Jordan sent a note.........

Hard and sad facts of this culture are:
Witchcraft is still a big thing here. The witch doctor's will pay lots of money
for people that have disabilities or that are different in some way. At
one time it was mentally challenged people, then bald people, now in
some places albino people. In Dar, there are a lot of beggars. Many kids,
elderly people and disabled just wander around the streets.
Some things that bring me despair are:
There seem to be quite a few men and boys who start on the right path but
without a solid foundation go to the dark side. I could be wrong about this and
will ask further from those who know. Also, there are kids who are hidden away if they have something wrong with them. One story is of a missionary who was chasing a chicken which ran under a really big basket. When the missionary reached under to grab the chicken, he grabbed onto the leg of a 7 year old child. The neighbor's didn't even know the child existed.(It sounds like America is taking on some of
Africa's more appalling traits..... are we stepping backward instead of forward into God's goodness)
Hope and Joy:
There are several people who are truly trustworthy,
who have good relationships with their spouses and who are desiring to
learn. They want to be your friend, because they value the friendship
and are not hoping to gain anything materially by it.

Being here has both given me a burden and a wonderful vacation. I used
to think that missionaries spent all their time travelling and preaching.
They do, but also get much time to spend with the locals. Much of the MK's (missionary kids) ministry is playing with the local kids. Being here has given
me a desire to be here for either a couple years or life...I am really not quite sure what God has in store for me. Being here in Mumba, because of Zach's accident,we haven't done much ministry, except for playing Volleyball almost
every night with some of the African guys here. Some would call that ministry, some not....maybe. I add that because I know for myself, that I had a high expectations of what missionaries are "supposed" to be doing. But, in being here, I have
learned that even just being here, is ministering to them. This, for now, is
what God had in store for part of our visit and I thank Him for all the
amazing missionaries that we have been able to meet.

In Him,
Jordan