Culture SHOCK

My team is mostly from Texas and Alabama...I've never heard so many people say "y'all" in my life. That in itself was a culture shock haha!

We headed to a city called Karatu, where the medical clinic and evangelizing takes place. (Evangelizing simply means to share the gospel). On our 3 hour drive to Karatu, I was in awe by the people and things I saw.


We saw tons of women carry heavy baskets on their heads. Look at that balance, she has this down to a tee! I say this basket weighs a good 127 lbs! :)

1, 2, 3, PUSH Y'ALL!!!

The best moment ever was when this little guy came biking pass our bus and said, "Hey man!" Wish I got a picture of him because it sure was cute!

Tanzania is the friendliest place I've ever been to. Everyone here waves and smiles at you! Sure most of them are skeptical at first because they may have never seen a Muzungo(white person). Funny thing, they didn't know what to call an Asian so they opted with calling me a Muzungo Indian(I forget how to say Indian in Swahili). But once you smile and wave, they fill up with excitement.

As we are driving along, it was difficult for me to take in what I was seeing. Little kids roaming by themselves and herding dozens of cows. Women carrying buckets filled with water to the rim on their heads. School girls and boys walking home in their adorable little outfits. My eyes were seeing extreme poverty for the very first time. This is what you see on TV, ads, and the internet. To see it in person was absolutely surreal. I had to remind myself that this is how people live and survive. This is their lives. I am so blessed to not only see their culture but also to experience it. Feels like my heart has been in Africa for so long and now my eyes get experience this breath taking country.

My love for these people is beyond any love I can offer. This is Jesus' perfect love overflowing from me. I don't know these people and I have yet to meet them but I can't help to fall in (incomprehensible) love with them. All I brought on this mission trip are a few Swahili phrases, a testimony, and a heart to serve Tanzania and God. And that's enough. God uses you to impact others where your heart is at.

So we finally arrive at the Reed Buck Hotel(pronounced Red Buck?). We met the rest of the team and there's a LOTTA people from all over the world. Just to name a few of my peeps; Lindsey from Idaho, Lori from Washington, Lindsay from Alabama, Aisha from England, Troy from Kenya(Africa), Jana from Texas, Justin from Kansas, and me from California! Really, we're all over the map! So neat to see God hand pick people from all over the world to serve on this mission trip. It just means He will do miraculous things through us. After meeting my teammates, we met local pastors(they call them Nationals) from the area. They are the most loving people I've ever met! And they have a cool and funky handshake! Some of them could only speak Swahili and I was nervous because of the language barrier. But really, God is far greater than any language barrier. I'm convinced they speak the language of love in Tanzania! And would you look at that, I know how to speak that too! Ha, a handshake and smile goes a long way here. Each smile and handshake I received has been engraved in my heart. Some nationals I met: Gideon, Samuel, Vincent, Yuseph, Jack, Lucky, Immanuel, Joseph, Michael, Christopher, Jared, Enoch, Amos.

Nationals and cute little boys(David&Elijah) during worship.

I went out with Lindsey, Kelah, and our translator Jared to share Jesus with some people. This is the evangelism cube and our tool to share the gospel! It's genius on how it unfolds and it has great visuals that come with it.
SO CRAZY!!! Kelah shared and two people accepted Jesus. Lindsey shared and another two people accepted. One of the ladies was skeptical and even said, "we can do this in the middle of a road?" Yeah you can accept Jesus anywhere...it doesn't have to be formal or in a church. Jesus was born in a manger and not a fancy inn(Luke 2:7) AND He rode around on a donkey. He is humble and accessible for us all. Anyways, then I shared for the first time to my kind of audience - KIDS! They were so curious and in awe of what the cube does. Sorta like my wonderful Sunday school kids back at Hope Chapel, HB. Originally I shared with the kids named Job, Ishmael, and Joel but because the cube is such a magnet, it pulled in a good five people. At the end, everyone said they already have Jesus but one guy. I shared the cube again and Praise God, he prayed a prayer to accept Jesus into his heart. "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved!" Romans 10:9. This verse makes it simple enough to pray&believe so we can be with God forever, ain't it? It's God's FREE gift of salvation to everyone in Africa, America, and the whole world.

I've been resting on Matthew 9:37-38 for quite some time. It says, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."The harvest out here is unbelievably plentiful and people are so receiving. I praise God that I get to be one of His workers to spread the good news across the street and across the world. He chooses imperfect people to perfect His work, even knowing how much we mess up. He is so, so good.