7 months in

We've officially lived in Tanzania for 7 months. Thought I would celebrate the occasion with a few lists of '7' for your reading pleasure. Enjoy!

7  LOVES:
1. The amazing community we have through HOPAC and God's Tribe
2. Living so close to the ocean
3. Learning a new culture and language
4. Marc and I being able to work & minister together
5. A simpler life and pace of life
6. Fresh, non processed foods, delicious fruit/veg in season
7. Diversity within our community

7 CHALLENGES:
1. The heat
2. Cooking truly from scratch - it takes so much time and energy!
3. Learning a new culture and language
4. Bugs - in the house, in the food, on the dogs, on my kids...
5. Traffic
6. Not knowing how to respond to the poverty & injustice around us
7. Not having family nearby to watch the kids! 

7  THINGS I MISS:
1. Convienence foods/snacks
2. Carpet
3. The amazing family & community we left behind
4. Fall
5. Target/Meijer/D&W (espeically ones with a Starbucks inside!)
6. Andrea's pizza
7. Getting a paycheck & not depending on others generousity for your livelihood

7 THINGS I DO NOT MISS:
1. Snow
2. TV
3. Pressure to be trendy/keep up with the Jones'
4. Working. I still love being a part of ministry, but enjoy not having any obligations!
5. Hosting international students. It was good while it lasted, but great to be just our family for now.
6. Snow. Did I mention that already?
7. Marc working an hour away!

7 THINGS I'VE LEARNED
1. We are meant to be here.
2. I need to learn how to slow down and wait more.
3. God is working on my pride. It's not fun.
4. My kids are more flexible and insightful than I realized.
5. Language learning is both an amazing joy and huge frustation at the same time.
6. Greetings are VERY important here! My kids are learning to respect their elders much more.
7. Most things are just as expensive here, if not MORE expensive.

7 THINGS I FEAR:
1. Something happening to someone I love back home & not being there right away.
2. Being hit or hitting someone/something while driving
3. Not raising enough money for us to continue ministering here
4. Our supporters not seeing the 'fuit' of their giving through our lives and ministry here.
5. The long-term outcome of our kids growing up in a 3rd culture - will they resent us? not fit in whenever we move back?
6. Something happening to one of us & not haivng proper medical care close enough
7. Changing so much that relationships back home are no longer the same

7 QUESTIONS I HAVE:
1. How long will God call us here? 5 years? 10 years? 15? More? Less?
2. How long until I can converse in Swahili?
3. Who will visit us while we're living here?
4. How can God use us in our supporting churches? What does that look like?
5. Will we adopt?
6. What is God's big picture of us being here? Where do I fit in that?
7. Will my kids be fluent in Swahili one day?

7 WAYS TO PRAY FOR US:
1. For language learning
2. For support raising - we have about $14,000 more to go before we're fully funded this year!
3. Marc's role as a Bible teacher and leader in our church
4. My role as worship leader at our church - it's VERY stretching!
5. Ability to say NO, even to good things, when they aren't what God is asking of us at the time.
6. The kids health
7. Safety and protection against the schemes of the enemy