Amy Gail

Amy Gail Lethco

On November 22 a change took place in my life that I have been anticipating for years but had grossly underestimated its implications.  I became a grandfather!  (PAPA for short.)  Never could I have predicted the joy that Amy Gail Lethco could have brought into our lives.  Patti and I have talked many times about our role as grandparents and have tried to grasp the magnitude of this new relationship.  But now that she is here, our wildest expectations have been exceeded.  Grand-parenting is a wonderful idea.

First of all, let me say just how proud we have been of Jared and Lauren throughout this whole process.  Watching your children become parents themselves is really cool.  Knowing that they have a solid Christian foundation on which to build their growing family gives a sense of satisfaction that is beyond description.  We just know that they are going to be great parents and can’t wait to see what God is able to do with Amy through the loving support of her parents and family.

Then, I must point out that Amy is amazing!  I’m sure that you do not want to hear another big-mouthed braggart of a grandfather drone on about how his granddaughter is so great.  While I completely understand your concern, I must point out that in this case it is all TRUE.  At least, she is the most amazing granddaughter that we have ever had.

Finally, let me point out that through this new experience God has shown to me just how amazing and limitless His love truly is.  Think about it this way.  I love Amy with all my heart.  That’s right, all of it.  I can’t imagine loving her any more than I already do.  Yet, in order to love that much, I did not have to give up on loving anyone else.  God’s love is limitless and He allows us to love one another just as he has loved us.  The implications of this truth are staggering.  No matter how many people God brings into your life as family and friends there is always enough love to go around.  No one has to ration the love of God.  Pretty sweet. 

Thanks for the lesson Amy.  Welcome to the world.

See You Later George

This past Saturday I had the ominous task of standing by the casket of a good friend and sharing some thoughts intended to comfort his family and friends.  George T. Quinn was a lot of things to a lot of people; husband, father, grandfather, brother, co-worker, Christian brother.  But to me, George was a true friend.  True friendship is certainly a very precious gift.  Unfortunately, in our fast-paced, self-serving society many people fail to ever experience the depth of joy that comes from a lifelong friend.  While I have personally been blessed throughout my lifetime with deep friendships, it is still sad to lose one even though I know that one day we will be eternally reunited.

George taught me a lot during our many talks together and my life has been enriched by his encouragement and support.  Yet, as I stood beside him while he was ushered from this life into the next, God revealed to me the deepest joy of true Christian friendship: it is eternal.  The Bible says that “nothing can separate us from the love of God.”  (Rom. 8:38-39)  Similarly, when that kind of Godly love is shared between two friends, nothing can defeat it; not separation of space, not difficult circumstances, not social or cultural pressures, not even death itself.  It is eternal.

So in those last few moments I had no reason to say goodbye to my dear friend.  Rather, I simply whispered, “see you later George.”  Hallelujah. 

The Joshua Syndrome

I was thinking about coining a new phrase; The Joshua Syndrome.   (At least it is new to me.)  Do you remember Joshua of the Old Testament?  He grew up as a slave down in Egypt until the people of God were delivered at the hand of Moses.  He was then selected as one of the twelve spies to go into the promised land of Canaan to scout out the land that God had promised to give them.  Upon return, it was Joshua and Caleb who were the only two that believed God, and wanted to move forward and possess the land.  The other ten were afraid of the giants in the land and persuaded the people to flee into the wilderness.  For forty years Joshua was forced to live in a barren, dessert land even though he had personally seen the beautiful land that God had promised them.

Here we find the Joshua Syndrome.  I have often wondered if Joshua would have considered it a blessing or a curse to have been able to actually see the Promised Land.  He had seen first hand the “land flowing with milk and honey”; a vast fertile land that would certainly provide for a prosperous and blessed life for himself and his family.  As he wondered through the dry and barren dessert, did the memories of “what could have been” haunt him on a daily basis?  Would he have been better off to be like the multitude of others around him who had never actually seen the glory of the Lord and therefore had no idea of what they were missing?   Was his wilderness experience even more depressing than most because he had seen the other side?

Or, were his memories a blessing?  Did he privately rejoice that he had been given the privilege to see just how good God had intended life to be?   Truly, he had been blessed to see first hand what others would never see.  Imprinted on his heart was a clear and life changing picture of God’s intention for himself and his people.  Was he strengthened through the daily trials by the realization that God’s promise was eternal and one day his wilderness would, in fact, end?   

Sometimes I find myself right in the middle of the Joshua Syndrome.   Times when I have seen clearly the promised glory of the Lord but have been forced to wait in a wilderness because of circumstances beyond my control.  At times I have felt cursed and became discouraged because that waiting seemed long and difficult.  Other times, however, I have felt blessed by the sheer fact that God is not slack concerning His promises and in time, “faith will become sight.”

What do you think?  Is the Joshua Syndrome a blessing or a curse?

By the way, Joshua actually got to lead God’s people into the Promised Land after forty years of wilderness.  God is so good.

The Baobab Tree

One of the many images that I have bouncing around in my mind from our trip to Tanzania last month is that of the Boabab tree.  These enormous trees are truly something to behold and they not only caught my attention, but also stirred my imagination.  Baobab trees are huge; some standing as high as 90 feet with diameters of more than 30 feet.  They are not very aesthetic and certainly not beautiful as trees go, rather simple and clumpy.  As a matter of fact, local legend says that God was angered by the Boabab tree and thus planted them all upside down.  (It does look as though their roots are sticking up where their branches ought to be.)  However, they are magnificent to behold mainly because of their sheer size.

The Baobab trees that we saw in Tanzania did not grow in forests or even in groves with other Boababs.  Rather, they stood alone; usually high on a hill that overlooked a magnificent plain.  To me, they stood like sentinels standing alone to keep watch over the valleys below.  (I know I’m sounding a little “Lord of the Rings – ish” here but that’s just the way I saw them.)  They stood tall and strong, albeit alone, providing clear reference points for any man or beast that might walk through the valley below.

I do have a point here.  It dawned on me that Christianity is not very common or popular among the Massai of East Africa (or here in America for that matter).  Often times we as Christians, like the mighty Baobabs, are called to stand tall and strong as we watch over those that God has placed in our realm of influence.  Sometimes we find it to be a lonely place as we stand alone representing our Lord.  Our faith in Jesus Christ is not always accepted as popular or politically correct.  Yet, we are called to take a stand where others can clearly see the faith that we profess. Our stance in a lost and broken world can provide a clear reference point for others who seek to find their way to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

God used the Baobab tree to challenge me as a Christian and a leader.  "Dear God, let me stand tall and strong even though I may find myself standing alone; all for Your glory."

Vision

“You’ll never leave where you are, until you decide where you’d rather be.”

                                                                                                Lewis Dunnington

Think about that quote for a minute.  What does it mean for your life?   Are you stuck in a rut that you would gladly get out of, if only you had some idea of where you want to go?  Think now of how it relates to the local church.  Many active Christians agree that the local church in the Western World is stuck in some sort of rut.  However, few have any idea of where it needs to be or how to get there.

This is where vision comes in.  The Bible teaches that “where there is no vision, the people perish.”  (Prov. 29:18)  It is high time that the church of Jesus Christ rise up, look around and decide where it is that we would rather be.  God is, without a doubt, revealing Himself and His will to this generation.  We should open our eyes and our hearts to His leadership as He shows us where He would have us to live and work.  Once we begin to see clearly where we would rather be, it will be easy for us to leave where we are.

So take some time over the next several days and weeks to look around.  Try to see clearly where it is you would rather be and then take some positive steps to get there.  I’ll be praying for you.

Luke's Summer Mission

I wanted to give everyone an update on Luke’s summer of mission work.  Patti and I have been getting some strange looks as people find out that he is going to spend a month in one of the most dangerous cities in the world.  Obviously, we are not thrilled by the prospects and Satan always uses fear as a weapon against God’s children.  Yet, we have taught our boys to trust in God and follow His will, no matter what.  When Luke told us of his vision for this summer, we were not about to say that it was too dangerous or too hard for God.  We cannot direct our sons to follow hard after God until He asks you to do something difficult.  Luke’s quiet confidence has been a powerful testimony to all of us as to the proper way to surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  Where he leads…follow.  Period.

Luke will be teaching an ESL class this summer as well as working with teens that are already a part of the faith.  After spending a month in the Middle East, he will fly to Tanzania and assist the Johnson’s in getting ready for our first teams which are scheduled to arrive in mid July.  He will return home with us at the end of July.

Please pray for Luke and us as we once again lay it all on the line and trust the mighty hand of God to do great and mighty things.  Also, as you think about Luke, pray that God would reveal to you the “hard thing” that He has called you to do. 

Thanks Mom

Mother’s Day reminds me of two of the greatest joys of my life.  First, the joy of being raise in a Christian, healthy home environment where my mom gave her all to see that my three brothers and I were always given every opportunity to enjoy life to its fullest.  Obviously mom had her hands full with four boys but her God given strength and the love she had for us, kept her going through it all and she has always stood out in my mind as the consummate proverbs 31 mom.  Recently, I heard my mom speak at my dad’s fiftieth anniversary in ministry and I thought of how proud I was of her for more than fifty years in the ministry of motherhood.  Thanks mom.



Family cruise in 2006



Another of the greatest joys of my life has been the front row seat that I have had watching Patti embrace her role as the mother of our three sons.  Since the moment we found out that Taylor was on the way, Patti has relished her God given ministry of motherhood.  For twenty-five years I have watched her give so much of herself so that our sons could grow up “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”  I have followed her prayers as the boys have passed through the many challenging life-cycle changes that all kids have to walk though.  I have rejoiced with her over their victories and wept with her through their defeats and struggles.  Since Taylor and Jared are both married now and Luke is in his third year of college, her role as their mom continues to evolve and change.  However, her intensity and dedication to fulfill that God-given role of mom has not lost an ounce of intensity.  I am truly looking forward to watching and supporting the many chapters of motherhood that await her.  Thanks Patti.

From my vantage points as a son and a husband, I have witnessed first hand the power of a Godly mom.  In our culture it seems as though the role of motherhood is seen as secondary to many women who are busy with other, culturally accepted responsibilities.  But to those of you who still understand the privilege and importance of being a Godly mom… thanks.

The Death of Bin Laden

This has truly been a week of world renowned news events; from the “Royal Wedding” in England, to the devastating tornadoes through the south, and now the death of Osama Bin Laden.  Every day the news of these world events has kept our emotions on the proverbial roller coaster.  The wedding made me smile, though sometimes with a heavy dose of cynicism and the death toll throughout the south broke my heart as I considered the many families that have been devastated.  However, the death of Bin Laden has produced some surprisingly different emotions that I would like to share and truly seek some response.

On the one hand, like most Americans I have felt an overwhelming sense of relief that after ten long years this terrorist has finally been punished for his crime and silenced as a voice of international terror forever.  It is hard for me to imagine how vindicated the many families and friends of the victims of the 911 attacks must feel now that this evil man has been brought to justice.  Similarly, I rejoice with the families of the many killed or injured in the fight against terrorism and recognize this killing as a moral victory for all our troops and their families.   It is easy for me to understand the excitement and celebratory mood of our nation in receiving this news and a part of me shares in this exuberance.

However, on the other hand, I have felt a profound sense of sadness when considering the grim realities that the killing of Bin Laden has exposed about our world.  Darkness has not been overcome; rather only one madman has been sent to meet his maker and a multitude of others stand ready to take his place.  In a world where killing begets killing, my heart already grieves for the many innocent people whose lives will be devastated or destroyed because of the certain retribution that is to follow this news.  Ultimately I know that the truth and love of Jesus Christ will end victorious in our world.  In the meantime, I also know that bullets and bombs do not have the power to wipe out evil.  I try to keep in mind that our true enemy is not “flesh and blood”.  (Eph. 6:12)  The killing of Bin Laden, the war in Afghanistan and the turmoil in the Middle East, all demonstrate the one clear Biblical truth; the wages of sin is death.  (Rom.6:23) 

Finally, I want to keep in mind that our God does not rejoice in the death of wicked men.  Ezekiel 18:23 says, “Do I take pleasure in the death of the wicked? Declares the sovereign Lord.  Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?”  Put more simply, Jesus said,  “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”  (Matt. 5:44)   The fact is that radical Islamics rejoice when an “infidel” (Christian) is killed.  Yet, as a Christian, while I have many emotions bouncing around over the death of Bin Laden, I pray that by following Jesus Christ I will end in a different place than simply conceding to the carnal, human response of rejoicing at the death of an enemy.  Rather, I pray that my heart will always be pierced by the grim realities of sin and their devastating results.

What do you think?

Back To Africa

The house that needs work.

We have been very busy putting together our first team to go back to Africa to begin the work as we partner with Dan and Pam Johnson in Tanzania.  The dates for this trip are July 18-29 and will consist of two separate teams that will travel together but spend much of the week apart.  Team 1 will be a construction team that will take an old house and work to convert it into a bunkhouse that will accomidate many teams in the future.  This work will be mainly light construction, cleaning, painting, plumbing, etc.  Randy Sorrow has agreed to lead this portion of the trip.  Team 2 will be an evangelism team that will go further into the bush to scout out new areas where a high concentration of Maasai can be found.  Once in these areas, we will share faith with them and try to establish a positive relationship for future work.  I will lead this team myself.

If anyone is intrested in going on this trip, we are having an informative meeting this Sunday, March 27 at 4:00 pm in room 213.  This meeting will give many details concerning cost, training, preparation and other vital details.  If you think that this or any mission trip to Tanzania might be in your future, please try to attend this important meeting.  I hope to see you there.

I think I saw a church!

Most of you know by now that we here at Old Fort have been seeking to fulfill the Great Commission of our Lord by hosting the Community Impact for Christ every Monday night, where hundreds of people come each week for physical, emotional or spiritual support.  Served by hundreds of deicated voluteers, CIFC has provided a way for us to share the love of God and His gospel message with hundreds that we may have never even met before beginning this program.  Over the past seventeen months, literally thousands have been served and best of all, many have been saved. 

Most recently, my concern has been to find a way to get our many clients, especially the regulars, involved in a local church.  I recognized that there are many barriers deviding the people of God and that these barriers are never more apparent than on Sunday Morning.  I had been praying earnestly that God would show me how to connect these beautiful people, many of whom were already his faithful servants, into a church home; either here at Old Fort or some other Bible believing fellowship.  Then it happenned.  I saw the church.

One Monday several weeks ago as I walked through the crowd of guests waiting patiently to be checked in, I noticed some things that felt very familiar to me.  They were calling me "pastor" and talking as if they had known me for a long time.  They were fellowshipping among themselves and with many of our OFBC family.  Once things got started, I noticed how they went out with our members, talking and laughing to other areas where God's people were waiting to help them with food or medical attention or prayer.  Then I remembered a Bible verse about the first church recorded in the book of Acts.  "All the believers were in one heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had."  (Acts 4:32)

That's when it hit me.  I was looking at the church in its purest form.  These many clients had not been coming to a community service organization all these months, they had been coming to church; God's church.  While we had been busy building a Christian service center, God had been building His Kingdom.  What a revelation!!  Now I am no longer praying that God would show me how to get our clients involved in a church, but rather that He would show me and all of us how to accept them as our church.   I believe that once we learn to do that, they will then feel the barriers that divide us crumble and will find there way to worship with us (or someone) on Sundays.

What do you think?
 

Home Sweet Home

It was a very special privilege to be able to visit Tanzania with Patti and see the work with the Maasai tribe and experience the beauty and grandeur of East Africa.  However, I must admit that it is great to home!  It was truly a blessing to be back with my church family yesterday and I was completely blown away with the surprise announcement that we had exceeded our Lottie Moon goal with a total of more than $105,000. It was also a joy to feel the enthusiasm last night as we gathered to welcome Jon and Kim Durham to our ministry staff.

Today is my birthday.  For those of you who are afraid to ask, I am now 49 years old. They say that you are as old as you feel and I hope it's not true because after two weeks of being in another time zone and then sitting more than 30 hours on an airplane, I'm feeling pretty old right this minute.  Usually though, I don't feel a day older than 48!  I am looking forward to another great year even though my next birthday is a big one.

Again, I want to thank all of you who followed this blog and supported us while in Africa with your prayers and comments.  It was good to know that while we were separated by thousands of miles, we were still one in spirit.
Be blessed.

Finally Home!

It's now Saturday morning and I can hardly believe that the trip to Tanzania which had been planned for months is now over. Thank you all so much for the prayers and support as we traveled. We flew halfway around the world and back without a hitch. The travel was exhausting but everything went smoothly and we arrived home right on time. Praise the Lord.



Continue to pray for Dan and Pam Johnson, they were great hosts.



I am sure that this trip will be fresh in my heart and mind for many years. I hope to be able to visit with the Maasai of Tanzania many more times. I also hope that many of you will share the vision and do whatever necessary to follow the Lord to the ends of the earth and see His handiwork in the most beautiful and remote places on earth.

I will be sharing a lot more information about our trip and our plans to continue our support there in the days and weeks to come so please stay connected. Until then, thank you again for the many prayers and support.

Headed Home!!!

It is 415pm here in Kilimanjaro International and we are waiting to board our first flight which is already late.  The adrenalin is gone now and we are both exhausted but ready to get home.  We fly from here to Ethiopia and then from there to Washington DC with a short layover in Rome.  We are scheduled to arive in Charleston around 2:00 on Friday.  Please pray for our strength and safety.  We love you all and will see you on Sunday.

Safari

Late Sunday afternoon we pulled into Tarangire National Park which is one of the largest wild animal preserves in Tanzania.. It only took a few minutes for us to realize where we were because we stopped only a few minutes from the public camping area to watch a heard of elephant cross the trail. The campsite was nice but completely exposed to the wild animals and it was a little disconcerting to discover that we were the only campers brave enough (or stupid enough) to stay in such a remote place with nothing more than nylon tents for protection. Then, as we were getting settled in, one of the parked rangers pulled up and left an armed guard who would stay with us all night, “just as a precaution.” My anxiety climbed a little more when after Patti and Pam had gone to bed, Dan and I were sitting in the camp talking with the guard when he got a strange look on his face and then said, “I just heard a lion down by the river.” Then I heard it! Sounded a little like a bullfrog but Dan said that the adult mail lions grunt that sound to communicate with the pride. Am I supposed to sleep in a tent where there is a lion close enough to hear him grunt? Laying quietly on my cot, I heard the sound several more times and finally prayed myself to sleep. All was good until Patti woke me up around 4am because she was hearing something “walk around the camp.” She wanted me to get up and go see what it was. Yea right. I chose not to tell her about the conversation with the guard and suggested it was probably a warthog rooting around (we had seen lots of them on the way in). She accepted that explanation and tried to go back to sleep until whatever it was started scratching on our tent. It didn't help her feel any better but I knew that the King of the Jungle would not knock before entering. I felt better..

The next day we spent the day driving through the vastness of the African plain. What and experience? We made a list of all the wild animals we saw and those we hoped to see. It was like being right in the middle of a National Geographic Documentary! Giraffes, elephants, monkeys, baboons, buffalo, warthogs, mongoose, all kinds of impala , and finally, there they were, two bigger than life mail lions lying under an Acacia tree. (Only about 2 Kilometers from where we had camped!) Finally, as we were on our way out of the camp we saw several jeeps stopped on the trail all looking in the same direction. It was another big cat; the all elusive leopard. All in all, not bad for our first ever safari.

The twenty four hours we spent at Tarangeri was indeed a spiritual experience for all of us. The glory and majesty of our God could not have been more evident. We left there late in the afternoon and drove back to Arusha and set up camp there for our last night of camping.

The Church at Losimongori



A packed house

 On Sunday morning we joined the Maasai for worship in Losimongori at one of the largest Maasai churches in the area. The building was small and very primitive with simple benches on a concrete floor, plank walls and a tin roof. The entire building was only about 20' by 30' in diameter. We walked into the room to find that a group of singers (the choir) had already starting singing. The sound of the music filled the valley and actually served as a “call to worship” because over the next hour or so some 80 people packed out the tiny sanctuary. Each one would walk in, bow for a time of prayer and then join the singing.



The Choir



The music was so moving that we could hardly believe that they were singing without any instruments. Every song was a rhythmic melody where one person would take the lead and sing out a phrase which was then repeated by the others in a very together 5 or 6 part harmony. Along with the singing were motions or dances that seems choreographed and rehearsed but were actually only a part of their longstanding traditional worship. This all went on, song after song, until about 11:10. It was all so moving that I remember thinking how glad I was that they were 8 hours ahead of us because I felt sure that all of the angels were gathered around the Maasai churches to participate in their pure worship. One thing is for sure, these people have been training to worship Jesus for thousands of years and now are excited to be able to direct all this beautiful expression to Him alone.

After the final song, the people filed down front and placed their offerings in a basket and then the pastor preached. The final segment was an altar call where they laid hands on the sick and needy and prayed earnestly for them. Finally, as the people exited the building, they formed a single line that resulted in a circle where each one greeted the others and wished them well before departing. Altogether the service lasted for about 3 hours, the temperature must have been 90 with little ventilation in a packed building on uncomfortable benches, but no one complained.

Back from the Pori



Zebras along the road



It has been an incredible five days. It is Tuesday evening and we are back to the Johnson's home in Moshi. There is no way, I can sum up these last five days in one blog so get ready for several blogs over the next few days where I will brag profusely on the majesty of our God as we have seen His handiwork in so many ways.

Wildebeests

First, the drive on Friday through the Pori to Kamakia was incredible. It was hard to believe just how enormous and beautiful the landscape across Tanzania was. The narrow dirty road we travelled for five hours would have been extremely uncomfortable and draining had we not been so psyched at the marvelous landscapes and herds of animals. We saw zebra, wildebeests, ostriches, impalas, camels, and many smaller species of range rovers and even one giraffe. It was almost like being on a safari; at least we thought so until we actually went on safari a few days later. Once arriving in Kamakia, we set up camp with the help of a couple Maasai warriors who stayed with us all night as our guards. The next day we watched as Dan went through the story cloth, sharing the gospel with several Maasai. Dan carefully demonstrated to us how to use the story cloth and other resources to minister to the Massai tribes.





In front of the vast Pori



On Saturday we traveled to Losi, another area densely populated by Maasai. While driving we were carefully noting the number and locations of the Maasai bomas. A boma is a circle of huts where one Maasai extended family lives. These bomas are spread out over the plains and are loosely affiliated with each other. I will say more about the Maasai lifestyle in a later blog.

Sunday we went to one of the largest Maasai churches in Losi. Incredible! More on that later as well.





Sunday night, we spent the night in the middle of Tarangeri national park where on Monday we went on an actual safari. More on this incredible experience later.



Our campsite in Kamakia



We are all glad to be back and are all safe and well. We truly felt your prayers and support. Keep up with this sight as I will go into greater detail later about the specifics of our trip. Right now I am too exhausted to be creative. God bless.



The Pori

It is Thursday evening here and we are packed and ready to leave early in the morning for the Pori (bush country) to spend four days with the Maasai people.  We have tents and all the camping supplies necessary to be pretty self-sufficient.  Our main purpose is to explore several areas where the Maasai live that have not yet been approached with the gospel.  Dan has only been to this area one time on a scouting trip so we are not sure what or who we will encounter on this trip.. I am excited about that because it reminds me of the time we first went into Pullo, Peru and walked around the streets looking for some place to sleep.  I am also reminded of what the Apostle Paul said:  "My heart's desire is to preach the gospel where it has never been heard before." 

We have heard that there has been some rain in the area so please pray that we will be able to get in and out of the area.  It is an eight hour drive from here, most of which will be on dirt roads and paths.  If it rains hard, we will not be able to get in.  If it rains hard while we are there, we may not be able to get out.  Dan has a great strategy for reaching the Maasai with the gospel message and descipling the new believers.  I am convinced that OFBC can be a great asset to God's work here.  We will find out more later.

I will not be able to blog or e-mail until we come out of the Pori late Tuesday.  I am having trouble downloading pics because the Internet here is so slow.  As we are preparing for bed here in Moshi, we can clearly here the Muslim prayers being broadcast from the mosque down the street.  Another reminder of the lostness in East Africa,

Thanks for your prayers.  Keep in mind that camping is not one of Patti's spiritual gifts.  However, I must say she is doing great getting acclimated to the heat and humidity here in Tanzania. We both feel so blessed to be a part of what God is doing here.  i am sure that I will have a lot to say on Tuesday.  Be blessed.

Arusha Pics

The Campus of Mount Meru University

A beautiful Co-ed in the library

Another beautiful co-ed

A study group enjoying the summertime weather

Patti's Perspective

Today was our first full day and was a great day.  Eric told you about our trip and the only thing I will add is that we felt invisible, which is a good thing.  God put up a barrier and we breezed through everything, it was great.  Today was exciting.  We went to Mount Meru University and met  with the leadership.  We got some valuable information for future trips.  We also got to see the Tawi leadership which are the Maasai pastors and tomorrow we will be packing to go in country on Friday. 

Dan and Pam have a beautiful home and we feel very welcome.  So far our accomodations are great.  I will let you all know how camping is this weekend.  Keep praying that God will use us as we go to see the Maasi people.  I am very excited.

Tanzania Africa: We're here!!!

This is a HUGE and beautiful place!  We arrived without a hitch.  Thanks so much for all the prayers while we were traveling,  we truly felt the power of prayer and saw the hand God working in every aspect of our travel.  First of all, we left Charleston just minutes before the winter storm arrived.  Then we made every connection and walked smoothly through all the security checkpoints without question.  The flights were long but comfortable and while we did not sleep much, we were able to talk a lot about the coming week. 

It's hot here.  Really hot!  We got off the plane in Arusha and walked across the tarmac feeling every degree of the 95 temp.  We are staying with the Johnsons in there very beautiful house (provided by the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering) which has all the comforts of home except air conditioning.  Didn't matter though because we slept so hard last night we didn't notice the heat.  A cold shower this morning was just the ticket to get our day started.  It is Wednesday here and we are going to be touring Moshi and Arusha to familiarize ourselves with the important sights that we will be using as we bring teams to the area.  Tomorrow we will spend a day doing the tourist thing and then we are off into the Pori (bush country) to meet the Maasai leaders and people.

Please continue to pray for divine appointments as we move through the day today.  No pics yet but should have some tonight.