Saturday is Tengeru’s market day, and you could begin to sense the chaos when entering the village. People from miles around come to buy and sell almost anything--animals, produce, clothes, spices, etc.
Vendors bring their wares and display them across the ground on blankets or mats.
This week, we decided to go to visit a few friends. We were interested in seeing the bridge on the road to Tengeru. TheseIn March 2009, the Lord directed us to pray at this bridge, declaring the Word of the Lord over this place. The mysterious accidents stopped. When we returned in 2010, we witnessed the change in the condition of the bridge. The guardrail had remained in place for so long, rust was actually forming! However, you know how we humans can be. . .upon our return this year, we wanted to see it again with our own eyes, to know for sure that this prayer really worked.
I am thrilled to bear witness: the bridge is in fine condition! As we passed over it, the passengers in our car broke into praise to the God who overcomes. We were delighted to notice that there are still rusty places, showing there has been no need to do further bridge repair! God is good!
I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO:
- witnessing what God is doing, even in the remote Tanzanian bush
- Stoney Tangawizi (East African ginger soda, my favorite!)
- having a schedule with more time built in for the Word and prayer
- Tanzanian plants and animals (especially the elephants and giraffe), as well as beautiful African sunsets.
I AM NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO:
- weekly shopping trips (or worse yet: shopping every other day, if we have no electricity for refrigeration)
- tension and pressure of a tight writing schedule
- foreign language communication when I feel like I have forgotten my Swahili (Bob and Susan are trying to convince me that it will come back to me quickly. I hope so.)
WHAT IS GOD TEACHING ME RIGHT NOW IN LIFE?
- trust, which I will readily admit I have some trouble with.
- to find a place of rest with Him, despite the busy-ness and demands of life and ministry.
- appreciation for the important things in life.
- to take care of myself and my body because He has plans for me and my future.
BOB IS LOOKING FORWARD TO:
- talking to the pastors
- experiencing God’s faithfulness (God is doing something, and it’s kind of an adventure to be a part of it.)
BOB IS NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO:
- testing out the generator (haha)
- being away from Val for this time
- a lack of spinach and broccoli.
WHAT IS GOD TEACHING BOB RIGHT NOW IN LIFE?
- overcoming obstacles (faith lessons)
- diligence in the details of life and ministry
- new opportunities--things she has never seen before.
- seeing life in the eyes and hearts of the pastors to whom we minister.
- stories of transformation.
- personal growth. (she reports that every time she's been here, God has taken her where she has never been. She has been challenged in new ways, but in so doing, has experienced His grace and presence as she never had before.
SUSAN IS NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO:
- little or no electricity
- the constant presence of talcum-like dust
WHAT IS GOD TEACHING SUSAN RIGHT NOW IN LIFE?
- to live in the moment and to recognize His hand (said with tears)
- Big life changes aren't as scary as she used to think it would be. He provides joy for the journey, and she is learning to trust Him.
- growth in discernment
If we were to boil down all of our focus for the next 3 months of ministry, the one descriptive word would have to be FRUITFULNESS. We will be getting testimony from the pastors we have trained about their fruitfulness when they took the training back to their homes and villages and began to apply what they learned. We will be receiving reports of the new conferences that were given by Bayo when we were in the States over the last 9 months, and we will be equipping him even further as an indigenous training leader.
And we will be training the Pastors and Church Leaders in Fruitfulness. When we speak to them of the agricultural parables and principles of the Bible, we will be talking to them “on their turf”, for they are an agricultural society. By relating to life as they know it, we hope to see an increase of the fruitfulness of their personal lives, their ministries, and even their crops.
We headed out of Detroit this past Thursday for the intensely long travel to East Africa.
We arrived in Nairobi Saturday morning, and moved amazingly fast through immigration and customs. We gathered our luggage, and flagged down a taxi for the ride to the Mennonite Guest House for a few days of recuperation before the next leg of our journey.
What a wonderful way to enjoy our Lord’s day rest! Our favorite respite along our journey is the “Mennonite Guest House,” which is sort of a hotel for missionaries traveling into and out of East Africa. The weather is warm (but not yet hot), the flowers are blooming, and rest is the order of the day.
Susan remembers back to her childhood when she would contemplate how high she would need to swing in order to fly! Our lodging rooms are in the background and you can see why we love the serenity and beauty of this place as we travel in and out of the country.
Monday morning we will board a bus headed to Arusha, Tanzania, where our ministry headquarters is located, and begin the work of cleaning the house up for occupancy.
The Lord reminds us of His goodness in our safe and uneventful travel, and that He goes before us, preparing the way. We wonder how many times on this ministry tour will we have the opportunity to confirm the promise of the Lord that because He has called us, He will also empower us to do all that He has planned for us to do by His Spirit that dwells in us.
Activation International Ministries has been blessed with a number of ministry partners, some who have been faithful prayer and financial supporters for a number of years and some new friends and fellow-laborers. As together we respond to God’s call in bringing this equipping ministry to church leaders all over the world, it can be likened to many hands holding on to a rope and pulling together to bring the “work of the Lord” into view. Yes, it is a partnership! God has indeed called each one of us, and together as we each “lay our hands to the rope.” He has called us to this work. . .so that together, by His might we may see His Kingdom come and His will done on the earth!
We want you, our fellow-laborers and ministry partners, to know that you are truly appreciated! The AIM teaching team wouldn't be in East Africa, nor could we be "fruitful" in this work, if it were not for your own faithfulness to the Lord through your giving and your prayers. Not all of us are called to physically GO and have a personal, direct hand in the work of this ministry; however, you also partake in the reward of the Lord because of your willingness and faithfulness,...and we will all rejoice together (John 4:36) for the privilege and joy when God draws back the curtain of heaven and reveals the "hundredfold" impact on lives all around the world.