First Team Visit

We were tremendously blessed with our first team from the USA this past month! Seven people from various assemblies in the eastern US came out to Kigoma, Tanzania for almost 3 weeks. Their trip was a mix of both construction work and Gospel ministry to not only the local Tanzanians, but also to the missionary community out here in Kigoma. What a blessing it was to have them!

After flying half way around the world and landing in Dar es Salaam, TZ, John was waiting there to receive them and escort them through the busy streets of Dar to their hotel room.

We enjoyed having a day to get some rest from the jet lag, and discuss the work ahead which the Lord had brought them here to do. It was also a blessing for us all to hear how each one was led in different ways to come on the trip as some had not met before.

On Sunday the team all came out to Kizenga and the local kids were so excited 😆! We had a record number of kids that Sunday (over 100) as word got out that guests were coming. Jonathan Peck gave the message in Swahili. It was the first "village experience " for several of our guests, and they fell in love with the many children!

The team jumped right in to the work at a Bible school Luke Johnson is building as their first week began. There were 2 buildings already built when they arrived, and they installed the electrical for both buildings (breaker boxes, switches, lights, outlets, exterior lights, everything!) They were extremely productive! Even the young guys, Sam Kinlaw and Aaron Johnson, came out and worked really hard :) (see below)

Jonathan was able to share the Gospel with many on this trip since he knows Swahili from many years as a missionary in Congo. (below)

Both Jonathan Peck and Justin Wallace (from Mountain Top Youth Camp, NC) shared at the midweek missionary meeting to both the children and adults in the 2 Wednesdays the team were able to attend. The kids really enjoyed both of their messages and illustrations.

Several from the team came out to the chapel in town one Saturday afternoon for a kids meeting. They combined the boys club and girls club together into one big kids meeting. The Gospel was clearly given through testimony and spoken word. Overall it was a fun afternoon with games, good, drinks, and we pray the Lord will bless the effort given :)

As the old saying goes, "Where He leads I will follow, and what He feeds I will swallow!" While everyone was able to experience new foods out here in TZ, some took the opportunity to try some local delicacies 🤣😬🤔. Doug Lindley, Patience and Tori tried some fried grasshoppers with their lunch one day :)

Justin Wallace and Arthur Burnham (from Pennsylvania) joined Gerald and I when we went to teach in the schools. Justin taught in one school and Art taught in the other. Both gave excellent Gospel messages for the kids, and we gifted them each with a pen (valuable item for them).

Overall it was an amazing few weeks of ministry! It was a joy to serve them and be served by them. We are thankful for how the Lord used them while here in many ways!

This was the "last supper" (above) with them before they boarded their plane back to Dar and then on to the US. Lots of great friends and memories made on this trip/visit, and look forward to more teams coming out in the future.

We are encouraged that the walls in the Kizenga church are being built! Please pray for the work to be done well, and for spiritual growth in the body. One young man trusted Christ as his Savior because of the witness of some of the workers. We offered him the first Emmaus course to get him started growing in the Word, but we discovered he cannot read. These are common challenges we face here in the villages.

Thank you all for prayers and support in many ways! We are so thankful for each of you :)

PRAYER REQUESTS:

• Please pray for the work In Kizenga, spiritual growth and also the building.

• Please pray for the spiritual growth of our children, a burden on our hearts :)

• Please pray for wisdom from above as we look to and wait for direction and leading for Camp Nuru.

• Please pray for Jennifer and her paperwork process as she continues to pursue nursing here in TZ.

~ the Kinlaws

Pic of the month:

A homemade wooden bicycle!