“Karibu” (welcome) and “Bwana asifiwe” are two Swahili phrases that will stick with me forever.
I heard these words over and over during my trip to Africa in July 2022, and I learned their meaning through the actions of the Tanzanian people. Welcoming, servant hearts abound there. Everywhere we went, people were serving the Lord with all that they had, which was often not much. A faith like I have never seen runs rampant—giving well beyond means, trusting God to provide, and then giving some more.
Over two weeks, I spent my second year serving as a member of the Baba’s Glory mission team in Arusha, Tanzania. Going into the trip, I never imagined anything would be able to top my experience from last year, but the thing I had forgotten about Africa is that it will always exceed your expectations.
This year, I was able to serve alongside a group of educators from all over Texas who went with the intention of blessing the teachers of the Arusha schools in whatever capacity we could. We were able to purchase school supplies for 50 teachers, as well as for more than 560 children at three different schools. All of this was made possible through donations received from friends and supporters of the teachers on my team.
We also decided early on in the planning process that we would like the teachers to be given fabric for new clothing, so we partnered with a local fabric merchant and purchased 50 of the most beautiful and vibrant fabrics I had ever seen.
Our team couldn’t wait to serve these teachers, but in the true spirit of the Tanzanian people, we were met with many more blessings than we were able to provide. As our team of five sat huddled together in the middle of the room, with 25 Tanzanian teachers praying over us, I was reminded of God’s faithfulness. In a place where so many material things were lacking, faith certainly was not.
As we wrapped up our time with the teachers, one of the administrators pulled me aside and told me they had prayed for these supplies, and that God had provided as they knew He would—and then, he said something I’ll never forget. “Sometimes things are hard, but God is always good.”
Those words, for me, summed up our entire trip. Everywhere I looked, progress had been made, and more good work had been done.
Last year, our team went to Engikaret (an administrative ward in the Longido District of the Arusha Region of Tanzania) and saw the hopeful sight of a new clinic that would serve the tribal people. We saw an empty building in the middle of the Serengeti desert. Members of our team spent hours digging ditches in front of the building, and shoveling fertilizer into them, in hopes that new plant life would grow in time for the opening of the clinic.
As we arrived at the site this year, the first thing I noticed were the bushes in front of the building–the OPEN building! Not only had a few little plants popped up in the ditches we dug, but the clinic was open and fully staffed. This same site is also surrounded by a school, and a Christian-run base that does outreach to young girls and widows in the tribal village.
That day, we met with two widows, a woman and her daughter-in-law, who were hoping to ease their suffering by living together. The younger widow was only 19 years old, and had two children. It was not safe for her to live on her own, but they could not afford to move her. Our team prayed with the women, and reached out to donors to see if we could be of any help. Two days later, the funds had been raised to build a new house for these women, and the building process started right away.
Far from the dryness of the desert, there is the Saiboku mountain village. There, we held a women’s ministry event, and thought that nail polish would be a fun gift. Again, we were met with more blessings than we could’ve expected, as we were able to hold the hands and hear the stories of the women whose nails we were painting.
Amidst all these blessings, there is nothing I am more thankful for than our driver, Saitoti. He makes sure that he is available each year when our team comes, and he works alongside us during our outreaches every day. He invited our team to his house this year, where his wife made a wonderful lunch for all 17 of us. While there, he told us that his house was not his, but ours, because we were his family. The generosity and servanthood of this man is unlike any I have ever seen.
This trip, these stories, and these blessings could not have been possible without the support of so many friends, coworkers, and family members. Thank you all for your generosity, for your prayers, and for the love you show me at home. Know that it is felt and appreciated halfway across the world.
Bwana asifiwe—Praise the Lord!
- Log in or Subscribe to post comments.
