My Cup Runneth Over...

I have never had to experience the type of suffering and mental exhaustion in my life as I have in the past 10 months. I dwell from house to house during the breaks because I don't have a permanent home. I live strictly on God's grace...nothing more, nothing less. I have no dime to my name, but yet God continues to take care of me and give me above and beyond my needs. I am thankful for God's grace, and I know that this is just a test in my life that God will use to make me a better person, and most importantly, he has used my suffering to strengthen my faith. I am faithful that my God will restore everything that I have lost above and beyond what I can imagine. This is why I can't afford to lose my trust in my FATHER.

In the midst of all my trials, it is funny and no coincidence that God has moved mountains, valleys, and continents for me. Everything I needed was given to me by God as I prayed. Somehow, I always was at the right place at the right time because of all the wonderful things that happened to me this summer while I was volunteering at the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, NC. Now that I am back in the DMV(dc, maryland, virginia area), I am facing different trials. My financial aid is not enough to cover both my tuition & room/board. It's either one or the other. But you know what? I am 150% confident that God will work it out in the next week, right in time for my check-in on Monday. I don't know how he'll do it, but I am already starting to see his work take place.

While I await the begininning of the Fall semester in two weeks, I sit and I reflect on the supernatural power of God and all that he has done for me in the past two months alone. Despite me not having a permanent home, this has indeed been the best summer I've had in 4 years. YES, four years. And 4 years ago, I had a permanent home. It is indeed true that God's foolishness is much much much greater than man's wisdom. Never doubt what God can do...or even the type of joy he can bring to your life IN THE MIDST of your trials.  I am living testimony of what God can do for those who STAND THEIR GROUND IN JESUS' NAME. Amen? AAAAA-MEN!!!!

U Gotta Have FAITH.

Lately, I have been dealing with some things that have caused me to believe some of the devil's lies, lies like 'God is not listening to your prayers' or 'You will never have peace of mind'. I had a lot of rage in me that was tamed but needed to be let out. Thank God he sent my brother at the exact right moment and a bunch of other people like my supervisor at the Billy Graham library to talk to me, and give me the chance to vent. I keep learning that we fight not against people, but the evil spirits inside them. Never let the devil lie to you and tell you that people can't be changed just because they are the way that they are at that given moment. You don't know what God has planned for that person to get saved or repent of their sins if they are already saved. You keep praying no matter what.

That's when Faith comes into place. Faith is the belief of things not seen. So when people tell you that praying is not going to help, that is the devil using them to water down the Faith that you have in your heavenly Father. I have recently learned that my Faith is what has kept me all this time in the midst of persecution by some of my loved ones and some. Matthew 6:33 says "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." This means that you shouldn't worry about the food you will eat and the roof over your head. When you put God first in your life, all these things will literally be handed to you. Again, Faith plays a big part in this, even with things like family conflict. Don't try to fix family problems by yourself. Put God first and he will work everything out. FAITH is very important. Build up your FAITH in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and God promises to give you PEACE!

Serving...not waiting to be Served...

My dear brothers and sisters: What I am about to tell you, please listen carefully. It is very simple, yet very hard for most to accept. What I want to tell you today is that IT IS BETTER TO SERVE THAN TO BE SERVED. Now some of you might have had a very hard life growing up. Maybe your parents or "parent" in some cases struggled to make ends meet. I understand that growing up like that can really do some psychological damage to some people when they become adults. Some feel they have to do WHATEVER it takes to get to the top, including running over other people, or in other words, back-stabbing them. Well, let me tell you, and let GOD tell you that you don't have to hurt others to get to the top. Most importantly, greed is not the way, and money is not everything. God will move mountains for his children who choose to live a life of servitude to him and others. This is my testimony of what God can do for his children who serve him:

My brother Edmund and I have been in Charlotte, NC this whole summer. We have been living (surviving) off nothing but God's mercy, and when I tell you how powerful FAITH is, there were many times I thought I would be homeless and without a dime, but God delivered. You see, I have been serving the Lord not too long...since November of 2009. Not long ago. In April, I went on my first week-long mission trip not too far from where I grew up...in and around the Washington, DC area neighborhoods...mostly in the highly disadvantaged neighborhoods of Anacostia in Southeast and I served there for about a week, but what I saw in one week changed my life forever.

Secondly, this summer, I decided to tag along with my brother Ed to see his parents in Charlotte for the summer. I know God led me here, because both Ed and I were given a wonderful opportunity to serve in the famous Billy Graham Library in our time here.

As if serving in the Billy Graham Library isn't enough of a big deal and just a pure blessing from God, our supervisor loved our testimonies so much, that she decided to interview us for an article about volunteering opportunities at the Billy Graham Library and those who have stepped up to the plate to do God's work. Edmund and I were among the volunteers mentioned within the article and both our pictures were taken. My picture is on the main page of the Billy Graham website under 'Volunteer at the Billy Graham Library': http://www.billygraham.org/. Ed's picture is featured within the article: http://www.billygraham.org/articlepage.asp?articleid=6175.

I have served God and that's how I know he will always take care of all my needs, and my faith is my most important weapon in this world in which I live. I encourage all believers and non-believers to serve, and not because you feel forced, but because you want to. God has a different plan for each one of his children. His plan for me is to serve and that is my purpose for living today. Faith is also very important. No matter how bad things may seem, just STOP whatever you are doing. Let God deal with your issues. Believe and it shall be done here on Earth.

Servitude is the product of many disadvantaged lives changed, from the people torn apart from their families in deadly earthquakes, to those torn apart from their families through drugs and alcohol. We all complain about how life is this and life is that, but we never stop to think that there's always somebody else in the world who has more problems going on in their life. Think about it!

If you would like more information about the Billy Graham Library, visit the homepage at the following link:
http://www.billygraham.org/specialsections/library/BGLibrary_Index.asp.

The East Coast HEAT WAVE....

Am I the only one here who thinks that this weather is acting out? Maybe it's because of the lack of respect we give the planet in which we live. Maybe it's when we pollute the air we breath, the food we eat, and the water we drink. How is it that when I was watching the news yesterday, I found out that the heat wave is coming down south from the northern cities? How is that even possible? What are we doing to harm this beautiful living planet? Armageddon is only a few years away at the most. God will return and destroy this Earth. It is clear that all this is happening because of sin. In addition to the ridiculous 100 degree weather, we've had earthquakes in Haiti, China, Brazil, and California (just the other day). What is happening to our beautiful planet? It's too late for the hybrid cars and the electric/hydrogen/sunflower oil engines. IT IS TOO LATE!!!!

All we can do now is pray and continue to bring those who have been deceived to the GOSPEL. The Gospel is the key. These senseless wars and senseless famines happening around the world are all because of our senseless sins. But God loves us so much that he sent his only begotten son to die for our sins. All of our sins....past, present, and future. God wants all his children to be saved and ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS BELIEVE THAT JESUS DIED FOR YOUR SINS.....Believe.....FAITH the size of a mustard seed is all you need, and repent for all of your sins, and your name will be written in the book of life. This Earth is slowly being taken away. Eventually God will come and take us out of here, then he will destroy this Earth and recreate it as well as the Heavens. It's time you prepare yourself for a better place...this toxic place is not where any of us are destined to be. And if you already do believe, pray for those family and friends who don't believe yet. God works in mysterious ways, and he always hears your prayers. I hope these words have been refreshing to you. THANK GOD!!!!

~~~The Amazing Charlotte~~~

I am happy to announce that I've temporarily left the stress, boredom, and occasional depression that comes with living in the DC metropolitan area. Where have I decided to spend the rest of my summer? Well, Charlotte, NC. I never originally planned on coming here, since I had no idea that my best friend's parents were going to move to Charlotte from Cleveland, OH. So after they moved, I decided that I would go down South with Edmund to stay with his parents for the summer. I once lived in Atlanta, GA for about 4 months, and I hated it. Therefore, I expected Charlotte to be the same way, since both cities are in the South. Well, I turned out to be wrong. Charlotte is such a wonderful city, and I was most impressed by the peace I felt and the good energy that came from the people who live here. People here are SOOOO laid back, it's not even funny. The thing about DC is that you always have to hustle and bustle just to survive. There is really no time for leisure. There is no time to sit back and unwind. But in Charlotte, it is the complete opposite. Did I mention people are also much nicer down here? It is no surprise considering they have less stress to deal with and the weather is much better down here.

I am so happy to finally have some peace of mind, good energy, and also good scenery. The city is very green in its landscape and architecture. Trees and and flowers are all over the place, despite the urban setting. No pollution, and downtown is just to die for. It is the perfect harmony between City and Country life. There is no wonder why all the major banks decided to move their headquarters to Charlotte. Now, I understand. DID I MENTION PEOPLE ARE SOO SOOO NICE DOWN HERE? I think I did. I am considering moving down here for a while once I am done with my Undergraduate Studies. It would be nice to do my Master's in a Charlotte area school. I'm considering University of North Carolina in Charlotte, one of the best schools in the country. But that's the future, therefore I need not to worry about it now. But wouldn't that be great? I love DC, but I'm also tired of the same ole same ole every day. I'm ready for a change. If you ever consider moving down South, think of Charlotte. I promise, you won't be disappointed.

What is there to do in DC?

WHAT IS THERE TO DO IN THE DC AREA? I have lived in this area for the past 11 years, and I always seem to be bored out of my mind. Well, some of you might ask me, don't you go visit all the monuments, museums, and the White House? Clearly, it's easier for a person who doesn't live here to say that. Monuments, museums, and the White House are so last millenium. Most Washington area residents would prefer doing other things than walking around and taking pictures like tourists. I am one of those people. DC is a wonderful city, but you have to look hard to find something to do, or a place to go.

The other day, I was at my friend's house bored to death...and clearly nothing to do. So I remembered about a time in high school when we took a random field trip to Hains Point, a park that stretches from the Anacostia river to the Potomac river. It wasn't much, but I enjoyed it because of my love for scenery and nature. So, remembering the good time I had, I proposed to my friend Edmund that we drive to Hains Point, but he was hesitating. I promised him that he would like it, knowing that he didn't care for nature and scenery that much. Once we got there, we walked around and started to see common people fishing in the Anacostia river. That was enough scenery to excite me. On the other side of the river, we saw nice architecture which always catches my eye.

At Hains Point, both Edmund and I enjoyed our experiences, and we ended the day by eating fried Snapper on the Wharf in Southwest. What I learned is that the best things in life are free or extremely cheap. It beat going to the Smithsonian Museums and wasting money on parking. The experience also made me realize that I am a very simple person who doesn't demand too much from life. If you ever get the chance to visit Hains Point while in DC, do it. I promise that you won't be disappointed. And go across the Anacostia to get some good fish, shrimp, and other seafood at the Wharf, or what others call the Southwest Waterfront. Also, Phillips Restaurant is a great restaurant, even though it is a bit expensive, but you can only have the experience once. If you can afford it, there's no harm in going. DC is not all about museums and the White House. There's a whole other side of DC people don't get to see because of the domination of these monuments. If you know someone in DC, please don't waste your money and time on those tour buses. Let your friend or host take you around the real nice places within the city and the metro area. Trust me, it beats riding some tour bus and doing this boring routine thing. Get to know the residential parts of DC as well, and neighborhood restaurants, and visit the local Eastern Market on Saturday or Sunday. YOU WILL ENJOY YOUR VISIT!!!!

I'm Homesick...

I am homesick. I know some of you are thinking that since I've lived in the United States for 11 years, I call this home. Well, it is kinda my second home, but not really. Home is Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, the city and country I was born and raised in till my move in 1999. Oh, I remember very vividly those days (the good ole days) I spent in Dar. I remember all my friends in Upanga, the neighborhood I grew up in. We had some amazing times together, just the kind of fun every child should be entitled to. Unfortunately, sin causes millions of children to suffer worldwide. But not to worry. One day, they will be with God and all suffering will end. Tanzania to me, is the most beautiful country in the world. We are not anywhere near the wealth of most Western nations, but we are wealthy in ways that the West can only dream of. The natural surroundings by themselves, are just jaw-dropping to the average European (White) tourist. But to me, a native, it is what I perceive to be normal. Beaches at my convenience whenever I felt like going. Food that was just to die for, and the type of diversity that I only wish the DC (Washington) area possessed. Most importantly, little to no worries...just laid back!

I love Dar. I love Tanzania. I love my people and my family. I always get joy out of seeing them, since I rarely get to see them from this other side of the world. What my mother always tells me is that she has learned so much from living in the United States, but Tanzania is where her heart is. I can relate to how she feels and I thank God that she is back home. Now all I have to do is finish with my undergraduate and graduate studies, then I can return home to live a wonderful life and fulfill God's plan for my life. Tanzania, Tanzania. Nakupenda kwa moyo wote... This line is from one of our two national anthems which translates "Tanzania, Tanzania. I love you with all my heart." And that is how I feel about home. HOME IS HOME. I long for the day when I'll finally be able to leave this country in which I grew up, to go back to Tanzania, where I spent my childhood days. I'll finally be able to live my adult life in Tanzania and rejuvenate my Kiswahili vocab, because I really never got the chance to learn the full language because I left at such a young age.

With all this homesickness, it will still be a very difficult transition for me to leave what I am used to and return to Tanzania. I want to leave this country, but at the same time, I am scared of the outcome. I am used to the many services at my convenience offered in this country; services which are unheard of in Tanzania and many African countries. I will have to train myself first to get used to my homeland again. Doing things like visiting Tanzania often and communicating more with my associates and family members there to find out how Tanzania has changed, just so that I can prepare myself. It won't be easy, but I do know in the long run, it will be well worth it.

Bongoland (Tanzania), just give me a few more years to finish my studies, and I will come back to you...