That’s plural for welcome! Welcome – as in welcome to the Northern Illinois Synod 2020 journey to Tanzania. Welcome to this shared experience of the vast, amazing, faithful Body of Christ.

We arrived late Sunday evening at the Corridor Springs Hotel in Arusha. The hotel was built by the North Central Diocese as a supplemental income stream – it can service tourists and others coming to Tanzania, and the income from the tourism industry finances some of the needs of the church. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) has a similar project at the New Safari Hotel, where previous delegations from Northern Illinois Synod have stayed.

By late – we’re talking most of us weren’t in our rooms until after midnight, after a travel time that ranged from 27-30 hours. The first group was supposed to leave for worship at 5:30 a.m., and all 3 pastors were preaching. But it is now Sunday night, and all went well. It was a full day, and pictures will follow. Choirs, auctions, chai – and incredible hospitality met us all. We will meet, share pictures, pray and probably utterly collapse in bed shortly. Blessings to you all and hold us in your prayers. Be patient on pictures – the internet is spotty.

(By the way – we hear the weather there is pretty cold. We won’t mention the weather here…right now, at least.)