Zanzibar beach

After our safari trip to Makumi, we took a bus back to Dar so we could fly out the next day to Zanzibar. I had never heard of Zanzibar until I moved to Africa. I'm really bad at geography, but I'm getting better.

Zanzibar is a group of islands off the coast of Tanzania in the Indian Ocean. Arab and Portuguese traders visited the region in early times, and it was controlled by Omanis in the 18th and 19th centuries. Today they are sometimes known as the Spice Islands, since spices are one of its main industries.

We stayed at the beach two days before going to Stone Town, the slang name for the capital of the island, where you can still see the historical remnants left behind by the people of Oman.

Before I tell you the rest of journey, let me show you our travel companions for the eleven days we were gone.

Lynn and Jan Skuza



















Caleb was clearly happy to be here.

























































You can see the seaweed on the beach? We stayed on the side of the island where seaweed is harvested.

You can see in this picture below what looks to be stumps in the Indian Ocean.

They are actually women, fully dressed, walking out to gather seaweed.



















Here is a rather blurry picture (because I took it inconspicuously from far away) of a lady on the beach sorting out the different kinds of seaweed. She takes the sturdier, lighter color seaweed with her, leaving behind the slimier, less firm kind. That's about the extent of my knowledge of seaweed.


















You may find it funny, but I forgot I was in Africa when I was at the beach.

I was always reminded I was in Africa while driving around or trying to be understood at an eating establishment (because I don't speak Kiswahili),

but when I saw this lady on the beach,



















and I saw this lady going to clean rooms, I was quickly brought back to reality.

Always the head...

























































I cracked up over this one.

Caleb was trying to keep his swimsuit from getting wet...while standing in the ocean.

Whose kid is that?

Mikumi morning

Aren't you glad my safari lasted only two days? Because this will be my last post on the subject, and you won't have to hear about it again, but I stood in awe of my God the following morning, too.

We woke up at 5, so we could get an early start. The mountains that had shown so brightly the night before at sunset, were now a dismal gray.

With the sun rising, everywhere I looked, something was changing. Colors would be dull one moment and then bright the next.

Grass was brown in one area and green in another. It was picturesque.


“For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him.” - Ps 103:11

“As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.” - Ps 18:30

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” - Ps 84:11

“In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoices like a strong man to run its race. Its rising is from one end of heaven, and its circuit to the other end; and there is nothing hidden from its heat.” - Ps 19:4b-6

“O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; My soul thirst for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land, where there is no water.” - Ps 63:1

This is my favorite of the morning. The three colors of nature make it so beautiful to me.
































Of course, the animals were amazing, too.
























I loved getting pictures where two or more types of animals were together.




























































The wildebeest are a bit skiddish.























Isn't it amazing that each one is so different, like a fingerprint?

























This was my favorite animal shot. From this angle, it looks like the giraffe is the actual trunk of this tree.
























The End



















The whole crew -


















Ready to go get some breakfast and hit the road back to Dar!

God's Amazing Beauty

God's beauty is astounding.

We went on an afternoon safari drive at Mikumi National Park while we were in Tanzania, and we loved seeing the beautiful animals.

We saw giraffes, cape buffalo, elephant, zebras, jackals, lots of birds, and even a tree in the shape of Africa,

but I couldn't get over the painting that God was working on in the sky.

I started hearing scriptures in my heart.

"You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created." - Rev 4:11

NOTE: Before I continue this post, I will apologize in advance for all the pictures (because I know they are hard to load). I had the hardest time picking and choosing which ones to show you, and there are still hundreds more on my computer.

I kept snapping trying to capture this moment in time so I wouldn't forget the conversation God and I had together.

"The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world and those who dwell in it."
- Ps 24:1









I don't have a special, fancy camera, and I don't know a lot about framing a shot like my brilliant sister-in-law, Jen, but I didn't need either of those things to capture God's beauty.

“Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”


I know mountains like the Rockies or Alps tower over these small ones, and I also know that skies painted like this occur daily all over the world.

They might even occur in Arua, but I rarely see them.

“Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.” - Ps 73:25

This day, I stood in awe of His beauty.

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.

“From the rising of the sun to its going down the Lord’s name is to be praised.” - Ps 113:3

“And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” - Heb 4:13a

(Can you see the giraffes the the left below the sun?)

I had my own little worship service right there in the safari truck.

I love how we can worship God anywhere.

“You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” - Ps 16:11

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." - James 1:17

You are so good to us, Abba.

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

We recently went to Tanzania and Zanzibar for a short vacation.

I had heard that you couldn't go many places that were hotter than Dar es Salaam, so I was expecting the worst.

What I discovered was that Dar is hotter than Arua, but I think the breeze off the water (and the scenery) makes it a little more bearable. :)




Plus we got to see our good friends the M's, who live in Dar.

















I also found it quite thrilling to have air conditioning everywhere we slept except our beach
resort – and they had the God-given breeze. We were like giddy children turning the window units on at night!

Lots of shopping occurred in the markets, and we found quite a few unique things.

Caleb wasn't too thrilled about shopping, but he got some treasures out of the deal. In fact, he became quite the bargainer with the store-owners. He goes for really low prices, so I might start taking him with me to the food market here in Arua and see how we fare. It's always interesting bargaining for your groceries each week.

My kids attened their first 3D movie: The Voyage of Dawn Treader.

Caleb and Karis don't remember ever going to the beach for student camp a few years ago, so this was a special trip for them, too.

Lynn Skuza was a fun playmate for Caleb, and Jan and Lynn were awesome travel buddies for all of us.

At this beach, when the tide went out, you could walk one quarter of a mile or more and still not have the water up to your chest. It was awesome for the kids.

That's Doug and Kylie way out, Jan Skuza on the right, and Karis in the foreground.

We only stayed in Dar a few days, and then, we were off to Mikumi National Park for one night.