Organized chaos

Yep. I made it to Tanzania! Been here for a few days now and still taking it all in. If you think my driving is crazy just wait to you come here (which you should do one day). I now trust my driver more than anyone. People are all over the place, cars don't really stay on their side of the road, and motorcycles don't use lanes at all. Somehow it all works. Organized chaos. Houses with grass roofs, buildings painted with Coca-cola, Fanta, or other logos, and restaurants where seating is only outside. Somehow they all fit together. Organized chaos. Children who speak English and Swahili in the same sentence, who wear Miley Cyrus tees, and who smiles both break your heart and make you laugh. Somehow it's perfect. Organized chaos.

Organized chaos. It's the first thought I had as we drove away from the airport and I got my first take of Mwanza. It sums up how I feel now. So much in my head to process; the past 4 days at the girls home, preparing for the next 9 days with the street boys, and life back home. I feel like the Lord is doing something big in my heart, but I just can't understand it. Yet. Much like listening to the girls sing worship songs or being at church (which happens under a few ragged tarps) yesterday. I don't speak their language, but I know our hearts are singing the same song. I'm not exactly sure where the Lord is leading, but I know it's where I want to go. Make sense? If so, perhaps you could enlighten me!

I could give you a quick recap of the trip, but since it's been 4 days there wouldn't be anything quick about it. I'll get to it at some point. Maybe not until I get home or figure out a way to upload pictures on the hotel computers. I have lots of stories to share about the girls' home, but for now here are a few highlights...

• My first meal in Africa was pizza. True story
• Fanta is delicious. Especially the passion flavored kind
• We saw a snake. And lots and lots of geckos
• The girls (and the 5 boys that live there now as well) have started calling Chris, the founder, Daddy. They watched "It Takes Two" (yes, the one with the Olsen twins) and picked up the label. Too precious
• I ate a small green pepper. One of the kids convinced me to eat one with him and I'm not one to back down from a challenge. Holy cow! Hands down the hottest thing I've ever put in my mouth. I think I lost a piece of my tongue
• It's not rude to spit out chewy meat (or, what I'm pretty sure was just one large piece of fat). It is, however, absolutely disgusting (and hilarious) to chew on it for 10 minutes because you aren't sure if spitting it out would be frowned upon
• Uno is played with slightly different rules at the girls home. I might bring them back with me and school all of you

That's all for now. Now that we're at a hotel I'll be able to update more often. Hope things are going well for you all back in the states!