Michelle Ko: Tanzania Update

Greetings from HOT AND HUMID Tanzania!

Life in Mtwara 

For the last two months it has been, and still is, very challenging. Living conditions in Tanzania are much tougher than Kenya and it has really stretched me mentally and physically. With the daily extreme heat, I sweat all day and night! I shower with ice cubes and sleep with wet towels to cool me down. My house temperature is around 34C/93.3F daily. The electricity does not come on regularly, and is often blocked out. I also have a lot of God's wonderful creatures called "bugs" hanging around me all day long!! :-)

I have to change the way I do things around here according to the weather. I need to slow down and take breaks in such an environment or it will be much easier to suffer from exhaustion and tiredness with this extreme temperature.

One morning, while I was riding my bicycle on very bumpy road (most of the roads are bumpy and muddy when it rains), I was carrying some soup in a container sealed with plastic, or so I thought. It spilled and somehow some of it got onto the phone which was next to it. Now my phone is not working and cannot be fixed in Tanzania. I am using an old phone with a dying battery and I pray the battery will last ‘till God provides a solution.

Life in Mtwara is tough and you could easily get malaria. I am starting to understand why there are very few missionaries over years in this area (presently, I know we have 4 missionaries, 3 from SIM). By the grace of God, I am able to cope with these difficulties day by day. In the midst of challenges I surrender all to Jesus who loves and saved me, so I can be the vessel for Him.

“The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

Praises and Prayers

• Thank God for a refreshing and encouraging retreat in Dar es Salaam with other SIM Tanzania missionaries.

• Thank God for His protection traveling around by bike and long road trips back and forth to Dar.

• Thank God for a good rainy season in April and cooler weather in May

• Pray I am committed to study and to speak Swahili diligently.

• Pray for God’s provision for a car. It is tough to ride a bike under such extreme heat.

Tanzania SIM Team

Thank you for your prayers, encouragements, and financial support and I am asking you to continue to journey with me in mission.

In His time,

Michelle Ko

FB: MichelleKoInAfrica What’s App: +255 628 039 983(new) Line ID: 61 488 029 218