4th Anniversary

Since Rita has been here in Tanzania this month we have been doing a lot of reflecting over the past four years. Four years ago, March 2007 we took in the first children at Treasures of Africa Children’s Home. We moved to Tanzania in July of 2006 but we were not able to take in children until eight months later. We spent our first eight months here doing so many preparations before taking in any of the children. But in March 2007 they started coming. Now four years later we are in awe of the great things that God has done. Wow! That is all I can say when I look back at how much growth has taken place in the lives of each of the children.
In the midst of all the laughter as we have enjoyed reminiscing over the past four years, I have this deep, intense, and sometimes overwhelming sense of awe and thankfulness to God for allowing me to be here with the children from day one. I am connected to the children in a way that my heart cannot express. Each one is unique and wonderful and so so special. I see the Lord’s hand on their lives and I am so excited for their futures.
I don’t have as many photos of the early days I would like to have but there are enough memories imprinted in my heart to last me for the rest of my life.
As much as I would like to say that these past four years have all been wonderful and glorious, that cannot be said. The past four years have been life-changing for me to be sure, and much of the change that has taken place in my life has been due to the difficulties that have taken place. I have wished over and over that the hands of time could be turned back in order to do some things different, but that is not the way this life goes. So I thank the Lord for the grace to learn and grow and move forward.
I still think of baby Andrew and miss him so much. I wonder what he looks like now and pray for him to grow up to know the Lord and be a great man of God.
Anjela is never far from my thoughts and yet I cannot allow myself to spend too much time thinking of her because my heart still longs to hold her again and the pain is still so strong. One does not forget an Angel like Anjela and move on with life.

Four years is not a life-time so there are still so many more wonderful things to see and do and experience here in Tanzania. But for now I am enjoying this 4th anniversary. I have been teaching English on Saturdays and it has been such a joy to spend a couple of hours with the older kids and to be in the classroom teaching again…I have missed teaching. We do all those “things” that I did in class in the U.S. to make our class time interesting and fun. The older kids have an excellent grasp of the English language. I am so proud of them.
Our youngest kids, the ones who came to us when they were newborns, are all turning four over the next four months. Can you believe it? We still refer to them as “the babies.” Do they really ever grow up? Their personalities are so fun!!!
They are fluent in Swahili and English…when I say fluent I am talking fluent in the three year old vocabulary kind of way!

God is good!!! Everyday I am thankful for His grace, mercy, love, forgiveness, salvation, protection, strength and for giving me just what I need each day to do the work that we do for Him!