Faith

Today we have been going with the flow. We met in Bill R's room this morning and decided we wanted to go back to the village we went to Saturday. When we got to the village we had realized we accidently forgot Katy! Oops! We played and took pictures for a couple of hours and then went downtown for lunch. Our plans for today are still unsure.
Tomorrow we will take a bus to Dar Es Salaam where we will spend the night for one night. Wednesday morning we will set sail for Zanzibar!
Everyone is doing great! We are thankful for the great memories and friends we have made on this trip.

Sorry we have not kept up with our Bible verses, we always run out of time!!!
Psalms 117:2 For great is His love towards us and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.

Patience

Sorry for the wait, it is always hard to find a good internet cafe when we get to a new city.

Friday we left Iringa for Morogoro. We woke up to Kristen yelling, "GUESS WHO DIED?!?! MICHAEL JACKSON!" It was a weird start to our morning. We made a last shopping trip in Iringa before walking to the bus stop. Margaret came with us. We waited about an hour to get on the bus and when we turned to say good-bye to Margaret she was full of tears. It was so sad to leave but we were very excited to see what else God had in store for us. We drove about five hours when we reached our amazing hotel in Morogoro. Morogoro is a beautiful city and much more hot than it was in Iringa. It had been raining off and on since we arrived. We took a short nap before meeting with two missionaries (who also read our blog) and they took us to dinner. At dinner we met a focus group from Kansas, it was nice to share our experiences with another group our age.

Yesterday we got up and went to another village. The kids and teens there were a lot different from the villages in Makambako and Iringa. They didn't run away! We taught them Bible stories and American games until it was time to leave. Marvin, Katy, Dale, and Bill A. walked door to door sharing the gospel and praying with families while we were teaching Bible stories. When we all met up again we walked to a nearby wood carvers. We didn't stay long and after it rained awhile we drove to lunch and had a short while to shop. Morogoro shopping is a little different from what we've been use to. Most of the shops sold used clothes and goods. We didn't buy anything until we got back to the hotel where a man was selling different jewelry and wood carvings. The girls had SO MUCH FUN trading things with him. We kind of became obsessed... We traded shoes, shampoo, backpacks, shirts, mosquito nets, razors, lotion, perfume, anything we could find! But in the end, we recieved a lot!

Today has been a great day. We split into three groups and visited different churches from around the area. We were excited because the church we went to was one of the churches our sisters went to in 2006. They remembered them well and told us to send their love. It was a unique service with roosters walking through the aisles and kids eating rocks. But we loved every minute! Afterwards we went to a very late lunch with the rest of the group and we are so full now! We plan on getting groceries and heading back to the hotel.

The plans for this week in Zanzibar have recently changed. We orginally planned to stay Monday-Friday but the churches we were working for are asking us to pay a lot of money we don't have. We havn't officially decided what we will be doing this week but we will get to go to Zanzibar for a couple of days.

P.S. Mom(s) we plan to go to Chili's the second we step back in Grapevine.

Iringa

Yesterday was an awesome day for all of us. While the guys went to the police station to give them soccer jerseys and soccer balls, the girls went to Beatrice's house to learn how to cook a traditional African meal.
The first thing we had to do was go to the backyard to dig up the sweet potatoes. Kelsey and Kristen washed them off and then Amy and Katy peeled them. There are no potato peelers in Africa, so we used knifes! After the potatoes we made beef stew, rice, and fried mashed bananas. The guys seemed to enjoy it!
Immediately after eating, we headed to our next village. While we were there we met Massai women, which was really cool! Almost the entire church came to know the Lord that night.

Today was a hard day for us because we had little to eat. We started off the day with one slice of bread and jam. We worked really hard in the village under the blazing hot sun and didn't get to break for lunch until about 2pm. We were both very excited to eat. We walked to the pastor of the village's house and squished into a dark, hot room with wasps flying everywhere. There, we patiently waited for our meal. When the women finally brought it to us, they opened the lids to find ugali, rice, and chicken. From across the room we looked at each other with tears filling our eyes. Both of us were looking for a more fulfilling meal; we laughed it off and did our best to eat what we could. However, a small portion of rice was the most we could make ourselves eat.
In the village we started off by baptizing the people saved last night, a total of 38 people were saved- awesome! After that, we offered a baby dedication. The five of us girls were able to hold about 5 babies, an average of 2 babies cried for each of us. Next we had the Lord's Supper, and then finally went home at about 5pm.
Thankfully, when we got back to the hotel we had 5 hot pizzas waiting for us across the street. Between the two of us, we ate 9 pizza slices! We were hungry!!! It was a lot of fun teaching the Africans how to eat pizzas. Sadly, after dinner we had to say good-bye to Aggripa and his family. We thank God for the amazing journey we have had with the people of Iringa.

Katy just got over an stomach ache, but now Marvin has it! Keep them in your prayers and pray the rest of us will stay healthy.

Both of us have taken over 1500 pictures so far, not bad.

Tomorrow we will leave for Morogoro and we are all very excited!

Animals

Yesterday was amazing, we are all very tired and excited for our day of rest.
We began God's beautiful day at five in the morning and headed towards Ruaha National Park. It took us about three hours to reach the resort. It probably would have taken us only an hour, but the dirt roads were so incredibly rough that we had to drive about 20-30 mph. Once we got there we had a really nice three course breakfast. Fruit, breads, then eggs.
After breakfast we hopped on our Land Rovers to begin the safari ride. We immediately saw a giraffe, so close we could reach out and touch it. The giraffe was followed by numerous zebras, elephants, jackals, baboons, impalas, hippos, crocs, and birds. Around one we stopped for lunch. We all discussed how upset we were that there were no lions. We got back in the jeeps, determined to find a lion. While looking, our jeep broke down a few times. We were able to get it started back up again, but it would never last for long. The sun was getting hotter and we were anxious to find our lion, so we decided to off road it. Not long after that we came across two HUGE male lions, finishing off a buffalo carcus. The drivers obviously didn't listen to us screaming, because they kept inching closer and closer to the lions. By the mercy of God, we didn't break down in front of the lions. On our way back to the resort, we drove by a momma lion with her five cubs.
Once we got back to the lodge, we got the keys to our cute, little huts and got ready for another fulfilling meal. While we were getting ready for bed, Kara spotted a massive bug above the door. It had legs of a spider, the body of a locus, and the antennas of a cockroach. IT WAS AWFUL!!! So Kelsey, by force, took a shoe and smashed it against the wall. Don't worry, it's all on video. Dale and Marvin told us they could hear the screaming of four teenage girls from across the resort.

This morning was long. We left the lodge at around 10 and spent another long trip back to Iringa. Since then, we have had lunch and shopped a little. Tonight we are going to a friend of Bill A. and Bill R.'s. We are excited for what else God will have in store for us.

Romans 10:10-11 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."

Love to everyone! We miss you very much!

Servants

Today has been great! Everyone is doing awesome and we are all very excited to go to the game park for the next two days. Today we spilt into two groups and went to different churches in Iringa. We attended Revival Baptist Church. It is down the road from our hotel and we were happy that it is the church Aggripa's family attends. He is the pastor. When we got there, Dale and us went to the back to teach childrens sunday school. First Dale taught the story of David and Goliath and then we taught Abraham. The kids responded great to our picture books and impressed us with how much they knew about the stories. After that we went to the service where Bill R. preached the sermon. The rest of the group met us afterwards for lunch. Kelsey's grandparents had mentioned that our fame of our blog was growing quickly but we didn't realize how much. Missionaries from Iringa that have worked with the Bill's in the past joined us for lunch and the first thing they said to us was, "I recognize you from your picture on your blog!" After lunch we went to their house for coffee and dessert. They shared with us some of the most amazing stories and gave us encouragement for the rest of our trip. We are now about to shop some more until we get ready for the game park.
For those wondering about the Muslim boys (uncle Rensey)- Marvin says, "the seed had been planted. They understood what I was telling them and although they had not accepted it yet, God will be working on their hearts." The pastor in the village told Aggripa that he appreciated the delicate way Marvin presented the gospel to them.
We appreciate all of the people who have been praying for the team and keeping up with our blogs. We don't have much time to write the blogs so it is encouraging that people still read them!

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Laughter

Oh where to begin...
Thursday we began with Kelsey's devotional and then headed to our last full day at the village. We went straight to the Secondary School to teach the students volleyball. When we got there, over 100 students came outside to greet us. We weren't aware of how many students there would be... so we were really nervous to play infront of them. After two quick games we discussed giving our testimonies. We saw the students start running to one side of the court and pointing towards the sky. We didn't see anything. When we looked over to the students they were yelling, "sit! sit! bees!" Just then we saw a swarm of killer bees hovering over the right side of the court. We nearly wet our pants. When the bees left, we gave our testimonies and invited them to the service that night. Then we asked if we could watch them play futbol. They were amazing! We felt like royalty because they gave us chairs and we sat under the shade. After the game we gave each student a pencil, there weren't enough, but they were greatful. We returned to the VBS just in time for lunch. An old lady came up to the window asking for a gift. Amy gave her an old SLC shirt and she wore it proudly around the village. Then a little boy came up to Kelsey's window and she gave him some ground nuts but he continued to cry. The mom picked him up and put him in Kelseys lap through the window. He stopped crying and fell asleep- it was soo cute! That was when the baby phase started. We each asked for a baby to wear on our back. Amy's started bawling the moment he was strapped on. So she didn't get him for long. Once it got dark outside, some Muslim boys came up to Marvin and questioned the Bible. He stayed with them the rest of the night witnessing to them. It was really awesome to watch. The mom's cooked us dinner again tonight but we didn't eat much because there was a lot of dirt in it... and we're pretty sure poop too.
Yesterday we broke out of our regular routine and said goodbye to the village. The church there provided us lunch and gave us congas as a gift of appreciation. They fed us until we were literally gagging. Then we drove back to Iringa where we ate dinner with Aggripa's family. His wife was selling some of the most amazing dress and we each bought a quilt for our dorm rooms. After dinner we took his daughters, Margeret (10) and Faith (4), back to the hotel for a girls sleepover. We had so much fun. We put all our luggage in Kelsey's room and moved the mattresses to Amy's room. We stayed up late coloring and watching soap opera's.
Today we have been shopping all day! It is really fun and successful, but sometimes stressful. We are about to head back to the hotel and have pizza for lunch! Then we might go to an orphanage to play with the kids, which we are all very excited about.
We miss you all so much! Thank you for your prayers!!!

1 Thessalonians 3:16 Now may the Lord of Peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all.

Amy Celeste and Kelsey Anne

Culture

The first couple of days were tough, but we are all quickly adjusting!
Yesterday we got up and ate our normal breakfast. Then we headed to Kijombe, the village. We began our first day of VBS. We taught the stories of Noah, David and Goliath, and Jesus' Birth. We made PB and J's for lunch and then passed out stickers while Dale dress as a clown. The kids nearly attacked us wanting more and more stickers, but it was well worth it to see the happiness on their faces. While Marvin preached, we walked to the Kijombe Secondary School. It was sad to see how little they had. The school has no electricity or even textbooks for the students to use. Seventy girls share a dorm no bigger than our bedrooms. After walking back we taught everyone, including adults, "duck, duck, goose." The circle had probably 75-100 people either watching or playing. The kids who could speak english loved being taught different American games. The women of the village made us a great dinner. Kelsey has developed many close relationships to the younger children of the village. Even when we are hiding in the bus, they are waiting outside her window. We like to call our bus "the tour bus" because we feel like celebrities when they stand outside waiting for us to come back out. After showing a Jesus film, we headed back to the hotel. It was a frustrating night for us girls because many of the local teenage boys would constantly taunt us for our money and belongings. When we offered our prayers, they would get very mad. It is very scary at night in Africa. In the daylight, it is a beautiful country. Kara likes to compare the trees to Dr. Seuss books. Today we are going back to the village. We were asked to teach the students at the secondary school how to play volleyball. We will finish VBS and eat another meal they have prepared for us. Tomorrow we will go back to Iringa to learn how to cook and sew African dresses before spending the night at the gamepark.

Romans 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer, share with Gods people who are in need, and practice hospitality.

Love, Amy and Kelsey

Love

We finally found an internet cafe and we fought hard to be able to come here. We arrived in Dar Es Salaam at appx. 630AM. The sun was just rising and it was the most beautiful thing we have ever seen. Amy was crying up until we got into the airport. We were finally here! We thanked God over and over for choosing us to come to Tanzania. We immediately drove to Iringa, a 10 hour drive, and ate dinner at one of the missionary's house. It was...interesting. We sang "Amazing Grace" in English and Swahili. It was well worth the 26 hour travel. After spending the night, (our first time to sleep in a bed, and our first time to see night since Texas) we drove another 4 hours to Makambako. You can see every single star in the sky at night- it is beautiful. In Makambako, we ate lunch and had to sit alone at a seperate table. Four native men sat with us and we got to know them. Two of the four spoke great english and asked us about our travels. One asked, "so how do you feel to be led by an African-American man?" We laughed, not really knowing how to tell him we voted for McCain. We then went to the village where we will be working at for the week and we met the children for the first time. Scared, they ran away. It is the first time for many of them to see white people. As we attempted to tribal dance, the kids slowly warmed up to us. We showed them our cameras which were a big hit. We said good-bye and headed back to the hotel. On the way we were comparing pictures when Amy realized she was scrolling through about ten. We realized that during the commotion, she had deleted all of the pictures. ALL OF THEM. We reminded ourselves that there weren't many pictures we just loved, Kelsey has pictures from London, and it was only the second day in Africa. We were thankful we at least still have our cameras. We were about to question God why this had happen when we looked up at the sky and saw the Southern Cross. Looking straight at us He said, "havn't I always told you? Everything happens for a reason." And we didn't think about the accident again. It has already been a long week but God has blessed us greatly. We are getting ready to go back to the village (an hour away) and provide VBS. Hopefully the kids will be more active with our teams. Please pray for the villages, the missionaries, and our team. Our goal is to have more Baptist churches from Makambako to Iringa. Also, pray that we will have more opportunities to post blogs. For the first time, Amy is becoming homesick.

Isiah 6:8 "And then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here I am, Lord, send me!"

Thanks to all!

Remarkable

What a long day it has been!
We have not stopped since we boarded the plane in Dallas. Today we toured London! As tired and exhausted as we were, it was an amazing journey. Because it is the Queen's birthday, most of the road were blocked, however we managed to see most of London. We would list the sights... but we don't know how to spell them. Even Kelsey could hardly manage to snap a few photos in our awe of the city. It was too spectacular to look away for even a second.
For lunch we took part in a magical dining experience overlooking the city. The warm smells of the traditional London meal filled the air. In other words, we ate at Pizza Hut. It's okay though because Amy had her margherita (?) pizza in a new location.
We arrived back at the Heathrow Airport by taxi, train, double decker bus, and foot. We made our way through security and now have two hours to burn before takeoff. After yet another 9 hour flight, we will land in Dar Es Salaam where we will ride a bus for 12-16 hours. We are excited yet do not know what to expect. We are most excited for our showers, and a bed to sleep on.
Thank you for your prayers so far, and we hope to write again in Tanzania. Even in this London Airport we can see God's hands preparing us to do His will. We love you all very much!!!

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not own your own understandings, in all ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.

Kelsey and Amy

Tomorrow is the day!!!

Jambo!

After a year of daydreaming I can finally say, "tomorrow is the day!!!" Although as of now, I can say "today." Because of the weather, we have been without power all day and with the help of a generator I am finally able to get on a laptop to write my first blog. I have spent most of my day packing and praying that I don't forget anything I will need. I would love to thank all of the generous friends and families that financially supported my trip to Africa. What a blessing it is to have such amazing people in my life. Keep up with my blogs to hear the incredible things God will do each day.

In Him,
Amy