First Visitors!

We had our first visitors from our home back in the U.S.! My (John's) mom and sister, Kittie and Elizabeth, came for two weeks and we had so much fun together!

They arrived in Kigoma on March 1, 2019, the day before Kittie's 70th birthday! So we celebrated birthdays (John's is the day after Kittie's) as they adjusted to African time and temps. It was so nice to spend time with family! We were ready for a short break and this worked out to be as Elizabeth called it, "A vacation and a mission trip all in one!".

We did a lot together during the two weeks they were here. Just going to church is a cultural experience! We visited the reading room in Ujiji and met many friends there. Everyone here loves visitors! We were able to get this group picture during our visit to Ujiji. (Don't miss Sam in the window!)

We also visited a feeding program just down from our house which feeds a few hundred children and adults three times a week. This is a great way to get to know the kids and also use your time to serve the Lord. Many of the street boys we work with frequent this feeding program. They sing songs, hear a Gospel message and give thanks to the Lord. Everyone waits while the plates are being distributed before eating.

We were able to visit an orphanage about an hour drive north into the mountains. This is a good orphanage that has a lot of workers taking care of the babies and toddlers. Most of the children are there because their mother has died (often during or right after childbirth). The general plan is to place the child back into the home of the nearest relative after they reach two years old. There are some that don’t have that option, but most of these children will return to a family member. The toddlers are especially fun to play with, and we had a good time with these two spunky boys- one loved wearing Elizabeth's sunglasses!

Kittie really wanted to see an elephant and asked if we could try to make that happen during her visit. We were able to make the 7 hour drive to Kitavi National Park and had a wonderful time!

We ran across a group of orangutans on the way there! After driving on African roads for several hours we were looking for a Chic-Filet, but had to settle for a roadside rest stop. The people met us at our car with chicken on a stick, hot sodas, and various things to snack on. We sat down and enjoyed rice, beans & chicken, while the locals enjoyed watching us eat. :)

We stayed at a very rustic place called "The Hippo Garden". It is located on a river that is full of hippos! Hippos are the second most dangerous animal in the world, next to the mosquito. They spend their days in the water, but spend their nights on land eating. We were warned to stay in our cabins at night, but in the morning a rogue hippo was roaming! The kids loved it, but the adults were a bit nervous!

Kitavi National Park is one of the least visited parks in Tanzania most likely because of its location. We did not see one other car in the park all day, and enjoyed driving around searching for animals. We saw zebras, giraffe, antelope, hippos, buffalo, wildebeest, and elephants. We were able to check off a huge bucket list item for Kittie-- she saw an elephant! This elephant was with her baby and what looked like a teenager, and gave us a scare as they came closer and closer. We pulled the car out of the way as they crossed our road and disappeared into the bush.

Of all the things we saw at Katavi, the guy below was one of our favorites! We stopped to get his picture because he was just beaming with the joy of the Lord. Truly, the Lord is working everywhere, even in Kitavi National Park! Amen.

We enjoyed Kitavi and made it back to Kigoma safely. We were so encouraged by Kittie & Elizabeth's visit and had such a nice time!

We know it is quite a sacrifice to travel so far, but we want you all to know that you are very welcome to come and visit! We have a spare room and there are guest houses within walking distance. As they say here in Tanzania - "Karibuni!" (Welcome!)