Global Talk

Written: Sun, 13 Jan 2008

Hello Everyone! It’s a warm blue day here In Mwanza TZ. It’s taken forever, but after months of work and preparation, I have finally arrived. I'm so excited to be here. I have no idea what God has instore for me here, but i can only ask that He would work through me, as well as change me and mold me. I’ll try to give a brief recap of all that has happened in the past month, up to now.

On Dec 26, I left my Job as a clerk at the Bi-Mart pharmacy to start packing for my trip. The plan was to leave Wed, Jan 2 for New York, where I’d meet with the staff at AIM (Africa Inland Mission) and go through a pre-orientation before flying straight to TZ. Well, things become a bit more complicated Monday before I left when I got a call from AIM. They told me that Kenya was going through an intense time of political unrest and sporadic violence. Because many of the short-termers were flying either to, or through Nairobi Kenya, this made things a bit dicier. I flew out Wednesday to New York for the Orientation and met with the other short-termers who were also going out to different parts of Africa, as well as the amazing staff of AIM. After Going through the orientation, we decided to fly myself home on Friday Jan 4. I would then fly from Eugene on the 6th, and bypass Nairobi, and fly straight into TZ (though a bit more expensive). I came home Friday and with the help of my family finished the rest of my packing on Saturday, then flew out the next morning Sunday. I should also note, that AIM either redirected all the Short-Termers who were going through Kenya, or postponed their mission to make sure that they would not be put in any possible danger.

I flew an hour from Eugene to Seattle with no trouble. Then the red eye from Seattle to London which was a very long flight (alcohol + stupid parents + crying babies makes for a very long red eye flight). Then another red eye from London to Dar es Salaam TZ (capitol), and then a little hopper from there to Mwanza (second Largest city in TZ) on the shores of lake Victoria. I was picked up from the Airport by Bob Jeffers, and taken to their place in Mwanza.

Right now, I am staying at Bob and Esther Jeffers’ Guest house for the first 3 weeks of my trip. Here I will be taking a crash course in Swahili at a local international language training school. Considering that my only D in high school came from my Spanish class, we’re hoping that that’s not indicative of my time here… I have a wonderful local instructor who is also a missionary here with another Church. So for right now, I’m resting and learning here in Mwanza. It was a bit of an adventure the first couple days here. When I arrived, my bags, didn’t… They were able to locate them, but for about 4 days, we didn’t know when or if my bags would show up. But God is good, in the details, and faithful. We picked up my Bags yesterday!…and they’re not leaving my sight for a long time. The Jeffers’ have been wonderful in helping to orient me and begin to explain the culture to me, which is so different than anything I could ever have expected.

In a couple weeks, I’ll move down to Kahunda, about 5 hours west of here with the Anderson’s and begin my stay there for the next 6 months. I really don’t know much about what all is entailed with my stay there yet. I met with the Andy and Margaret Anderson a few days ago as they just recently arrived here. It looks like I’ll be doing some teaching in their secondary school (teaching in the primary school’s is in Swahili, then in secondary school’s it’s in English). And then, whatever other things they need me to do, I’ll do. They’re involved with much of the island ministry there, so I’ll be helping Andy and Margaret out in whatever way they needs me.

I look forward to keeping you all back home updated. For now my Laptop has internet access, and we’re working to keep that up once I actually leave for Kahunda. Feel free to write and keep me updated about all that’s going on at home, I love reading your emails!

My thanks again, for all of you who have made this God ordained trip possible. Continue to pray me, I appreciate your prayers so much. Pray that I would imbibe the Swahili training, and that I would continue to learn and adjust to the culture here. Pray that this would be a time of stretching and growing in God. Pray also that God would open my eyes to what He would have me do, and to keep me flexible.

I love you and miss you all

Your local Monk in Africa

Geoff
Manton