This past month has been full of activity, ups and downs, and thankfully victories! Last Sunday we awoke to news that 2 of our boys (pictured above) from the chapel in Kizenga were missing. They had gone off looking for mushrooms or something similar at 11am on Saturday, could not find their way back, and never made it home Saturday night. We received a call Sunday morning about the news, and we immediately began to pray.
(Christopher & Kasey are the 2 boys on the right in the picture above)
When we arrived at the chapel for the meetings Sunday morning, there was still no news. We imagined the worst as there is a river and a creek nearby that are both deep enough for these boys to drown in. After the meetings, everyone was losing hope. In my mind, with them missing out there for over 24 hours, I was already painfully thinking through the funeral. The family and many friends had searched everywhere, up and down both sides of the river and creek, the mosques announced the news on their speaker for prayer calls, and still no one had seen the 2 boys. We left with tears in our eyes and heavy hearts.
We continued to pray and wait. At around 2pm we got the good news that the boys were found in a field about an hour away by foot. A lady was going out to her farm to hoe and plant when she saw 2 little boys sleeping on a dirt mound holding hands 😭. She checked to make sure they were alive, and began the process of getting them back to their family. It felt like we had been through a funeral and a resurrection all in one day! We rejoiced that the Lord had protected them, and brought them both home.
This past Sunday, a week later, the kids club was very lively as we celebrated the safe return of these precious boys. While the kids meeting is thriving, the adult meeting is another story. There is a complacency and sluggishness that is really hindering their spiritual growth. There are a few who are “awake”, but in a meeting with 10-12 people including our family it is a real concern. It’s a good reminder that a new building, new benches, lights, new song books, even a missionary family and good teaching cannot change anyone (they certainly help!). Only when an individual gets real and honest w/God and responds to His Word in faith, repentance, surrender, and obedience does one see a powerful change in his/her life. Pray with us that the hearts of these people will NOT grow calloused, but be awakened by the gracious working of the Holy Spirit!
This is Sara (above), she is a part of the kids club in Kizenga. She should be in 2nd grade, but like many kids in the village, she has never been to school. She stays home to babysit her younger brother while her mother works in the fields as a farmer. Pray with us as we try to help her start school in January 2025.
The maktaba in Ujiji is continuing to be a blessing to many. These (Muslim) children often come in to color and watch Gospel films.
The reading glass ministry continues to be a blessing also, and continues to help us connect with many who are afraid to come in because of persecution from family and friends. It’s amazing that this December will be 6 years that the maktaba has been open in Ujiji!
The school ministry is one of the highlights of the week for me. Teaching young children who are eager to learn and hungry for the Word of God is such fun and a huge encouragement! The school year ends in November with end of year exams, but we are enjoying our last few classes with them before they finish.
When we arrive, they are waiting for us and usually already singing!
The Emmaus ministry is really growing! We have added many new students this past mo the, especially in the villages along the lake road. Every 3 weeks we pack up lots of Emmaus courses, tracts, and Gideon New Testaments and begin the journey south to pick up exams and bring new courses to the over 50 students in these villages.
I am so thankful for these Bible studies! They enable us to help so many understand God’s Word and grow spiritually. It would be impossible to teach all of them ourselves, but we can bring these excellent studies to them and let the Spirit of God teach them as they study and work through each course.
We get many opportunities to share the Gospel at each stop. I am explaining the difference between religion and the true Gospel to these children above.
We also get opportunities to explain certain truths that are confusing or hard to understand. We go over questions that many missed, and take questions from the students at each village. What a joy to help them grow in the Word of God!
As we have seen so much growth in Emmaus in these villages, we have begun to pray about opening an Emmaus office in Ilagala which would service these students, and this way they wouldn’t have to wait for our next visit to get a new course. Please pray with us about this, for the Lord’s leading and provision.
More students who completed sections of courses and received their certificates.
We are waiting for the completion of the adoption process on the US side for Grace. This has been a challenging year of waiting for us. We were told our paperwork would be sent back to TZ by the end of this month. While we wait we continue to drive the 45 min to 1 hour to see her each week.
She is precious! We are praying that the Camp land deed will be released and Gracie will be given to us before the end of the year.
🙏🙏🙏
Below is a picture of the land at Camp Nuru. We have the building plans ready to go as soon as the deed is released. As much as we have prayed and worked to get this, I am convinced that the Lord is waiting for His perfect timing to begin this exciting project.
Jennifer has been accepted into the Masters program for Midwifery at Frontier Nursing College in Ky. She will return to the US alone for a required orientation the first week of December, and get back to Kigoma before Sam’s birthday on Dec 11th 😀. She will go at a slow pace online (3 year plan) as she works 2 days a week at the hospital here in Kigoma in labor and delivery. Please pray for her as she begins this new journey.
Last but not least, please pray for us as we are looking forward to returning to NC for a furlough next year to see family and friends. We cannot go until we have a passport for Grace, which is a big prayer request. We hope to be able to return for Spring/Summer in 2025. We covet your prayers as we look ahead to next year :)
Prayer Requests:
Please pray for revival in the church in Kizenga, for the believers to be awakened spiritually and revived.
Please pray for little Sara to be able to start school for the first time.
Please pray for the opening of the Emmaus office in the village of Ilagala.
Please pray for the many Muslims reading God’s Word to have their eyes opened to the truth.
Please pray for Jennifer as the begins her Masters program in Midwifery.
Please pray for the camp deed to be released to us so that we can begin the building process.
Please pray for Grace, and for the adoption process to be completed.
Please pray we will be able to take a furlough in spring 2025.
~ The Kinlaws
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