I remember my final months in seminary (graduate school to become a pastor), when we eagerly and anxiously awaited assignment from our bishop of where Eric and I would serve as pastors. Those were expectant days!
Rural, suburb, city...where God would you send us?
Somehow, by God's grace, I learned something during that time. God is One-Father, Son and Holy Spirit and people are people wherever you go. The church will be the church wherever the Spirit chooses. My call was and still is to simply be open to this promise and to respond to it with faith.
The same promise has unfolded during our time in Tanzania. Hearing scripture and prayers spoken in Swahili and English awakens my heart of faith. God is present in all people who believe-once again I discover this! What a gift from God.
One of the fun practices we've shared with our Tanzanian brothers and sisters is music. With the coming of Christian radio broadcast around the world, we've heard a lot of familiar songs - "How Great is our God" "Lord Reign in Me" "Awesome God" among others. It's been wonderful to have faith shared through song. All of a sudden divisions like language and culture dissolve with beautiful melodies and words filled with faith, hope and love. And as music does, with the singing brings smiles and laughter.
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