Our first trip as a group...destination...Dar Es Salaam. We arrived at 04:00 and opted for a snooze on the airport...which is actually a pretty cool roof with a bunch of merchants snuggled under it. We rolled out the sleeping bags and slept like babies at the back of an adventure shop thing. Our travel teams soon became pro at bargaining. So here we are in Legho Hotel in the heart of this bustling city filled with friendly people. We had supper on the roof with a panoramic view of the city. We officially are backpackers on a mission. It creates a sense of belonging. It's difficult to describe. Each place we visit becomes like home to us and when we leave we know we will come back to visit the people we met...the kids playing in the shade, Jackson our guardian, the receptionist at the hotel and the guy who challenged us to a pool game. We ate local food inspired by India and Africa. It's a fusion of tastes and textures. Fried bananas and corn on street corners, meat hanging from hooks in a little shop, and calamari grilled over a fire in candle light. The traffic does not make sense but everyone seems to know where they are going. Every taxi, tuc-tuc, bus, and motorbike perfectly synced to create a mass network of destination driven movement. Definitely a place to remember. Our first city on our journey of revival, hearts being inspired and perspectives being shaped. God's love has got us up in arms again. We look at people differently when we look through the eyes of Jesus. Each person has a fascinating story of love, hardship, adventure, and purpose. This is where we need to be. A heart infused by God's love for those around us. It's easy to say these things, it's only when you hit the streets and intentionally listen to the Holy Spirit that this becomes real. This is when you are faced with the harsh realities people live in, and yet they keep on smiling...this is Africa.
And this is why we love it!!