elephants by the road at the edge of the Serengeti

There was a lot of rain at the beginning of the month, but I think it's safe to safe that we are now in the dry season; the days are achingly hot but the early mornings offer a fresh coolness. It's almost reminiscent of an early fall day in BC, but instead of the reds and oranges of changing leaves, there are the browns and yellows of parched grass and bushes.

With the change in season has come a change in myself. I don't quite know how to describe it, but it almost feels like I've regained a focus that I lost when the first term ended; I feel like I've made a lot of progress with Swahili in the last few weeks; I feel more refreshed and energized; I feel prepared for my English classes. I can barely wrap my head around the fact that I will be leaving all of this in a month.

That's right... one more month. Tickets have been booked, but we are also waiting to see if Canada will change any of their international travel rules (I'm really hoping I won't have to stay in a hotel). For now, though, I'm set to arrive home on July 3.

Where I've Seen God

While it was definitely not why I came here, I had been looking forward to going on a safari since before I arrived. The Kidds took me for one full day, and once again, I was completely blown away by God's creation.

I had been warned not to expect elephants, since we would only be able to see a very small part of the Serengeti, but I couldn't help but get my hopes up because they have been my favourite animal since I was a kid. And within a few minutes of entering the gate, we spotted several that had just crossed the road! At the end of the day, we spotted some from a distance, and drove down the main road just outside the Serengeti and were able to see even more. It was such a good reminder that as powerful and majestic as God is, he still delights in our little joys.

  • elephants
  • baboons and their young
  • lion
  • lilac-breasted roller

I also had the pleasure of attending an AIM Tanzania women's retreat in Arusha, and it was an amazing opportunity to hear about how God has been at work. There were a total of 23 women, representing around eight different nationalities, all of whom have been serving in Tanzania. Some had arrived around the same time I did, and others have been here for the past 20+ years. And every single person had an incredible story of how God had led them to missions, and how he had been at work in their ministry since. While I still don't know if I would want to go into overseas missions long-term, it helped give me a better idea of what such a task could look like (and reminded me that sometimes God's plan takes time to unfold).

It also provided a really good, much needed period of rest. I didn't do any homework, or plan any English lessons, and I didn't have to cook at all. Instead, I got some much needed sleep, took lots of time to pray and reflect, and invested in the community around me. We even played several board and card games (and seriously, if that was a love language, it would be mine!).

There were a lot of pictures from this weekend, but I've chosen not to share them out of respect for the privacy of the various ministries represented. However, we had a 'birthday party' for everyone, as missionaries often don't do much to celebrate throughout the year. We also did communion, and had wonderful views all around us. The photos below are all courtesy of other missionaries.

The Things I've Learned

  • Greetings: I knew from the start that greetings were important in this culture, as I spent many of my first Swahili lessons just learning all of the different ways to greet someone. But I think I have since come to appreciate it more. Greetings show respect, to the point where it is actually rude to see someone and not greet them--and it's more than just a friendly smile. Greetings often involve asking how someone is, and how their family is, and how their work is, and so on. It's definitely going to be strange readjusting to a culture that is so drastically different from this.
  • Corporate Worship: I really love corporate worship, but I don't think I realized just how much until I came here. Corporate worship is definitely valued in Tanzania, but it's just not the same when you don't know the songs, or even the language. I've been standing and clapping along, but have deeply missed being able to sing songs that I know, in a language I know, while in the same room as other people. At the retreat mentioned previously, I was finally able to do that; it was so refreshing not having to think about translating, or try to remember the words or melody, but to just close my eyes and worship along with other voices.
  • Communication: Really, I've learned what communication doesn't look like, and how much of a difference good communication can make. Expectations, plans, ideas... If these things are not communicated clearly, it can lead to all sorts of problems, whether big or small. And when it comes to cross-cultural relationships, communication is even more important, and takes a lot of work and patience.

The Ministry

The start of the term was a little difficult; my classroom was changed without anyone telling me, and I gained two brand new students, which, again, nobody told me about until they showed up. With that, all the planning I had done for this term felt somewhat useless, and I struggled with finding a way to engage both groups of students.

So far, it hasn't been as big of an issue as I had anticipated. I've had the older students teach the newer students what they had been learning, which has helped them reinforce these concepts and better understand them, and has helped the newer students catch up slightly.

I've also started doing dictation exercises, where I read some sentences or a story and have my students write them down. It was pretty shocking to see how much they struggle to understand me when I speak, but it's also helped me see areas that still need to be addressed, and reminded me of the importance of both speaking very clearly and writing things down so that they better understand me.

I was also invited to share my testimony in chapel. Given that there are far less students on campus this term, it wasn't too daunting. But, it was a bit of a challenge to remember to speak slowly and clearly, as I tend to get nervous when speaking in front of groups. All in all, though it was fairly short, I think it went well.

Language Learning

My lessons with Mama Nangale continue to be a highlight of my time here. They are full of laughs and little cultural insights. At one point, she took me on a walk around the village to parts of it that I had not yet seen, and I was able to practice using Swahili with other people. She has also started teaching me a couple of greetings in kiSukuma, the language of the local ethnic group, so I'm excited to use those soon, too!

I've also started using Duolingo to supplement what I've been learning from living in the village and working with Mama Nangale. While I definitely wouldn't recommend it as one's only source of language learning, it does help in a lot of ways. I've learned some more vocabulary, but mostly it has helped me reinforce what Mama Nangale has already taught me.

I've attached a video that I took during one of our lessons. Given that one lesson is an hour long, this just shows bits and pieces here and there. I had written about my trip to the Serengeti just before our lesson, and while I used google translate for a little bit of vocabulary, I was mostly trying to focus on correct grammar and using what I already knew. Mama Nangale then asked me questions, which I did not know in advance, so this shows a pretty even amount of prepared speech and real conversation.

Prayer Requests

  • Work Permits: Some missionaries have received their renewed permits, but many are still in the application process, or waiting for their results, or appealing final permits. Continue to pray over this area, so that these people can continue to live and work in Tanzania.
  • Travel Plans: I am set to leave Tanzania on July 2 and arrive in Canada the evening of July 3. Please join me in praying over all of the logistics involved, from COVID restrictions, to flights running according to schedule.
  • Kidds: The has been little progress on Kai's adoption, but it is still being worked on. Please continue to pray over this family.
" But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.  They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31
 This free site is ad-supported. Learn more
​