Elijah's new transit

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Originally uploaded by lindermans.

Josiah's Christmas gift...

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Originally uploaded by lindermans.

a new car!

Merry Christmas!

Sorry for the blog silence... having computer problems, so we haven't had internet access for about a week... so sitting in a computer lab in town sending a brief Christmas blessing to all.

It is refreshing being away from some of the American Christmas trappings. After all, there are no malls in Tanzania! So our Christmas is a little more calm, more reflective, less commercial. If only you could be here to share it with us!

We do have a Christmas tree, with some lights that work when we have electricity. We have some Christmas songs on the iPod. And while the weather is warm, there may be some cookies in the forecast.

Merry Christmas!
the lindermans

From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea…

Actually, we got the order backwards.

Since arriving, we have learned that our original plan, not having a vehicle of our own, was untenable. Our burden for working in far-off villages has grown, and a 4x4 vehicle is needed to get to most places, especially in the rainy season. Our sponsoring church has been wonderful, helping us pull together every last available penny, and 100x missions, based in Montgomery, has generously contributed as well.

Buying a car here is different from the states. After a two-month process of paperwork, waiting, paperwork, research, paperwork, waiting, we got the news that our truck was soon to be ready in Dar es Salaam, the capital city. We made some quick plans, and flew to Dar on Thursday, arriving minutes after the vehicle registration and plates were completed.

So we got to spend a day on the beach on the Indian ocean, got to eat at Subway restaurant (first American restaurant in TZ). Saturday morning we began with a boat trip to a little island just off the coast, followed by a long drive to Moshi, at the base of Kilimanjaro. Long drive in a day, interrupted by one bathroom stop and one speeding ticket (really surprised to see the radar gun pointed at us).

So we began at the ocean, looking at tropical fish, drove alongside the Usumbara and Pare mountains, sheer green cliffs draped with clouds, with the Masai steppe on our western flank, acacia trees as far as the eye could see. Finally, above the clouds, we found Kilimanjaro, the most beautiful mountain in the world, its peak covered in snow, catching the last hours of sunlight of the African dusk.

Add Chris Tomlin on the iPod, and some leftover Subway sandwiches, and you can see that all of our senses were blessed (except for our nose; Josiah found the speed bumps undesirable at 100K, and christened the vehicle in his own special way).

We are here in the mountains this week for a team retreat with some resource professionals from the Seminary where many of us trained. Mission work can be grueling, and we are all looking forward to being ministered to for a few days.

But as you can tell, in addition to the spiritual blessings, we get to have family experiences most can only dream of.

Plus bargain-priced speeding tickets.