Home away from home...

As the plane descended to Kilimanjaro Airport, I couldn't believe how much snow was covering the top of Kili...obvious evidence of the amount of rain that has fallen since we left last November. This is very abnormal, as typically the short rains run late October through early December, but this year they went all the way into January. A welcomed reprieve from the past 7 years in which the short rains did not come at all. Stepping off the plane, I took a deep breath and stepped into what's become a home away from home.

The view from my temporary home...what a way to wake up every morning...in sheer amazement at the beauty & workmanship of God's creation...a true painter at work. Any thoughts of climbing it this trip were squelched by reports of waist deep snow due to the heavy rains these past 2 months. Call me a sissie...but I just left 6 weeks of sub-zero (celsius) weather and am more than happy to enjoy the 85 degree blue sky, sunny weather in Moshi...shorts, t-shirts & flipflops...what more do you need? (Thankfully, nothing, which is great as both my bags are still MIA...sure glad I left 2 shorts & a few t-shirts behind when we left last November.)

So green! I was amazed to find the lush greenery on this visit...as typically everything is very dry and dust abounds. Green and dustless...what a gift to the Tanzanian people. This is the courtyard just outside the two buildings the church uses for their gatherings in Majengo Mjimpya...needless to say, this is by far & away the most lush I've even seen it.