Weeks 2 and 3

Week 2 was very busy. We had classes all week and Saturday I spent the day with some of my classmates at the local Young Life club. It was a lot of fun and actually really relaxing. It is held at someones house and their yard feels like somewhere in Hawaii. I could totally live in a place like that, but don't worry, I haven't made any plans in that direction. I still don't know what I will do following DTS.

This week has been busy also with classes and working. For those who have been here. You should see the New Vision School now. It is amazing. It was so busy with kids there last week when I walked there. It looks completely different.

We are spending next week in Enkikaret. I am so excited. Please pray for us. There has been a water shortage here and we frequently don't have running water on the base, so the conditions in Enkikaret are expected to be worse.

Week One is already Over

Wow. Week one of classes has ended and I can already tell that Godis going to use this time to challenge and grow me to prepare me for the next chapter. For those of you that are praying, please join me in prayer for my ex husband John. I have friends here praying too. We are believing God to do big things in his life.

I have been making a lot of new friends. There are around 30 people in the DTS class and many more staff and students in other classes.

For those who have been here on a missions trip, it is for sure different as a student but still great. Francis is the school leader this time and a great teacher. Justas is my one on one leader, kind of like a mentor. He reads my journal every week and I will meet with him once a week to discuss what God is doing in my life.

Yesterday was amazing. The Tumaini kids were here. For those who don't know, the base runs a childrens ministry called Tumaini (Hope). There were some familiar kids as well as many new ones. Patrick, Tumaini, and Irene were all here and doing great (for those that know them). What a blessing those kids are. Shannon and I spent the whole day with them and the base kids. I made a new friend during the time, some of you know Justas' son Joshua. He fell asleep in my lap during story time. So precious.

Next Saturday, if plans don't change, I am going to spend the day with Young Life of Arusha in town. One of my classmates and new friends, Paschal, is the leader and has invited me to do ministry with him next weekend. I love being busy and serving like this.

Boy is it busy. We are usually in classses, studying, or working. We do have a small amount of 'free' time but some of that has to be filled with things that we have to make time to do. We have only two things to do here, work on our relationship with God and build relationships with people. Hard to believe but I am loving getting to know lots of new people from all over the world. Last night we had a bit of time and I played Uno with some of the guys in my class. It was a riot.

I went to church today. Shannon and I have attended All Nations the past two weeks with some of the staff. It is a bilingual church. I really like it but man are services long here compared to CTK. We are in service for two and a half hours, so by the time we walk some, take a dula dula (public transit mini bus), walk some more, go to church and then do it all over again it is most of the day and that is if we dont go to lunch after church.

I love and miss you all back home. Know that God brought me here for great reasons. Please keep praying that I will understand His plans for me. Sorry no photos for now, I havent taken any yet.

I finally made it

I finally made it to Arusha. Please keep praying for safety and direction. Also, I am struggling a bit with being disconnected from family and friends. Classes start tomorrow and I cant wait to see what God is up to. Lots of Love, Richelle