Church and Going Home with Host Families

Sunday Jan. 15th

The pictures say it all – today was a big day for students and their host families, as they met one another for the first time and began a 5-week chapter in their lives that will never be forgotten!

We attended Upanga Mennonite Church, hosted by Pastor John Wambura and Pastor Moses Ndege. We enjoyed 3 hours of singing, praying, storytelling – each student also had the opportunity to stand and introduce themselves in Swahili. They did so well.

After church we had a meeting with the host parents to clarify questions about the program and discuss our schedule for our time in Dar es Salaam. The meeting, of course, included sodas, samosas, and mandazis!

Tomorrow the students will make their first trek from their respective homes back to town for their first Swahili class. So many “firsts” – so many gifts of new things and fresh challenges. We rest gratefully tonight as all the students are settled in to their new homes.

– Ryan