hI hI hI!!

I am in the beautiful, Mozambique!! This needs to be fast because I only have one hour and the internet is super slow!!

So far my time here has been magical. I am here and I feel like I am home (Sorry Mom and Dad, but its true) I love everything about it here from the people even to the HEAT! It is a beautiful place FULL of beautiful people.

When I first arrived in Pemba I was given a key to a room. I share a “house” with 13 people!!! YEAH! 13 people!!! There are six girls in my room, two girls in another and a beautiful family in the other. When you arrive you are with a couple or a family and I was BLESSED to be with a family. There are two parents, Mary and Randy and their three beautiful kids who are all adopted from China. Masson, Molly and Madelyn, two Madalyn’s in one house! They are all under 10 so of course, I am loving this. I wake up each morning to the sound of my name and Masson, the little boy in my house, is deaf so I have been learning sign language ever since I moved in which is something I have wanted to learn for a long time, how beautiful is that?

I have already met so many people from around the world that have been called to Africa like I have. By the time I get home I will have family all around the world and to me, that is a blessing. The people of Mozambique are beautiful and my heart has already fallen in love with everyone that I have come into contact with (and that is ALREADY a lot of people).

Yesterday I swam in the Indian Ocean which is located across the street from the base where I am living. Honestly, I am having the time of my life. I sleep on the top bunk, no air conditioning and stare up into a mosquito net that supposedly keeps the bugs away- last night I brushed my teeth with water from a bottle and a cockroach staring me down. You can’t flush toilet paper down the toilet or else it will flood the house SO I have been very careful about that. My fan that my wonderful dad bought me turns on and off throughout the night but hey, it’s better than nothing.

I feel like I already belong here. The people here are treasures. I feel safe even in a dangerous place because I am surrounded by people who love the Lord and people who truly want to love. I haven’t had culture shock yet, I just feel comfortable and so happy. It’s hard to contain the joy I feel when I am surrounded by so many people who feel the same way.

Tomorrow is a holiday, it is Children’s Day and it is as big as Christmas here in Mozambique. I can’t wait. Thank you all for keeping me in your prayers...I am so good here. I wish I could show you how beautiful it is here and at some point I hope to add some pictures but for now I have only been taking it in myself, it’s a lot to take in, in just three days.

I feel like I am at home even though I am across the world.

Thank you to all who supported me to get to Africa. I know God is behind this 100% I am in the place where I belong and I pray everyday that I don’t miss anything because I know already that it will be a hard place and community to leave. Keep checking back for more, I hope to be back sometime next week with more updates of what is happening over here!

love love love to you all!! (sorry so scattered and fast I have to move quickly!)

Ps. Hannah- I met a couple who brought their two boys who are 4 and 2 and the first night we got in I was in the dirt writing our names in the sand...it made me think of Ethan and Kate. I am so so so happy to have other little kids to play with all summer!!! Miss you guys!