Africa- Installment 2

Tues July 7
I have to admit, I had not been very excited for our activities this day. This was our Bless Africa day when we broke into small groups and went to various places in and around Moshi to minister. Some people went to orphanages, some to a blind school, some to a deaf school, some to other interesting places, and I was to go to with two other women to a widow's group. Widows? What do i have in common with widows? How much cooler to go pray for some deaf or blind kids! But no, widows. It actually turned out to be really cool. All the women there were so blessed to have us with them. Each of the three of us got a chance to get up and speak to them and share God's heart with them. One of my biggest fears going on this trip was the fear that I would have to do just that- get up in front of a crowd of spiritually hungry Africans and say something meaningful- and those of you who know me well-or at all really- will realize that public speaking is not exactly my forte nor something I enjoy- but this I enjoyed. God told me just what he wanted to share with these beautiful women and they were touched by it- they had tears in their eyes. I find it truly amazing that God could use me to so deeply touch these women.

We were then whisked away to visit a women's dairy co-op. What the purpose of this visit was, I have no idea, but they certainly seemed to enjoy it. Our visit consisted mainly of being carted around the entire mountain village in the back of a standing-room-only pick-up truck with a group of joyous and constantly singing women to each of their three milk coolers. Did I mention this is Africa, and it's in the mountains, and the roads are- well- exciting? Yep, good times, good times (and I mean that, I'm not just being sarcastic, it was fun). AFter serving us an extraodinary meal, they presented us with gifts. A traditional wrap skirt for each of us, which they wrapped around us themselves with much song and dance (During this ceremony we got a call from one of the group leaders asking if we would be on time to be picked up. To this Ann replied "I have to go, they're dressing us").