First Impressions (Guest Post)

Molly is a young lady from our home state of Tennessee. She is a member of one of our supporting churches. Her parents wanted her to have an opportunity to spend some time in Tanzania as she seeks the Lord's will for her life. The timing worked out for Molly to travel back to Tanzania with our family when we returned from our furlough. Its always nice to get a fresh perspective on the people, life and ministry here, so I asked her if she would jot down some of her first impressions...

Mwanza Town:  My first impression of Mwanza was that it felt like the beach. It is sandy and dry, there are palm trees, and the sun is hot since we are so close to the equator.

Driving: The driving is CRAZY! Sometimes I wondered if people here have a death wish - because they often drive like it. Sometimes it feels like a constant game of "chicken."

Church:  The church members are always honored to have American guests, and the kids want to touch your hair and hold your hand and play games with you. I loved going to church services. I loved the difference between how Africans worship and how Americans worship. Much of the music is a cappella, and even if its not, they clap to keep rhythm. Instead of applauding, they twist their tongues - a wildly joyful sound that makes me grin every time I hear it! The whole service is infused with rejoicing and an energy of worship. Church is definitely one of my favorite parts of life here.

The African Way of Life: I also enjoy how laid-back it is in Tanzania. Africans don't schedule and plan out their time like Americans do. Days are slow and easy - we go to town when we need to run errands, we go to church on Sundays, and in between, there's not much else. Housework and cooking take up some time, and the rest is taken up with people. Tanzanian culture is very people-oriented. Relationships are important. So we drop into their homes (or vice-versa) for chai (tea), or go on a walk and talk to those we meet on the street, or fellowship with other missionaries. There is always time for a good conversation.

One day, Pendo - a lady who works for the Brouwers - offered to make us and a visiting team lunch at her home. Abby Brouwer and Hannah Helsby joined me in going to her house to help prepare the food. We sat on a mat outside and chopped vegetables with homemade knives while Pendo and some other ladies stirred giant pots over open fires. The food was delicious - we had beef, beans, rice and vegetables. The team loved it all, and we had a great time of fellowship.

When I go back to my normal life in America, I am going to miss so many things about life here. Pendo, who taught me how to cook African food and helped me practice Swahili; the joyful worshipping in the church services; fellowship with the other missionaries; Tanzanian food, weather, and way of life. I am anxious to come back as soon as possible.

New Teammates!

Back: Bill & Tammy Brouwer; Hannah, Becky & Dave Helsby, Jake, Benjamin
Front: Carter, Lauren, Megan, Kate, and Lisa Newland

We want to welcome to our Mwanza Team the H Family: Dave, Becky, Hannah, Jake, Carter, Lauren, Megan, Kate, and Benjamin. We have known the H's for about eight years. They worked in an orphanage about an hour outside of Mwanza city and attended one of our churches in the village of Kitongo. As God was leading them in a different direction they began to pray about working with us. After much prayer, they feel led to work in our churches and with our leaders  to help build strong families. We are excited to see how the Lord will use them in strengthening His Church!

Prayer Letter for Jan/Feb 2014

Juma's Burden For His Village

In the picture above is Juma and his family. They are new members at our church in Mayoka. Since joining the Central Baptist Church of Mayoka, Juma has asked Pastor Pelegrino about the possibility of starting a church in his home village of Kimaga - a village with no church of ANY kind. 

When Pelegrino went to visit this village with the intention of surveying the area for a potential church plant, over 150 people gathered to listen to the Word of God. They had many, many questions about God, the Bible, and salvation. Pele also shared with them he and Juma's burden to start a church in their village. He asked them what they would normally do on a Sunday since there was no church in their village. They told him that some people just stay home while others follow traditional religion and go to the mountain to pray to their dead ancestors. Here is yet ANOTHER Tanzanian village in complete spiritual darkness! What a joy it is to bring the light of the glorious gospel of Christ to places like Kimaga! 

Since that time Pele has been able to return to this village again to preach the gospel to them and ask if there is interest in starting a church there. Pele received an overwhelmingly positive response. We are now in the process of buying some plastic tarps for them to meet under as we begin the initial stages of a new church plant.

Bill & Tammy Brouwer

Tanzania

Sunday School Teachers Training Seminar

We are blessed to have Lisa Newland working with us in Tanzania. Earlier this month she held a Sunday School Teachers Seminar. We are greatly encouraged to hear of Mama Odetta's willingness to be used of the Lord in teaching children! Below is Lisa's blog post about the seminar:

Mama Gervas, Mama Odetta, and Lisa Newland

Mama Odetta

49 years old.  Widow.  Mother of 4.  Saved as a child, though didn’t grow much in the Lord till she joined our church over 10 years ago, and even then her attendance/ growth has been up and down.  Mama Odetta was one of our 11 seminar participants this year.

She shared a testimony at the end of the week:  When I found out that my daughter couldn’t go to the seminar, but that I was invited, I thought, “I don’t know how to teach kids.  I wouldn’t know what to do.”  When I asked my friends they all said, “You should go.  We’ll take care of things at home for you.  Go.”  I felt led to come, but still didn’t think I would be able to do much.  Then in our session on teamwork I learned that if I taught Sunday school, I wouldn’t be alone.  I would be joining a team of teachers, and we could help each other.  That’s when I thought, “Maybe I can do this.”  And now, if my fellow teachers will help me, I want to try to help out as a Sunday school teacher.

AMEN!  We all cheered.  Justa, the pastor’s wife at Mama Odetta’s church and the head Sunday school teacher, said,“We will help you for sure.  We are so happy to have you join us!”

Mama Odetta teaching about the rich man and Lazarus

Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons of the seminar, Justa and I taught a demo class.  We had 15-20 neighbor kids each day.  We sat them down in front of all the seminar attendees and taught an hour-long class (including songs, Bible lesson, review questions, and memory verse).  Then on Thursday we split the 11 seminar attendees into 4 groups, and gave them a Bible lesson and 1 ½ hours to prepare their own 1-hour long class.  I was so blessed to watch Mama Odetta teach those kids.  She got right down on their level and told Jesus’ parable of the rich man and Lazarus.   How that living the good life now isn’t that great.  Instead, God is looking for people who will walk by faith.   And this taught by a women who has suffered and struggled and kept her faith in God.  

His name be praised!!!!!