Brothers & Sisters around the world

At the end of the conference, Becky had the privilege of addressing the Unity Committee of the Dareda Valley Region. She explained to them that there have been people on the other side of the world who have been praying for them, not just during this conference, but also for several months in preparation for this conference. The entire group was very surprised and touched that brothers and sisters in Christ would love them and commit to praying for them.

Becky then presented the Chairman of the Unity Committee with a “zawadi” (Swahili for “gift”) from the Sunday Night Prayer and Bible Study Group of Ionia, Michigan. As he unfurled the banner, the crowd and other committee members clapped and praised the Lord. They came to understand that the passage written on the banner was John 3:16. And though it was not in their “mother tongue” language, they seemed quite happy and satisfied to have that very familiar passage in OUR language.

They felt very loved and cared for, and they agreed that this banner should accompany the Unity Committee at all future AIM conferences, both as a reminder of the love and care of their “distant brothers and sisters” but also as a reminder of the love of the Father Who sent His Son for our salvation. Praise God!

Becky's impressions

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place.” (2 Chronicles 7:14-15)

Becky’s impressions: “When God's people earnestly seek Him - the Spirit of God fills the room. What you can't see in the picture of this room is the 90+ pastors crying out to God, seeking God for forgiveness and restoration. . . . Those pastors touched God's heart that day, and I am waiting with excitement and anticipation to hear what happens next in that area. God is up to something good!”

How honored Becky felt to be able to share and pray with God's people. She sat ouside during one of the break times, praying with a woman who suffers from an ailment that causes her temporary blindness from time to time. The episodes have been getting stronger and more frequent; however, they do not stop her from sharing the love of God with those around her. As she shared her story, Becky’s heart tore in half. This woman’s pastor also talked with Bob about her circumstances, and together they were able to pray safety and healing into her life.

As we left the conference, the woman (named “Alyca”) asked us to continue to keep her in our prayers. Please join us in prayer for this wonderful evangelist from the city of Mbulu. God has plans for her, and she is willing.

Val has been one of our strong intercessors before and during the conferences. At times, the speakers could even see her walking around the church or pausing to pray outside in the shade of an acacia tree. AIM was, in fact, blessed to have the team of 3 intercessors for the second conference in Katesh.

Having heard for hours about God’s covenant love and faithfulness toward them, these pastors and leaders had tears streaming down their faces during prayer times. The beauty of this fervent prayer must touch God’s heart. It most certainly touched ours.

Val had the wonderful privilege of addressing the pastors as well, and with the help of our translator Bayo, she demonstrated how close and personal God desires for us to be in relationship with his people.

*Special note: The pastor pictured in the bottom left of this picture (in the thinking position, barely visible) is the leader of the church in which we spoke. This is particularly notable because he is a member of the Barabaig tribe, a tribe who as of yet are awaiting a translation of the Bible into their language. They currently have only the gospel of Mark in their native tongue. Please pray!

Praise and Worship. . .Tanzanian style

One of our participants in the Katesh conference was this lovely and vibrant woman, Mary, a teacher in the Catholic church. Gifted by the Holy Spirit as a teacher, she was so excited about learning about the Covenant that she faithfully attended every session, studiously taking notes and following along in the training material and in her Bible, even repeatedly volunteering to stand and read a passage to the group. (This is a bit of a contrast to many of the pastors with limited education)

We encouraged her to come forward and lead the praise and worship time near the close of the conference. With a little coaxing, she shyly came forward to comply with our request, but that shyness diminished quickly with the songs of praise, and was finally flung aside with abandon in the worship as the pastors enthusiastically proclaimed the greatness of our Covenant God! There is no lack of passion when these Tanzanian ministry leaders sing and praise!

The AIM team is always blessed in our times of singing with them because they are a people with real depth of heart. They sing, harmonize, sing in rounds, raise their hands, clap, sway, dance and sometimes stomp their feet. African praise time can be an aerobic experience! Mary was not just vibrant in the music time; she also left us with the passionate promise that she was going to begin teaching the materials in her church at her first opportunity. . .only 3 days away!

Teaching and a Special Gift

The rural pastors listened intently to Bob’s insights regarding God’s covenant promises, a teaching insufficiently taught in the US and in East Africa. Several commented that this teaching series was of such value for understanding the foundation of our faith!

It was exciting to watch the translators being impacted by the Word even as they were translating. At times, they had to make difficult choices between wanting to write down what they just heard (so that they could retain it in full) OR actually translating the words as they heard them. We encouraged Polycarp to just translate in full, and then made sure he had the complete notes when the conference was over.

We want to give a special note of thanks to Polycarp for assisting us with translation for this conference. as well as to Steve McFarland (Key Connection Ministries - Arusha, Tanzania) for "lending" us his great employee for 3 days. Polycarp was a huge asset to us. We couldn't have done it all without him.

In addition to the valuable teachings, this pastor (and the many others in attendance) received a special gift: a copy of the recently released Ki-Swahili version of An International Minister’s Manual, by Jim and Carolyn Murphy, which you can see next to his Bible and training material. The late Jim Murphy had begun the translation process of this book over five years ago. Now, having been translated, formed, and shaped by many hands, including our own, it is finally being distributed by our ministry for the first time! We have had a significant work investment in this book, and we are delighted that this important volume is now available in the Tanzanian pastors’ native language. Hundredfold provided this book as a free gift to these servants of God, and they were thrilled!

Feel free to read a chapter online at http://www.hundredfold.org/MinMan/mmtoc.htm

Lunch time!

Lunch and sodas for 100+ conference attendees arrives in a over-sized wheelbarrow that the locals call “kokoteni” carts. We joined the pastors for each of the 4 days of lunches, eating the very Traditional Tanzanian meal of rice, beans, and mchicha (greens).

We are thankful that it is a meal we all enjoy. . .because we ate this same meal for 4 lunches and 4 dinners while we were in Katesh. Food is food in Tanzania and variety is not a necessity on the menu. Upon leaving Katesh, we all decided to leave rice and beans out of our diet for perhaps at least a week.

Mmmm. Looks good, huh?

Karen's impressions

AIM was so privileged to welcome Karen to join us for 3 weeks. Her gifts as a teacher and an intercessor proved to be quite valuable. Both the AIM team and the pastors benefitted from her presence and involvement.

“As we [Karen and Val] led the pastors into a time of repentance, their close attention and openness, and their unity as a group in prayer were striking. God was molding the Body of Christ! I found it humbling to see His hand at work in so much power and beauty.” --Karen

The African women pastors in Katesh listened intently and prayed deeply. One "Mama Mchungaji" (Mama Pastor), who is pictured here in the back, was so excited about the teachings. She assured us she would begin to share the new teaching “right away this Sunday" - two days away. Her enthusiasm was contagious.

Sugar cane harvest time

October also sees the harvesting of sugar cane. Truckloads of stalks are being loaded to leave the area, but not all the cane departs on trucks.

Not sure what this man is going to do with his few canes. We have heard that some locals even make alcohol from fermenting cane.

Covenant with God teachings

We had a great conference in Katesh. Most of the attending pastors were new to our ministry, since this location moved a bit beyond the edge of the Dareda valley and expanded the territory a bit. You can see the eagerness in their eyes as they received the teaching and came to understand the concepts of Covenant with God.

They were so responsive! As they received a “new” perspective on the “old” story of David and Goliath, their enthusiasm was obvious. It has truly been a blessing to see them so hungry for this teaching and so eager to participate.

We put them to work a little bit, taking notes and filling out some information on their own sheets. While it was a challenge to some (not common in this culture), they worked hard at it. We were even asked to pause a few times, to allow pastors to “catch up,” not necessarily because they were so slow, but because they were writing down everything and didn’t want to miss even one concept! They were very thankful that we were able to provide them with such a thorough material packet, which they intended to take home and teach to their congregations. This was very much an equipping experience, and this conference really hit the mark! We are so thankful to the Holy Spirit for "leading them into all truth" and for helping to drive these truths home for all of us--teachers and "students" alike.

Susan really enjoyed working with our friend Polycarp. He stepped in to assist Bayo in the translating work and was very well received by this group of pastors. They loved the stories that Susan wove for them. As she shared insights from the Lord, at times Polycarp would exclaim “AHH!” (momentarily forgetting that he was supposed to be translating, and getting enveloped in the gripping teachings). He would pause slightly, quickly writing down his own notes before making the translations of what she had just said. He, too, was hanging on every word and eager to soak it all in. What wonderful gifts God gave us in Bayo and Polycarp. They each have influence among many pastors, and their passion for God and for the people of God are such an encouragement to all of us.

Dry season

The soil in this part of East Africa is surprisingly fertile, and as part of the preparations for the coming rains, many of the fields have been tilled (by hand or by ox and plough) and now await the soaking moisture.

This dry time is, however, not void of beautiful scenes. Lacy purple jacaranda trees dot the hillside, but will be gone soon after the rains begin.

The largest team that AIM has ever had!

Bob and Val (second row, far right; and first row, second from right) and I (front, far left) have been “staples” of the ministry since its beginning in 2008.

Susan (pictured in the front row, far right) has been a member of AIM’s Board of Directors since its incorporation in 2008; however, she was added to the traveling ministry team for one of the conferences in 2009, and gladly returned this year for all of the conferences.

Karen (front row, second from the left) joined us for the first time this year. Though she has been praying for us, it was time for her to come and see for herself what God is doing in East Africa.

Becky (second row, far left) is a member of AIM’s Board of Directors and has been a vital leader of our intercessory prayer team. She joined us “on the field” for the first time this year, as well.

Bayo (back row, middle) has been a faithful translator and member of our team since our initial visit to the Dareda Valley in 2007. He has accompanied us, translated written materials for us, and helped AIM as a translator and teacher during each of the conferences.

The church that hosted this month’s conference in Katesh was of the FPCT denomination (Free Pentecostal Church of Tanzania). The unfinished building was just a concrete shell. We had everything we needed. The pastor was welcoming toward his many guests from other denominations. The atmosphere was beautiful in the Holy Spirit.

Preparing for the coming rains

October finds the Dareda Valley preparing for the short rains.

Though the rains have not officially begun, the green hue over the valley attests to the sprinkles over the valley and over the grazing fields. We even spotted a few children playing while the flocks in their care grazed. We then watched them run to the stream with their brightly-colored buckets.

Glorious sunrises over the Indian Ocean

The eastern sun rises over this nearly silent seascape. Short waves break at the top of the water line. This entire stretch of visible Indian Ocean is a natural aquarium merely a few feet deep as far as the eye can see. Within hours, the tide recedes, the ancient-looking dhow boat lies on its side, and the seabed becomes walkable. For this waking moment, all is right, peaceful, and calm.

The entire AIM team was thankful to absorb this early morning gift.

Reef walking, too!

Early one morning a few of us hired a guide and walked the ¼ mile out to the reef. What amazing wonders of God’s creation!!! Our guide, Josef, did a great job teaching us about the creatures we found there. . .like this sea anemone he called a fire anemone. (Because if you step on it and the quills break through the skin, you will feel like you are on fire or, as Josef says, “You will dance with no music!”) This picture barely does justice to the bright red color and neon blue dots that outlined the star shape and certain quills.

It was a surprise to us that as we saw the tide begin to change, we realized we had been out on the reef for over 3 hours! My, how time flies! So we had to quickly make our way back to the beach before the waters got deep again. Our appreciation of God's creation expanded from this experience; He displays His care and love for us in every simple detail that He shows us in our world. How wondrous is our God!

We enjoyed a self-catering suite at the Royal Reserve in Mombasa. We bought groceries at a local grocery store and worked as a team to prepare meals. However, one of the evenings we decided to indulge in a seafood dinner at the hotel’s restaurant. Each of us ordered a different entree and then shared the fabulous flavors around the table.

AIM retreat in Mombasa

Our scheduled AIM retreat on the Kenyan coast was absolutely wonderful. In addition to spending quality time with God and with each other, we particularly enjoyed our early mornings on the beach: walking, beach-combing, talking, praying.

We came home with several boxes full of shells and memories.

Bob even enjoyed talking to a few of the hawkers, selling their goods--

shells, seafood, jewelry made of shells, sea sponges,

even camel rides and dhow (small boat) excursions!

By the weekend, however, we had a reputation with all the hawkers on the beach:

"Those strange American people who understand when we are talking about them in Swahili

. . .and who don't buy anything."

Lentils (. . .we think)

In our travels we also discovered what we believe to be fields full of red-dusted lentil plants. (Bayo wasn’t sure what the name of this plant is in English; so we are, as of yet, unsure.)

Bayo did explain, however, that people dry these pods. Then they extract the mini bean-like seeds, grind them into a type of flour, and make cakes and things. Apparently, Indian people are mostly interested in buying this very expensive cash crop, and will come from as far away as Nairobi, Kenya to purchase truckloads of them.

We praise God for bringing new crops and new ideas into this region. This crop is ready to be harvested now, at this time of year. Then, as people prepare the soil for the rains that will come in a month or two, beans and maize will be planted for harvest in April.

Pray for the Dareda Valley

As we exited the valley on the way back to Arusha, everywhere we looked, we could see people preparing for the planting season. Please continue to pray for the coming rains!

Heading back home

On our way home we saw a familiar sight: not just a man with a heavy load, but a pastor who is returning to his village, having purchased food (probably maize or beans) to take back to his home. With his Bible tied down on the front of his bicycle and the heavy bags tied to the seat, he must now push his “vehicle” with its heavy load all the way home.

Another common sight on these back roads is broken-down buses or trucks that are parked (or rather, stuck) in the middle of the road. In this case, the bus broken down on the road is the bus on which Bayo was traveling with much of our conference gear! Unfortunately, with the next two buses filled to capacity, he was forced to stay for a day and a half before he could get another bus and get home to his family.

We thank God for such a dedicated ministry partner and friend, who went through quite the hassle.

We have developed good relationships with many of these pastors, and can call many of them by name. It is great to renew our connections and to hear how God has been touching their lives and opening doors for ministry since we last saw each other.

(Hey Bruce! I thought you may enjoy seeing another fellow Gideon! Pastor Marko has been distributing many New Testaments in Swahili throughout the secular high school system here in Dareda Valley.)

As the sun sets in the valley on the last day of conference, many pastors are already on their way home. Again, we can attest that God is at work here among the Iraqw people and their churches.

Though there were some delays and surprises at this conference, we are delighted to have had this opportunity to present new and deeper training for these ministry leaders in this region of Tanzania. Preparations are underway for our second conference on October 12-15 in Katesh.

Prayer time

As we have seen in the past, these pastors understand prayer to be a vitally important exercise. They fully expect to connect with God through prayer, petition and repentance, ...and in this environment it is very easy for us to join right in. There is no language barrier in the Spirit!

Tanzanian hospitality

We were blessed to stay in a brick and cement building, Bayo’s former home, built by Americans during a mission trip years ago. While we did not have modern conveniences, we were well fed, offered warm water for bathing daily, and slept on foam beds (as opposed to the floor only).

Their hospitality did not stop there! In addition to their warm welcome, I also had the privilege of having this little helper who wanted to assist me by carrying my briefcase to the house!

Movie watchers

You know, a child can always find a warm heart and welcoming arms when Val is around. Upon arriving in Sabilo, Hannah and Val made an immediate connection. Val’s lap became a perfect spot from which to watch the evening “cinema.”

Hannah was particularly attracted to Val’s hair. Whenever she was perched comfortably on Val’s lap, she would reach out to touch and admire. Sabilo doesn’t host too many “wazungu” (white-skinned people), so we’re not sure that Hannah had ever seen or touched hair like Val’s.

Two evenings in a row, we showed a movie in Swahili for the villagers at dark. The first night, however, we presented a short children’s movie before the “main attraction” (two different versions of the “Jesus” movie). This is quite an event in a village with such limited resources and utilities. Everyone in the village was invited, and word of mouth traveled quite quickly. Villagers will walk for miles, then stand in the dark for several hours to watch the productions.

Movie nights

The dark African nights provided the perfect setting for an outdoor showing of the Jesus movie. Hundreds watched. One pastor was so excited that he spontaneously jumped up during the movie exclaiming, “This is so true!” in the local tribal dialect.

Because there is no electricity anywhere near this village, movies are very rare. Our car’s battery and some low-power technology helped it all to happen—projector, speakers, DVD player,. . . and of course, the white sheet on the side of the building.