The Girl with the Traveling Heart: East Africa Intro

May 27, 2019 

Hello friends!! I am currently studying in Tanzania! I am going to (try) to use this page to update what all is going on- I have lots of incredible prayer partners back home and I want to be able to keep you- my community- updated on my whereabouts! 

I’m writing this on my plane flight from DC to Dubai and in less than 12 hours I’ll be in Africa for the first time!! I am so excited. I’ve dreamed about this trip since I was in the 7^th grade. I hope you can join me on this electronic journey as I share what all God is teaching me through my time in Africa!

May 28, 2019

Well, after spending one night in the beautiful city of Dar Es Salaam, I have to say I think mosquitos in Africa may be more aggressive than they are in Memphis. I know, it’s hard to believe, but let me tell you. Their buzzing at night will keep you awake. So will the sounds of a bustling city. As I’m writing this, I’ve got a quiet minute in the lobby of the hostel where we stayed last night and the city is beginning to wake up. As I walked out of my room this morning, I was able to hear the hustle and bustle of early morning commuters. Thanks to jet lag and new country jitters, I woke up at 3:15 this am, but I think it was for the best. It gave me a chance to really think about why I’m here.

 I am here as a humble learner. I am here to love on the person in front of me- whether they me a teammate or a waiter or a buss driver. A John Wesley quote I hear often at home goes along the lines “If your heart is like my heart than take my hand” (that’s a rough estimate but you get the idea). Essentially what this means, and what I’m learning is that all human hearts are afflicted by sin. All human hearts are longing to be connected with their Creator. Whether I speak the same language as a brother or sister or not, I can see it in their eyes. When I look into the mirror, I see it in my own. A longing to belong. A desire written deep in our souls to be connected to Someone bigger than ourselves. And as I sit here farther away from home than I’ve ever been, I find comfort in this. Knowing that we belong to a spirit that is unseen. We are secured in a future that is rooted in Love. We belong to a God far greater than worldly kingdoms or domains or languages or distance. We belong to the great I Am.

Thus concludes my first update on my Africa experience.