I've Arrived!

Hello world. This is Tiffany. I am so excited to finally be in Tanzania! It was a bit rough getting here.....Rachel and I had some difficulty in Amsterdam. We had a lot of trouble finding where to drop off our bags, changing our money, buying train tickets, and getting on the right train. Then we got lost in the city and spent 2 hours walking around trying to find Jordan Hostel. Finally we broke down and bought a map. This was a great idea. Another hour later we found the hostel. (I know, your probably thinking that with the map we should have found it in a couple of minutes. But without the map, we would probably still be there wondering the streets.) We checked in and took a nap, which was glorious, because we had not slept in like 36 hours. After our nap we found The Pancake Bakery and had a delicious dinner. After dinner we went back to the hostel to sleep. In the morning we safely found our way to the train station and then to the airport. After another flight (this one 10 hours) we finally arrived in Dar Es Salaam. We were greeted at the airport by Galen and Melinda. How excited we were to see smiling faces! We came to the City Center orphanage and spent the night. This morning (Sunday) we went to Dar Es Salaam University for a church service in English. It is amazing that no matter where you are in the world, God has a message for you. The sermon was just what I needed to hear. The point that mainly sticks out for me was when the pastor said, "Christian growth is not about your position, it is about your direction." A very powerful reminder that though we stumble and fail, we get up, brush the dirt off our knees, and keep walking towards Christ. After service, we met a man from Scotland that was at the church. He invited us over to his house for tea, and the pastor and his family came as well. What a wonderful experience to spend time with fellow believers. Christ is such a wonderful connecting point among all people. The man opened his home to us, gave us snacks, coffee, and tea and we had a great time just talking with everyone. (He also had a Western toilet that flushes...PRAISE THE LORD) The rest of the afternoon we met with a girl at the university to have lunch and then went shopping an a Westernized mall. Throughout the day we got to ride the Dali Dali (just think of a little tiny bus going really fast and shoved to the max with people). Overall, quite an amazing experience. We will leave tomorrow to spend 3 weeks at Hananasif and I cannot wait. The people of Tanzania are beautiful. They welcome Mzungu (foreigners) like they are family. When we were at the English service this morning, and spending time with the young children at the city orphanage, I am again reminded about the amazing beauty of Christ. I see image of God on the faces of these people and it is impossible not to love them. In all my travels, I am reminded over and over again that people are people wherever you go. I thank God every moment for this opportunity to be here. Thank you for praying for us and continue to do so. To God alone be the glory.... Soli Gloria Deo

~Tiffany