgiving is a nice holiday. We played a rollicking word game after the meal.

Our house hosted Thanksgiving number two. In attendance were friends from school and SIL, representing Canada, Austria, USA, Northern Ireland, and a bit of Korea and Papa New Guinea. The table was full of yumminess.

A special third Thanksgiving happened via skype... I got to chat with my family at the dinner table as they had TG dinner and I had pumpkin pie with mango and passion fruit for breakfast! I felt like I was right in the room!

And tomorrow evening I will go eat Mexican food in Tanzania at a house restaurant owned by a family from South Africa... How's that for international cuisine?!

Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving week!

As my last post showed, I've struggled a bit lately. I can't say the struggles are over, but I do know that God has ministered to me this week and I feel more hopeful. I'm thankful for:

-A class meeting where the kids and I discussed and prayed about some of the positives and difficulties we have in our class

Please do pray for the social aspects of class. 3rd grade is evidently a learning-to-be-friends year.

-A good Bible reflection and prayer time with a friend-A chat and prayer with another friend under a palm tree looking over the Indian Ocean
-A teacher appreciation dinner put on by the family of two of my students, five courses :)

The card pictured here was made by one of my students. It was nice to hear things I do well and the benefit my teaching is to the family and parents, who work for Young Life, focusing on youth with disabilities.

-A nice, productive Monday to start the week