This year, our family had an amazing Christmas as we truly enjoyed spending time together and celebrating Jesus’ birthday. The day after Christmas, Holly’s birthday, we enjoyed another family day of games and going out to lunch. Despite having MANY problems with our internet for several weeks, thus not being able to communicate with family back home the way we’d hoped, yet we were encouraged and refreshed.

On the 28th, we headed on what should have been a seven hour drive for Lushoto, a mountain village where most of the rest of our team members had already gone, for a few vacation days, some hiking with the family, and some COOLER weather. Thus began the adventures. 2 kilometers from our destination, on a narrow dirt road next to a cliff, a large truck had gone off the road the day before filled with cabbage and people. It rolled over the side of the cliff and came to rest about 30 feet below. Just as we arrived, many workers had attached a manual winch and cable to a tree on the opposite side of the road, and were beginning to SLOWLY, inch by inch, winch the large truck up the 60 degree drop off. CRAZY!! The cable was pulled across the road, so obviously there was no way to pass. It began to rain as we sent Holly and kids to the lodge where we would stay. And I waited, and waited, and waited. Just to give you an idea of how time works in Africa, I asked one of the workers how long this might take, and he said maybe 30 minutes. 5 hours later, I was still there, with a large crowd of a couple hundred, and a few dozen cars waiting. I was amazed but in the dark, at about 8:30, they finished pulling the truck onto the road and straightening it, and we were able to get by.

When I arrived at our lodge, the cottage that the manager had told us was reserved for us were occupied, so we stayed in a couple of very basic rooms, and the adventure continued. The belligerent manager continued to stir up conflict, and we’d not recommend Swiss Cottage in Lushoto to anyone else. On the way up, Alyssa had gotten sick, fever, throwing up, etc. Unfortunately, for all of the three days we were in Lushoto, she was sick, so no family hikes, and sleep was elusive. But the boys and I had a chance to do a bit of hiking, and we did enjoy the cool weather and fresh food. On one hike that Holly and I took for a couple hours, we had a great conversation, and were refreshed just by that short time away in nature without distractions. It reminded us that we must make this a priority in our life back in Dar.

Driving in Africa is always a stressful and harrowing experience, and the trip home was no exception. With a couple extra passengers who needed a ride, we were nice and cozy as we slowly made our way through much traffic, over literally hundreds of speed bumps, and through regular police stops with officials seeking “chi money.” We were very relieved to make it home safely, by the grace of God, but felt like we needed a vacation after the “vacation.”

As we launch into 2011, may we make it a priority to take times of rest, perspective-gathering, and family time that will refresh us a bit more than our recent “vacation” in Lushoto. Pressing on, Eric