Final words from the Greenes

From the Greenes back in North Carolina:
July 17th was a wonderful day for the Greenes. We returned from Terengiri
National Park where we were staying in tent rooms. The elephants passed
between our tents and it scared all four of us. Lee Ray and I had a tent
under the baobob tree and the girls were located in a tent right beside
our's. The Terengiri expereince was wonderful. We arrived in Arusha on the
way back to Moshi to meet Daudi and his mother. We have sponsored this
family from the Sengeti area for the past two years through "Compassion in
Jesus' name". This organization is located in Colorado Springs, CO. It was
wonderful meeting Daudi and his mother whom we paid for their trip on the
bus to Arusha to meet us. During our meeting at the Headquarters in Arusha,
we were in an earthquake. We were sitting in the building and all of a
sudden the whole building sounded like it was coming down. This was the
second one that they had had that day. We enjoyed our visit and also
enjoyed going by the Seminary in Arusha and by the Church where Lee Ray and
I served 27 years ago. We had prayed that it was not torn down so I cried
when I saw the church. We visited with the pastor of the church and now it
has a school where 450 children come each day. God is so good. Everywhere
Lee Ray and I have served over the years has grown and we often wondered
what happened with that part of our history. Now we know. God continues to
bless. On Wednesday, I celebrated my 53rd birthday and the Browns gave me a
beautiful rhodolite stone from Tanzania. On Wednesday a.m. we headed to
Pangani on the coast. We stayed at the Emanyi Tents on Thursday three of
our brave women headed to Zanzibar and the Greene family hired a guide and a
local boat (which was handmade) and headed to Maziwi, a sand island in the
Indian Ocean which is visible at low tide only and surrounded by coral reef.
Lee Ray and the girls went snorkeling and I walked the island and threw
alive shells back into the Indian Ocean. What a beautiful day! On Friday
we traveled back on the endless bumpy road back to Moshi. We had seen
Kilimanjaro twice before this trip, but the rain was still in the area and
we could not see Kilimanjaro again. I praise the Lord that the Girls had
the chance to see the mountain while there. The YMCA in Moshi was
interesting in that of the four nights we stayed there, there were two
weddings. Loud music filled the air, misquitoes also filled the air. We
slept under nets at each place that we stayed except Terengiri. There our
whole bed and the tent was a net. Floods of memories came each day. The
people of Tanzania are much better off than they were 27 years ago. There
is food in the stores, sugar and wheat. They are able to purchase clothes
and beautiful cloths. Cars are available and more people are riding the
buses and vans. When we were there, everyone had to walk everywhere they
went. I did not recognize many things in Tanzania. I praise the Lord that
things are better there. I did recognize the church, the seminary and the
Baptist Church of Moshi. KCMC - Kilimanjara Christian Medical Center has
also improved. That is where Carroll worked while she was here. Meeting
some of her first students in physical therapy who are not the main
directors and leaders at the hospital is so rewarding. It always makes one
feel thankful when you see the fruit of the labor which one gives. On
Saturday we returned to Nairobi. Ol Donya Lengui - the Mountain of God is
about to erupt so the papers say. She is smoking and lava will soon appear.
Many of the africans are leaving the area. Some say that the mountain -
earthquake which we felt was a 6.1 and it's center is Lake Natron beside the
Mountain of God. The quake was felt all the way from Arusha to Mombasa on
the coast of Kenya. We bordered our flight back to Ethiopia on Sunday after
church. We went with the Mercy Care Centre's headmaster, Patrick to church.
He and his family attend the Nairobi Pentecostal Church. It was awesome.
There were about 5,000 present on Sunday and the preaching was great and the
music too. When we left Kenya headed to Ethiopia, we saw Mt. Kenya from the
air and a beautiful African sunset. The girls were able to see the
"Southern Cross" in the sky at Terengiri and at the coast and for that I am
so grateful. I remember the first time I saw the cross in the sky. I also
found out about my cat Baraka that I left in Tanzania with some Lutherian
Missionaries 27 years ago. I had cried all the way home missing my huge
cat. The Simesons were missionaries who had a three circular home near
Arusha. There sons now own and operate the Terengeri Safari Lodge and the
Emanyi Lodge. Mr. Simeson also wrote the Book, "Under the Acacia Tree."
They are the family who kept my cat for me. I am waiting to hear from Mrs.
Simeson about Baraka.

Africa was a blessing. I praise the Lord we were able to go & take the
girls. As we are sifting through our gifts today, I have a sadness within
me as I think about the little children in the Mathare Valley who have
little to eat, no clothes and only a dirt floor to sleep on. They are
locked out of their rooms (houses) while their mothers look for work each
morning. I praise the Lord for the Mercy Care Centre and all that it is
doing for these little ones. I pray that I can do more for the less
fortunate. Jesus said "When you have done it unto the least of these...you
have done it unto me". I pray that all of our hearts will be challenged to
seek out Jesus in our world today. He is there.....He may need a touch from
your hand. Thank you Lord for this experience for my family. I pray for
the children and the workers and for Patrick of the Mercy Care Centre. May
you be glorified through that place in Jesus' name. Amen

The Greenes, Rev. Lee Ray, Beth, Sarah and Lydia
Back Home in North Carolina

Thanks to the Browns who worked so hard to organize the trip and I praise
Him for your friendship throughout the years.