Looking at the night sky

One thing I noticed while in Tanzania was the clarity of the night sky. Electricity in most of the country is either non existent or rationed. Only in the major cities is 24 hour electricity available. In Masasi, the electricity was normally on for 8 hours and off for 4 hours. However, the pattern was often changed to allow for electricity at different times of the days.
We were there in the dry season. It had only rained once in the last 60 days. After sunset the clouds would totally disappear and the sky was clear. In my current classes on science and religion we had discussed how the earth is located in the perfect spot of the universe for observation of the entire universe. One thing that was talked about was the ability to see the middle of the "Milky Way" galaxy at night. This appears as a cloud that seems to go through the middle of the night sky. This cloud is the densely packed area of stars that are so distant we cannot see the actual stars with the naked eye. However, when you are away from the artificial lights created by technology, this cloud like area is visible in the night sky.
It was amazing to look up and see this in the sky. It is almost impossible to see from populated areas of the U.S. However, in this area of Tanzania, during the electricity 'blackout' periods, you could clearly see the center of the "Milky Way". I could only stand in awe of creation when looking at the night sky. Unfortunately I did not have the ability to take a picture of this. I can only encourage people to take mission trips to areas like this. God reveals so much when you take the time to focus on Him and His creation. When you participate on trips like the one I recently finished, you come back with more than just the experience you intended on getting. God has a way of showing up in ways that you can never imagine.

Tim