Steve and Barnabas in Tanzania

I have mentioned in blogs before about how at times it is difficult to write a specific blog or topic but never more so than this one.  It was not my best trip home.  I got some type of cold early on and it stayed with me the whole time making me a weak the entire trip.  America is in its most fragile state I remember with everyone living on headlines and soundbites and not actual truths and stories and that applies to both sides of the aisles.  The country has become one of believe as I do or you must be evil again on both sides of the political aisles. The problems with the cell service getting cut off.  There was also a problem of a personal nature that I will not go into detail on to protect others but it did cause me great grief  and emotional pain. So how do I write a blog about my time at home with those things constantly coming to the forefront of my mind.  I am going to focus on the positive things that happened while I was home.  The...

Barnabas at the new blackboard Friday we had a small re-dedication service with the pastor and members of the church that meet in our pre-school building, one of our teachers and the rest of our staff from the medical clinic and grounds.  Since only one member of our staff has been present for the majority of the life of the pre-school building, I decided to start off by telling the folks there the history of the building or at least what I know of the history.  Why?  Because if ever there was a building that was an example of faith I would say that building is it.  Yes our entire ministry is an act of faith in God to provide and make it successful.  But the Pre-school was probably the most visible act of faith there is.  The story starts before the building was ever built with Robert Makali, William's brother, holding a pre-school in their family home back in the days William was stateside going to college. Robert Makali and the first Pre-sc...

This last month has been busy, exciting, sometimes overwhelming and once again a beautiful reminder of the blessings I have in my life not only from the perspective of what is available to me in the states but also the love of those who support and believe in me. Let me start with some of the reverse culture shock then I will talk more about the wonderful things that happened during my trip home. I have been well prepared for the life I led in Tanzania because I believe myself to be very adaptable.  One of the best things to come out of my military training is the ability to accept conditions as what they are and deal with them.  With that said there were some definite changes in how I saw life when I came home to visit for the holidays and renew my visa.  First-at no time have I ever set in my parents house and asked for a blanket to cover me unless I was deathly sick but time and again after living in Tanzania temperatures I asked for a blanket when not active and I...

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 1:3 “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.” Malachi 3:10  “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.” 2 Corinthians 2:8-9 I have felt the need to mention during some of my previous blogs and facebook postings that as I describe some of the experiences here in Tanzania that these are not complaints but an attempt to share some of what life is like here.  This week as I got up and traveled pre...