I called a taxi driver to come get me to go to church. He arrived early and joined me for some coffee. He asked where I was going and I said I was going to church. He said he was really surprised that I was an American and that I was going to church. He says he has asked many Americans what religion they are and most of them say I have no religion so he was surprised I was going to church. As I arrived in church and was praying my heart was sad to hear about what my driver had said about my home country. Tanzania is a country full of poverty and hardships yet their faith is strong and that is what sustains them. I thought…..so do we have too much, do we take things for granted and why have so many in my country strayed from their faith.
As I looked at the altar I saw the words Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. This is what Jesus brings to us, and to think that many people are missing the true meaning of this Christmas season. We need to open our hearts and let Jesus in. I ask that each of you search your hearts and come back to the church so that you can experience HIS Hope, Peace, Joy and Love.
I was excited when I returned to my lodge that a long time friend Paul came to visit me. It was so good to catch up and reminisce about the times we worked together here in Africa. He is a lovely man with a very kind heart. I have known him for about 10 years.
Then my dearest friend Sister Renatus came to visit me. She is my strongest prayer friend and whenever I need some prayers I always contact her. She was the one that gave me the beautiful gift of her rosary about a year ago. I have never had a more special gift given to me. I had to treat her with some topical and oral medication because she had a bad rash on her face. Looks like she come in contact with something and reacted to it. We had a lovely visit the three of us and I was able to share my pictures and stories of my tour to the Holy Land, and they were so excited to see and hear about the places I visited. So a lot of our conversations were based on stories in the Bible. Couldn’t have been a better Sunday.
Thanks for all the prayers and sending a lot of love.
Gayle
