Making Friends

The longer we are here, the more we are able to settle. We are now starting to make friends. Yay! Although Moshi is a big town by Tanzania standards, it really is quite small. When there is one main grocery store, you are bound to see the same people over and over. As a result, we say hi to people even though we haven’t learned their name. With time, we get to learn their stories and what they are doing in Moshi. I like to meet people who have been here a while. I like hearing where they shop, what doctor they go to, where to find a dentist, etc.

Yesterday, Eli and I went over to a new friend’s house for a play date. We met her outside the grocery store (George did actually and introduced us) where she and her husband own a souvenir shop. She is British and her husband is from Tanzania. They have a sixteen month old named Skyler. Eli and I went over for a couple hours between his naps and had a great time. She is very nice and Eli liked playing at their house.

Haley, aka Mama Skyler, has been inviting us to a baby club for a while. Several Moshi moms meet on Tuesday mornings for two hours and different houses and let the kids play together. I have wanted to go, but Eli has been sick and the time they meet is during his nap time. If he doesn’t sleep, he is very fussy. We were planning to go today, but he woke early and had to take an early nap so we missed it. Maybe when he transitions to one nap instead of two, we can go. Haley lent us a push walker for Eli. He loves it! Its from England so the voice has a British accent!




George makes friends wherever he goes. He already knows many people here. The manager at Nakumatt (the big grocery store) said he will throw Eli a birthday party there! Amy…. Can you imagine a birthday party at Nakumatt? So fun!!!!

We have developed a friendship with a few of our neighbors. One of them invited us to their anniversary party last week. I had to leave early to put Eli to bed, but George stayed to eat. When he came home, he brought me a plate. Man was it good! He brought roasted meat. I devoured it. Much to my surprise, it was goat! I have never eaten goat that I enjoyed before. I thought it was beef, but it wasn’t. I never knew goat could be so delicious.

We love our neighborhood and feel welcome and safe here. Being a stranger in a strange land can be lonely and isolating at times. It helps to make friends. We are just beginning to and pray the Lord brings us more people who will encourage us and who will make us laugh as well.