Praise the Lord, we made it to Dar es Salaam! After a week of really hard goodbyes, we were dropped off at the airport with 14 suitcases and lots of unknowns in our future.
We asked the Lord for a smooth traveling and He provided just that. Our first flight was 16 hours to Dubai. We then had a 15 hour layover where we were able to get a good nights rest in a hotel as well as some good meals and a little park time. We flew out the next morning on a 5 hour flight to Dar es Salaam. When we arrived, all 14 of our suitcases were there and we made it through all the checkpoints quickly. Thank you for your prayers for our travels. To God be the glory!
It was pretty cool flying over the worlds tallest building (Burj Khalifa in Dubai). It is like the airplane went in this direction for this shot…and then made a sharp turn to go over it. So crazy tall….
3/4 the way through and smiles on our faces!
Made it to Reach Tanzania!
Jet lag made for some early morning breakfasts!
We have entered the rainy season…which means tons of flooding. Roads turn into rivers which makes for even more interesting driving.
Adi and Jude started school 3 days after we arrived. They are loving HOPAC (Haven of Peace Academy) and are making some great friends. A few things that are different than school back in Modesto: School Day 7:30-2:30. Swimming class during school. Mandatory running a mile 2 days a week before school. Adi is a student council rep for her grade and UNIFORMS! Uniforms make mornings easy:)
While Adi and Jude are at school….Ezra gets lots of mom and dad time. He also has spent lots of time with the dogs, playing with other kids, house hunting and shopping with us…and maybe a little “extra” iPad time than usual. He will start kindergarten in August at HOPAC and is looking forward to that!
Cooking is a bit different these days! Beginning to learn things to buy, how to shop and ways to cook!
Jude and Ez getting a lesson on breaking coconuts open and drinking the water.
We spent our first Saturday morning cooling off in the school pool. It was great getting to know some other families that the kids go to school with.
The kids found a turtle friend in the yard before school. It was fun until Jude got snapped!
Prayer Requests:
A house: We have been looking the last week and a half and believe we have it narrowed down. Please pray for peace and direction. After 6 weeks of living with others, we are looking forward to being in our “own” place.
A car: We have not been able to purchase a car yet and are praying that we are able to get one next week. Please pray for a van for us to get around that suites our family well.
Health: We all have rashes and occasional tummy issues…but other than that we are feeling great. Please pray that the medicine takes care of these skin issues and that our family continues to stay healthy.
Language: Luke and I will start the gpa method of language learning the beginning of May. This will be 5 days a week for 4 hours a day… Ezra may have to go to a local preschool during that time (until summer break) so we can both fully engage in language. Please pray for wisdom and direction regarding that decision.
Spiritual walk: Most importantly, please pray for our hearts to stay focused and aligned with Christ and His mission. For us to grow in love for Christ and His church…His creation…and each other. That we will not grow weary in doing good. That we will press on when times are hard and continue to seek selflessness and the good of others. That we will be learners and always looking to share the love of Jesus with those around us.
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We are so thankful for your prayers, love, support and desire to walk alongside of us as we share the love of Jesus with those in Dar es Salaam. YOU are a blessing to our family!
To read our most recent newsletter, click HERE.
Where have you been staying since you arrived in Dar?
We are staying in the dorms of Reach Tanzania pastoral training. It is close to the kids school and has been a great place for our family the first few weeks. We will be here a few more weeks before we move into our home.