A Special Christmas Celebration

This Christmas has been a fun one, with lots of good times with friends (and plenty of good food!) all week long. I want to share one highlight from the many: our final advent gathering of the season. We hold these on Fridays, so this year we ended on Christmas itself!

A few years ago I shared about how the Gilmore family shares their advent tradition with our team. They have continued to host us each year, and after last night we can say that our gatherings are only getting better! We've always sung Christmas carols together, and this year Michael was persuaded to start bringing his guitar. We've had some keyboard accompaniment, too, thanks to Rebekah or even her young student, Michaja. Then last night Tara brought her new cello! Oh my goodness, when I heard the first rich tones from that beautiful instrument, I gave a sigh of delight. And I wasn't the only one; everyone paused to listen. What a treat!

Playing the cello is something Tara has missed ever since their family moved to Tanzania seven years ago. A few months ago God surprised them with a chance to get a cello in Nairobi! I know it's been a blessing to Tara, and now she's shared it with us, too... So this holiday season I'm feeling doubly thankful for Tara's cello!

One other photo from last night: Malia lighting the advent candles with her daddy's help. ❤︎

Musoma's 4th of July Celebration

Kudos to the Gilmore family for throwing a Fourth of July Party the night before they left for furlough. Yup, they're crazy. But we all (hosts and guests) loved it.

We all attempted to come dressed in red, white, & blue--plenty of red shirt/blue jeans combos--but Braden went all out: Look at his hat!

In fact, our celebration combined America's birthday with his upcoming one.  Happy Birthday, Braden!

The kids completed their look with lots of USA tattoos. 

There were several games, including the classic American watermelon seed spitting contest! Of course, our winners were all non-Americans: Michaja (from the Netherlands) won the kids' round, and George (from Tanzania) was the adult champion. :)

Everyone brought the most American food they could come up with (and make from scratch). Hello hamburgers, pigs-in-a-blanket, potato salad...!

Way to get into the spirit, André!

We even roasted hot dogs!

(S'mores were discussed beforehand, but none of us felt up to making marshmallows.)

And the desserts! Birthday cake, frosted cookies, apple pie! 

Braden, I'm assuming you went back for the pie. You're 11 now, you can manage it.

Then, to make a fun, memorable evening truly EPIC, Mitchell treated us all to his homemade (never before tested!) fireworks show. Wow! You gotta see this!

This is what my camera captured, using its fireworks setting (Have I ever had the chance to use it before?):

Thank you, oh my home country, for giving us an excuse for a great party!

Missing Friends

I said good-bye to some teammates this last week. Good-bye's are hard, we all know that. Missionary life with its high mobility involves tons of good-bye's... also old news. So there's not really much for me to say here, except to affirm that I'm glad for friends who make the good-bye's difficult.

For the three young girls I was privileged to teach these last couple years.

For their mother, who leaves a gaping hole in our ladies' Bible study group.

For their father, one of my primary sports-watching buddies.

As I tried to communicate to my remaining students, we're sad for a reason. Friends matter. The sadness validates the friendship. (No I did not use the word "validate" with 7-year-olds. I don't remember what I said; I just hope they understood--my throat was tight at the time.)

Partings remind us of our Hope of spending eternity (together) in Jesus' kingdom. It occurs to me that eternity is really long... probably even long enough for little things like soccer games. :)

Christmas Season with the Gilmores

My teammates gave me a very special gift, before Christmas even came!  That gift was welcoming me (and others) into their family's celebrations in the weeks leading up to Christmas.  There are some holiday traditions that just don't work if your try to do them on your own!  So thank you, Gilmores, for making this year's Christmas season that much more special and meaningful.

Tim, Chris, and their kids have a tradition of celebrating Advent, and this year they opened up their family's Advent times to others on the team.  What generosity!  I was thrilled, remembering Advent readings and the candles in a wreath on my family's dinner table long ago.  Each Friday before Christmas I went to the Gilmores' house, where we all sang Christmas carols together and reflected together on our amazing God who entered the world as one of us so he could save us.

The youngest kids got to light the candles!

As Chris says, I benefit from preparing myself, through times like these, to celebrate Jesus' birth.  And uniting with others creates a more vivid experience.

Then the family invited a few of us girls to come caroling with them!  They like to show up singing carols at their teammates' houses one of the nights before Christmas.  (I was completely surprised both my previous Christmases in Musoma.)  They wear scarves and act like they're shivering, standing outside in the cold... even though Musoma temperatures never dip below the 80's (F)!  Again, I was excited to join in the fun.  I discovered that they also sing carols non-stop in the car between houses!  We had a blast.

Outside the Nicholls' house

We loved seeing everyone's reactions.  I think our new families were touched by getting something familiar in a strange place (that doesn't feel very Christmas-ey, to be honest!).  The kids were always excited--or baffled, in the case of the youngest ones!  And we will not forget Elisa K, shrieking her delight as she bounced in her father's arms!


Tim and Chris Gilmore and their kids Camden, Tirzah, and Braden are such a fun family, and they have always lit up my life in Musoma.  (I introduced them in a newsletter three years ago.  Wow, the kids were so young!)  Thank you, my friends, for being family to all of us.

Current photo, lifted shamelessly from facebook

Football Season

It's football season!  But what is a football?

My American friends are probably aware that in most areas of the world, a "football" is a round ball, usually white with black spots.  (We call the sport "soccer", to differentiate it from the "football" we play, in which most players' feet never come in contact with the ball.)

This is certainly the case in Tanzania.  Football/soccer is very popular, and many people enjoy following their favorite teams, like Manchester United, Barcelona, and other stars.  It's no different among our little community of ex-patriates.  The European Champions' League is underway, and we love to get together to watch a game, if we can.  (It's tricky to pull off a game night, because the games play late at night, and none of us has satellite TV!)  I try to at least see the highlights online.

Because my teammates come from different countries, I've been exposed to other varieties of football, too!  Americans, have you ever watched a game of Australian football?  It's a riot!  Your team of 18 tries to punt or pass an elliptical ball to each other, across a huge, oval-shaped field, and kick it through the goal posts (often from impossible angles).  Meanwhile the other team tries to get the ball themselves--and it seems like anything goes!  It's an intense game, where the momentum is constantly changing... very entertaining!  I've watched a few games of the 2012 season, and last night a group of us enjoyed the hotly-contested Grand Final match between Hawthorn and Sydney.  (The Swans were victorious, to the special delight of one Sydney native present.)

Meanwhile, the American football season is up and running.  And for the first time while overseas, I am able to watch my Houston team's progress!  Our internet options are increasing, and I don't have to be as limited in my data use.  I usually have to watch the games about a week late, but there's nothing here to spoil the results for me!  (As long as I avoid facebook on game day...)

It's fun to have different sports to watch, even if we have to be very specific when we talk about "football"!  In a place where there isn't much to do for fun, a game gives us an excuse to get together on an evening or weekend.  One teammate (from New Zealand) says he intends to get some rugby for us to watch; I'd like to figure out that game.  Let's see, what other football-type sports can we add?

Fridays Are Group Days!

Despite the boring name, "group day," I am really excited about this!  I've been hoping and planning for it since last year.  In our area we have some missionary families, both from our team and from other organizations, who cannot use our co-op as the main school for their children.  However, they all desire opportunities for their kids to get out of the house and spend time with other kids.  So this semester we are trying a new format: one day each week for all the kids to come together for some special group activities.  Thanks to several talented, servant-hearted folks, our first few group days have been a success!

We begin the morning with a Bible session for all the kids.  (Sunday school is another thing not usually available to the kids here.)  I lead that "class", but for the rest of the morning I am usually just assistant or facilitator.  I'm so thankful for the people who contribute far more than I could on my own!

After Bible time, we divide the kids by age.  The elementary kids get Art class with drawing lessons from Shelley.

Kelly Nicholls, one of the parents, leads the preschool.  I'm often around to help with these precious (but active!) little ones, and I can report that Kelly does a wonderful job with them, preparing all sorts of fun activities.

After the chai break we further the divide the older kids, this time by gender.  A married couple on our team are graciously investing in these kids, Eric with the boys and Allison with the girls.  The girls have been SO excited about the chance to take ballet lessons!  Yes, ballet lessons!

Right now we only have two older boys, so athletics are limited. :(  Undaunted, Eric leads them in various fitness and skill exercises.

Before the kids leave, I try to give them some library time, so they can take a few new books home.  Shelley or I will also read a story aloud to wrap things up.  All in all, it's a pretty neat program!  (I can say that because I do so little of it!)  As we proceed, we'll see what else we can build in.

One video for you, to give you a taste of what I enjoy each week. :)  The kids are faithfully memorizing the verses I assign them, and they each recite for me on the following Friday.  We have kids from the USA, Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands.  (If you turn your volume up, you may hear Luke's response to my compliments at the very end--ha ha!)

Good-Bye, Friends! See You Later!

Through some strange fluke, all six families on my team were on location in Musoma for my first year and a half here.  (That was kinda nice!)  Once Christmas 2010 drew near, they started leaving for their furloughs.  Whenever someone leaves, it changes the team dynamics.  Last week we bid farewell to the Kamphuis family.  They were my first friends here; together we enjoyed/endured our first four months in Tanzania, studying Swahili at a camp near Iringa.

Their departure was made... interesting.  I got to hang out with them at the local airline office while we waited for the shuttle to take them to another town.  (The Musoma flight was cancelled that morning.)

I got out a little tablet of pictures for the girls to color.  As we waited, I couldn't help thinking back over the last two years.  Two years isn't such a long time, but when you share new places and experiences, it seems a lot longer.  Will anyone mind if I indulge in a little reminiscing?

Here are the intrepid new Swahili students, 2009.

Comparing the kids then and now is crazy.

Michaja, age 3

 Michaja, age 5

Elisa, age 1

Elisa, almost 3  (Note the self-cut hair!)

Goodness, I'll miss these guys.  And all of my teammates who aren't here right now.  But it's really hard to be sad, knowing how good it will be (for all my friends) to reconnect with family and friends, to relax in their home cultures for a while.  For the kids, it will be a discovery time, with lots of new adventures in "new" places.  They'll get to experience schools and unimaginable treats, and they'll finally be able to spend time with relatives they only know by name or old photograph.

So yes, I will miss them.  Especially when I remember that it will be a year before we're all back in Musoma again.  (And by then, others will have left!)  But right now I'm more excited for them than anything.  So, bye!  Have fun!

My First Christmas in Tanzania

The holidays can be lonesome when you're away from home and family.  I am so thankful for the blessing of a Christmas filled with friends and fun!

Things really got going the day before Christmas Eve, when the kids came to my house for the year's last session of Weddnesday school.  Here is the older kids' group.  They decorated gingerbread people (for themselves) and ornaments (for my "tree").

On Christmas Eve my friends/teammates/fellow language school veterans--Dorien, André, and kids--came over to spend the holiday with me.  After dinner the kids were put to bed, and we watched the Nativity movie.  In the morning we had hot chocolate, cookies, a pancake breakfast (Henrickson tradition), and of course--presents!

(Mom and Big Sister both had a khanga to wrap up in, so Elisa wanted one, too.)

Once the paper's off, it's time to examine presents...

Afterwards we packed up and headed to their house.  We had talked about going to a Christmas Day church service, but Dorien and I were too tired.  (You have to have some memories to laugh about later, right?  Ours was a mostly sleepless night.  Factors vary, but at the top of the list are cat allergies and the nearby hotel which became a dance hall from Christmas Eve through New Year's weekend.)

The rain came in torrents; I hear that is a local Christmas tradition.  After it cleared up we drove to the Gilmores' house.  Their family opened up their home for anyone on the team to drop by for games and snacks.  Later the Gilmore kids treated us to a special reenactment of their annual Christmas play, complete with programs, costumes, props, special effects, and directed audience participation.

The puzzle table kept me busy.

In the tropics you can play yard games on Christmas!  (Notice the long sleeves... The rain actually brought chilly weather!  Usually it's always hot.  All of us from the Northern Hemisphere rejoiced to "bundle up" for Christmas.)

In the days following Christmas, I paid visits to my housekeeper and one of my night guards.  They were so pleased that I came!  On Saturday my housekeeper insisted I stay for dinner, and I got to try a typical local dish--the tiny little fish called dagaa.  For a little while, they let me join them in preparing the fish to cook (you tear off the heads).  They're served fried crunchy along with vegetables, and you eat by smooshing some into the lump of ugali you grab from the big communal dish.  (Ugali is the staple food, a kind of corn flour doughy paste.)  The dagaa and vegetables were well prepared in a tasty sauce, and overall it tasted fine.  Certainly not as strange as I'd feared!

That was my multicultural Christmas!  Wonder what will happen next year?

Future Students

Not long before leaving for Tanzania, I found out that I would be attending language school at the same time as the Kamphuis family, who are also bound for Musoma.  In other words, I get four months to get to know some of my teammates before I even join the team.  I appreciate this blessing more every day.

It's especially fun because the Kamphuis children are likely to be among my students.  They're a little young at present, but it won't be long... :)  Then also, they speak Dutch (or baby-Dutch), so we'll see how it works out!

Michaja (Michaiah in English) is 3 years old, and Elisa just turned 1.  Shona and I practiced the Dutch birthday song in preparation for the big day.  Monday morning we actually got up in time for breakfast(!), and we did our best to sing along.  Elisa seemed to enjoy all of us adults making a big deal of her (for some reason unknown to the new one-year-old).  Here is their family: Michaja, Andre, Elisa, and Dorien.

This last week has been special for me, because Michaja has evidently accepted me into her circle of "ok" adults.  Last Sunday we visited a local church--a neat place, but the kids stayed with us throughout the service.  During the sermon I was able to help entertain Michaja, and I was surprised how easy it was.  I had absolutely nothing interesting in my bag (discounting the pocket knife, which I did not consider age-appropriate), but we had a grand time sitting quietly in the back row, making faces at each other.

Later that afternoon I decided to drop by the Kamphuis' banda and see if Michaja would play with me.  She didn't want to leave Mama and Papa, so I hung around with her on their front porch.  When the topic of going for a walk came up again, I offered to take her to the children's play area in camp.  Dorien and Andre asked her if she wanted to go with me, and she was undecided... until I asked for the Dutch word for playground.  "Michaja, do you want to come with me to the speeltuin?"  She immediately took my hand and set off down the trail, an amazed Lyndy in tow.  And that day was just the beginning.

It can't be easy for a three-year-old to go through all the transition Michaja is experiencing, but she seems to be doing really well.  I think she is getting used to life at Riverside and enjoying it.  With students from all over Europe and North America, the common language is English.  Meanwhile we're all practicing the Swahili phrases we learn, even the older kids here.  So Michaja parrots everything, and I don't know if she has any idea what language she's speaking!  It's really cute how she will repeat anything we say to her, even imitating the intonation in a sing-song voice.  An early "English" phrase she picked up was "Whurdit go?"  Given a little time, she'll be trilingual!

I'm looking forward to working with these girls, to whatever extent I can.  This picture was taken on a field trip we took the Friday before last.  (First piggy-back ride.)