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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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!
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).
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.
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.
