Flexibility

As missionaries, one of the factors that determines your success is your ability to be flexible and quickly learn how to come up with and implement a "Plan B, C, or even D". 
For instance, we have a team coming from Cornerstone Church in Tennessee on Monday to put up a church roof and do some preliminary work on the Mwanza District Church Planting School. 
Months ago, a container of building supplies and tools were sent from the states and arrived in Dar Es Salaam on December 3.  Yesterday, with three days to go before the team arrives, we had the final word that the container was being held and would not be released for sometime while about $12,000 in storage fees were being haggled over. 
With the help of our National Church leaders who are sending another container of building supplies that was designated for another site, and the help of our missionary colleagues who are gathering tools and supplies that would have come in the container in Dar and sending them out to us by bus and truck, and with the help of the team from TN who are also bringing items we will need with them, and with the help of some of the local churches to help with food...we are implementing Plan B.  We have three days so we may end up creating some Plan C's or D's before we have everything we need on hand.  However, we have many helpers here in TZ working to make it happen and many prayer partners all over the world who are doing their part as well. 
God will build His Church, Bible College, Kingdom, etc, and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it.  We are thankful for an all-powerful God and for many partners working together doing Kingdom work. 

Buhangija School



Tim opens some of the clothing bundles



Children sitting at the new tables and chairs



Two weeks ago we visited the Buhangija school for the visually impaired with some guests from the states.  We bought five 50lb bundles of clothing and took to the school; one of the bundles was made up of sheets and towels which were also needed.  We took a large supply of sunscreen and two new soccer balls which were the biggest hit of the day.  Children in Tanzania LOVE to play soccer. 

It was good to see the children; school was dismissed for a short time so we could visit briefly with all the children. The number of CWA (Children with Albinism) has increased at the school to about 200 now which makes for very crowded conditions when the dormitory space was built for less than 100 children.  We are looking at estimates to have new beds made and to help them complete a new dorm that has been started but there are no funds to finish the project. 



We had a chance to examine the 10 new tables and benches that we paid to have built for the dining hall as well as checked the well pump that was broken and we provided the funds to restore it to good working order. There are still many needs remaining.  We will be making perhaps two more trips there before we leave on furlough at the end of March.

Computer Lab



New Computer Lab at Mwanza Bible College



In January, we hosted a team of four men from Africa's Hope in Springfield MO.  Their purpose here in Mwanza was to install the new computer lab at the Mwanza Bible College.  Thanks to their many hours of labor for the week they were here, we now have a wonderful, well outfitted computer lab at the Mwanza Bible, the teachers all have computers, and all computers have been freed from viruses and upgraded.

We have a lab with 12 computers; it will be the first time that most of the students (pastors) have touched a computer.  We will begin with the basics and work our way up from there. We thank the Lord for the gift of the computers and all the software, wiring, remodeling of the room, etc that was provided for this project.