we're here!

so after three LOOONG days of travel, we've finally arrived at umoja lutheran hostel in moshi, tanzania. life is most definitely different here. our hostel is great. we ended up with a communal living situation, our own bathroom, two bedrooms and a little living type area.

on our drive from the airport to moshi, we got to see alot of the area which was pretty neat. i can see already i will have no shortage of pictures to share when i get back. at one point, i was so overwhelmed by the fact that God's promise to me 12yrs. ago was finally coming to life that i got all teary, but was able to hold back...this time.

i have a pretty killer case of jetlag, which has been interesting, but other than that, things are going well thus far. i was awake at about 4:30am sharp, no thanks to the cock fight outside my window and the very loud muslims call to prayer.

we ventured out into town for a bit last night to exchange some of our US dollars to TZ shillings. the exchange right now is about $1 to $1130. not bad. we met a crazy amount of people out on the streets...mostly vendors trying to sell their hand painted art which coincidentally all looked the same. the people of moshi are very friendly and eager to talk to you and help. some of which i'm sure are just looking to cash in, but others genuinely friendly and curious.

today we meet with pastor zachariah to talk over our schedule for our time here, so i'll have a better idea of what is coming in the next few days.

we have internet here at the hostel, and while it's hit and miss on the connection, it looks like i may get to write more than i'd originally thought, so keep checking back! pray for wisdom for lindsey, steve and i as we talk with zachariah and decided which projects our money will help to fund.

till next time...

just hours away

i'm laying in bed recaping this last week in my mind. i had the best time i ever remember having. i loved every minute of my time with matt, showing him my city and showing him off to all my friends.


---> my hot manimal!




it's a pretty surreal feeling knowing that in just a few short hours, i'll head to the airport and my destiny will begin. i feel completely unworthy of the opportunity to go to africa. i've said it for the past 12 yrs. but i'm sure i will learn and be changed so much more than i will have to offer them. please keep steve, lindsey and i in your prays for wisdom, guidance and protection while there.

we spent the first few days in seattle working on these dolls that will be part of our kids camp. lindsey is pretty much a rockstar. she cut ouur and sewed 200 of these babies and we worked to turn them right side out and stuff them. thanks to matty and maryanne for all their help!





i arrive in moshi on the 30th, so i don't anticipate being able to post again until at least then...maybe a few days more depending on settling in and the layout of the town. i promise to write just as soon as i can though. and please, feel free to comment and keep in contact with me...a month is a long time to be away.

so the journey begins...

this weekend has been one of the best thus far in the 28yrs i've been around. i finished my job on friday, my boyfriend matt flew in from new jersey on saturday, we spent a few days in coeur d' alene with family and friends, then took off on our first mini-road trip to seattle.

i'm so looking forward to spending the week with the people i love the most here in seattle, not to mention shamelessly parading matt around for all to see. don't even worry about it.

regardless of the amazing amount of things i stuffed in bags and loaded into my car, i think i'm still in a little bit of denial that i'll be leaving for africa in just 5 days.

these are my friends that will be traveling with me...

this is stevo!

(sorry, dude. it seems to be the only picture i have of you...other than that one where you're sporting your lovely holiday teddy bear sweatshirt, of course.)




and the lovely lindsey!

(it seemed only right to stay true to form...)




we're selling these killer shirts to raise money for the HOPE project...

here i am!

i've finally put together a blog. how behind am i?! i've mainly started this page in an effort to keep you all up to date on my upcoming travels through tanzania, africa. but...who knows maybe i'll become an avid blogger and actually follow through when i return as well....riiiight.

i'm unsure at this point how often i'll have internet access while in moshi, but i'll visit here as often as possible to say "hi", let you know i'm still alive and walk you through my adventures in africa.

we are set to leave seattle on june 28th and return to the states on july 28th.

please please please feel free to comment. i'd love to hear from you!