This is a little celebration for Team Tam. We have been in Tanzania for six months. Truth be told, I never thought we would be able to stay here for this long. In my mind, there is always this lingering feeling that we must leave the country. Maybe they deny our work permits. Or one of us gets sick.
After listening to so many missionaries’ stories about how they planned to go to one country, God blocked their path, and they had to go to another country, for the past few months, I always carry our passports and some US dollars wherever I go. If we need to evacuate, I am ready to go.
On one hand, the house we are staying in feels more like a home. On the other, it also feels foreign. The first months we were here, I always thought of returning to Singapore or Canada. But now, not so much. Partly, I am tired of travelling. The big move to Tanzania in early July drained me out.
The thought of packing and moving as a family, even for a vacation, is too tiring for me.
And so So,Christmas and New Year, when most missionaries fly back home, we stayed in Tanzania. We took a short trip and stayed stayednight at a farm lodge. It was nice to get away and spend timespend the girls.
These days, I spend much time reflecting on what we are doing here. We met with a few missionaries who have been here for many years. They gave common advice, such as not to rush to start anything and to take the time to learn the language and culture. One missionary even said if she had to do it all over again, she would do nothing for the first two years.
TWO YEARS?!?! That’s a long time. Many of us always believe that to labour for God, we have to perform and be productive. There is added pressure to produce if we are sent by a missionary organization or the church.
Thankfully, one of the least common approaches we took as missionaries is that we came here by ourselves instead of through a mission organization. What about our church? Well, it is a newly started church. They didn’t send us out but supported us to their capacity.
Because we came here by ourselves, the pro is that we can dictate our timeline. And in most cases, it is to slow down when doing missions. There is always an eagerness to do something. Sometimes, the motivation is pure; do it for God. But I can feel sometimes it is not pure. Like when I see other people are doing big ministry, I also want to do so to proof myself. Or when we are in a group of missionaries and everyone is doing something, and the only thing I can show for is I am building a website for the hospital we are volunteering in.
So what do I do for the rest of the time? It is adjusting to live here in Tanzania. It is taking the time to learn Swahili. It is adapting and ensure that the house is running and the children are ok. Whether it is turning on the water pump every night so we have enough water or checking every window is shut and door/gate is locked, there are more steps to do here.
What about ministry?
For me, the key is building relationship and finding ministers that have like-minded value as us. This takes time because not everyone who is a minister do things for the Lord. I had a missionary friend who started an outreach program. Because he is a foreigner, many local ministers expect a lot of money. When he told them he is not paying them to do God’s work, only five out of fifteen stayed. The last time he ran a training, all of a sudden some showed up, expecting a free meal and lodging.
Our longing is that we sow into a ministry that is already running and preferably, started by the locals. This way, when we go, the ministry continues to run and grow.
What that will look like? I have no idea. I also not worry. We just continue to live and grow here. From six months to one year and if God allows, many more years. For now, our job is continue to live, adapt and learn the language and the culture.
