Blog #2- TZ

Holiday is over and now we are getting into our groove here in TZ.  It feels really good to work again, and even though the work is a bit different than the work in Kenya, its cool to see how a different organization does things.  We are working more with computers and working mostly with ex-pats here so in some ways its easier than the work we were doing before.  In other ways though its kind of tough to make myself get back into a bit more of the American mindset.  The work we are doing here still feels very purposeful (just put together a proposal to build the kids in the Unga community a new soccer field), but its just a different type of work.  The main thing I miss is the kids back in Kenya.  They killed me with how precious they were and I was inspired on a daily basis by them.  I hope its not tool long before I see them again.

            The Russell’s have been extremely good to us though, and its been really interesting to see how an American missionary family lives in East Africa.  The obstacles they have overcome, and the ways in the which they’ve been able to be a part of the community here.  They have done some incredible work here with the community in Arusha and Unga Limited without making the people here feel like the “westerners” have come and taken over.  They really know how to partner with the people here and create working environments that produce a strong sense of dignity.  Plus they are really fun.  Other than the beach, we’ve watched Euro soccer, gone to some movies, and went to these hot springs where you can find hippo bones on an underground water cave.  It looked like it was right out of The Jungle Book.  So yes we are still working, but these guys know how to work hard and play hard for sure (and I have many bruises right now to prove it).  Oh and the picture above is of Kilimanjaro (it looks like its a cloud but its the snowy top behind that cell phone tower), but its beautiful. It would be incredible to climb this someday!