Maasai

Internet is being typical here.  I just wrote a very long email to a friend and then i lost connection and the email and had to switch computers.  Needless to say, it does not make me very happy.

However, there is a lot I am thankful for!  Yesterday, Saturday, the team and I went up to a Maasai village 2.5 hrs out of town in the mountains.  It was amazing!  These people are Christian and love Jesus, but do not have Bibles in their language.  It is very hard to get Bibles in Massai...they only make a batch of them once or twice a year.  Troy tried very very hard to get some printed...and got rejected many times...but he pressed harder.  He eventually was able to get them printed and we were blessed to be able to join with him in giving the village their very first Bible.  Check out my facebook for the video and story.  It was a once in a lifetime experience that God just overwhelmed me with.  I take for granted so much, especially having mulitiple Bibles in different versions and study bibles...and they had nothing.  Until yesterday!  Wooo WHOOO!!!

Today, we just went to church and then out to lunch.  We took Pastor and his family as well and Jordan and Kristin.  It was very nice to spend time.  I'm writing briefly because I want to update, but don't want to lose the email.

Love you all.  Talk to you soon.

House and Hospital

It's been a while since I've checked email. It's just interesting to
see my priorities change.

Last Sunday we did church at Majengo at Yesu Anaweza. It was good.
It's just always fun to hear the Tanzanian's sing. After church, we
went with Troy and Jen to a village and worked with the kids there.
We sang and did a message about loving your enemies. I guess Jen
posted videos on my facebook wall so you can check those out. It was
a lot of fun.

Monday, Tuesday we were at Yesu Anaweza working on Pastor Zachariah's
house. Oh my goodness, they build houses very different here. Kenny
was able to get a lot of the structure of the house done, so basically
the brick walls...and it's a pretty good size house for an African.
The fundis started on the roof and we started moving small boulders
and big rocks into the floor of the whole house. It was a lot of hard
physical labor...more than Americans are used to I'm certain. Then
you fill in gaps with smaller rocks and from there comes the cement.
Which is made of sand, gravel, rocks, and cement....all moved by
buckets from one place to another...I will try and load some video and
pictures at some point to help you understand. I have never been so
dirty and so tired than I have the last two days.

Today, Wednesday we did some more cement work on the house and then we
went to the hospital. The hospital is always the most eye opening and
harder thing to do. But also very rewarding. These people are so
very sick; it's a government hospital, so they are not fed...it's all
up to the family (if they have any) to take care. The hospital beds
are the farthest from what we would ever consider acceptable.
We were able to pray for some people and lead some to Christ and give
some Bibles. There are some great testimonies. The children that are
there just break my heart, but Jesus healed and He is good.

Now we are at Troy and Jen's for dinner. It's 7:15pm now and I think
people are getting close to wanting to head home (we are 10 hrs ahead
of Pacific Standard). So I'm going to end this entry. Sorry there
isn't much detail, but I wanted to throw out a brief update.

I would love to get emails from everyone...I think I'm better at
answering those than updating my blog. But I guess when I go to
Village Schools I would have very limited internet access, so blogging
will probably be my best best to send out mass updates.

Tomorrow and Friday we are continuing to work on the house. Saturday
we are going to a Maasi Village about 2.5 hrs our of town. So that
should be fun and interesting to see.

Love you all. Hope everything is going well. I do think about everyone.

Arrived safe and sound

I just wanted to send out a quick update that I arrived last night
safely! When I have some more time I will fill you in all the lovely
details and adventures I came across. But for now I'm here in Moshi
with Jordan and Kristin in their apartment (which is so nice). My 3
bags didn't make it with me, so they are supposed to be on the next
flight this morning. We were going to get them tonight when the
Batchelder's arrived...but we might have to wait another day, or have
them deliver it to their offices in Moshi.

Today we are just going to go into town and exchange some money and
set up a cell phone and probably go to Mejango to check out Yesu
Anaweza and the progress of Pastor's home.

I love you all. I will write soon :)

Leaving for Africa

I can't believe it is time.  I will be leaving Spokane in exactly 5 hours...then I have stops in Denver, Dallas, London, and Nairobi before I will touch land once again in Tanzania :)

Here is my contact info to stay in touch:

marisha.cunliffe@gmail.com

Marisha Cunliffe

c/o Village Schools Tanzania

Box 183

Mafinga, Tanzania

(they warned me to let friends and family know that packages almost never arrive, so just send letters and pictures that can fit into an envelope)

I will do my best to update my blog when I get internet access...but be prepared that it will most likely be few and far between once I'm actually with Village Schools.

Thanks for all your love and support!  I really appreciate the money, time, and love you all have put in and gave in preparation for this time.

I love you all!