Life at the Base

this morning one of the leader's pulled me aside and questioned how i was doing. seems to be a pretty common question recently. last week i was really focused on me, and how i was struggling with the language and not feeling connected. this week, my perspective has changed a bit. i'm focusing more on others and their lives. tho it's still very difficult because of the language difference, an improvement in my attitude has made much of the difference. so my answer was, 'i'm doing very well considering that everything i am used to doing and using is not available.'

with each passing day i can feel the honeymoon phase coming to a close. i'm beginning to miss things from america more, mostly people and some appliances. but even with those stirring emotions, i'm reminded that God has called me here, and this is where i belong right now. i don't want to be anywhere else, even tho it is stretching me in ways i wasn't expecting to be stretched. life is not promised to be easy. look at Jesus's example.

for our afternoon class today we were asked 3 questions to answer:
is there anything in my heart that i know is unclean in God's eyes?
do i tend to focus on the external religious action rather than the internal motive?
are my motives pure for why i'm involved in Christian activity?

quite the class, huh?

in 10 minutes i get to go and cook again for 3 hours. yesterday i chopped onions, carrots, tomatoes, and cabbage for 3 hours. i made something that resembled saurercraut. it's pretty good to eat. normally it's eaten with ugali, which is the flour and corn mixture. wonder what i'll be creating today?

my leader is going shopping today and she's picking me up some peanut butter. can't wait to have something other than dry bread for breakfast (even if it's miserable peanut butter!).

got my first letter today, so i know the mail is working. the letter took 21 days from alaska. - thanks laura! love the photo!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Your honesty is refreshing. I just ate PB and Fluff! Jolie will eat it for lunch tomorrow.
God Bless,
Jackie

Anonymous said...

Tanya,
It is so good to hear of your adventures and that you are overcoming the challanges. I really enjoyed the stories. You are in my prayers.
in Him,
Marty

Anonymous said...

Tanya,
I am enjoying reading about your adventures, but I don't wish I was there! I miss you...the basement is so empty and lonesome.
Continuing to pray for you.
Tricia

Anonymous said...

Hey, girl! I am enjoying keeping up w/you out there on another continent! We talked about you today in Sunday School and those w/o internet were brought up to speed. Every week it's like "Has anyone heard from Tanya?" We prayed specifically for you. Sounds like it's hard, but also VERY fun! Enjoy.

Donna (Tom, Caleb & Emma)

PS Caleb & Emma remember "Miss Tanya in Africa" in their nightly prayers!

Anonymous said...

thinking about you a lot. thinking about bread and the food that I eat and how you dont get to eat the way you use to. thinking about language and how difficult it is to live where english is not spoken.

side note: the guy driving the airport shuttle today was from nigeria. he spoke "ibo" (pronounced e-bu). they have 3 main languages. I happen to know how to say hello in ibo and the phrase "praise be to God". it really lit up his day when I pulled that one out of the bag.

God is pretty amazing. Why would I have learned that phrase? What are the odds of meeting a person who speaks that specific dialect? (funny thing is that it has happend at least 4 different times).

"Praise be to God" this day for you and your willingness to follow on this Mission. We will lift you up in prayer this weekend at SLR.

Kevin

L and P said...

Tanya,

Just want to let you know that we are thinking of you and praying for you.

Love You,

Laura