Elections in Tanzania 2010

Here in Tanzania we are having national, regional, and local elections.  It has heated up but not too bad considering the "heat" from other neighboring countries.  Most of the problems are rhetoric.  Loud speakers going neighborhood to neighborhood, annoying messages on our phones, and heated discussions are usually the extent to the annoyance.  Today is the voting in the neighborhoods and most of the citizens will go to the area they are registered to vote.  Today is also Sunday.  Many churches debated about opening their doors.  Some closed their services for today.  We are having normal services and most of our people here in Arusha will go to the polls very early so they can come and hear the services.  Prayer has been the key for the last several weeks.  We have prayed that God will allow the persons in the offices to allow the gospel to continue to have free reign here in a country, where we have had the freedom to go into the public schools, street corners and almost anywhere, and give the true gospel to the Tanzanians. 

I pray today that there will be no violence at the polls or in the streets.  I pray that we will still have all the freedoms that we have enjoyed over the years.  There is change in the air.  I pray it will be for "good." 

Uhuru, or freedom has reigned here for many years.  Peace, or amani, has been the current and past legacy of the leadership here in TZ.  Unity or Umoja is on the lips of all here and has been the watchword for the past and present generations.  I pray that Tanzania will be a beacon to the rest of Africa as a place of peace, unity and freedom today.