The Presidential elections in Tanzania will take place this Sunday, October 31. We have been alerted by the American Embassy to keep a low profile (how do you do that when you are a white person in an African country?) and to stay alert for possible problems.
The CCM party has been the ruling party for years; however, the candidate for the opposing party has come from behind and there may actually be an upset in this election. People are generally unhappy with two things about the current party and President; there is widespread corruption in the government and there is a fear that we are moving towards becoming an Islamic nation.
Already in Mwanza, the second largest city in Tanzania, there have been some mild clashes during rallies and there will be more police and military patroling the streets and city beginning Sunday. Tanzania has always been a peaceful nation but some people are concerned about this upcoming election.
We Wazungu (white people) will be trying to keep a low profile as instructed; we will also be praying for a peaceful election.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
The rains have come at last, within a couple of weeks everything will go from dead and brown to lush and green; it's amazing how the presence or absence of rain changes the look of the landscape and even the quality of the air. By the end of the dry season even the air is hazy with dust which affects our sinuses and even our breathing. Keeping the house clean becomes an almost daily event; just a few hours after dusting the furniture there is a fine layer of dust on everything once again. At the end of the dry season I take down all the curtains and sheers throughout the house and wash them to get all the dust out. It usually takes a couple of wash cycles before the water is no longer brown from the dust. Bedding is removed and either washed or taken outside, shaken vigorously and left to hang in the fresh air for the day.
Last night we had quite a storm with lots of loud thunder and lightning flashes. And, at one point, we had some hail mixed in with the rain which makes an interesting sound on the metal roof of our house. We are always so happy when the rains finally arrive after a dry 3-4 months. However, in 2-3 weeks we will be complaining about all the mud and the mess that all of the unpaved roads get in during the rainy season.
Such is the nature of man; the grass is always greener on the other side. For us, it's the greener grass comes but brings with it the muddy roads. However, given a choice, I choose the rain.
Last night we had quite a storm with lots of loud thunder and lightning flashes. And, at one point, we had some hail mixed in with the rain which makes an interesting sound on the metal roof of our house. We are always so happy when the rains finally arrive after a dry 3-4 months. However, in 2-3 weeks we will be complaining about all the mud and the mess that all of the unpaved roads get in during the rainy season.
Such is the nature of man; the grass is always greener on the other side. For us, it's the greener grass comes but brings with it the muddy roads. However, given a choice, I choose the rain.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Accident
It happens to many missionaries sometime during their ministry; at some point in the many hundreds/thousands of miles they travel they have an accident which involves someone being hurt or killed.
Tim has been traveling most of the past three months; long days driving on dirt roads. This week in a remote village in southwestern Tanzania while traveling with our General Superintendent for the TAG, Tim hit a man on a bicycle. Even though it was unavoidable and not Tim's fault, it was still a traumatic experience.
I won't go into all the details of the incident but the injured man was taken to the local hospital and is recovering from minor injuries. God intervened in many ways that were obvious evidence of His protection and provision.
Tim paid for the man's bicycle repairs, bought him a new cell phone and the local TAG leadership paid for all the man's medical bills. Tim gave the man a gift of money equivalent to about $35 (several months salary for the average Tanzanian) and was released by the local police to continue his journey.
The man's family contacted Tim yesterday and asked him to come back to the village of Mpanda, "they wanted to have Tim's picture taken with the injured man". Of course, the real reason was to tell Tim that they needed more money. The opportunity to get money from a "wealthy foreigner" is a once-in-a-lifetime occurence and they take full advantage when it comes along.
Of course, Tim was innocent of any wrong doing and the man had been generously compensated; however, they knew that Tim would not want to go to court over the issue because he would have to stay in that remote village for an indefinite amount of time while the case was settled.
So, Tim gave them an additional "gift" (amounting to about $70) and they happily settled the matter in front of witnesses.
Also, in the course of the journey, he shredded a tire ($250 to replace) messed up a shock and had to stop and have it temporarily repaired; it will need to be replaced before long (an expensive item as well for the heavy duty shocks we use here).
Still, it could have been so much worse. We thank God for His protection.
Tim has been traveling most of the past three months; long days driving on dirt roads. This week in a remote village in southwestern Tanzania while traveling with our General Superintendent for the TAG, Tim hit a man on a bicycle. Even though it was unavoidable and not Tim's fault, it was still a traumatic experience.
I won't go into all the details of the incident but the injured man was taken to the local hospital and is recovering from minor injuries. God intervened in many ways that were obvious evidence of His protection and provision.
Tim paid for the man's bicycle repairs, bought him a new cell phone and the local TAG leadership paid for all the man's medical bills. Tim gave the man a gift of money equivalent to about $35 (several months salary for the average Tanzanian) and was released by the local police to continue his journey.
The man's family contacted Tim yesterday and asked him to come back to the village of Mpanda, "they wanted to have Tim's picture taken with the injured man". Of course, the real reason was to tell Tim that they needed more money. The opportunity to get money from a "wealthy foreigner" is a once-in-a-lifetime occurence and they take full advantage when it comes along.
Of course, Tim was innocent of any wrong doing and the man had been generously compensated; however, they knew that Tim would not want to go to court over the issue because he would have to stay in that remote village for an indefinite amount of time while the case was settled.
So, Tim gave them an additional "gift" (amounting to about $70) and they happily settled the matter in front of witnesses.
Also, in the course of the journey, he shredded a tire ($250 to replace) messed up a shock and had to stop and have it temporarily repaired; it will need to be replaced before long (an expensive item as well for the heavy duty shocks we use here).
Still, it could have been so much worse. We thank God for His protection.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Tanga Construction
Tim just returned from a week long trip to the Tanga region of eastern Tanzania; he met a construction team there from the states.
When they arrived they realized that the land was not level; if they put up the buildings on the land as it was the building would be nine feet off the ground on one end! They were on a tight schedule; Tim's team was to put in the foundations and erect the skeleton of the building and another team would be arriving at the end of the week to finish the project.
They needed a bulldozer; that may not sound like a big deal in America but in Tanzania??? Equipment that large is usually connected with a road that is being worked on by a foreign construction company that has been contracted by the Tanzanian government.
It would take days or weeks for the site to be leveled with shovels and manual laborers and would not be ready for the two construction teams from the states.
Tim and the team enlisted the help of the local TAG leadership and they were told of a bulldozer that was owned by a local sisal plantation. They went to speak to the owner and he was willing to let them use his bulldozer to prepare the site.
The owner could have charged the team a huge amount of money to use the back hoe, instead, he didn't charge them anything at all. The man was not a Christian but God used him to meet the need of the construction team.
The back hoe was ancient, but it did the job and the site was leveled and the team finished their work just in time for the arrival of the second team.
God is definitely in the construction business and deals in large equipment.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Mitindo Primary School
Yesterday, we visited the Mitindo Primary School; a government school for the visually impaired located 40 km south of Mwanza.
Our purpose for going there was to begin an outreach ministry to the Albino people of Tanzania; our first focus will be on the Mitindo Primary school. There are 147 children at this particular school; since most Albino's are legally blind 99 of the children are Albino.
It takes special permission from the Regional Commissioner and a little bit of red tape to get permission to visit the school but we finally had our first visit; the privacy and safety of the children is a priority.
We spent time visiting with the staff, touring the school and meeting the children. We took some toys: soccer ball, frisbees, marbles and crayons as well as rice and sugar. Our goal is to be able to build a long-term relationship with the school and eventually earn permission to conduct Christian education classes for the children on a weekly basis. First, however, we must begin our relationship by meeting the needs of the school and the physical needs of the children.
The children wore shy smiles on their pale faces as they looked up at us through squinted eyes shaded by their hands to protect their sensitive eyes from the bright light of the sun. Most have large brown spots/blemishes on their faces, heads and arms indicating the presence of skin disorders including skin cancer. Many of them have sunburned faces and heads due to lack of sunscreen and hats.
They are just normal children underneath their pale skin; but because they are born in Tanzania with Albinism their innocence and childhood has been stolen from them. They must live in a state of uncertainty and fear, in a protected environment from those who would kill them and use their body parts in potions to bring prosperity.
Our goal is to give them the love they deserve and to share the love of Jesus with them; only His peace can take away their fears and uncertainties.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Cookers for the Bible College
Recently, thanks to some generous gifts from some inidividuals and our TZ missionary colleagues, we were able to purchase two new cookers for the Mwanza Bible College.
Our two cooks have been cooking for about 130 people over open charcoal fires; the cost of charcoal took up about 15% of the total food expenditures.
The new cookers use wood instead of charcoal and are energy efficient; they are insulated in such a way that it takes far less wood to cook the food and the food takes less time to cook.
Our cooks are thrilled with the new cookers and the Business Manager is happy to be able to put more money towards providing food for the students.
The picture above shows the old way of cooking, using the open charcoal fire. The picture below shows the new cookers that are much more cost and energy efficient. 
Thursday, September 9, 2010
To Drive or Not to Drive
As Assembly of God Missionaries, we are given a wonderful sturdy vehicle - a Toyota Land Cruiser - which is invaluable to us as we cover the vast western region of Tanzania. Tim has been making good use of it lately; he was away from home traveling 25 days in the month of August and every day so far in September.
The problem is, however, that I get left stranded while he is gone. I can either take a taxi everywhere I go or catch a ride with a neighbor. The problem with taxi's is that they are sometimes like a "ride on the wild side" and they don't understand an American's sense of "being on time". If you say "1:00" to them that means "before 2:00".
However, for the last week I have had the use of another missionary's car; she flew to Arusha for two weeks and graciously left me her car to use in her absence.
I forgot what a wonderful thing it is to have a car! I can go to the grocery store, the market (for fresh fruits and veggies), the Bible College to teach my classes, to the bank for more money when I have granted to many loans to workers and friends, etc.
There is something comforting in picking up a set of car keys and getting behind the wheel of a car.
I am grateful for the blessing of having my own car-even if it is only for two weeks.
The problem is, however, that I get left stranded while he is gone. I can either take a taxi everywhere I go or catch a ride with a neighbor. The problem with taxi's is that they are sometimes like a "ride on the wild side" and they don't understand an American's sense of "being on time". If you say "1:00" to them that means "before 2:00".
However, for the last week I have had the use of another missionary's car; she flew to Arusha for two weeks and graciously left me her car to use in her absence.
I forgot what a wonderful thing it is to have a car! I can go to the grocery store, the market (for fresh fruits and veggies), the Bible College to teach my classes, to the bank for more money when I have granted to many loans to workers and friends, etc.
There is something comforting in picking up a set of car keys and getting behind the wheel of a car.
I am grateful for the blessing of having my own car-even if it is only for two weeks.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Albino
The ABC show, 20/20, aired a show last week about the plight of Albinos in Tanzania. These people are hunted down and killed or mutilated so that witch doctors can use their body parts to make special potions that are believed to bring wealth and success.
The Albinos often move to the cities where they are safer than they are in the villages; about 50 were killed or maimed last year.
Joyce has been burdened for these people since the first of the year and we have began to gather information, make contacts, and had spoken to our missionary team here in Tanzania about beginning an outreach ministry to the Albinos.
We live in Mwanza and the largest population of Albinos live in this region and most of the attacks against the Albinos take place in our region.
There is a primary school just outside Mwanza where about 130 children live and are educated; most of these children are Albinos. These children have many practical needs such as clothing, personal hygiene products, school supplies and bedding. They also need, due to their Albinism, wide-brimmed hats, sunscreen, learning equipment for the blind since most are legally blind and sun glasses. They have emotional needs since many of them are separated from their families, isolated from the rest of the world and live in constant fear.
They have spiritual needs, most of them are brought up in pagan beliefs and superstition. They need to learn about a God who loves them, will provide for them and will protect them; he can set them free from their fears.
The show aired by ABC's 20/20 has brought the problems facing the Albino people of Tanzania into the homes of Americans. Many of you are responding by contacting the A/G World Missions Department to ask how you can help; they are setting up a special account to receive donations. If you want to send a donation to help minister to the needs of the children in this Primary school, you can send your donation to Tim & Joyce Jarvis c/0 AGWM 1445 Boonville Ave. Springfield MO 65802 (Account #221146) and designate it for the "Tanzania Albino Ministry".
We will keep you posted as we continue to develop this outreach ministry to the Albino people of western Tanzania.
The Albinos often move to the cities where they are safer than they are in the villages; about 50 were killed or maimed last year.
Joyce has been burdened for these people since the first of the year and we have began to gather information, make contacts, and had spoken to our missionary team here in Tanzania about beginning an outreach ministry to the Albinos.
We live in Mwanza and the largest population of Albinos live in this region and most of the attacks against the Albinos take place in our region.
There is a primary school just outside Mwanza where about 130 children live and are educated; most of these children are Albinos. These children have many practical needs such as clothing, personal hygiene products, school supplies and bedding. They also need, due to their Albinism, wide-brimmed hats, sunscreen, learning equipment for the blind since most are legally blind and sun glasses. They have emotional needs since many of them are separated from their families, isolated from the rest of the world and live in constant fear.
They have spiritual needs, most of them are brought up in pagan beliefs and superstition. They need to learn about a God who loves them, will provide for them and will protect them; he can set them free from their fears.
The show aired by ABC's 20/20 has brought the problems facing the Albino people of Tanzania into the homes of Americans. Many of you are responding by contacting the A/G World Missions Department to ask how you can help; they are setting up a special account to receive donations. If you want to send a donation to help minister to the needs of the children in this Primary school, you can send your donation to Tim & Joyce Jarvis c/0 AGWM 1445 Boonville Ave. Springfield MO 65802 (Account #221146) and designate it for the "Tanzania Albino Ministry".
We will keep you posted as we continue to develop this outreach ministry to the Albino people of western Tanzania.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
One of "Those" Days
There are wonderful days in ministry no matter where you live and then there are days of frustration that the only thing good that can be said about them is that you survived and the day is over.
Those days in Tanzania can be further complicated by cultural issues; it's usually not the big things that get to you but an accumulation of many small insignificant things.
This week, for instance, was one of those times. There has been almost no water pressure due to a broken pump at the city water plant; it may be weeks or months before they decide to fix it. So, day after day you take showers under tiny trickles of water, spend all day doing a couple of loads of laundry because it takes a couple of hours for the tub to fill and wait "forever" to get enough water to do dishes.
Add to that the tapping at the gate that signifies there is someone there so you walk all the way down the drive to discover it's someone you don't know wanting money or it's someone wanting your worker who isn't even working that day because he has malaria, again. This event occurs numerous times throughout the day.
Since the worker is out sick for several days you get to cook the stinky dog food in your kitchen instead of it being cooked outside.
The watch dogs have decided to find every hole in the ancient fence around your property and escape nightly; as soon as you fix that hole they make another one.
You go to market and because of the dry season the vegetables and fruit are not as plentiful and not as nice as you would like.
You are in the middle of watching the one show that you sometimes have the time to watch on TV and the power goes off so you miss the ending.
You pick up a package at the post office to find that the contents are missing for the second time this year and you fill out a form that you know will accomplish nothing.
You are baking something and the power goes off, you find bugs in your flour and the ants get into the sugar container because the lid wasn't on tight.
You are trying to get ready for the next bible college term and your notes have somehow disappeared and you spend half a day looking for them.
It's the week of Ramadan (Muslim holiday) so the loud speakers go night and day almost with the off key singing/chanting that accompanies the holiday.
You have your third set of unexpected Tanzanian guests arrive to visit you that day and you must stop what you are doing and serve refreshments and struggle to follow and contribute to the conversation in Swahili.
You drop a can of vegetables on your toe and it throbs for the rest of the day and turns black.
Your husband is on another long safari (trip) so you are "home alone" with no vehicle to drive and so you get a little stir crazy.
However, these types of things are part of life no matter where you live and the fact that these times are mixed in with times of fulfilling ministry, great accomplishments, being involved in changing peoples lives with the Gospel message and spending time with wonderful people from your host country make the bad days bearable.
When you weigh the good and bad days and they are placed on the scale; you will find that the good days far outweigh the bad and the good days make the bad days bearable.
Today is a good day; Tim is returning from a long safari, the water pressure is great and I just finished a batch of Chocolate Cappuccino muffins which are ready to sample.
It's a good day.
Those days in Tanzania can be further complicated by cultural issues; it's usually not the big things that get to you but an accumulation of many small insignificant things.
This week, for instance, was one of those times. There has been almost no water pressure due to a broken pump at the city water plant; it may be weeks or months before they decide to fix it. So, day after day you take showers under tiny trickles of water, spend all day doing a couple of loads of laundry because it takes a couple of hours for the tub to fill and wait "forever" to get enough water to do dishes.
Add to that the tapping at the gate that signifies there is someone there so you walk all the way down the drive to discover it's someone you don't know wanting money or it's someone wanting your worker who isn't even working that day because he has malaria, again. This event occurs numerous times throughout the day.
Since the worker is out sick for several days you get to cook the stinky dog food in your kitchen instead of it being cooked outside.
The watch dogs have decided to find every hole in the ancient fence around your property and escape nightly; as soon as you fix that hole they make another one.
You go to market and because of the dry season the vegetables and fruit are not as plentiful and not as nice as you would like.
You are in the middle of watching the one show that you sometimes have the time to watch on TV and the power goes off so you miss the ending.
You pick up a package at the post office to find that the contents are missing for the second time this year and you fill out a form that you know will accomplish nothing.
You are baking something and the power goes off, you find bugs in your flour and the ants get into the sugar container because the lid wasn't on tight.
You are trying to get ready for the next bible college term and your notes have somehow disappeared and you spend half a day looking for them.
It's the week of Ramadan (Muslim holiday) so the loud speakers go night and day almost with the off key singing/chanting that accompanies the holiday.
You have your third set of unexpected Tanzanian guests arrive to visit you that day and you must stop what you are doing and serve refreshments and struggle to follow and contribute to the conversation in Swahili.
You drop a can of vegetables on your toe and it throbs for the rest of the day and turns black.
Your husband is on another long safari (trip) so you are "home alone" with no vehicle to drive and so you get a little stir crazy.
However, these types of things are part of life no matter where you live and the fact that these times are mixed in with times of fulfilling ministry, great accomplishments, being involved in changing peoples lives with the Gospel message and spending time with wonderful people from your host country make the bad days bearable.
When you weigh the good and bad days and they are placed on the scale; you will find that the good days far outweigh the bad and the good days make the bad days bearable.
Today is a good day; Tim is returning from a long safari, the water pressure is great and I just finished a batch of Chocolate Cappuccino muffins which are ready to sample.
It's a good day.
Friday, August 13, 2010
They have returned bearing gifts
Tim, the General Supt of the TAG (Mtokambali), his wife and the National Children's Director (Paul Meivukie) returned yesterday evening. They arrived later than planned due to the fact that this is Africa and nothing goes according to plan and few things stay on schedule.
We had thirty minutes to have supper, sort luggage and get the Mtokambali's to the airport. We made it!!!
Tim and the team traveled to some very remote areas over rutted dirt roads; flying over the potholes and in a cloud of billowing dust as they tried to maintain their tight schedule. Everyone buckled their seat belts and held on and Mama Mtokambali could be heard praying at times from the back seat. Tim doesn't like to travel that way but he did not set the schedule.
Everywhere they went they were greeted with celebration and showered with gifts. Most of the sections they traveled to have never been visited by a General Superintendent, National Department Director or a missionary; to have all three at one time is a once in a lifetime occurrence for these pastors/churches/leaders.
They literally returned with the Land Cruiser filled to bursting with gifts of all kinds and even had some tied on top of the vehicle. There were three piles; one for the Mtokambali's, one for Paul and one for Tim.
There were wood carvings, bolt after bolt of material, honey, woven mats, bags of peanuts and even bags of Dagaa(minnow sized sun dried fish). Many gave what was indigenous or produced in their areas.
Everything: gifts, luggage, Land Cruiser and even the travelers were covered and imbedded with dust. It is the end of the dry season and so very dry and windy.
There are a few days of rest before they are on the road again.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
August travels
Tim is going to be traveling 3 of the 4 weeks in August; right now he is on a 13 day trip to the sections in our five western districts. He is part of a team that includes the General Superintendent of the Tanzania Assemblies of God (TAG) and his wife, the National Director for Children's Ministries and himself.
Their goal is to travel to as many of the sections in these districts as possible; they are traveling to 2-3 sections each day.
Their day begins at sunrise and they go all day preaching, teaching and traveling their way around the western part of Tanzania. They eat a late supper, usually the only meal they have that day, and fall into bed exhausted each night. They start the process over the next day.
They will return here on Thursday this week and Tim will have 3 days to rest, take care of as much business as he can while he is home and prepare for the 9 hour trip to Dodoma to meet with a team from the Southern Missouri District on Tuesday the 17th. This team is coming to hold a conference to launch Men's Ministries here in Tanzania.
The team departs from Mwanza on the 25th of this month and the General Superintendent, Mtokambali and his team will return on August 30; they will be here until September 9.
As we look ahead at September and October there seems to be a lot of travel scheduled for those two months as well.
Such is the life of a missionary.
Their goal is to travel to as many of the sections in these districts as possible; they are traveling to 2-3 sections each day.
Their day begins at sunrise and they go all day preaching, teaching and traveling their way around the western part of Tanzania. They eat a late supper, usually the only meal they have that day, and fall into bed exhausted each night. They start the process over the next day.
They will return here on Thursday this week and Tim will have 3 days to rest, take care of as much business as he can while he is home and prepare for the 9 hour trip to Dodoma to meet with a team from the Southern Missouri District on Tuesday the 17th. This team is coming to hold a conference to launch Men's Ministries here in Tanzania.
The team departs from Mwanza on the 25th of this month and the General Superintendent, Mtokambali and his team will return on August 30; they will be here until September 9.
As we look ahead at September and October there seems to be a lot of travel scheduled for those two months as well.
Such is the life of a missionary.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Baking Day
Yesterday was an experiment in baking.
Lisa, the young missionary lady renting our guest house, came up yesterday morning and we made homemade waffles for breakfast. These were so good that we decided to mix up another batch and we made these with apples and cinnamon. This batch was packaged and put in the freezer for "frozen waffles" for the future; the missionary version of "Eggo" frozen waffles.
After cleaning up the waffle mess we moved on to our first attempt at making Bagels; these turned out fairly well. In the states they may have received a "6" on a 1-10 scale rating system. However, here in Mwanza Tanzania and half way through a four year term they received an "8" rating. The longer you go without something the less critical you become about the way it "should" look and taste. Again, these were divided up between us and most were frozen to pull out and enjoy later.
Our last effort for the morning was to make a batch of yeast raised glazed donuts. These again received a rating of "8" on the "1-10" scale.
OK, they weren't "Krispy Creme" quality but they sure tasted good with a cup of good Tanzanian coffee.
Lisa and I decided the mess we made and had to clean up in the kitchen was definitely worth it! Who knows what "make from scratch" challenges we will attempt next.
Blessings.
Lisa, the young missionary lady renting our guest house, came up yesterday morning and we made homemade waffles for breakfast. These were so good that we decided to mix up another batch and we made these with apples and cinnamon. This batch was packaged and put in the freezer for "frozen waffles" for the future; the missionary version of "Eggo" frozen waffles.
After cleaning up the waffle mess we moved on to our first attempt at making Bagels; these turned out fairly well. In the states they may have received a "6" on a 1-10 scale rating system. However, here in Mwanza Tanzania and half way through a four year term they received an "8" rating. The longer you go without something the less critical you become about the way it "should" look and taste. Again, these were divided up between us and most were frozen to pull out and enjoy later.
Our last effort for the morning was to make a batch of yeast raised glazed donuts. These again received a rating of "8" on the "1-10" scale.
OK, they weren't "Krispy Creme" quality but they sure tasted good with a cup of good Tanzanian coffee.
Lisa and I decided the mess we made and had to clean up in the kitchen was definitely worth it! Who knows what "make from scratch" challenges we will attempt next.
Blessings.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Ordination Service
On Thursday morning of the Tanzania Assemblies of God (TAG) General Council, there was another first.
The President of Tanzania, Kikwete, accepted the invitation to visit and address our pastors and leadership for the first time.
It was a momentous occasion; the president's personal security forces accompanied by specially trained dogs arrived to go over every inch of the platform and auditorium. His special chair arrived and was placed in the place of honor on the platform. Details and protocol were worked out in advance and the TAG leadership carefully explained matters of security and protocol to those of us gathered in the auditorium.
Our guest speaker stood and spoke prior to the arrival of the president and he did something that was inspired and helped us all to re-align our priorities as they should be.
He stood, looking at the door that the president would step through when he arrived and began to announce in a loud voice as his arm swept towards the closed door, the arrival of the TRUE guest of honor for the day. He began by saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce to you our special guest for the day..." He then began to speak the titles and names that are connected to King Jesus..."King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Lamb of God, the Alpha and Omega..."
On he went as the auditorium erupted in stomping feet, clapping hands, cheering and shouts of praise. It was a wonderful moment.
When President Kikwete finally arrived he was greeted with the proper amount of respect and honor due to him as our president and we were honored to have him address our assembly for a few minutes and have our picture taken with him later.
However, King Jesus received the greater welcome from those of us gathered in the auditorium long before President Kikwete ever arrived.
All Hail King Jesus!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Missionary to a Foreign Land
During this past week at the Tanzania Assemblies of God (TAG) General Council, there were a number of "firsts" that took place.
One of those was the Commissioning service for Foreign Missionaries; not those of us from America who have come to Tanzania but those from Tanzania who are being sent to other countries.
There were four couples who were commissioned that night and it was an incredible event for those of us who are missionaries from America. Two of these four couples are being sent to the country of Madagascar and the other two are possibly going to one of those countries that are difficult for Americans to gain access to and move about freely.
After these new missionaries were commissioned and prayed for, we American missionaries felt compelled to wait at the bottom of the steps as they left the platform and shake their hands and encourage them.
These Tanzanian missionaries that are being sent out will not have all the benefits that we Americans have, such as STL, LFTL, BGMC, medical insurance, retirement benefits, etc. They are more like those first disciples in the New Testament who were sent out two by two into the world. Although they will have some funds provided for them, much of their missionary calling will be done in true faith; believing without seeing that God will provide for them.
Kudos to our Tanzanian missionary brothers and sisters!
Monday, July 19, 2010
July?????
Wow, how did that happen?
We find ourselves in the middle of July and I have not posted any blogs for this month. We've been so busy that we would not have even remembered the 4th of July celebrations in America if our daughter had not emailed us some pictures of a fireworks display from her iphone. I do love those firework displays for the 4th.
Actually, the explanation is fairly simple; we have been gone for 10 days to Dodoma, Tanzania for our Tanzania Assemblies of God (TAG) General Council which meets every two years. The days prior to that were trying to prepare for our departure and taking care of an almost unending amount of time consuming "stuff".
This is the first year it has been held outside of Dar Es Salaam; Dodoma is only about a 9 hour drive for us whereas Dar Es Salaam is about a 14-15 hour drive requiring us to break it up into two days since it is not recommended for us to travel at night.
It was an awesome Council this year with over 2,500 pastors attending the council in the new University of Dodoma Udome.
There were a number of firsts for the Council this year so I will be sharing that information with you over the next few days.
Richard Dubose, General Superintendent for the North Texas District, was our Council speaker this year and he did an incredible job. He was definitely lead by the Spirit as he spoke to us each morning and evening from the Word of God with deep things that our pastors and leaders needed to hear. We, the missionary body, were also ministered to through his messages.
We arrived home on Saturday evening tired and glad to be home in our own beds! However, the 10 days spent in Dodoma were a blessing to us.
I will share more with you in the next day or two and include some pictures as well.
Be blessed.
Tim and Joyce
We find ourselves in the middle of July and I have not posted any blogs for this month. We've been so busy that we would not have even remembered the 4th of July celebrations in America if our daughter had not emailed us some pictures of a fireworks display from her iphone. I do love those firework displays for the 4th.
Actually, the explanation is fairly simple; we have been gone for 10 days to Dodoma, Tanzania for our Tanzania Assemblies of God (TAG) General Council which meets every two years. The days prior to that were trying to prepare for our departure and taking care of an almost unending amount of time consuming "stuff".
This is the first year it has been held outside of Dar Es Salaam; Dodoma is only about a 9 hour drive for us whereas Dar Es Salaam is about a 14-15 hour drive requiring us to break it up into two days since it is not recommended for us to travel at night.
It was an awesome Council this year with over 2,500 pastors attending the council in the new University of Dodoma Udome.
There were a number of firsts for the Council this year so I will be sharing that information with you over the next few days.
Richard Dubose, General Superintendent for the North Texas District, was our Council speaker this year and he did an incredible job. He was definitely lead by the Spirit as he spoke to us each morning and evening from the Word of God with deep things that our pastors and leaders needed to hear. We, the missionary body, were also ministered to through his messages.
We arrived home on Saturday evening tired and glad to be home in our own beds! However, the 10 days spent in Dodoma were a blessing to us.
I will share more with you in the next day or two and include some pictures as well.
Be blessed.
Tim and Joyce
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Small beginnings
On a recent trip to the District of Tabora, Tim traveled with several other missionaries visiting a number of churches in that region.
In comparison to churches in the states, congregations and church buildings would generally be considered small. However, one of the churches they visited is considered small even by Tanzanian standards.
This tiny little church building can probably hold 15 people and it is full each Sunday; it is about two years old and in an area that is very resistant to the Gospel. The typical Tanzanian church building can hold about 3 times as many people as it could if it were in the states.
Tanzanians don't have a problem with having "their personal space" invaded by others; they pack themselves in like sardines. A common saying here is "there is always room for one more" and they prove it in their buildings and public transport.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Shinyanga District
We just returned from a three day trip to the District of Shinyanga; our goal is to visit each of our five districts and begin to build relationships, assess needs and partner with them to reach their goals for the Decade of Harvest. This was the third of our three districts with two remaining; it was a fairly easy 4 hour drive since the roads are paved.
The District of Shinyanga is home to the Wasukuma tribe; this tribe is the largest in Tanzania and is still mostly unreached and steeped in Paganism and witchcraft.
We visited ten churches while there in an effort to encourage the leadership in the district as well as individual pastors. Churches here are mostly in temporary structures with few members. The largest denomination in this region is the Catholic church; their churches are very large and extravagant. Their leaders own nice homes and cars. The TAG churches struggle to find their place in this region and are ridiculed and rejected because their churches are mostly inadequate structures and the pastors are poor and struggling.
The majority of the pastors have not been to Bible College; we will return to the District to teach courses in Evangelism, Missions, Spiritual Leadership and on the Holy Spirit. Our prayer is that by working together we will be able to break the hold that Satan has over this region.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Received with Joy
Tim just returned from a trip to the region of Tabora in western Tanzania; he was accompanied by four other missionaries and the District Superintendent of Tabora, Sadok. They traveled throughout the region; visiting pastors and churches, and encouraging them in their efforts to win the lost in their region.
They were received with great joy and celebration as they traveled around and every place they stopped wanted to prepare a meal for them. They ate enough plates of rice and other foods to feed a small army.
Tanzanians are very gracious and hospitable and providing a meal for their guests is considered an honor for them even if it takes food away from their own families.
Here is a picture of the people celebrating Tim and the team's arrival and the inside of the church decorated with small brightly colored squares of cloth.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Mama Malula's story
Recently, I have been interviewing women students at the Mwanza Bible College as part of the process to obtain some scholarships for them from stateside donors. I thought I would share some of their stories with you.
Tanzanians, generally, are very reluctant to talk about themselves. It is sometimes like pulling the proverbial teeth to get information about their past lives and experiences. The women seem particularly reticent to reveal a lot about their pasts.
I have been amazed at the stories that come out of these interviews. Last week I interviewed two ladies; Mama Malula was abandoned by her birth mother and she and her twin were raised by their Grandfather. They lived in the village and because it was just the three of them and her Grandfather was very old, they often went without food.
Mama Malula was saved when she was fifteen; one day at school she heard a man's voice singing praise and worship songs to God and she and some of her classmates followed the sound of his voice. When they found him outside his home he offered to pray for those who were sick; when many were healed instantly the students accepted his invitation to accept Jesus as Savior. The students were beaten, starved and threatened by their teachers and families and all but three of them turned back to Islam. Mama Malula was one of the three who refused to abandon her new faith. Today she is married with four children and she and her husband pastor a small church.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Kagera
We just returned from a four day trip to the Kagera Region of western Tanzania; this involves taking the all night ferry back and forth. The ferry trip in itself is a wonderful cultural experience; both with positive and negative aspects. The actual journey is enjoyable but the loading and unloading process with hundreds of other passengers and tons of cargo all vying for the same space at the same time is rather chaotic and unorganized.
In Kagera we met with the leaders from the District to discuss the needs of each section and how we could partner with them in the areas of teaching/training leadership and pastors as well as provide some funds and/or teams to help in specific areas of need.
The Kagera region has a high incidence of Aids (7-8% of the population) and a large orphan population; 21% of the total population. According to World Vision, the criteria for being classified as an orphan is being under the age of 18 and both parents are deceased with no other family to take them in. Most of the orphans have lost their parents to Aids.
We also visited 10 churches in the region that are church plants started within the last two years. We visited with the pastors and their families and encouraged them in the work they are doing. They live and minister in difficult areas with little or no pay; living on food from their own gardens, food gifts from the people of the church and the little money that is brought in by selling crops such as bananas and coffee beans. Half of the churches we visited were meeting in temporary church structures made from wooden poles with cloth, grass or plastic walls and roofs were made of straw. The floors were covered with what they called "Tanzanian carpet" which was dried grass. Two of the temporary buildings were partially collapsed on one side but they were still meeting in them until they could finish their new churches which are made from handmade brick with metal roofs.
And yet, without exception, they greeted us with smiles and were joyful and hopeful in their attitudes and conversation. We prayed a prayer of blessing over each church, home and family before we left.
We also visited 3 orphanages that are being built by the local TAG churches; each one will house 56 orphans when finished.
It was a good visit and we look forward to our next trip to the Kagera region.
In Kagera we met with the leaders from the District to discuss the needs of each section and how we could partner with them in the areas of teaching/training leadership and pastors as well as provide some funds and/or teams to help in specific areas of need.
The Kagera region has a high incidence of Aids (7-8% of the population) and a large orphan population; 21% of the total population. According to World Vision, the criteria for being classified as an orphan is being under the age of 18 and both parents are deceased with no other family to take them in. Most of the orphans have lost their parents to Aids.
We also visited 10 churches in the region that are church plants started within the last two years. We visited with the pastors and their families and encouraged them in the work they are doing. They live and minister in difficult areas with little or no pay; living on food from their own gardens, food gifts from the people of the church and the little money that is brought in by selling crops such as bananas and coffee beans. Half of the churches we visited were meeting in temporary church structures made from wooden poles with cloth, grass or plastic walls and roofs were made of straw. The floors were covered with what they called "Tanzanian carpet" which was dried grass. Two of the temporary buildings were partially collapsed on one side but they were still meeting in them until they could finish their new churches which are made from handmade brick with metal roofs.
And yet, without exception, they greeted us with smiles and were joyful and hopeful in their attitudes and conversation. We prayed a prayer of blessing over each church, home and family before we left.
We also visited 3 orphanages that are being built by the local TAG churches; each one will house 56 orphans when finished.
It was a good visit and we look forward to our next trip to the Kagera region.
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