We finished up on the Serengeti, drove back to a hotel in Mwanza and had a hot shower for the first time in about 10 tens. It was Heaven on earth! We spent the evening repacking our bags and getting ready to fly back to Kenya the next morning and begin our journey home. We were not ready for the trip to be over. We both were utterly exhausted and neither one of us felt too hot. It had been a long, but incredible two weeks in Tanzania. We slept well that night, but it didn't help the fact that we had to board the tiny little plane and have a crazy bumpy ride back to Nairobi. After a great brunch with the Limbe's we headed to the airport. We got there, checked our bags and stood outside the entrance just like our first day in Mwanza. The first day I stood there saying hello and meeting two total strangers...Two weeks later I stood there saying goodbye to two people who were now apart of my family. After our goodbyes we boarded the same little plane we flew in 2 weeks earlier. Then we were miserable because of our environment and the turbulence....This day the environment and turbulence was the same, but we were miserable because we were leaving the place we both love.
We endured the miserable flight back to Nairobi, went through customs, found our driver and began our trek into the city to the Hampton House were we would be staying our last two nights. As we drove through Nairobi I stared out of the window just like the day we arrived. The first day we were there I never felt like I was in Africa...This day I felt like I was African. The first day there I simply soaked in all the sights...This day I soaked in all the things God is doing in Africa. The first day my mind was blown how God worked to get us there...This day my mind was blown how God worked in and through us while we were there. I never knew 17 days could change my life so much.
The next day we took the same trek back to the Sarit Center to do some shopping, but yet I was a different person. 17 days earlier I couldn't wait to see new things and experience a different culture....This day I couldn't wait to see who I would encounter and how God could use me as a witness. We went shopping in the dukas and it was entertaining to say the least, but God still worked. They wanted to trade for anything we had. Hats, sunglasses, watches, pens...You name it, they wanted it. I was wearing a salvation bracelet and had a few more in my backpack. As I was bartering with one of the guys he asked for my bracelet. I told him I was willing to barter with it, but he had to listen to what I had to say first and he agreed. I took my bracelet off and began to share the plan of salvation with him. Within seconds I was surrounded by a group of 6-7 men listening intently. I am not sure if any of them received Christ that day, but seeds were planted. (Side note: I returned to the same dukas in June and saw the guy who asked for my bracelet. He saw me and my new salvation bracelet and remembered me. He asked me for the one I had and when I inquired why he wanted it he told me how he shared it with his friend then gave it to him. He grabbed my hand, pointed to each bead and told me plan of salvation. Needless to say I left that bracelet with him too!)
After a few hours of shopping and dinner we returned back to our room. We made plans to blog, email and skype our friends and family back home. We did this 17 days earlier when we first got there to tell them we were there, safe, having a good time and that we loved and missed them...This day we just wanted to tell them the incredible things God was doing and how much we didn't want to come home.
It had been 17 days since we had taken off from Atlanta. 17 days that were incredible. 17 days that flew by way too fast. 17 days that God moved in a might way. 17 days that opened my eyes. 17 days that birthed new love, passions and dreams among the both of us. 17 days that took us from once place and mindset in life to another. 17 days that we chose to see threw the eyes of Christ. 17 days where He broke our hearts for what breaks His. 17 days that neither one of us will ever forget. 17 days that changed us forever.
As we left the Hampton House early the last morning for the airport I simply stared out of the window one last time reflecting, thinking and praying. I thought about how different I was and how different my mind set was. I thought about the place I was now at spiritually. I thought about where I was at before the journey and the lessons, laughs and tears that got me to where I was at that moment. I was slightly disgusted. 18 days before I was about two steps behind where I was then. I thought about how much I and my thought process had changed. I then thought, wow, this whole time I was changing, but my God was still the same. He is the same right this second that He was at that moment in life and the previous days before.
I thought to myself: "If God never changes and He's always right there, then why do I feel like I God is always moving?" The answer I found was simple, but yet painful to accept. God is a never changing God who is always there, but unfortunately we change and in those changes we take steps. Some times steps closer to God, but a lot of times we step away from God. Each day we are taking steps in life. What direction are you stepping?......
Needless to say, that trip changed my life. Thank you for journeying and reflecting back on the incredible things God did and is continuing to do. My heart is now a tad bit smaller because I left part of it there. It was pure joy to return to Africa last June and I am eagerly awaiting the chance to return again. If I could pack my bags and leave now I would, but God's timing is perfect...No matter how hard it is to understand.
My prayer is that each one of you will be able to make the trek to Africa yourself and see the incredible things God is doing. It will change your life forever...I promise.
