After more than 20 hours of flying throughout the past couple days, we have touched base in Dar Es Salaam.
Immediately upon arrival we were greeted with camera reporters who were reporting on our upcoming match against KMC Tanzania (more information about this game to come). One of our captains, Dakotah Barchus, discusses his expectations for the game and also the variety of ways our team has prepared for this upcoming match.
After meeting with media, we loaded onto our commercial bus and drove 5 hours inland to the city of Morogoro. Throughout the drive, the team enjoyed meeting and talking with the Wyatt Family (host missionary family).
Jerry Wyatt brought a challenge to the boys on our bus ride to Morogoro. He challenged us with a story of an Tanzanian Olympian athlete who, at the Olympics, got severely injured. His name was John Stephen Akhwari. During this extensive race, John decided to finish this race even though all award members were already finished. Knowing this information, some athletes with smaller injuries decided not to finish the race, even. However, John decided he was going to finish. After hobbling through the finish line he caught his breath just in time for reporters to catch up with him and ask him one single question. “Why did you finish the race, with your injuries?” He answered “My country did not send me 5,000 miles to start the race; they sent me 5,000 miles to finish the race.” Missionary Jerry Wyatt challenged us with that the same scenario. God has done a great work to get us here, but the real truth lies in how we finish this race. How will we finish this week? Is it enough to get here and say we prepared but didn’t finish our calling? Will we minimize our influence when we get tired, sleep derived or mentally drained?
This challenge was a great start to our week here in Tanzania to get us ready to serve Him this week.
Below are some additional pictures of Tanzania, and what some of our guys captured on their phones throughout the day.
Upon arrival to the hotel, we were welcomed to a Tanzanian buffet. After this meal, we were showed to our rooms where are guys got some much needed rest.
All in all, the Wyatt family and the people of Faith Baptist Church made us feel extremely welcome with tremendous hospitality.
Thank you for your continual prayers!
YOM Staff/Eagles Soccer
