The Langley Clan's Blog

January 2010 Missions Update

2010-01-01T00:01:00.002+03:00

Here's the link to our January 2010 Missions Update. As usual, it's a PDF file you can download and read at your leisure. Enjoy!

Christmastime 2009

2009-12-28T14:37:00.023+03:00

For about the past eight years, every year during the Christmas season we have tried new ideas and sought to establish various family traditions. We have done many different and interesting things: from the traditional modern American Christmas celebration with decorated tree, gifts galore, and big meals with family and friends, to no tree and limited gifts, to gifts on Christmas Eve and serving at a local shelter on Christmas Day, to no gifts until New Years Eve (taking the focus off of gifts on the 25th and giving us a chance to buy some gifts at killer post-25th prices!), and just about everything in between. This year we did things even more differently, and the consensus thus far is that we all like it... a lot.

Starting four Sundays before the 25th, we began nightly family devotions related to what is traditionally called "Advent". The devotions are themed each week with a corresponding candle representing each theme. The first week was about the prophecies of the promised Messiah. Each night we read one of the hundreds of prophecies written by the various Prophets of Israel foretelling the coming of Messiah. The second week's theme was that of the preparation for the coming of Messiah as a baby in Bethlehem. I guess, by default, His incarnation was part of this theme, and we nightly read verses together and discussed further prophecies relating to His birth and incarnation, as well as some of the historical passages in the Gospel accounts of the actual birth. The third week's theme was that of joy: the joyful proclamation of the Good News of the promised Messiah's birth in Bethlehem by the Angels to the Shepherds and by the Shepherds to the people of the surrounding villages. We talked about ourselves and our own joy in proclaiming the Good News that Christ did, indeed, come as promised and that He will come again. The theme of the final week was the truth of His second coming. While the leaders and people of Israel were awaiting the coming of Messiah 2000 years ago, and He did come in fulfillment of that prophetic expectation, we now await His coming again to establish His Kingdom on Earth. While we celebrate His first coming the 25th day of each December, we also look forward to His second coming with the same expectation as Israel had before His first. This is the complete joy and truth of Christmas: that Christ did come as promised in Scripture - in meekness and humility to seek and save that which is lost and to die as a ransom for sinners - and that He will come again to establish His Kingdom on Earth, a right which He secured by His sacrificial death and substantiative resurrection from the dead.

During the course of the season were we blessed to do several family activities together, tying in some of our American cultural traditions with our newly developing family traditions and even some East African themes. We found a handful of locally crafted decorations which could be hung on a tree (which we didn't have nor did we think we would have one but thought we would save them for next year).

I was able to locate a "tree" for us a few days before the 25th. I put the "tree" in quotes because it's really just the top three feet of some poor tree from the forest surrounding Nairobi that now stands headless and sad. I'm not even sure what kind of tree it is/was, but it's appearance is a little bit similar to the Noble Fir (though still quite different). We then decorated it with the local ornaments we got the week before (along with one that Keenan made out of some plastic trash that looked similar to an angel).Our friend and roommate Natasha, a missionary to Kenya from Russia.

The "tree" after the first round of decorations.

After decorating the "tree" with the local made decorations, we bought some paper, glue and glitter and spent a day making our own decorations, including an Angel tree topper that I made from used toilet paper rolls.
The next day we got a peice of red and green Maasai cloth (what the Maasai wear for clothing) and wrapped the pot and bottom of the "tree" with it. All in all in turned out to be a really teriffic "East African Christmas Tree" if there is such a thing.
We also made sugar cookies together as a family and decorated them with two other families.

Christmas day we slept in, did devotions, spent some family time together having fun and eating, and then finished off the day with a big meal with our friends followed by family devotions and bed. The meal was Mexican themed and was delicious (a great touch of "home" for those of us from Southern California, which was all but two of those in attendance).The Meal

Some Music (Me on a mini djambe, Arie, Dave on guitar, Nasiema, Natasha on guitar)

Helping Caleb with his rhythm

Natasha, Jada, Keenan, and Clay

Twinkle and Sophia

Arie reads a story to us

Listening to Arie's jokes during the story

Kevan laughing at Arie's funnies

Dave and Bianca

After dinner we ate the aforementioned sugar cookies for dessert and then each of the kids recited a memorized Bible verse pertaining to the coming of Messiah. Kevan went first, reciting Jeremiah 23:5-6.

Keenan went next, reciting Isaiah 9:6.

Caleb was the last of our kids to go. He recited Isaiah 7:14.

Now you may be tempted to think something like, "Oh those poor missionaries can't even give their children gifts for Christmas." Don't! God is our source and provider and He has always and will always take care of us. We don't have money to poor down the drain in overindulgent spoiling of our kids or ourselves, but we are going to do gifts this year... well not actually this year. In order to keep the focus on Christ and avoid the temptation for materialism and selfishness on a day dedicated to remembering our Saviour, we've decided to go with an ancient tradition practised in many other cultures in Europe and Asia and exchange gifts on January 6th (or it's eve). This is a traditional date held by many as the day on which the wise men gave their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to Jesus. Since gifts were never really supposed to be the focus of the Christ Mass, and yet He did receive gifts from the wise men, we're using this as our 'loop hole' to enjoy the pleasures of gift giving and receiving. Additionally, we will be blessed to receive one tremendously special gift this coming year on January 8th: a visit from my parents! And knowing them, the kids will certainly not go without gifts.

So there's a not-so-brief summary of our Christmas season thus far. I hope you're still awake after all of that, and pray that you had a wonderful Christmas as well.

Apologies and Recent Updates

2009-12-27T17:34:00.002+03:00

First let me just say, "MERRY CHRISTMAS!" We hope you had a wonderful day celebrating the birth of our "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).

I'm so sorry that I haven't kept up with posting our monthly updates here on the blog the last couple of months, or that I haven't written anything at all on the blog for that matter. So here are the links to the November and December missions updates to get us started. Thanks for your understanding.

Click here for the November 2009 Update (this is a link to a PDF file).

Click here for the December 2009 Update (this is a link to a PDF file).

October 2009 Newsletter

2009-10-15T11:41:00.006+03:00

Here is the link to the complete October 2009 Newsletter in PDF format. Please forgive me for getting this done so late.

Link to the complete September 2009 Update

2009-08-31T23:30:00.004+03:00

My apologies. The link in the previous five posts to the complete September 2009 Update in PDF format was originally incorrect. If you originally clicked on the wrong one, please excuse the error and click here instead. Thanks!

Habari za Nyumbani

2009-08-31T22:42:00.004+03:00

This story is from our September 2009 Update. You can download the complete color mini-mag in PDF format here. If you would like one mailed directly to you, including all of the articles like this one, please contact Far Reaching Ministries in the United States at (951) 677-4474.

The whole family has been struggling with coughs, congestion, and runny noses for over a month now. I think we are officially on round two. Please pray for strength and patience through these times, and ultimately for complete healing for the whole family.

Jasmine is now crawling and even beginning to pull herself up using chairs and tables. We’re having to remember to keep things off of the floor and out of her reach! She’s got more teeth than I can keep count of and she’s a little bundle of mischief. She loves to bite and pinch - behaviors which we are attempting to correct - and even though it hurts, it’s still so cute! Please pray for her safety as she learns to crawl and stand and walk on the hard and often dirty floors we have out here.
We were so thankful to receive an infusion of new clothes for the kids from my mom. Our visiting friends were kind enough to lug them over here for us. In addition, they took the kids to town to pick out a few toys from the used toy “store”. Thanks Bond and Heather!

We want to thank all of our friends and loved ones who donated items for the Gaonas to bring to us. A special thanks to the Hardy family and to the Body of Christ at The Chapel in La Mesa for their steadfast prayer and many gifts. We can’t thank you all enough and know that God will reward you richly for your love and kindness.

Bible Study & Church Plant in Kigoma Town

2009-08-31T22:36:00.004+03:00

This story is from our September 2009 Update. You can download the complete color mini-mag in PDF format here. If you would like one mailed directly to you, including all of the articles like this one, please contact Far Reaching Ministries in the United States at (951) 677-4474.

Jon continues to work with our friend Gabriel, a local Tanzanian and recent graduate of Calvary Chapel Bible College in Murrieta, California. Together they are having a weekly Bible Study at Gabriel’s house on Saturday evenings. The response has been very good, with most seats full each week.
Last month, during the question and answer time after one study, a young man asked a bold question about the passage from Romans 1 which Gabriel had taught. He said, “You read that we should be able to see that God exists by looking at the world around us. I don’t believe that God exists. How am I supposed to see Him when I look around me? Can you prove to me that God exists?”

By God’s grace, Jon was able to share with this young man, Yusufu, about the witness of creation: that everything designed must have a designer. He used simple examples like the pair of sandals Yusufu was wearing and the tree they were standing by. Midway through the conversation the proverbial light bulb went on and suddenly Yusufu understood that everything had a beginning and that beginning was God. Jon continued sharing, moving on to the gospel message, and Yusufu prayed and confessed Christ as His Lord. He received a Bible and was encouraged to continue coming and asking good questions.

Please pray for Yusufu’s continued growth in Christ. Also pray for Gabriel and Jon as they go forward with this Bible Study, seeing what God wants to do, as well as for provision for Bibles to give to new believers.

Teaching & Evangelism in Kaseke Village

2009-08-31T22:30:00.004+03:00

This story is from our September 2009 Update. You can download the complete color mini-mag in PDF format here. If you would like one mailed directly to you, including all of the articles like this one, please contact Far Reaching Ministries in the United States at (951) 677-4474.

In August we were blessed with a visit from two dear friends from the States, Bond and Heather Gaona. It was so nice to see them both on a personal level, but also to be reunited for the purpose of ministry.

One of the ministry opportunities that they were able to experience while here was a visit to the nearby village of Kaseke, where I had arranged for two days of teaching and edifying the local believers and one night of town-wide evangelism.

We arrived early in the morning and got right to work. Bond and Jon kicked things off with the help of our friend and translator, Gabriel. Bond taught all of the local pastors and church leaders from twelve different churches, allowing plenty of time for questions and answers, which they truly enjoy. After the morning session, we served lunch to all of the men - about sixty - as well as all of the women coming for the afternoon women’s session - about one hundred and twenty - for a total of one hundred and eighty brothers and sisters in Christ! Needless to say, lunch took a while.

Unfortunately Gabriel became quite ill with malaria so Jon had to drive him back to Kigoma for treatment and find another translator for the evening evangelism. God was gracious and blessed us with the help of a young man named Francis who serves at another local ministry. Jon picked him up and brought him back to Kaseke.

That night we showed “The Jesus Film” in Swahili to about six hundred people. We thank God that we were able to borrow the speakers, screen, mics, etc. to be able to do this outreach (we’re praying for our own equipment). He always provides. At the end of the film Francis did a short gospel presentation and many responded to Christ.

We continued teaching the next day, with Heather and Carrie teaching the ladies in the afternoon. They were so excited to receive these visiting teachers, and, like the men, their main request was for Bibles. We plan to answer that request. Please pray that God would provide for the much needed Bibles.

Buhungu Village:  Reaching the Unreached

2009-08-31T22:25:00.004+03:00

Unreached

In July I was able to visit an unreached village for the first time: the village of Buhungu. In August I was able to return with some help.

The term “unreached” gets thrown around quite a bit, so let me clarify. While Buhungu is not a village which has never seen visitors before, it has never received any missionaries or evangelists nor had the good news of Jesus Christ proclaimed in it. There are no churches in the village, and no active christian men or women living within the village. In fact, when a young local missionary first came across the village the month before my first visit, the elders of the village said that they had never personally met a white man before.

On my first visit to Buhungu in mid July, I was received warmly by the people and their leaders, and to my amazement, was welcomed back to not only bring medical help, but the good news of Jesus Christ.

The Return
When I returned in early August, I was blessed to be accompanied by Dr. Len Ramsey (our local missionary doctor and helicopter pilot), as well as two dear friends from the States, Bond and Heather Gaona, who had come to minister alongside us for a few days.

I was on the first shuttle to Buhungu, arriving at 8:15 in the morning along with my good friend and interpreter, Gabriel, and a local nurse that works with Dr. Len, Adoneth. Dr. Len then returned for the Gaonas and a visiting friend of his own. Adoneth began setting up the medial clinic in an old, falling down mud and grass hut that served as the village school until the teacher left and never returned.

While waiting for the helicopter to return with my friends, Gabriel and I greeted the people who had come out to see us, and I showed him around the village. I noticed that there were many
more people than I expected to see, and that they were dressed a bit differently and that most were coming from the river to the east. Gabriel inquired of one of them and we found out that many people were coming from the far-off settlement of Mishamo, in the neighboring Rukwa region. While this would create a bit of a logistical issue for the doctor and his crew, it meant more people for us to share the gospel with!

By the time that Dr. Len returned with the rest of the group it was about 10:30 AM and everyone in the village was up and out of their houses. They were waiting, along with about 150 visitors from other villages, near the make-shift clinic and landing site, when the helicopter finally touched down. I greeted those disembarking the aircraft, and as we turned towards the village we found ourselves being warmly welcomed with smiles and cheers and even a small choir of men and women singing, “We pray for your blessing.”
As Bond and I assisted Dr. Len with unloading and securing the helicopter, the choir continued to sing different songs to Heather, jumping and clapping and singing with excitement. They both enjoyed the special greeting very much. When we finished with the helicopter we walked up to the crowd to return the greeting. A short moment later, Bond asked me if he could go ahead and do the first gospel presentation right then, as there were about two hundred people all gathered together already. I said, “Sure. Go for it.” Then, through Gabriel’s translation, the gospel was presented to the crowd and many prayed and asked Jesus to be their Lord. It was a good start to the day.

Spiritual & Physical Medicine
The rest of the day was filled with one-on-one and small group evangelism as we went from one family dwelling area to the other. Heather was also blessed to assist Dr. Len with the medical
outreach going on. He gave her a very quick tutorial on taking blood pressure and then left her alone to triage the hundreds of people waiting to see the doctor. I know the pressure was tremendous, but the Lord showed His strength in her and enabled her to do a great job, freeing up one of Dr. Len’s team members for other much needed work.
By the end of the day we had evangelized everybody there, either en masse, in small groups, or individually. We bought a couple of goats, several chickens, and many kilos of rice, so that
everyone in the village, including the many visitors from other villages, could have a very nice meal together. And to top it all off, Dr. Len was able to see nearly one hundred patients and assist them with their medical issues, ranging from the simple to the chronic, to the very serious.

Our makeshift medical clinic

Throughout the day, and especially just before our departure, we were repeatedly asked for two things. For those seeking further spiritual help, we were asked, no, begged for Bibles. For those seeking further medical help, we were asked for a quick return.

Next Steps
I know Dr. Len is willing to return for another medical visit some time in the future. And to say that I am ready to return for further evangelism and discipleship is an enormous understatement. I am extremely eager to get back to Buhungu and disciple those who came to Christ as well as to continue the work of evangelizing the mostly muslim population, but transportation via helicopter is just not cost effective. Please pray for this work that the Lord is doing. Pray for funds for Bibles and for a quad-bike to be able to reach this isolated village with no road access. Pray for those who received Christ as Lord to be strengthened by His Spirit, and for those who have not yet yielded to Christ to do so soon. And lastly, please pray specifically for Saidi, the village leader, who is a severe alcoholic (as is most of the village) and has not yet proclaimed Christ as his Lord, as well as for Moshi, an even higher ranking leader amongst the people who is also a muslim and has not yet confessed Christ as Lord.

Below top: Women and children waiting to be triaged and see the doctor. Below bottom: Young Tanzanian girl resting under the shade of a tree.

Trouble in Congo

2009-08-31T22:20:00.004+03:00

The men and women leaders of  Eglise Calvaire de l’est du Congo. (Pastor Sepa is at top left)

The Backstory

I’m honestly not sure if all of the pages of the 22-volume 1954 Encyclopedia Britannica (the one I grew up with) are enough to tell the full story of the troubles in Congo. It all started hundreds of years ago with an unscrupulous Belgian King, followed by European colonization in East Africa, World War II, unscrupulous African leaders, power hungry warlords, tribalism, hate, and greed. Ultimately it started long before that with our common father, Adam, and his decision to willfully rebel against our Father and Creator God. This rebellion gave birth to sin and death, taking shape most commonly as the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life. But getting back to modern times... the short summary is that there are a whole lot of people vying for power, money, natural resources, and pride. They use tribalism, politics, and violence to attain their desired ends, and they all hover around the countries of Rwanda, Burundi, and Eastern Congo. Do a search online on Wikipedia if you are like me and want to know every depressing detail.

Current Troubles
The current troubles involve more Hutu rebels wreaking havoc as they hide from Congolese, Rwandan, and other government forces sent to quell them. Like a cornered animal, they rape and pillage both land and people for food, drink, and natural resources while running from and fighting against their foes.

The most unsettling part is how far south the conflict has now moved. According to my friend in Uvira, the rebels are now entrenched in the mountain villages just outside of Uvira, a city I was just in a few months back, and one that few missionaries will any longer visit. Because of the violence, many villagers are fleeing into the city for refuge.

This latest trouble won’t stop the work the Lord is doing, but only creates additional obstacles. Please pray that the Lord would protect His own and bring many into His kingdom through this tumultuous time. Also pray for the local pastors and church leaders to be used mightily by God to His glory. And lastly, please pray that God would give us wisdom on how we can aide and minister to the people of South Kivu and specifically those in Uvira.

Prayer request for our friend and co-laborer Wes Bentley

2009-08-22T00:31:00.003+03:00

I apologize for getting this out a little late...

On August 18th I received an email from the FRM office in the States that Wes had been admitted to the hospital with a sever case of malaria (Wes is the founder of FRM). On the 19th I received an additional email stating that Wes was doing better and then later, on the 20th, another email that he was back in the ICU and had taken a turn for the worse, and that the doctors weren't sure what else was at play here, other than malaria.

Many of us, and maybe some of you, were praying for him. Earlier today (the 21st) I received another update from the office that he had improved to the point where he was released from the hospital. Whatever was attacking his system, God has shown mercy and Wes is doing better.

Please continue to pray for our friend and co-laborer in Christ, that he would continue to rest and heal and get back to the call God has for him just as soon as God allows.

Thanks!

Witnessing the slow suicide of a once lovely lady

2009-08-18T22:06:00.000+03:00

Before reading the following article, please know and be assured that I have absolutely no political agenda in mind and no personal grudge or ill-will towards anyone, including the President or any other politician. The point, in fact, as you read what has been written, is that the heart of mankind is the real problem, and not which president or political party is in control. All is corrupt apart from the renewing work of Christ and the indwelling work of God’s Holy Spirit. So please read and understand the sum and substance of what is said and don’t let your thoughts get bogged down in the mire of American politics. (Those who know me know that my political ideology is staunchly independent, borrowing from both Libertarian and Constitutionalist, as well as the Ass and the Elephant, with the ultimate goal being a Biblical worldview of politics.)

The actions that the President of the United States of America (democratically elected by the people of said country) has been taking, specifically against the security of Christian principles, makes me sick to the point of sadness. The article linked here is a very good one that explains some of these actions and then focuses on one of the latest promises that the President has made: to rescind the "conscience protection" that doctors currently enjoy (as of April 2009). This protection allows doctors to obey their conscience in regards to refusing to perform any medical procedure that violates their conscience, including an abortion, without fear of legal ramifications. If a doctor does not want to perform such a procedure, they don't have to. And if the patient is so affronted as to become apoplectic and seeks legal redress rather than seeking a different doctor, the doctor is protected by law... at least that's how it's been in the past.

To be sure, this is only one example of many from the current administration, but the symptoms of the problem go back long before the current administration, spanning many Presidential Administrations (of all parties), Supreme Court judges, and Congresses over the past several decades. So please don't construe this as an attack on the President of the United States or the party to which he belongs. The issue that presently breaks my allegiant heart is so much older and larger than one man and/or one political party.

Now I know that as a disciple of Christ and a child of the Most High my true citizenship is in Heaven. I am sure of this to the core of my very being. I also know that people of every tongue, tribe, and nation are equally desired by God to be His chosen ones. Nevertheless, I can't help but ache and weep for my earthly countrymen. I find myself continually in mourning for my nation of birth; for the beacon of light that once stood tall as a symbol of hope and freedom based on the principles of the Scriptures and the good conscience of the men and women who held to them. I feel as if throughout the short course of my life I've been chosen to witness the slow and painful suicide of a once strong, caring and godly lady. I feel as if I know her intimately - from years spent studying and admiring this courageous and honorable heroine -and now my hopeful heart is being torn apart as she, later in life, takes to potation and prostitution and a prolonged death by poisoning.

Others were there at the very beginning, and still others will be there at the very end. But my generation is the one that has been born and raised, and will grow old and die, watching the slow death of a once inimitable nation as the poison of pride, self-reliance, materialism, and self-worship darkens and destroys what began with the brightest of hope. It is the primordial poison of the "I will". Though, at this time, the U.S. dollar still reads, "IN GOD WE TRUST", that God has been relentlessly trampled upon over the last century like the remnant of a foul smelling excrement that a nation is desperate to get off of it's collective shoe. It seems that when someone points out that America is supposed to be a "Christian" nation, America lifts her shoe to show to all that the "stink" is still there. And when another cries that America is no longer a "Christian" nation, once again she lifts her shoe to show to all what she thinks of Christ.

America still trusts in “god”, but her god is no longer Christ, but her self — fashioned in the image of another. The hope of a life of peace and prosperity through reliance upon the power and providence of God — a hope that was born as her twin at birth — has now in the twilight of her life become a demand for a life of peace and prosperity by relying solely on the self-will and self-determination of a perpetually corrupt populace. Why ask nicely from the Almighty when we can take what we want in the name of "freedom"? Why live within the bounds of His best for us when we can determine boundaries of our own liking and do what we think is best?

This is the mind of America today. This was also the mind of another former beacon of light whose very name meant "shining one". He now, with new name, lurks in the shadows of death and despair, and as in a lucid dream he labors and toils to accomplish his will, but only to wake to an inevitable and eternal death. Psalm 135:15-18 tells us that we become like the gods we worship. So if the mind of the nation has become like that of the fallen star, the cherub that once covered the very throne of God, then the "god" in which she puts her trust in made evident. America the beautiful, "How you have fallen".

If you feel the same as me, please remember to pray for revival in the hearts of the people; and that revival should begin with those who are His body - the ekklesia. Thanks.

Hard and Purposeful Things

2009-08-16T10:29:00.000+03:00

“Do hard things.” That's the title of a book sitting on the floor by my bed. It's a book I've never read. And yet the title itself speaks volumes to me.

I've been doing easy things. Some may argue. They'll say, "But you live in Africa! You're a missionary. That's not easy. You do hard things." But that which is hard for us is relative to our experience in hard things and our maturity in faith.

Only those who have lived in a similar way can truly and wholly relate to what I'm about to say, and that is this: it is possible to do what seems so unbelievably hard to so many, and yet fail miserably to do what is truly hard for yourself. I have days when I wish I was back in the U.S. for the sake of spending time with family and enjoying certain conveniences or cultural comforts. But the majority of the time I find that being in Africa (or theoretically any other country apart from my home country) is not a hard thing for me. And yet daily I awake to hard things that I am too frightened to recognize as my hard things. Daily I awake to hard things undone, procrastinated, unrecognized, and purposely ignored.

So much is said and implied about machismo in American media - television, movies, radio, music, magazines, and the like. And yet what is more stereotypically masculine than being a man who more than survives, but rather conquers? What is more "macho" than a man who scales the unscalable, mounts the insurmountable, moves the immovable, lifts the unliftable, or bears the unbearable? Nothing. Movies are made about macho men who go behind enemy lines, rescue their comrades in arms, and return victorious. These men do hard things! My mind quickly thinks of movies like Braveheart, Troy, 300, the Patriot, Gladiator, and others. Television shows are made about men who can lift things so heavy that they seem unliftable. Have you ever watched "The World's Strongest Man" competitions? These men are "real men", accomplishing unimaginable feats of strength. Legends are made about men who do the impossible and conquer the unconquerable. These are, in fact, the defining characteristics of machismo, or masculinity. So if "being a real man" is so important to our culture, why are there so few men who actually do hard things? I don’t mean the relatively purposeless and vein hard things - like exercise or athletics, but meaningfully hard!

What is hard for you or me may be different. In my younger days (though I'm not admitting to being old yet), I began competing in the Scottish Highland Games throughout California. When I first began I had absolutely no technique, but because of my natural size and strength, most things about those competitions came easily to me! But if someone half of my size was able to do the same things as me, I would have to say, "That man is doing hard things." The point is this: "hard things" are those things which are actually hard for each individual. So for me to do what is "hard" by generalization or by appearance does not necessarily make it a "hard thing" for me. Therefore, it's not truly a "hard thing". In fact, it most likely becomes a "pride thing" because I know that most others will think of it as a "hard thing" and be in awe of me for doing it, whilst all along I know it's not that hard!

There is also an element of meaningfulness at play here. In fact, let’s use the recently popularized phrase “purpose”. Why do something hard if there is no meaningful reason or result, no real purpose? If learning to speak Russian is very hard for me and therefore I choose to do this "hard thing", but I have no reason for it other than whimsy, pride, or hobby, then is this "hard thing" really meaningful? If I were doing so in order to give the gospel to a community of Russian-speaking people (within Russia or without), then this "hard thing" becomes a purposeful one. But if I do any "hard thing" just for the sake of it being hard, then I've only tested and strengthened my pride under the guise of "doing hard things".

So what do we see today in our world around us? Do we see men doing "hard things"? Yes, there are definitely some. Of those "hard things" being done, what percentage are actually hard for the one doing them? Of those "hard things" being done, what percentage are actually meaningful and purposeful? The answers to those questions are what concern me because they reveal a statistical truth that I fear may define me.

As said before, there are hard days when I wish I was somewhere else (not in Africa). But then again, of the many years I spent living in the U.S. there were many hard days where I wished I was somewhere else. The issue for me is not being in Africa or any other location, but simply in getting through a hard day. What is hard for me - and here is where my soul is laid bare for all to see and perhaps judge or point or mock - is doing and succeeding in some of the elementary principles of faith and life. For example, making the time to spend each morning in prayer, reading of the Word, and meditation upon it. Making the time to talk to each of my children every day about important things, spiritual things, fun things, boring things, needful things! Making the time to take care of basic husbandly and fatherly responsibilities that bless my family. These things, though they may not be hard for some, are distinctly difficult things for me. These are some of my "hard things".

Now I can focus a lot of energy on so many other tasks in life, even meaningful ones: teaching the Word, preaching, evangelizing, learning a new language for the sake of ministry, etc. But these are not hard things for me. Anyone can do and succeed at what is not hard for them! I can't lie. Though I get a bit stressed out over the responsibility at times, teaching the Word is not hard for me. God has enabled me and is faithful to use me in this area. And just because it is not hard for me does not mean that I should not do it. That's not the point at all. The point is that I (and maybe you, too) need to stop running to that which is easy in order to escape that which is hard. I need to stop sacrificing the important, meaningful, and hard things in my life for the sake of spending more time, money, and energy doing that which I already know that I can succeed in. Though both may have meaning and purpose, and they are both necessary, I cannot do only the meaningful things that are easier for me — and those exponentially — so that I can hope to avoid the hard things. This behavior must stop!

Let’s look at a few examples from Scripture.

Abraham. Here’s a guy who did HARD THINGS. Living in a land of pagan idol worshippers, he and his family among them, he heard the voice of God speak to him and instruct him to leave it all behind. He was told to “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.” (Gen 12:1). “And he went out, not knowing where he was going.” (Heb 11:8). Now that’s a hard thing! I think we all recognize that and look to it as an example for ourselves. But we also see examples of doing one thing (that isn’t truly hard) instead of the meaningful, purposeful thing that is truly hard for us and should be done. Reading on in the twelfth chapter of Genesis, we see one very famous example: Abraham left the land promised to him and his offspring (later specified as his son, Isaac, and grandson, Jacob). There was a famine in the land and so he packed up and went down to Egypt, ignoring the fact that the land he was in was “the land” that God had called him out of Ur to go to by faith and receive. Sure, it was hard to pack up everything and go down to Egypt, but the truly “hard thing” would have been to trust God and remain in the land he had been called to, relying on God for provision. And as we read on further in this story, we see that Abraham decides to tell one convenient truth at the expense of the greater and most important truth. As he heads into Egypt with his beautiful wife, Sarah (who is technically his half-sister), he plots with her to tell the Pharaoh that she is his sister and not his wife. He feared that if it was known that they were husband and wife that he would be killed so that his lovely wife could be taken by the Egyptian king. It must have been a really hard thing, having told this half-truth, to watch his wife be taken away into the Pharaoh’s harem, but the purpose was a selfish one. The truly hard thing, the one that required the internal fortitude that only the strongest of faith can provide, and the one that had real meaning and purpose as a testimony to his God, was to tell the whole truth and trust God to take care of them.

Probably the best example, though, and one that touches upon some of the areas of my own failures, is that of King David. The writings tell us that David was a man of valor, who slew thousands of the enemy, and was even a giant-killer. But, as is normal and quite unique about the Holy Scriptures, we also read of David’s shortcomings as well. If you read the life story of David, from his youth to his death, you can’t help but notice a few rather glaring issues. Obviously, the affair with Bathsheeba is a notable trespass in his life’s record. But beyond that, if you pay attention to the writings, you’ll see that he failed miserably as a father. While David excelled at the things that we all think of as “hard things”, and admire him for it — slaying Goliath, leading the people into battle and conquering his foes, bringing stability and growth to his nation, leading the people into proper worship of their God — it was the “hard things” at home that were truly hard for David, and he never tended to them until it was too late. This is a classic example of avoiding the truly hard and purposeful things in life by focusing on other great and meaningful things that we simply find easier to do and accomplish.

So this is my challenge, to myself and any others willing to try it. Take an inventory of your actions. Are you, like me, exchanging the most challenging of purposeful things in your life for those you feel more comfortable about; those which cause less pain or irritation and require less self-sacrifice? Have you allowed yourself to be fooled by your own pride regarding the hard things you do, which aren’t really hard at all, but look hard to others and so give you the boost of self-worth you’re looking for outside of the Biblical truth of what you’re worth in God’s eyes? If so, don’t despair, as is often my first reaction. Just recognize the truth, confess it to God, and ask for His grace and the power of His Spirit to overcome the inactions of the past. Then do it! (Sorry to infringe, Nike, but you hit on something there). Don’t wait for God to act as the marionette operator of your life. It doesn’t work like that. You get up. You put your hands to the plow and move forward. Then you’ll find that it is He that is giving you the strength to do so. In fact, looking back upon it later, you’ll realize that it was He that put the desire in your heart to get up and make the change in the first place! “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” (Rom 11:36). And after you’ve begun, then continue to pray and take stock daily, looking for the fruit of the Spirit in your life in this area.

Oh yeah, and if you’re not to shy to do so, let me know how it goes.

There goes my car...

2009-08-14T23:51:00.003+03:00

If you've ever seen the movie "The Naked Gun" starring Leslie Nielsen, then you might be able to visualize more clearly the tale I'm about to tell. Not that this is a tale like those told when tucking in the toddlers, for this tale is true... sadly. But there is a funny scene in said movie where Lieutenant Frank Drebin, played by Leslie Nielsen, parks his car near the police station and then gets out to walk down the sidewalk and into the front door. After exiting the vehicle, and forgetting to put the car properly into "park", it begins to roll down the street wreaking havoc on pedestrians and other vehicles. This commotion incites Drebin as he cannot believe that someone would drive in such a way. His reaction is to shoot at the vehicle (not realizing it is his own) and it eventually crashes and explodes. This movie, of course, is a slapstick comedy of exaggerated puns and physical humor. Unfortunately for me, it's a near true-to-life depiction of what happened to me today!

Warning: the following story is true, and though quite hilarious, it's a stern reminder that you should never drive when overly tired!

Earlier today I drove from Kigoma town to the village of Kaseke to deliver the Bibles we had promised during the seminars we did last week. The drive is not too long - only about and hour to an hour and a half - but the first forty five minutes of the bumpy dirt road is being worked on so that I have to constantly jog from one side to the other dodging the rocks and boulders used as construction cones while trying to avoid enormous passenger busses and lories that would squash me without even realizing it. So it's a physically and mentally tiring journey.

A few minutes after leaving town I realized that I had forgotten something, so I had to turn back and take care of it. This made the drive even longer. Then, after turning back to town, I realized that I should probably eat some lunch before getting on the road again. So I filled up on rice, cooked bananas, and other starchy foods, which we all know are the number one cause of afternoon after-lunch sleepiness! After eating I got back onto the rocky road and drove the hour plus to Kaseke.

When I got there Pastor Elias greeted me into his home and insisted that I have lunch with him and his family. I explained that I had just eaten before coming but still knew I had to eat again in order to avoid disappointing and offending him and his wife. So I put more carbs into my system, got fuller and fuller, and felt the "spaced out" phase of post-lunch lethargy coming on. After second lunch (I think that's Shire speak), I finished my business with the pastors gathered there regarding the BIbles, and then went for a short drive a bit further down the road to check out the location of the next village while waiting for my Tanzanian friend, Robert, to finish his business so I could give him a ride back to Kigoma. An hour and a half later he was ready to go and we headed off together. Because I was still able to maintain a simple conversation with Robert in Kiswahenglish (that's English and Kiswahili mixed), I was unaware of my languorous mental state. Dropping Robert off in town meant losing the one thing still stimulating my mind and so my senses would become even more sluggish.

The exact level to which my attention to details had deteriorated is illustrated by what happened next. First of all, I can't even remember what actually happened right after I dropped off Robert. That's bad enough. But a few minutes later I was driving the opposite way from the way I was going when I dropped him off and was headed back out of town to where we live. I decided to stop at Kigoma Bakery to pick something up. I parked, as I always do when visiting this small store, just past the shop on the left and slightly off the pavement (we drive on the left here) parallel to the road. I had the air conditioning on because of all of the dust on the road from Kaseke, and because it was humid today, I decided to leave it on while I ran just a few meters away to get what I needed. As I closed the door to the car, engine on, windows up, and doors unlocked, I heard the little voice in my head say what it says every time I do this... "What if somebody steals it?" I replied to the voice in my head... with another voice in my head, saying, "Nobody will steal the car. Everybody knows whose car this is. Where would they go with it? Nobody will steal it." This was the silent conversation I was having with myself as I was exiting the vehicle, closing the door, and walking the few steps away and around the corner of the big freezer truck parked in front of Kigoma Bakery to get what I needed "real quick".

Honestly, I wasn't gone more than fifteen seconds. As I came around the corner of the freezer truck I looked up to where my car should have been and saw that it wasn't. Immediately I saw that it was driving off without me, though it seemed odd that there was a young Tanzanian man jogging alongside it and it appeared to be moving rather slowly. I stood there for just a brief moment thinking about what was happening. I'm sure it was only one or two seconds, but it felt as if time stood still. I thought, "I can't believe somebody actually stole the car! What are the chances? It can't be!" Then I thought, "This guy running alongside the car is probably the friend of the guy in the driver seat who thought it would be funny to 'pretend' to steal the car as a joke. That must be why he's only driving a few miles an hour." I was sure this was the case as the young man running alongside the car had a funny look on his face that seemed to fit my surmised scenario of trying to warn his friend that the joke was up and the owner was back. All of these thoughts and scenarios went through my mind in slow motion in the span of a second. Then I gave chase.

As I ran up the slight grade, the car slowed a bit and the young man who had been running next to the car moved to the front and put his hands on the hood as if he wanted to stop the car but couldn't. As I got closer to the car and could see into the driver's window I realized what the strange and slightly funny face he had been making was all about: there was NO driver! The reason he had been running alongside was because he saw the car driving off without me and tried to get in to stop it. The problem was (and still is) that my driver side door handle is broken and without knowing exactly how to pry the little nub of handle that is still attached to the latching wire there is no hope of opening it (another reason I thought that nobody would steal it!). By the Grace of God, just as I grabbed for the handle the car nearly stopped. I jumped in and immediately saw that the car was still in drive. Oh yeah... I forgot to mention that my parking brake doesn't really work very well - if at all.

So apparently what happened is this: I pulled over, pulled up the parking brake lever, began having an argument with myself about whether or not the car would be stolen if I left it running and unattended, and then exited the vehicle without ever pushing the shifter up into "park". I can only imagine that from the time that I first began walking down and away from the car, it began crawling up and away from me. But again, I was so tired from lack of sleep, too many carbs, and a long day of driving that I didn't even realize it. This young man saw what was happening and tried to help, but he couldn't open the driver's door due to the broken handle. By the time the ordeal was over, my car had driven itself up the main road in "downtown" Kigoma about 100 meters with my would-be rescuer and myself in chase. When I did catch up to it and got inside to put it into park, I looked at the young man and shrugged my shoulders and chuckled like it was no big deal. A sort of "silly me" look. Then I realized that half the town was staring in amazement at my stupidity, so I put the car in drive and took off for home just as fast as I could.

Being stared at here is a regular, daily thing for me. I have people come up to me and talk to me all the time - using my name - and I haven't got a clue who they are or what they are saying. That's just a part of living here and being a huge white guy. But now... now I've given the whole town the ultimate reason for looking, pointing, talking, giggling, and anything else they wish to do towards me. And who can blame them?

If you've never had this happen to you - and I can't imagine you have - then you have no idea how strangely funny it is to watch your car drive away without you. It's an odd combination of humor and fear as the adrenaline kicks in just in time to put an end to the slowly developing smirk forming on your face. Even writing now I'm not sure if I should be ashamed, thankful, solemn, or ROTFL (rolling on the floor laughing as they say in internet chat-speak). In any case, I hope it made you laugh. I only wish I had a video. I also wish that I could say that I'll never drive while tired again, but I know I will. So please pray for me!

August 2009 Update

2009-08-01T18:31:00.004+03:00

Buhungu Village, Kigoma Region, Tanzania. The Lord has opened the door for an exciting new opportunity here in the Kigoma Region of Tanzania. A young man - the oldest son of some other missionaries here - has been making a survey of the southern part of the Kigoma Region (a region is like a state in the U.S.). He has been surveying villages to see what peoples are living there, if they have heard the gospel, approximately how many believers, how many churches, etc. This past June, as he was hiking back to a village he knew about, he came across a small village formerly unknown to him (or any of the other missionaries in the area).

The village of Buhungu is comprised of the Tongwe people. The ancestors of the Tongwe, along with their close cousins, the Bende, originally migrated from the eastern side of Lake Tanganyika in Congo, to the western side of the lake in Tanzania many generations ago. When Tanzania first gained independence in 1961, the first leader, Julius Nyerere, instituted a policy which forced all peoples in Tanzania to gather together into larger towns and abandon village life. The Tongwe were very unhappy with this and struggled to adapt to the new lifestyle. After Nyerere died, the southern Tongwe went back to their villages in the mountains of what is now Mahale National Park. In 1990, when this park was officially designated, the Tongwe were once again forced to leave their villages and lands and were resettled in new villages to the north and south of Mahale. Because of this, the Tongwe became very suspicious and bitter towards anything government related.

In addition to the forced resettlement over the past few generations, the Tongwe were also proselytized by the Muslim population in the towns in which they were resettled in the 1960s. They were taught by these Muslims that the God of the Christians hated them and that they should have nothing to do with Christian missionaries or Christians in general. The Tongwe of Buhungu are among the group that later moved back to Mahale only to be forcibly moved once again from Mahale to the surrounding areas. Because they were not happy with the villages north and south of Mahale, they sought new mountainous areas to the east, eventually settling close to the snaking Lugufu river in the village now called Buhungu.

Buhungu is a village of about 200 people, most on one side of the river and a few on the other. The people are all involved in a form of Folk Islam that mixes the little that they’ve learned from Islam through the years with their indigenous beliefs in spells, potions, rituals, poisonings, curses, human sacrifices, and so on. Every mountain, valley, river, and other landmark represents a false god that they worship. Other than the short meeting they had with our young friend in June, the village has never received a missionary or heard the gospel, and the elders of the village had never even met an mzungu (white person).

The Lord provided us the opportunity to visit the village by catching a ride on the helicopter of a medical outreach based in Kigoma. Otherwise it would have required a long day of driving and about 14 or more hours of hiking through the bush in the radiating heat of the equatorial sun just to get there. We were so excited by this truly open door.

The missionary doctor (who is also the helicopter pilot), the young missionary who originally came across the village (Tori Rasmussen), a local brother from Kigoma by the name of Enoch, and myself all arrived at about 9:30 in the morning, making our unannounced and unexpected decent on the village via helicopter. The villagers had recently burned some grass near the center of the village which provided a better clearing for a landing site than anticipated. As you might imagine, after we landed the whole town made their way to us to greet us and to get a closer look at the helicopter. We had no idea what to expect and were blessed and relieved to find them all very welcoming.

After shaking the hands of many men, women, and children and spending a few minutes going through the sometimes lengthy, but culturally necessary greeting process, we began to talk. Tori introduced me to the leader of the village, Saidi, whose title was ‘balonzi’ - ambassador. He was younger than I expected.

Some of the people of Buhungu. I’m the white guy on the left and Dr. Len is on the right. Enoch is just in front of me with the blue shirt and a vest.

We walked with Saidi and some other elders ahead of the tailing crowd in order to get a quick look at the size and layout of the village. Just before coming to the river we stopped at a small gathering of mud-brick homes, the largest of which was that of Saidi. They brought out very small wooden stools, not much more than three or four inches off the ground, and placed them in the limited near-noon shade close to the wall of the house. We proceeded with further introductions and began to talk about why we came. After Dr. Len explained that he would like to come back with a nurse and do a small one-day clinic to help them with basic medical needs, I explained to the village leader that I would also like to return, along with a couple of friends, to bring spiritual medicine - the good news of Jesus Christ. Saidi didn’t even hesitate in his response: “Karibu”. That’s Swahili for “welcome”. I was pleasantly surprised because I knew that they had been warned about Christian missionaries by previous generations of Tongwe who had been so indoctrinated by various Muslim teachers in the bigger towns. I made sure to be clear that while Dr. Len was offering medical assistance, my primary reason for returning on our next visit was to explain the gospel - the good news about Jesus Christ. Again, Saidi and the other leaders gathered there with us had no problem at all with us coming and doing so.

I’m very excited to see what the Lord may do in Buhungu. If there are some whose spiritual eyes are opened, recognizing that we are all sinners in need of a Saviour and that the Saviour our gracious God provided is His Son, Jesus Christ, then we will rejoice with the angels and return regularly and often in order to continue discipling them and encouraging them in the faith. Please pray that the Lord would send His Spirit before us to begin to work in their hearts and minds in order that as many as are appointed to eternal life might believe (Acts 13:48). In fact, about the same time you are receiving this update (the first week of August) we will be making our second visit, this time with our good friends Bond and Heather Gaona who are visiting from the U.S., focused purely on evangelism. We hope to have an audience with each housing group in the village (about four groups of five houses with about six people per house). I would especially like to have time with Saidi, the leader of the village, and his family. We pray that one or more of the elders receive the gospel and put their trust in Jesus. If they do, then it will be a tremendous aide in our efforts to share the gospel with the rest of the village. Please pray as you read this - before you even put this down - that God’s Spirit would move mightily in the hearts of the leaders and people in Buhungu. Pray that their spiritual eyes will be opened, their hearts would be softened, and their lives changed by the truth of God’s Word and by the power of God’s Spirit.

Kigoma Town, Tanzania. In July, a small team of brothers and sisters in Christ came to visit and work with my good friend Gabriel. Most of the group was from Calvary Chapel Fredericksburg, in Virginia. Some of them were friends of Gabriel’s from his two years spent at Calvary Chapel Bible College in California. Some were acquaintances of ours, and relatives and friends of others we know. We had a great time working together to accomplish ministry while they were here.

Through the “CC Fred” team, many Bibles were distributed to several different villages in the Kigoma Region. We also put on a three day seminar in Kigoma Town which focused on training local church leaders how to read, study, understand, and apply the Scriptures themselves. While these tools seem to be missing from most churches the world over, the problem seems even worse here in Africa. Most pastors - especially those from small villages - have no library, no pastoral training, and little to no education. Honestly, most of them have never even been discipled in the basic truths of God’s word. Through seminars like this one we are slowly but surely providing the necessary tools so that the leaders of the churches here are equipped to study for themselves the powerful and wonderful gift our Lord has given us... His word. Too often they rely on others to teach whilst they hurriedly copy what they are hearing as quickly as possible onto small scraps of paper. They will then attempt to repeat what they’ve heard come next Sunday morning. This is understandable considering the circumstances, but what if the message they hear is not Biblical truth? How will they know unless they are familiarized with the Scriptures and understand the basic concepts of reading, interpreting, and applying the truths of God’s word? Over the three day seminar, three of the visitors - Jason Tickle from ‘CC Fred’, Brian Harrington from CCBC Jerusalem, and Ezekiel Delgado from CC Sonora - along with Gabriel and myself, were able to encourage and exhort some of the local pastors and church leaders, specifically equipping them with some basic tools for studying, interpreting, and applying Scripture to their lives.

Above: Jason teaching with Walimona translating.
Below: Above: Brian teaching with Mikos translating.

The following week, Brian helped out by teaching a two-day class on hermeneutics at the local Bible College run by P.E.F.A. - Pentecostal Evangelical Fellowship of Africa. The students - mostly pastors and other church leaders - were really blessed by the opportunity to learn and understand how to study and interpret the Bible for themselves.

Below: Treneka, from CC Fredericksburg,
spending time with the children outside the seminar.

Please pray:
- For God’s blessing and boldness to proclaim the Good News in Buhungu. For fruit from the evangelism and continued open doors and opportunity for returning to further evangelize, disciple, and encourage those who come to Christ.
- For fruit to be borne from the ministry done by and with the Calvary Chapel Fredericksburg team this past month.
- For continued protection and safety for our family, especially in the area of health. God has been so good to us in keeping us malaria-free for so long and we humbly ask that He continues to do so.
- That God would continue to protect us in our travels by car, boat, and air, as we minister in various areas at various times.
- For a permanent healing and solution to the problems that Carrie is experiencing with her wrists.
- For continued and special grace for Jon to overcome the difficulties of, and even be healed of, his sleep apnea.

Child's Play 2

2009-07-20T09:18:00.021+03:00

We wanted to post a few more photos of the kids having fun with family and friends.

This first one is a recent family photo taken by the ocean
(sorry Jazz wasn't looking at the camera).

Jada and Lilica

Jada and Lilica finishing off the jar of mayonnaise (yes, the mayonnaise!)

Jada and Natasha swimming in the ocean.

Keenan and Caleb are Seaweed Monsters.

Keenan, Caleb, Jada, and Jasmine playing with Bianca at her house.

Keenan and Caleb being silly.
I have no idea...

Child's Play

2009-07-16T20:20:00.007+03:00

A few weeks ago, while visiting some other FRM missionaries, the children had a rare opportunity to see and play with their own friends. Here are a few photos.

Jada and Bianca having lunch together

Jada and Abigail having ice cream

Clay Ramirez, Keenan, Jada, Caleb, and Joram Ramirez playing foosball

Kevan and Natasha learning how to dive

Jasmine also had the rare opportunity to learn how to use a bread knife and drive the car!

Twiga, Kifaru, and Simba. Oh My!

2009-07-05T16:40:00.018+03:00

For the first time since moving to Africa we finally had the opportunity to go and see some animals in the wild. Yesterday, guided by a couple of friends who have gone many times before, we spent nine hours in a national park seeing many different animals and having a picnic lunch. It was a lot of fun, especially for the kids who thanked us repeatedly for taking them.

A view from "Baboon Lookout"

The boys sat on top of the car as our "spotters". They really enjoyed it. Unfortunately Kevan was attacked by a small lion which left it's mark on his face. Okay, that's not exactly what happened. Actually I drove under a low-hanging branch of an acacia tree(the one with the enormous thorns that was used to make a crown to pound into Jesus' head before He was crucified) and I didn't warn the boys fast enough. So now Kevan has tasted just a small portion of what Jesus experienced (at least that's how we're playing it off so he won't be mad at me for almost beheading him on accident).

We saw lots of giraffe, zebra, buffalo, water buck, bushbuck, ibex, gazelles, eland (even the carcass of a dead one), some hippos, ostrich, a huge crocodile with part of his tail missing from a fight a couple of years ago, a large warthog, a jackal, and other animals I just don't know the names of.
The warthog we saw was a bit rare in that he was much larger than any our friends had seen previously (and they've been going to the park about once a month for the past couple of years). He walked out onto the road in front of us, criss-crossed the road a few times, dug into the damp soil with both hoof and snout for a moment, and then eventually wandered off.

We stopped for lunch by the hippos and our friend, Robbie, cooked up the hot dogs and beans on his gas cooker while a park ranger escorted us to see the hippos.Jada with the Ranger

Our Picnic Lunch

The crocodile we saw was truly enormous. I've heard of bigger ones, and have seen one a similar size in an enclosure in Burundi, but I had never seen one so large in the wild before. He was sunning himself on the far side of the watering hole we drove up to. We could see him with Jada looking for the Croc through the Binocs

binoculars but he was out of range for a simple point-and-shoot camera. I took the lead and drove around the small, muddy lake in hopes that we could sneak up on him and get a quick photo. I told the kids to be absolutely silent and hoped that the big croc wouldn't find the slight pinging of our diesel engine annoying. We made it all the way around and were on a small incline directly above the old dragon. I put the car in park and jumped up onto my feet, standing on the seat of the car, my large frame protruding from the vehicle. Just as I turned on the camera and was about to utilize the whopping 3x zoom to try to improve the photo op, the lazy lizard jerked himself clear off the ground in a near 180 and flopped into the water. I instinctively pushed the camera's button hoping to get something - anything - and was fortunate to get a picture of a large portion of his body as he was submerging. Oh well, my mind can still see the beast clearly, all sixteen feet or so of him (maybe a bit more if he wasn't missing the end of his tail).
In the late afternoon we saw an enormous buffalo laying in the grass. I took some photos of his huge head, but I really wanted him to stand up so I could get a shot of his entire body, and throwing rocks or honking the horn just didn't seem appropriate to me (not to mention illegal). Before I could really think it through I found myself speaking buffalo. I'm being serious. Carrie always tells me that I have a gift for languages, accents, and speech in general. I just didn't know that the gift crossed over to other species. I just made a certain noise from the back of my throat while inhaling strongly, and the resulting tones and pulses seemed to be near-fluent buffalese. The big bull immediately lifted his head and snorted loudly while giving me the evil eye. I continued "speaking" to him in diverse pitches and timbres and apparently I said something offensive (maybe about his mother, I'm not sure) because he popped up rather spryly for a guy his size and postured at me, once again snorting, the dirty air from his nasal cavity exiting visibly in a cartoon-like puff. I paused for a moment, standing on the seat of my car with the majority of my body outside the cabin of the vehicle, wondering if he was injured by my words or just insulted (the former possibly resulting in him charging at the car). I continued to say various things to him, using even more complex combinations of tone, pitch, and speed. Whatever I said last must have struck fear into him, because he turned suddenly and began to run away, tripping at first over a large tree like a clumsy pubescent boy running from a bully in Jr. High. After recovering his footing he ran parallel to the road so that I could simply pull forward and continue the conversation, taking a few more photos while talking. He eventually ran away and my brief "buffalo whisperer" moment expired.

Near the end of the day, just before the sun set, we spotted our first lions. Carrie actually spotted them from inside the car and alerted me so I could back up and get a few photos. It was a small pride, three females and one young male. We would see another pride later, in the dark of night. But before the second lion sighting, we finally saw our first rhino. She was a big girl, and because our friends knew that she had a young one somewhere nearby and an even bigger daddy rhino lurking about in the dusk of day, we decided not to linger and risk looking like a threat to the youngster, which would result in mom and dad "eliminating" the threat. Unfortunately, because the sun was near set and the creature was about a hundred meters away, I wasn't able to get a photo. Maybe next time.

The sun setting behind an acacia tree in the park

After the sun was tucked tightly into bed and the full moon was one third risen in the night sky, we once again saw lions. I was driving with only my fog lights on when suddenly a single lion walked out of the bush and onto the dirt road directly in front of the car. I immediately slowed to a crawl to see what would happen next. What happened next was that another lion came out of the bush, and then another, and so on until a total of eight lionesses had emerged from the black of night and cover of the acacias and savannah grass. They meandered down the road as if strolling home from church with Grandma and Grandpa on quiet Sunday afternoon. From time to time one or two of them would disappear into the night on the opposite side of the road only to reappear a few moments later. I turned on my normal lights, which didn't seem to merit much more than a brief turn of the head by one of the prowling ladies. I was trying to use a digital point-an-shoot with a "video" feature to video these beautiful creatures, but there just wasn't enough light. I turned on the high beams, again not warranting much more than a glance from the lead cat, and was able to get a little bit of footage as I followed them down the road for a bit. After all but one had veered right off into the night, the one remaining cat paused for just a moment. It was long enough to turn the car directly at her, with high beams on, and video her momentary pose before she, too, sashayed into the shadows of night.

(because of the slow connection here I had some trouble uploading the video - sorry)

So all in all it was a good day of observing some of God's creation and spending time with family and friends. It would have been perfect had I not been robbed by a police officer on the way home (yes, literally robbed - TIA). But I don't want to spoil your vicarious experience so I'll save that story for another time.

July 2009 Update

2009-07-02T09:24:00.005+03:00

Baraka, Congo. The ministry trip to Baraka, Democratic Republic of Congo has finally come and gone. The trip was a great success, though physically and mentally exhausting. My friends and co-laborers in Christ from Calvary Chapel Nairobi, Arie Ramirez and Dave Zavala, flew out to Kigoma to catch the boat along with myself, my Congolese student, Bahati, and one of their Congolese students from Nairobi, Asukulu, both of whom are originally from Baraka. I had spent the days before their arrival making some negotiations with a man named Nondo in

Our Boat, the ‘Mtoto wa Nyumbani’

the small village port of Kibirizi near Kigoma. Nondo is one of many boatmen in Kibirizi who take cargo - goods and people - back and forth between eastern Congo and Kigoma, Tanzania. He seemed to be an honest businessman and gave us a reasonable rate for what we wanted to do. More importantly, he was the only one going to Baraka that week! In addition, because Nondo is a muslim, I was really looking forward to getting to spend some time with him on the trip in order to share with him the Good News of Jesus. More about that in a minute. 

As is normal here, nothing is done until it is done, and no price is truly set until the money has exchanged hands. So, though we had a deal with Nondo for the trip to Baraka, based on many previous experiences I felt the need to continue in prayer and asked many others to pray in regards to this boat trip (I know several missionaries who have lived in Africa for several decades who will not take a cargo boat across anymore - so I was really motivated to pray). 

So I picked up Dave and Arie from the Kigoma Airport at about noon on Sunday and we drove straight to the port to catch the boat, which they were supposedly holding for us. Apparently they weren’t as ready for us as they led me to believe by the phone calls, because we didn’t actually leave Kibirizi until about 3 p.m.. I had been told by several people, including Nondo, that the trip would be about 6 hours. We had even paid extra for additional fuel to run faster. Thirteen hours later... we arrived at the port in Baraka (at 3 a.m. local time), and there we had to wait on the boat another 5 hours for the flag of Congo to be raised, the national anthem to be sung, and the government offices to be opened. 

Though the trip was long, it proved a fruitful opportunity to witness to Nondo. As the Lord worked it out, I was resting when the opportunity arose, but Arie was awake and so lead the effort while Dave and I supported him in prayer. Progress was made in Nondo’s heart, and this wouldn’t be our last opportunity to share.

After we finally disembarked and dealt with all of the typical corruption in the immigration and security offices, we were finally “in” and ready for a bit of food and sleep to get our bodies prepared for the tasks ahead. We went to a small guest house with rooms that I would classify as “livable” (though my standards have consistently gone down the longer I’ve been here). It was a small 8x8 room with a bed and net and a big window with no screen facing the common toilet area. I was nightly lulled to sleep by the wafting aroma of the “squatty potty”. Our original plan was to stay at a guest house run by the Catholic Church, which I had heard was the nicest in Baraka (relatively speaking), but before our arrival they had denied us rooms. “Why?”, you might be wondering. Because they knew we were there to teach a seminar and the head priest said that he didn’t want to help protestants bring a non-Catholic message. That was a first for me... in any country I’ve been to.  The following morning we headed off to a small church about a twenty minute walk from the guest house. We were received warmly and began our three day seminar. I’ve been involved in many seminars and was truly surprised and blessed at how many came. We had invited 100 church leaders and we had much more than that. The small bamboo-walled and grass-covered church building was full to the brim with eager listeners and note-takers, surrounded outside by those who couldn’t find a spot inside as well as rivers of rustling children eager to sneak a peek at the big Mzungu (white guy) inside.

Dave, Arie, Asukulu, and myself each took a two hour spot each day, for a total of eight hours of teaching per day. I was blessed to teach the Word out of Philippians and I Thessalonians about the true heart of a church leader, focusing on humility, motives, service, and the practical application and results as seen in Paul’s life. The response was good and I ask that you join me in praying that the Word of God shared those three days would take root and bear fruit in the lives of those who attended.

The church was full!

On the second day of the seminar, I snuck away a little early in order to make the 45 minute walk to visit the family of my student, Bahati. They fled their homeland of Baraka many years earlier during the last Congo war and had recently been repatriated after living in a refugee camp in Tanzania. I finally got to meet Bahati’s wife and three children, the youngest of which was named after me. We all sat outside near the lake in a circle with Bahati, his father, Alphonse, his grandfather, his mom, his wife, other siblings and relatives. Bahati’s father and grandfather took turns telling me how thankful they were for my helping Bahati to attend Bible College in

Bahati's Family

Kigoma, for teaching him, and for making sure his needs were taken care of. It was very humbling. Alphonse explained to me that because of these things I was now Bahati’s Baba Mdogo (small father). Basically he was calling me his young brother (Bahati’s uncle). It was a real honor. At the conclusion of the meeting I was given a chicken as the family’s official gift of gratitude.

On the third day of the seminar, just after lunch, one of the sweetest moments of the whole trip occurred. I was talking with Bahati just before returning to the seminar where I was scheduled to teach my last session. In the midst of the conversation I learned for the first time that none of Bahati’s family that I had met the previous day were believers (except for his wife). I was shocked that I didn’t already know this and told Bahati that I would have shared the gospel with them at the home the previous day had I known. After explaining his family’s Bahai background, Bahati said that his dad had been attending the seminar all week and that perhaps we could call him into the small hut where we had taken our lunch in order to share the gospel now. I agreed and then took a moment to pray while waiting for Alphonse to come. 

After he sat down I took my time and slowly explained the gospel to him three different times using different word pictures each time (this really helps in translating ideas from one language and culture to another). When I was finished, I asked him if he would like to confess Jesus Christ as God, Savior, and his Lord. I made sure to tell him that I would never want him to do so as a way of being polite to me as a guest, but that it must be his own desire and decision. So many times people respond with emotions and not with the heart (the Bible often describes the heart in terms of the mind). Then, rather than just nodding yes or saying, “sure”, Bahati’s father began to speak, slowly and clearly explaining some things to me. At first I didn’t know what to expect, but as I listened, I had to hold back my own emotions. 

Bahati’s father told me that he had been in the Bahai faith his whole life. He said that he had recently ceased his involvement in Bahai in order to look more closely into Christianity. His reason for this: the changes he had been witnessing in Bahati each time he came home from school between semesters. So he had gone to church a few times to see if he could learn more about this Jesus we talk about. He said that he was starting to understand, but still hadn’t been sure. Then he told me that because of the witness of his son’s life - the work that God had been doing in him, because of my witness as his mentor and teacher, and because of the words I had just spoken to him in explaining the truth of the Gospel, he was now sure that Jesus truly is God and he was ready to proclaim Him as Lord. I still get tears in my eyes and bumps on my arms even now as I write this. So I prayed for him and then asked Bahati to lead his father in a prayer of confession. I was able to shake his hand and greet him into the the body of Christ and know that he will now go forth with the Holy Spirit and take the message of the gospel, along with Bahati, to the rest of the family in the village. It was truly the high point of the week for me. 

The entire seminar was such a success and a blessing to be part of. Leading Bahati’s father to Christ was the whipped cream and cherry on the top! But our work was not yet done. Once we made our way back down to the port and went through immigration, we got into a much smaller boat with our old friend Nondo for the ride back to Kigoma. I was looking forward to another opportunity to teach Nondo about Christ. 

A couple of hours into the trip Nondo came up to where I was sitting and sat down next to me. Dave and Arie were just in front of us. He started up the conversation and we got right down to it. Nondo had come from a family who professed to be christians and even has a grandfather who is a “preacher” in the United States. It was very clear from our conversation, though, that nobody had ever actually taught him the truths of Scripture and answered his questions. All he had known of Christ was what he had seen in the lives of so many Congolese, Burundians, and Tanzanians who claim to be christians but who live contrary to the Word of God. There was no arguing with that fact, one which seems to be true the world over. Through all of the questions about the Bible, the comments about those who call themselves christians, the challenges he offered from the Koran, and the standard arguments given by those of the muslim faith, there was one obvious omission. One point piercing through it all that Nondo continually

Me & Nondo

tried to forge his way around like a boatman avoiding the rocks: if God is truly holy, then he cannot allow any of us into his presence ever because of our sin. Therefore if God is to show mercy and remain holy, then He must make a way to Him that preserves his holiness, and that way is through Jesus, who took upon Himself the penalty for our sins. So God is both just and the Justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:36). God had given me this message for Nondo from the very first day that I met him and I had been praying ever since, ready to explain it to him as soon as the Lord opened the door to do so. Finally I had the opportunity that long night on the boat on Lake Tanganyika, and was able to show him that very truth several times. At some point, with reinforcement from Arie and Dave, a little bit of light finally broke through the darkness of his recent four years of intensive training in Islam. His demeanor changed. He started to ask good questions instead of just arguing. He wanted to know how it was possible, what did God do exactly, and even specifically asked if I would be willing to teach him more. He even started to ask what faith this was that we were spreading to his home country, as if he had never heard of it before. I’m so excited about this opportunity. Though Nondo lives in a small village on the other side of an enormous lake, he is often in Kigoma for business, at which time I have invited him to my home for chai (tea) so I can continue to explain the simple truths of God’s Word which seem so difficult to those whose minds have been so deeply and repetitively engrained with the tenets of Islam. I am so blessed and thankful for this opportunity that the Lord has given me. I even have a Bible in French that someone recently gave to me that I can now give to him to aide him in seeing the good news of Jesus Christ. Please pray for Nondo and for our future meetings, that his spiritual eyes would continue to be opened and that he would see and receive the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.

The Team - Me, Bahati, Arie, Dave, and Asukulu

At Home. Carrie continues to amaze us all with her ability to homeschool the three older boys, teach and entertain Jada, and nurse and otherwise take care of the baby, Jasmine. All at the same time! In addition she has been teaching the ladies at one of the local churches once per month, working slowly through Proverbs 31. Despite all of the traveling and “breaks” the past school year, the boys have all worked hard and caught up. Kevan is just about finished with 5th grade, Keenan with 2nd, and Caleb with 1st They are already beginning the next grades in some subjects so that they can get a head start on the school year and not get behind. 

Kevan has expressed an interest in a boarding school in Kenya called Rift Valley Academy. He has a friend who attends there and we know a few other missionary families who have attended or are currently attending. The school is over 100 years old and is ranked as the second highest private college prep school on the entire continent. We plan to visit the campus while in Kenya this summer. We’re not quite ready to let him go, but maybe in a couple of years, if the Lord wills. Please pray for wisdom and direction in this area, and for the finances to pay for it if God so leads. 

Also pray for wisdom and provision for language school later this year. We have found an affordable one with good feedback and plan to begin attending in November. I am really looking forward to improved communication with the people. It is so frustrating and disappointing to live with and minister to a people amongst whom you always feel a stranger. I’m truly excited by the prospect of learning and putting the language into practice so that I can speak clearly without a translator in all circumstances. This will take some more time after language school, but this is the first step in that direction. Please pray that the studies will go well and that we will be specially gifted by God to absorb, learn, and apply. 

While we are in school we would like to store our belongings and let our house go so that we can save the money we would otherwise have to spend on rent and guards. This is a big step of faith as we will have to find a different house when we get back, and that’s not always easy. Please pray that we will find the right place to store our things and the right place to live upon return. We trust God to provide and work it all out and appreciate your prayer in that regard. 

Carrie’s wrists continue to ache and lock up on her. The cause appears to be tendonitis and the only cure is impractical beyond reason for a homeschooling, homemaking, mother of five: don’t use your wrists. We truly desire a miracle for Carrie, and humbly ask that you join us in praying for her.

Kigoma, Tanzania. We have a few guests visiting this summer to join in the ministry temporarily. In July a few young men will be coming out from Calvary Chapel Fredericksburg as well as one from CCBC Jerusalem. They’ll be doing an Inductive Bible Study seminar in Kigoma and then we’ll be heading up to Rwanda for a week or two of ministry there alongside Tom and Cheryl Rees.

In August our dear friends Bond and Heather are coming out to do some evangelism and edification in two different villages here in western Tanzania, one of which is completely ‘unreached’ and only accessible by helicopter or foot. Please pray for all of these upcoming ministries, for safe travels and good health for all of the visitors, for all of the finances and logistics to come together, and especially for the hearts and minds of those whom we will be ministering to in Kigoma, Kigali, Kaseke, and Buhungu.
Praise the Lord for...
...His continual protection, provision, and blessings upon our lives.
...the outreach to Baraka, the lives changed, the people saved, the safe trip to and from.
...taking care of Carrie and the kids while I was traveling.

Please pray for...
...God’s will concerning language school and Kevan’s schooling.
...continued love for the people of TZ.
...the storage of our belongings and finding another home when we return from language school.
...good time management skills for both Jon and Carrie as well as an increased capacity for patience (especially for Jon).
...Carrie’s wrists, which appear to have tendonitis and are continually causing her pain.
...the upcoming ministry in Kigoma, Kigali, Kaseke, and Buhungu.
...Nondo, the boatman. For continued opportunities to show him the love of Christ and the truth of His Word.
...Alphonse, Bahati’s father. For growth in the faith and boldness to share it with his family.
...additional opportunities to minister to the people of Congo as God allows.
...co-laborers in the harvest.
...short term visitors who are able to teach Bible College level classes to students in Kigoma and/or Congo.
...a special blessing upon all of those who share with us in this ministry through prayer and finances.
...good health for all of the children, Carrie, and Jon.

June 2009 Update

2009-06-02T23:13:00.000+03:00

Kigoma, Tanzania. As we reflect on last month the first thing that comes to mind are all of the trials we struggled with. Most of them minor, but still not fun. We are reminded of these verses for encouragement. James 1:2-4, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” Also 1 Peter 5:6-11,”Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care on Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” Though it’s not always the case we are also reminded of a phrase our friend Corrie always says, “If you’re not bugging Satan, he’s not bugging you.” Well, we must have bugged Satan a lot last month!

Jon has completed the book of Daniel with his students. He has mentioned one of his students in a previous newsletter named Bahati, who has come from Congo. We’ve been sponsoring Bahati in his education and because of this we have developed a special friendship with this particular student; so much so that Bahati named his baby after Jon!

I’ve been teaching a small group of ladies at a local church. We’re studying the beautiful Proverbs 31 woman. We are taking it very slowly and gleaning everything we can to be more like this Proverbs 31 woman. As I encouraged each of the ladies to read their Bibles daily I saw that two of the ladies didn’t have Bibles. I am looking forward to blessing them with Bibles at our next Bible study.

At Home. We’re excited to say that Keenan has successfully completed the 2nd grade and Caleb the 1st grade. Kevan is working extra hard and will soon finish the 5th grade. Our children are doing well in their studies and we’re very proud of all of them. Kevan recently sent an email to his best friend Brian. He asked me to read it so that I could make any needed corrections. I was so blessed when I read it because out of his own doing he encouraged his friend to read his Bible daily and even shared some of his own favorite Bible verses. Keenan also brought excitement to my heart as I woke up one morning. He said to me, “Mom, can I show you what I wrote this morning?” I have to share with you, word for word, what he wrote because I am so amazed and so blessed by it. Here’s what he wrote: “God sent His only Son on to Earth. God is our shepherd. People are the sheep. God teaches us to stand, that means He teaches us the Bible. God teaches us to walk, that means God teaches us to have faith and to walk with Him. God teaches us to run, that means to go where He tells us to go . God teaches us to talk, that means to spread His Word.” So much wisdom for an 8 year old! I would have been totally impressed if we had been teaching him a similar lesson and he came up with this explanation. But that wasn’t the case. He came up with it completely on his own!

As most of you know, we’ve been taking Swahili lessons as a family for almost 3 months. Though we’ve been able to learn a few things, we’ve discovered that the instructor we hired doesn't have any structure to the lessons and is leaving out very important things. Also, he isn’t really good enough at speaking English to be able to explain things clearly, so we haven’t learned nearly as much as we had hoped. We are praying about alternatives because learning the language is an absolute MUST at this point. It’s our desire to be able to minister to the people here on a personal level, as friends and fellow members of one body of Christ. We can’t do that if we can’t speak to them without a translator. We feel like perpetual “visitors” instead of residents, and it leaves us feeling very alienated. We have a lot of empathy now for the difficulties that immigrants endure when moving to an English-speaking country before having the opportunity to learn English. We’ve heard good things about a language school just outside of Nairobi. If that’s what God wants then we’re excited at the thought of still being able to serve and minister at Calvary Chapel Nairobi and the Bible College that they operate while learning Swahili.

Please pray for...
...God’s will concerning language school.
...continued love for the people of TZ.
...our possible move to a different house closer to town.
...God to reveal any other specific ways He would like us  to serve Him.
...Carrie’s wrists.
...the orphanages to have better caretakers that will care for the children and their needs.

Please pray for our friend Yada and her family. We’ve just learned that her newborn baby, Anna, is not only blind, but also has Down’s Syndrome and a heart defect. Her eyes and heart might be fixable, but only with expensive surgery in Dar es Salaam on the coast.

May 2009 Update

2009-05-02T22:28:00.000+03:00

Kigoma, Tanzania. I (J0n) was asked to teach the Sunday morning message for Pasaka (that’s Swahili for Passover, which I call Resurrection day and many Americans call Easter). Pasaka is the biggest day here in Tanzania, even more so than Christmas. When I was first asked to share “this coming Sunday”, and I agreed, I didn’t realize the date, but I agreed to teach thinking that I could possibly share something from my personal devotion time, or a teaching that I’ve prepared and given at a different location before. When I realized that it was Pasaka, and that I needed to prepare an appropriate teaching for the day, it was already Thursday night. But because of previous commitments I was unable to begin preparing until Saturday evening, about 7 p.m. It made me think of a joke that a Pentecostal Missionary here once told me. He said that there were four pastors having lunch together and discussing sermon preparation. One was a Methodist, the other a Baptist, the other an Independent, and the last a Pentecostal. The Methodist said, “Our topics are all planned out a year in advance, so I’m always prepared ahead of time for Sunday.” The Baptist said, “I usually begin my preparation for Sunday’s sermon on Tuesdays.” The Independent Pastor said, “Well, I normally try to begin on Wednesday, but no later than Thursday.” The Pentecostal Pastor had a confused look on his face. He finally said, “I don’t get it. So what do you all do during worship?” It wasn’t quite so late an hour for me, but nearly so. But God be praised that He guided my mind to the particular passage and message for the morning, and I was able to get my notes finished and ready. As it turned out, it rained so much that morning that half of the people didn’t even make it to church until the teaching was nearly over. So my worries about teaching on this day that they esteem higher than all other days turned out to be unnecessary. As usual, the message probably blessed and instructed me more than anyone else. I think that’s one of the reasons I enjoy teaching: because in studying, preparing, and sharing the Word of God, I myself become encouraged and strengthened by it.

Jon teaching with Gabriel translating

At this same meeting place - which is nothing more than the 10’ x 15’ would-be sitting room of an unfinished house with no roof - I am continuing to teach a weekly “foundations” class. Each week is interesting as I get to learn what areas of basic Bible doctrine they already know or do not know, and how well. It’s also interesting to see each week where the attendees will sit depending on where the tarps that cover the room are leaking that day. Just when you think you’ve got it figured out the drips shift positions! It’s such a blessing though, as nobody complains or is distracted by it. Occasionally the elder of the church will pick up half of an old, plastic bottle and scoop away the puddle that is approaching me as it grows with each drip. All the while I just continue teaching and interacting with those who have come to learn. It’s amazing how effective and efficient ministry can be when you, as a pastor or leader, aren’t always having to concern yourself with whether or not the people listening are distracted or unhappy because the air conditioner isn’t working right, or the furnace isn’t hot enough, or the chairs aren’t nice enough. It’s nice to share God’s Word with a group of people who want to listen and learn, even if their shoes are muddy from the wet dirt floor, the seat is a six inch wide hard and uneven plank that digs into their backside, and the tarp above them sometimes leaks water onto their heads or clothes. They won’t go away upset or complaining about the church meeting or looking for a “better church”. It is truly refreshing.

Carrie will be teaching the women’s study at this church this month. They are extremely excited about it, as she is normally much too busy with the homeschooling, the raising of the kids, and the managing of the household to be able to teach. But she has made the time to prepare and teach and all of the ladies are so excited and are inviting their friends to come to the Thursday afternoon Bible study. I don’t know where they will all sit! Though every time I have that thought I am sincerely surprised at how many do fit into such a tiny space.

I have finished teaching Daniel at the Bible College and have now moved on to Revelation. The students are so eager and hungry. They complain that I go too fast, but it’s because they are literally trying to write down every word I say. I used to not understand this, but have now come to realize that because audio cassettes, video cassettes, CDs, DVDs, and MP3s of good teachings are not commonplace, nor is access to a good Biblical library in the Swahili language, when they are able to get the Word, they have to record it for future reference. This thought is both humbling and scary. When you are teaching with the realization that every word you say is being listened to and written down; every truth you share is being recorded for future recollection and re-use by another, you are driven by a sense of carefulness and concern for accuracy that you otherwise might have let slip away. You just might visit a church in the village one day in the future and find someone teaching a version of something you taught previously, which they heard from someone else, who heard it from one of your students. As James 3:1 says, “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.”

Congo. We continue to pray and wait on the Lord to see what He will provide for in Congo. There are some who have contacted us desiring to see the work there progress, but at this time we are still lacking some of the basic things required, one of which is teachers. Please continue to pray that God will provide qualified pastors and teachers to come and spend two weeks of there time teaching these men and women who so desire to learn more of His Word.

In June we will be having a one-week seminar in Congo, teaching some foundational truths. We are expecting about 200 to attend. We will be working with Dave Gonzalez and Arie Ramirez, our friends and family in Christ from Calvary Chapel Nairobi. Please pray for the continued preparation for this outreach: for the hearts of those who will be in attendance to be prepared to receive from the Lord, for the many difficult logistics involved, and for the safety of all who will be traveling.

Family. As you can see from the pictures, the kids are all doing well. We truly thank God for their good health and attitudes. They are a tremendous blessing. They are taking Swahili lessons three times per week. They seem to be picking it up and sometimes even try saying things to us in Swahili.

The kids at their Swahili lessons

Kevan had his 11th birthday in February, then Carrie had one in March, followed by Jada’s 3rd birthday on April 4th, and then our 14th wedding anniversary on April 8th. This month is Caleb’s 7th birthday! For Carrie’s birthday, a few other missionary ladies from the area surprised her with lunch. I didn’t even know about it! She was very blessed.

Kevan jumping into the lake

Carrie's birthday lunch

 Jasmine is now starting to sit up on her own. I was helping her the other day and called Carrie in to show her. When Jazz saw Carrie walk into the room she got excited and stiffened up her legs which sent her flying backwards onto one of the pillows I put all around her. It was hilarious.

Jada wearing her birthday shoes

Jada helping with the laundry

Jada playing with Joshua

Baba's little girls

Kevan and his friend TJ

Keenan and Caleb acting like themselves

Kevan and Jada sharing a glass of juice

You may have noticed that Caleb still doesn’t want his hair cut. He is convinced that if it grows long enough he will look like Chewbacca from Star Wars! And if you also hadn’t noticed from the photos... the boy likes chocolate!

April 2009 Update

2009-04-02T22:18:00.000+03:00

Kigoma, Tanzania. This has been a very busy month for Jon. He is teaching Revelation every weekday at Lake Tanganyika Christian College and preparing to teach both Daniel and Revelation at Hope of the Nations Bible College. He is teaching the men at the church for two hours each Tuesday, and meeting with and discipling two local believers on Thursdays and Fridays. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are especially busy since adding a Swahili class to our schedule.

Carrie, Kevan, Keenan, and Caleb are also taking Swahili lessons three times a week. We all desire to be able to communicate with the people of Kigoma on a more personal level.

The kids are working hard on their school work and memorizing Bible verses. Even Jada is learning her letters and sounds. She is learning Swahili as well by copying what her brothers say. Jasmine is already five months old! She is laughing, rolling over, and reaching for food. Her first tooth came in last month! Learning to feed her here is proving to be a challenge. I can’t go buy Gerber baby food at the local market! I (Carrie) have learned to make spaghetti sauce without Prego, pancakes without Bisquick, cake without the help of Duncan Hines, cinnamon rolls without the dough boy, and pizza crust without Boboli! Baby food is next on my list. Thankfully, there are plenty of bananas and carrots to help.

Our family has missed drinking milk, so a high priority this month was for us to learn how to pasteurize milk. Our friend Ruthie - a veteran missionary of several decades - taught Carrie how long to heat the milk for, as well as how to make yogurt, cream, and whipped cream. Now we just need to find someone close by with a cow that will sell us some milk!

Jon is planning to travel to Congo in early June with some fellow FRM missionaries from Nairobi. They will be sharing the Gospel with the people in the town of Baraka, DRC (Congo).
Later in June and July we may be going to Southern Sudan again to minister to the pastors and chaplains in training there in the town of Nimule.

By God’s grace we were able to bless many people this month. With our tax return money we were able to provide a portion of the money needed for about 20 orphans to attend secondary school. The orphans being helped are required to attend a weekly Bible study so that they not only grow in their understanding of math, science, and language, but also in the things of the Lord. (We are still seeking sponsors for another 24 orphans who cannot afford to go to school). We were also able to give money to our watchman, Joseph, so that he could send his oldest son to school. In addition, our friend and helper, Mama Rachel, had her baby and we were able to provide her with two months pay so that she would be able to take some time off and tend to her growing family. We thank God for providing us with enough of a tax return to enable us to help meet these needs.

We hope that you have a wonderful time of celebrating the resurrection of Christ! “They went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, 'Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen!' ” Luke 24:3-6 Praise the LORD! Bwana asifiwe!

Praise and Prayer. While we know that God knows all of our needs and even what we are going to say before we say it, He invites us, no commands us to pray. Why? So that we may have the privilege of talking to Him, hearing from Him, sharing our hearts with Him, and knowing His heart. Ultimately, we line up our thoughts and will with His. Even though He is already working everything together for our good, by prayer we prepare the way for giving Him glory for the things we prayed about, which we may have otherwise just taken for granted.
With that in mind we want to praise Him for the following:
- Praise the Lord, everyone is healthy!
- We are thankful to have some new missionary families in the area with children for our kids to play with.
- We have been able to meet many needs of the people here.

And we ask for prayer for the following:
- to continue to pray for Carrie and the problems/pain she is having with her wrists.
- for Carrie to overcome her fear of driving in Africa and to learn quickly.
- for continued health for our family.
- for everyone to learn Swahili quickly.
- for Jon and his very busy schedule (that’s why I, Carrie, am doing the Newsletter this month!)

March 2009 Update

2009-03-01T20:51:00.004+03:00

Uvira, DRC. In February I was able to travel to the town of Uvira in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). You may remember it as Zaire or simply Congo. This nation has been at war with itself and others for a very long time, most of the troubles being rooted in the Eastern Congo just across the lake from Kigoma. It’s history - from the colonial days of King Leopold of Belgium, to the Belgian rule that followed, to it’s independence from the West, to today - is both complex and tragic. The country is one of the biggest in Africa comparing approximately in size to the entire Western United States. With so many problems, so many different people groups and languages (over 400), and a central government located at the far western edge of the country, even the best regions and districts are tumultuous, corrupt, and just barely getting by. Eastern DRC borders Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda, and most of its residents speak a slightly altered version of Swahili (the national language of Tanzania). In addition, many Congolese escaped the war and death in their home country by entering Tanzania as refugees. Many Eastern Congolese have spent anywhere from five to twenty-five years in refugee camps in the Kigoma region. This common language, close proximity, and similar culture makes Eastern DRC a perfect addition to our scope of ministry, and one that God had told us about in advance even before we ever left the United States. From Kigoma its about a seven hour journey by boat or automobile to get to Uvira, which means that ministry is only a short day away. The needs are great and there are often difficult hurdles to overcome in order to accomplish anything there. The corruption of government officials, the depleted economy, the devastated infrastructure, and the unsettled nature of a country still recovering from civil war and chock full of rebel groups and rogue military elements, all make for a potentially strenuous environment to minister in. But all things are possible with God, and where He guides He always provides: the way, the means, the wisdom, the energy, the safety, the everything. He is the Great I AM!

In Uvira I met with Pastor Sepa Mamboleo, Pastor Tito, and other local and regional pastors and elders associated with them. The meeting went very well. The primary focus of the meeting was to discuss the training of pastors in the Eastern Congo. There are many pastors and church leaders in all of the regions of Eastern DRC - from Provence Orientele in the north (where the LRA has recently set up shop after leaving Uganda), to North and South Kivu (where various Hutu and Tutsi rebel groups still operate and terrorize the people for personal profit), down to Katanga in the far south. All of them have expressed a deep desire for solid Biblical instruction so that the pastors and leaders of the churches in these villages and towns might be firmly grounded in the Word of God and fully equipped for the ministry. We plan to accomplish this by establishing a Pastor Training School in Uvira, which is basically a middle ground between the north and the south. Here current and future pastors can come and be trained in the Word of God. Currently - as is the case in much of Tanzania and many other African nations - a pastor is typically named “pastor” because they are the oldest, or wisest, or most popular or “spiritual” and have expressed a desire to be a pastor. Sometimes the motives are good and other times the motives are based on a desire for recognition or status. Rarely, if ever, is it because they have met the Biblical standard of an elder, teacher, and/or pastor. By attending the Bible School they will not only learn what the Bible says about foundational doctrines, but what it says about being and elder, teacher, and/or pastor. The Word of God will then divide the called and those with godly motives from those who are “in it” for the wrong reasons. Those who remain and complete the training will learn how to study the Bible for themselves. They will learn through the Bible what it teaches in regards to the foundational truths of the Faith. They will learn how to serve the people with a pure heart, on behalf of the Lord, as a true mtumwishi (bondslave), and not for personal prestige or gain. They will learn the importance and centrality of being lead by the Holy Spirit, according to Scripture, in order to accomplish God’s will and purpose in their lives and lives of those they serve. This is what’s lacking and they know it and have asked us to help. How can we refuse?

Jon with the leaders of the church in Uvira, DRC

Kigoma, Tanzania. There were many challenges waiting for us when we arrived back home in Kigoma. With God’s grace and strength we made it through and are now settled in and back to business.

Kevan has begun helping with another local ministry that takes care of the destitute. For more information about it, please see the previous blog entry titled "a heart for the poor." Please pray for Kevan to continue to grow in Christ and be sensitive to His calling and leading in ministry.

Jon is now teaching a weekly discipleship / Bible training class to the leaders of the local church that we work with. This takes place every Tuesday from 3 to 5 pm (local time is currently 11 hours ahead of U.S. Pacific Time). Please pray for these meetings to be fruitful and for the church to become healthy and grow accordingly.

Carrie will begin teaching the ladies group from the local church once per month. Please pray for her to have the time and strength for study and preparation, and for the Lord to give her peace to overcome any nervousness.

Jon will soon begin teaching at the Bible College on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Please pray for his time of study and preparation. Also please pray for the students hearts and minds to be prepared by the Holy Spirit to receive from the Lord.

Carrie is working hard as 5th grade teacher to Kevan, 2nd grade teacher to Keenan, 1st grade teacher to Caleb, Preschool teacher to Jada, and nursing mother to Jasmine. Please pray for her physical, mental, and emotional strength in homeschooling. It is a very difficult and tiring endeavor, though very rewarding.

Jon is working with a close friend to help find a way to provide for several orphans to continue their education. These are young boys and girls with no parents who are being cared for by friends or neighbors. They have passed their primary school exams and been accepted to secondary school, and so have the opportunity to move on but cannot afford the school fees, school supplies, school uniforms, and shoes. Those who receive support will attend a weekly Bible Study in order to remain in the program. Please pray that the Lord would provide the support needed for each of these children (only $19 per month). Currently there are about 40 children who have been screened and identified for assistance.

Jasmine Grace. For those of you interested in Jasmine’s growth and pictures, please visit the following internet sites for information and pictures: www.thelangleyclan.org and http://thelangleyclan.blogspot.com

Additional Information. For additional updates, stories, pictures, sermons, etc., please continue to visit our Blog. You can sign up for automatic notification of new blog articles. Just use the sign up form on the right of the screen near the top.

Current Needs. As you have read in this update, there is a lot going on and a lot to do. We would really appreciate your prayers and your helping us get the word out so that we can move forward on the projects that the Lord has put before us. Prayer and financial support are two common ways to partner with us, and many who read this newsletter already do both. You can also help by telling others and getting your church involved as a whole.
--- The pastor training school in Congo will require $77 per month per student to run (or a total of $1855 per student for the full 48 week program). We need sponsors for these brothers to be trained. Once they’ve been trained they’ll minister in their home villages and towns, some will become missionaries, and others can teach in the school themselves. Please pray for the Lord to provide for these students.
--- We need Holy Spirit-gifted and qualified teachers to come and teach at the Pastor Training School for two-week sessions. We will be scheduling two teachers at a time, one to teach the morning session and one the afternoon session. We need to be able to schedule a total of eight teachers for each session of eight weeks. Please pray that the Lord would guide us to the right brothers for this task and provide for their needs to come and share in the work for a short season.
--- The orphan education program will require $19 per month per child. This is a small price to see these kids get the chance to continue their education while being discipled weekly in the things of the Lord. With this combination of Biblical discipleship and basic education they can not only grow in their knowledge and relationship with the Lord, but also use that foundation to make an impact for Christ in their country, which is slowly moving more and more towards Islam and away from Christ. Please pray that this need will be met quickly so the students don’t miss this opportunity.
--- The ministry both here in Kigoma as well as in Congo is being expanded by the Lord. This expansion further emphasizes the need for one or two godly Tanzanian co-laborers to help with administration, translation, teaching, and government relations. Those who wish to serve the Lord in this way don’t have the benefit of having family & friends who can financially support them. In order to bring a couple of servants on board with us, we’d like to provide them with a fair wage so that they can meet the needs of their families. Currently we can do this for $250 per month per person. Please pray that the Lord would provide for this according to His perfect timing and wisdom.

Praise Him! Thank you so much for your prayer. We are feeling much better, are settled back into our home and somewhat of a routine. Our electricity has been good compared to most others, so we thank God for that constantly. God has also blessed us with a couple of partners in the ministry who have contributed towards our health insurance for the year. Thank you Lord!

Please Pray. Getting water to the house is still a problem. Please pray that God would provide for the extra expense of having to hire men to bring in buckets on their bikes. We were only paying a few dollars a month for water before and now it costs us about $20 each week (I know it sounds small but our budget is VERY tight). We continue to pray that God would provide the remainder of our medical insurance premium for the year. We know He will take care of us. Please pray for Carrie’s wrists. She has been having a lot of pain in both of them for some time now.

Jazz at the Lake

2009-02-17T17:54:00.002+03:00

I'm sure that you've heard us mention how much we enjoy spending quality family time at the lake. Now that Jasmine is here she gets to join in the fun!

February 2009 Update

2009-02-04T17:45:00.000+03:00

Most people that we talk to ask us what our children think about us living in Africa. Our response is always the same, “They love it in Africa.” However, if you have any doubts about our response and wonder what the children really think about living here, then read on and see what they’ve said in their own words. The itlics are parental editorial to give context and a better understanding to what the kids might have said.

Jada (2.5 years old) - “I like the lake and going to Bond and Heather’s house.” [Jada is very young and doesn’t yet realize that now that we are back in Kigoma we are nowhere near to our friends Bond and Heather in San Diego. We’re confident that she’ll adjust. She was only 1.5 years old when we left and remembers very little.]

Caleb (6.5 years old) - “I like it in Africa. I like the lake. I like swimming in the lake. I like diving off the rock. I like to eat mandazi and the round burnt things [he’s referring to kitimbua]. I’m looking forward to sleeping at home and finding quartz.” [FYI... we are currently staying at the guest house of another ministry. When we arrived in Kigoma our house was in terrible condition due to the regular dirt, dust, and bugs, but in addition we had some water damage that caused mold in our bedroom - on our bed and on many of our clothes - as well as a continued issue with bats in the the attic. It will take some time to get things back to normal. We are even praying about moving to a different house to start fresh as this house we are renting continues to have problem after problem.]

Keenan (8 years old) - I can’t wait to go to Bible Study and see my friends. I like to swim in the lake, jump off the rock, and go to Allys and Sun City. I have fun jumping on the big trampoline. I like making poison and doing secret stuff, and scaring people. I like playing with Jonas. I’m happy to be in Africa. Oh, and I like eating chips mayai. We try to fellowship with other missionaries in the region at a regular Bible Study. It really helps to have like-minded people of a similar culture to talk to from time to time. Allys and Sun City are a couple of little hole-in-the-wall places to eat in town. Visitors wouldn’t think much of them, but eating there is a treat to us! The trampoline belongs to another missionary in town, and Jonas is one of our guards who loves to play with the kids.

Kevan (10.5 years old) - I like the lake. I like to eat at Hilltop. I have a heart for the poor and want to help them. I like making new friends. Our guards are fun to play with. They are good at hide and seek. They’re hard to find in the dark because they’re black. I don’t like the monkeys because they take my things, so I shoot them with my sling shot. I like the food here. I have fun going on Harry’s boat [Harry Johnson - the one with the trampoline - has been a missionary in Congo, Burundi, and Tanzania his entire life. He has a little sailboat at the lake and takes the kids out on it sometimes.]

So you see, they really do like it here! In fact, because of their willing hearts and flexible attitudes, they have made it so much easier for us to transition to life here and do the ministry God has called us to!

Please Pray. After being gone for so long and having so many hurdles to cross in order to get back here and get going again, there is often a strong temptation to be overwhelmed and want to give up and go back to the “easy life” of the land and culture we are familiar with in the States. Please pray for us as we get things back in order and get back to the work God has called us to. Please pray for good health, spiritual strength and discipline, and family unity. Please pray for us to have wisdom and patience in dealing with an ever-growing problem with electricity and water in the area. Also, through our partners in this ministry God has provided a portion of the cost of our medical insurance for the year. Please pray that God would continue provide the remainder.