{month one}

It’s hard to believe that it has been 1 year since we left our home in America to move to Tanzania.  What a crazy year it has been!  God has brought us through many fears, struggles, trials, frustrations, and given us incredible peace and joy that we never could have imagined.  Each day this week I'll share stories and photos from every month that we have spent here in Tanzania in hopes to show God’s glory and provision through all of our weakness and fear.

{month one} 

Every time I think back to our final moments in the states I get the same sick feeling.  It’s still so fresh in my mind…the fear, the unknown, the desire to escape.  I had never been so afraid.   Before boarding that plane I couldn’t take my eyes off of my three precious little girls that we were taking away from their family and into an unknown world. 

My mind goes to landing in Tanzania.  Exiting the plane, I exchanged glances with Shan and Aaron.  None of us needed to say a word.  I think we all knew what we were thinking…"What have we done!?!?!”  It was raining, it was hot, and the roof in the airport was leaking; all of which allowed for both sweat and rain…and maybe a tear or two to drip down our faces. 

Mitch and Elliot

We stayed with our lovely friends (2 of the 5 people that we knew in this country) Two days later they sent us off to our knew home in Morogoro. Looking back, we were not nearly as afraid as we should have been.  Three hours later we were dropped off at a home that we were seeing for the first time.  We unloaded our luggage, the bus drove off, and then it sunk it…we were all alone.  We knew no one in this town.  We knew no Swahili.  We had no dinner and three hungry little girls waiting to see what mommy and daddy were going to do.  Aaron prayed.  I panicked.  To be exact I had a pity party and a spout of anger as I realized that one of the most important things that I could have packed was sitting on my parents couch-our Swahili dictionary.  So there we were, no ability to communicate, no internet, no friends, no food, no vehicle, only phones with no numbers to call.  Yet somehow we lived.  I look back on those first moments of completely blind faith and cherish the memory of how our Lord took care of His children.

bus ride to Morogoro

First view of our new home

jet lag and on our way to our new home

Aaron and Elliot...and all our luggage 

{journal}

-day 3 in Morogoro-

“…with man it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God.” 

“ We are babies. Literally, full grown adults, thrust backwards into the days when we couldn’t speak, couldn’t adequately communicate our needs, into a world where everything is new and hard to understand; and like a baby, I want to throw my head back for one of those good screaming cries for help.

That’s how I feel in a bad moment.   Literally, a moment later can turn into such awe of this incredible place that we now call home, the friendly smiles, the gorgeous Uluguru mountain range, the noises, the music, the dirt and the smells, the newness of every moment.  All making me keenly aware that we are indeed strangers in this world.

The term “mixed emotions” doesn’t begin to describe our days.  Tears flow as we miss our family, joys rise when we read Scripture and are rejuvenated and reminded of the mighty GOD we serve.  Fear almost cripple us as we face the unknown, but faith increases as we learn to rely on HIS strength and not our own.  Varying emotions, highs and lows, the good and bad and painful all point us to our Creator, who is our help in the time of need.  He is our Solid Rock, our Help, our Fortress, our Sovereign Creator, Our Friend, Our Father, our Constant and Unchanging, our Rescuer.  Scripture could not become any more alive right now when it’s all we have to cling to for hope and promise of things to come."

{other memories from month one}

Saying goodbye to our family.  The hardest day of my life.   It was unimaginably painful pulling away from my family just a few minutes after this picture was taken.  The strength of our Lord and having an eternal perspective on this momentary life was the only thing that gave us the strength to leave the most wonderful family in the world.

Saying goodbye, aunt Whitney and Elliot.

Waiting for Mamaw and Papaw to come visit us in TZ for the first time!  This was an incredible day.  It allowed the girls to understand that although we were far away, our family could get to us on an airplane.  It was a wonderful trip showing my parents around.  Although we had only been in country for a couple weeks, so we mainly learned things side by side.  They were such a huge help and an incredible blessing in that first month. 

This is Barack.  We still use him for a taxi from time to time just to get to talk with him.  We took his taxi all over Morogoro our first month because we didn't have a vehicle yet.  Barack also helped us get our drivers license, which was Aaron's first experience walking around town hand in hand...with another man.  This was Aaron's first of MANY hand holdings this year, which here is a symbol of friendship (only) between men.

Our Sunday at church.  This is Neema, Alaina, and Claire.  They have all grown so much since then.  The children at our church welcomed our girls so warmly that first Sunday.  They took hold of their hands and haven't really let go since.  We have come to love these children so much and feel so blessed by the love and patience they shown our girls being new and not understanding Swahili.