The Days We Had Five Flat Tires
Many people ask: Why do we have a few days of rest after working in the clinic before coming home? Because it is necessary to unpack what we’ve done during clinic in the last week and because we need to prepare coming back to our “normal” lives in the USA. What a different life ours is than what we’ve seen here. We’ve experienced so much in this country, met the people, learned about them, learned of their hardships and troubles their different way of life and we were very touched. It is also very sad and we will take that all home in our hearts. Additionally, we’ve gotten to know each other as a team and now we can talk, pray, and enjoy a break. Having a break is very special. But WOW…. To get a chance to go to two parks in Africa is MORE than special. Tanzania is rich in animals and plant life as you can imagine - like out of the Social Studies books or the Travel Channel.
Tarangire National Park. This is a wonderful park full of elephants, giraffes, and so many other animals. Seeing dozens of elephants and giraffes towering and lumbering along was beyond words.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area: If the garden of Eden were here, this would be it. Animals living together, incredible plant life, salt water and fresh water pools, and views that take your breath away. Lions, hippos, water buffalo, elephants, wildebeests (gnus), hyenas, wart hogs, baboons, and so many different types of birds (we identified 47 birds!).
It was beyond words. We have thousands of pictures, only a few are here. We had an experience of a lifetime …. And … we experienced five flat tires in two days! Our driver helped keep us safe (even with a flat in the crater near the lions! And a blowout on the main road). We learned that all the safari drivers look after each other and how they trade tires. THANK the LORD for keeping us all safe!
Patti and Laurence did the devotions on our last night. We heard Laurence’s incredible journey from a rough childhood through what happened to him that brought him blessings for schooling and a job. He has many trials and he said the Lord has brought him through each one. He has a great story of how he worked at an orphanage in Mbuguni and met Patti who was on a mission trip. As co-founders of Next Life Foundation, Laurence and Patti, along with board of directors both in Tanzania and the USA, have a vision for the future - all to help the children and community. He is looking for what the Lord has in store next (hopefully next is a fence around the school to help keep them safe).
For devotions, their verses were from Ephesians, including 1:11-14: “In him we were also chosen,having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”
Bwana Asifiwe (“Praise the Lord”, in Swahili)
