|
 March
2007
Greetings from Tanzania! A lot of has happened since I last wrote in
December... apologies for being a bit tardy. I am amazed at what God is
doing through us here in what would seem to be a cutting edge way in so
many directions.
Water in Mairowa:
Maasai tank foundation and half wall at Mairowa.
Its actually to roof height now and will hold
90,000 litres. Most of the local village will get water from this tank as
well as the 350 children from the project we are doing there. We hope to
see another school start in the village in 2008. Frank from SBC came
recently with his latest team- which included Carol, his wife! We were
really happy to have you all over with us! [Frank, you may as well live
here]
Upgraded car!
Lyndall was blessed to be able to upgrade her car with a gift from folks in
WA. Here she is with Esther with her 1999 Rav 4
that will give enough 4 wheel traction to  get
her out of trouble in the villages she visits. The two door
Vitara was a faithful help to her but a bit rough
on her body and a little small. She will be able to carry more folks and
gear around with this one [and she loves the aircon!]
Their work can be heartbreaking, but somehow God has given them
the grace to love these sick people right to
the time of death. This is the report Heff gave
about Whinstone, a young boy some of you have worked with in the past.
 Whinstone
Death
Born 1998 died 16th Jan, 2007
By Heff
Whinstone
was an Orphan where his Parents died with HIV/AIDS, and be left with his
Widow grand Mother very old, then after few years Whinstone started getting
sicker. IMARA through HIV department working with Mwika Hope Foundation
Project were trying to save his life but the
time was ready for him to go.
 Whinstone
& his grand Mother, who has only one eye, alone in the house.
Whinstone
was HIV/ Positive as he was getting sicker, he happened to have a big open
wound on his back, Lyndall the IMARA HIV
Department head dressing it. 
As
time was going on he was getting on a dying point. Whinstone was visited on Jan, 11, 2007. He was admitted to Marangu Hospital on 12th Jan, 2007. Then
five days later he died, 16th Jan, 2007.
May GOD rest his Soul in peace.
Here is a little snippet from Esther. I think it reflects
some of their wonderful work and the way the HIV/AIDS team and volunteers
pour out their hearts to the people. It kind of hit me when I read of when
they prayed with the raped under 14 year old girls:
"Oldonyosambu seminar was well done to 200 children
under 14years attended.  
They
learnt transmission, prevention and sexual purity. One parent said that
"We appreciate your love and commitments toward us. It is difficult
for us to talk with our children like the way you talk to them."
Some
of them were raped and we prayed for them."
Kilimanjaro area
Kilimanjaro area has been on our agenda for some time. we used to work there  regularly
for years but it was affected when we lost Francis Minja
some years back. The folks at Kilimanjaro look for the input and with the
expected regular flow of teams coming in I feel we will see the area
strengthened as we teach and stand with the churches in the area. Our
latest team from WA ,led by Danny and Dave again,
was a real blessing to the people from Mwika and Rombo. We will take other
teams to many other villages in the area in the
next few years. Thank you so much for the US and Australian help that is
helping
us to build well there.
While I am here, Stephen Cullen was a blessing to us as well as
to Lushoto and Kondoa leaders. We were sorry to see him go.
Whew... well for sure I have forgotten something. Karanse
school and Kondoa school are going really well. Likamba needs support but
we are working on it by looking at school sponsorships. Discipleship work
going very well thanks to Carolyn Bahr at Perimeter, and..... Its all so wonderful to be a part of!!
What else?
O
.......... PRAYER!
To all of you who stand with us in this way... we need you!
·
WE need a key person
to work under Godsave. He has so much to do these days and the mercy
department needs another person to release Godsave to the more general
leadership role that he is able to do.
·
Could you please pray
for a skilled and faithful Tanzanian person to come and join us in the
HIV/AIDS department
·
Jenny from Newcastle
is preparing to come work with us full time in July,
Julia coming to help Lyndall in July and Meagan in June to take over
from Miriam in the education area. Also Herb & Linda could be moving
here from China... we will be honored to have
these proven missionaries with us if it works out. Having more
overseas full timers here is a welcome change for us but will bring its own
set of growing pains.
We have other folks coming with us for short term stints as well in the
next 9 months- pray for David & Mary Anne, Jessica,
·
Thanks- my hardtop
should be finished TODAY! Its taken nearly a year!
But pray Daffa wins through on the insurance
claim which is still in process- or maybe in court.
·
Kirsty is going
through some health issues
·
Our land. It would go
smoothly this time! And we would get the house built ok.
·
We are waiting to see
if we win a grant to help our HIV/AIDS work.
·
Profitable trip for
Gidori, Jones and Daffa as they travel to US for
Discipleship work in April and Godsave this month to South Africa for
education area work.
·
Fares for us to go to
Oz in Sept this year
·
Tam [and Joe - he's
in the top photo inspecting the tank foundation with Isack] back in
Australia slowly working on an Avocado idea we have for for
villagers and Imara.
·
Thanks for Mwika.
Joint help is coming their way from across Australia and from our friends
in the US: thanks so much...
Gods blessings on you and thanks for standing with us,
Mike and Lyndall
|
