Labor Day

Labor Day almost passed us by here in Tanzania since it is an American Holiday. The only holidays that Tanzania and the U.S. have in common are Christmas and Easter, so we often forget about all the others.
Our Labor Day was business as usual at the Mwanza Bible College. We arrived in time for chapel; Monday is "Principal's Day" each week and Tim always speaks on that day. If Tim is out of town then "Mama Principal" speaks; that's me.
Most of our 109 students have returned; classes started over a week ago but they often take up to two weeks to arrive back for classes. The reason is usually because they are desperately trying to raise their tuition fees.
After chapel, we met with the teachers for "chai break" (morning tea break) and dealt with all the issues that had developed since Friday. We met with the Academic Dean about a number of student issues ranging from lost transcripts to failing grades.
Usually, because Monday is so busy, Tim and I "split up" and handle different situations to expedite things. Tim met with the Dean of Students and they looked over the situation in the library to determine what was needed to get our computer lab up and running.
I met with Mabesa, she is our Registrar and also one of our teachers, about a theological issue that came up in her first class of the day. We made copies of courses to be sent out to the various Districts for their Church Planting Schools, we filed records in the registrars office and did general office work.
Immediately after his meeting with the Academic Dean, Tim met with the Business Manager to decide what to spend money on this week, other than food, which is a necessity. Providing food for 109 students is the single largest cost the school has each term. The decision was made to hold off on paying the utilities one more week and buy a new pump for the well and some cleaning supplies for the bathrooms.
Time was then spent figuring out why there was no water coming onto the property; Tim walked part way down the hill and found a water line was shut off for repairs. Hopefully, it will be taken care of in the next few days. We have a tank for surplus water but it was discovered that the pump was not working. All the water used on Monday was hauled up with buckets lowered into the well since the pump refused to work.
We arrived home in the early afternoon and had two guests. One of the guests is the wife of one of our local pastors. She stops in from time to time and offers to sell me bars of soap; she uses the few shillings profit she makes on each bar to help pay school fees for their son, Gospel. Of course, I can only use so many bars of soap so this time I decline since I purchased quite a few last time to share with our students.
Tim spent the late afternoon working in the garage and I did some laundry and worked on the never-ending pile of typing projects.
We watched a little bit of CNN to find out if all was well in the U.S.A and went to bed.
That was our Labor Day; I hope most of you had a restful day and maybe even one more cookout before summer comes to an end.

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.

Children's Day Tanzanian Style

Recently, it was national Children's Day in the TAG (Tanzania Assemblies of God); this is a very special day. This is the one day a year that the children have the full attention of the church; in this society they are often overlooked and many churches have no ministry to children at all.

However, on this day they are given the entire day; all classes are taught by children, all music is provided by the children, preaching and all parts of the service are conducted by the children.

We spent the week before meeting in the afternoons to practice songs, skits, music and all facets of "our" day.
We had a glorious day! The children were dressed in their best, they were in the spotlight and they were remarkable! I wish I could share all the pictures and videos with you that I took on that day. What a celebration it was. What a day to show the people in our church that the children are able and willing to be an integral part of the church body.

After the services (two morning services with Sunday school in between) the church provided a meal for all the children (about 70) plus their teachers. Enjoy the pictures!

Short Safari Thoughts

Eight people, camping gear and luggage crammed into one Land Cruiser is the beginning of an adventure in and of itself.
Flashes of memory (to be explained in greater detail later): dust, animals, fear, joy, awesome animal sightings, unpacking at the campsite, squat toilets, cold water only, eating for two days with no cooking, borrowed hot water for much needed coffee, putting up tents, blowing up a full sized air mattress by mouth-twice, taking down tents, keeping warm at high altitudes, forgetting your camera, baboons who steal your bag of bananas, elephant in the camp-twice, blue sky, endless view from the edge of the crater, sleeping in the car when the air mattress goes flat, animals rummaging around your tent at night, wishing you had brought your winter clothes for the high altitude, gorgeous sunrises and sunsets, driving precariously down a narrow road for steep ascents and descents, laughter, waiting while everyone gets the perfect camera shot, driving for hours and hours, sore muscles, seeing birds, plants and animals you've never seen before, making memories, and traveling on safari with family.
Did I mention eight people, camping gear, food and luggage crammed into one Land Cruiser?
More later!
Joyce

Things you WONT see on an American college campus...

This list could be VERY long; but a few sights this week at the Bible College made me think, "Wow, you won't see that on an American college campus".
1. You won't see students gathered around an outside spigot after meal times washing off their metal plates and spoons.
2. You won't see students washing their clothes outside in buckets and hanging them on the line.
3. You won't see students carrying their chairs around campus from chapel to the dining hall and back to the chapel and back to the dining hall...you get the picture.
4. You won't see students doing assigned work tasks around the campus in the afternoons.
5. You won't see students rushing forward to carry your briefcase for you as you go to and from the classroom.
6. You won't see students stand in class when they want to ask a question and preface their question with "thank you, teacher".
7. You won't see students lined up with their cups at "chai time" (morning break) waiting their turn for their hot tea.
8. You won't see the neighborhood children playing on the campus.
9. You won't see a registrars office with an old manual typewriter sitting on the desk that is actually still used.
10. And, lastly, you won't see 20-25 students sitting around tables outside helping pinch the heads off piles of small dried fish called "dagaa" in the afternoon so that they can have them for supper that evening.
In fact, there are many, many sights that we see every day that you won't see in America. We have grown accustomed to the many sights and sounds that shocked and amazed us when we first arrived here. We always enjoy watching visitors react to the sights and sounds of Tanzania.
Be blessed.

Facebook and Twitter!

Over the next few weeks, our daughter Jenn is going to be making some upgrades to our Web site.

As part of our effort to connect with our friends, family and supporters, we're expanding our online presence starting today!

We've launched a Twitter account, which will post an update when there is a new blog post or new photos added to our Web site. If you're a Twitter user click here.

We also created a Facebook page. If you're logged into Facebook, you can search for "Tim and Joyce Jarvis" and become a fan!

We want to use every type of technology possible to make you a part of our ministry and keep you included on our activities.

Thanks for your continued support!

The "to do" lists.

"Flexibility" is a lifestyle that you must embrace as a missionary if you are going to keep your sanity. For instance, Tim and I had a schedule that we had set for ourselves for this past Saturday; we were going to get up early and get many things accomplished.
The first thing was that we overslept and while we were still getting ready for our day and before we had even had breakfast we had a visiting pastor at our door. He stayed two hours and five minutes after he left we had two other pastors arrive; they also stayed two hours. By the time they had left it was after 1:00 and we had not accomplished anything on our "to do" list for Saturday. In addition, a single missionary lady needed our assistance for a little project that we were more than happy to help with.
Sometimes you plan to bake and the power goes off, or you plan to go to town and take care of some business and the places you go have decided to close early for some unknown reason. We have guests drop in or we spend long hours at the Bible College because there are multiple problems/situtations that develop that need your attention. Or, maybe the dog gets away and you have to go looking for her. The pipes break or the workers have a problem that you have to help them with... the list goes on and on of the endless possibilites that drive home the need to be flexible and at the same time help you work on that all important virtue, "patience".
You must adopt the African philosophy that people are more important than schedules and there is always tomorrow.
"Haraka, haraka, haina barika"; an African proverb that means that there is no blessing in rushing. So, we take a deep breath, take things as they come, smile, serve some hot chai (tea) to our guests and enjoy life as it comes along. The other option is to get frustrated, miss opportunities that come with every "interruption" for fellowship and relationship building, and develop stress related illness.
It also helps to make your "to do" lists in pencil instead of ink.
Be blessed.

Breaking Bread Together

Occasionally, we have the opportunity to eat together with the students at the Bible College. This past Monday was one of those occasions. One of the local churches, KVCC, was supplying the evening meal for our 110 students and also invited the faculty and their spouses.
Everyone managed to cram into the Dining Hall; there was a head table set up for the faculty and the students sat around in chairs. We don't have enough tables for all the students at this time so they are accustomed to this arrangement.
Tanzanians are extremely patient so there was no restlessness as we waited for the food to be ready to serve and after about 30 minutes it was ready. Meanwhile everyone visited; I visited with the faculty wives which I don't get to do very often.
First we passed by the outdoor water spigot and washed with soap and cold water which is customary here before eating. Again, no rushing and no impatience.
Since Tim is the principal, we went through the line first and everyone patiently waited their turn. When we arrived, only part of the lights were working in the dining hall so it had a candlelight effect. Eventually, the few lights we had went out completely and we had a small battery powered lantern placed on the head table and a small light at the opposite end of the room.
Everyone accepted the dark without complaint and we just ate and fellowshipped together. At the end of the meal we thanked KVCC for supplying the food. Tim said a few words of greeting and then one of the students began to sing a worship chorus. The 150 voices in the darkened room harmonized together without instruments; but it sounded beautiful. There was a holy presence in the room as we sang together and prayed together.
We shared a simple meal of rice, chicken, greens and chapatis. The fellowship, however, was rich and the presence of the Lord was dessert; everyone left satisfied.
Be blessed today.

What a week!

This week has been a week spent working with water; we have had almost none and we have had an over-abundance all within a few days time. Such is part of the every day life of the missionary; we not only deal with the ups and downs of ministry but with the ups and downs of daily life here.
The city of Mwanza has been doing "something" with the water; no one is exactly sure what it is they are doing but we want to think it is improvements and upgrades. At any rate, we have gone to having a small trickle of water on some days to water gushing and spewing in great volumes from the faucets. We don't mind having lots of water pressure but there is such a thing as having too much water pressure.
We had city workers digging up a pipe in our yard because we had discovered a leak in one of the underground lines; Tim was digging with them to hurry the process along. They kept trying to change the agreed upon wages during the course of the digging but Tim held firm to the original agreement.
On Wednesday this week the city turned the water back on and we had so much pressure that we had a pipe in the bathroom burst. By the time I realized from the back office that this sound was louder and different than the sound of the fan, we had water running out of the bathroom and quickly filling the surrounding rooms. I called for Tim who was outside working on an electrical problem and he came running to shut off the water.
It took several hours of bailing water with buckets and then using mops, rags, and the Wet Vac that we almost didn't bring to clean up all the water. We also had a leak due to the extra pressure in the front bathroom as well. On Thursday, Tim spent the day cleaning out all the drains and pipes inside and outside the house so that the slow drainage of the high volume of water would not result in sinks, toilets and tubs running over.
On Friday, a day we would normally have been at the Bible School, I heard another loud spewing noise coming from the kitchen. I raced to check it out calling for Tim at the same time; he managed to get the water shut off before it left the kitchen. A hose under the sink had split in half from the high water pressure. If we had been at the Bible School we would have returned to a house full of water several inches deep. We thank the Lord that we were home due to Mid-term break at the Bible School. Also on Friday, we had a leak develop behind the washing machine due to too much water pressure rupturing the hose.
So this week Tim has been all over the property, inside and out, working on water problems. On top of that, we had an electrician here for two days trying to figure out why the outside security lights were not working. Tim worked with them and after several days they found the problem and repaired it.
We prefer our days and weeks to be filled with ministry; preaching, teaching, helping at the Bible College by training pastors, seeing the lost saved and the sick healed.
However, some days it's just broken pipes, electrical problems, ditch digging and mopping water.
All things work together for good.....

Time

The value of time is one of the marked differences between Tanzanians and Westerners (Americans); the Westerner can tell you the accurate time within a few minutes of the correct time. Tanzanians, on the other hand, don't always know what time it is and appear not to really care what time it is.

Case in point, we were scheduled to have a meeting of the official Board for the Bible College. Most of the board members do not live here in Mwanza and so traveled by boat, bus and car to arrive for the meeting. We were to start the meeting at 9:00am on Tuesday morning; we finally started at 11:00 after all the members had arrived, taken time to greet each other and enjoy a "chai break" (tea time) together. No one was flustered, no one glanced at their watch or looked frustrated.

Another good example of this difference in the way time is viewed is the fact that most churches in Tanzania don't have clocks; some have them but they don't always work. And, even more amazing, is the fact that I don't think I have ever seen anyone glance at the clock or their watch during a church service; except, of course, for the non-Tanzanians who are present.

The Tanzanians believe that people are more important than time, relationships are more important that schedules and that, "Haraka Haraka haina baraka". This Tanzanian proverb means "there is no blessing in rushing or hurrying". I think we have a similar one, "haste makes waste".

Be blessed

Widow's Mite

Sunday in church I witnessed another of several occasions that rank right up there with the "widow's mite" found in the Scriptures.
After church, a young mother with an infant tied to her back in typical Tanzanian style came forward and shyly greeted us and gave something to Pastor George. She quietly whispered something to him and then turned and walked away.
Pastor George opened up his hand and showed us the crumpled and dirty 10,000/= (shilling) note; the equivalent to about $8.00. By the simple way she was dressed it was obvious that it was a large sum of money for her to be giving away to the church.
Pastor George explained that she wanted to help buy chairs for the church; each chair is about 20,000/=. However, she had been holding on to the money for some time and was afraid that if she did not go ahead and give it she would be tempted to spend it for something else. She will work on collecting the remainder of the money over the next few weeks/months.
My desire was to return the money to her since she was obviously poor and could well have used the money herself. However, I remember the look of joy that flashed in her eyes in the brief moment she made eye contact with me and I realized that it was not for me to take that away from her.
She may go a long time before she again experiences the joy that simple act of giving brought to her. In the days ahead when times are hard and she has a financial need she will remember the joy and she will be content. She knows what it is to be in need on a daily basis; she does not, however, experience the joy and satisfaction that comes from giving every day.
There are some things more important than money and that money cannot buy; one of them is joy.

Children

We were in the states during April for our youngest daughter, Sarah's, graduation from Evangel University. It was truly a testimony to the faithfulness of God; when she was younger and had health issues we weren't sure she would be able to accomplish a task of this magnitude.
However, she has been living on her own, working and finished school with honors; it is all because of God's love and faithfulness.
We spent time with our first daughter, Jenn, in Iowa where she lives and works. She is the internet manager for a television station. We enjoyed spending time with her in her home; Jenn is an excellent hostess and a very good cook and we had a lot of fun being with her for a few days.
It is an odd experience when you start seeing your children as young adults making their own way in the world. This visit it felt more like I related to Jenn and Sarah as adults; this is sometimes a difficult switch for parents to make. At least, for me it has been difficult although I am making progress. When I returned home I took out the picture albums and walked down memory lane for a little while as I looked at the pictures of them as children.
They may be adults and the way we relate to each other may undergo change as time goes by, but as long as there are picture albums you can go back in time once in awhile when you need it and they can be little children again as you stroll down memory lane. It's OK to go back once in awhile as long as you don't stay there too long.
Be blessed.

Contrasts

We spent the month of April in the US; we were there for our daughter's graduation. While traveling around the eastern half of the country I was struck once again by the huge contrasts between life in the states and life in Tanzania.
Contrasts are part of our life; light and dark, hot and cold, clean and dirty, etc. There are also contrasts just as obvious in the lifestyles that are lived in different parts of the world. There was a particular scenario that brought some of these contrasts very vividly to my attention.
We were visiting family and I was taken on a tour of a new Veterinary Hospital where my niece works as Office Manager. She gave us a tour of the facilities and I was amazed at the sparkling clean surroundings which included new stainless steel equipment, digital ultrasound, separate waiting rooms for canine and feline patients, several surgical rooms and recovery areas, exercise and physical therapy equipment, and boarding rooms complete with video equipment so that the owners could view their pets from anywhere they were traveling. Everything was new, clean and state-of-the art.
As I left the animal hospital, I remembered visiting the small daughter of one of our pastor's in the large government hospital here in Mwanza. The facility is old, run down and less than sparkling clean let alone sterile and it is understaffed. The small room that Shekinah and her mother were in was not much bigger than a bathroom and the one piece of furniture was the small bed that Shekinah was confined to. There was no medical equipment visible in the room except for the pole that held the IV bag; there was no apparatus to help with Shekinah's breathing although she was obviously having difficulty breathing. There was no staff that I saw either inside or outside the room.
Contrast; the hospital's that we Americans have for our animals as compared to the hospitals that many of the Tanzanian people are forced to use.
If I had a choice, I would rather be cared for in the animal hospital I visited in America than in the huge hospital here in Mwanza.
God help us to see the contrasts that should not exist and work to make them non-existent.

Travel

I just checked our blog and realize that I have not blogged in April; we have been traveling and have covered many miles. We left Tanzania on April 2 to fly to the US; we are here for our youngest daughter, Sarah's, graduation from Evangel University.
We spent two days driving across Tanzania and two days flying to reach our destination in the states. In the past two weeks we have been in Missouri, Alabama, North Carolina, Iowa and tomorrow we come full circle back to Missouri.
We have been able to see a lot of family and have visited churches in each of the states that we visited. When I wake up in the mornings I take a minute to remember where I am and who I am staying with on that particular morning.
On Friday, May 1, we will attend Sarah's graduation and celebrate this milestone in her life; she will be starting work on her Master's in a few months. We have also been able to spend some time with our oldest daughter, Jenn, who lives and works in Iowa.
The hardest part of this term in Tanzania has been adjusting to our two daughters remaining in the states to live their lives and pursue their dreams. We are thankful for the days that we have been able to spend with them; I'm making memories with my daughters that I can enjoy in the months ahead when we return to Tanzania.
Enjoy your family whenever and wherever you can; none of us have a guarantee of tomorrow. Seize the day!

Babies Everywhere

One of the pastoral staff, Pastor Lukilo, had asked Tim to dedicate their baby; we set the date for this past Sunday. We announced the previous Sunday that we would be having a special baby dedication service for the following Sunday if there was anyone who wanted to have a baby/child dedicated.

Tim was scheduled to preach and during the early service he dedicated one baby; the family could not be there for the second/main service. As the second service progressed, we noticed women slipping up to the side platform and we realized that they were adding their baby's name to the growing list of those to be dedicated that morning.

When the time came during the service for the baby dedications, the list of baby names was read and the names were called out one by one. Mothers with newborn babies as well as mothers with school aged children began to fill the entire platform area. By the time the last name was called we had over 30 babies/children to be dedicated.

All the pastoral staff as well as the church elders were needed to move among the group and individually pray for each child and parent. There was one father on the platform with his two children; besides Pastor Lukilo he was the only man that came forward. It spoke loudly of the fact that many women attend church without the support of their husbands.

However, it was a wonderful time; it had obviously been a very long time since there had been a baby dedication at the church. I suggested that we try to have them a little more frequently so that we would not have to do "mass dedications" in the future.

It was a special day for these mothers and children. For a few minutes, these women and children had "center stage" in a traditionally male dominated society where women and children are so often taken for granted. We all relished the moment and took our time; allowing this time to be savored and stored in the hearts and minds of these mothers and children creating special memories for the future.

Commissioning Service

During the recent visit of our national leadership at our Bible college here in Mwanza; all of the new leadership for our Bible college were commissioned.

It was a great day for the college; they had never had a visit from the national leaders and the leaders of the Education Department specifically for the benefit of the college. Our national leadership spent the day at the college and were given a tour of our campus. They were able to see for themselves the many needs that the school has; they promised to help us take care of some of the more pressing needs as soon as possible.

After a lengthy chapel with our student body and faculty, they had lunch with the students and insisted that they not receive any special treatment. They waited in line with the students, ate the same food as the students (ugali which is a stiff porridge and fish) and sat with them. They ate with their hands just like the students; refusing the offer of spoons. Many Tanzanians eat with their hands and don't use eating utensils and so the leadership ate their food in the same way.

The faculty and student body were in awe of this type of interaction with leadership; the custom here in Tanzania is that leadership is held in very high esteem and considered to be on a level above the average person. This goes back to the tribal customs; the chiefs of the tribes were treated as royalty and had almost a "god-like" status.

Our new leadership is not only teaching the "servant-leader" model of leadership, but they are living it as well.

At the end of the day's activities they had a meeting with the faculty and allowed them to ask questions and express concerns as equals; the faculty were amazed that they would do this.

During the afternoon session, the new Board for the college was introduced; the Board is made up of the bishops from the six districts on our side of the country and Tim who is the acting principal. They were commissioned as a group and the leadership and congregation prayed for them.

I have included a picture of Tim as part of the group being commissioned and also a view of the student body and faculty during the chapel service.

It was a great day for the college and the students and faculty were encouraged.