Dumela Africa

January 19, 2009

Dumela! Well…I’m in Africa! And loving it so far! God was definitely with me on my way here. I could really sense His presence with on my flights it was really a sweet time. And my creative God found a way to let me meet some other missionaries with Flying Mission on my way! It was perfect timing too. Right when it started to hit me that I would probably need to stay awake for the next 8 hours (10pm – 6am) so that no one would steal my luggage, I found the sweetest old couple to hang out with, who spoke English and ended up being with the same organization! We had a lot of fun talking about where they had been and what I was about to do, and when I needed to sleep I felt totally safe! God is so good!
It was kind of crazy not having a clue as to who would be picking me up from the airport, but my people found me right away I didn’t even have to look. (It helped that they were the only white people thereJ) Side note: There are sirens going off right now which means that someone’s house in our neighborhood got broke into.
Anyways a lady named Tina and my new roommate Ruth brought me to my new house which is very quaint. I quite love it. I will show pictures once I am able to. Sidenote: I am now the only American short termer so that may be why I am speaking British like J
Something different besides being the minority and not understanding the language spoken around me is having to unlock a series of 5 doors before entering my room! I have never been good at using keys so this process could take up to 15 minutes. We have an outside gate, inside gate, alarm key, front door, and my bedroom door! But I guess it is quite necessary, I talked to a man at the office today named Emanuel who had a swollen face because he had gotten robbed last week and his bedroom door was unlocked so they got ahold of him too.
Gaborone, Botswana is actually a very westernized part of Africa. Because of the income that the diamonds bring in, it is extremely wealthy compared to other parts in Africa and other parts in Botswana as well. Tomorrow however I will visit a not so wealthy part of Botswana, a village called Otsile.
I have been fairly busy since I have arrived. Getting tours of the city and local restaurants. One day we ate a place called Lady M. I was so excited to go because I had heard a few different people mention it and how good it was. I was surprised to find Lady M was a small red trailer parked along side the road. But they were right, it was delicious. We had chicken, pop (it’s a type of corn), beats, and coleslaw! I guess it must be unusual for white people to eat there because nearly everyone stopped to stare!
I am so grateful to be here, to be meeting these new people, and have this opportunity to learn. However, I must admit I am disappointed. I was excited about being stretched out of my comfort zone, however I am extremely comfortable and have been ever since I’ve left Grand Rapids. Is being uncomfortable impossible when God is with you? I did not think it was. Maybe I am wrong.
This is my newest memory verse and I love it:
Colossians 1:16 “For all things were created by God, visible and invisible, whether in heaven or on earth, whether thrones, powers, rulers, authorities, all things were created by Him and for Him.”
I love it because it reminds me of my purpose. I was created by God, for God. That is why I am here. This is encouraging for me in this situation that is new and I am not sure of much of anything around me, I can always be sure of this. God made me, God loves me, and I am here to glorify Him.