Life here is different. There are a lot of things that aren't, but I'm also discovering some of the things that are gradually becoming my normal. On Sunday I was in an Anglican church in a nearby village and a chicken came in and wandered about the front of the church during the sermon- no one cared. Someone put 3 pieces of gum in the offering bowl to be auctioned off at the end of the service. Two weeks ago at another church I saw a single egg auctioned off. Anything you can put in the offering plate is acceptable.
What I'm grateful for here is different. When I go to a church and they don't have a keyboard or sound system, I'm grateful (it allows me to actually hear the choir). I'm grateful when the seat in church has a back on it. I'm grateful when I have power in the evenings. I'm grateful when people have change to give me in the market. I'm grateful when the Coke is cold. I'm grateful when I order food and it comes in under an hour. I'm grateful for the generally pleasant weather of Musoma, especially when I compare it to other parts of the country.
Conversations around the table are different. We talk about the conditions of the roads, the coming of rainy season, and the new power rationing schedule. We talk about who is coming and leaving for furlough when, realizing how frequently the circle here changes.
My clothing here is different. There are two extremes here: either everything on the body matches perfectly, or nothing at all matches. I find there is very little middle ground here. Yesterday for church I wore a full kitenge outfit, the skirt and blouse and I had a shawl with me, though this was a different material. Then when I got home, the blouse got uncomfortable, but I was too lazy to change the skirt. What I ended up with was an hysterical outfit that I know no one would think anything of if I wore it in town.

Yes, life here is different, but it always keeps me on my toes. Things that used to feel weird are now normal, and yet I am constantly surprised at the new things I see, things that still aren't normal. Life here is different...sometimes frustrating and sometimes fun, but never boring. Never boring.
And one wonderful thing is that in the midst of all the differences, the God we serve is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.
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