On Monday (Dec. 1st) we packed up the car, sent Matt, Kennedy and Lindsay ahead of us on a bus and headed to Tanzania. The drive was very beautiful, just what I had imagined what Africa would be like. Acacia trees, red African soil, brightly dressed Masaai goat herders and herds of cattle moving across the desert in search of better grazing amongst the thorns and brush.

We arrived in Arusha to find a wonderful oasis of tropical foilage and cooler temperatures as it sits at the base of Mount Meru and close to Mount Kilimanjaro. We also saw a plethora of foreigners as they use Arusha as a base to head out on safari. One thing we also noticed was a great diversity in cultures and colors as they intermingled on the city streets.

After grabbing a bite to eat and did a bit of grocery shopping, we headed back to our friends house to settle in for the night under our mosquito netted beds. Tuesday we spent the day checking out schooling options, picking up fruits and veggies in a typical market and getting to know Arusha more.

Today we met with a wonderful Australian couple who have been working in Nigeria for the last 9 years and are now relocating to Arusha. They also have 4 daughters who are all a little younger than ours. We had a great time swapping stories of life on the mission field and having a good laugh at some of the blunders made while living cross-culturally. Praise the Lord we serve a mighty God who uses us and does wonderful work despite our many flaws. It was wonderful to hear their hearts and dreams for ministry working in the IT and mid-wifery fields.

Tomorrow we head out to Karansi, a small village where David and Maryann (our UWM co-workers) have been working to improve education for several years. We are excited to see their work and get a better feel for the needs here in Tanzania.