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We will no longer be using this blog to update you on our ministry. Please check out our new website: www.timandjoycejarvis.com It features a lot of new information about us and our ministry. Thanks for following us on this blog and we look forward to seeing you over at our new website.

News from Tanzania

It seems that violence has come to our peaceful country of Tanzania.  The violence that has erupted in the countries of northern Africa have spilled over and is affecting Tanzania.  The population of Tanzania is about a third Muslim; the Muslim population of Tanzania have been very peaceful and friendly towards Americans for the most part.  There has always been a small number of more militant/radical Muslims on the eastern coast; mostly situated on the island of Zanzibar. 
However, within the past several months Muslims set fire to 12 churches on Zanzibar.  A couple of weeks ago, rioting broke out in the coastal city of Dar Es Salaam.  Three of our A/G churches were set on fire; one was completely destroyed and the other two badly burned and ransacked.  One woman was badly injured and since then another person has been injured and one killed as the rioting continues.  The rioting Muslims seem to be angered by the "mishandling" of the Quran and are demanding the release of a local cleric. 
Please pray for this situation; the Tanzania A/G leadership and pastors are praying and fasting and attempting to react with love towards the hatred coming against them during this time. 

Buhangija improvements

We would like to thank the Springfield Southeast Rotary Club (Springfield MO) for their generous gift of $5000 to the Buhangija School for the Visually Impaired in Shinyanga Tanzania. There are about 250 Albino Children (CWA-Children with Albinism) who live at the school.
Tim and I visit the school often when we are there but have been in the states for furlough since April. However, Tim made a trip to Tanzania in August to host a building team of 32 people.  While he was there, he presented the money to the school so they could build some toilets and shower facilites for the children.  The children have all been sharing 2 outside toilets and have had no shower facilites at all.  They wash using buckets standing around outside with the older children going behind some of the buildings to bathe. 
We just received pictures today from the school Headmaster, Mr Ajali, showing that the toilets and showers have been completed.  They children are excited about their new facilities; it will be very helpful in relieving the problems related to the severe over-crowding at the school.

Clean water is a Blessing

Tim and the team are in Mwanza Tanzania working to finish the Mwanza District Church Planting School; part of the team is painting and helping with some work at the Mwanza Bible College.  Last Saturday Tim traveled to the Buhangija School in Shinyanga TZ to deliver funds that were donated by the Springfield MO Rotary Club; the money will be used to build bathroom and shower facilites for the 200+ Albino children who live at the school.

Tim was also able to install some donated water filters at the school; thanks to missionary Gary Higgins for providing the water filters and finding donors to pay for them.  The children and staff were excited at the prospect of having safe, clean water to drink. The filters were easy to install and very easy to maintain; clean water is a blessing that we take for granted in America. The children will be much healthier and happier now that they have plenty of clean water to drink.

Updates from Tanzania

We have been in the states itinerating since April, however, good things are continuing to happen in Tanzania and we want to update you on a few of those.

• Buhangija School in Shinyanga was given a grant by the Springfield MO Lions Club in the amount of $5,000.  The funds will be used to build toilets and shower facilities at the school.
• The work on the new Women's Dorm at the Mwanza Bible College continues to progress and we hope to have it finished by the end of this year
• We just received word that the "Under the Same Sun" organization has donated money so that all of the Albino children at the Buhangija School in Shinyanga (over 200 children) will be taking a trip to the Serengeti National Game Park. The majority of these children have never been off of the small fenced compound where the school is located. We are so excited that they are going to have this once-in-a-lifetime chance provided for them
• Tim left for Tanzania yesterday and will be hosting a team from Cornerstone Church in Tennessee that will be completing the Mwanza District Church Planting School. They will also visit the Kagera District to find a location for the next Church Planting School; part of the team will be working at the Bible School on the Women's Dorm.
• The Tanzania Assemblies of God General Council convened earlier this month and there were many changes that occurred during the elections.  Five of our eight districts in our region of Tanzania have new Superintendents (Bishops); we are excited to return to Tanzania and work with this new leadership.  We believe God is preparing to do great things in our part of Tanzania. 

Please keep us in your prayers as we continue our itineration; our hope is to return to Tanzania the first of May.  Please pray that all of our cash budget and our monthly support comes in before then.
Thank you so much for all your prayers and support.

Breaking down Barriers

Yesterday (Sunday) we were with a church in Kansas City MO; it was a very moving service for us in that it represented one of our heart's desires for Tanzania. 
The pastor and his family have been at this church for 36 years; they moved here from Guyana South America.  The family is originally from India but have lived several generations in Guyana and practice the Hindu religion; this is very similar to the Indian population living in Tanzania. The church body was almost entirely made up of Black Americans and Africans.
 In Mwanza, Tanzania where we live, the Indian Tanzanians and the Black Tanzanians are separated by a wall of prejudice and mistrust that has been in place for generations and even as Christians they rarely are seen worshipping together.  In fact, there are few Christians among the thousands of Indians living in Mwanza.
We have had a burden to see the Indian population of Mwanza reached with the Gospel and to witness the Indian and Black Tanzanians worhiping together; one mind, one body, one spirit.
As we looked at the worship team at Grace A/G yesterday; it brought tears to our eyes as we saw a very large black American man standing at the microphone and a small elderly Indian man standing at the microphone beside him; a picture of what we hope to see in Tanzania some day. 

Blessings...

We have been in the states since April 5 and have been in Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Tennessee and North Carolina visiting churches; looking for new ministry partners and saying "Thanks" to those who already partner with us to reach the lost of Tanzania.
We have recently received news that the Mwanza Bible College that the Dining Hall now has 15 new tables and 150 new chairs; we received the money for this project before we left Tanzania and the project has been completed.  The Bible College students and staff are rejoicing; thanks to our friends at Africa's Hope for their generosity.
Also, we were awarded a check from the Springfield MO Rotary Club in the amount o $5,000 to provide toilet and shower facilities at the Buhangija School for the Visually Impaired in Shinyanga Tanzania; 225 Albino children live at this school.  We want to thank the Rotary Club for their generosity; we hope to have the new toilets and showers installed when Tim takes a short trip back to Tanzania in late August.