Strange Twist

We sometimes refer to the phrase "wearing a different hat"; today we did that for our evening service at the Bible College Church (Bwiru Hill Christian Center). In fact, it is the first time we have done this since 1995.
For thirteen years we have been missionaries; we have traveled to churches both here in Tanzania and in the US. We have been announced as "the missionary" and dealt with all that goes along with that title; the good and the bad.
Today, however, as acting Senior Pastors of BHCC we were once again the Pastor presenting the missionary. We had the privilege of entertaining and presenting a visiting missionary to our congregation. Pastor Kennet is a missionary from Tanzania to the country of Burundi and is back in Tanzania doing his one year deputation/itineration. He is one among a handful of Tanzanians who have been sent out by the national TAG church to be missionaries in other countries/cultures. As a Tanzanian he has done the same things we have done by leaving his country, going to a land where things are foreign to him and his family, learning new customs, eating new foods and learning a new language. One thing he doesn't deal with is always standing out in a crowd as the "white person"; as a Tanzanian he blends in well with his African brothers and sisters in Burundi.
It was a joy to be with him and to spend time getting to know him after the service as we, the Senior Pastors, took the missionary out to a restaurant after the service. It was a nice change to wear the other hat for a brief time; however, we much prefer the missionary hat although these days we are missionaries, Senior Pastors, and Bible School Principals so we are wearing a variety of hats at the same time. It's all a part of that "flexible" thing we hear about all the time as missionaries; wearing whatever hat is necessary to the what needs to be done.
Be blessed

Mwamashimba

We visited a tarafa (similar to a "county" in America) church located about two hours outside of Mwanza in a small village called Mwamashimba.

The church is about two years old and we had been invited to visit this particular Sunday. A visit from the missionary or other leadership serves to encourage the pastor and his family as well as the church members.

In this place, it is a two-hour round trip by bicycle to purchase clean water at 500/=(about 40 cents) a bucket. If the pastor makes roughly $10 or less a month, this is a costly item for them.

They have a local "watering hole" which is used by people and animals alike; it is muddy and must be filtered and allowed to settle before it is even usable for non-drinking purposes.

The adults gathered for the service inside the church while the children and I gathered outside the church under a tree for our service. Some of the adults were fortunate to have chairs while many of them sat on baked bricks on the floor. The children were content to sit on the ground under the shade of a tree.

The wind blew across the dry parched land causing the dust to stir and billow around us making the use of most of the visual aids and object lessons impossible. However, the children were excited to have a special place, a missionary, and a service just for their benefit. Tim had about 25-30 adults in the church and Mabesa and I had about 60-70 children.

Afterwards, we went to the pastor's tiny two room house for lunch; rice, cooked greens and goat meat. A feast in their eyes that cost them more than they earned that week; but to them it was a joy and privilege to serve us as their honored guests. We were presented with a small bag of unground dried corn by the church elders which we presented as a gift to the pastor and his family.

It was a good day and a vivid reminder of the blessings we take for granted.

Death comes to visit

Yesterday, Tim received a text from one of the faculty at the Bible college and our peaceful evening was shattered by tragedy.
A young man from the neighborhood was found on the Bible School property; he had hung himself in one of the trees and was discovered by a woman as she passed by.
The Bible college church, Bwiru Hill Christian Center, had just started the all night prayer meeting which takes place every Friday evening.
And, just a stones throw away from the church where a group of Christians were gathered for prayer, this troubled young man decided to end his life at the end of a rope.
Tim arrived shortly after the police and the young man was taken away; he was known by the police because he had been in trouble with the law on several occasions.
A woman recognized him and identified him; a huge crowd of people had gathered. No one seemed to mourn the loss of this young man; they were merely curious to see what had interrupted their mundane daily routines.
The thought that continues to trouble me? Death claimed this troubled soul just outside the church while people were gathered to pray. I wonder how many times a day this exact scenario is repeated in the shadows of our churches around the world and what, if anything, we can do about it.
As a missionary I realize the tendency to see the lost as people who live very far away in another country; but, they are also our neighbors. Lord, open our eyes and help us to see.

"Electrifying" Praise report

We always know that God is watching over us and all that belongs to us; it is one of those absolutes that we believe without reservation. We preach it and speak it regularly without giving much thought to the magnitude of that blessing; sometimes we need a fresh reminder to keep it real to us.

Recently, we were away from home for a week traveling through Tanzania and into Nairobi, Kenya. One day we received a text from a friend who lives in the small guest house on our property in Mwanza. The text was "the pump in the well outside the house caught on fire and there were flames shooting up but it is out now".

Wow! That will get your attention!

After returning home and investigating the problem we found that one of the huge transformers near our home had exploded sending a bolt of electricity through many of the houses in our neighborhood. In each home, the electricity came out through an appliance or piece of equipment and melted or at least destroyed the particular item.

Our surge traveled through everything in our house including the large transformers in the attic and all the office equipment and exited from the outlet near the pump in our well, not actually from the pump itself. Tim bought the parts for a few dollars and repaired the outlet.

If the surge had exited anywhere in the house, our house could have caught on fire and we could have lost everything.

We have been reminded, once again, that God is watching over us. And, as the scriptures say, He never sleeps nor slumbers. PTL.

Be blessed

Joyce

District Councils

The first two weeks of July, Tim traveled with our National TAG leadership throughout the western third of Tanzania. It was time for District Councils and they were being held a few days apart all across the country.

We are part of five Districts in our part of Tanzania so Tim had a chance to meet leaders and pastors in all five our Districts. For many, it was the first time the national leadership had visited their regions and there was much excitement and celebration involved in each of the District meetings.

Tim and the leadership, traveling in our reliable Toyota Land Cruiser, logged hundreds of kilometers; some of them on paved roads but most were over very dry and dusty unpaved roads. At times the dust was so thick that it was like driving in dense fog. Their days began at about 5:00am and they often went until 10:00 or later at night. It was a grueling schedule of travel and meetings. However, the were received with such joy and excitement everywhere they went that it bolstered their tired bodies and spirits.

They were met at some places by motor escorts, by cheering people who lined the road, by local officials, with gifts and singing choirs. The leadership encouraged the pastors and church members everywhere as they presented the Ten Year Plan to reach the lost of Tanzania and to make disciples; to be people of excellence and integrity and to fulfill the Great Commission of Matthew 28:19,20.

The leaders wore special polo shirts that they had made and Tim was thrilled when they gave him some to wear as well; he was saved from wearing the dreaded "dress shirts and ties" that I had insisted he had to pack for the journey.

I have included a few of the pictures from their travels.

Be blessed.