July 7, 2012

One common hurdle for volunteers to East Africa – eating/ drinking foods offered by their East African hosts, such as drinking warm sodas, killing a goat before roasting it, or drinking milk mixed with blood!  But volunteers often forget that their food is also 'foreign' to the people they hope to minister among!  Recent volunteers in Tanzania offered their ‘dinner’ scrambled eggs to new Maasai friends – who gagged upon spotting the foreign dish!  Spaghetti noodles were also strange looking – could they be cooked worms?  One Maasai was overheard saying, "Good white people eat some strange food!"

July 6, 2012

In Romans 1:12, Paul told fellow Believers:  “I long to see you so that… you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith.”  Pray for East African Believers today without daily encouragement – God’s servants who live in an area where few are Believers; Believers who must learn a new language/ culture before they can encourage others and be encouraged; Believers who face personal threats and losses if they openly share the encouragement of their faith; Believers who know that those they seek to encourage may face threats and losses if they receive the encouragement of our faith.

July 5, 2012

From co-workers sharing God’s love with the Kuria People of Tanzania: "Our volunteers are here with us and working hard. The one who was sick is much better but still not strong. The rest of the team are doing a great job with evangelism and VBS in our area. They are a great group and have welcomed our youngest daughter as their own. She has had a blast witnessing and helping with VBS. Prayers have strengthened them as they serve Christ with our People!"

July 4, 2012

Update from friends who recently returned from leave:  “Another day of meetings with local leaders – which now brings the total to four days!  Exhausting?  YES! Plus  I’m hearing all new words! It seems that lots of new words were added to the local trade language during our absence. Thankfully my hubby is gifted in Swahili and able to truly communicate our Father’s awesome love, hope and truth! More hurdles before we are fully re-settled/ welcomed, but our Father is busy changing hearts AND He is allowing us to join in His work with our Unreached People."

July 3, 2012

Illness and death, disappointments and discouragements, confusion and corruption, bombings and helicopter crashes - all bits of current East African news.  How do missionaries continue being their Father's heart, hands and voice with confidence and peace?  By recognizing that the devil is active and wants us to fail, but by remembering and doing what is suggested in a chorus most learned as children:  “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.”

July 2, 2012

For these missionary family pets, differences come in shape, speed, colour, on which side of the fence they live, etc. Their missionary owners also face differences – differences appearing in varying shapes, colours, definitions (such as which side of the road to drive one’s car or the local definition for hot/ medium/ mild spiced foods), etc. Pray today that missionaries in East Africa will have the needed patience, sensitivity and wisdom to face differences with open and discerning eyes, ears, minds, and especially with hearts guided by the Holy Spirit.

July 1, 2012

The fisherman in yesterday’s nudge was watching a baptism of 80 new Believers! A missionary shared:  “As others sang praises, the Believers walked out to be baptized 3 at a time – the result of many pastors on the islands of Lake Victoria being very faithful. The long line of those awaiting baptism was jumping with excitement, with the greatest joy coming as each took their turn of being buried with Christ in baptism and raised to walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4)” Praise God for these new Believers. Pray that the fisherman will learn of the one who called others to be fishermen of men.