We Made It!

By Jacob -
We landed in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, on January 13th. It has been a whirlwind since then, but I think we may finally be finding our feet in Tanzania!


It is crazy to think that after so many years of preparation and training we are actually in Tanzania.

Some first impressions are: the weather is HUMID, mangos and pineapple are in season, and the people are very friendly and welcoming.

Travel & Transition

Let’s just say, the last two weeks have been quite a challenge! For the last few days, we averaged between three to five hours of sleep a night in addition to travel and children. Though this past week has been exhausting, we are feeling incredibly blessed to be a part of God’s work in Tanzania.

On Wednesday, we began learning about how to live in Tanzania. This involves everything from dealing with power outages and 240v electricity to not using your left hand when giving things to people. 

Grateful

Our last thought before leaving the States was how incredibly blessed we are to have witnessed so many people getting together to help us get to Tanzania. From receiving ongoing donations from churches and individuals to having our groceries anonymously paid for by someone ahead of us, it is encouraging to see God’s church working in this way.

Please continue to pray:

  • For retention of what we are learning.

  • That the girls would start going to bed earlier so that we can get enough sleep.

Comments

  1. GrantNShariJanuary 21, 2017 at 11:08 AM

    Thanks for the update! Praying for you all and miss you.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jim and Marsha GreenslittJanuary 26, 2017 at 8:35 PM

    So good to hear from you guys. So proud of Silas for memorizing the 23rd Psalm. We will definitely pray for all of you and your adjustment to the changes and especially the boys, and that you'll be able to get more rest. Hopefully by now you have gotten your work visas but know God has everything under control. Thank you for sharing your lives with these people and being obedient to the call of God. We look forward to hearing from you again.
    Blessings in Jesus,
    Jim and Marsha Greenslitt

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Recent Posts

Growing Sweethearts

By Jacob -
Image
It is about time we updated pictures of the children. The girls are growing and changing so fast! Every day they learn new things and get faster at crawling. Tivoli says Mama regularly and said Dada for the first time the other day! Esther is seriously addicted to her fingers and Tivoli decided a pacifier is a wonderful thing. They are nine months now. Tivoli (yellow headband)  Esther (purple headband) Many struggles over who gets which toy occur every day... And usually the result is one happy baby and one sad baby. Tivoli is almost always happy, steady, and consistent. However, she loves to explore and escapes every time the door is left open. She really likes the dogs who are probably five times her size and like to lick her face. Unfortunately, her explorations outside usually end with a very happy but filthy baby.  Well, this is 100% Esther when we say smile. She loves to snuffle her nose at you and once she is comfortable with someone she over
Read more

The Girls

By Jacob -
Image
It has been a while since I have posted pictures of the girls and people have been asking. In the meantime, I decided to give a little update on their progress in life. At 5 months and 12 pounds each, our two little princesses have been quickly growing and learning about life. They are able to sit up when supported, hold their heads up very well, roll over and grab their feet, and they love standing. Of course, they have two big brothers who love them a lot! Maybe a little too much sometimes... Their Mommy has been amazing with them, and their smiles tell us every day how happy they are.  And of course, their Daddy is great at making their day. At the end of the day Esther, and Tivoli are very tired and ready for a good night's sleep. Life for them is so simple right now. Before I know it, they will be crawling, walking, talking, and then having their own life adventures. Lord, please give us strength and wisd
Read more

A Trip to "Hobby Lobby"

By -
Image
I needed to pick up a few items for my sewing projects, however, I was not having any success finding what I needed. After asking around I was told of a market that would likely have what I needed. Kariakoo. Not knowing much about this newfound market other than that it is big and in the general direction of downtown, I debated how to go about a trip to "Hobby Lobby". Feeling as if going solo on this expedition was not the best idea, I had been contemplating on who would come with me. It so happened that the day before I was to go I met a lady at a used clothing market while I was looking for the next size for the girls. She helped me find a few items that were tucked away in an obscure corner of the market, walked me through the back neighbourhood, and helped me to the bus stop before going home. In the process of talking, I asked her if she had any plans for the following day. As she did not, I asked if she would like to go with me to Kariakoo. She agreed and we sor
Read more

JAARS Day

By Jacob -
Image
Yesterday we spent at JAARS Day. It is a day long presentation done biannually by the JAARS Center showing how Bible translation relies on JAARS for boats, airplanes, 4WD, media, software, and many other practical technologies available today. There are booths set up around campus describing the different support roles JAARS serves in with many practical demonstrations and even some hands on activities for the kids! Silas, pointing out where we will be going in Africa! The cafeteria at the JAARS Center. Tanzania's flag is the one on the top left of the photo (blue, black, yellow, and green stripes) One of the shelves of Bibles that have been translated around the world (there is another cabinet on the other side of the stage). Silas "Daddy, when I was big like you I used to fly airplanes like this one!" The Helio Courier that I am currently training in! During the JAARS Day event, two Helio Couriers and one R-44
Read more