arrival to ndanda

As I sit in our new home in Ndanda, I still find it a bit difficult to believe that we are finally at our destination.  It’s been a mighty long road here, but I trust that this is where we are meant to be, and we are doing our best to embrace the experience.

I am writing off-line once again (with plans to publish this post sometime soon), as our home does not have internet access yet.  That has been a struggle for me, mainly because it has made me feel especially disconnected with family and friends back in the states.  It’s been hard to not be able to pop onto the computer and instantly send and receive email, or keep up through facebook, or check out the latest U.S. and international news.  But of course, that disconnection has made space for the far more important connections that are right in front of me: the ones within my family and my prayer life.  And boy has there been a lot to pray about.    

We arrived to Ndanda last Thursday, after a glorious couple of days on the beach of the Indian Ocean in Mtwara, about 2 hours from here.  

While there, we not only enjoyed spectacular views and snorkeling with amazing jellyfish, starfish, sea anemones, crab, and brightly-colored fish and coral, but we also had a much-anticipated reunion with our friends from our mission formation. 

Justin and Lauren have been working as teachers in a secondary school in Mtwara since last August and we have leaned heavily on their experience and advice as we planned for our move here.  It was a real gift to reconnect with them, share a short but fun vacation time with them, and especially to introduce Jacob to them, as they have been praying for him since we all lived together in Los Angeles last spring.  

I’ve written more than once about how very much I love time at the beach.  Waking up to views like this was an extraordinary way to begin our time in southern Tanzania.

But despite all that natural beauty and the joy of being with good friends, we were anxious to finally get here.  Have I mentioned how long we’ve been anticipating this arrival?

And I guess that with all that planning and anticipating and hoping and praying and dreaming and wondering...the actual experience of transitioning into our lives here couldn’t help but be a little anticlimactic. 

That is not to say that we have not been warmly welcomed.  Everyone from the hospital administrator, to the abbot of the monastery, to the religious sisters and brothers (both German and Tanzanian), to the staff, to the few ex-patriates living here, to practically everyone we meet--have been so kind and thankful for our arrival.  We have been encouraged to take our time as we get settled, to please communicate whatever needs we may have, to enjoy the slower pace of the Tanzanian culture.  And we are doing just that.

Nevertheless, it is not easy.  I’m not sure what exactly I was anticipating in our very first days here, but there have been a few unexpected discoveries.  One of the main ones was my realization of just how little English is spoken here.  We have been told that easily 98% of the patient population speaks only Kiswahili--and I’d guess that that goes for the general population as well.  So as we meander through this beautiful campus, as we begin to venture into the marketplace, and as we join the community in worship and meals and just daily conversations, our Kiswahili knowledge is really being put to the test.  And it is humbling.  We really did learn a lot in language school, and I am so very thankful to have had that training, but it’s a daily challenge to both understand and communicate with most people in our lives now.       

Another surprise was just how hot and humid it is here.  Having grown up in south Louisiana and having spent most of my life in the southern U.S., I thought I was ready for the balmy weather here.  Not so much.  The days are hot and sticky, and the nights are not much better.  We are already just becoming accustomed to sweating...a lot...like all the time.  Okay, I may be exaggerating a bit, but it really is very warm, and our little floor fan has become one of our most treasured possessions.  On the bright side, there has been a cooling rain almost every day (that makes for difficulties in drying the laundry outside, but I digress), and in just the six days that we have been here, the mornings and evenings seem a tiny bit cooler, and we know that this is literally the hottest time of the year. 

The other unanticipated realization was that there are no other American or European families here.  There are a few other ex-pat adults, and we are gleaning from them every bit of wisdom and advice that we can (before they, too, leave in a few months)--but no one with kids.  These other ex-pats have been kind and hospitable, and they even had a lovely dinner party for us last weekend.  We are so grateful to have these connections.  However, it was a little disappointing that the young families that were here just a year or two ago have moved on, and it doesn’t seem that any replacements are headed this way.  

BUT, having said all of that, I cannot end this post without acknowledging how amazing our kids continue to be.  They just keep finding and creating joy and adventure wherever they are.  Joshua has been welcomed by a bunch of local boys with whom he has played soccer, he’s learned lots of new Swahili vocabulary,  received gifts of fresh fruit, and has even taught some basic English phrases to them.  Madison pulled out her watercolors on day one here, and has begun to add beauty and warmth to our home with her sweet artwork.  She is also taking an even greater interest in helping to care for baby Jacob.  Caroline was so excited to unpack our suitcases and discover treasured books, dolls, and almost-forgotten dress-up clothes.  All the kids are embracing the many new experiences like handwashing and line-drying the clothes (not sure how long that excitement will last), walking to and bargaining at the market, purchasing and boiling fresh milk, making homemade yogurt, and especially making our house into our home.  Chris did a quick orientation at the hospital and then very clearly articulated that he first wants to be sure that the kids and I are settled before officially starting his medical work here...and I am so grateful for that.  And our little love Jacob--that guy just remains so happy.  Amidst all these changes, he hasn’t missed a beat.  He eats well, sleeps well, plays well (he recently figured out how to make a little fake cough and is cracking us up with his antics), and brings joy to all the people we’ve met and to all places we have been.         

And our week was HUGELY brightened when we received our very first care package yesterday...not surprisingly it came from our angels in Houston, Pat & Kathi, who hosted our gang for the latter half of last year.  Surely these faces give you some idea of what a joy it was to get a little taste of home in these early days in a new land.