Bill Schrull
It’s that time again for our annual trip to East Africa (Tanzania and Kenya). I’ll start posting tomorrow night, but what I can say for now is that Cathy and I are very excited about making our trip this year. After some major medical issue that we both went through over the past 2 years, it’s great to be going back to be with our friends overseas.
Bill
Well this is it. Our final flight home. We’re on the plane right now some where over the Persian Gulf. It’s been a great journey. Of course for Cathy and I, everything was very familiar. I’ve learned a lot about the culture and the geography of Tanzania. And I never tire of it. In particular, I love the sense of close community I experience in Kasulu. Even with the population growth in Kasulu over the past 13 years, our friends at DWT have kept a deep sense of “belonging” in their particular branch of christian community. That’s not to say we don’t experience that back home. It’s just different. I think in a small way it has to do with a sort of protocol to everyday speach. For instance, how they greet each other follows simple, repeat patterns of speak. “Habari” (which literally means “news” for “How are you”) is always answered by “Nzuri” (good). “Jambo” is aswered by “Sijambo”. In worship if you say “Bwana Jesu Asifiwe” (Praise the Lord Jesus) the answer is always “Amin’ (Amen). And no matter where you go, people address each other in these or a similar manner.
Today we spent the morning at our hotel by the beach. 
As the tide was going out, the sand bars were exposed so Bob and I walked along them to get a better view of the ocean and shoreline. It was a beautiful and re-energizing place to be at the end of our time in Tanzania. And or course it was much better than staying in a hotel in the city.
In some ways I’m glad to be getting home, but in other ways I wish I could just stay for a long while. I so much enjoy the work I’ve been doing for the diocese and for the college over the past 13 years. I’d to do a lot more. And of course now there is the similar work I’ve done resently in Kenya, and I have a open invitation to come to Rwanda from the Diocese of Shyira. What can I say. God is moving us in this direction. We just need to work on the response. But for now, I need to get home and take care of my aortic problem that needs surgery to fix. I looking forward to getting it done so I can recover and resume the work that the Lord has called us to in this part of the world. Please be in prayer for us on all of this.
Bill
