It's been 3 weeks today since I returned from Tanzania, Africa. With all the love in my heart for this land, I can't help but miss it. I can't help but wonder how the fruits of our labor are growing in Christ, and how the Smoak's are doing, and how their works are going. I'm not gonna say its been great being back. I miss Africa very much, I can't hardly wait to return! I've had serveral sleepless nights since being home, and have heavily dealt with spiritual warfare. In all honsety being back has been pretty hard. I feel self-fish over many of the things that I have, and I feel a longing in my heart for lost souls, like Gordon said, Its been eating me alive. I can't say I've been depressed, no, I'm a very happy person! I just simply miss Africa.
My pastor gave me the oppurtunity to speak to the church last wednesday about my trip. I was very nervous but got told I went through it like a breeze. I'm so happy I got to present all of this to my church. I showed a slideshow and had a table out of all my things I had gotten in Africa. I felt like a real missionary! ;) And I taught the praise team "Nothing but the Blood" in Swahili! It went great! I felt like I was in africa again.
I am applying to go Kenya next summer thorugh AYC again! Prayers please! :) God willing I will return. I told my church that I am so excited to see my future in Global Missions unfold. AYC 2013, Next Steps 2014, adn God willing I will apply to be an AIMER (Associate in Missions) Once I am an AIMER, I will go to my desired field and stay 3 months to however long. I would work hand in hand with the missionaries there. I still pray that this land is Africa :)
Gordon Smoak told of theTanzania Church in Mwanza and posted it on facebook. It was amazing, so I stole it to post on here. Enjoy!
Adults sit on rough benches, four people to a 5 foot bench to fit them all. Late comers are sitting on teh small stools here and there, wherever floor space can be found. Serveral pieces of a sheet are spread across the dirt floor for the children. The pastor stands behind a wooden frame draped in cloth, their home-made pul-pit. As the choir sings, a segmented offering box is passed and teh congregation purts money into the four holes. (church fund, womens ministry, youth and building fund) This too is made from salvaged wood. On the table sits a bag of corn meal. (someones tithe). This is church in Tanzania.
Perched precariously on the side of the rock-strewn hill in Mwanza, the church at Bwiru is thriving. In 2 years they have grown from 4 to 45 this sunday. The building is no more than 10'x20'. One wall is hared with a block building, the other 3 are rough, crooked poles supporting torn black plastics sheet. Int eh distance, through the many holes, can be seen the waters of Lake Victoria, far down the hill. The roof, supported by the same crooked poles, is half tin (purchased after much saving) and tattered tarp. (they are saving for more tin.) This is church in Tanzania.
Until next time...
