Galilee Song - Frank Anderson

Deep within my heart, I feel voices whispering to me.
Words that I can’t understand; Meanings I can’t clearly hear.
Calling me to follow close, lest I leave myself behind.
Calling me to walking into evening shadows one more time.

Refrain:
So I leave my boats behind
Leave them on familiar shores
Set my heart upon the deep
Follow you again, my Lord

In my memories, I know how you send familiar rains
falling gently on my days, dancing patterns on my pain.
And I need to learn once more in the fortress of my mind,
to believe in falling rain as I travel deserts dry.
Refrain

As I gaze into the night down the future of my years,
I’m not sure I want to walk past horizons that I know.
But I feel my spirit called like a stirring deep within,
restless, ’til I live again beyond the fears that close me in.
Refrain

We sang this song today to close our worship service at an international church here in Arusha. And the words gripped me. To live beyond fear. To leave what you have behind. It seemed like a sending song for us as we have three days to prepare before driving out to our final destination, Mugumu, for the first time.

Finally.

This small town, stuck between the borders of Lake Victoria, Kenya and Serengeti National Park, has been in our consiousness for almost 2 years now. We have done so much preparing now and my heart is restless to get there, to settle, to finally do the work we have been preparing to do, meet the people who are waiting for us, and be home. It will be a gruelling 10 hour drive from Arusha, the last half being extremely bumpy over roads in who knows what condition. We will load up as much stuff as we can into the Land Cruiser so with 4 adults, a toddler and a full load we will be squashed. But I'm excited to see more of TZ and to go through Serengeti on our way, and get a feel for the environment around Mugumu.

We have just arrived back in Arusha from 3 weeks in Lushoto. One of the more beautiful places I've ever been - the highlands of Tanzania complete with eucalyptus and jacaranda trees, rolling hills, cool weather. It was beautiful and we went on long walks everyday. Someday when I have time I will post pictures of that beautiful place. The highlight of our time was hiking up to a viewpoint with an 1000 meter drop-off overlooking the Masai Steppe (the plains) below. It was stunning. It was a challenging few weeks in other ways but God sustained us. Coming from Nairobi, Arusha seems so small, but now coming from Dodoma and Lushoto, Arusha is a metropolis!

I don't think we'll have internet access for awhile now. But please keep in touch with comments and e-mails. We love hearing from all of you, and could use your support in prayer over the next month especially as we settle into our new home. Pray also for the right person to watch Ben during the times that both Kurt and I need to work. We are hoping the community already has the right person in mind.

Thanks for your support everyone! Next time: from Mugumu!